Unit 10 Summary

Review of goals for unit 3. My personal assessment scores.
psychological score 8. Physical well being score 8, and my spiritual well being 9. in unit 10 I assessed myself again after the course. Taking into consideration my family situation which changed dramatically, and my stress level did as well, I scored myself a temporary 7 in physical well being. The exercises and techniques in this class helped me to stay at a seven, without the support from so many people it would have been lower. I say it is temporary because my health foundation is solid; it was a circumstance in my personal life that made my score go down. Psychologically I still score myself at an 8. I am well grounded, I have few self doubts, and I accept life and the terms it has dealt me, I love people and diversity, My heavenly Father has given me a wonderful life, family, friends, and good health. Spiritually I score myself a 9, my faith is unshakable, . All in all I continue to work on my goals, and to move forward on my path. As I grow older I have more time for reflection, More time to be thankful, to look at people and their circumstance through a compassionate heart and not just with my eyes. My scope on meditating skills has increased, learning to apply it in my profession; valuable. Thank you Professor, you have been a very good guide on this path to flourishing. Sharon

SharonM Bach HW420 Unit 9 Project

Project     8

 

Personal Application of the Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing Unit 9

 

 

 

Creating Wellness Project Unit 9

SharonM Bach

 

 

 

 

HW420 Creating Wellness:

Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

Professor C.Fouhy

April 5, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

I:  Introduction

Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically?

Wellness professionals are the key to the integral healing process, to become the agents of a more expansive health, we must begin with our own life. Becoming educated in our line of work means not only book learning, but hands on learning. We need to be willing to explore the inner aspects of our life through psychological development, and contemplative practice (Dacher, 2006).

Wellness Professionals need to cultivate their path to integral wellness, to experience the benefits of the different techniques and practices. Teaching our clients and understanding their needs, helping them in the integral healing process, will have better impact if the healer practices the same techniques. It is important for the practitioner to have integrity, and grounding in the practices and techniques they are teaching (Bach, 2010).

What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?

Spiritually is an area in my life that I feel most comfortable with. I have a good solid foundation in my belief system. I was brought up in a home with four different religions. Each one of my parents and grandparents came from different cultures and religions and we practiced and enjoyed traditions from each. The world through my eyes sees all as equal, the differences are what we see with our eyes, and not with our spiritual mind and heart.  As a wellness practitioner, cultural differences and ethnicity will not center in my practice as I embrace al (Bach, 2010)l.

I personally need to work the physical aspect; I have vitamin D deficiency, and hypothyroidism.  Conditions that make you tired, and gain weight.  I practice good nutrition, and exercise. I need to increase exercise to include some strength training; I recently joined a gym that opened in town to help with this goal.  Walking in the sunlight for two miles a day will help the D issue.

II Assessment:

How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically and psychologically?

Physical Wellness:

My personal assessment in each quadrant tells me at this time that the area to concentrate on is physical. In considering the nutrition line the question how much of my eating pattern is guided by habit? This made me look at my habits and choices. I kept a journal of the times and what I ate for a week. I discovered that on the nights I have seminar that I bring home takeout. In looking at my pyramid tracker I discovered that a part of my problem with weight control is the take-out. Considering that I have been in school for two years those extra calories really add up. My goal is to fix a salad with some fruit on those two nights and become more aware of my habits. My physical wellness scores a 6, down slightly from where I scored myself initially, because my awareness has increased since the beginning of the class (Bach, 2010).

Spiritual wellness:

What drives my life is service to others. As a mother and grandmother loving my family and being there to help attend to their needs is a priority. In my work teaching little minds to grow, helping with their social skills, maintaining balance and harmony in their day becomes my priority; that is why I teach. In the community volunteering at the homeless shelter, helping several elderly with transportation to the doctors and shopping, being of service to others is what makes me feel connected to this life. I also help and volunteer in translating for the Hispanic community in filling out papers for medical and educational services when I am asked to assist. Spiritually I am well grounded, I score myself a 9 (Bach, 2010).

 

Psychological wellness:

This has been a trying time for me with my husband, because of his heart disease and diabetes. Trying to work, juggling home, and school and tending to his needs has been at times difficult to say the least. I have found that the exercises in this class couldn’t have come at a better time, the practices and visualization techniques have kept me balanced and able to sleep. I will be able to be a testimony to my clients, the practices and techniques are proven and not theory; they work. I would place my psychological wellness at an 8 (Bach, 2010).

III Goal Development: List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health), and Spiritual.

Physical Goal:

My physical goal is in my weight, trying to keep from gaining because of my thyroid condition. I will continue to use the pyramid tracker to assess my caloric intake and monitor nutrient value to make sure that I receive enough calcium and vitamin D from my foods. I will also eliminate eating fast food twice per week and enjoy eating fruits and salads in their place. Realistically I will eat out on occasion but without regularity, this had become a habit, one that will be broken (Bach, 2010).

Psychological Wellness Goal:

Although I feel well mentally, psychologically I do realize that I have been under stress for the past year. I was my sister’s caregiver during her battle with renal cancer; I felt a profound loss when she passed over the Thanksgiving holiday. Her passing brought back a flood of memories of the passing of my wonderful son. I realize that although I meditate, and do the practices in this course, I still feel the need to express myself openly and share thoughts and grieve. My goal became to join a grief counseling group through the hospitals hospice center. This group meets once per week and you have a counselor you can call during difficult times. I don’t anticipate using the latter. Grief can silently erode your wellbeing if you can’t come to terms with it. This then is my psychological goal along with continuing the practices to integral health (Bach, 2010).

Spiritual Goal:

I am at peace with which I am, my father always said pass through this life quietly, with no ill will. Be sure you leave those you came in contact with better for knowing you, walk in peace, friendship, and serve. That is what we are here for, to love and help each other. We are one with the Universe. My father believed in the teachings of the Buddha, My mother was a Roman Catholic. I am not at odds with any issues; my goal is to continue with my belief system and to do honor to my fathers words (Bach, 2010).

IV Practices for personal health:

What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.

Physical Domain:

One strategy I will implement in my physical goal will be visualization. This practice will keep me focused on the goal, imagery helps in recalling and refocusing your goal as you stray. I will see myself in good health as long as I stick to my goal of breaking the habit of fast food. Also I will use deep breathing techniques when I feel myself waiver (Bach, 2010).

Psychological Domain:

The practice that comes to mind is Loving Kindness. As health practitioners we will come in contact with people from all walks of life, cultures, religions, nationalities, traditions, nutrition, and the like. Loving kindness is a practice that will keep me grounded in my beliefs in human nature, and to respect the differences that make us all too human. The three minute breathing exercise to quickly put in focus and to alleviate stress brought about by daily living. The benefits of these two practices will help my mental wellness (Bach, 2010).

Spiritual Domain:

I will continue with daily prayer and affirmations. I feel comfortable in this domain and my goals are to continue the practices of daily prayer. Prayers for gratitude and blessings, prayers to be charitable work and alms giving, prayers for all the less fortunate, prayers for health and safety, prayers for thankfulness for this life and the love of our heavenly provider, prayer of help to be able to do his work, for others, the earth, and all the creatures that inhabit . As people of service we are also stewards of this holy place. Prayers throughout the day remind me of the purpose of the journey (Bach, 2010).

V Commitment:

How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long term practices for health and wellness?

My long term goals are to continue the practices and techniques to reach human flourishing. I realize that it can be along path, however the concept is profound. Dacher explains human flourishing as sustained, and self cultivated health, happiness, and wholeness. It is an innate and natural human potential that each and every one of us can actualize. We can only attain this by preparing a proper foundation and steadily progress in our development from body to mind to spirit (Dacher, 2006)

Journaling will help me to monitor my progress in the different domains; Keeping track of my weight and what I eat on the pyramid tracker. Keep a journal on meditation and visualization, to monitor progress. I will know by my emotions how my progress with grief counseling is going. This class has been very enlightening and most beneficial (Bach, 2010).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Bach, S. (2010). Student Kaplan University .

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. (S. Davis, Ed.) Laguna Beach, California: Basic Health Publications.

 

 

 

Loving Kindness, and the Subtle Mind

This course has been very interesting and some of the practices are indeed beneficial in helping to look inward to motivation, and experience. Its like cleaning out cobwebs in the Attic and and finding all kinds of treasures , and trash. I have been meditating for many years, but visualization is a technique that I seldom use. This class has brought the practice back to mind and expanded on it, to where I enjoy and look forward to it at night before I go to bed. I find it helps, in accounting for emotions and behaviors; the day has been examined, becomes accounted for and is balanced. If necessary it gives me a things to do list for the next day, building and repairing. Sharon

Unit Seven Almost There

Well it is hard to believe that this long week has come to an end and my wonderful man is still with me. His heart attack was a small one compared to a year and a half ago. He now has 2 new stents and hopefully a renewed outlook, I know for me I feel I can breath easier again. Thank you all for your prayers and kind words they meant alot to me.

Well as for the practice Meeting Asciepius, it is a lengthy one and very visual. I have not mastered this one yet although imagery is helpful. I have not been able to keep my focus these past few days as way to much has gone on and my time has been spent elsewhere, mostly in the hospital and caring for him here at home. The statement" One can not lead another where one has not gone himself" is mostly true. Health care providers need to work on their own spiritual growth and integral health. Trying to teach practices of this nature without any training, or experience would be rather difficult and the client would not receive the benefit of being able to discuss or even receive the benefits of knowing how it has helped you. It is like the question on the DB several weeks ago. How important is it for a health practitioner to practice what they preach. I believe we all felt it was pretty important to establish ourselves as being trustworthy, and truthful when dealing with individuals health. Integrity comes to mind, I want to know that the person caring for me believes in the practices and treatments they are prescribing. Sharon

Golden Rule/Loving Kindness

That there is a God who is the origin of everything:
that there is an element of his divine origin in every person,
which he can diminish or increase through his way of living;
that in order for someone to increase this source he must suppress
his passions and increase the love within himself;
the only practical means of achieving this consists in doing
to others as you would wish to do to you ( Tolstoy, 1879)

Meditation and Assessment

The universal Loving Kindness practice is very powerful and uplifting. Shifting my focus to others for ten minutes is different but very enjoyable. When I feel in need I pray, I pray in gratitude for my life and for all the blessings I have received in my life. Passing the caring on to others is like completing the circle. Reaching out in loving kindness to others helps to expand my focus from self to being part of a larger picture. Meditation and prayer brings me closer to God, This practice will bring me closer to people.

The assessment part of our studies brings to mind the areas that I need to focus on for improvement, difficulties and suffering. My mind is not completely at ease at this time because my wonderful partner is not doing well. He had a heart attack and is diabetic, even though he watches his diet and exercises his diabetes has progressed and is at a critical point. I find the thoughts of loosing him is more than I can bear , in a way I can say I feel my soul is suffering, I am mourning a loss that has not taken place yet.

I find meditation helps, prayer helps but my focus has been turned inwards. The six principles in the assessment help to identify the areas I need putting my attention to. I believe the area of my distress is short term on one hand and long term on the other. I have for many years felt grounded and centered, I am a happy person and love life, It is in the letting go that I have my biggest problem even though I believe I will be reunited , it is being alone without him that I dread. Sharon

Mental Fitness Practice

The Subtle Mind practice this week I found easier and more relaxing than the Loving Kindness Practice. Concentrating on the breath rather than picturing someone and examining feelings and thoughts and images, I found the Subtle Mind practice to be much easier. Concentrating on the breath, the rise and fall, the inhalation and exhalation is almost like self hypnosis, it allows you to bring yourself back into focus as the mind tries to wander. The Loving kindness practice is to busy for me to be able to still the mind, to many instructions, to many distractions. I do meditation breathing exercises, and do them also as I walk. I began meditation techniques when I was a young girl living in the Middle East. I truly believe it is what has kept me at peace with life and those around me and with those I have not yet met. Life is a gift, share the gift of love and compassion to those you encounter on your journey. In the west it is believed that consciousness is an effect of which the body (brain) is the cause. In Eastern thought the body and mind mutually condition one another. In Buddhist practice the consciousness is what is primary, and the world as we perceive it is the product of our evolving consciousness. Sharon

Laughter is the Best Medicine

I love laughter and humor, no matter what the situation your in finding humor always seems to put life back to focus. My granddaughter Amanda is 8 years old and she has what I call an infectious laughter, no matter what you are doing if she begins to laugh you stop and take notice and you will start to laugh. This happens even in the supermarket, when she giggles and laughs strangers passing her by will laugh also. She loves to tell jokes and she sends them through text message to me, the joke of the week according to Amanda. This week she sent: Nana this is so so silly! 2 goldfish where in a tank, one goldfish turned to the other and said...do you know how to drive this thing? I always look forward to her joke of the week, they always make me smile. Sharon

It was with sadness that my homeland (Chile) was devastated by an earthquake this week. When I was a young girl I remember experiencing several earthquakes. The one I remember most was when our living room separated from the entrance way and the patio cracked open. Prior to an earthquake our dogs always lost their appetite and howled . Insects always appeared in the house including large spiders. I think I took this all for granted because I don't remember any fear. Fortunately for my family and friends they have all survived, but my prayers go out to Concepcion and all those that lost their lives, and are left homeless and injured. Sharon

The concept of a mental workout is not rest and relaxation but rather the progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities. In the beginning contemplative practice requires effort. The effort is in setting time aside, fitting yourself into a schedule, a daily schedule, where you can meditate and explore inward. Relaxation exercise or meditation takes perseverance and discipline. You need a quiet place. The biggest problem people find in doing these practices is doing them daily. However the benefits are proven to be many. Practice is essential ; the reward is integral health, happiness and wholeness into your life (Dacher, 2008). Life is fragile and way to short, happiness is key to a successful life, and having enough happiness to be able to sustain yourself through the bumps and hurdles in life. Being happy and finding happiness in every minute and moment of your life. Giving happiness to those you meet, the ones you love, and happiness to the stranger you meet, and don't forget Gods' creatures they need happiness also. Too often we make life all about ourselves, when its really all about the others we come in contact with whether for a minute or a lifetime. My thoughts, my view...Sharon

The relaxation CD narrated by Dasher and other I found interesting and relaxing at the same time. The sound of the flute and the ocean waves nearly put me to sleep. I listened to the exercise 3 times on different days to be able to understand exactly what it entailed. I definitely enjoyed the instructions and feel in time I can reach each of the stages. Finding the time daily as this is a long exercise would pose a problem for me. I believe I would recommend this to others , but only after they read Integral Health. Sharon

My reflections : A-physical wellbeing 8. B-Spiritual well-being 9. C-psychological well-being 8.

Goal: A, My goal is to eat more fresh fruit and to increase my walking by a half mile. I walk 1, 1/5 miles a day except when it rains. The increase will help me lower my triglycerides, and the fresh fruit my cholesterol. I need to move those numbers downward by 25 points, and maintain my good cholesterol where it is at 49. I could accomplish this by taking a statin drug like lipitor but those drugs are bandaids and as soon as you stop them the problem returns , not to say that the side effects are worse than the problem. A lifestyle change is what is needed.

Goal: B, I feel comfortable and grounded in my spiritual life most times. My goal is to acknowledge his everpresence in my life and to thank him every day for the blessings he gives.

Goal: C, Psychological well-being I rated myself an 8: I find that my plate is too full, sometimes I wonder how I can accomplish all that I try to do. I feel stressed,and I become tired, and at times I want to stop. My goal is to meditate, ralax, and to use time management techniques to help me through. I work to jobs back to back, volunteer 2 evenings with the Boys and Girls club, and 1/2 day on Saturday morning with the elderly women I help. Then there is Kaplan and the course work. At times I feel overwhelmed.

Being more organized, using a things to do list, map out what free time I have and designate a portion of time to each daily. I loved that rainbow technique relaxation tape: I will use it. Imagery tends to work.

Intertwined

The heart in thee is the heart of all.
Not a valve , not a wall, not an intersection is there anywhere in nature, but one blood rolls uninteruptedly, an endless circulation through all humanity. Just as the water of the globe is all one sea and truly seen, its tide is one. It is one light, which beams out of a thousand stars, it is one soul that animates us all. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Relaxing

The relaxation exercise is soothing and calming. I find the chimes remind me of a Buddhist temple and all that is missing is the smell of incense. This autogenic training technique suggests the movement of flow of blood from your body's core to flow to other parts of your body by consciously directing the flow to other parts. Strangely enough it worked the very first time I tried it. Laying still with my eyes closed I actually felt my abdominal area become tight, I didn't feel my arms becoming warm but they did feel heavy. This tape reminds me of self hypnosis, his voice is non intrusive so that you concentrate on the instructions. The power of suggestion to control your own body is really quite amazing. I will do this again; great stress reliever. Sharon

Welcome to my blog..

Hi Everyone and Welcome to my blog. I called my blog From My Looking Glass because I usually have my own perspective on life and view things from my own experiences. I love life and all it has to offer, especially the diversity you find in people, cultures, religions, beliefs, plants, animals, in all that our Supreme Being has given us. I look forward to reading the blogs of my classmates and the interaction they will provide. SharonM