Creating Wellness Experience and Reflections of My Health and Well-being revisited!

     It is week 10 and this is literally my last assignment for this class. I have learned a great deal about Creating Wellness through contemplative practice, as well the steps to achieve integral health. I also take from this course how to aid others relieve suffering and begin healing. I further have learned that in order for me to efficiently help others seek human flourishing and integral health, I must first take that journey myself. For me personally the most important thing I will take away from this class is the importance of the spiritual aspect. This is a underdeveloped facet for me and one I am striving to improve.

     Part of this last blog assignment also asks that we revisit our Unit three health and wellness personal assessment we blogged. We are asked to update our progress on scoring, implementing exercises, and if we have met our goals that were set forth.
     Looking back over my assessment I scored myself an 8 on physical well-being, 7 on psychological well-being, and a 6 on spiritual well-being. I feel as though I would score myself the same as before. I like to think of myself as a continuous work in progress. There is always room for improvement in all areas of my life. Even when I attain my current goals, there are always more goals and challenges to set to better myself. Having said that I do believe that I am on the right path. I have in fact implemented the exercises and activities that I blogged about in unit 3. I have been keeping up with my exercising, and have been more diligent about my yoga and meditation practices. I have implemented the forgiveness I spoke of and felt as though a weight was lifted. I am trying to get outside more when the weather and my health permit as I do find communing with nature to be calming and aids in stilling my over-work mind. Over all I believe that I have made progress towards my goals, but have not YET achieved them. But today I am closer than I was yesterday.

     To any of my classmates who may read this, it has been a pleasure learning with you during this term. I hope that everyone attains their personal health and wellness goals as well as any educational endeavors you set out to pursue. We all have the power within us to achieve all that our hearts desire.

Brandy

My Plan for Fostering Integral Health

This week we are asked to post our Final Project in our blog post for this week! Mine follows.

My Plan for Fostering Integral Health

By Brandy Hairl

Kaplan University

HW420: Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

     Integral health is a very important achievement and one we all should strive for in our lives. This concept is not just for the everyday normal person, but also important for the health and wellness professional. It is very important for the health and wellness professional to present a picture of integral health if they are to aid others in fostering this lifestyle. In order to educate, advocate, and aid others in attaining this goal one must live the life and be the example. In striving for Integral health there is three facets of our lives that need focus and attention, they are physical, psychological, and also spiritual. Maintaining these three facets of our lives through contemplative practices allows the professional to practice what they advocate for. Often times it is easier to be an example by action to teach someone how to improve the quality of life by striving for Integral Health and ultimately human flourishing. (Dacher, 2006)

     I am no exception to the rule. I am also striving for Integral health. Part of the journey to this goal is discovering obstacles and weakness, then eliminating them using contemplative practice. For me my specific weakness is the Spiritual aspect of my life. I have not been religious for a very long time. In fact I am really unsure what I believe as far as God and a higher being. What I do enjoy is communing with nature. Doing this connects me to the world around me and aids me in feeling centered and grounded. This is what I plan to focus on. The other area I am always striving to do better in is psychological. As with many people these days stress is rampant, and my life is no different. I am constantly working toward finding healthy ways to harness and release stress and anxiety from my life.

     In order to properly progress down the path to Integral health it is necessary to look introspectively and take inventory of ones life and access needs, obstacles, and goals. For me personally I have taken health inventories and most recently used a graded system to rate my life in each of the three facets. After rating the three domains, based on those numbers I set goals that focus on ways to better each of the three facets of my life. Some facets are more advanced than others, but in my own humble opinion there is always work to be done and higher goals to achieve.

     In regards to my own personal inventory and physical domain, I rated myself at an 8 as I work out 4-5 days a week and try to stay active. However, I did not give myself a 10 as I still over-weight even after having lost over one hundred pounds. As for my spiritual well-being I will rate myself at a 6. I am not religious, but do consider myself to be spiritual, but this area could use some work. My psychological well-being on a normal basis I would rate at a 7. This is also an area that can always use improving. I tend to stress and worry often but I am working toward implementing strategies that will lessen the stress.

     For each of these areas I have set goals. For my physical well-being I will stay on track as I am and continue toward my goal of my healthy goal weight. In order to do this I will continue to be physically active and participate in vigorous physical exercise for 30-45 minutes 4-5 days a week. This includes cardiopulmonary activity, strength training, and also stretching and flexibility exercises. I will also continue to monitor my eating habits by being more consistent in keeping a food journal as I have off and on for three years. For my spiritual well-being I will seek and give forgiveness to those who I have wronged and feel as though have wronged me. I will garden more, as this allows me to commune with nature, as well as it allows for time to observe and admire the beauty of my surroundings. This time will also allow me to seek peace and stillness in my mind. This leads to my psychological wellness goals. For this aspect of my life I will more diligently and consistently participate in my yoga practice. The deep breathing and meditative aspects of yoga allow for relieving of stress and calming my over-worked mind. This leads to less stress, worry, and anxiety.

     We know that personal inventory and goal setting is very important for continuing toward to the goal of integral heath and wellness. However, implementing practices to facilitate these goals is even more crucial. No matter what facet, nor what practice; hard-work, diligence, and consistency are the keys to making these goals become reality. For me personally in addition to practices already mentioned there are many other exercises that can be used to attain my goals in each of the three domains. In order to further improve the physiological aspect of my life, I can implement new forms of exercise such as dance and or Pilates, and also focus more on strength training rather than just cardio. I have done some Pilates but not consistently, however the benefits to my body were evident from the first time I tried it. More specific ways that I can fine tune my spiritual side is through meditation, mental imagery, and also visualization. Specifically exercises such as those provided in Elliot Dacher’s book Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. (Dacher, 2006) Some of my favorites included the Subtle Mind exercise as well as the Visualization exercises in chapter fourteen. I plan to include these in my weekly routine to foster an improved spiritual being. Finally, other ways to foster better psychological health in my life include yoga with deep breathing and meditation, as well as using mental imagery and visualization for relaxation and calming purposes. In addition to the previous mention of implementing forgiveness as a means to foster improved mental health, I have been engaging in a daily gratefulness exercise for the last twenty days. I believe that recognizing and highlighting the wonderful things in my life affirms positivity and gratefulness which inspires loving-kindness which ultimately aids in human flourishing.

     I mentioned previously that the keys to being successful with most any endeavor in life are hard-work, diligence, and consistency. Commitment is also very important. I think that above all else, committing to making change is the most important yet difficult step on this journey to Integral Heath and human flourishing. We can contemplate change, make assessments, produce goals and plans for change, but ultimately committing to the journey and following through is the hard part. The most effective ways that have worked for me in the past as well as the present are personal accountability and having a strong support structure around me. With these two tools I know I can achieve any of my health and wellness goals.

     Personal accountability has been one of the best tools I have used to help me stay committed. One way I utilize this tool is through keeping journals and diaries, specifically exercise and food diaries. In order to foster better psychological and spiritual well-being I can add those to the lists of journals I keep. Perhaps keeping a log of my meditative practices, just as I log my exercises into my fitness tracker, this could help me keep up with how often I am actually practicing these exercises. I can continue to maintain my gratefulness exercises in this manner as well. The other important way I am able to reach my goals is by having the love, support, and help of my friends and family. I have the best support structure, they keep me accountable, remind me of my achievements as well as when I need to give myself a break.

     The path to integral health and wellness and human flourishing is long and ongoing, but very much worth the journey. Through contemplative practices I can continue to evolve and grow and flourish. By doing so my hope is that I am a beacon of light to others. My wish is that though my own path to flourishing I can be an example and advocate for integral health in others. Using my own journey and experiences I want to be of service to others and aid in health and healing using the integral vision; ending human suffering. In my own quest to find health, happiness, and wholeness I hope to provide the same to others as we are all unique deserving beings who has the full potential for flourishing. (Dacher, 2006)

References

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Wow Unit 8 Already & My Favorites...

     Welcome Classmates and any others reading my Blog this week. Physically this past week has been a bit tough. I spent 4 hours in the Emergency Department on Saturday having a pretty bad asthma attack, turns out I have a raging case of bronchitis. What is interesting about this is at the ER I saw a PA(physicians assistant) rather than the MD. After doing the usual gambit of tests and meds (steroids, nebulizers, chest x-ray, blood tests) I was somewhat better and the process of sending me home with the condition of bed rest for several days commenced. In addition to my instructions for bed-rest for a few days along with instructions on taking my nebulizer treatments and steroids, she told me to drink tea and to check into Butyeko Breathing. I was to say the very least shocked. Here I am in a ER facility and I actually got advice that was unconventional. It was a treat and just wanted to share it with you all. AND the research on Buteyko Breathing is paying off as well!

     As for class this week, our assignment asks us to review the exercises and practice sessions we have completed in this course and choose two practices that we thought to be most helpful. Then discuss how it can be implement in my own life to foster mental fitness. For me the two I would choose would be the Subtle Mind exercise and the Visualization Exercises from Chapter 14 in Integral Health. Both of these exercises were easy and produced feelings of calm relaxation, happiness, and well-being afterwards. In fact the Subtle Mind exercise has become a weekly part of my meditation practices. The latter of the two, the Visualization exercises from the text will also be added to my rotation of meditative practice. I love this one for so many reasons. For me after the exercise I felt calm, happy, as well as a sense of intention and purpose on what obstacles I need to tackle to fully enjoy complete health, happiness, and wholeness. Continuing to use these two exercises can aid me in continuing a contemplative practice that fosters mental fitness with other physical, and also spiritual benefits.

Brandy

Aesclepius and Practicing what you Preach...

Hello to those who might be reading my blog. This past week was busy. Between house renovations and working extra hours at work my life has felt a tad frantic this past week. As for assignments this week we are asked to do the Meeting Aesclepius exercise, and blog about our experience. Also we are expected to describe and discuss the quote "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself."

     Meeting Aesclepius, for me was a success. The person I envisioned was my Grandma.  She was a strong, wise, faithful, and patient person.  She was calm, always kind and charitable. She raised me and was a very huge influence in my life, and even at her passing she continues to be. I think of her and miss her often so seeing her and communing with her was easy and welcome.  I have always had great success with mental imagery with light, usually healing light so this only made this exercise even more successful for me. At the conclusion of this exercise I felt peace and calm, as odd as it may sound I feel just as close to my grandmother as I did when she was still with me.  I feel refresh and renewed and have dismissed the stress that had built up over the day. Personally I love this exercise and it is my favorite yet. I will continue to use this in my weekly meditation regimen.

     For me the phrase "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" means that one must practice what they preach.  As for the Health and Wellness genre this has never been truer. In my opinion for your clients/patients to have confidence in you they must see that you also live and breathe what you saying to them. In order to aid others you must first yourself be on the same journey. Even in our text the author Dacher says that "To become agents of a more expansive health, we must begin with our own life." (Dacher, 2006, p.167) He said that by adopting an integral approach to wellness and healing in our own lives; this is the best way we can begin to aid others in flourishing. Mr. Dacher summed up my belief on this topic best when in his book he said, "Whether we are a healer or a patient, we must be ready to receive and consider the integral approach. If not, it should not be shared." (Dacher, 2006, p.167)

Brandy

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral Health The Path To Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

     Hello classmates who may be reading my blog. This has been a rough week, but productive nonetheless! We are buying our first home and remodeling, which got put on the back-burner due to leaks and electrical issues that popped up now that we are owners! But we learned a lot in the process and had to laugh at the timing, fixed our issues and now back to remodeling.

     As for our assignments, we were asked to do the Universal Loving Kindness exercise.  I love this exercise, its simple easy and gave me a chance to be in my own head. No prompts, no voices was a welcome escape from the previous meditative exercises. 

     We were also responsible for doing the Integral Assessment. What I learned about myself is that my psycho-spiritual aspect of my life is always in need of fine-tuning. I am always striving to better my attitude, improve my mood, and eliminate stress and anxiety from my life. Another area I am focusing on is worldly aspect. I was really struct by the chapter in our text speaking of the worldly and "our work." I need to look at my job as more than a mere way to survive and provide for my family. I need to look at it as providing service to others and doing my part to aid in eliminating suffering others. I can attain these goals by changing my mindset through meditative exercises, by training my mind using visualizations and mental imagery. 

Brandy

A Subtle Mind

Hello to all my classmates who may read this! It has been a great week! We have been busy remodeling our home we just purchased. We are excited as this is our first very own home that is all ours!!

But I digress, on to business. This week were expected to listen to the Subtle Mind exercise. Personally   I love this exercise. I found it to be easy and quite helpful. I am a huge fan of ocean sounds and find them quite soothing. This was a great deal easier for me to do compared to last week. The speaker was  better and the prompts were easy to follow. Again the ocean sounds were soothing and relaxing. I would definitely recommend this exercise to others.

We are also suppose to discuss the connection between spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness.I personally believe that the three go hand in hand. I feel as though finding mind-body-spirit exercises such as yoga can facilitate this connection. I do believe that one can be spiritual independent of religion, as I do not practice religion. But with yoga I can be spiritual. I can center my mind and spirit all way working my body.

Brandy

Mental Workout and Psycho-spiritual Flourishing...

   Hello to all who may be reading my blog, I hope this finds you well and healthy!! This week in my Health and Wellness class we were asked to blog about our experience with the Loving Kindness exercise, as well as answer a few questions regarding mental fitness and mental workouts.

     So with most of the exercises I have had great experiences, not the case with exercise. I found the person speaking to be rather annoying. The prompts/instructions were more distracting rather than calming or focused. I found the idea of thinking of a loved one’s suffering to be ever so slightly disturbing. I work in healthcare in a hospital setting and I see suffering on a regular basis, so thinking about the suffering of a person close to my heart was not peasant. I appreciate and do my best to alleviate the suffering of others so I felt that part of the exercise was not beneficial. I guess this whole exercise felt forced. Having said all that I am very open minded and I am willing to give this exercise another try on another day, maybe I will be more receptive.

     The concept of mental working out is the limitless ability to develop the qualities of the mind. Unlike physical exercise the body has limits the mind however, does not.  There is no limit to learning, compassion, biological and spiritual health and healing. The research indicates that training our mind can foster a healthier inner life. The research tells us that our physical and emotional lives are not fixed, “our capacity for health is flexible, dynamic, and expansive.” (Dacher, 2006)

     In order to foster my psychological health I can train my mind daily. I can use mental fitness exercises to calm my mind, to find forgiveness, compassion, and gratefulness.

Reference

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Basic Health Publications.