Unit 10 Final Blog Posting
My current numbers are the same as the beginning of the course physical-8, mental-9, and spiritual-7. Overall I do not want to increase my numbers in any of my areas until after six months. To do it now seems a bit premature for me. I feel as though I need this amount of time to test myself to ensure that I am keeping with my wellness program. So far I have been in somewhat of a controlled environment where I have had this course to help keep me accountable. The true test will be the days, weeks, and months ahead when there will be no one other than me who will know whether or not I am staying true to myself.
I have definitely made progress in each area; however I am still far away from being where I want to be. I am most happy with my continued progress in my faith and spirituality. Church and fellowship are enjoyable and I look forward to participating; I do not wake up on Sunday mornings thinking, “oh I have to go” rather “oh I want to go.” I am still exercising and have begun working on my flexibility with my new pilates dvd. It has been interesting to say the least. My body does not like moving in certain directions or holding a variety of poses for very long. I am sure anyone who would happen to catch me in the middle of the workout would get quite a chuckle. I am still doing my daily meditations and finding them easier to do; meaning it takes less time for me to settle and relax. Also next semester I am enrolled in a stress management class, which I am looking forward to and I think it will be partially an extension of this class. I have definitely improved my wellbeing through the duration of this course and I am looking forward to continuing to improving myself. I have recognized the importance in taking care of myself before I can be effective in helping others. I have found many things rewarding in taking this course. I enjoyed sharing my experiences with others and being able to read theirs and comment. It was immensely helpful because it felt like we were going through all of the ups and downs together although miles and states separate us. I am glad that I can actually take away things from this class and apply it to my life. The knowledge and experience will definitely be used after class is over, unlike some of my other classes where I just want to get through them and be done. The only true struggle that I found myself having with the class was all of the writing which was required. But in hindsight, I think it was important for me to have to write so much, this subject matter can be deep and intense, so it proved to me and the professor that I had comprehension. I think this class has helped me to understand the importance and connection between “practicing what I preach” and “leading by example.” Having better health and wellness will help me to be more of an efficacious professional when counseling and encouraging others to better themselves.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
I Introduction:
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
Health and wellness professionals are in an extremely unique position; they not only have the education and training to provide their clients, but also the ability to share their own invaluable personal experience. This remarkable capacity places both the professional and the client in a situation which both can benefit from the reciprocation of personal goals, testimonies, and struggles in striving for overall optimal health in mind, body, and spirit. “Practicing what one preaches” and “leading by example” are very clichéd, but rather true; they aide in fostering an environment which is more conducive to mutual respect, less miscommunication, and greater rapport. Health and wellness professionals whom truly believe in their provision of information and possesses genuine concern for the patient would also be committed to their own wellness.
All aspects of my health need either slight adjusting or major overhauls in order to achieve the goals I have for myself. Physically, one problem area deals with my adversity to the taste of some of the greatest and nutritious foods. I try to counter this by taking multi-vitamin daily and occasionally trying foods which I know I do not like in hopes of having a change in my palate. I would also like to increase my flexibility and muscle tone. Psychologically, I need to clear my mind of its random thoughts and replace them with more positive, productive ones. One of the improvements I would like to make would be the procurement of less mental activity especially at bedtime. I think if I could begin to do more breathing exercises or meditation prior to bed, it would aide me in falling asleep faster and feeling refreshed in the morning. Also there is excess stress in my life which needs to be more effectively managed and reduced. I have over the last ten years strayed away from all connections and connotations involving spirituality. I know my heart’s desire is to reconnect with my Christian roots and to rekindle and renew my spirituality.
II Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
I found doing my assessment was slightly difficult because I do not like to point out my flaws. I know they are there and I usually overcompensate in other areas of my life to make up for deficiencies in others. In reflecting upon my three aspects of health: mental, physical, and spiritual, I find that spiritual is the one category in which I need the most improving. I rated myself as a 7. A great deal of this has to do with my experiences in the religion realm. I grew up going to many different churches all within the Christian denomination, but there were never any consistencies in where I would be taken by my parents. In becoming an adult, I started to explore my faith on my own and believe I now have the best grasp on what I want and need. I am less about conformity and rigid adherence to religious protocols. I want to provide myself and environment where God is celebrated, people are uplifted, and judgments are left at the door. My physical health stands around an 8. I engage in exercising and eating healthy on a daily basis. Finally I think my strongest is my mental state with a 9. I have dealt with many struggles and challenges in my life which has helped in strengthening my mental capacities for dealing with stress and change.
III Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
Physically, I want to have better muscle tone and flexibility which would help my bones and joints to become stronger and provide a better foundation for lessening my risks of osteoporosis and other bone and joint ailments as I age. I want to be able to easily touch my palms to the ground when I bend over and I want to be able to see slight muscle definition in my arms and legs without flexing. Psychologically, I want to have more control over my mental activity. This includes stress, being more positive, and practicing more compassion. Spiritually, my goal is to be able to continue flourishing in my faith, to engage in more positive spiritually fulfilling activities, and to be able to place my head on my pillow at night and know I am living each day to the fullest with no regrets in my behavior, language, or thoughts.
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 two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.
I have the intention of adding a light weight, high repetition workout to my regular exercise on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. In order to work on my flexibility I have downloaded several mini-workouts which are yoga and pilates based. I will do these exercises on Tuesday and Thursday during the week. Mentally I want to continue to do Dacher’s Loving-Kindness exercise which I incorporated into my day after my physical workout. I have noticed already in the last few weeks, a significant change in my mood and tolerance. I am gaining more patience and I have begun to minimize the intensity of my cynical sarcasm. I am learning I can still be humorous, but it does not have to be at the expense of others. I want to continue writing down my random thoughts throughout the day; this has been beneficial in clearing my head and allowing me to focus and concentrate during specific times. Also in reading a classmate’s blog, I decided to use one of his suggestions which is journaling. Although I write a great deal for school, I think this will be a great tool to use in stress relief and can be read in future for motivation. Spiritually, I have finally found a church that I enjoy attending, and I am beginning to close up the gap I had with my faith. This is amazing, and I have needed it for a while. Additionally, I am working on strengthening my current friendships and ridding myself of unnecessary ties to individuals who weigh me down. I am also making connections with women from church. They seem devoted to their faith and I think if they and I can bond through faith, this would be incredibly beneficial in helping me with both the psycho-spiritual and interpersonal aspects of my life. I want to continue attending church regularly and to also put myself out there in volunteering for activities which will humble me, help others, and provide some inner peace and satisfaction. I will go to Sunday morning services, participate in Monday night women’s Bible study, and also to pray more than just at night or before a meal.
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?
I recognize lifestyle changes are sometimes drastic to the body especially when all three aspects of health and wellness are targeted at once. I think I will not see drastic results immediately, rather more slow and gradual. I have to understand this so I do not become discouraged and give up; it will take daily commitment and practice to bring about sustained health improvements in my life. The easiest area that I will be able to see progress and change will be physically. It will require merely looking into the mirror or being able to stretch and touch the floor or my extremities with little trouble or strain. Mentally and spiritually I will have more difficulty in ascertaining quantitative results. One thing I will have to use as a “measuring stick” will be feedback that I hope to receive from family and friends. I want them to notice if I have progressed and to then comment. I am not making these changes for them or to get praise. I want them to be positively impacted and to want to know why and how my disposition and mood have changed. If I have effectively begun to manage my stress levels, I will have less anxiety. Less anxiety will mean more opportunities to flourish mentally; I will be able to have more purposeful thoughts and actions. I will also be more willing to take on greater tasks and challenges because I will not feel overwhelmed. I should also be able to go to fall asleep after a few minutes of going to bed, instead of tossing and turning for what can seem hours. Spiritually, I want to see myself using prayer more often to deal with problems and frustrations. I want also to find myself coming up with ways to help others through Christianity. I want to hopefully have others to look towards me for assistance in prayer or fellowship. In order to maintain my long-term practices, I will make myself wirite down my exercises in a calendar and I will tell my best friend. She can assist in motivating and supporting me and the calendar makes my mental intentions more tangible. I will have to tell myself that changes do not always happen overnight and that I have to commit whole-heartedly, everyday in my pursuit of greater health and wellness. There will be ups and downs, and maybe even setbacks, but they are only temporary. I have to remember my transformation will require patience, perseverance, and daily practice. Additionally, I have to be grounded in the fact, if I do not have concern or drive for change, it will not happen. No one else can take on this task for me; I am the only one who is responsible and accountable in my journey towards happiness, health, and wisdom.
Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?
Health and wellness professionals are in an extremely unique position; they not only have the education and training to provide their clients, but also the ability to share their own invaluable personal experience. This remarkable capacity places both the professional and the client in a situation which both can benefit from the reciprocation of personal goals, testimonies, and struggles in striving for overall optimal health in mind, body, and spirit. “Practicing what one preaches” and “leading by example” are very clichéd, but rather true; they aide in fostering an environment which is more conducive to mutual respect, less miscommunication, and greater rapport. Health and wellness professionals whom truly believe in their provision of information and possesses genuine concern for the patient would also be committed to their own wellness.
All aspects of my health need either slight adjusting or major overhauls in order to achieve the goals I have for myself. Physically, one problem area deals with my adversity to the taste of some of the greatest and nutritious foods. I try to counter this by taking multi-vitamin daily and occasionally trying foods which I know I do not like in hopes of having a change in my palate. I would also like to increase my flexibility and muscle tone. Psychologically, I need to clear my mind of its random thoughts and replace them with more positive, productive ones. One of the improvements I would like to make would be the procurement of less mental activity especially at bedtime. I think if I could begin to do more breathing exercises or meditation prior to bed, it would aide me in falling asleep faster and feeling refreshed in the morning. Also there is excess stress in my life which needs to be more effectively managed and reduced. I have over the last ten years strayed away from all connections and connotations involving spirituality. I know my heart’s desire is to reconnect with my Christian roots and to rekindle and renew my spirituality.
II Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
I found doing my assessment was slightly difficult because I do not like to point out my flaws. I know they are there and I usually overcompensate in other areas of my life to make up for deficiencies in others. In reflecting upon my three aspects of health: mental, physical, and spiritual, I find that spiritual is the one category in which I need the most improving. I rated myself as a 7. A great deal of this has to do with my experiences in the religion realm. I grew up going to many different churches all within the Christian denomination, but there were never any consistencies in where I would be taken by my parents. In becoming an adult, I started to explore my faith on my own and believe I now have the best grasp on what I want and need. I am less about conformity and rigid adherence to religious protocols. I want to provide myself and environment where God is celebrated, people are uplifted, and judgments are left at the door. My physical health stands around an 8. I engage in exercising and eating healthy on a daily basis. Finally I think my strongest is my mental state with a 9. I have dealt with many struggles and challenges in my life which has helped in strengthening my mental capacities for dealing with stress and change.
III Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
Physically, I want to have better muscle tone and flexibility which would help my bones and joints to become stronger and provide a better foundation for lessening my risks of osteoporosis and other bone and joint ailments as I age. I want to be able to easily touch my palms to the ground when I bend over and I want to be able to see slight muscle definition in my arms and legs without flexing. Psychologically, I want to have more control over my mental activity. This includes stress, being more positive, and practicing more compassion. Spiritually, my goal is to be able to continue flourishing in my faith, to engage in more positive spiritually fulfilling activities, and to be able to place my head on my pillow at night and know I am living each day to the fullest with no regrets in my behavior, language, or thoughts.
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 two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.
I have the intention of adding a light weight, high repetition workout to my regular exercise on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. In order to work on my flexibility I have downloaded several mini-workouts which are yoga and pilates based. I will do these exercises on Tuesday and Thursday during the week. Mentally I want to continue to do Dacher’s Loving-Kindness exercise which I incorporated into my day after my physical workout. I have noticed already in the last few weeks, a significant change in my mood and tolerance. I am gaining more patience and I have begun to minimize the intensity of my cynical sarcasm. I am learning I can still be humorous, but it does not have to be at the expense of others. I want to continue writing down my random thoughts throughout the day; this has been beneficial in clearing my head and allowing me to focus and concentrate during specific times. Also in reading a classmate’s blog, I decided to use one of his suggestions which is journaling. Although I write a great deal for school, I think this will be a great tool to use in stress relief and can be read in future for motivation. Spiritually, I have finally found a church that I enjoy attending, and I am beginning to close up the gap I had with my faith. This is amazing, and I have needed it for a while. Additionally, I am working on strengthening my current friendships and ridding myself of unnecessary ties to individuals who weigh me down. I am also making connections with women from church. They seem devoted to their faith and I think if they and I can bond through faith, this would be incredibly beneficial in helping me with both the psycho-spiritual and interpersonal aspects of my life. I want to continue attending church regularly and to also put myself out there in volunteering for activities which will humble me, help others, and provide some inner peace and satisfaction. I will go to Sunday morning services, participate in Monday night women’s Bible study, and also to pray more than just at night or before a meal.
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?
I recognize lifestyle changes are sometimes drastic to the body especially when all three aspects of health and wellness are targeted at once. I think I will not see drastic results immediately, rather more slow and gradual. I have to understand this so I do not become discouraged and give up; it will take daily commitment and practice to bring about sustained health improvements in my life. The easiest area that I will be able to see progress and change will be physically. It will require merely looking into the mirror or being able to stretch and touch the floor or my extremities with little trouble or strain. Mentally and spiritually I will have more difficulty in ascertaining quantitative results. One thing I will have to use as a “measuring stick” will be feedback that I hope to receive from family and friends. I want them to notice if I have progressed and to then comment. I am not making these changes for them or to get praise. I want them to be positively impacted and to want to know why and how my disposition and mood have changed. If I have effectively begun to manage my stress levels, I will have less anxiety. Less anxiety will mean more opportunities to flourish mentally; I will be able to have more purposeful thoughts and actions. I will also be more willing to take on greater tasks and challenges because I will not feel overwhelmed. I should also be able to go to fall asleep after a few minutes of going to bed, instead of tossing and turning for what can seem hours. Spiritually, I want to see myself using prayer more often to deal with problems and frustrations. I want also to find myself coming up with ways to help others through Christianity. I want to hopefully have others to look towards me for assistance in prayer or fellowship. In order to maintain my long-term practices, I will make myself wirite down my exercises in a calendar and I will tell my best friend. She can assist in motivating and supporting me and the calendar makes my mental intentions more tangible. I will have to tell myself that changes do not always happen overnight and that I have to commit whole-heartedly, everyday in my pursuit of greater health and wellness. There will be ups and downs, and maybe even setbacks, but they are only temporary. I have to remember my transformation will require patience, perseverance, and daily practice. Additionally, I have to be grounded in the fact, if I do not have concern or drive for change, it will not happen. No one else can take on this task for me; I am the only one who is responsible and accountable in my journey towards happiness, health, and wisdom.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Unit 8
"Optimal Well-being"
I think the two exercises which I had the best feedback from were Loving-kindness and "Meeting Asclepius." Both brought love and warmth to me and so many emotions. I think as I go about my day, I tend to bottle up my feelings and it feels wonderful at the end of the day to meditate and let them go. More often than not, I do the Loving-kindness exercise over the others and I like to do it after I work out. I used to think it would be difficult to incorporate into my life, but like anything new or "good for me," I think I was just making excuses. As far as the benefits I am getting from my mental workouts: patience, stress relief, and I am becoming less cynical. I am taking this slowly and I am truly liking what I am seeing and FEELING!
"Optimal Well-being"
I think the two exercises which I had the best feedback from were Loving-kindness and "Meeting Asclepius." Both brought love and warmth to me and so many emotions. I think as I go about my day, I tend to bottle up my feelings and it feels wonderful at the end of the day to meditate and let them go. More often than not, I do the Loving-kindness exercise over the others and I like to do it after I work out. I used to think it would be difficult to incorporate into my life, but like anything new or "good for me," I think I was just making excuses. As far as the benefits I am getting from my mental workouts: patience, stress relief, and I am becoming less cynical. I am taking this slowly and I am truly liking what I am seeing and FEELING!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Unit 7
"Meeting Asciepius"
I am so glad I have been participating in these exercises over the last few weeks; they have given me the strength and endurance I needed to complete "Meeting Asciepius." this particular track hit me profoundly hard. I envisioned my grandfather who passed away in 2002 from complication from cancer. There he was in my mind smiling, laughing, and lively. He was exactly how I remembered him before the tubes, machines, suffering, and sadness which had overtaken him in his last few months of life. The voice suggested a white light to surround him, which was easy to imagine because it felt right to see him enveloped in a heavenly, angelic glow. I was rather receptive to his beams of light penetrating my mind, words, and heart. I truly wanted his same kindness, compassion, and loving ways to fill me. This experience was emotionally charged and cause tears to roll down my cheeks. I thought at first they were tears of sadness, but afterwards when I looked back I think they were garnered out of happiness of fond memories of a great man. Although, I did not get to touch him in the physical sense, my soul felt warmed and uplifted as though his presence was with me. Such a wonderful and humbling exercise; not at all what I was anticipating.
Each day, I take and write down thoughts which flood my brain, and then after my physical workout, I take 20 minutes to do my contemplative exercise. I go to my bedroom and turn my cell phone on silent, turn off the lights, and I sit on my bed. Then I close my eyes and try to focus on my breathing and clearing my mind. After a few minutes, i try to bring loving-kindness thoughts into my mind. I am not always proficient in attaining or keeping in focus for long periods, but I do keep with it until the alarm goes off. I am beginning to have more patience with those in my and when I start to feel negative about myself or my situation, I just think about the limitation, circumstances, or grievances of others. It is then I remind myself of my blessings and all the things in life for which I do have to be grateful. I am becoming more grounded and resilient at the same time.
The saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone by himself" simply means not to advocate a path in life to another when one has not soiled his feet upon similar ground. It is unwise to promote mental, physical, or spiritual flourishing to someone, when you have not experienced it yourself. As a respected professional, clients will need your guidance and will come bearing questions similar to that of a curious child. I do not think you can effectively answer questions or relay the true benefits without having your own story to share or experience to draw upon. A great professional relationship and rapport can develop through honest personal testimony and a strong desire on both parties for client goal attainment. I am doing my contemplative breathing exercises to train my psyche for growth and development; which I hope will provide me more wisdom, compassion, and patience. My spirituality is blooming, although slowly, but I am enjoying attending church and the connections I am making with some of the individuals who also attend. I want to open myself up to making new friends and getting involved with some of the activities the members perform outside church; great fellowship and opportunities to help others.
"Meeting Asciepius"
I am so glad I have been participating in these exercises over the last few weeks; they have given me the strength and endurance I needed to complete "Meeting Asciepius." this particular track hit me profoundly hard. I envisioned my grandfather who passed away in 2002 from complication from cancer. There he was in my mind smiling, laughing, and lively. He was exactly how I remembered him before the tubes, machines, suffering, and sadness which had overtaken him in his last few months of life. The voice suggested a white light to surround him, which was easy to imagine because it felt right to see him enveloped in a heavenly, angelic glow. I was rather receptive to his beams of light penetrating my mind, words, and heart. I truly wanted his same kindness, compassion, and loving ways to fill me. This experience was emotionally charged and cause tears to roll down my cheeks. I thought at first they were tears of sadness, but afterwards when I looked back I think they were garnered out of happiness of fond memories of a great man. Although, I did not get to touch him in the physical sense, my soul felt warmed and uplifted as though his presence was with me. Such a wonderful and humbling exercise; not at all what I was anticipating.
Each day, I take and write down thoughts which flood my brain, and then after my physical workout, I take 20 minutes to do my contemplative exercise. I go to my bedroom and turn my cell phone on silent, turn off the lights, and I sit on my bed. Then I close my eyes and try to focus on my breathing and clearing my mind. After a few minutes, i try to bring loving-kindness thoughts into my mind. I am not always proficient in attaining or keeping in focus for long periods, but I do keep with it until the alarm goes off. I am beginning to have more patience with those in my and when I start to feel negative about myself or my situation, I just think about the limitation, circumstances, or grievances of others. It is then I remind myself of my blessings and all the things in life for which I do have to be grateful. I am becoming more grounded and resilient at the same time.
The saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone by himself" simply means not to advocate a path in life to another when one has not soiled his feet upon similar ground. It is unwise to promote mental, physical, or spiritual flourishing to someone, when you have not experienced it yourself. As a respected professional, clients will need your guidance and will come bearing questions similar to that of a curious child. I do not think you can effectively answer questions or relay the true benefits without having your own story to share or experience to draw upon. A great professional relationship and rapport can develop through honest personal testimony and a strong desire on both parties for client goal attainment. I am doing my contemplative breathing exercises to train my psyche for growth and development; which I hope will provide me more wisdom, compassion, and patience. My spirituality is blooming, although slowly, but I am enjoying attending church and the connections I am making with some of the individuals who also attend. I want to open myself up to making new friends and getting involved with some of the activities the members perform outside church; great fellowship and opportunities to help others.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Unit 6
Universal Loving-kindness Exercise
When I did this exercise this week, I felt the most emotional this time than I have with past exercises. I think a great deal of it has to do with all of the pictures and images I have viewed in the last week concerning the earthquake in Haiti. These same visuals haunted me during the exercise. I felt so much heartbreak and sadness, but I know this is coming from something positive in me: love and compassion. Not that I have not been a loving person, but this course has helped me to see that I need to work on becoming more loving, kind, and caring. I have experienced a natural disaster before with Hurricane Katrina. It was absolutely horrible losing everything that I had worked hard for and those things which I treasured. But I learned that my life was more important than material things; they can be replaced. So, I pretty much sucked it up, was grateful for my life, and moved on. This attitude was necessary to get through the tragedy. But now, it pains me to see the Haitians hurting, suffering, and crying out for help. They are just trying to survive or locate relatives, they are not thinking about the house or the car they no longer have. A very dire situation which hits me hard and a part of me wants to be angry, how could this happen? But there is no tangible bad guy. So I have to channel my energy towards praying for these individuals and doing what I can to help. What I have learned this week is that loving does not always feel good or make you happy; it can bring tears and sadness. I think these are not necessarily negative, they can motivate you towards action. The action for me is praying and sending a donation.
Personal Assessment
I found doing my assessment was slightly difficult because I do not like to point out my flaws. I know they are there and I usually overcompensate in other areas of my life to make up for deficiencies in others. The areas which I would like to work on are psycho-spiritual and interpersonal. I have finally found a church that I enjoy attending, and I am beginning to close up the gap I had with my faith. This is amazing, and I have needed it for a while. Additionally, I am working on strengthening my current friendships and ridding myself of unnecessary ties to individuals who weigh me down. I am also making connections with women from church. They seem devoted to their faith and I think if they and I can bond through faith, this would be incredibly beneficial in helping me with both the psycho-spiritual and interpersonal aspects of my life.
Universal Loving-kindness Exercise
When I did this exercise this week, I felt the most emotional this time than I have with past exercises. I think a great deal of it has to do with all of the pictures and images I have viewed in the last week concerning the earthquake in Haiti. These same visuals haunted me during the exercise. I felt so much heartbreak and sadness, but I know this is coming from something positive in me: love and compassion. Not that I have not been a loving person, but this course has helped me to see that I need to work on becoming more loving, kind, and caring. I have experienced a natural disaster before with Hurricane Katrina. It was absolutely horrible losing everything that I had worked hard for and those things which I treasured. But I learned that my life was more important than material things; they can be replaced. So, I pretty much sucked it up, was grateful for my life, and moved on. This attitude was necessary to get through the tragedy. But now, it pains me to see the Haitians hurting, suffering, and crying out for help. They are just trying to survive or locate relatives, they are not thinking about the house or the car they no longer have. A very dire situation which hits me hard and a part of me wants to be angry, how could this happen? But there is no tangible bad guy. So I have to channel my energy towards praying for these individuals and doing what I can to help. What I have learned this week is that loving does not always feel good or make you happy; it can bring tears and sadness. I think these are not necessarily negative, they can motivate you towards action. The action for me is praying and sending a donation.
Personal Assessment
I found doing my assessment was slightly difficult because I do not like to point out my flaws. I know they are there and I usually overcompensate in other areas of my life to make up for deficiencies in others. The areas which I would like to work on are psycho-spiritual and interpersonal. I have finally found a church that I enjoy attending, and I am beginning to close up the gap I had with my faith. This is amazing, and I have needed it for a while. Additionally, I am working on strengthening my current friendships and ridding myself of unnecessary ties to individuals who weigh me down. I am also making connections with women from church. They seem devoted to their faith and I think if they and I can bond through faith, this would be incredibly beneficial in helping me with both the psycho-spiritual and interpersonal aspects of my life.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Unit 5
The Subtle Mind
I attempted this exercise with a positive attitude and ready to push my stress and frustrations away. Things started well with my breathing and relaxing. However just as my heart rate has lowered and my breaths more deep, this horrible loud continuous static noise erupted from the cd player. It startled me and my heart began racing. I manipulated the cd for a while and assumed for whatever crazy reason, the noise must be apart of the exercise. I restarted it and found I could only maintain my calm for about three minutes. I could not take it anymore, it seemed like self-induced torture. The noise would have continued on for at least 20 minutes, but I was having none of that. In essence, it is difficult to compare and contrast the Loving-kindness and the Subtle Mind exercises because I do not think mine was working properly. But if it was, then I will definitely have to chose the Loving-kindness. It made me focus and direct my attention, but it left me feeling refreshed. Subtle mind, not so much; it made me irritable and my quiting showed my lack of patience (this hinges on if I was supposed to hear the static).
Spiritual wellness is deeply connected to mental and physical health. Each one affects the others; similar to dominoes falling or chain reactions. If there is a malady in one aspect, it will subsequently affect the other two. Conversely, positive changes in one can bring about benefits to the others. All take practice and patience when pursuing higher levels of wellness. For an integral, total being experience, one has to give attention to all. They are going to be pursued at different levels of aggressiveness based on present health conditions. For me I do not have to struggle to maintain my physical body because I like to exercise because it lowers my stress and boosts my energy and I eat as nutritiously as possible. I find looking for inner calm by quieting my mind to be difficult because there is so much random mental activity. I have started cultivating my spirituality more, but I noticed even when trying to pray I am thinking about other stuff. This shows me how important it is to get my mental processes under control so that I can get more out of my spiritual activity. What is important for me to know and take to heart is all three are interconnected and one must not ignore one, for they all will suffer.
The Subtle Mind
I attempted this exercise with a positive attitude and ready to push my stress and frustrations away. Things started well with my breathing and relaxing. However just as my heart rate has lowered and my breaths more deep, this horrible loud continuous static noise erupted from the cd player. It startled me and my heart began racing. I manipulated the cd for a while and assumed for whatever crazy reason, the noise must be apart of the exercise. I restarted it and found I could only maintain my calm for about three minutes. I could not take it anymore, it seemed like self-induced torture. The noise would have continued on for at least 20 minutes, but I was having none of that. In essence, it is difficult to compare and contrast the Loving-kindness and the Subtle Mind exercises because I do not think mine was working properly. But if it was, then I will definitely have to chose the Loving-kindness. It made me focus and direct my attention, but it left me feeling refreshed. Subtle mind, not so much; it made me irritable and my quiting showed my lack of patience (this hinges on if I was supposed to hear the static).
Spiritual wellness is deeply connected to mental and physical health. Each one affects the others; similar to dominoes falling or chain reactions. If there is a malady in one aspect, it will subsequently affect the other two. Conversely, positive changes in one can bring about benefits to the others. All take practice and patience when pursuing higher levels of wellness. For an integral, total being experience, one has to give attention to all. They are going to be pursued at different levels of aggressiveness based on present health conditions. For me I do not have to struggle to maintain my physical body because I like to exercise because it lowers my stress and boosts my energy and I eat as nutritiously as possible. I find looking for inner calm by quieting my mind to be difficult because there is so much random mental activity. I have started cultivating my spirituality more, but I noticed even when trying to pray I am thinking about other stuff. This shows me how important it is to get my mental processes under control so that I can get more out of my spiritual activity. What is important for me to know and take to heart is all three are interconnected and one must not ignore one, for they all will suffer.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Unit 4
Loving Kindness Exercise
In the last couple of weeks I have had my share of difficult circumstances and stressful moments so I thought this exercise was well needed. I enjoyed the soothing and calm voices of Dacher and the female. I listened and did as they instructed with this exercise as well as previous ones I have participated in I always struggle in the beginning to silence the chaos of my mind. But after awhile, I was completely engaged and relaxed. I put aside any unhappiness I was feeling and wrapped my mind and heart around love and those who show me unconditional love. I felt a gentle warmth over my body and felt soothed at the sounds in the background. I do recommend this exercise to others, but only if they are truly ready to absorb themselves completely in the experience.
Mental Exercise
Mental exercise is imperative to a healthy mind. It mirrors the similar experience we receive with physical exercise. We should make a goal and work diligently daily to achieve success. Research shows that engaging in mental exercise helps to work different areas of the brain that we may not tap into on a usual basis. It helps us to find clarity and sharpness in our thoughts. We can began to discern those feelings, emotions, and thoughts were are negative or harmful and replace them with ones that are more positive, focused, and caring. In essence we are giving ourselves an attitude adjustment for the better. I know that I am no where close to where I would like to be in regards to higher mental and spiritual states, but if I continue down this new path and stay committed, I know I will see even more results. It is this hope of something better and more which is keeping me motivated.
Loving Kindness Exercise
In the last couple of weeks I have had my share of difficult circumstances and stressful moments so I thought this exercise was well needed. I enjoyed the soothing and calm voices of Dacher and the female. I listened and did as they instructed with this exercise as well as previous ones I have participated in I always struggle in the beginning to silence the chaos of my mind. But after awhile, I was completely engaged and relaxed. I put aside any unhappiness I was feeling and wrapped my mind and heart around love and those who show me unconditional love. I felt a gentle warmth over my body and felt soothed at the sounds in the background. I do recommend this exercise to others, but only if they are truly ready to absorb themselves completely in the experience.
Mental Exercise
Mental exercise is imperative to a healthy mind. It mirrors the similar experience we receive with physical exercise. We should make a goal and work diligently daily to achieve success. Research shows that engaging in mental exercise helps to work different areas of the brain that we may not tap into on a usual basis. It helps us to find clarity and sharpness in our thoughts. We can began to discern those feelings, emotions, and thoughts were are negative or harmful and replace them with ones that are more positive, focused, and caring. In essence we are giving ourselves an attitude adjustment for the better. I know that I am no where close to where I would like to be in regards to higher mental and spiritual states, but if I continue down this new path and stay committed, I know I will see even more results. It is this hope of something better and more which is keeping me motivated.
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