Unit 9

blog  Unit 9    Kathleen StPierre
    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?
“..if we transform the activities of daily life into integral practice, we will be practicing all the time” (Dacher, 2006, p.121).  The practitioner needs to be the ‘picture of health’ to provide the best and most thorough care for the patient.  Without the balance of the mind, body , and spirit the healer cannot fully be aware of the healing process of the patient.  My path has many ways and I must take them one step at a time to reach the goals I have set.  Presently I start at the bottom rung but am constantly looking up.  At times I can see the next area of concern and other times I need to wait and strengthen where I am at now.  My physical health is of most importance at this time, so this in my primary focus.  My second area involves the spiritual aspect since this part has been hidden beneath the intellect.
    Assessment:
    How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
“The evolution of our personal life towards integral health is a result of conscious choice” (Dacher, 2006, p.38).  Psycho-spiritually expanding my consciousness has greatly increased my awareness of who I am and the potential I have.  These ideas enhance my motivation even though I am still in the infancy of this track.  The witnessing mind is my highest level.  Biologically I am working at the mind-body transformation.  I am comfortable with this level.  Inter-personally I have graduated to the top of the ‘you’ chain and working on the ‘us’.  Worldly has challenged me the most but I have been able to rest at the fulfillment level on several occasions. 

    Goal development:
    List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
    Physically increasing healthy attitudes and practices resulting in a strong body.  Healthier food choices along with daily exercise to combat many aspects.
    Review many of the meditation offered within this class along with outside influences to release the constraining thoughts still left within own mind.
    My new connection with the one inside has given me snippets of the bliss and benefit the mind can offer to the physical world around. 
    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.
    Physical – routine exercise 30 min aerobic exercise 3-5 days a week – on-line food strategies for healthier eating.  Consistent tracking in y exercise log with help to show the track I am on.
    Psychological - Meditation – Qigong (meditation and exercise combined) Set up a meditation area for retreat to practice meditation.  Taking outside class of the Qigong
    Spiritual – thankfulness - gratitude.  Offering thanks and gratitude each morning upon waking. Just to be alive and greet the day is a blessing in itself.   
    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?
Progress is the accumulation of change.  Willing to look beyond and be open to the information returned removes the insecurities that block the good from coming out.  Reviewing daily logs and comments will remind me of the goals and actions I want to accomplish.  Once implemented daily these actions and thoughts will become part of my network and will function without enticement similar to my breath I take every moment.  Modification can always be accounted for but normalcy will win. 
Reference
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publication.

Unit8 Review

1. Review the exercises and practice sessions you have completed in this course. (Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, Visualization, meditation etc.) Choose two practices that you have determined to be most beneficial. How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster “mental fitness”? Provide specific examples.

Hello all....The subtle mind exercise  and just meditation have been of the most help and use for myself.  The audio destription of how to focus my mind to clear out all busy thought and try to focus on the moment has given me glimpses of peace.  Practice does need to be a part of my daily existance.  I now need to focus on the time to give myself for a better grasp of my life.  I have dedicated a room to this event and am working on making it the place of peace and tranquility.  Here is where I plan on regrouping and finding my inner self. 

I am working on utilizing these techniques to reduce the ideas and feeling that stress my body.  When I have success with the exercises My day runs smoothly and I can handle much more than I normally do.  This is good.  I keep trying to keep the good inside so I can offer it to others.    K

Unit 7

Unit 7
working with the newer exercise in Meeting Aesclepius proved to be harder than I thought.  The focus on an entity or human from my past that offered me comfort, solace and direction did not materialize.  There was one whom I have thought offered me much direction in my life but I could not manifest her image for long and wasn't able to hold on to what I have had. 
Leading others requires some aspect of past experiences.  These learning events also offer a better perception of how others around you think and subsequently act.  As a healthcare worker this is a beneficial asset when dealing with individuals.  Being able to see all view points aids in completing your job successfully.  Constantly keeping myself healthy and in top performance I can offer the best of all situations for my patients. This new path I am on will offer me the ability to promote wellness from within then expanding out to those whom I encounter daily.
K

Unit 6 Assessment

Unit 6
The universal loving-kindness meditation does not seem to make me feel productive in my actions.  I am still blocking some aspect of this work that hinders me from concentrating on the phrases.  I will continue to keep working on it.   I feel I do not have conviction in the mantra and thus do not take it seriously. 
The next part the integral assessment has been most helpful... The items of urgent need are always in the forefront but many other needs linger and are not pinpoint enough to demand attention.Utilizing the assessment I can direct my mind to areas of need using the life chart to open lines of communication. 
The areas of the chart chosen are anchored in each of the four aspects.  My first challenge in the psycho-spiritual.  I have buried this section for many years and now would like to be able to bring to the forefront.  Much of the opening revolves around balancing the biological - a healthy body enhances a healthy mind.  MY interpersonal accomplishments are tandem with the psycho-spiritual it such a way each small step taken strengthens the other.  Within the worldly aspect the work part is on auto pilot.  The balance of this section is on the very bottom of the list.  If  I cannot care and strengthen myself I will not be able to help others.  This last aspect will be my greatest accomplishment.
For my psycho-spiritual workload I have using the breathing techniques with the mindfulness to clear the clutter and focus.  much of my day is spent in mindfulness of the days events as they occur.  I constantly remind myself 'life is worth living to the fullest'.  This positive attitude enlightens the day and provides many graces my way.  I have just had a feng shui teacher go through my home to aline my energies with the surroundings.
K