Unit 10 - Reflections

My well-being scores from unit 3 of the course were: physical (3), psychological (6), spiritual (8).
My re-assessment scores from unit 9 of the course are: physical (6), psychological (7), spiritual (7).

This course has really made me think about where I am and where I want to be and has opened doors to possibilities. During the course, I found the exercises and readings very inspiring. I actually began to notice that without thinking about it, I had a more positive attitude, more energy, was more open with people in general and was receiving positive feedback from others as well. This really solidified for me that the law of attraction is true - you get back what you project.

At the start of the course, I rated my physical well-being at 3 because I had gained fifteen pounds, was fatigued, and forcing myself to take a daily walk. In the past nine weeks my attitude has improved, and I am energized to the point that I am actually wearing out the dogs! I am no longer so fatigued and take any opportunity to get outside and walk, go to the park, or work in the yard. As a result I have lost a third of the weight I gained and feel great. I feel that I am at a 6 now because I do have more work to do as far as my fitness plan, but I am no longer dreading it.

Psychologically, I rated myself at a 6 in unit 3. I felt then that I had a better understanding myself than ever before and was improving in this area. I now rate myself at a 7 because, as I mentioned before, my attitude and outlook are getting more positive by the day and this course has given me even more tools to work with. I know now that if I stay on this track, I will continue to improve. I can't wait to see what it feels like to be at 8, 9, or 10, but I plan to get there!

Spiritually, I rated myself at an 8 in unit 3 because I was pretty positive about my beliefs and confortable with them. I now rate myself at a 7 because this course has shown me that I need to continue learning, seek out others who feel as I do, obtain a teacher and learn more. Basically, I feel the need to come out of the closet and become part of the bigger picture ultimately perhaps being able to help others do the same.

My unit 3 goals were: physical (continue exercise program & maintain focus), psychological (continue to remind myself how far I have come and continue moving forward), spiritual (continue looking for my own answers). I feel that I have made progress in these areas - my fitness program is much improved as is my positive attitude and spiritually I am inspired not only to continue looking within but to look without - become more involved in a spiritual community and continue to learn.

My experience in this course has been a very positive one. I seem to have broken through my own barriers to see the possibilities on the horizon. I was sabotaging myself with regard to contemplative practice because I was concentrating too much on breaking through and not simply being in the moment and waiting for it to occur naturally. It is hard to explain the feeling when you realize for the first time that you are actually witnessing your thoughts rather than being imprisoned by them. This was a great achievement during this course that motivates me to continue the exercises and mindful practice. Overall, it is hard to explain the change this course has brought about. I am energized, positive, and excited to learn more. I am recognizing subtleties that I had been missing before - almost as if the shades were drawn but are now lifted and I can see the sunlight outside. These are very subtle differences - not like a eureka! moment - but positive and exciting.

How will this experience improve my ability to assist others? It already has. My daughter is having a stressful time right now and, like she learned from her mother, tends to get very negative when things go wrong. I have been trying to steer her in a more positive and peaceful direction, get her to meditate without knowing that's what she's doing, and I have seen a positive change although she doesn't understand why!  (She thinks my Buddhist beliefs, or any religious beliefs for that matter, are a waste of time and energy.) I am more willing to just listen rather than having to be the "mom" and offer advice. Sometimes all you need to do to help someone is listen to them. I hope that the change in me will reflect on them and at some point to others.

I wish everyone the best of luck and life. 

~Namaste~

Unit 9 - Final

                                                                                                                       

Integral Health

The Path to Human Flourishing

Carrie Lawson

Kaplan University

HW420-01 Creating Wellness – Psychological & Spiritual Aspects of Healing

Professor: J. Ernest Aguilar, M.Div., Ph.D.

Introduction

            Contemporary society is in the midst of a dawning new age in human flourishing. As experts in the field, health and wellness professionals are in a position to lead us into this new age. In order for this to occur, it is important that practitioners not only keep pace with the change already in progress, but seek their own full potential in order to mentor those that they serve. As Dacher stated, “this type of change occurs infrequently, yet when  it does, it requires that we step up to a new vision, grow our consciousness, expand our capacity, and develop new skills and abilities” (2006). This process must be transformative and must be applied to one’s own life if we expect to be part of the change and evolution towards integral health. We must learn before we can teach. Transformation is evolutionary, developmental, and vertical in direction. In order to evolve we must expand our current approach to health and wellness to a totally holistic approach that reaches out to all aspects of the human experience – physical, psychological, and spiritual (Dacher, 2006).

            On a personal level, I can honestly say that I need to further develop all three aspects of integral health. As is human nature, I have progressed in some areas over the years and then regressed to a former state. I have been my own worst enemy at times, hiding behind rationalizations that kept me in destructive and dysfunctional patterns of thought and reactive to my environment rather than intentional towards it. Having recognized these things about myself, I am in a better position to continue the work of transformation. Spiritually, I might say that I have been hiding for some years, hesitant to voice my beliefs because they are not mainstream Christianity. I feel now, that I am comfortable with the Buddhist path I am taking and eager to learn and evolve.

Assessment

           

            Integral Health      3

            From a biological standpoint, I would assess my current state as a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10. While I am conscious of making better nutritional choices and limiting intake of caffeine and other undesirable substances, I have yet to fully give up smoking which, in my opinion, undermines my advances in other areas of biological health. My exercise routine is improving as I have moved to an area that is close to several parks and the river. I also have four dogs, which assist in keeping me motivated. When I may not feel like that extra walk, their pleading expressions get me up and moving. I have lost about ten pounds of my fifteen pound goal simply by walking the dogs, hiking the parks, and doing yard work the past couple of months. This was a pleasant surprise, as I expected it to be more of a challenge, but I find that my positive attitude is doing me wonders and I am a nature lover, so having these parks nearby is more of a treat for me than simply a place to exercise.

            Psychologically, I would assess my progress at a 7. As I mentioned in the introduction, I spent a good number of years not recognizing the disruptive and dysfunctional thought processes I had come to accept as normal. It is a difficult task to change your thought processes, but it can be done with recognition of negative thoughts and redirection into positive thoughts. My ongoing work with cognitive behavior modification, I feel, is helping me to recognize and attain a witnessing mind, although I know it will take considerable practice and intention on my part to continue the process through calm abiding and beyond. I am content to spend as long as necessary on the repetitive steps and be kind to myself in the process as it is so inspiring to be freed from the idea that we will remain as we have been conditioned to think and feel about ourselves and the world.

            Spiritually, I will say I am at a 7 as well for several reasons. I am at a point in my life that I understand myself and my personal beliefs more than ever before. This is especially enlightening for me because I no longer feel the need or desire to have anyone else’s approval

Integral Health       4

nor do I fear their disapproval. Our society has, for the most part, kept a closed mind to cultures and spiritual (religious) practices that are different from mainstream Christianity. Even as a child, I wondered how a small segment of people could be saved and millions of others damned. This simply never made sense to me and henceforth I shunned organized religion.  I did not shun spirituality, however, and have spent many years interested in world cultures and their unique spiritual practices. At some point I had my own epiphany and embraced that we are all on our own path to the same destination – we may choose different ways to get there, but we all make it in the end. I have much to learn yet on this path, but no longer feel confused by the ambiguity of it all. Rather, I feel that it is something to embrace – to each, their own and loving-kindness will get us there.

Goal Development

            My primary goal for physical wellness at this time is to quit smoking. I have done so before, so it is not a matter of doing it, but a matter of commitment not to revert to old habits. I feel that I am better equipped psychologically now to be permanently successful. I have been using a different approach this time – affirmations of being a non-smoker and I have been able to cut down without quitting altogether. In addition, I plan to broaden my physical fitness routine by adding strength training exercises that I have been neglecting since I broke my wrist two years ago, and increasing my cardio. To this end, I will incorporate my dogs again, taking them on mountain bike excursions. They always increase my motivation and add enjoyment to the activity.

            Psychologically, I feel that I am on the right track but I need to continue monitoring my thought processes, positive affirmations, and stress level. The greatest gift I have given myself through my journey into self-actualization is patience. I know that I can revert into old thought patterns and am prone to depressive episodes, so I have learned to be constantly aware of what

Integral Health      5

type of thoughts I am having and redirect negative ones. My goal then is to completely change my habitual thought patterns from negative to positive – to the point that policing my own thoughts will no longer be necessary.

            Spiritually, I am still on a quest for knowledge and therefore will continue on that path. What has changed, it seems, is that I now have a direction whereas before I likened it to wandering blindly in the dark looking for a light to lead me in the right direction. I have long desired to have the time to do more in-depth study into the Buddhist teachings, and this is my current goal – to make the time and take the journey. I feel that this is the right path for me, and I am inspired to take it.

Practices for Personal Health

            Practices to foster growth are so numerous that it is difficult to choose. Aside from the practical areas of physical improvement such as exercise, strength training, better nutritional choices, etc., I plan to incorporate positive affirmations and visualization into the physical domain. “I am well” is a powerful affirmation when one believes it to be true. Visualizing the healing of the physical self can also be a powerful tool. One such guided exercise, similar to one discussed in this course, is using the power of colorful auras to promote health in specific areas of the body. This visualization ends being surrounded in pure, warm, healing, white light and is one of my favorites.

            Contemplative practice will be my focus for psychological and spiritual growth. The exercises we have done for this course: Loving kindness, Subtle Mind, & Meeting Asclepius, were very helpful to me and I will continue to use them  (Dacher, 2006). Meeting Asclepius was a bit of an epiphany for me as I chose the Dalai Lama as my symbol of a wise teacher and found this exercise very enlightening. I feel that I would benefit from the presence of a mentor and to that end have decided to take the leap I have been contemplating for a while and contact the

Integral Health      6

Ekoji Buddhist Sangha here in Richmond and attend one of the group sessions. I researched the offerings of the sangha for a project in another course, and while I found it intriguing and welcoming, I did not attend. I feel that if I am to be serious about pursuing integral health, this is a step I must take. There is also a Unitarian church in town that my son and I have been meaning to visit. Although I am not much for organized religion, this congregation is a mixture of people with different religious beliefs and practices that come together under one roof. I feel that my next step should be to meet people on the same path and in the process involve myself in helping others. These activities and the people I will become involved with through these activities will bring me out of the closet, so to speak, and encourage commitment and action.

Commitment

            It is easy to become inspired and make plans; it is also common to see plan fall by the wayside when our daily lives rear their time-consuming heads. I could say I will keep a journal of my activities and meditations, nutrition goals and successes, thoughts and feelings. I could, but from past experience, I know that I won’t. The commitment and practice has to come from within me, I must simply decide that I will be dedicated to my journey and see it through. That may not be what I am supposed to say, but I know it be the truth. This course has had some eye-opening moments for me – exercises that shed glimpses I had not managed to see before of the serenity that can be ours if we commit to it. Mostly, this course has given me validation that I really was on the right path, and just not listening to what I already knew. I am unique and so is my path. It’s up to me, whether to accept the challenge and responsibility of actualizing my potential. I will be kind and patient to myself and others and see where this journey leads me.

Mind is the forerunner of all actions.
All deeds are led by mind, created by mind.
If one speaks or acts with a serene mind, happiness follows,
As surely as one’s shadow.
   ~Dhammapada 1:2

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Reference:

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA:

     Basic Health Publications.            

Unit 8 - Practices

The two practices throughout the course that I have found most beneficial so far are "Meeting Asclepius" and "Loving-Kindness". Although I appreciate any new exercise or meditation that can expand my contemplative practice, these two shared a commonality - they allowed me to take my mind off of myself or my own mind and concentrate on others.

Meeting Asclepius was particularly interesting because I felt that by visualizing the Dalai Lama as my wise and revered teacher, I could tap into his patience and loving-kindness in a way that is not possible simply by reading his books or seeing him speak. It was almost like being there with him and having him guide me - a great experience.

Loving-kindness, I found to be a great exercise to remind us that it is not all about ourselves. When one is trying to learn the art of contemplative practice and mindfulness, it is too easy to get so caught up in our own minds that you forget about others at times. This exercise reminds us that in the end, it is not about each individual per se, but about the collective, or as Jung taught, the collective consciousness. That is our ultimate goal after all - to be connected to all - as we were meant to be.

I have incorporated these two practices into my daily routines. I like to do Meeting Asclepius before turning in for the night - thereby giving my unconscious mind something worth ruminating over while I sleep. I try to do a full-length version of Loving Kindness in the morning - time allowing - but if I can't, simply repeating the words "Loving-kindness" with a few deep breaths throughout the day has the same effect. This also comes in very handy in situations where your first reaction might be to do otherwise, such as when someone cuts you off in traffic, or you get that grumpy cashier as you're checking out. A bit of compassion for them usually turns their day around.

As a matter of fact, I had a client call me yesterday and leave a very frustrated and somewhat demanding voicemail. Following the initial frustrated thoughts it provoked, I called her back and replaced those with understanding and compassion. She finished the conversation with, "I was really upset earlier because I couldn't reach anyone, but you have turned my day around." Now that really makes the effort worth it. Especially when she hangs up the phone and perhaps relates to her family or co-workers with the same. Loving-kindness is the best kind of contagious and it takes no effort to "pay it forward". The rewards, however, are great.

Unit 7 - Meeting Aesclepius

This week's exercise was the easiest yet for me. When asked to concentrate on a wise person I immediately thought of the Dalai Lama and his presence worked quite well for this exercise. It was as if I was sharing consciousness with the ultimate teacher and it made the exercise a rewarding experience. The Dalai Lama exudes inner peace and loving-kindness. He has the perpetual grin on his face that makes one immediately enamored with his presence. He can answer life's questions in a simple phrase that makes one wonder why we hadn't understood that truth all along. I felt with this exercise that I was actually sharing a small part of his wisdom and compassion and I will continue to use this at the end of a long and stressful day.

"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself"
This is not a new concept. Our parents have taught us this concept since childhood. It simply states that unless you have experienced something yourself, you cannot possibly presume to teach someone else that which you have no personal knowledge of. As a health and wellness professional, you are responsible for facilitating good choices in others to promote their path to wellness. You cannot offer advice if you have not travelled the path; you do have an obligation to your clients to develop the best within yourself in order to assist them in doing the same. I implement personal psychological and spiritual growth through continued education and contemplative practice. There is always something new to learn, someone's experience to hear, a different exercise to experience. I feel that we definitely are on the cusp of a total paradigm shift and uplifting of human consciousness in the 21st century and I am excited to be discovering all there is to see and experience.

Unit 6: Loving-kindness - Integral Assessment

Even though I have known for years the rewards of saying affirmations out loud, I was still surprised by the loving-kindness exercise this week. I have sayings posted all over my house and office, just little snippits of positivity or a great quote from a wise person. After repeating this exercise, I did feel a calming sense of compassion and a release from concern for myself. It was an interesting feeling, I must admit. So...I of course, typed this one up to add to my snippits and posted it on the fridge where I will see it often. Sooner or later I will memorize it (memory is fading; harder than it used to be!).

The assessment was not quite so easy, as I know that I need work on all four quadrants. However, I feel I have made some important strides in the right direction in psychospiritual, interpersonal, and worldly. Athough they might be considered baby steps, they are finally intentional! I need to focus right now on the biological as I need to reverse some bad habits I have reverted to which are also sources of needless suffering and distress because I know what to do, but have not done it or have not stuck to it. My exercise routine is improving - in fact, I probably got more this weekend than in the past several months! I do need to pay more attention to my diet - get back to healthier foods, reduce sweets, and drink water. I know..sounds simple..but once you fall off the wagon, it's tough getting back on! I am motivated though and taking it one day at a time and relishing every little victory. :)

Unit 5: Subtle Mind Practice

The Subtle Mind Practice this week was relaxing - maybe too relaxing - as I kept finding myself dozing off and forcing myself back to focus. Personally, I think the Loving-Kindness exercise is easier as it directs your thoughts. There is more narration and coaching. The subtle mind practice seemed more difficult for a beginner being less structured. I think with time and practice this exercise might assist you in reaching a calm-abiding mind, but it is tough to stay focused with this one. I also found it a bit long which is difficult for those of us that have a problem focusing. I would start out shorter and work up to longer which is another reason I personally liked the loving-kindness exercise a bit more. I really enjoyed the music and waves - this would be wonderful to put me to sleep on those sleepless nights!

The connection of physical wellness and spiritual wellness became apparent to me  gradually as I was on a quest for health a few years ago. I was going to the gym almost every day, but realized something was missing as the only time I felt really good was when I would go hiking in the woods. The trails became my church, so to speak. At some later point, I gave up my gym membership. Although I was still hiking on weekends and enjoying my nature "church" I was not as fit as before. For me it is all about balance. You can't have one without the right amount of the other so you must have the correct balance of physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. If one is off, I am unable to find my center and all are off. My biggest fight with myself was learning not to feel guilty that my spiritual beliefs are different than my family's or mainstream Americans'. I realized I must find my own balance and be happy with what works for me.

Unit 4: Loving Kindness

Julia Roberts made it look easy in "Eat, Pray, Love"...travel to India and find enlightenment; sit, meditate, voila! If only it were that simple. For several years now I have been delving into the literature, the soundscapes, the stillness - and yes, I am still waiting for the breakthrough. The loving kindness exercise was interesting and I found it helpful, although I need longer than the mp3 allows to get around the swirling madness in my head. My biggest problem seems to be getting around the seemingly never ending thoughts that are so hard to silence. I did find that this exercise helped with that as I could focus on others rather than my own mental blocks and as a result feel that this may be precisely the way to get around myself. A springboard, so to speak. There is nothing that I have found quite like compassion for others (be they human or animal) to lead one to a peaceful frame of mind. Having done this exercise three days this week, I am feeling hopeful and will continue. It must be working as my dogs are even calmer and they are, after all, mirrors of my energy. As I write this they are all curled peacefully on various pieces of furniture snoozing to soundscapes in the background. I would definitely recommend this exercise to others.

As I relish the peace and quiet of my Saturday solitude (the teenager is at a friends house tonight), I hate to think about mental workouts, but just as the body needs exercise to stay in shape and ward off disease, so does the mind. I am not a fan of puzzles, and it was always suggested that puzzles were good workouts for the mind. Today there are innumerable websites where one can find interesting and beneficial games for brain stimulation. For those of us that aren't quite ready for the mental gym there are also some simple workouts to get started. My doctor told me to remember to "stretch" my brain before working out...i.e..saying the alphabet in words (that start with each letter), counting backwards, making lists of 20 friends you've had, or all of the vehicles you've owned, etc. Workouts don't necessarily have to be brain teasers. Changing the way you do things can make the brain work differently - for instance, when I broke my right wrist, I had to use my left hand and find interesting ways to do things. I would not say that I am ambidextrous by any means, but I now eat with both hands equally or find myself eating with my left hand at times without really noticing. Think of all the things you do everyday..from your morning routine to getting into bed at night and change small details..take a different route to work, etc. Without really considering it, these small changes make you think differently.

 It's funny how we can get almost robotic in our daily lives. This morning I was really happy because a flower bloomed in my front yard...I even took a picture of it. A few years ago I would have walked by and not even noticed it...I think that's progress.