Review your unit 3 personal assessment of your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Reflect on these areas . How did you score yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 in unit 3? How do you score yourself now? Has the score changed? Why or why not?
The last time I rated this aspect as a 6 but has since downgraded. I now rate myself as a 4 but a better 4 than before. I previously thought of spirituality in the terms of religion and nothing else. I now know that it is not just that, it encompasses my very being. I have since re-connected with my faith as a way to increase my spiritual well-being but this is not the end. I have also begun to take time to relax and clear my mind. I have also begun to really focus on negative thoughts and feelings and have since tried to clear them from my mind. I feel better with this knowledge in hand and now I plan on sharing this info with my close ones as well as clients. My other two aspects have really not changed but are more of a maintaining phase.
Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain.
I have made serious gains in the spiritual realm. As I stated earlier, I have begun to practice my faith again and have tried to focus my mind. Negative thoughts are either not allowed in my mind or are processed in and out quickly. It is still a work in progress but I feel that I’m on the way.
Have you implemented the activities you chose for your well-being in each of the three areas? Explain.
I have done these practices on a regular basis. I take time for myself daily, focus my prayers like never before and have since added ridding myself of negative thoughts. I know that sometimes life can place me in negative situations but I am learning how to not think or react in a negative manner.
Summarize your personal experience throughout this course. Have you developed improved well-being? What has been rewarding? What has been difficult? How will this experience improve your ability to assist others?
This course has changed my definition of well-being. I feel that my mind is in a better place. Increased thought control has been the greatest reward from this class. I now need to spread this message to all that I come in contact with. The practices were hard because I would either become sleepy or could not focus. There was also one that relayed god-like qualities on a person we knew which was very difficult for me. I am now more open and positive in my life. I was never an overly negative person but this class has taught me to control or discard random thoughts in my head. I think that passing on my lessons is the best way for me to improve my interaction with others as a trainer.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Unit 9 Final Project
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?
I can not help someone change if I have not been there myself. There is no credibility in someone who does not practice what they preach. Truly immersing oneself into their profession makes a better experience for the two involved. The Dacher text states that there should be a relationship between the two. There should be a student teacher relationship and most people would say that a teacher who is passionate about a subject makes a better teacher. I need to develop spiritually which through our teachings has brought this deficiency to light.
II Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
Health is not just the absence of illness. It can be viewed as a holistic view of positive well being. I assessed each domain differently and incorporated the 10 point scale for where I stood on each aspect. Spiritually I used my ability to connect my faith to my life and my mind. I was raised in a strict Christian household but has since fallen away from this upbringing. I have learned that my spiritual and psychological well being are linked. I have noticed that now that I focus more on spirituality my psychological aspect has improved. Overall, I rate my spirituality a 4. Psychologically I rate myself as a 8. I tend to do well in this aspect. I have been blessed with a even-keeled personality and am rarely affected by constant stress. Physically, I would rate myself as a 9. I workout 5 to 6 times a week and have done this for years.
III Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
There is one obvious area that I need to improve in. I feel that this area will help me improve in the other two areas. Spiritually, is my biggest need for improvement. My goal for this area is to re-connect with my faith from the past. This is not the end for my goals in this area. I also plan on connecting my mind and my body. Psychologically and physically I would like to maintain the levels that I currently possess. The key that I was missing was that spirituality was tied into every aspect of my life. Clearing my mind and focusing on it’s importance can clear my mind of the hindrances to the other two aspects.
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 am fairly well balanced in the areas of Physical and Psychological fitness. I plan on maintaining my Physical fitness by maintaining my current routine and by controlling outside factors as much as I can. There are times when life and work gets in the way of my exercise commitments but I tend to try my hardest to squeeze in my workout times. This is the easiest aspect of the three for me, as I have always been an athlete and love physical activities.
My plan to improve my Psychological aspect is to improve my Spiritual aspect. These two domains in my opinion are almost one and the same. Dacher, gives us two exercises to improve our Spiritual health. I plan on using the Subtle mind and Meditation techniques to foster this aspect. The Subtle mind give us techniques to control our thoughts through mental training. My mind tends to wander so this is very helpful for me. Meditation also helps me to clear my mind. I will and have taken out 30 minutes daily to sit alone in a quiet place and just clear my mind. I did not set a certain time a day. I wanted to make sure that no matter what was going on day or night I could squeeze in these practices.
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 plan on measuring my success by creating a written schedule of my mental “time-outs”. I liken this to a work-out plan given to my clients. It helps to see something that it is written down on paper. In addition to the Subtle mind and Meditation techniques I would like to incorporate more daily bible readings. I feel that this is another way to incorporate spirituality in my daily life. Another, big aspect is to not set unrealistic expectations of myself. If I miss a day or I fall short of my goals it is not the end of the world and I can begin again. The Dacher text will also be left within my grasp when I practice his two techniques. It was his exercises that helped me see that I needed to improve in these areas.
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?
I can not help someone change if I have not been there myself. There is no credibility in someone who does not practice what they preach. Truly immersing oneself into their profession makes a better experience for the two involved. The Dacher text states that there should be a relationship between the two. There should be a student teacher relationship and most people would say that a teacher who is passionate about a subject makes a better teacher. I need to develop spiritually which through our teachings has brought this deficiency to light.
II Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
Health is not just the absence of illness. It can be viewed as a holistic view of positive well being. I assessed each domain differently and incorporated the 10 point scale for where I stood on each aspect. Spiritually I used my ability to connect my faith to my life and my mind. I was raised in a strict Christian household but has since fallen away from this upbringing. I have learned that my spiritual and psychological well being are linked. I have noticed that now that I focus more on spirituality my psychological aspect has improved. Overall, I rate my spirituality a 4. Psychologically I rate myself as a 8. I tend to do well in this aspect. I have been blessed with a even-keeled personality and am rarely affected by constant stress. Physically, I would rate myself as a 9. I workout 5 to 6 times a week and have done this for years.
III Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
There is one obvious area that I need to improve in. I feel that this area will help me improve in the other two areas. Spiritually, is my biggest need for improvement. My goal for this area is to re-connect with my faith from the past. This is not the end for my goals in this area. I also plan on connecting my mind and my body. Psychologically and physically I would like to maintain the levels that I currently possess. The key that I was missing was that spirituality was tied into every aspect of my life. Clearing my mind and focusing on it’s importance can clear my mind of the hindrances to the other two aspects.
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 am fairly well balanced in the areas of Physical and Psychological fitness. I plan on maintaining my Physical fitness by maintaining my current routine and by controlling outside factors as much as I can. There are times when life and work gets in the way of my exercise commitments but I tend to try my hardest to squeeze in my workout times. This is the easiest aspect of the three for me, as I have always been an athlete and love physical activities.
My plan to improve my Psychological aspect is to improve my Spiritual aspect. These two domains in my opinion are almost one and the same. Dacher, gives us two exercises to improve our Spiritual health. I plan on using the Subtle mind and Meditation techniques to foster this aspect. The Subtle mind give us techniques to control our thoughts through mental training. My mind tends to wander so this is very helpful for me. Meditation also helps me to clear my mind. I will and have taken out 30 minutes daily to sit alone in a quiet place and just clear my mind. I did not set a certain time a day. I wanted to make sure that no matter what was going on day or night I could squeeze in these practices.
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 plan on measuring my success by creating a written schedule of my mental “time-outs”. I liken this to a work-out plan given to my clients. It helps to see something that it is written down on paper. In addition to the Subtle mind and Meditation techniques I would like to incorporate more daily bible readings. I feel that this is another way to incorporate spirituality in my daily life. Another, big aspect is to not set unrealistic expectations of myself. If I miss a day or I fall short of my goals it is not the end of the world and I can begin again. The Dacher text will also be left within my grasp when I practice his two techniques. It was his exercises that helped me see that I needed to improve in these areas.
Friday, December 3, 2010
unit 8 blog
. 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.
The two best practices for me were the Subtle mind and meditation practices. They are both easy for me to choose as options for me. I have stated plenty of times before that my mind tends to wander and I have a million thoughts racing through my mind. The subtle mind technique helps me control my thoughts. I have not done it in the exact way of the Dacher text but I still use his principles. I find that when I have a random thought or a negative thought I will stop and really focus on controlling my mind. It has worked for me and I feel that my mind is less cluttered.
Meditation also falls into that same category. I use this more in calming my mind and helping to clear it as well. This is weird because I found out last term that prayer is a form of meditation. However, in the context of this class I have conformed a little. I take 20 minutes 4 times a week just to sit and relax no TV, no radio just me and my mind. Finally, I have learned that learning new things are not the only way to help me mind grow as I assumed in the past.
The two best practices for me were the Subtle mind and meditation practices. They are both easy for me to choose as options for me. I have stated plenty of times before that my mind tends to wander and I have a million thoughts racing through my mind. The subtle mind technique helps me control my thoughts. I have not done it in the exact way of the Dacher text but I still use his principles. I find that when I have a random thought or a negative thought I will stop and really focus on controlling my mind. It has worked for me and I feel that my mind is less cluttered.
Meditation also falls into that same category. I use this more in calming my mind and helping to clear it as well. This is weird because I found out last term that prayer is a form of meditation. However, in the context of this class I have conformed a little. I take 20 minutes 4 times a week just to sit and relax no TV, no radio just me and my mind. Finally, I have learned that learning new things are not the only way to help me mind grow as I assumed in the past.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Unit 7 blog exercisr
1. Complete the "Meeting Asciepius" exercise on track #4 of the Dacher CD. Describe your meditative practice(s) for the week and discuss the experience. Explain how mindfulness or meditation has fostered an increase in your psychological or spiritual wellness. How can you continue to apply these practices in your life to foster greater health and wellness?
I have really focused on clearing my mind of negative thoughts and energies. I was almost reluctant to share my thoughts on this topic because I did not want to come off as cliché. I use the exercises to help clear my mind but I must admit that I struggle with some of them. The exercises where you must place a white light around someone and then have that light shine on you is hard for me to do. To me they are almost placing a god-like persona on a human being and I struggle to do that aspect. However, I find myself using the principles of calming my mind in my everyday life. I have bouts where I get very angry for whatever reason on a day to day basis but I use our exercises to remain calm or to easily let the moment pass. I have assimilated those aspects of calming my mind into my life. The next step for me is to pass these lessons on to my family, friends, co-workers, and clients.
2. Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (P.477) How does this apply to the health and wellness professional? Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life?
I have a personal story about this very saying. Before we can issue out work-out plans for the military we must be properly trained and at the time there was only on person. My co-worker and I who was also un-trained was approached by a patron in regards to a routine. Since we were not able to we referred them to someone on our staff who could assist them. This person was out of shape themselves and the client politely declined their help. This is my first hand experience with this phrase. I can not help someone change if I have not been there myself. There is no credibility in someone who does not practice what they preach. I have used our exercises and readings and tailored them to my beliefs. I have taken the god-like qualities out of the exercises and made them my own. I now take time out of the day to relax and clear my mind and make a huge effort to control my thoughts. I have also taken to thinking out what comes out of my mouth which was a huge issue for me in the past.
I have really focused on clearing my mind of negative thoughts and energies. I was almost reluctant to share my thoughts on this topic because I did not want to come off as cliché. I use the exercises to help clear my mind but I must admit that I struggle with some of them. The exercises where you must place a white light around someone and then have that light shine on you is hard for me to do. To me they are almost placing a god-like persona on a human being and I struggle to do that aspect. However, I find myself using the principles of calming my mind in my everyday life. I have bouts where I get very angry for whatever reason on a day to day basis but I use our exercises to remain calm or to easily let the moment pass. I have assimilated those aspects of calming my mind into my life. The next step for me is to pass these lessons on to my family, friends, co-workers, and clients.
2. Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (P.477) How does this apply to the health and wellness professional? Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life?
I have a personal story about this very saying. Before we can issue out work-out plans for the military we must be properly trained and at the time there was only on person. My co-worker and I who was also un-trained was approached by a patron in regards to a routine. Since we were not able to we referred them to someone on our staff who could assist them. This person was out of shape themselves and the client politely declined their help. This is my first hand experience with this phrase. I can not help someone change if I have not been there myself. There is no credibility in someone who does not practice what they preach. I have used our exercises and readings and tailored them to my beliefs. I have taken the god-like qualities out of the exercises and made them my own. I now take time out of the day to relax and clear my mind and make a huge effort to control my thoughts. I have also taken to thinking out what comes out of my mouth which was a huge issue for me in the past.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Unit 6 blog entry
The first exercise deals with helping others and exploring our hearts and minds. The second exercise deals with our level of development be it psycho spiritual, biological, interpersonal or worldly. I learned that it is easier to focus on helping others than it is to help myself. I am not saying that I am a person who runs out and tries to save the world. I am saying that focusing upon myself is scarier because it exposes flaws or not flaws but areas for improvement. I am more harshest critic and I hate to have to look at an aspect of myself to change. I am not against change as I feel that I have done a lot of change for the better in the past.
All of my analysis comes back to the fact that I need to grow spiritually. This is not purely in the religious sense but in the sense of being able to control my thoughts and to see things from the outside. I think that the subtle mind exercise is the way to go for me. Which allows one to witness life, have a calm mind, and finally realize the connection of all beings, but more so the connection of my mind and body. I need to focus more on the inside and attack that aspect with the same zest that I have for my outside.
All of my analysis comes back to the fact that I need to grow spiritually. This is not purely in the religious sense but in the sense of being able to control my thoughts and to see things from the outside. I think that the subtle mind exercise is the way to go for me. Which allows one to witness life, have a calm mind, and finally realize the connection of all beings, but more so the connection of my mind and body. I need to focus more on the inside and attack that aspect with the same zest that I have for my outside.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Unit 5 Blog entry Sublte Mind
1.Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise. Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.
Both exercises aim to bring peace to the mind. The first exercise aims to remove us from a self centered view on life. The exercise begins by moving from pain locally to a loved one and finally to a complete stranger. Caring for others in many minds is the key to integral health. The other exercise is different in the fact that it uses just the mind to control our lives. It begins from the ability to see thoughts to the ability to control thoughts and finally ends with the ability to use our minds to realize we are all connected. I think that both exercises have been beneficial. They relax me and helps to clear my mind. I do not necessarily agree with all aspects of the exercises but I believe they are beneficial none the less. They also frustrate me because I tend to become too calm and struggle to stay awake. I think that this is due to the fact that I am either doing them after a long days work or in the morning when I have to open at my job.
2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
To me they are all in the same there can be no true wellness without each of these aspects. Personally I feel that the spiritual wellness can become better and I am working on this daily. I have noticed that on the days that I exercise my mind becomes at ease and it is easier for me to rest and concentrate. Conversely, when my mind is pained or stressed it is harder for me to focus on my workouts and I end up stopping to deal with the issues. Then it becomes even harder to continue with the previous workouts.
Both exercises aim to bring peace to the mind. The first exercise aims to remove us from a self centered view on life. The exercise begins by moving from pain locally to a loved one and finally to a complete stranger. Caring for others in many minds is the key to integral health. The other exercise is different in the fact that it uses just the mind to control our lives. It begins from the ability to see thoughts to the ability to control thoughts and finally ends with the ability to use our minds to realize we are all connected. I think that both exercises have been beneficial. They relax me and helps to clear my mind. I do not necessarily agree with all aspects of the exercises but I believe they are beneficial none the less. They also frustrate me because I tend to become too calm and struggle to stay awake. I think that this is due to the fact that I am either doing them after a long days work or in the morning when I have to open at my job.
2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.
To me they are all in the same there can be no true wellness without each of these aspects. Personally I feel that the spiritual wellness can become better and I am working on this daily. I have noticed that on the days that I exercise my mind becomes at ease and it is easier for me to rest and concentrate. Conversely, when my mind is pained or stressed it is harder for me to focus on my workouts and I end up stopping to deal with the issues. Then it becomes even harder to continue with the previous workouts.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Unit 4 Blog The Loving Kindness
1. Describe your experience. (Did you find it beneficial? Difficult?) Why or Why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or Why not?
I found this exercise to be very helpful. It allowed me to take negative issues and feelings and associate them with positive ones. It was kind of difficult for me just for the simple fact that I normally have a million and one things running through my mind at one time. It took a great deal for me to focus and clear my mind which is always an issue for me. Like I mentioned earlier it was very effective because it allows me the control of my thoughts; it also links others issues to my own being. It began with loved ones and then expanded to strangers this allows a greater connection to other human beings.
2. What is the concept of “Mental Workout? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?
The concept of the mental workout is similar to a physical one. The mind must be trained as well as the body. One famous study was used on people who were "mental Olympians" and one of their common denominators was compassion for their fellow human beings. There was increased brain activity in the people who practice compassion and a greater control of the conscious mind. I plan to use the workouts provided by Dacher to help improve my mental fitness. I would and will however caution to not stress but understand other's issues. I feel that I am able to deal with my issues fairly well but we all know that one person that does not. Every issue that they encounter is a huge one and the end of the world. I think that I will try to empathize with them but not totally absorb their issues, just be aware of them.
I found this exercise to be very helpful. It allowed me to take negative issues and feelings and associate them with positive ones. It was kind of difficult for me just for the simple fact that I normally have a million and one things running through my mind at one time. It took a great deal for me to focus and clear my mind which is always an issue for me. Like I mentioned earlier it was very effective because it allows me the control of my thoughts; it also links others issues to my own being. It began with loved ones and then expanded to strangers this allows a greater connection to other human beings.
2. What is the concept of “Mental Workout? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?
The concept of the mental workout is similar to a physical one. The mind must be trained as well as the body. One famous study was used on people who were "mental Olympians" and one of their common denominators was compassion for their fellow human beings. There was increased brain activity in the people who practice compassion and a greater control of the conscious mind. I plan to use the workouts provided by Dacher to help improve my mental fitness. I would and will however caution to not stress but understand other's issues. I feel that I am able to deal with my issues fairly well but we all know that one person that does not. Every issue that they encounter is a huge one and the end of the world. I think that I will try to empathize with them but not totally absorb their issues, just be aware of them.
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