During Unit 3, the scores I gave myself for each area of wellness were: physical-5, psychological-8, and spiritual-6. However, these scores are no longer accurate for a number of reasons. First of all, I have learned SO much these last few weeks! In Unit 3 I was scoring myself on what I thought physical, mental and spiritual health was. Once I had learned what it really means to be healthy in these areas, I had to adjust the previous scores. A couple of weeks ago when I reassessed and adjusted my wellness scores (taking everything I had learned into account), my wellness levels were: physical-7, psychological-6, and spiritual-4.
Throughout this entire class, I have set multiple health goals and have worked towards continued growth and development in all 3 of these areas. While I still have a way to go in each area, I am happy to say that I have made some progress! My new scores would be: physical-8, psychological-7, and spiritual-6.
I have definitely made progress in my specific goals since Unit 3 as well. I originally set goals to start exercising each morning, practicing yoga to help de-stress and spending at least 1 hour a week developing my spirituality. Since then, I have successfully started running again each day, practicing yoga 3 times a week and have made daily prayer and attending church more of a priority in my life. I especially feel that running and yoga have helped me in all three areas of my wellness. Both of these activities have given me the opportunity to increase my physical health, de-stress and calm my mind, and increase my spirituality, all at the same time.
I personally have loved this entire course and am extremely thankful for everything I have learned. Some people may think of this class simply as a requirement for their degree, however I truly feel like this class was a life-changer! By implementing many of the practices and concepts I have learned, I have drastically improved my quality of life already. I know that this will also help me give the best care to my patients in my future career as a Naturopath. By starting on my path to human flourishing now, I look forward to being able to help so many others begin their journey later on!
Always in health and happiness,
Hannah
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
The Big Finale!
Final Project - HW420 Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing
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?
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically because our health does not only depend on the state of our physical body. Our text points out that "The condition of our body is a reflection of the condition of our mind" (Dacher, 2006, p.18). In order to achieve true health and wellness, we must develop ourselves in all of these areas-mind, body and spirit. Health and wellness professionals are not exempt from this idea. It is crucial that these professionals develop fully in all areas for a number of reasons. First, a person cannot teach something they have not found to be true for themselves, meaning a health care provider cannot teach a patient how to further develop in mind, body and spirit if they have never taken the time to do it personally. It is impossible to effectively teach unfamiliar concepts. Another reason health professionals must first develop themselves physically, psychologically and spiritually is because they can then be the actual resource that helps others heal and find wholeness. Dacher states that "The power of our mind can transcend physical space to affect the body, mind, and spirit of all those we touch" (2006, p. 23). Health and wellness professionals that have developed further physically, psychologically and spiritually can then become the healing force that helps others find true health. In order to be an effective and beneficial health professional myself, I must also work towards development in all three of these areas.
II. Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
In this course I have learned that health and wellness does not just pertain to our biological bodies. To be truly healthy we must tend to our physical, spiritual and psychological health. One way I have learned to accurately assess my overall health is to continuously ask myself specific and sometimes uncomfortable questions. The text gives two questions in particular to use as a starting point for assessment: "Which aspects of our life are the most significant sources of distress? Where is our greatest possibility for growth and development?" (Dacher, 2006, p. 105). By starting with these questions and answering them each honestly, I was able to then identify areas in my life that I need to further develop.
When we first were asked to assess our health in the three areas of physically, spiritually and psychologically several weeks ago, I originally gave myself a 5 in physical, 6 in spiritual, and 8 in psychological (on a scale of 1 to 10). However, after continuing with this course, I feel that these numbers are no longer accurate. For my physical health I looked at a variety of factors, such as my nutrition, current exercise habits, energy levels, sleep habits, strength and endurance. In most of these areas I score pretty well, except the daily exercise. I am still slowly getting back to exercising regularly after pregnancy. While it has been hard to find time with family and school responsibilities, I have gradually added more workouts to each week. Because of this improvement, I would now give myself a 7 in this area. I think if I keep improving my exercise habits, I will continue to see the physical benefits increase.
To assess my spiritual health, I mainly based my questions on whether or not I am currently participating in any daily activities that develop and increase my spirituality. I have always been religious, but when I actually stopped and assessed myself, I realized that I may have been religious my whole life, but have fluctuated in my levels of spirituality. Previously, I gave myself a score of 6 in spirituality, but I would now change that to a more realistic score of 4. After taking this class I have realized that just having a belief system is not enough, I need to actively and consistently work towards development and growth each day.
In the last area, psychological, I had given myself a score of 8 out of 10. Once again, after taking this class I would have to adjust this number to a 6. While I do consider myself of sound mind and a sane person, I have realized that psychological health also encompasses our mental chatter. I often struggle with negative and unhealthy thinking, especially towards myself. I now know that our thoughts are extremely powerful and can affect all other areas of our health. In order to improve my psychological wellness, I must improve the quality of my thoughts.
III. Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
I have recently set several goals for myself in each of these three areas. In the physical category, I have committed to exercising for at least 30 minutes each day/5 days a week. In the psychological area, I have decided to work on decreasing negative thoughts and reducing mental chatter. In the spiritual category, I have made a goal to spend at least 30 minutes each day devoted to spiritual growth activities.
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.
One of the best strategies I can implement to foster growth in all of these areas is to schedule these activities into my day. If there is a time spot for it on my daily calendar, or if it
is written on my "To Do" list, I know that I will complete it each day. By officially scheduling personal growth activities like exercise and meditation on my agenda, I will give them the same priority as doctor appointments, class, etc.
In the physical domain, I can further my development with several activities. I plan to start running and practicing yoga on a daily basis again. By incorporating these two exercises into my daily life, I will improve my physical health while also receiving benefits in the spiritual and mental domains as well. To increase psychological wellness I plan to decrease negative thoughts and reduce mental chatter. The two best practices that will help work towards this goal are Loving-Kindness and Subtle Mind/meditation. By practicing Loving-Kindness each day, I will develop the ability to feel more loving kindness towards myself as well as others. The Subtle Mind practice (which I consider similar to meditation) will help me quiet my mind, reduce mental chatter and maintain a state of mental peace. For spiritual development, I plan to integrate daily prayer as well as make attending church each week more of a priority. In time, both of these activities will help me further develop my spirituality.
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?
One of the best ways I can assess my progress in the next six months is to make sure I keep a detailed record of each of my assessments and periodically compare the results. By writing out my original assessment, the scores I give myself in each of the three categories, as well as my goals, it will be easier for me to reassess in six months and compare my results. Each time, I can re-ask the same questions and see if my answers have changed. I also like the idea of scoring myself in each area, every time. This will give me a general idea of whether or not I have made any progress in my growth and development in a specific area/goal. Another simple thing I know I can do to stay on track with my goals is to create a check-off calendar. By having a calendar that I can mark each time I complete my daily goal of exercising/meditating/praying, I can easily and quickly assess my progress thus far. If I consistently put in the work and stay conscious of my long-term goal, I know I will eventually see the results and reap the benefits from these activities.
Source:
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.
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?
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically because our health does not only depend on the state of our physical body. Our text points out that "The condition of our body is a reflection of the condition of our mind" (Dacher, 2006, p.18). In order to achieve true health and wellness, we must develop ourselves in all of these areas-mind, body and spirit. Health and wellness professionals are not exempt from this idea. It is crucial that these professionals develop fully in all areas for a number of reasons. First, a person cannot teach something they have not found to be true for themselves, meaning a health care provider cannot teach a patient how to further develop in mind, body and spirit if they have never taken the time to do it personally. It is impossible to effectively teach unfamiliar concepts. Another reason health professionals must first develop themselves physically, psychologically and spiritually is because they can then be the actual resource that helps others heal and find wholeness. Dacher states that "The power of our mind can transcend physical space to affect the body, mind, and spirit of all those we touch" (2006, p. 23). Health and wellness professionals that have developed further physically, psychologically and spiritually can then become the healing force that helps others find true health. In order to be an effective and beneficial health professional myself, I must also work towards development in all three of these areas.
II. Assessment:
How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?
In this course I have learned that health and wellness does not just pertain to our biological bodies. To be truly healthy we must tend to our physical, spiritual and psychological health. One way I have learned to accurately assess my overall health is to continuously ask myself specific and sometimes uncomfortable questions. The text gives two questions in particular to use as a starting point for assessment: "Which aspects of our life are the most significant sources of distress? Where is our greatest possibility for growth and development?" (Dacher, 2006, p. 105). By starting with these questions and answering them each honestly, I was able to then identify areas in my life that I need to further develop.
When we first were asked to assess our health in the three areas of physically, spiritually and psychologically several weeks ago, I originally gave myself a 5 in physical, 6 in spiritual, and 8 in psychological (on a scale of 1 to 10). However, after continuing with this course, I feel that these numbers are no longer accurate. For my physical health I looked at a variety of factors, such as my nutrition, current exercise habits, energy levels, sleep habits, strength and endurance. In most of these areas I score pretty well, except the daily exercise. I am still slowly getting back to exercising regularly after pregnancy. While it has been hard to find time with family and school responsibilities, I have gradually added more workouts to each week. Because of this improvement, I would now give myself a 7 in this area. I think if I keep improving my exercise habits, I will continue to see the physical benefits increase.
To assess my spiritual health, I mainly based my questions on whether or not I am currently participating in any daily activities that develop and increase my spirituality. I have always been religious, but when I actually stopped and assessed myself, I realized that I may have been religious my whole life, but have fluctuated in my levels of spirituality. Previously, I gave myself a score of 6 in spirituality, but I would now change that to a more realistic score of 4. After taking this class I have realized that just having a belief system is not enough, I need to actively and consistently work towards development and growth each day.
In the last area, psychological, I had given myself a score of 8 out of 10. Once again, after taking this class I would have to adjust this number to a 6. While I do consider myself of sound mind and a sane person, I have realized that psychological health also encompasses our mental chatter. I often struggle with negative and unhealthy thinking, especially towards myself. I now know that our thoughts are extremely powerful and can affect all other areas of our health. In order to improve my psychological wellness, I must improve the quality of my thoughts.
III. Goal development:
List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.
I have recently set several goals for myself in each of these three areas. In the physical category, I have committed to exercising for at least 30 minutes each day/5 days a week. In the psychological area, I have decided to work on decreasing negative thoughts and reducing mental chatter. In the spiritual category, I have made a goal to spend at least 30 minutes each day devoted to spiritual growth activities.
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.
One of the best strategies I can implement to foster growth in all of these areas is to schedule these activities into my day. If there is a time spot for it on my daily calendar, or if it
is written on my "To Do" list, I know that I will complete it each day. By officially scheduling personal growth activities like exercise and meditation on my agenda, I will give them the same priority as doctor appointments, class, etc.
In the physical domain, I can further my development with several activities. I plan to start running and practicing yoga on a daily basis again. By incorporating these two exercises into my daily life, I will improve my physical health while also receiving benefits in the spiritual and mental domains as well. To increase psychological wellness I plan to decrease negative thoughts and reduce mental chatter. The two best practices that will help work towards this goal are Loving-Kindness and Subtle Mind/meditation. By practicing Loving-Kindness each day, I will develop the ability to feel more loving kindness towards myself as well as others. The Subtle Mind practice (which I consider similar to meditation) will help me quiet my mind, reduce mental chatter and maintain a state of mental peace. For spiritual development, I plan to integrate daily prayer as well as make attending church each week more of a priority. In time, both of these activities will help me further develop my spirituality.
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?
One of the best ways I can assess my progress in the next six months is to make sure I keep a detailed record of each of my assessments and periodically compare the results. By writing out my original assessment, the scores I give myself in each of the three categories, as well as my goals, it will be easier for me to reassess in six months and compare my results. Each time, I can re-ask the same questions and see if my answers have changed. I also like the idea of scoring myself in each area, every time. This will give me a general idea of whether or not I have made any progress in my growth and development in a specific area/goal. Another simple thing I know I can do to stay on track with my goals is to create a check-off calendar. By having a calendar that I can mark each time I complete my daily goal of exercising/meditating/praying, I can easily and quickly assess my progress thus far. If I consistently put in the work and stay conscious of my long-term goal, I know I will eventually see the results and reap the benefits from these activities.
Source:
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.
Monday, June 10, 2013
I loved them all!
I have honestly enjoyed all of the exercises and practice sessions that we have completed throughout this course! Some have definitely been easier for me than others, but I feel I have benefited from incorporating each of them in my life. My two favorite practices are probably Loving-Kindness and Subtle Mind. I personally think the Loving-Kindness practice is beneficial for me in a LOT of areas in my life. First and foremost, it helps me to show loving-kindness to myself, something that I often need to work on. I often feel or show loving-kindness to others, only to turn around and think negative or harmful thoughts about myself. I also appreciate how this practice helps me have more patience when interacting with people. In the past I would get so frustrated at times, but now I just try to remember that in life we are all searching for the same thing- happiness. Some people go about it in CRAZY weird ways, but deep down we have a common goal. Remembering this helps me to feel a sense of love and appreciation for everyone I come in contact with in my life. Since the first time I tried the Loving-Kindness practice, I have continued to do it at least twice a week and have definitely seen a significant difference.
The second practice I especially love is Subtle Mind. This practice has been soooooo hard for me, but just because I really need it! My mind is constantly racing from one thing to the next, and before this class, I never even realized just how much it exhausted me! I love the Subtle Mind practice because it has taught me how to take a break from the constant racing thoughts. I know I have a long way to go and I'm no where near having a clear and calm mind, but I'm actually looking forward to practicing this a lot in the future. Eventually, I won't even have to worry about "taking a break" from my thoughts because my mind will be at constant peace.
Now that sounds absolutely AMAZING.
Always in health and happiness,
Hannah
The second practice I especially love is Subtle Mind. This practice has been soooooo hard for me, but just because I really need it! My mind is constantly racing from one thing to the next, and before this class, I never even realized just how much it exhausted me! I love the Subtle Mind practice because it has taught me how to take a break from the constant racing thoughts. I know I have a long way to go and I'm no where near having a clear and calm mind, but I'm actually looking forward to practicing this a lot in the future. Eventually, I won't even have to worry about "taking a break" from my thoughts because my mind will be at constant peace.
Now that sounds absolutely AMAZING.
Always in health and happiness,
Hannah
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
My Integral Assessment
This week's assignment was to complete the integral health assessment in Chapter 11 of our text (Dacher, 2006). I already knew I had a lot I needed to work on so I wasn't really looking forward to the uncomfortable truth of my results. It was helpful to keep in mind that integral health does not mean we have to be fully developed in every aspect of our life. "The path to integral health requires that we at least become aware of the sources of needless suffering, distress, and dissatisfaction and the possible sources of future development and flourishing" (Dacher, p. 111). Basically that means we don't have to be perfect, we just need to be AWARE of what areas of our life need improvement. Phewf! I can totally do that!
So we already know that the "body, to mind, to spirit" approach should be applied to the four aspects of our human experience (psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal, and worldly) (Dacher, 2006). For the integral assessment, the text breaks each of these categories down even further. Each of the following sub-categories are specific areas in our life that we can assess.
Psychospiritual
In health & happiness,
Hannah
So we already know that the "body, to mind, to spirit" approach should be applied to the four aspects of our human experience (psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal, and worldly) (Dacher, 2006). For the integral assessment, the text breaks each of these categories down even further. Each of the following sub-categories are specific areas in our life that we can assess.
Psychospiritual
- conative
- cognitive
- emotional
- fitness
- nutrition
- self-regulation
- personal
- family
- community
- generativity
- social activism
- work
In health & happiness,
Hannah
Universal Loving Kindness
This week's practice was universal loving kindness. While reading about universal loving kindness in our text, I especially loved the line that says "to see another, acknowledge another, hear another, be present with another, and feel one with another- a lover, a partner, a friend, a stranger, and even an enemy- is a profound healing gift for oneself and the world" (Dacher, 2006, p. 93). I do believe that practicing universal loving kindness is extremely worthwhile and that these things would indeed help heal ourselves as well as heal the world. The text also gives an example of a universal loving kindness mini-practice. After 2 minutes of sitting with eyes closed and resting, you are supposed to repeat the following 4 sentences to yourself for the next 10 minutes:
May all individuals gain freedom from suffering.
May all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness.
May I assist all individuals in gaining freedom from suffering.
May I assist all individuals in finding health, happiness, and wholeness.
I must admit, this was not my favorite practice. While I did feel relaxed and peaceful at the end, I personally thought repeating the same 4 sentences over and over seemed monotonous. I definitely had to focus on staying aware and conscious of what I was saying and not go into robot-Hannah. I think I'm discovering that chanting or repeating the same thing over and over isn't my preferred style of practice. I much prefer the audio-guided practices in the past units where I got to focus on visualizing something instead of just repeating a phrase.
In health and happiness,
Hannah
Source: Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.
May all individuals gain freedom from suffering.
May all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness.
May I assist all individuals in gaining freedom from suffering.
May I assist all individuals in finding health, happiness, and wholeness.
I must admit, this was not my favorite practice. While I did feel relaxed and peaceful at the end, I personally thought repeating the same 4 sentences over and over seemed monotonous. I definitely had to focus on staying aware and conscious of what I was saying and not go into robot-Hannah. I think I'm discovering that chanting or repeating the same thing over and over isn't my preferred style of practice. I much prefer the audio-guided practices in the past units where I got to focus on visualizing something instead of just repeating a phrase.
In health and happiness,
Hannah
Source: Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Loving Kindness vs. The Subtle Mind Exercise
So, once again, I had a hard time with the contemplative exercise this week. (I have begun to realize that I really have a problem quieting my mind :/ ) To me, the subtle mind exercise was even harder than the loving kindness because there was less "guiding," so to speak. In the loving kindness practice, first you are instructed to focus on a loved one, then yourself, then a group...yada yada yada. The point is, I was relaxing my mind but was also constantly alert or actively following the directions. (Basically my mind thought it was still busy, so it didn't seem as awkward for me.) However, in the subtle mind exercise, the focus was to quiet and relax the mind by focusing on my breathing. That's it. No more steps really, no more guiding. Just focus on my breath and don't think. Guess what?! When I'm trying not to think, all I seem to want to do is THINKTHINKTHINK. It must be my mommy-brain taking over, but I tend to continuously think 10 steps ahead of myself. And I know the exercise says to just bring your focus back to your breathing if you get distracted, but I seemed to have to do that constantly! I even caught myself thinking "Up.Down.Up.Down" with each breath, which is obviously not helping to quiet my mind any. So my overall impression is that while this exercise seemed a lot harder, it is probably just because I really need it. I'm definitely going to make this a daily habit from now on since I obviously NEED the practice.
In health and happiness,
Hannah
In health and happiness,
Hannah
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