Myself and my 2 year old son have the flu this week, we don't know who gave it to who .. but wish us well in recovery ;)
Final Project
Introduction
Ken Wilber was
quoted as saying “having a map of Hawaii is not the same as actually being
there”. A practitioner who does not practice themselves what they preach has a
diminished capacity to help their patient. Integral health by practice is
supposed to transcend all areas of medicine, tying the mind, body and soul
together. To limit your own spiritual, psychological and spiritual development
as a practitioner and leave out that piece of the Integral health “pie”, is directly contradictory to the health
and wellness philosophies.
I am quite
developed in the area of physical health, I pay close attention to my fitness and
nutrition. But like most when strong in one area, I am weak in others. Total
integral health does not require that we be developed fully in every aspect of
wellness (Dacher, 2006).The goal should be to develop health, happiness and
wholeness along our own unique path in accordance with our own needs and goals.
Psychological and spiritual development are the areas I personally need to
improve on. My goal is to be as well rounded as possible in order to properly
help my clients as a wellness professional.
Assessment
Assessing
my own physical, spiritual and psychological wellness on a 1-10 scale (ten
being the most optimal).
Physical
– 8 –I am 5 months pregnant, so my current fitness regimen is
somewhat limited. I make a point to do physical activity daily, usually walking
and lifting light weights within safe parameters for pregnancy. The majority of
my diet consists of lean meat, veggies and fruits all of which I choose organic
to protect my growing baby from pesticides and growth hormones. I rarely eat
processed food containing preservatives or food colorings because they have
been researched to contribute to learning disabilities and allergies. I take it
very seriously.
Spiritual
– 6 –For most
people spiritual health is fulfilled by religion or a connection with a
“higher” being or power. To me spiritual health means my personal connection
with all of life. I am spiritual
in the sense that I appreciate the world I am in. I love being outside and
appreciate nature, I love to travel and experience the world and I am grateful
for the blessings I have been given in my life.
Psychological
– 6 – described as the
only area in true constant need of development (Dacher, 2006) and defined as “A state of emotional and
psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her
cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the
ordinary demands of everyday life” (American Heritage Dictionary).
Psychological development is very important to overall heath. I certainly meet
the definitions of proper psychological health and function as a normal human
being. However, I have a type A personality. I have road rage, I like
things in my control, I am stubborn and I get stressed way too easily. These are my areas of psychological improvement.
Goal Development
Physical – I gave myself the “8” rating is
because while I do excel in the physical area, I am also human. I go out to
lunch with friends and share dessert, sneak leftover Halloween candy or finish
my kid’s grilled cheese at restaurants.
My goal would simply to keep up the good work, this area of my own
wellness I am quite proud of and take very seriously. As always there are areas
for small improvements, but overall I am happy with it.
Spiritual - I gave myself the “6” rating is because while I am connected
with life, I should take a step back from my everyday hectic reality and
actually “see” life. A simple goal could be to start a daily gratitude journal and each day record one thing
that I am grateful for in my life. Putting these items in writing and seeing
them build over time would be a good reminder to appreciate life, which plays a
major role in spiritual health (Dacher, 2006).
Psychological – I gave
myself a “6” rating because I tend to get over-stressed very easily. As
mentioned I have a naturally stress- prone Type A personality. I get agitated
very easily about small things, I worry about things out of my control and I
have a problem letting issues go and moving on. Usually exercise is my go-to
stress relief technique, it will “reset” me. I however need to change the way I
deal with little stressors in real time and not let them build up until I can
go for a run. A technique could be guided meditation, it has been mentioned
that those who practice meditation on a regular basis over time train their
minds to revert to a relaxed state when stressed. If I could “train my brain”
to eventually react differently to stress it would have a powerful impact on my
psychological wellness.
Practices for Personal Health
With the belief
of Integral health, that state of physical, psychological and spiritual
wellness are all vital to one another. All three components are equally
important to whole wellness and should be treated a such. Strength in one area
does not make up for weakness in another.
Physical
wellness involves the physical body in the areas of fitness and nutrition. Ken
Wilber suggests a bio-graph to note milestones and track habits. Asking
yourself questions like, how are my eating patterns driven by habit or emotion?
And What are my nutrition priorities? Keeping a line of development like the
one described as well as a food log in a daily journal can help to map out
current practices and areas for changes. This strategy could foster growth in
nutrition (Dacher, 2006).
I am already
very physically active, however I seem to limit myself to the sports and
activities I habitually like doing, such as running, biking or swimming. A way
to foster growth in the fitness aspect of physical wellness would be to try new
areas of fitness. Perhaps rock climbing, martial arts or trail hiking could add
some variety and expand horizons and encourage growth.
Psychological
wellness, as mentioned is the one area that should remain consistently
developed (Dacher, 2006). The psychological process focuses on identifying
destructive emotions and dysfunctional patterns and replacing them with healthy
attitudes and behaviors (Dacher, 2006).
Exercise #1 – an exercise in loving-kindness.
Loving-kindness allows us to get back what we give, even if no reciprocation is
given from another person. It creates a calmer mental attitude that over time
will come as natural and effortless (Dacher, 2006)
This
exercise to me has been very effective in reminding me about people who are
important to me in my life.
Close your
eyes and rest into the natural ease of your body, repeat the following phrases
for 10 minutes.
1.
May all individuals gain freedom from suffering
2.
May all individuals find sustained health, happiness and wholeness
3.
May I assist all individuals in gaining freedom from suffering
4.
May I assist all individuals in finding health happiness and wholeness
This
exercise should be done 2-3 time s a week or as needed.
(Dacher,
2006)
Exercise
#2 – an exercise in the subtle mind and breath. Because of the direct
relationship with breath and the mind, peaceful rhythmic breathing leads to a
peaceful mind (Dacher, 2006).
Step 1-
focus on breath cycle using the rising and falling of your chest.
Step 2- 10
breaths in and 10 breaths out. Should you become distracted by other thoughts
return your mind to your breath and the rising and falling of your chest.
Step 3-
sit quietly and repeat for several minutes, observe where your mind “travels”
and bring it back to center
Step 4-
release you mind and allow it to float freely and experience clarity.
Step 5 –
slowly return your mind to center and remain still for a few moments. Write any
thoughts or experiences in a journal.
This
exercise should be completed 2-3 times a week or as needed. It can be called
upon during times of mental stress or busyness.
(Dacher,
2006)
Spiritual
wellness identifies the connection between the mind and spirit. The idea is to
shift physical emphasis on survival and instinct to mental interconnectedness
and awareness (Dacher, 2006). The most recommended practice for spiritual
development is meditation. There are many different kinds of meditation such as
guided, mindfulness, movement and mantra. Each one is designed to better
connect your mind and spirit but not all techniques work for everyone. One
recommended movement exercise I find effective is tai-chi, a graceful form of
ancient Chinese exercise that involves movements in a slow focused manner
accompanied by deep breathing (mayo clinic). Tai-chi is known to connect mind
and spirit and decrease stress and anxiety. I will implement by seeking formal
instruction on Tai-chi from a qualified instructor at a fitness center, and
once the basics are learned tai-chi can be easily practiced anywhere.
A
second practice to foster spiritual wellness is to give back to others.
Volunteer at a soup kitchen, collect clothes and food for the needy or organize a fundraiser for a local
charity. These selfless acts of kindness of serving others will allow you to
connect with your spiritual mind and cultivate human flourishing. I plan to
have a “toys for tots” Christmas party this year, the only requirement is
guests bring a toy for children to be donated.
Commitment
I will asses my
progress in my spiritual journey by keeping a journal. In this journal I will
record daily what I have done in each area of physical, spiritual and
psychological wellness. Recording my triumphs and missteps along the way will
help me grow on my path to human flourishing. To help maintain long term practices
I will have to make an effort to insert these practices into my everyday life.
With the help of the journal I will learn what works and what does not for me
individually, I can then work on incorporating techniques into my journey. I
can also maintain my own practices by helping others with theirs. I can
incorporate friends or family members also interested in expanding their own
wellness. Sharing my own experiences and advising others will also help keep me
focused on my own Integral Heath.
Pursue!
Michelle
References
American Heritage Dictionary (2012). Definition, Mental health.
Retrieved from. http://www.answers.com/topic/mental-health
Dacher, E. (2006).
Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, Chapter 4 and 16,
CA. Basic Health Publications Inc
Mayo Clinic (2012). Tai Chi, a gentle way to fight stress.
Retrieved from. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tai-chi/SA00087/NSECTIONGROUP=2
