Personal Application of the 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?

            I believe that one cannot truly teach or guide what one does not understand.  Even further, in order to guide, one must have an intimate knowledge of the experience they are guiding someone through, otherwise, the message and the teaching may not come across as sincere.

            I need to continue to develop all of these areas in order to achieve my goals.  We have been discussing in this class how this development should be evolutionary and dynamic.  Because of this, there should be constant learning and developing in the psychological, the spiritual and the physical realms of my life.

II.  Assessment: How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?

            Spiritually- my spiritual life is something that I work on daily.  My prayer life is very important to me.  In assessing this aspect of my life, I can honestly say when things are going well, this aspect gets neglected, but when things are tough in my life, I really heavily on the spiritual aspect of my being.

            Physically- my health is very important to me due to various illnesses and premature deaths in my family.  I fight very hard to stay active and grounded in my knowledge of nutrition and exercise.  This is the area where I am most focused on at the current time

            Psychologically- my assessment of the psychological domain of my life really brings into focus my need to improve in this area.  Because I have a tendency toward anxiety and depression, this is the domain in which I need the most help.  Already, I can see that applying what I am learning in this class is offering me opportunities to develop this area.

III.  Goal development: List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.

            Spiritual- a goal I would like to work toward in this area is to determine the purpose for my life right at present.  Each season of my life brings with it new purposes and I seem to be stuck in a place at present where I cannot fully discern a clear purpose.  I can visualize my past purposes, but I am having trouble seeing that right now.

            Physical- my goal for this area of my life is to increase my exercise routine and to include more outdoor activities.

Psychological- my goal here is to develop a more disciplined contemplative practice routine.

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.

            Spiritual- I feel that I can become more connected to my church and the ministry opportunities there, as well as wake up one half hour earlier each morning to devote to prayer and devotion.

            Physical- I have made a connection with a women’s group that fosters outdoor activities.  As the weather becomes warmer, I will be able to engage with other like-minded women to enjoy the outdoors while being more active.  I will also make an effort to find hiking and walking trails in my new area.  I can then engage in a habit of walking my dogs a few times a week in areas other than my neighborhood.

            Psychological-  As this course is ending and I will have some down time between now and next term, I will be able to utilize this time to practice the subtle-mind and the loving-kindness exercises, as these were 2 of my favorites.  My choice to develop these areas is important, but actually acting on them is more important.  I am intending on getting involved with the Red Cross after the first of the year, in order to make use of the loving-kindness practice, but also to enhance the other aspects of my life.

 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?

            The integral assessment that Dacher (2006) teaches is a great tool for assessing progress and growth, or lack of growth in all areas of integral development.  The use of the diagrams is especially helpful to me because it gives a clear picture of comparison as to how far I have come in some areas, and which areas might need a little more attention, in order to achieve a balance.  Using this particular tool every 6 months or so should provide a clear understanding as to what is working in my practices and what is not.  It should be a good indication of where I am flourishing and where I am lacking.  I fully expect  that by using these goals and strategies that I have discussed here, that I will be able to see a different, dynamic picture every time I assess my integral health.

Reference:

Dacher, E.S. (2006).  Integral health, the pathway to human flourishing.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

Loving-Kindnenss and Subtle Mind Practices

The 2 practices I feel will be most beneficial to me, based on the information in this course, are the loving-kindness practice and the subtle mind practice.
To me, the loving kindness practice is something that can be done on a daily basis, without having to find large amounts of time to practice.  I have found that the more I can focus on others, the more calm I feel. I like that you can use this practice to start focusing on those closest to you and then widen your focus to the world in general.  I feel that it really opens my heart and I also feel that it gives me more of a sense of what is important in the world. I have found that since I have been working with this practice, I see the relationships in my family a bit differently.  In the past, I would be very put off and sometimes even offended by the actions or words of another family member, but I try now to see things through love and patience and an understanding that the particular person might be hurting in ways I don't even understand, and that is why they are acting the way they do.  What the loving-kindness practice can do for me is to hopefully help and guide family members to see their hurts and learn how to overcome them.

The subtle mind practice, while a little more intense, is a wonderful practice that I will continue to use and cultivate.  I have been trying this practice in a couple of different settings, and find that the best time for me to practice this is later in the day.  Although during that time of day, I tend to have a lot on my mind, and have found that my mind can wander, it does give me a good deal of practice to learn to acknowledge those thoughts, and see them as they are, but not chase them down a rabbit-hole.  Instead, I feel that I have been able to experience what it feels like to have a clear mind and to enjoy that feeling.  I will continue to practice this daily.

Meeting Aesclepius

I have just completed the "Meeting Aesclepius" practice (Dacher, 2006).  I have to admit, this one was a bit more difficult for me, and I think for only one reason.  It might sound silly, but it is the same reason I had trouble with the Rainbow Meditation that I spoke of earlier.  I have a hard time visualizing the "bright white light" emanating from myself or anyone else.  I knew when the reader starting asking for this visualization, I could very easily just tune out from this practice, like I tended to do during the Rainbow Meditation.  Instead, I acknowledged that I had a hard time with the "white light" and continued to focus on the meditation without that image.  My mind did tend to wander a bit during this exercise, but I kept returning to the subtle-mind practice of witnessing the thoughts, but not clinging to them.

I fully agree with the statement "One cannot lead another where one has not gone him or herself" (Schlitz, Amorok & Micozzi, 2005).  It is true that if you have a map and description of a place, you could give directions to someone on where to go on a journey, but you could not experience the actual place without being there.  Having the experience of having been somewhere, then giving directions as to how to get to a place will have much more impact, as the person you are giving directions to can fully rely on your directions.  You have experienced the subtleties of the journey and can give a more accurate picture of the destination or even the journey to the destination. 

In the same way, the health and wellness practitioner can guide and lead a patient to a higher level of consciousness, having experienced the journey themselves.  Everyone has a different experience, but by having gained the experience of working toward integral health, the practitioner lends credibility to helping others work toward achieving the same thing.

Dacher, E.S. (2006).  Integral health, the path to human flourishing.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

Schlitz, M, Amorok, T. and Micozzi, M.S. (2005).  Consciousness and healing.  St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

Loving Kindness and Personal Integral Assessment

The Universal Loving-Kindness meditation exercise that Dacher (2006) discusses was quite a bit easier to do compared to some of the other meditations we have been working with.  The exercise involves resting and repeating these phrases for about 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.

It is easy to find 10 minutes to practice this meditation at any time during the day - while sitting in traffic, waiting for an appointment, or even in a long line at the grocery store.  I practiced this in the car while traveling back from visiting my family for Thanksgiving.

http://www.fiked.com/20-most-relaxing-places-in-the-world/

The Personal Integral Assessment was very interesting  to me.  I found that by putting all we have been learning about down on paper, in a diagram, helped me to see more clearly the aspects of my life and the areas that needed the most attention at the moment.  In considering the biological, the psycho-spiritual, the interpersonal and the worldly aspects, I found that I was focusing currently on the biological aspect- and truly considered the areas of fitness, nutrition and self-regulation as the the developmental lines of focus.  All of these areas are imperative to flourishing. 

In my assessment, I feel that I am somewhere between the body and the mind levels of all 3 of these areas of development.  I am exercising, I consciously consider nutritional choices that I make (I am learning more and more about nutrition since that is an area of focus in my studies), but the area I feel I need to give the most attention to is the self-regulation line of development.  I feel that I am beyond just surviving, and I am learning, through this course and other developments, that I can grow in this area to more of a subtle-mind and eventually a spiritual level. 

In considering this assessment, it became very clear to me that even though I found that I was focusing mainly on the biological aspect of my life, the psycho-spiritual, the interpersonal and the worldly aspects all would be affected as I grow in the biological area, once again confirming that all of these aspects are interconnected and all have body, mind and spirit levels of development.

In order to foster greater development of self-regulation, I feel that engaging more in the meditation practices we have been learning about in this course- specifically the loving-kindness and the subtle-mind practices- will be beneficial.  I am currently engaged in an exercise program, but quite honestly, I do let it slip now and then.  I am fully aware of how my nutritional choices will affect my overall health, but don't always make the best choices.  By developing self-regulation, I feel that my exercise program and my nutritional choices will become more of something that is just an extension of who I am and not something that I have to force myself to do.

Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral health, the path to human flourising.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

Mid Term PowerPoint Presentation

Mental Fitness Power Point Presentation

The Subtle Mind Exercise

I am realizing now that just doing these exercises once for this course is not really enough.  These exercises need to be practiced a few times a week, if not daily.  That being said, I have completed the Subtle Mind Exercise (Dacher, 2006) one time so far this week.  I intended to practice it a couple of more times, along with the Loving-Kindness exercise as well.

There were some similarities between the Subtle-mind practice and the Loving-Kindness practice.  Both focused on the breath.  Both encourage deep, rhythmic breathing to connect to the mind.  However, there were some differences between the two practices as well.

The Loving-Kindness practice encouraged intentionally thinking about a loved one, oneself, strangers and the world, where as the Subtle-Mind practice asked us not to intentionally think of images or people, but instead to intentionally focus on the in and out of the breath.  As thoughts enter the mind, we are reminded to acknowledge the thought, but to return the focus back to the in and out breath, and to let the random thoughts evaporate.

http://juliaharwood.blogspot.com/2010/12/create-healing-place.html

I actually enjoyed this exercise.  To be honest, I had just grabbed a cat nap, and when I woke up, I decided to try this exercise.  I figured that this way I would probably not fall asleep!  It was really amazing to do this shortly after waking, because I didn't have a lot on my mind, and I really was able to connect to the concept of acknowledging when a thought or image was passing through and then to let it go.   

I had a thought as I was finishing this exercise.... I likened this to a desk full of paperwork.  When the desk is full of work, cluttered, and out of order, all that you can think about is the work on the desk, each task that needs to be done, (random thoughts and images),etc.  But by using this practice, I imagined each of those tasks (thoughts and images) as a piece of paper that needed to be filed.  I imagined on the in breath, a folder opening up, and on the out breath- the thought or image going into the folder.  On the next in breath, I imaged the folder being filed away and on the out breath, the file cabinet being closed.  That way, my thoughts are in a safe place, ready to be accessed at the appropriate time, and I could clear the "clutter" from the desk in my mind.  That mental image really helped me to have clarity as I was practicing.  I can see where some days, there might be a whole lot more paperwork to be filed than other days, but  I think this worked for me!  Try it!

Reference:
Dacher, E.S. (2006) Integral health, the path to human flourishing.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Loving-Kindnenss Practice

I was finally able to experience the the loving-kindness practice this week (Dacher, 2006).  It was very interesting and I think that I will have to continue the practice as suggested- twice a day, for the week, or more, in order to fully engage the practice.

I did like the focus of the practice, starting with a loved one, then shifting to myself, then to a loved one who is suffering, on to strangers who are suffering and then embracing all human beings- even those considered enemies.  The focus on my loved ones and myself was not all that difficult.  I can see that the more that this is practiced, it can become more of an automatic response throughout the day, without having to find the time to sit and meditate.  I can see where with practice, as the thoughts of a loved one or one who might be suffering enter my mind, I can stop for a few moments and turn my thoughts toward that person.  In a way, I kind of do that in my prayer life right now.

Enlarging the focus of the practice to include a circle of strangers and then to humanity is a big step.  I can see that these areas are going to take more practice, but  I don't feel that it is beyond what I am capable of.  I do hold compassion for people, but I can see that there is a difference between having compassion about the suffering in the world and doing something about this suffering.  Continued practice of this loving-kindness exercise will undoubtedly increase my awareness and my intentions to help find healing in the hurting world.

  http://gapingvoid.com/2006/08/07/love-begets-love/ 

I would recommend this  practice to others, however, just as Dacher notes in the book and on the audio, it must be practiced, not just done once or twice.  Without practice, or training, great things can not be accomplished.  Just as an athlete must condition, or train his/her body for optimal performance, we must condition and train our mind                                                                                       
continue to move toward optimal flourishing.  This undoubtedly takes practice on a daily basis, just like exercise is necessary on a daily basis for physical health.  In order for me to begin to engage in mental workouts, I think it is important that I make them a priority, just as I do with exercise, eating, sleeping and breathing.  Intentionally setting aside time to engage in contemplative practice is essential.


Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral health, the pathway to human flourishing.  Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.

 

The Rainbow Meditation Reflection

Although the assignment for this week was to listen to a relaxation exercise entitled "The Crime of the Century" when I clicked on the link I heard the "Rainbow Meditation" exercise.

I have done this exercise once before in my Stress Management class, last term.  It is a short exercise, but I didn't feel like I really connected with it this time.  I was able to mentally picture the colors and the light emitting from my body, but it felt kind of distant to me.  I think I can focus better imagining things that are real to me.

That being said, I have considered my well being in terms of the physical, spiritual and psychological.
On a scale from 1-10, I would have to rate my physical well-being at about a 7.5.  I am physically healthy but have some things to work on, namely my fitness level and my weight.  My spiritual well-being would have to rate at about an 8.  I am very comfortable with my faith, it is very strong.  I do pray and believe in that communication.  My psychological well-being has been undergoing a revitalization in the past few months.  Right now, I would give it a 7.  That is one area where I am continuing to work toward some healing.

My goals for each of these areas would be as follows:
Physical- lose weight by eating less and exercising more.
Spiritual- make more connections in my community with people in my church
Psychological- work on wholeness and fully embrace my new surroundings.

In order to work toward these goals, I can implement the following activities or exercises:
Physical- Wake up at 6 am to go to the gym.  Walk the dogs daily. 
Spiritual- Join study groups or a ministry group at my church.  Volunteer with the Red Cross.
Psychological- spend time in meditation at least a few times a week, to embrace my new life and recognize the gift that has been given to me instead of being sad that I had to move.

"Journey On" Relaxation Exercise Reflection

I have to admit, until I took a class in stress management techniques last term, the concept of meditation and guided imagery was a bit foreign to me.  It's not that I didn't know about it, I had just never been successful in engaging in either of those techniques.  Quite frankly, there are times when I try to meditate, that I fall asleep!  Then there are other times when I have so much going on inside my head that I end up not being able to focus at all. 

I think what it all comes down to is to train myself, train my brain to be able to engage in a relaxation/meditation practice and to not get discouraged or give up right away.  The process can take some time, but I believe the benefits will last for a lifetime.

The "Journey On" relaxation exercise was good.  It was fairly short and I was able to focus on the meditation.  I decided to practice this exercise sitting up... to help insure that I would not fall asleep!  I did feel very relaxed and I can honestly say that when the reader was suggesting trying to lift my arms during the exercise, I really couldn't.  I do feel like this exercise was a good introduction to relaxation techniques and meditation.  I can see where it would be an easy exercise to follow, even without the reader, just using some soothing music and the same techniques of focusing on various body parts that I need to relax more.

Welcome!

Welcome to my first ever attempt at a blog! This blog is connected to an assignment for a class I am currently enrolled in through Kaplan University, called "Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing".  When I first learned that we were going to have to set  up and post to a blog for this class, I was a little nervous.  But now that I am underway, I am really looking forward to it.  I hope you enjoy reading my insights and reflections throughout this assignment, and who knows... maybe beyond!

Peace,
Cheri