Unit 9 Project Post

Michael Christopher

Unit 9 Project

HW420-03

9-27-2010











































I Introduction:

It is important for health and wellness professionals to progress and learn in all aspects of integral health. Without knowledge and progression in each aspect of health, we are not able to act as mentors and guide others toward health and happiness. Our journey as individuals gives us the knowledge and wisdom to help others. Even through our mistakes, we learn valuable lessons we can share with others who aspire to travel down the same path. If we are blind to our own journey, we are not able to learn from our experiences and guide others.

II Assessment:

I have evaluated my own health in all aspects. My assessment has revealed that I can improve on all levels. I feel like this is a realistic assessment, unlike some who may refuse to admit there is room for improvement. Spiritually, I am more distant than I have been in the past. I have lost a sense of connection with a higher power that I once had. Psychologically, I feel like I am well, but I still have room for growth. I tend to have a good perspective on life, but occasionally I still get anxious, depressed, or angry. This tells me there is an opportunity to improve mu psychological health. Physically, I have adopted a regular fitness regimen, but my nutrition is not as good as I would like. Particular weaknesses in the areas of time management and food cravings still exist and impact my nutrition.



III Goal development:

Spiritually, my goal is to once again establish the feeling of connection that I once had. I would like to eliminate the separation that now exists between my consciousness and the higher consciousness. Psychologically, my goal is to develop a calm abiding mind. I would like to be able to witness events in my life without reacting to them and letting them affect my psychological state. Physically, my goal is to improve my nutrition. By taking the necessary steps to eat healthier, I will drastically improve my physical health, which will in turn affect my psychological and spiritual health as well.

IV Practices for personal health:

My strategies for spiritual growth include prayer and meditation. I find that praying to a higher power every night helps to reach out and establish a spiritual connection. Conversely, I believe that meditation creates an open vessel to be filled by the spiritual aspects of consciousness. My goal is to set aside 15-20 minutes every day solely for the purpose of meditation.

Psychologically, my goals are less defined. I would like to develop a more calm-abiding consciousness, and I believe I will do this through more positive self talk. Additionally, I plan on reading more books that allow me to alter my perception. Authors such as Anthony Robins and Deepak Chopra can act as mentors to guide me to a higher level of psychological health.

Physically, I plan to improve my nutrition. This will be done in several ways. Planning ahead is critical, and having the foods on hand to prepare helps to reduce the amount of pre-prepared foods eaten. I will also continue to educate myself on the benefits of good nutrition. Although I have studied nutrition for almost 20 years, keeping the information on the forefront of the mind helps to take positive action. Finally, I would like to enroll my wife and myself in a cooing class, so that we feel more comfortable preparing our own foods.

V Commitment:

Assessment and follow up are essential components of any program. Without knowing where we are now, how do we know what to do in order to achieve our goals? I tend to constantly re-evaluate myself, but one strategy I have neglected recently is writing down goals. I plan on creating a blog which records my goals, my strategies, and my progress. A journal in the form of a blog will enable me to review my progress regularly, and also opens my life up to others. Making my own journey visible to others will help me to be accountable for my actions, and it will also help me to act as a mentor to others following a similar path to my own.










References



Dacher, Elliot (2006) Integral health, Laguna Beach, CA, Basic Health Publications



Schlitz, Marilyn, Amorok, Tina (2005) Consciousness & Healing, St. Louis, MO, Elsevier

Unit 8 Post

Out of all of the exercises I have done during this course, I believe that Visualization and Meditation are going to be the most useful in my day to day life. I already use visualization, primarily after I have gone to bed but before falling asleep. I visualize a number of different things, such as the next day's workout, events I desire, or just myself in a happy and relaxed state. I really believe this practice of visualization, especially when combined with prayer, helps to program my subconscious mind and prepare me to deal with events in a positive and productive manner.

Let's be blunt - I suck at meditation. The fact that I can't slow my mind for any appreciable amount of time is great evidence that I NEED meditation. I fully intend to implement 15-20 minutes of meditation before bedtime to clear my mind and focus inwardly. I do have to say that I don't necessarily feel that guided meditation is for me, although that may change when I learn to calm my mind a little. By implementing meditation, I'm sure that I can reduce stress and improve by body's healing and response to exercise, which are high priorities for me.

Unit 7 Post

Meeting Asclepius

I have trouble with meditation. I find the guided meditations to be contradictory to my mind......or something. In general, I prefer total silence to soft music and someone talking quietly to me. If anything, the sound of a water element is relaxing, but that's about it. That being said, I'm sure guided meditation works really well for many less introverted individuals who don't mind being talked at by a recording - it's just not for me.

"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself". An interesting phrase, and overall it definitely has a lot of truth to it. I believe we have a duty as health professionals to practice what we preach as much as possible, in order to sever as a mentor and help others to the greatest degree.

Conversely, I also believe that we can help others even if we are not perfect ourselves. For example, I can give a client excellent nutritional advice even if I'm not following it myself. The client may not have the ultimate faith in what I say, but my advice would be sound nontheless.

I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to do anything perfectly - it's just not in our imperfect human nature. To say we can lead others where we have not been is a little misleading in that regard. I would say, "We cannot guide others to places we don't have the map to". It doesn't sound quite as philosophical, but I think the meaning comes through.

Unit 6 - Practice and Assessment

The loving kindness practice

I found this interesting. As I sat quietly and repeated the sentences to myself, I found myself feeling lighter, as if a weight was lifted. I alsi felt more connected, as if I was opening myself to the universe. When I finished the practice, I had a more positive attitude, and I felt a little happier. Cool.

The Integral Health Assessment

Wow. This assessment really made me realize that I have a lot of work to do in all areas. Cognitively, I believe I'm doing OK, even though I am occasionally reactive. Biologically I'm doing OK as well, even though I still have a couple of habits that aren't the best. My interpersonal life is pretty good, with a loving family life, although I am not very involved in the community. The part of my development I need the most work on is definitely worldly. I tend to intentionally shut myself off from the world, which is limiting my personal growth and integral wellness.

That being said, I don't really feel ready to develop the world ly part of myself, so I've chosen to focus on my interpersonal relationships. I know I can be more involved with the community and relate to people in a more positive manner. Of course, I will continue to try and improve other areas as well.