No truer words have ever been spoken. IF you chose to not take a journey to establishing your spiritual, psychological, and physical health, you cannot teach others to take that journey. In addition, without a knowledge or understanding of how to accomplish a goal or task, you cannot effectively perform it or teach another person how to perform it.
Personally, I believe that I have an immense obligation to my patients to practice and develop my physical, psychological, and spiritual health. This obligation goes beyond just a desire to perform for others. It is a true connection and duty that must be fulfilled in my life before I can effectively assist my patients in achieving the same overall holistic health.
Spiritual and psychological health takes time, commitment, and practice. I believe that performing the meditation exercises frequently and diligently, I can effectively establish the foundation for spiritual and psychological health and wellness. Once the foundation is established, I can then effectively implement activities in the work place that promote holistic health.
Overall, the achievement of holistic health is obtained throughout our lives. New experiences bring new challenges and the process to unity consciousness is not unilateral; it is a constant circling through the process that restarts at various places in our lives. It is a true journey.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Inner Healer: Track 4
This meditation exercise was very involved and took extreme will-power to stay focused. I found my thoughts drifting after the first few minutes and never re-captivated them to fully experience the empowerment intended for the exercise.
I plan to practice this exercise often because it provided me with an overall revitalizing feeling at the end and a true connection with my loved one throughout. I think the most difficult part of the exercise was that I chose my grandfather to be my guide and inner healer. He died several years ago and his memory is still very with me. He is the reason I have chosen to believe in God all my life. He was the first to save me. Not having him physically here has been a major challenge and defeat for me to overcome over the years. Thus, as I felt his presence during this exercise, I began to cry and my mind became distracted. With practice, I believe that I can accomplish the purpose of this exercise even with the tears and not become distracted. A powerful stimulant to the mind is exactly what you need to be able to establish a true focus and unity consciousness.
Overall, I really value this exercise. I believe it holds great merit in my life. Teaching others to find the place of true inner peace is very important and that only comes with practice and a focus on my true inner peace.
I plan to practice this exercise often because it provided me with an overall revitalizing feeling at the end and a true connection with my loved one throughout. I think the most difficult part of the exercise was that I chose my grandfather to be my guide and inner healer. He died several years ago and his memory is still very with me. He is the reason I have chosen to believe in God all my life. He was the first to save me. Not having him physically here has been a major challenge and defeat for me to overcome over the years. Thus, as I felt his presence during this exercise, I began to cry and my mind became distracted. With practice, I believe that I can accomplish the purpose of this exercise even with the tears and not become distracted. A powerful stimulant to the mind is exactly what you need to be able to establish a true focus and unity consciousness.
Overall, I really value this exercise. I believe it holds great merit in my life. Teaching others to find the place of true inner peace is very important and that only comes with practice and a focus on my true inner peace.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Integral Assessment and Loving-Kindness Meditation
This week's assignment took my understanding of meditation and self-growth to a new level of reality. Although I struggled sitting still for ten minutes repeating the same 4 sentences in my head, I did feel a connection with my loved ones that came from an energy inside me. The words created pictures that were colorful and revitalizing. After 5 minutes, I felt very awakened to all my senses.
The integral assessment was more critical an element for me than any of the other activities I have done. It forced me to really ask questions of myself and gain insight into my goals for integral health and human flourishing. I realized how much I fight performing these exercises. I identified all of the excuses that I make not to connect with my need for holistic health. It was a very confronting and important step in the process I have identified as my path to human flourishing. The greatest aspect of the integral assessment, for me, was step one: Identifying the aspects of our lives that require attention. Once you have a focus and a goal for integral health, you are able to hone in on developing your mental fitness and integral health.
Overall, great week of exercises!
Specific exercises that I can use to foster greater integral health and development are daily meditation using guided imagery and deep breathing exercises; waiting on the Lord exercise; and practicing forgiveness at every turn- forgiving myself and others quickly and without reproach.
The integral assessment was more critical an element for me than any of the other activities I have done. It forced me to really ask questions of myself and gain insight into my goals for integral health and human flourishing. I realized how much I fight performing these exercises. I identified all of the excuses that I make not to connect with my need for holistic health. It was a very confronting and important step in the process I have identified as my path to human flourishing. The greatest aspect of the integral assessment, for me, was step one: Identifying the aspects of our lives that require attention. Once you have a focus and a goal for integral health, you are able to hone in on developing your mental fitness and integral health.
Overall, great week of exercises!
Specific exercises that I can use to foster greater integral health and development are daily meditation using guided imagery and deep breathing exercises; waiting on the Lord exercise; and practicing forgiveness at every turn- forgiving myself and others quickly and without reproach.
Monday, December 13, 2010
THE SUBTLE MIND
Dacher (2006) describes the need to develop a subtle mind in order to obtain integral health and wellness. The subtle mind is an essential resource that allows us the opportunity to fully heal. "To reveal it and access its resources, we must learn to quiet the seemingly uncontrollable and obscuring movements of our outer mind" (Dacher, 2006, p. 71)
When performing the subtle mind exercise, I noticed that it was easy to focus solely on my breath when I would repeat in my head, "the air moves in through my nostrils, out through my nose." I continued to hear the noise in the background but was not distracted by it. However, when I cleared my head completely and just tried focusing on my breath instead of repeating those words in my thoughts, I lost control and had to reposition and refocus.
This exercise was less impactful for me than the loving-kindness exercise. The loving kindness exercise helped me relax more and provided me with greater energy. However, I know that in my professional practice, the need to focus in on the important elements versus the extraneous information is very important and therefore practicing both exercises are essential.
Overall, I see how these exercises can personally and professionally benefit me and those around me who see the calm I exude.
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, Ca: Basic Health Publications, Inc.
When performing the subtle mind exercise, I noticed that it was easy to focus solely on my breath when I would repeat in my head, "the air moves in through my nostrils, out through my nose." I continued to hear the noise in the background but was not distracted by it. However, when I cleared my head completely and just tried focusing on my breath instead of repeating those words in my thoughts, I lost control and had to reposition and refocus.
This exercise was less impactful for me than the loving-kindness exercise. The loving kindness exercise helped me relax more and provided me with greater energy. However, I know that in my professional practice, the need to focus in on the important elements versus the extraneous information is very important and therefore practicing both exercises are essential.
Overall, I see how these exercises can personally and professionally benefit me and those around me who see the calm I exude.
Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, Ca: Basic Health Publications, Inc.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Our Mental Workout
Our minds are muscles that require exercise and use to be effective. Without these exercises and mental workouts, we cannot utilize our psyche and astuteness to its full extent. Thus, to develop our psychospiritual life and "access its capacities and resources" (Dacher, 2006, p. 64), we must practice daily. If you want to run a marathon, you must stretch your muscles, develop an exercise plan, and execute that plan daily. The same goes for your mind and psychological development. You must be willing to put the time and effort into performing mental tasks and exercises of relaxation, focus, and alertness to fully utilize your minds capacity.
"The most meaningful aim of contemplative practice is not rest and relaxation but rather the progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities" (Dacher, 2006, p. 65).
The benefits of mental workouts are that were become more aware of our surroundings and the needs of others. This is especially beneficial to my practice as a nurse. By opening my eyes to the needs of others, I can bless them back with health and wholeness.
By implementing daily workouts with the CD to focus on others and wash away, dissolve, the hurt and frustration, I can effectively leap forward in mental wellness.
"The most meaningful aim of contemplative practice is not rest and relaxation but rather the progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities" (Dacher, 2006, p. 65).
The benefits of mental workouts are that were become more aware of our surroundings and the needs of others. This is especially beneficial to my practice as a nurse. By opening my eyes to the needs of others, I can bless them back with health and wholeness.
By implementing daily workouts with the CD to focus on others and wash away, dissolve, the hurt and frustration, I can effectively leap forward in mental wellness.
Loving Kindness exercises
This week all of the lessons I have learned over the years to love myself so that I can effectively love others came to a boiling point of understanding. This exercise gave me the opportunity to allow myself to relax and bask in the love and affection that others have for me and that I unconsciously have for myself. With this exercise I was able to pull that understanding of loving myself out of my unconscious and into my conscious awareness. The activity was revitalizing and one that I plan to perform often.
There were areas of this exercise that were difficult for me. As with the other exercises, this one proved challenging in the realm of relaxing my entire body in congruence with the speakers instructions. However, I did find the wave-like sounds very relaxing and refreshing all in one.
Overall, I believe everyone should try this exercise. Even if you feel you are a relaxed person who is confident and loves themselves, this exercise can provide great insight and benefit for daily activities.
There were areas of this exercise that were difficult for me. As with the other exercises, this one proved challenging in the realm of relaxing my entire body in congruence with the speakers instructions. However, I did find the wave-like sounds very relaxing and refreshing all in one.
Overall, I believe everyone should try this exercise. Even if you feel you are a relaxed person who is confident and loves themselves, this exercise can provide great insight and benefit for daily activities.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Rating my holistic health and creating goals to improve health
To improve health, you must establish a basis from where you are starting. You must be honest in your evaluations of yourself and be willing to place the time and effort into changing and improving your health. Physical health encompasses more that what people see on the outside. It is internal and can be analyzed with the use of labs, dignostics, hygiene, and weight management. As for myself, I would grade my physical helath a 7-8 out of 10. Overall, I have a healthy body mass index (BMI), a tool used to determine health based on eliciting someone's height and weight and using an equation to find a percentage of body fat. My BMI is 19 which is normal for my height and weight. In addition to having a healthy BMI, I work as a nurse walking long distances on the floor each day and my lab results, from a year ago, show perfect health. The only area I am lacking in is learning to relax and stretch my muscles. I injured my knee in sports and I have constant tension in my neck and back. One goal for myself to improve my physical health would be to allot 15 minutes everyday to stretching in the am before work or any daily activities. Included in this goal would be another 15 minute stretch before bed so my muscles relax as I sleep. By accomplishing this goal, my physical health should improve to 9 or 10/10.
Spiritually I would rate my health a 9/10. I feel very connected to my greater power, God. My husband and I both attend church each week, pray each day, "wait on the Lord" several times a week, and worship often. I feel all these things help me to establish my spiritual well-being. One goal, however, that I can implement to improve my spiritual well-being is to dedicate set times to focusing on "waiting on the Lord" and worshipping. It would be less of a struggle I believe to accomplish these goals with pre-established times to accomplish them.
Lastly, my psychological well-being would be rated 7/10. I am a constant thinker and analyzer. However, I allow this to interrupt my daily activities at times and feel very drained at the end of day. I have an amazing husband and family but my OCD personality at work and goal for perfection make stress a huge factor in my life. One priority goal for improving my psychological health is to establish one goal per day at work that I will accomplish and focus on perfecting that. By dissecting my goals for perfection into obtainable challeneges I feel my stress level will decrease significantly.
Overall, I would rate my holistic health 8/10. A "B" average is not bad but I want on the "A" list of health! :)
Spiritually I would rate my health a 9/10. I feel very connected to my greater power, God. My husband and I both attend church each week, pray each day, "wait on the Lord" several times a week, and worship often. I feel all these things help me to establish my spiritual well-being. One goal, however, that I can implement to improve my spiritual well-being is to dedicate set times to focusing on "waiting on the Lord" and worshipping. It would be less of a struggle I believe to accomplish these goals with pre-established times to accomplish them.
Lastly, my psychological well-being would be rated 7/10. I am a constant thinker and analyzer. However, I allow this to interrupt my daily activities at times and feel very drained at the end of day. I have an amazing husband and family but my OCD personality at work and goal for perfection make stress a huge factor in my life. One priority goal for improving my psychological health is to establish one goal per day at work that I will accomplish and focus on perfecting that. By dissecting my goals for perfection into obtainable challeneges I feel my stress level will decrease significantly.
Overall, I would rate my holistic health 8/10. A "B" average is not bad but I want on the "A" list of health! :)
Unit 3 Rainbow Relaxation Exercise
Today I took a journey through my mind that utilized color to elicit relaxtion and energy. By focusing on the 7 different colors of the rainbow, the exercise utilized the vibrance of each color to create relaxing and rejuvenating images. The initial color, red, was used as a tool to ground my body and establish roots for the exercise. This segment of the exercise was not overly difficult but created issues for the further elements. Because I was so focused on setting my feet in the ground with red, the vibrance of that color clouded my thoughts for orange. In addition, although I was trying to focus my thoughts on the color itself, pictures of people and loved ones were all that surrounded my thoughts with the different colors. Thus, this exercise elicited joy, energy, and relaxation from me but not in the intended ways it was established to do so.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Journey Exercise
I began a journey listening to the relaxation CD provided for this class. Although the power of suggestion is not foreign to me, this exercise did not accomplish all that I had hoped for. Sitting in my chair, I performed the exercise. I immediately felt a level of relaxation wash over me and my muscles and body sank into the chair. However, that is where the effects ended. The journey through suggestions provided by the CD to direct the blood flow in my body to my hands was not successful for me. I felt no increas in heaviness or warmth in my arms and hands. This was very disappointing to me. In addition, I felt it very difficult to completely lose sight of my surroundings even with my eyes closed.
Overall, the exercise helped me to momentarily relax and slightly loosened the tension in my neck. However, I think that I need significant practice with these exercises for the impact to be more beneficial and long lasting. Although my experience was less than successful, I understand the importance of this exercise and would suggest this as a relaxation method for people to use. Practice makes perfect!
Overall, the exercise helped me to momentarily relax and slightly loosened the tension in my neck. However, I think that I need significant practice with these exercises for the impact to be more beneficial and long lasting. Although my experience was less than successful, I understand the importance of this exercise and would suggest this as a relaxation method for people to use. Practice makes perfect!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Welcome
Welcome to my page dedicated to the building of holistic health. Holistic means whole or complete. Thus, Holistic health focuses on the well-being of not only our physical attributes but our psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual needs. Please enjoy the posts that will discuss exercises and activities to help create health and wellness. SHALOM!!
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