My Re-Assessment: The End of this Leg..

**My Re-assessment** In the last ten weeks, I have learned additional ways to integrate my health, happiness, and wholeness in more ways than I ever understood. I graded myself rather high, but with the information learned I can see that there is so much more and I can say that my grades have gone down. I would rank all areas at a seven, with hopes that through persistent practice and faith in my abilities it will only get better as time moves on. **The physical goals I set for myself have not been started, as other workout priorities have taken the front burner. I tend to run distance less during the summer months but intend to hit it hard when the cooler months roll around. **Spiritually and psychologically, I would like to continue to practice the exercises we have learned and to teach others the benefits. I am looking to get to a place where I can still my busy mind. Continuing to re-examine the material we learned can only improve my abilities. I have taken time throughout my day to pause and reset my mind, and will continue to do so. **I feel that by having the knowledge and making baby steps in a positive direction, my well-being can only improve. The experiences of others, the knowledge in the assignments, and the texts have all provided a strong foundation for the years to come. This will also help in assisting others; as some things that have not been personally experienced can be referred to someone who has included it on their journey. **The most rewarding is what others have provided me, and the camaraderie established with others experiencing the same journey. **Warm Regards, Jenn

Human Flourishing: A Personal Side

A Personal Plan for Integral Health     

The Importance for Professionals of Integral Health

            Health and wellness professionals need to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically in order to become a role model for those wanting to flourish.  They need to be on the cutting edge of change, as the field of integral medicine is highly transformative and consistently evolving (Dacher, 2006, p. 165).  The professional has to understand the positive and negative aspects of integral healing, through their personal integration, in order to understand how to channel their efforts into assisting their patients.  If they understand integral healing as practical, comprehensive, and well developed, they can take their patient to the next level of healing (Dacher, 2006, p. 165).  In order to personally develop, the spiritual and psychological areas will require attention.  When the mind and spirit are strong, the body will follow suit.  By understanding that well-being is something we have instead of something that we can get, or that the world is our teacher rather than something that punishes us, our journey can begin (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005, p. 309).  

Personal Assessment

            Personal assessment is the first step in becoming whole and finding the weak areas to build upon.  Psychospiritual healing needs to take place, and there are many ways to accomplish this based on recent research and learning. 

            Psychological health is well, and it can be rated at an eight out of ten, with ten being the most positive.  Quieting the mind still requires practice, as the mind remains difficult to become completely still.  This becomes apparent when performing meditation and subtle mind exercises, as the mind still has a tendency to wander. 

            Spiritual health is in a good place, can be rated nine out of ten, and only a nine because of the want to grow in spirit and a spiritual connection with the intimate partner.  As a raised Catholic, it has always been the belief that through prayer and God, all things are possible.  Connecting spiritually with the one you are closest with can take the relationship to the highest level.

            Physical health is optimal, and is rated eight out of ten.  There are many goals in place, and they all include the integration of the other two areas.  A strong mind and spirit can push the body into achieving the higher goals that have been set, such as a complete makeover in diet and completing a marathon. 

Personal Goals

            There are many ways to personally develop in the three aspects of integral health.  Understanding the relationship between the three aspects can help set one up on a path to complete human flourishing. 

            Psychological development should always be evolving, and through maturation and taking time for oneself, it can be a strong influence on the other aspects of health.  Working towards a quiet mind is the ultimate goal.  Finding the space between the afflictive thoughts, feelings, and images, and automatic actions and speech that follow, need to be reworked (Dacher, 2006, p. 53).  Sometimes the time lapse is too quick, and the negative energy becomes external (Dacher, 2006, p. 53). 

            Spiritual development can personally evolve in the intimate relationship one has with another, as previous experience has left a wall up to a thoroughly engaging relationship.  Spending more time with God in conversation is good for the soul, and more time should be set aside. 

            Physical goals include the use of nutrition for healing, completing a half marathon in under two and a half hours, and eventually a marathon.

Practices for Personal Health

            There are so many ways to develop integral health, and this is important, as each person is different.  Specific practices should be addressed, and the path to achieving these goals should be attainable. 

            Psychological development will increase by daily use of the subtle mind exercise and meditation.  The subtle mind exercise requires concentrating on breathing, which can tame and stabilize the mind.  This results in witnessing consciousness mind, and as that replaces the clinging and grasping, we move into calm-abiding and eventually unity consciousness, which is the ultimate goal (Dacher, 2006, p. 75).  Pure awareness is the goal, and through continued practice, one can stop, look inward, and rest in this innermost essence (Dacher, 2006, p. 77).  Meditation will become a daily occurrence, and this will allow for an even temper by having an outlet to rid the mind and body of any unwanted stress or negativity. 

            Spiritual goals can be attained by utilizing a spiritual union practice with one in an intimate relationship.  By spending time in each other’s essence, the feelings of one vice each other can become real, and the hesitation that one has in becoming part of another’s soul can be eliminated (Dacher, 2006, p. 92).  Praying is the best way to spend time with God, as well as reading His Word to understand the power He holds in our lives. 

            Physical goals include updates to diet and exercise.  Adopting the Eastern diet allows one to integrate the energy in the body for complete balance, as the Eastern belief of nutrition lies in treating the energy systems within the body (Lu, 2000, p. 1).  Learning about how food works with the energy systems and implementing change can bring the physical body in balance.  A goal of completing a marathon requires time and training.  By researching training programs, one can find a program that can be easy to adopt into the daily routine (Marathon Rookie, 2012). 

Commitment and Reassessment

            When setting up goals, strategies to obtain these goals should be documented.  They should be attainable and realistic, and alternate means of obtaining these goals should be considered.  The use of journals can help one in documenting goals, and details, dates, and resources should not be omitted.  Allowing space in the journal for feelings, thoughts, and real-time results can assist in re-evaluation along the way.  By finding what practices work and where there are weak areas, one can quickly adapt different ways of obtaining their goals.  Part of the journal entry should flag time blocks, such as three months or six months, for assessment and restructure, if required.  Being dedicated to the journey, making time for oneself on a daily basis, reaching out to others for their experiences, and treating the whole person vice the individual parts are all ways one can reach flourishing in health, happiness, and wholeness (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005, p. 503).  

  

References

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications.

Lu, N. (2000). Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Natural Guide to Weight Loss That Lasts. New York: Harper Collins.

Marathon Rookie. (2012, May 20). How to Train for a Marathon. Retrieved from Marathon Rookie: http://www.marathonrookie.com/

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi, M. S. (2005). Consciousness and Healing. St. Louis: Elsevier.

           

My Two Favorite...

If I had to choose just two practices that I have learned, they would have to be Loving-Kindness and meditation. The Loving-Kindness practice taught me how to be more patient, kind, and less judgmental. It has helped me in tempering the occasional quick attitude.  I have found many ways to implement this practice on a daily basis. One of my biggest complaints about others I interact with usually happens on the road. There are so many inconsiderate people around me and they don’t know how to drive, that was my typical attitude before beginning the practice. I have geared my energy the other way. Instead of the negativity, I just imagine them as myself and they are just trying to get home to their families just as I am, and think about how bad their day could have been. Maybe they got let go from work, maybe they received bad news from home. I have even begun re-routing my path home to avoid the stress, and see others in a more positive way. As people continue to challenge me, I will find ways to turn it into a positive and challenge my minds to find more creative ways to cope.

Meditation has been incredibly helpful; it helps to quiet my mind and spirit at the end of the day. It has given me the time I need to cleanse the worries of the day, become relaxed enough to sleep through the night, and wake up feeling refreshed in the morning. By adding another session in the morning and eventually during the busy day, I can find that stress is so low, it is not readily apparent. I can learn new meditation practices to ensure a well-rounded program. It can help me continue to flourish in my journey to health, happiness, and wholeness.

Warm Regards,

Jenn

Meeting Aesclepius

I spent about four days this week on meditative practice. I have come along, but not as far as I would have hoped. I feel as though I have gained mindfulness through the experience, and am less apt to react in certain situations. It can still be difficult to quiet the mind, especially after coming off of vacation and getting back to work. It has given me strength to foster stress relief in other ways, which was one of my goals initially. Taking the time to continue my meditative practice will only be beneficial to me, and as long as I make the time to spend in my mind daily, my mindfulness can only continue to grow.

“One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself”. This statement relates to the experience of a situation, not the knowledge. One can learn about something but not truly teach it until they themselves have been a part of it. This can apply to those in the health profession of integral health as having a full understanding of the subject will allow one to assist others. I know I have a difficult time relating to something enough to teach it if I have not been on the journey. By continuing to make psychological and spiritual growth a priority in my life, I will be better able to provide the client with tools they need as well as how to use them. Fitting it into the schedule will be my challenge.

Warm Regards,
Jenn

Loving Kindness and an Integral Assessment: A Personal Side

We were instructed to perform two exercises. One in Loving-Kindness, where we were to repeat four mantras for ten minutes. The other exercise consisted of our personal Integral Assessment, where we are to assess our levels of the four quadrant model and where we can better ourselves in a specific one. This is taken from Elliot Dacher's Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing (2006), p. 93 & 115.

The Loving Kindness exercise, repeating of mantras, was difficult at first. I am still hard at work trying to calm my busy mind, so to repeat the same four phrases was very difficult. After about five minutes, I was able to calm my mind enough to repeat them, and within 10 minutes I could say them with spirit. I understand more now how I need to focus on my quick, negative temperament, as well as judgment of others. Some of the focus can be placed on finding ways to help others in this area, instead of being quick to think they do not wish to help themselves as a way of laziness. Maybe they have personal roadblocks they need help getting through, and I need to work on patience to assist them.

I believe in the integral assessment I struggle with the worldly aspect. I have seen so many people playing the victim, being ignorant, or raising their children to be entitled (by always giving their children everything, and not making them be responsible which helps them understand the importance of what they are receiving). Much of this is judgmental, I am sure, but some of it I have seen first-hand. I have chosen to not have children because of the world issues we have created. I always hear that we should leave our children with a great planet (ie, recycle), but we should also think about leaving great children to the planet. I have many people tell me I need to have children to understand and be able to make that impact I wish to see, but I think I can begin with my nieces and nephews. I could volunteer at a local club for youth and make an impact on children who understand the meaning of “valuables”.

I want to make a disclosure statement, as I know some of the things I have written here may be offensive. By no means do I see all children and parents as bad, wrong, disrespectful, etc. It is not my intention to upset anyone, and I see many parents doing a wonderful job in the raising of their children. Also being in the military is another very big reason for not having children, as I would not be able to handle being away from them for so long!

Warm Regards,
Jenn

Mental Fitness Presentation

Mental Fitness Presentation

The Connection Between The Spiritual Wellness to Mental and Physical Wellness

Spiritual wellness is based on the final stage of biological flourishing (Dacher, 2006, p. 84). This is a subtle but stable development of the mind and body through practice and only attainable when one reaches a higher level of consciousness (Dacher, 2006, p. 84).  It is about becoming one with all that is, and when we move from the fixation on our anatomy to the subtler understanding of our biology, we break through the sense of the solid and separate self (Dacher, 2006, p. 86).  An ease and lightness enter our life and cleanse our mind and body which can prevent mental distress and leads to health, happiness, and wholeness (Dacher, 2006, p. 86).

I was raised in the Catholic church, and taught that there is one God.  Although I did not understand it much as a child, the understanding I have now in my spiritual beliefs carry me through my day, as I believe that God has a reason for all that he gives us. I try to see the good in negative situations, and my spirit is typically positive. The older I get, the stronger this becomes. While interacting with others, I try to ensure positive affirmations to their spirits as well, not religiously, but to the thought that all of us have a purpose in life and it is up to us to find it (even with a little help from others).

References:

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications.

A Comparison of Exercise: Loving Kindness and The Subtle Mind

The loving-kindness exercise was primarily centered on feelings towards others, the suffering of a loved one, and the suffering of strangers.  It concentrated on breathing as a center of personal focus, but the breath was to clear the mind and shuffle away self-centeredness. The subtle mind exercise focused primarily on breathing and the inner-most part of one’s mind, more self-centered than not. Although both exercises concentrated on breathing technique and the awareness of love and genuine concern, they were like two sides of a coin. The first exercise concentrated on loving outside of the mind, the second one, inside.

The benefit of this is that is allows one to appreciate others for what they are before they turn inward to their own personal devotion; however, depending on the person it can allow them to assume others are more important than themselves, which can lead to low self-esteem. You need to learn how to love and care for yourself before you do for others. The older I get the more I understand this connection, and have been able to see how it is self-confidence rather than ego.

A Lesson in Loving-Kindness

I decided to sit in my bedroom with the lights dim at the start. I imagined my boy, as we are to imagine someone we love. The sound of the waves made me sleepy, as it does every underway until I get used to the rocking.

As I shifted to the thoughts and feelings I noticed, I was more stressed out than I realized this week. I tried to focus on the stillness and push the thoughts out, and as the exercise stated, let love in. As I move on to the next piece, I follow the thought of loving myself, and appreciating who I am. As I think about a loved one who is suffering, I try to move myself to breath out the health and happiness to him, and mindfully pushing positive thoughts. It is not the first time I have tried to take the pain and suffering from him; he is so innocent. It is difficult to see the group of enemies and think the same thing, and that will take some work.

The benefits of the exercise are there, if one opens themselves up to it. It was not difficult, only in the choosing of whom to envision.  I would recommend it, especially to someone who is struggling to find their place.

A mental workout can encompass a variety of things, to include physical activities and meditation exercises. There are studies that prove a mental workout can keep you sharp. The mind is able to continually adapt and rewire itself, and grow new neurons (The Franklin Institute, 2004). It is just like any muscle in the body, our mental state needs to be stimulated or we will lose the ability to function.

Implementing mental exercise throughout the day can help keep one sharp. Starting in the morning upon rising by thinking about moving your body, challenging your body to do things it is not used to (such as eating with your non-dominating hand), to taking a different route to work can be ways to stay sharp and focused (The Franklin Institute, 2004).

References:

The Franklin Institute. (2004). The Human Brain. Retrieved from Resources for Science Learning: http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/exercise.html

Warm Regards,
Jenn

A Reflection: Colors

The meditation exercise was very relaxing, even though there was dialogue. Since I enjoy art (both making and viewing it), the explanations of feelings and relation to body parts through colors intrigued me. Positive emotions were present throughout the session, and the moving of awareness physically was something I had not experienced before. I never would have imagined aqua blue in my throat as a sense of willpower and creativity. The one statement I struggled with was being surrounded by bright, white light, and yet I was told to be calm. To me, brightness represents energy and excitement, not necessarily calmness.

A Reflection on Physical, Spiritual, and Psychological Well-Being

There are so many aspects to our existence, and our well-being depends on all three. On a scale of one to ten, I would have to say my physical well-being is around a seven, as I still suffer from migraines (although not as much). I am working to find the natural way to prevent them, or treat if necessary, without the use of medicinals. Other than that I have the typical aches but continue to ensure physical fitness and a healthy diet.
For my psychological well-being, I am at a ten. I have a great life, and the things that are not so great, I make the best of. I work out the stressors through physical means. My spiritual side is ten as well; I think my creator every day for what he has given me and feel fulfilled with all I am and have. I am always in high spirits, and when something goes wrong I try to find the positive side of it. Everything happens for a reason.

One of my physical goals is either completing a full marathon or sprint triathlon. I am working towards it, but I feel when I finally make the decision to do it, I can accomplish it. It will take a lot of psychological strength, just as treating a migraine. I would like to be able to perform psychological exercises to thwart my next occurrence of a headache. A goal for my spiritual side would be to attend more church services, and learn more about the faith that keeps me going. I have always found an interest in the history of my religion, and it would be something I would like to expand on.

Finding a good training plan and making time to train for my physical goals would be at the top of the activity list. I also have friends that accomplished those same goals, so I can pick their brain for tips that I can incorporate from real-world experience. By dedicating myself psychologically to the training and physical goal, it will increase my confidence and strengthen my psychological state. Attending other denominations in Christianity can open my horizons to different aspects of what I believe in, and I think I can learn more about Catholicism.

Warm Regards,
Jenn

The Journey: Quiet Time

The exercise was to listen to a calming, relaxing track that was supposed to elevate awareness to your inner peace. As I follow the gentleman's directions and listened to the soft music playing, I found myself with quiet time I am not accustomed to; however, his voice was a distraction. I listed to the whole track, and allowed myself to find peace, which set me up for a good night's sleep. I think I prefer just gentle sounds like that in the background for total relaxation.

Warm Regards,
Jenn

A Busy-day Reflection...
In today's busy society, it is difficult to wind down and turn off. Our stressors are far above what they were as a child. As my sister and I were riding home from the grocery store today, I turned to her (after discussing how we were going to complete all of our "to-do" list for today, and how proud we were of ourselves on getting in and out of the store in around 30 minutes) and asked if, as a child, she ever thought we would be this busy as adults. She felt the same way I did; no way.

We did, however, manage to sit down this morning to a great breakfast. Breakfast at home, of course, because we could not find a place to eat (where we could sit outside with our dogs) that did not have a long wait.

Welcome to Finding Happiness and Healing Through Diet!

I created this blog to share information and experiences on managing a diet that will be beneficial not just in the physical sense, but emotional and mental as well. I was an obese teenager, and have struggled in my relationship with food my entire life. As I became older and more educated, I have found a happy balance. I would like to use my experiences (and hopefully the experiences of others) to help you find your happy balance, share successful recipes and food secrets, and learn to love eating while being healthy!