Unit Five Project

Unit  Five Project

Introduction:

     The brain is alive, it speaks to our body, and it connects with the:

1. Functioning Heart
2. Functioning Lungs
3. Womb (Where the process of Life begins)
4. All functioning physical systems ( nervous, immune system, gland…etc)

                These functions are all an integral connected community that will not

                 operate well without the other. The brain is the organ that pulls it together, and

                 the mind is the soul of the entire operation.   

Part One: introduce the benefits of “mental fitness”. Include at least 3 research studies that have demonstrated the healing qualities of mental and spiritual focus.

Benefits of Mental Fitness:

1. Connection with the Body
2. Contemplative state of pure awareness
3. Limitless development

   Integral Connection 

     Dr. Candance Pert a researcher and professor at George Washington University discovered that our brain talks.  Pert discovered that the brain carries message from one area of the body to another and each part function separately but are connected to the brain and other parts. This was significant because, the discovery of “neuropeptides” brought about a new understanding in how the brain (mind), functions.

     Dr. Pert stated:  “The mind is the body, the body is the mind.”  What is means is that the condition of the mind is the condition of the body. The mind gave out images, thoughts, & feelings this process alters the physiology to reflect a specific mental state. Therefore if we train our mind to act a certain way our body will react and perform accordingly.

Contemplative State of Pure Awareness:

     Dr. Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin performed research on contemplative scholars. The doctor’s research was conducted on the brain, the left and right prefrontal cortex were measured with electrical measurements and functional MRIs. Davidson discovered that the scholars’ showed sign of extra-ordinary function; their mind showed sign of alteration. Davidson determined that “the mind can undergo permanent change when properly trained. It can go from ordinary to extra-ordinary” (Dacher, 2006).  This type of alteration is considered Olympian Mental Fitness.

Limitless Development:

     The mind has the ability to adapt to change; this adaption can affect the function on work and interaction with people.  Dr. Peter Schnall Professor of Medicine at the University of California, conducted research with mid-level managers on stress in the work environment and what he discovered made an impact on how we look at the mind. Dr. Schnall discovered that the mind and body of the mid-level managers were altered by the stress of the work.  Not only did their mind become permanently altered but physically. Those managers who couldn’t deal with the stress, became ill with hypertension, or enlarged heart; while those who could handle the stress become more driven and pushed on.  What this research showed is that the mind altered based on the environment and the body followed. Therefore the physiological affected how the physical operated when faced with stress.   

2.            Part Two: Provide at least two examples of exercises, activities, or practices which can improve mental fitness. Give step by step instructions, explanations etc. and any other information that you believe is important to the development of mental fitness.

1. Visualization - Through imagery of the mind. For example picturing yourself in a place of peace such as a garden full of flowers, envisioning butterflies, cool breeze on your skin, all of these images are called visualization.
2. Meditation- Through stillness and going deep into oneself, you can train the mind to focus on one thing to get to the well of happiness and wellness. Naturally only through practice does one obtain that wealth of healing.
3. Subtle Mind- By stilling the mind and concentrating on your breathing, you find that your mind is calmer, you become more focus and one begins to find purpose what is important and needs to be accomplished.

3.            Summary:

The mind is the mechanic behind how we lead our lives, if we train our mind to make positive steps in the right direction toward health, wellness, happiness, the body will pursue.

Hello & Welcome All!

Unit 2 Blog

I am happy to me experiencing this journey with you and I hope your your feedback  to me will be helpful and benefiical to our wellness. I look forward to blogging with you.

Imebet S.

Unit 2 ( Task Completed)

Unit 2

For this unit, you have four goals in terms of your blogging assignment:

1.             You need to post your URL in the Blog Discussion Board. This is a separate discussion board for just the blog url addresses, and Unit 2 is the only unit that will have it.

Task complete

2.   Decide how you will check your classmates' blogs. Two different ways will be offered and explained. Then, you should set up the method you want to use.

Choice made: Following through googles

3.   You will post both a welcome statement and a reflective statement in your blog. Describe your experience with the Journey On relaxation exercise. To hear it, click here. (To post, all you do is sign in to www.blogger.com/start or go to your blog url and click on "sign in" and type in your email address and password. You will automatically be on your Dashboard. Just click on "new post," put in a title and type your reflection, then click on "publish post" on the bottom of the screen.)

Task Completed:  Welcome statement complete

4.   You will read a few of your classmates' blogs and comment on them on their blogs.

Task Completed

Unit 4 - Loving Kindness

Unit 4

Upon completion of reading chapter 6, review the section ‘Getting Started’ (p.66). Begin practice 1: Loving Kindness. Listen to tracks # 1 and #2 on the Dacher CD. Practice the Loving Kindness exercise this week. In your journal (blog), record your reaction to the exercise.

Answer each of the following in your blog:

1.              Describe your experience. (Did you find it beneficial? Difficult?) Why or Why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or Why not? I found the the loving kindness experience is a universal experience in that we are giving and receiving. I felt connected in a way I have never felt and it give me a mental strength to use visualization and subtle mind too. But the act of loving kindness is in itself a pure practice. I would recommend the use of this exercise, there are health benefits to using it.

2.              What is the concept of “Mental Workout? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health? Mental workout is removing the clutter and exercising the mind in way to reach a calm abiding. In reaching this level you can think clear, see your way to a healthy lifestyle. Mental visualization strengthen the mind and that is a form of workout for the mind. Nonetheless, the practice of loving kindness and the subtle mind helps the mind release toxic and embrace the true mind.

Unit 8 Favorite Practice Session

Unit 8

Review the exercises and practice sessions you have completed in this course. (Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, Visualization, meditation etc.) Choose two practices that you have determined to be most beneficial. How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster “mental fitness”? Provide specific examples.  The subtle mind and Loving Kindness is at the top of my practices, I also enjoy meditation. I have to practice daily in order to get the benefits from the exercises. I know that everyday will be a bit difficult, but I have decided that I must pick a time during the start or end of my day to being and end with my practice. I think that when I exercise my breath, my heart and give myself that love I deserve, my mind  and soul will become more calm and thereby strides to become mentally fit will evolve into mental fitness for me.

Unit 10 Self Improvement Assessment

Unit 10 Blog

Your final blog entry is to summarize your experiences in this course and discuss how it has assisted your well-being and your ability to assist others.

Integral Health has always been an important aspect of my life even when I didn’t understand what is was. What I have discover after taking this class is that we as humans all deserve to be whole. It is a human right to be connected to the universe and knowing it can help us be well. I believe the flourishing human is inside all of us and when we use the resources of meditation, visualization, loving kindness, subtle mind practices, we get a whole lot closer to our real selves.  We must continue to practice this everyday of our lives to get the benefit of the human flourishing. It is in giving that we receive, I think that and believe that we my soul that we must share ourselves so that others will benefit from the tree of life that lives in all of us.

Unit 10 Self Improved Assessment

1.              Review your unit 3 personal assessment of your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Reflect on these areas . How did you score yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 in unit 3? How do you score yourself now? Has the score changed? Why or why not?

1.  Psychologically, I must give myself a 9, at times I thought it would be hard to hold on, but after going through the fire so to speak I come to realized that our minds is what get us where we have to go.  A strong mind is a fit mind, a fit mind is a well mind. Using the practices helps, such as meditation, and visualization. It really works.
2.  Physically, I am a 7 I find myself eating more healthy foods, exercising a bit more and relaxing too when it is called for. I stop and am still within me when I need to be. I still have a way to go but it’s a welcoming journey getting to human flourishing.
3. My spiritual well-being is a 9 I still think there is always more to know and things still unknown. For that reason I am fit spiritually but I can always be better. When we think we are whole there is always something we missed. I can never stop believing, wanting to be closed to my creator and wanting to be whole spiritually.

2.              Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain.  I have made great strides, and it will take time to get there but I will not give up now. I appreciate the instruction and material given, it is useful for a lifetime.

3.              Have you implemented the activities you chose for your well-being in each of the three areas? Explain. I have began exercising more, eating smarter, and praise more?

 I  have also began to use the practice to get my mental, and spiritual being in tune for change. I use the subtle mind exercise and the loving kindness exercise. These practices work for me.

4.              Summarize your personal experience throughout this course. Have you developed improved well-being? What has been rewarding? What has been difficult? How will this experience improve your ability to assist others?  I have develop somewhat psychologically, my mind is more fit and I think that when you are mental fit, you can think clearly the obstacles are place in the right place leaving you to see far and beyond.

Unit 5 Comparison of Loving Kindness & Subtle Mind Practice

Unit 5

Your mental fitness practice this week incorporates the concept of the subtle mind (Dacher p.75). This week, replace the Loving Kindness exercise of unit four with Practice 2: The subtle mind exercise and listen to track #3 on the Dacher CD.

1.  Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise.  Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

I felt calm-abiding in the subtle mind practice. I could feel my breath with every movement of stillness. The feeling of waves rushing over me made it conscious that a change was taking place in me. I realize that my mind did wonder, but I was able to bring it back to my focal point to continue the process. I sure did calm my mind. The warm I felt from focusing and feeling my breath made an impact that help me to understand loving kindness even more. When I use them together I became more alert mentally and calm physically.

2.  Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.  If you are not spiritual connected to a purpose, you physical body will show signs of distress.

Even an atheist will feel a disconnection, if they did not have something to connect to within their own spiritual understanding. Therefore once the spirit is well the emotional, physical self will be well too. In my life I stay focus on god who spearheads my being. Without my belief in a superior creator then it would have been something else. I think therefore I am, therefore I believe that I am directed by a higher force that directs the I am in me. This force in me creates the spiritual and physical wellness in me.

Practice Loving Kindness Assessment Process

Unit 6 Blog

Describe the exercise and assessment process. What did you discover about yourself? What area have you chosen to be a focus of growth and development? Why? What are some specific exercises or activities that you can implement to foster greater wellness in this area?

     I found the Universal Loving Kindness exercise interesting.  I found that repetition created meaning for me. I felt closeness to my purpose.  It is a mantra and it is full of loving kindness for me and the world around me.  That in itself is a meaningful and real existence.  I recall a mantra I often say that life me too, “Jesus Christ Save Souls”.  In my opinion, saying those words is intense; it carries so much force and hope for mankind.  I want to continue to develop my love quadrant; one can never be without love.  I give of myself and offer to others the opportunity to learn from my wisdom, that is what I do to foster my wellness. It is said many of our internal being transforms to a higher consciousness with our growth and development, so therefore “it is in giving that we will receive”. I will continue on my journey giving, because “god so loved the world that he gave his son”. We as humans should be privileged to give of ourselves in exchange for a more abundant life too.

Meeting Asclepius

Unit 7 Blog

Complete the "Meeting Asclepius" exercise on track #4 of the Dacher CD. Describe your meditative practice(s) for the week and discuss the experience. Explain how mindfulness or meditation has fostered an increase in your psychological or spiritual wellness. How can you continue to apply these practices in your life to foster greater health and wellness?

     What a great exercise, meeting with my teacher that way was great. I have a mentor, who I see as wise, guiding, patient, loving, a great healer and so much more. He sees my soul and has helped me and continues to help me with learning and loving myself. He said this path I’m taking is the rough side of the mountain, but he is certain based on my innate abilities and drive that I will get to the top. The “top” of the mountain is the complete human flourishing of man. I can’t wait to experience and live it. The exercise me brought closer to my “Baba”, as many have referred to him. He did say the transfer takes time, the energy of all knowing. I feel wisdom make an attempt at transfer but he’s right, I am not ready yet, when it does happen and it will I too can guide others’ on their journey to find themselves. Our thoughts manifest in ways we sometimes doubt did I do that.  The truth is what we create in our minds, it has power and that power is able to materialize. We can change how we think and how we live with our mind.  Meditation helps us change and think in a more elevated manner to make beautiful transformation in our lives.  This transformation helps us to become healthy thinker; a healthy mind creates a healthy body. I can foster these practices by training my mind daily, I have begun this practice and it is a good start in the right direction.

Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (P.477) how does this apply to the health and wellness professional? Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life?

          A person who has not experienced, trained, or lived a situation cannot be prepared to give comment, direction or make a purpose out of it for another person.

     I do think that some people are born with an innate ability to do thing but the practice of doing it makes a difference. Once you are prepared as a profession to apply health and wellness you will see it and feel it. You have an obligation to your clients to be prepared spiritually, psychologically, and physically.  When clients come to you they are seeking the best you have to give. It is only right a professional practitioner be skilled, in all areas of alternative medicine, not just one area.  Practitioners must remember that giving means a continual path of learning and growing for them. Therefore a practitioner is always building themselves. I personally read and interact myself with self improvement books and activities. I am in touch with myself through the art of mantra’s using them is a good start, visualization are good too. Meditation helps to build my mind. Stepping out of oneself to find oneself is an art and a process. It doesn’t happen overnight but it happens eventually. I continue to grow like an oak.   

Unit 6 Blog

Describe the exercise and assessment process. What did you discover about yourself? What area have you chosen to be a focus of growth and development? Why? What are some specific exercises or activities that you can implement to foster greater wellness in this area?

     I found the Universal Loving Kindness exercise interesting.  I found that repetition created meaning for me. I felt closeness to my purpose.  It is a mantra and it is full of loving kindness for me and the world around me.  That in itself is a meaningful and real existence.  I recall a mantra I often say that life me too, “Jesus Christ Save Souls”.  In my opinion, saying those words is intense; it carries so much force and hope for mankind.  I want to continue to develop my love quadrant; one can never be without love.  I give of myself and offer to others the opportunity to learn from my wisdom, that is what I do to foster my wellness. It is said many of our internal being transforms to a higher consciousness with our growth and development, so therefore “it is in giving that we will receive”. I will continue on my journey giving, because “god so loved the world that he gave his son”. We as humans should be privileged to give of ourselves in exchange for a more abundant life too.

Assessment Of A 6 Month Wellness Plan

Unit Nine Project

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?

           Health and wellness begins with the individual, the integral practitioner is a support on the journey with your, they provide guidance in the right direction, and navigates on a course beneficial to you when you’re off balance. Health and wellness professionals need have embarked on the journey of self discovery for themselves before they can guide you the mind is where all founds being, if you mind isn’t functioning you hands, feet, the neurological aspect of self is limited. Therefore the importance psychologically for a wellness professional is essential to establish a connection between practitioner and patient. The trained or conditioned mind set enables the individual to know where to begin and how to perform. If you do not have an Integral map how can one get to their destination.  Preparing the mind is an integral part of the plan for a professional. A practitioner must always be a listener of the conscious mind. Listening to what the patient hasn’t said is just as essential as what has been, therefore conscious listening creates a more meaningful integral relationship.  As Dacher once note, the witnessing consciousness allows us to stop, see, understand, and make choices about our thoughts and feelings. We now make decisions based on a higher evolved conscious mind. Practitioners’ develop this level of consciousness with much practice which they give back to each patient and walk with them through a journey of transformation and realization of the subconscious human flourishing.

II.   Assessment:

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

     Establishing a wellness plan can is an exciting process. I seek to alleviate suffering spiritually, physically, and psychological by exercising each part of my conscious life individually but knowing it will come together as a whole once they are mastered. I hope for long-term flourishing that I can enjoy the fullness of life’s greatest pleasures. I understand that these desires are always changing according to the flow of my life, and I a ready to take this exciting journey to discover who I am and share it with the world.   

      My spiritual wellness journey is assessed as, “knowing and understanding the concepts, but needing to prioritize my life so that I can utilized all of its implements to my benefit”. I know that pray and belief work side by side. It is the key to a better understanding of God. My relationship with God is ever growing and infinite in terms of my soul journey. I am spiritual in the sense that I desire to learn about the subconscious mind, soul, and world around us. That vivid awareness has always been with me, I am aware of the power of the omnipotent godhead but, being aware isn’t the same as exercising the life force.  I don’t see tabernacle “the building” as the center of spirituality, I see it inside me. The building is for religious individuals, but the true temple is our mind, body, and spirit and the soul. Once I can pull together every aspect of my existence into a oneness, only then can I say I have achieved complete wholeness.

     Physically, a whole life regime is what I need, an assessment of the foods and activities need to re-established. I eat whole foods, but not enough, and too much junk. Elimination of sugar and getting use to the natural sweeteners of nature is important to my plan. Sleep is a problem I don’t have a proper schedule, so getting to sleep early and waking up when my body is rested is another plan in my physical assessment.  Exercise will help immensely to release stress. I figure, while I’m busy taking care of business, I can allot 15 minutes to getting on the treadmill or walking. Scheduling again is important to my plan since I will have to work with outer elements. Performing this changes will help me with throughout my entire wellness plan physically, spiritually, and psychologically.  

     Too much junk in the matter such as fears, tragedies expected or unexpected take a place in my life that should be released or overcome. I belive taking charge of those sufferings with daily affirmations and inspirational pray, and personal pray provides a self confidence that I need to encourage self development.  I see myself as love and I give love back. I send out my prays to lost and decease friends and “will” their safe flight into their next journey. We are all travelers. I am on my own journey here and now and will continue to be on a journey even unto life’s end. . I find the calm I need by being still when I can be still. Nonetheless,  I can’t wait for the day when I can find complete relaxation to read all those “OneSpirit” books I get each month.  I am a collector of fine literature on health and wellness, metaphysical and the such.  I suppose I am considered a seeker/builder. I seek to build my soul so that I can give back to build someone else’s soul.  Life is evolving and I must evolve with it to survive.

III. Goal Development:

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

Physically:

1. Regular daily exercise which includes meditation

2.  Eat smarter & more responsibly

3.  Develop a sleep plan & stick to it.

Psychologically:

1.     Establish a meditational plan that helps me remove clutter, accept change and give love more abundantly.

2.     Train my mind to release fear and encourage peace, harmony, & love in my life and others.

Spiritually:

1.     Embrace Life more continue to give love and be willing to receive love with doubt, and continue to be responsible for myself and the world I live in.

2.         Volunteer in some capacity

3.          Donate to programs that encourage and support wellness in individuals

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.

     One certain practice I would like to incorporate into my personal health plan is retreats, as a youth, I can recall going on retreats that I can still remember as joy in my life, it shaped who I am today and I thank god for that opportunity as a child. Retreats will help me to develop my consciousness for life and human flourishing.

     I would like to write journals that might be considered for publishing on a wellness site. I think this in itself will help me develop and give back to others, I think that by writing as I experience life beautiful changes I can look at the writing as a mirror to my soul, it think it will transform my in a new and higher awareness which I seek.

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?