Unit 9 Final Project ...

1. 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 like to look at it this way, if I am traveling to California without a map I would not give directions other than by the route I have travelled.  In other words if I am helping people walk on the road to health improvement I better have some idea of how to lead them.  How could I do that without having experience to communicate from?  

In weight loss a person needs someone who has actually done a diet or followed the recommendations to ensure success.  It is crucial for professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically so they have empathy and can guide a person through difficulties they may face along the way.  In building muscle I would take a body builder with muscles advice over Richard Simmons.  This is true really in any field, you look for health with those that embody health.  When an individual comes to a wellness professional for assistance they seek someone who is proficient in every area of their profession.                                                              

I have many goals in life and one of them is to help as many people as I can.  In order to do this it takes organization and walking the walk.  I am going to keep in an exercise schedule  and really work on gaining spiritual ground so others see me make progress. 

2. Assessment:

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

My physical wellbeing I score at a level of 8 as I would like to lose some weight, but my blood levels and pressure are in great shape.  I have incorporated the love of whole foods into my life and I do not eat the junk that I used to.  I have been off of soda and high fructose corn syrup products for years.  I do tend to over eat and that is something that I am tackling this year.          

I constantly work on my spiritual well-being.  I would rate this at a 7 as with school I have not put in the time that I used to.  I keep my relationships in great order and I am constantly working to gain enlightenment by forwarding spiritual pursuits.  I study philosophy and different religous beliefs in search of truths and ideas that I can apply to make my life better.                                       

My psychological and emotional well-being is in great shape as I keep my daily meals and sleep in.  I feel it is important to feel good and I would rate this at a 9.  This will get to a 10 as I continue with more spiritual well-being and keep my physical body in good shape.

3. Goal development:

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

Physically I am working to implement a weight training routine along with portion control to allow safe weight loss that is permanent.  This will provide stress relief and allow for good mental health.  Spiritually I plan to finish my studies of Zacharia Sitchin, the bible, and the koran by the end of the year.  I like to look at different religions and belief systems.  This helps me define my beliefs.  I also have a goal to keep my sleep schedule, fitness, and food plan in so I can feel great and enjoy happiness.                                                     

4. 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.

I will plan out my meals for portion control. I have a Bowflex that I am going to use with the exercise portion of Body for Life that will ensure success in the physical domain.  I will also be increasing fruits and nuts for my snacks so I do not overeat.                                                          

I currently use a system called Self Analysis which is a list of questions designed to raise awareness, increase reaction time, better memory, and increase happiness.  I have found that it does those things and more so I will continue this combined with a great diet, and exercise program.  I am working to get the self analysis to be daily, but currently it is once a week.          

When I am done with school I plan to put exercise in daily as well.  This is only about 3 months away, but one thing I have learned in this class is to work to put even a small amount in now and increase it in the future.  For that I have started exercising 3 days a week and have kept that in over the last 2 months.  Living in the present moment is important and working towards a goal is the key.

5. 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?

I plan to start a journal to see how my thoughts about daily life change. This will assess my mental and emotional state, but for my physical choices I will actually take measurements.  These will include weight, body fat, as well as food journaling.  I also plan on continuing with Self Analysis to continue my ability to remember and to keep a great memory.  The main strategy I plan on using is however goal planning.  This is a dynamic practice and gives me a road to travel.  It helps me figure out what I am working towards.

Unit 8 Learning Activity...

This course has had several exercises that focus on different components related to integeral holistic health.  I found that meditation and the loving kindness exercises were the best for me.  I liked that the meditaion helped to quiet the mind and loving kindness put the focus on other people.  This helps balance the focus and makes it not all about me. 

To be fully honest I will not be implementing these practices in my personal life.  The reason for this is have similar practices that I use.  In my opinion these work better than these.  I currently use a system called Self Analysis which is a list of questions designed to raise awareness, increase reaction time, better memory, and increase happiness. 

I have found that it does those things and more so I will continue this combined with a great diet, and exercise program.  I am working to get the self analysis to be daily, but currently it is once a week.  When I am done with school I plan to put exercise in daily as well.  This is only about 3 months away, but one thing I have learned in this class is to work to put even a small amount in now and increase it in the future. 

For that I have started exercising 3 days a week and have kept that in over the last 2 months.  Living in the present moment is important and working towards a goal is key.

Unit 7 Learning Activity...

This class has been very interesting and in combination with my other classes I am having a really rough time keeping up.  I am taking 3 classes this semester and I only have 2 left.  In a sense I have my degree in Nutrition Science.  I am reminded of the end of High School and a saying that went around describing Seniors as having a disease called Senioritis. 

I think it comes from being overwhelmed and this set of three classes has done it.  This class has actually helped with the stress of this group of classes, but I am struggling to keep up with the workload.  This is the first set of classes that I am having to juggle what I do not do as I just don't have enough time.

I am glad to be making close to an A in each class, but I imagine they will end up being high B's.  Regardless I bring this up because this week I did the "Meeting Asciepius" exercise on track #4 of the Dacher CD.

I think calming the mind down is something that everyone tries to do.   Unfortunatly most try drugs (alcohol, marijuana, etc.). I think that spiritual pursuits are a much better investment in time with better results.  I find that working to be comfortable in the space one occupies without the mind yelling is important.    

Psychologically I am tempted by junk food less as I can actually feel the difference it makes in my consciousness.  If I did not work to have a quiet mind I probably would not notice the effect of junk food.  In other words our nutrition affects our potential spiritual wellness.

I will continue to apply these practices in my life to foster greater health and wellness through nutrition and keeping a peaceful calm mind.

I heard a story one time of a mother that asked Gandi to tell her child to stop eating sugar. Sugar was making her sick, but she would not stop.  Gandi told the mother to come  back in 2 weeks and the mother said ok.  In two weeks she came back and Gandi told the child to not eat sugar as it was making her sick.  The mother was puzzled as to why he had her come back so she asked him why.  He explained that he had not stopped sugar himself and he needed to stop eating it before he recommended that course of action. 

That ties into the statement,   "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself (P.477)."   As a nutritionist I can not expect my clients to follow good eating habits or my advice if I am not walking the walk.  I have an obligation to my clients to be developing my health psychologically, physically, and spiritually?

I have spent the last 6 years learning and helping others gain better health.  This has helped me and when I am done with school I am going to devote more time to spiritual growth in my personal life.  This will allow me to continue and grow and be an example to others.

Unit 6 Learning Activity...

1. Practice the universal Loving Kindness (meditation) exercise on p. 93.

"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."

These are good words and the exercise did not change me or alter my goals and purpose, but these concepts to align with my life and profession.

1. Complete the Integral Assessment discussed in chapter 11 (p.115).

For this exercise with a stillness of mind I ask, “What aspect of my life—psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal, or worldly—is the source of difficulty and suffering?”  My answer for this question is worldly and it deals with getting through school.  The amount of time that these classes take up is amazing.  I can use this time in the future to further my business or even expand spiritually.

"What line of development is most essential for me at this time?"

Self-regulation of spirit, mind, and body as these suffer due to the time taken for classes.  Granted this degree will allow for a higher potential in the future.

"What is my current level of development and what can I aim for?"

Luckily I am only 2 classes away from getting my degree.  That does not include the last 3 weeks of the current term, but I am looking forward in time.

“What area of my life is ready for growth and development? "

My worldly status as I get my degree will get a notch better.  I have a certification in nutrition and will soon have a degree.  I have a practice with the best clients in Austin, TX and I will be that much better at helping people through nutrition.

Is it the same area that also needs healing or is it another area?

It is the same area that I am focusing on currently.

1. 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?

The assessment is answering questions from a calm introspective point of view.  I discovered that I am working towards a better future in the worldly plane of exisence.  I chose this area years ago when my goals were thwarted by debt.  I learned that I needed to help others on a larger scale so I could get out of debt and have a better life.

I think time management and a constant focus on my goals and purpose with regards to finishing my degree will serve.

Unit 5 Learning Activity...

This week the mental fitness practice incorporates the concept of the subtle mind (Dacher p.75).

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

This exercise was easier for me to do than the loving kindness as it had less steps.  Breathing is something that is easy to control and it is relaxing.  The loving kindness exercise did not "relax" me or calm my mind.  It did make me appreciate different people in my life and it also made me pay attention to who I care about.  The Subtle mind exercises goal is stillness of mind.  I have done a ton of work in this area already in my spiritual pursuits.  I have done an exercise where I sit across from another with my eyes closed for hours remaining conscious and working on just being where I am.

I have then taken this further and sat with my eyes open across from another without added movement (blinking and swallowing OK).  This is an exercise in discipline and I found it has helped keep my mind out of it.  It quieted my mind and allowed me to be a great listener and communicator. 

2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.

As I see things the spirit is boss.  This is directly apposed to ancient alcamy and Jung psychiatry, which believes that the emotional leads to spiritual development.  I think that emotion is a result of the spirit, mind connection and results in motion to handle the physical universe. 

In other words if a task is percieved as difficult and a person is having a hard time they might get angry.  This is a result of not meeting the purpose of the activity.  A person might have a purpose that is not being met and is therefore angry rather often.  This translates to the mind and physical wellness. 

In my personal life I work to meet the goals that align with my purpose of seeing others doing well.  I align my goals to this purpose and help with nutrition overall health.  I strive to gain more knowledge of life and therefore am always walking the spiritual walk.

Unit 4 Learning Activity...

This week the learning activity asked us to practice Loving Kindness through an exercise on a CD.  These two questions about the experience are offered.

1. Describe your experience. (Did you find it beneficial? Difficult?) Why or Why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or Why not?

My experience with this exercise was that it was somewhat vague.  I did not find it particularly difficult, but the subjective nature and general instructions made me wonder.  I could do the exercise one way and another might think they are doing the same thing, but the concept of the terms used is variable from person to person.  I would not recommend this exercise as I feel that learning about this subject from different philosophical perspectives would be more beneficial.   

Quotes from the bible, selections from Buddhism, Hinduism, Scientology, etc. would have been more effective in my opinion. 

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?

I think it is important to use your mind.  There is an old saying, use it or lose it.  The proven benefits of a "Mental Work Out" include better memory, reaction time, recall, and IQ.  I have found the best mental workout to be contained in the book Self Analysis.  This is a book released in the 1950's by L. Ron Hubbard.  I am not preaching a faith here, but instead recommending a book that asks one to recall pleasant memories.  This really helps to solidify memory and it has helped me immensely over the last 6 to 8 years.  This is actually not Scientology as it came before that and was part of his research of the Mind and not the Soul.  When using this exercise I feel grounded, happy, and focused.

Unit 3 Learning Activity.

This Blog post answers some questions for my Creating Wellness Class and is part of Unit 3

1. Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

A. Physical wellbeing is at a level of 8 as I would like to lose some weight, but my blood levels and pressure are in great shape.  I have incorporated the love of whole foods into my life and I do not eat the junk that I used to.  I have been off of coke's and high fructose corn syrup products for years.  I do tend to over eat and that is something that I am tackling this year.

B. I constantly work on my spiritual well-being.  I would rate this at a 7 as with school I have not put in the time that I used to.  I keep my relationships in great order and I am constantly working to gain enlightenment by forwarding spiritual pursuits.  I study philosophy and different religous beliefs in search of truths and ideas that I can apply to make my life better. 

C. My psychological and emotional well-being is in great shape as I keep my daily meals and sleep in.  I feel it is important to feel good and I would rate this at a 9.  This will get to a 10 as I continue with more spritual well-being and keep my physical body in good shape.

2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

A. I am working to implement a weight training routine along with portion control to allow safe weight loss that is permenent.

B. I plan to finish my studies of Zacharia Sitchin, the bible, and the koran by the end of the year.  I read little bits between classes and classes end in April.  This will allow more time to study these works and more application to modern life.

C. I have a goal to keep my sleep schedule, fitness, and food plan in so I can feel good and happy.

3. What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

I have a Bowflex that I am going to use with the exercise portion of Body for Life that will ensure success in this area.

4. Compete the relaxation exercise The Crime of the Century. To hear this exercise, click here. Describe your experience. (What it beneficial? Frustrating? etc.)

I found this to be fine.  I prefer listening to R. Carlos Nakai and similar artists as they do a better job.  I did not find it frustrating, but it was not as relaxing as a massage or music.