Unit 7

Complete the Meeting Aesclepius mp3 (located in the Doc Sharing area). Describe your meditative practices 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?

Aesclepius would be my son, LJ. Even at the young age he has inspired me by his love for life. Everything is new and he takes it all in. His desire to learn and use his scenses that most of us take for granted everyday is amazing to me. It reminds me how little things in life are not so little after all, they are certainly a big deal. I know that if I woke up one morning and couldn't see, smell, taste, or hear, I would be scared and would want the ability to do what I had lost back. Mindfulness meditation has helped me appreciate life more and not take for granted its beauty that we experience everyday. I can continue to foster greater health and wellness by applying my gratitude in more areas in my life. Making each day count and not taking life for granted, "taking time to smell the roses."

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?

I cannot advise someone of something that I have not experienced myself. I have never expereienced anything close to their emotions, thoughts, or feelings. If I can't relate from my own experience then I can't advise them of anything to help them. I do have an obligation to patients that I work with on developing my health psychologically, physically, and spiritually. Actions speak louder than words and they will relate to me based on how I treat them. I can implement psychological and spiritual growth in my personal life by prayer and meditation. I have to give my mind and body the time to balance and focus.

Unit 6

I enjoyed this exercise.  It forced me to spend time meditating and I desperatley needed it. In the begining a few different people came to mind and then one stuck out specifically.  The narrator asking to draw connection and it was interesting after that.  My focus was broken when I started to really feel like it was working because I was shocked that it was working. I wouldn't be able to do this on a daily basis because it is hard enough for me to find time to do my school work, let alone do this exercise.  I do however mediate during yoga.  I know its not the same but it still does my mental health and wellness some good.    As a professional, a client should have all there needs and wants met as long as they are reasonable and part of the professionls job to do so.  The health and wellness professionals should be educated and up to date on their knowledge so they can do their job throughly and successfully. 

Unit 5

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

I liked the Subtle Mind exercise better than the Loving Kindness exercise because I think the Loving Kindness exercise was a bit much. I didn't see the same results that I see with the Subtle Mind exercise. I liked reflecting on family with the Loving Kindness exercise but I naturally do that often so the Subtle Mind exercise was more helpful for me personally.

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

The connection of spiritiual wellness to mental and physical wellness I believe is found when a person lets their emotions take over their soul. If a person is very negative and foul natured, they will think and look the way they are inside. If a person is positive and kind natured, they will think and look that way. When I am in a funky bad mood people can tell. I don't look or act the same. My normal persona is happy and that is the vibe and look I give off to others.

Loving-Kindness

The exercise this week is the practice of loving-kindness.  I reflected on my children and my husband during this experience.  I do this exercise daily. My experience has been heartfelt and blessed.  I highly encourage everyone to do this exercise daily if possible.  People need time to count their blessings and reflect on the good that they have in their life.  Being rich doesn’t mean having money.  There are so many other ways to have wealth in life, and family is one of them. The concept of mental workout is the theory we have the capacity to train the mind to function at a higher level of integration and organization. Studies has demonstrated that mental training can transform the mind by reducing disturbing emotions that cause anger, fear, confusion, and doubt while enhancing positive emotions such as patience, loving- kindness, openness, acceptance, and happiness. 

First, on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being optimal well-being) . Starting with my physical well-being, I will give it a rating of 5. I exercise 5 days by taking my son on an hour walk in his stroller. I need to do more cardio. I rate my spiritual well-being at 7. I attend church every week, but I do not always make the time to read my Bible and pray every day. I want to start reading my bible everyday.  I give my psychological well-being a rating of 7.  I do need to work on keeping my stress level down but for the most part I am fine.