unit 7

1. Complete the "Meeting Asciepius" 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?

As has happened in the past, I found it difficult to really get into this exercise and had to restart it when I knew I would have the time to devote to it.  I choose my Grandmother to connect with for this exercise, she passed away several years ago, but she was one of the wisest and sweetest people I have ever known.  I felt a strong connection to her during this exercise, a connection I have not felt sense she passed.  Meditating has increased my spiritual wellness because I am more of aware of myself.  By that I mean I am more conscious of my thoughts and my reaction to things and people around me.  Meditating is also helping me to connect more with my prayer life which is developing my relationship with God.  I am and have been feeling more hopeful and at peace than I have felt in a very long time.  My relationship with my husband and children seem to be much lighter and more fun.  I am finding that I have more patience to deal with my Mother who has Alzheimers and I am enjoying my time with her instead of focusing on her illness.  I will continue to spend time in meditation daily and will try to add time for meditating not only in the morning before starting my day but at night before I lay down for the night.

1. 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?

This saying really means that you can't sell something that you don't believe in yourself.  So if you are trying to teach and guide someone to a healthier life and you are leading an unhealthy life; how can you possibly be effective in transmitting this message positively.  As health care professionals we have to at least appear to be healthy, the old adage, do as I say not as I do doesn't work so well with grownups.  We tend to be more visual and need to see the resuts and hear personal testimonies of transformation.  As I have said before, you can implement the exercises we have done throughout this course into your life as part of your daily routine to began developing your psychological and spirtiual growth.  It can also include yoga, tai chi and other exercises that will help you.

Unit 6

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 Loving Kindness exercise gave me a sense of peace and happiness.  I was in a very good and happy place after completing the exercise.  I had been feeling stressed out due to dealing with my mother's illness and thinking about the death of my brothers earlier in the afternoon.  I felt a sense of hope that all would be well with my family.  As for the intergral assessment, it was a little difficult for me because I couldn't really concentrate because my children were in and out of the room as I was trying to complete the assessment.  I do feel, however, that I need more growth and development in the psychospiritual area because the growth and development in this area will help me become more at peace with all of the things I have going on in my life presently.  I will spend more time meditating and maybe if time permits add some yoga to my daily activities to foster more development in this area.

Gigi