Meeting Aesclepius

The visualization exercise was peaceful and enjoyable. I pictured a special person in my life and was able to visualize them sitting across from me. I was able to absorb his wisdom and love. The relaxation exercises performed in this class have enlightened me in a way that has brought a sense of calm into my life. I find myself more patient and think about the consequences before I speak or act. I will continue to perform relaxation exercises and increase my awareness of those around me and their feelings. Loving-kindness will be shared with all.

"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" (Schlitz, 2005). This statement is just another way to say that we should lead by example. As a health and wellness professional, we can should give nutrition and fitness advice to those in need. But we must first live by these principles and practices so that we can share experiences and the benefits of such practices.

Reference:

              Schlitz, M. A. (2005). Consciousness & Healing. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier, Inc.

Teresa :)

 

Loving Kindness & Integral Assessment

The universal loving kindness meditation from Integral Health was a bit challenging in the beginning. It asked you to close your eyes and repeat four statements for about 10 minutes. I had to read the statements for a few minutes to memorize them. I understand this teaches us to show empathy for others. We can use this exercise to increase our capacity for listening, seeing and caring for others. Sharing loving, kind thoughts and expressions with others will help expand our mind and heart (Dacher, 2006).

The integral assessment is basically an evaluation of the four quadrants: psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal, or worldly. The assessment starts with resting your mind and body and then focusing on one of the quadrants of our life that may be in distress. Next, it was time to focus on an area that is ready for development and growth. I found this assessment enlightening and easy to perform. I like reflecting on both the positive areas and understanding the areas that needed development and positivity. I chose to focus on my biological self for growth and development. I am in the process of detoxifying my body and improving my health. This area needs my focus right now for optimal healing. I am going through a full body detox with my Naturopath to foster wellness. My psychospiritual wellness is an area that is ready for growth and development. I am practicing relaxation exercises when I can and hope to incorporate them into my daily routine.

Reference:

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

 

Subtle Mind Exercise

The loving kindness exercise focused our thoughts on a loved one, then a group of people and on to a group of strangers. This exercise gave me a great sense of love, compassion and warmth in the beginning. I had a hard time extended this loving feeling toward a group of strangers. The subtle mind exercise was more about focusing on your breath and clearing your mind. I enjoyed the sound of waves crashing as I took deep breaths in and out. It reminded me of lying of the beach in the summer with the hot sun on my skin and the sounds of the ocean. This is a very relaxing exercise in that focusing entirely on your breath is calming. I did have a difficult time fighting off the mental chatter. What to cook for dinner? Have the kids done their homework? I definitely believe that doing this exercise when alone in the house would be much more successful.

Western medicine focuses primarily on the anatomical and physiological aspects of the body (Dacher, 2006). In order to improve our integral health, we must focus on other aspects of ourselves: the mind/body connection. A clear, focused mind allows the body to be free from stress and disease. Stress can play a major role in the onset of disease and early death. If can learn how to train our minds to be stress-free and calm, we can improve our overall health. Simple exercises like deep breathing or imagery allows us to train the mind.

Teresa

Reference:

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

Loving-Kindness

The loving-kindness exercise was very relaxing. It is amazing how just the thought of a loved one can fill your heart with joy and compassion. I felt very warm and at peace when thinking of this person. I was able to bring those feelings back inward and felt a deep sense of calm. It was a little more difficult at the end of the exercise when it asked that you embrace strangers and enemies and feel that same sense of love and compassion. I guess, like everything, it will take practice to accomplish this task. I would most definitely recommend this to others. The sense of joy and love that I felt is worth taking the time to complete the exercise. I kept that feeling with me for several hours before the stress of the day took hold.

The concept of a mental workout is daily commitment. Like anything in life, we must commit to do it every day for it to become natural and sustainable. Antione Lutz performed a study involving scholars who increased their gamma brain waves just by developing compassionate thoughts. This suggests a higher order of mental integration (Dacher, 2006). I believe that forcing yourself to think positive thoughts as a mental workout will increase your ability to be happy and share this happiness and loving-kindness with others. This practice will continue to improve your overall health and well-being.

Reference:

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

My well-being

I would rate my physical well-being at a 5. I have discovered that I am not digesting my proteins or fats and my liver enzymes are high. This is affecting my hormones and immune system. I am working diligently with my Naturopath on a wellness program that she developed for me. We are first attempting to heal my body by using food as medicine. I am on an elimination diet that will help my body prepare for detoxification. I am taking a digestive enzyme, probiotics and eating nutrient dense meals. My goal is to continue to eat as outlined in the elimination diet, take the prescribed enzymes and probiotics on a regular basis and improve my health through detoxification. I believe that when we have concluded the detoxification program that I will have improved my health and well-being tremendously.

My spiritual well-being would be rated around 4. I am learning through my many wonderful classes how to improve my spiritual well-being. This can be interpreted to me as inner peace.  My life is hectic, busy and full of challenges. It is difficult for me to find time for peace, quiet or stillness. I would like to find a relaxation technique that works for me and utilize this on a daily basis. I do not believe that inner peace can be achieved quickly or without preparation. I am beginning to be more positive and face stressors with a calm demeanor. Showing kindness and love to others is a great way to find happiness and peace. This will take practice and dedication, but I want nothing more than to find peace, happiness and spiritual well-being.

Psychological well-being would definitely be rated around a 6. I have been through many ups and downs this past year and faced many life changes. The extremes of ups and downs have been almost unbelievable. These adversities tend to make me stronger and able to face future challenges with a more calm and positive outlook. One way to improve my psychological well-being would be daily positive reaffirmation. Self-talk can be very powerful. In the mornings, I always start the day with statements to myself like, "this is gonna be a great day." 

Have a wonderful day and stay focused on the positive.

Teresa :-)

Crime of the Century Relaxation Exercise

The Crime of the Century relaxation exercise was a little more difficult for me than the one we did last time. I had a hard time relaxing thinking about the colors and what they represented. I finally began to feel relaxed near the end when he spoke about the white light surrounding my entire body. This was a great feeling that I would like to feel on a daily basis. Finding the right kind of relaxation technique is helpful in achieving the desired quiet and stillness in our daily lives. I did enjoy the tone of his voice, but did not finish the exercise feeling energized like he stated I would. I felt a little tired and ready for a nap. I will keep attempting different styles of relaxation techniques until I find the one that works for me.

Teresa :-)