During our course, we've been introduced to some familiar...and some not so familiar practices in creating a more relaxed state, a more focused and still mind, as well as mind body practices that help to improve both the mental and the physical aspects of our health. The two I feel have been most useful and enjoyable for me are the mind-body practice of Yoga and The Loving-Kindness Practice.
Yoga gives me the opportunity to exercise both my mind and my body and this is a helpful stress reliever for me, personally. It allows me to focus on the pace and repetition of my breathing, sometimes the calming music or waves that I play in the background and this gets me out of my head, which is very helpful since I tend to have an inner monologue that won't shut up. My mind tends to be constantly thinking about...the housework, because once I get a room squared away and tidy, a tornado comes barreling though called Kids and it's all undone again...or I start to wonder and worry about finding a job that will successfully support myself and my six kids (who help clean up their messes - they are great little gifts that I can't imagine my life without) And this leads to other worries or frustrations that I have found difficult at times to quiet. The chattering mind is easier to quiet through prayer, exercise, and breathing/mindfulness meditations, etc. Yoga helps increase my heart rate and improve the balance I need from heavy and longterm stress that I deal with and the mental concentration and focus on breathing help to eliminate needless chatter in my mind.
The Loving-Kindness Practice has been one of my favorites this entire term. I enjoy thinking about positive things, remembering the ones that I've been blessed with in life, and focusing positive energy and thoughts into their lives. I also feel better and more relaxed, positive, patient and intentional about my actions when dealing with people that might not be as easy to communicate with. This practice helps me to focus love and kindness on those who have hurt me. It encourages me to offer positive thoughts and prayers toward those I would otherwise try to merely be civil to. It a convicting practice, one that shows me where I might need to improve my thoughts and seek a more kind approach. This practice, for some reason, sends me quickly into prayer mode. I usually mingle this exercise with prayers of thanksgiving, and intercession for others. I also seek Christ's forgiveness during some of these encounters because I realize my thoughts or words had been less than my best toward someone or something. It's a practice that encourages me to be better, think better, and live better.
Melissa Rasberry
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Unit 7: Meeting Aesclepius (continued)
This week's blog discussion included the instruction to reflect on the important aspect of the healing process that includes the transformation of the healer...
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone him or herself (Schlitz, 2005)." What does this mean to us as health and wellness professionals? Do we have an obligation to our present/future clients to be developing our health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why/why not? How can we implement this kind of growth in our personal lives?
I believe this to be a true and accurate statement, no matter where it comes from...whether originally from Ken Wilber himself, or borrowed from ancient spiritual teachings. It's quite common sense, in my opinion. For example, a person cannot offer directions to a location one has never visited, identified on a map, or become familiar. This may seem like a simple analogy, but it fits. If I do not pursue health to its optimum level, then how can I teach someone else how to reach their own health goals on a physical, psychological and spiritual level? It would be impossible. This is not to say that I have to be fully accomplished and arrived at what I feel to be human flourishing, but it does mean that I must recognize the benefits to living a life of holistic health, identify and remove the aspects of my life that hinder my ability to arrive at human flourishing and continue practice within my daily routine to facilitate total health. My life and health can serve as an example of the positive outcomes that result from living such a lifestyle. As a health professional, I can see my clients/patients as the "luminous jewels" awaiting refinement, instead of a number to fit into a busy schedule or a symptom to mask with medication (Schlitz, 2005). The relationship between health professional and client/patient should be enjoyable, pleasant and fluid. A health professional has an obligation to "practice what he/she preaches" in order to guide others on their paths to human flourishing. Not only does this show evidence of its effectiveness, but it leads the relationship in the right direction, bringing enjoyment to the process of diagnosis and treatment as well as the compassion and care that should be reflected in every aspect of medicine. This kind of growth in our personal lives can be implemented through integral assessments, education, daily practice of mental training, meditation, and mind-body therapies like, Tai Chi and Yoga (Schlitz, 2005). From a personal perspective, I feel that it is essential for me, as a Christian, to pursue Biblical study, devotional prayer and supplication, as well as meditation that is dedicated to my personal relationship to Jesus Christ. This may not be the choice for others, but it has proven itself to me to be a critical component to my health from every aspect. Physical exercise and mental training are also essential to my psychological, physical and spiritual health. Without one piece of this holistic puzzle, I would be deficient, lacking joy and prone to suffering that would not otherwise be distressing my life. That is not to say I would never experience suffering, but my life is greatly enhanced and has less risk of preventable disease. By living a life dedicated to the pursuit of integral health, I can set an example and walk side-by-side, guiding people on their journeys, instead of coldly pointing them in vague and unfamiliar right direction.
Schlitz, M., Amorok, T. & Micozzi, M.S. (2005) Consciousness and healing: Integral approaches to mind-body medicine. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone Publishers.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone him or herself (Schlitz, 2005)." What does this mean to us as health and wellness professionals? Do we have an obligation to our present/future clients to be developing our health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why/why not? How can we implement this kind of growth in our personal lives?
I believe this to be a true and accurate statement, no matter where it comes from...whether originally from Ken Wilber himself, or borrowed from ancient spiritual teachings. It's quite common sense, in my opinion. For example, a person cannot offer directions to a location one has never visited, identified on a map, or become familiar. This may seem like a simple analogy, but it fits. If I do not pursue health to its optimum level, then how can I teach someone else how to reach their own health goals on a physical, psychological and spiritual level? It would be impossible. This is not to say that I have to be fully accomplished and arrived at what I feel to be human flourishing, but it does mean that I must recognize the benefits to living a life of holistic health, identify and remove the aspects of my life that hinder my ability to arrive at human flourishing and continue practice within my daily routine to facilitate total health. My life and health can serve as an example of the positive outcomes that result from living such a lifestyle. As a health professional, I can see my clients/patients as the "luminous jewels" awaiting refinement, instead of a number to fit into a busy schedule or a symptom to mask with medication (Schlitz, 2005). The relationship between health professional and client/patient should be enjoyable, pleasant and fluid. A health professional has an obligation to "practice what he/she preaches" in order to guide others on their paths to human flourishing. Not only does this show evidence of its effectiveness, but it leads the relationship in the right direction, bringing enjoyment to the process of diagnosis and treatment as well as the compassion and care that should be reflected in every aspect of medicine. This kind of growth in our personal lives can be implemented through integral assessments, education, daily practice of mental training, meditation, and mind-body therapies like, Tai Chi and Yoga (Schlitz, 2005). From a personal perspective, I feel that it is essential for me, as a Christian, to pursue Biblical study, devotional prayer and supplication, as well as meditation that is dedicated to my personal relationship to Jesus Christ. This may not be the choice for others, but it has proven itself to me to be a critical component to my health from every aspect. Physical exercise and mental training are also essential to my psychological, physical and spiritual health. Without one piece of this holistic puzzle, I would be deficient, lacking joy and prone to suffering that would not otherwise be distressing my life. That is not to say I would never experience suffering, but my life is greatly enhanced and has less risk of preventable disease. By living a life dedicated to the pursuit of integral health, I can set an example and walk side-by-side, guiding people on their journeys, instead of coldly pointing them in vague and unfamiliar right direction.
Schlitz, M., Amorok, T. & Micozzi, M.S. (2005) Consciousness and healing: Integral approaches to mind-body medicine. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone Publishers.
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