Integral Assessment Review

By acting skillfully with the intention of flourishing, I began to walk a path toward balance in my daily life in the psychological, spiritual, and biological aspects of life. The Unit 3 integral ratings vanished from my computer storage area (or perhaps appear as a strange discussion board posting to my Science Teacher). From my written notes the past well-being ratings: Psychological around a 6, Spiritual at a 7, and Physical at a 4.

I set goals in each area. For the psychological area, the goal I set centered on using positive methods to substitute feelings of peacefulness and confidence for anxiety and self-doubt. The activities include: seeing a counselor to learn to cope with demanding situations, work on evoking feelings of gratitude, self-forgiveness as well as moving with loving-kindness.

For the spiritual area, the goal I set centered on improving and using, these gifts and the strongest of my resources to improve in the other two areas. The activities include: guided Buddhist meditations, music therapy (with Buddhist chants), extending my consciousness to a higher level, be connected to nature and the outdoors and to practice loving-kindness in thoughts, speech and actions.

For the physical area, the goal I set concerned itself with management of diabetes. The activities include: moving a mile per day, eating to prevent the need for insulin injections, quality sleeping for around 7 hours per day and doing the routine household tasks.

I progress happily with new ratings for my well-being: Psychological= 5.5, Spiritual=7.5 and Physical=5.5. Maybe not linear progress, but healing requires balance. I temporarily depend on my counselor for feedback as I make life choices. I feel more gratitude and peaceful thoughts today. Some days feel like the path is steeper, but the hike to higher consciousness is worth the more difficult parts.

Spiritually, I continue the guided meditations and if I fall asleep I decided I still have my ears open. Nature, music, pet therapy and intercessory prayer ground and center me if feelings become too intense. I read more affirmations and spiritual materials on the recovery process.

Physically, I do not move a mile per day because I do so much writing, reading and typing so I’m satisfied with ½ a mile. I eat healthy every day and maintained a glucose reading of 114 as average for the last 30 days. To obtain quality sleep, I nap whenever I need to and the routine stuff gets done in stages.

Balance within and between each area of the self is the key integral health! This class teaches changes in how one looks at health and wellness. Once sees a larger picture, one finds the tools to develop the skills associated with human flourishing. If a person learns and masters integral ideas/skills, then we can teach them to others. I collected many pearls of wisdom from my classmates and teacher. I will pass their experience forward.

To recover we may move backward a little to go forward in a correct manner. Moving with loving kindness, glimpses of Grace, gratitude, intention and belonging to a larger universe make all of the practices seem easier. I can visualize a life where growth has no limits and where every moment feels comfortable.

Final Project

Kaplan University Health and Wellness 420-03 Final Project

 

I Introduction:

To be effective healers we each need to take responsibility for our own flourishing in all aspects of integral health. One may mentor only in the areas where one has experience. We must be calm-abiding for psychological wellness so we can assist our clients in defining their integral plan and the steps they will take toward health. The Healer’s spirituality impacts the quality of the relationship with the client. To nurture a mature healing relationship we need to bring our spirituality with its benefits of loving-kindness, compassion, partnership, empathy and faith into the healing relationship. Spirituality helps us to become more socially active advocates for health as a lifestyle. Physically we need to develop our stamina and energy in order to maintain to a healing relationship which prevents distress, promotes health and brings forth somatic awareness. My personal goals require my attention to and living-kindness toward my physical and psychological integral needs as well as a continued embrace of my spirituality.

II Assessment:

By applying mindfulness and periods of stillness, the aspects of my integral health surface daily into my consciousness. In each area, I use a scale of the numbers one to five to rate each area: one being the survival level and five being the flourishing level. I am but a humble beginner in holistic, integral growth so Dacher’s (2006) definitions of the levels of growth and flourishing in the world suit me well. In the area of physical wellness, I find myself at a 2.5 moving from the physiological body into the realm of mind-body. In the area of psychological wellness, I find myself at a 1.75 moving from the sensorimotor awareness to the witnessing mind for longer periods of each day. In the area of spiritual wellness, I find myself at a 2.25 as I move toward wholeness and happiness.

III Goal development:
Physical Aspect Goal: I will strengthen my immune system which responds poorly to inner and outer stressors and to relieve suffering in this area. I wish to achieve a self-rating of 3 in this area in a time frame of 6 months from today. Psychological Aspect Goal: I will relieve the suffering and distraction of anxiety to concentrate my energy on integrally productive activities. I wish to achieve a self-rating of 3 in this area within the next 6 months. Spiritual Aspect Goal: I will use my spiritual strengths to balance my growth in the other two aspects and belong to and to remain connected with my place in the world. I wish to achieve a self-rating of 3.25 in this area within the next 6 months.

IV Practices for personal health:
In the Physical Domain, I monitor my step activity with a meter which hooks to my belt. I set my goal of motion to .5 miles per day. Following a diabetic, low carbohydrate and high quality protein/fat intake eliminated my need for insulin injections. Currently I try various activities at different times of the day to develop a flow and rhythm to regulate my glucose level. Once I get the glucose worked out, then I hope to increase my regular activity to eliminate the need for oral medications. I identified yoga and walking my dogs as the most pleasurable activities I can engage in. Yoga as medicine benefits the immune system, reduces back pain, and soothes the irritable bowel (McCall, 2007). I seek to fit yoga and dog walking into my daily routine. When I am ready I have a Hatha yoga training DVD I will begin (Shiva Rae, 2008) to use again.

In the Psychological Domain, I use the Dacher (2006) guided mediations to calm my mind as well as a Buddhist chant for wellness of body and mind. I begin each day with one of these practices to induce intention and skillful completion of daily activities. Using life as practice increases the ease of my mental state. The calming of my mind reduces distress and allows opportunity to enjoy each task I do. Transforming the mental nature of my approach to inner and outer tasks strengthens my immune system. I affirm my involvement in this transformation with readings written by master contemplatives. The progress I make in the Physical and Psychological Domains allow me to spend more time in the Spiritual Domain.

In the Spiritual Domain, I use Buddhist practice to express and to strengthen the quality of my faith, prayer and awareness of suffering. I find I am a sensitive to suffering around me. I use a decision tree to prioritize my spiritual focus. I look for spaces to retreat into prayer throughout the day. I take nature breaks every few hours. I go outside for brief retreats to sense the flow of the season and give thanks for the world I live in, no matter how imperfect I may be. Intentional connection with my spiritual world provides me with hope, optimism and altruism. These states generate positive effects in the Physical and Psychological Domains. My intention to function and flourish integrally flows into the world around me. Through my growth I have more to give my family, friends, community and a global world. Choices made by how action impacts the Universe, benefit all in the Universe.

V Commitment:

My friend, Sam says that as we age we become more aware of the “Big Picture” (if we attend to it)! Her wisdom as an artist and a friend contributes greatly to my quality of life. I am grateful to know her. The bigger global picture appears noisy, cluttered, confusing and at times feels overwhelming, but it exists in Life’s journey.

As I perceive my situation, I choose to make progress because not to would move myself into further suffering and “dis-ease”. No matter what conditions or events occur, I intend to act with the larger whole in my mind. I choose to age with Grace since aging happens to us all! Support and counseling helped me to understand how I go off track when the unpredictable happens. Mindfulness and intention allow me to see the strengths I posses and to visualize a simple, yet more fulfilling life, than I previously imagined.

A higher power sends me the tools I need to learn and grow---this educational opportunity came to me so I would understand the meaning of going beyond wellness. I write down review dates in my pocket calendar, but every day I identify obstacles to flourishing in all Domains. I look at what I do to cause myself suffering and methods I can do to eliminate all suffering from moment to moment. I take the step needed with intention, drawing on my inner resources. Reflection on each Domain helps at monthly intervals. I choose to discard or modify practices which no longer help my progress. I explore and experience new methods of practice so I can substitute and balance my efforts. I find this maybe hard at times, but ultimately do-able in the larger picture!

REFERENCES:

Dacher, T.S. (2006). Integral Health: the Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Khenpo Pema Chopel Rinpoche, (2008). “Tibetan Buddhist Mantra Video”. Retrieved August 8, 2010 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUJucA-mrgE&feature=related

McCall, T. (2007). Yoga as Medicine: the Yoga Prescription for Health and Healing. New York: Bantam Dell.

Shiva Rea. (2008). Flow Yoga for Beginners DVD. Silver Spring, MD: Acacia Media U.S.

Shiva Rea. (2009). “Shiva Rea Yoga Sun Salutation” Video. Retrieved August 8, 2010 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGXgoW70IB0&feature=related