Unit 7: Didn't think I was going to make it :o)

I'm here, I'm here!!!!  I actually performed this meditation a couple of times this week due to the chaotic moments with family.  With this exercise I thought of my husband's grandmother.  She was such a wonderful person who always greeted me at her door with a smile, never judged me, and always encouraged me to finish my schooling and to push for greater things.  There was a moment in the exercise I could smell her kitchen when she would cook up a creamed peas and mashed potatoes.  I even pictured her sitting in the corner where she use to sit and watch as her family floated in and out of the kitchen.  Unfortunately, I lost her 2 months before I granduated nursing school and missed the chance to tell her I'd finally made through just like she said I could.  So this gave me an opportunity to reconnect.

 Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (P.477) To me this means that it is impossible to encourage and guide someone towards an area in their life if you yourself have not fully felt or accomplished that area yourself. 

How does this apply to the health and wellness professional? In health and wellness profession there are alot of imposters out there who try to guide people towards levels of fitness and spiritual well-being who have not experienced this place themselves.  I feel that the professional can only lead them so far.  Once that person is at a level that surpasses that of the professional then how can they truely take them to the next level without truely knowing how it feels?

Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? Yes,  I have an obligation not only to my clients,but myself as well.  By continuously improving myself and opeing my mind to new areas of mental and spiritual well-being, I'm only improving myself. Which will show in my work.

How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life? By becoming more self aware of my feelings, emotion, connections to varisou feelings and by learning to let go.

Unit 6: Assessment

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?

While performing the assessment process I was able to verify two main areas in need of development at this time:  Interpersonal and Biological.  I have realized that in my current situation where my husband is being forced to live away from my family and I due to military commitments. I am battling the responsibility of being: mother, wife, and profession, and daughter, sole comfort for my two children, care-take and sister.

These aspects of my life are consuming me to the point I am desperately searching for time and energy to do those things which I enjoy: such as weight training, cardio, time with the kids relaxing etc. 

Over the course of time I have slowly watched as my physical appearance has changed from that of an athletic bodybuilder type to someone who continuously feels stressed, unmotivated, exhausted and weakened but stress. 

Within the past week I have started to make much needed changes to assist me in finding the person I feel is still locked inside somewhere and pulling them to the surface.  I feel that by doing so I will be more alive, energetic, and tentative to all aspects of my life.  I have accepted a position that will allow me to work daytime hours so that I can be home with my children to sleep at night and assist them with their needs without the continuous exhaustion.  It will also allow me to focus on myself and attend the fitness studio more frequently.  I will also be traveling during the day so there will be moments I will have to myself to free my mind.  Although, I am unable to control mine and my husband’s situation, I feel that it will provide me with the patients necessary to endure the time away and to have strength and energy to push forward and comfort him as well as understand his feelings without his family. 

Unit 5 Loving Kindness vs Subtle Mind

Compare Loving-Kindness and Subtle Mind:  Loving kindness was more concerned with focusing on those around you or close to you and feeling as though you can help them with negativity in their lives by breathing the love you have for a special person and allowing it to consume you and assist you to do good for others.  Subtle mind deals with your own thoughts and freeing your mind, placing it at rest.  The subtle mind exercise was one of my favorites because when I closed my eyes I felt as though I was in control of my breath, my body, and my mind.

Unit 4: Mental Workout

I believe the Concept of the "Mental Workout" is to show us that we are stronger and have the ability to unselfishly take others into our hearts and feel as though we can relieve their suffering by breathing it in and blowing it away.  I would completely suggest this exercise to others even though I found it to be difficult.  I plan to continue to work on Loving-Kindness as well as address some of the difficulties I found while practicing the exercise.

Unit 4: Loving-Kindness

I had to practice this exercise several times within the past week due to various issues that I found a various parts of the exercise. I found the exercise Loving Kindness to be quite relaxing and enjoyable at first.  When thinking of a loved one I was able to completely absorb this person into my body and soul.  I felt warmth completely rush through my body and fill my heart. It was as if I was floating.  I then turned these feelings within myself and felt completely comfortable.

For the first couple of times I tried the exercise I found that once I was asked to think of a loved one who suffering  i became overwelmed.  I found that I felt upset, tearful and my heart was heavy.  I felt as though I was taken much air into my lungs as possible and trying to blow the  suffering as fare away as I could.  Each day that I practiced I pictured a different member of my family and all of the trouble we are experiencing at the present time. 

I then focused on the group of strangers such as my patients I care for at work and with each breath I brought them into my heart and blew their suffering away.  I found focusing on strangers to be much easier than focusing on the suffering of my family.  This has come to disturb me in so many ways. :o(

Unit 3 Blog

Based on your reflections, and on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing), where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

Physical wellbeing (6):  I have two small children and work full time as a nurse at a local hospital.  My home and work life can be very stressful; therefore, I try to maintain myself at a level of fitness so that I better equip myself to deal with all the surprises that are thrown my way in a day.

Spiritual well-being (4): I do not come from a family who is very spiritual.  I have not had much education and guidance in this area.  This is why I took this class to try to help myself and prepare myself to be a better healer.

Psychological Well-being (4):  Due to our recent move we are currently living with family.  This is causing a huge amount of stress in my life because everyone turns to me to keep peace and to maintain a constant.  Working full time and with my husband currently located in a completely different state, I feel my psychological well-being and my spiritual well-being are being challenged tremendously.

2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

Goals:

Physical Well-being: to attempt to incorporate my physical stress relief by incorporating things likes spin class, weight training, and cardio to help relieve stress. 

Spiritual Well-being: I am going to learn yoga or incorporate meditation into my weekly routine.  I’m also going to look into finding a local church I feel comfortable attending.

Psychological Well-being:  I am going to continue to educate myself on how to deal with and maintain peace within the house hold while working full time and prepare to rent my own home for my children and I.

3. What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

The activities and exercises that come to mind are: yoga, spin class, meditations, journaling, weight training and cardio.

4. Complete the relaxation exercise The Crime of the Century. 

I enjoyed the exercise because it gave me the opportunity to relax especially after have a son up all night with a stomach virus.  I was able to listen to the words bur had a hard time visualizing blood to my arms.  Once the exercise was over I did find myself borderline asleep before I realized the voice was no longer talking and the exercise was over.