Unit 10 Final Class Blog

Hi everyone

This course has been wonderful.  I consider this a life course not just a college course.  Everyone should be required to take a course like this just to be allowed to live life.

  I sat back and reviewed the assessment of my psychological, physical and spiritual well-being.  I have found that I have actually improved.  Psychologically I would give myself an 8 physically 9 and spiritually 7.  One of the goals I set for myself was to work on letting others do things for me and not be so pickey.  I have started delegating duties around the house.  Everyone is doing well and I do not go behind them and do it again or criticize them if they did it incorrectly.  I just thank them for their help and appreciate what they did do.  Also another goal was to learn patience.  I am still working on that.  I think that will get better as my stress gets better.  The activities that I have taken part in mostly are the exercises from the book; subtle mind and calm abiding and visualization.  I really like these exercises they help me to relax and I seem to be more focused and less stressed after doing them.

This course has given me a calmer mind, helped me to work on patience, acceptance and stress.  When assisting others I don’t seem to get frustrated when they don’t understand or do not do it correctly.  I am doing better at accepting people for who they are and realizing that I cannot change them.

Thank you to everyone in the course especially Mark.  I am leaving this course with a lot of knowledge that I did not have before.  Things that I can use for the rest of my life.

I hope everyone in the course will keep their blog open and stay in touch.

Sherri Eldreth

Amazon Rainforest Relaxation Video

Final Project

Final Project: Plan for Integral Health

                Integral health has slowly become an important subject in the health care industry. In 1970 the World Health Organization (WHO) formulated a definition of health that has influenced the medical model of health care.  Health was defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well being, not merely the absence of disease of infirmity.” (WHO, 1970) This simply states that your health is not limited to your present physical condition only.  A healthy person must be healthy integrally which involves the health of the body, mind and the spirit.

                For the past decade or so, it has become obvious to many health professionals that a new model of medicine is needed. Also as humans when we learn anything we learn by example and those examples we learn from come from family members and people in our community that we rely on and possible who we have respect.  As a health care professional patients come to us for advice and help when they become ill.  The health care professional should if possible be a good example of integral health.  As health care professional practicing integral health this will help to recognize signs of the ill mind, body and spirit in their patients and understand integral health and assist the health care professional in dealing with the ever-increasing incidence of chronic disease, it will teach us to acknowledge the multidimensional nature of the human being and embrace alternative systems of health delivery that are less invasive and more effective.  Therefore leading others in their path to integral health.  As I have chosen a career in the health care field there are many areas that I need to develop.  To start with I need to learn patience and work on the loving kindness practices.  As I develop mindfulness and spiritually I will realize that it is more important and beneficial to think more about my community and my surroundings than to think of only myself and my family.

                When it comes to the assessment of my own health physically I currently feel as though I am an 8.  I exercise regularly and eat right even though there is always room for improvement.  When it comes to mindfulness I consider myself a 6.  I need to practice mindfulness and relaxation.  I need to think more about people on the outside of my family.  I need to have more sympathy and compassion for things I do not fully understand.  In order to be successful at the mindfulness I feel that it will help to practice more relaxation exercises and develop spiritually.  I say that I need to develop spiritually because currently I do not attend church.  I have not been to church in years and I of course like many others blame it on my busy life, which is no excuse.

                The current goals that I have for myself physically are to relax more this will help rid me of the stress that I am overwhelmed with.  Psychologically I need to work on my subtle mind exercises.  Working on focusing on one thing at a time without all the endless chatter that goes on that distracts me so frequently.  And finally spiritually I need to return to church. 

                In order to achieve integral health I need to implement strategies that help me grow physically, psychologically and spiritually.  Physically I currently exercise and eat well but I have a problem with relaxation.  I need to look into practicing meditation or maybe yoga.  These will teach me how to be physically fit and also when not to be trying to be so physically fit.  That relaxation is just as important as exercise in the physical health of my body.  Physiologically by exercising I am helping to reduce stress so taking a walk whether it is outside listening to the environment around me or walking on the treadmill with my favorite music playing will help me.  Also practicing the calm abiding exercise will help me relax and improve. When it comes to spiritual health this has been an issue.  I need to practice the loving kindness exercise and return to church.  Sometimes listening to music from church will help one to grow spiritually.

                How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?

Over the next couple weeks I plan to create a six month plan to integral health and wellness.  Using the tools that I have acquired from this course I will organize a daily planner with a life schedule.  The life schedule will include a list of things I must achieve on a daily basis in order to improve and maintain my integral health.  When organizing this planner I will create a list of questions with a rating scale that I will indicate my progression or failure of the task.  I may also involve my husband and daughters in the evaluation process so that I will be able to compare what others see to what I see and want to achieve.  Hopefully at the end of the 6 month period I will be able to honestly see where I have made improvements because this is ultimately important for my life, my family life and my career.

Relaxation Music 1 - Chinese Bamboo Flute ft Piano

Unit 8

After trying out all of the exercises in this course I have found that the Subtle mind and the Visualization were the most effective for me to use.

The subtle mind exercise helped me to relax and rid all the extra junk in my mind for a while.  After completing it I felt like someone restarted me fresh and clean to finish my day.

The visualization exercise was great also, it helped me to remember who I was and what was important in my life.  I use it when I am feeling a little “lost”

Unit 7 Meeting "Meeting Asciepius"

After listening to the exercise I was really surprised.  I became more focused and calm.  I felt refreshed and ready to face whatever came next.  Since I have been using the loving kindness exercise and meditation my days seem to be less stressful.  I seem more organized and less frazzled due to the overwhelming activity with my family.  By applying these practices to my life I feel physically and mentally better.  My blood pressure does not seem to go up when I get a little upset and really I think I am sleeping better or at least more restfully.

I really love this saying "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” I find this statement adamantly true.  Every day people comment on the bad things that other people do or how people act or just their way of life.  What right do we have to do this unless we have walked the same path?  I feel that we do not have the right.  For example helping an alcoholic to recover.  Who is more qualified to help an alcoholic than another alcoholic that has recovered or is still recovering?  That is what this statement means.  That is why AA was organized.  It has been proven that people who have recovered, experienced and lived with similar issues are the most capable of helping those in the same need.

Connie Talbot - O Little Town Of Bethlehem (with lyrics)

Frosty The Snowman

Rudolph The Red Nosed Rein Deer-John Denver

Little Drummer Boy

Little Drummer Boy

Merry Christmas Everyone

I understand that everyone has their own version and beliefs at Christmas  I hope I do not offend anyone.  I just wanted to wish everyone that reads my blog a Happy and Safe Holiday Season. 

It is the season for caring and friends.  Just remeber it is not "What you get that counts in Life" it is "What you Give that counts in the end"

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays To Everyone  From Delaware

Unit 6 Universal Loving Kindness and Integral Assessment

The Universal loving kindness exercise was interesting.  I feel that the goal of this exercise is make your mind really believe what you are saying.  I mean I believe and feel the feelings and emotions from each sentence but will they work for everyone.   I know if you regularily repeat something to yourself whether it be true or not eventually your mind will start believing it.  Personally I do not feel this exercise was as effective as the first loving kindness exercise.  In the first loving kindness exercise you can substitute the one person for a group of people and I feel it will be more effective than this exercise.

The area that I have chosen to be a focus of growth and development is self regulation and social activism.  To me self regulation would be like staying committed to doing something to keep going forward to reach a goal.  My goal at the present is finishing Kaplan.  I really want to go on and get my masters degree but I am not sure where I want to focus my talents.  There are so many areas of Health Science that I am interested in that I know I cannot do it all.  This is one of my downfalls in life is I have to realize I cannot do everything for everyone.  I have a hard time letting my children especially even though they are grown and have families of their own be totally independent.  I am not sure what category this falls into as far as growth and development but it is something I need to work on. 

When it comes to social activism I want to be more involved with my community.  I want to learn Spanish and focus my education and talents toward helping the Spanish and other immigrant populations when it comes to health and wellness of all areas.

Practicing my loving kindness exercise will help me when communicating with the public.  The subtle mind exercise will help me focus on my goals more effectively.  And finally taking time for myself by keeping myself healthy in all areas of mind, body and spirit will make me a better person.

Relaxation music- deep space

Subtle mind exercise

Wow this exercise was amazing it really made me focus and relax.  I could really feel as one with my body by breathing and concentrating on my breathing.  I will have to learn to not let outside thoughts and sounds distract me but this will take practice.  The subtle mind exercise focused on me and my mind and body where as the loving kindness exerciese focused on my feelings toward others and how feeling good things for other people also helped me.

During my reading and exercises I am discovering that there is a connection between spiritual wellness to mental wellness then physical wellness.  When we find spiritual wellness the mind calms we focus of something of importance and it gives us solice.  Then the mental wellness begins we can start controling our emotions, feeling and thoughts better.  With both of these our physical well being starts to improve we are able to focus and exercise more effectively by learning how to avoid those mental and physical distractions that happen.  Also our heart beats healthier and our blood flows freer when we learn how to relax and just take in our surroundings.  This is all such a wonderful thing with continued practive of spiritual, mental and physical wellness our bodie would be in a much happier place.

The Most Beautiful Song Imaginable - by Direct To Dreams - Availed on i-...

Soothing and Relaxing Music - Illusions

Mental Fitness PP Presentation

CREATING WELLNESS

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Classic Electronica & Instrumental music - Electronic Symphony 3

Music Experimental Rock Progressive Meditation and Relaxation

Music Experimental Rock Progressive Meditation and Relaxation

Loving Kindness

The Loving Kindness exercise was very interesting.  I found it a little difficult with all the tasks for the day.  I was not able to listen to it until the afternoon.  I will try to listen to it again in the morning as the book suggests.  When I do the practice again I will have to find a location in my home that is more quiet.  I currently have 7 people living in my home and this may be difficult. 

The concept "Mental Workout" refers to the continued daily committment of something.  For instance a daily fitness routine or taking part in contemplative practice.  When we practice or commit to a daily activity we will eventually find gain in the activity.  When we discontinue the practice we will see a decline in what ever the activity has given us wether it is physicial or spiritual or mental.

Researchers have proven that with a committed mental workout our brains show a progressive increase and syncronyzation of gamma waves which suggests a higher order of mental integration. This through the mind and body connection expands our healing capabilities and promotes well-being.

I am probably the one person that needs a mental workout regularily.  I need to listen to the Loving kindness practice at regular times and find a nice basic relaxation program to listen to.  I currently exercise regularily and I am basically addicted to exercise so I do not feel that it is an issue.  My issues relate to relaxing and removing the stress from my life so that I can focus more effectively on my tasks without the stress building and building.