I.
Introduction
The adage “practice what you preach” has resurfaced numerous
times throughout the term - in discussion posts, blogs, and seminars. The very fact that it has, is testimony to
the necessity for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically,
spiritually, and physically. According
to Dacher, we all want for authentic health, wholeness and happiness (2006, p.
1). To attain these, development of all
aspects of the self must transpire. As
health and wellness professionals, our responsibilities lie in guiding and
influencing others in the best and most positive way possible. One of the best gifts we can impart on others
is the chance at realizing one’s potential for what Dacher has referred to as
human flourishing. Proficiency in our
profession is not just the result of our knowledge, but is also fruit of our
experiences. In order to assist others
in their journeys toward integral health - human flourishing – we, too, must
trek in the same, or similar, path. If
our aspirations involve being an integral practitioner, we should view our
service to others as sacred and employ the integral vow, as highlighted by
Dacher, which emphasizes self-development, profound and in-depth knowledge of
the integral vision, a genuine desire for health, happiness, and healing, treating
others as sacred beings, cultivating a healing presence, fostering self-healing
in others, holding life as precious and unique, and serving others (Dacher,
2006, pp. 172-173). Not every health and
wellness professional will embrace the integral vision. I, personally, would want to commit myself
completely to those I help in my profession, and though I struggle with
understanding, and even fully embracing certain approaches presented by Dacher,
I see the value in many of them.
Personal development in all areas of the self is necessary. Although I had emphasized, in my blog/posts,
engendering changes in order to improve biologically (through diet and
exercise), I acknowledge the need for developing the other aspects of the self. I want to continue to grow spiritually, but in
terms of religiosity. I would like to
incorporate more prayerful meditations into my everyday life, so that I grow in
faith and love with God, and develop the inner peace from within - the peace
and contentment I know is made possible through Him. Moreover, the need to develop psychologically is
tantamount to achieving my goals. Fluctuation
in the progression of psychological development is evident over the past few
months. If I am able to successfully implement
my plans as highlighted in this paper, significant improvements in overall
wellbeing will ensue.
II.
Assessment:
I decided to stick with the 1-10 rating used in the unit 3
blog, as it allowed me the opportunity to asses my progress in the last six
weeks and make comparisons. For
spirituality, I would rate myself a 7, which is a slight improvement from the
initial rating of 6. It probably fluctuated
throughout the weeks, as I had spent a great deal of time in contemplation and
reflection in this area. Some of the
material covered in this course attributed to the quest for a more profound
understanding of not just the material itself, but how they relate to my
religious beliefs. I found myself
conflicted at times, and though I have not reached a resolution in its
totality, I am at peace with certain things and I am confident that I will find
answers if they are meant to be found. I
feel that as long as my faith is not compromised and the philosophies that I adhere
to remain unshaken, chances are, it is probably acceptable.
My physical wellbeing has not undergone any significant
changes. I give it a score of 4 (my
previous score was between 4-5). In
trying to be fair in my scoring, I had to overlook the fact that my entire
family, including myself, have been indisposed this past week, otherwise I
would rate it a 2. This is the area that
suffers the most, as may seem evident through my blogs and posts. A major hindrance in the development of my
physical wellbeing is a lack of consistency. I feel that I am well-versed in the “know-hows”
of achieving optimal health, as far as nutrition and fitness is concerned, but
it is applying the knowledge that can sometimes prove difficult.
I give myself a rating of 6 for psychological wellbeing. Over the month, I was met with obstacles
impeding in my ability to maintain a positive outlook. My husband has been gone quite frequently for
training and schooling the past few months, which has left me with very little
support (a foreshadowing of what I will deal with when he deploys in November). In an attempt to reduce anxiety and stress
related to this matter, I am focusing on looking forward to the possibility of returning
home and spending time with my parents and numerous family members and friends.
III.
Goal Development
I realize that in developing my spiritual wellbeing, while
emphasizing religiosity, I would need to spend more time in meaningful and
prayerful meditation. I want my meditative
experiences to be more Christ-centered (i.e. guided imagery, Catholic
meditation). I plan on incorporating
meditation 3 times a week, for at least 30 minutes.
To improve my physical wellbeing, I will first need to address
my eating habits, since I already have an established exercise routine. I want to eliminate most sugar and fat-laden
foods from my diet. I do not think the “moderation”
mentality is working for me, as the term itself is very subjective and
ever-changing. I need to reintroduce
certain health foods into my diet. Weight
loss is necessary if I want to foster growth in this area. I have decided that a total weight loss of 15
pounds in the next 6 months is realistic and attainable.
Since my psychological wellbeing has taken a slight beating
over the past month, I must revamp my thinking and outlook and become more
vigilant over my practices of positive reaffirmation and self-talk. Admittedly, I allowed myself to grow
complacent and have not been diligent in such practices. My goals are to make such practices habitual and
to work on cultivating a witnessing mind.
IV.
Practices
for personal health
The type of meditation I will practice to foster growth in
my spiritual wellbeing is Catholic meditation, which involves active meditation
on a scripture passage/scene. The steps
are to place oneself in God’s presence and ask for His help, vividly imagine the
scene, place oneself in the scene, and interact with others in the scene. To conclude the meditation, an offering of
thanks should be imparted. Furthermore, I
would need to seek the guidance of a spiritual director within my faith. This may prove beneficial during those times
of uncertainty, especially when it comes to practices I want to incorporate in
order to foster development in my over-all wellbeing.
My chiropractor is conducting a class called “Food Makeover”
in a couple of weeks. In the event most of its contents are familiar to me, it
will serve as reaffirmation and probably catapult me into making the necessary
dietary changes. Additionally, I will
have to step up my exercise routine to include strength training 3 times a week
and daily walks outside, weather permitting, of course. If I am able to return home this year, I plan
on resuming training in Kyokushinkai Karate, in order to regain the confidence,
strength, endurance, agility, and resiliency I once had. Training is at least twice a week, lasting about
2 hours long.
As a complement to my Catholic (active) meditation practice,
I will incorporate the subtle mind meditation into regular practice, which I
hope will foster growth in my psychological wellbeing. I plan on starting out slowly by setting
aside one day out of the week for this exercise, for the first 2 months, then
working my way up to 3 times a week. To aid
in promoting a positive mental attitude, I plan on reading a book a month from
my husband’s “library”, as he has an extensive collection of books on this
subject.
V.
Commitment
To assess my progression, or identify if there is regression
or stagnation in any of these areas, I will employ a variety of methods, albeit
simple. I will schedule all exercise and
meditation sessions to help maintain focus.
I will also resume keeping a food journal with the convenient use of my
phone’s application; when I was consistent with its use, I was less likely to
go for that second helping or dessert. Since
I benefited considerably from the integral assessment, I plan on using the
exercise for an in-depth assessment on either psychospiritual or biological development
every month. After completing the
integral assessment, I will keep a journal on my experiences, thoughts, issues,
etc. that surfaces during the exercise. This
may seem complicated, initially, but I think each method is necessary in
ensuring a greater likelihood of realizing my goals. Eventually, I may abandon the practice of
scheduling and food journaling, but I want to make the integral assessment a
permanent practice. Once I become
proficient in this practice, I will include focusing on worldly and
interpersonal development.
Ultimately, God will be my guide while I journey through
life. What I aspire the most is to discern
His will and heed His calling. However,
the concepts of integral health and human flourishing are appealing and I
cannot deny my desire to attain enduring health, wholeness and genuine
happiness. As a result, I must intensify
my efforts to understand the approaches learned throughout this term, while
actively seeking out the truths of my Catholic faith, in order to ensure cohesive
espousal of both. I will encounter many
obstacles, as there seems to be a disparity in many of the philosophies, but
that is where guidance and discernment will come into play.
References
Dacher, E. (2006). Integral
health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health
Publications, Inc.
