Hello Dr. Johnson and Class,
Although all the exercises and practices had a beneficial element to them, the two that provided the most positive results for me were meditation and loving-kindness. When I first tried meditating it was a disaster. I was unable to concentrate for more than a minute at a time. I was very diligent in trying to make it a part of my daily routine. I now meditate at least once daily for at least 10 minutes and sometimes up to 30 minutes. It has been a fantastic outlet for me in my life. I am on the road a lot with my job in sales so a break in the middle of my day to meditate has been a god send and a refreshing. The loving-kindness exercise was confusing to me at first, as I had trouble breathing in suffering from other people. I have done this a few times since then and have gradually learned to appreciate the significance and healing nature of the practice. My plan is to slowly integrate and get better at the loving-kindness exercise and use it on a daily basis to promote mental health. This class has provided many exercises that will help me maintain a mind-body-spirit balance.
- Randy
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Meeting Asciepius Exercise & Leadership
Hello Dr. Johnson and Class,
I found the "Meeting Asciepius" exercise to be beneficial and help me with some personal issues right now. It was calming and soothing and allowed at least a temporary release from the drama in my life right now. Meditation has also been a fantastic way for me to become more in tune with my inner self. This peace has permeated into other areas of my life as well. I am going through some personal struggles right now and meditation and other related exercises have been instrumental in helping me cope with them. I believe I have only scratched the service on the benefits this will provide for my life and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about these skills throughout this class.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" - I believe this is a profound and very true statement. I think it applies to the health and wellness professional in many ways. I think first and foremost if you are teaching and educating someone on how to live happier and healthier you much look and act the part. This is why in my transition into the field, I make sure my mental and physical health are where they need to be. I think this begins with having a body that reflects a picture of health. I take pride in how I look and the shape I maintain because it will reflect in a positive manner as I work towards my goal of helping people get healthy. Just as I believe helping people become healthy demands looking the part, I also believe helping people become mentally stronger requires personal experience including struggles and successes. I can only leverage my experinece in corporate america and some of the negative experiences with people that have been put in positions of leadership that never should have been. The most effective examples of leaders I believe need to be educated but also have hands on experience in their particular field.
- Randy
I found the "Meeting Asciepius" exercise to be beneficial and help me with some personal issues right now. It was calming and soothing and allowed at least a temporary release from the drama in my life right now. Meditation has also been a fantastic way for me to become more in tune with my inner self. This peace has permeated into other areas of my life as well. I am going through some personal struggles right now and meditation and other related exercises have been instrumental in helping me cope with them. I believe I have only scratched the service on the benefits this will provide for my life and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about these skills throughout this class.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself" - I believe this is a profound and very true statement. I think it applies to the health and wellness professional in many ways. I think first and foremost if you are teaching and educating someone on how to live happier and healthier you much look and act the part. This is why in my transition into the field, I make sure my mental and physical health are where they need to be. I think this begins with having a body that reflects a picture of health. I take pride in how I look and the shape I maintain because it will reflect in a positive manner as I work towards my goal of helping people get healthy. Just as I believe helping people become healthy demands looking the part, I also believe helping people become mentally stronger requires personal experience including struggles and successes. I can only leverage my experinece in corporate america and some of the negative experiences with people that have been put in positions of leadership that never should have been. The most effective examples of leaders I believe need to be educated but also have hands on experience in their particular field.
- Randy
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Loving-Kindness Meditation and Integral Assessment
Hello Dr. Johnson and Class,
I completed the loving-kindness meditation in our book. I found it to be soothing and relaxing. It continues to amaze me what 10 minutes of focused and calming thoughts and words will do for my mood and stress levels. Before the exercise I was irritated from a long day of work and by the end it went away and now I am more focused on completing my tasks for the end of Unit 6. Amazing.
The integral assessment was also a very focused exercise for me and one I will continue to explore for the next few weeks. For me personally, I found currently my interpersonal aspect of my life is a source of difficulty. I am going through a lot of personal pain right now and my inner self is not healthy and in balance. I am an emotional mess and it is permeating all aspects of my life. This is also the area that I have identified for growth. I think if I focus on this aspect, much of the pain and stress will subside. By correcting my interpersonal strife I will become better in all areas of my life. I have always taken pride in my seemingly perfectly balanced life so this patch of unknown distress is really tough. I know in the long run I will return to an inner peace, but for now I must be cognizant of improving and growing.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, meditation is an exercise that I still am learning but will be a valuable tool to returning to a balanced inner self. Daily exercise has always been a constant for me, but is even more important now as an outlet and source of relief. I would also like to include tai chi and yoga to my weekly routine.
- Randy
I completed the loving-kindness meditation in our book. I found it to be soothing and relaxing. It continues to amaze me what 10 minutes of focused and calming thoughts and words will do for my mood and stress levels. Before the exercise I was irritated from a long day of work and by the end it went away and now I am more focused on completing my tasks for the end of Unit 6. Amazing.
The integral assessment was also a very focused exercise for me and one I will continue to explore for the next few weeks. For me personally, I found currently my interpersonal aspect of my life is a source of difficulty. I am going through a lot of personal pain right now and my inner self is not healthy and in balance. I am an emotional mess and it is permeating all aspects of my life. This is also the area that I have identified for growth. I think if I focus on this aspect, much of the pain and stress will subside. By correcting my interpersonal strife I will become better in all areas of my life. I have always taken pride in my seemingly perfectly balanced life so this patch of unknown distress is really tough. I know in the long run I will return to an inner peace, but for now I must be cognizant of improving and growing.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, meditation is an exercise that I still am learning but will be a valuable tool to returning to a balanced inner self. Daily exercise has always been a constant for me, but is even more important now as an outlet and source of relief. I would also like to include tai chi and yoga to my weekly routine.
- Randy
Monday, July 4, 2011
Loving-Kindness Exercise & Mental Workout
Hello,
The loving-kindness exercise was very intriguing. My experience was average. It reminded me of my first go around with meditation. It was definitely out of my comfort zone. Like any new practice, it will take time to experience the full benefits. Meditation was a hard practice for me at first, but through diligence and some frustration I have implemented it into my daily routine and the benefits have been fantastic. I would guess that the loving-kindness practice will yield similar results in the future. I would definitely recommend it to others. Any practice that helps with mental growth and balance is worth passing along to others.
The concept of a mental workout requires a daily commitment to improving our psychospiritual life. The more we practice, the more strength we gain. The benefits will most certainly follow. The mental workout can be compared to a physical workout. The more physical exercise an individual participates in, the more benefits will be present. Carving out time every day to practice those psychospirtitual workouts will improve greatly. The more frequent the workouts, the longer they will tend to go as you build confidence and foster growth.
- Randy
The loving-kindness exercise was very intriguing. My experience was average. It reminded me of my first go around with meditation. It was definitely out of my comfort zone. Like any new practice, it will take time to experience the full benefits. Meditation was a hard practice for me at first, but through diligence and some frustration I have implemented it into my daily routine and the benefits have been fantastic. I would guess that the loving-kindness practice will yield similar results in the future. I would definitely recommend it to others. Any practice that helps with mental growth and balance is worth passing along to others.
The concept of a mental workout requires a daily commitment to improving our psychospiritual life. The more we practice, the more strength we gain. The benefits will most certainly follow. The mental workout can be compared to a physical workout. The more physical exercise an individual participates in, the more benefits will be present. Carving out time every day to practice those psychospirtitual workouts will improve greatly. The more frequent the workouts, the longer they will tend to go as you build confidence and foster growth.
- Randy
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Reflection - Physical/ Spiritual/ Psychological Well-Being
Hello Dr. Johnson and Class,
My personal ratings are as follows:
Physical - 10
Spiritual - 5
Psychological - 7
My physical well-being is very good. I am almost 35 years old and I am in the best shape of my life. I am active and very diligent in making good food choices resulting in a healthy weight. My goal would be to maintain in this area.
My spiritual well-being is average at best. I grew up in a very conservative home and this experience really turned me off, especially the legalistic side of religion. I believe in a higher power but often feel disconnected from it. My goal is through meditation and prayer to improve my awareness and establish a sense of peace.
My psychological well-being is slightly above average. I am currently seperated from my wife of 10 years. This has put an emotional strain that I have not felt for a long time. I now see a counselor and my goal is to return to a place psychologically that is content and balanced.
- Randy
My personal ratings are as follows:
Physical - 10
Spiritual - 5
Psychological - 7
My physical well-being is very good. I am almost 35 years old and I am in the best shape of my life. I am active and very diligent in making good food choices resulting in a healthy weight. My goal would be to maintain in this area.
My spiritual well-being is average at best. I grew up in a very conservative home and this experience really turned me off, especially the legalistic side of religion. I believe in a higher power but often feel disconnected from it. My goal is through meditation and prayer to improve my awareness and establish a sense of peace.
My psychological well-being is slightly above average. I am currently seperated from my wife of 10 years. This has put an emotional strain that I have not felt for a long time. I now see a counselor and my goal is to return to a place psychologically that is content and balanced.
- Randy
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Reflection
Hello,
I found the Journey On exercise to be very relaxing. When it was finished I felt revived.
I found the Journey On exercise to be very relaxing. When it was finished I felt revived.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)