My Reflections

I enjoyed reading our Unit 3 blogs again. It is always good to reflect back on our writings, I can always tell what kind of day I was having based on my word choices, too! Looking back on how I rated my spiritual, psychological, and physical health, I feel that I did it fairly and accurately. My goals were realistic and maintained to my best abilities.

My lowest rating was my psychological wellness, and gave myself a “5”. I felt that I was right in the middle, and in fact it kind of felt like a teeter totter, and that I could go either way some days. I will rate myself today, a 6! Not much of an improvement, but with my studies and new knowledge, I know I’m at least going the right direction. I believe that it is a constant evolution in my life, and I hope with time that I’m rating myself a “10” with practice. With practice and support, I’m moving toward a more whole look at life and integral health. I continue to meet my goal to further my education, and have already registered for classes next term.

My physical wellness, was rated an “8” based on the fact I had already started this journey about 4 years ago. My husband and I began making exercise and good food choices a priority in which I lowered my BMI, and made myself a worthwhile project of physical health to also be an example for my children. I am still going to rate myself an “8”, based on the fact that I have not needed to change my habits any, but still recognize that exercising could still be a bigger priority even when I am busy. My stress elevates when I’m busy, so it makes much more sense to make time for exercise than it does just to go along my way feeling anxious and overwhelmed. I have met the goal for making time to exercise, but feel that I could benefit from exercising 4-5 days/wk.

My spiritual well being was rated a “7”. I described that it was this level of spirituality that was filling the gap in my low psychological rating. I have to admit that I’ve continued to work on each aspect of integral health, but may possibly be able to rate myself a 7.5, just a ½ point higher because I have taken the time to learn all the aspects of meditation and human flourishing, but still need to practice and become proficient at training my mind and giving and accepting loving-kindness. The goal I had set for myself was to spend more time with supportive family and friends. My husband and I went out with some good friends over the weekend and prior to that we went out to celebrate our very first date. It was an example of how taking time for the little things in life make all the difference in your attitude and outlook at life.

This course has hit upon so many things in my life that I will be eternally grateful for. First, is the simple aspect that we can train our minds for more positive thinking, for the huge result of accepting the things I cannot change, but also recognizing the gifts in my life that make it worth living. It has equipped me with the tools to calm my mind, recognize what really matters, and establish ways of setting integral health routines in my life. What a sentiment about a course that not only assists you with your professional goals, but helps you manage all the other facets in your life to bring the greatest happiness. Knowing that our mind, body, and spirit are all connected gives us the understanding we must foster each one. We cannot have a strong mind and spirit if our bodies are not strong and healthy. Same goes for our spirit. If we have a broken spirit, it takes away from our psychological health, which is not the goal of integral health and wholeness. As we look for that everlasting meaning of happiness in our life, it occurred to me in our studies that it doesn’t happen overnight. It does not occur from a specific event in our lives. It is cultivated from our thoughts and choices to be happy. It is healing through conscious effort and knowing that it is neither necessary nor productive to dwell on things that cause “unnecessary suffering”. The concept of loving-kindness reminds that even if people do not have my best interests in mind, that I can and will still live with loving-kindness through my treatment of others. This course has shown me that I do have control of each situation based on the way I react to it, and the fact that with time and healing everything has a purpose in my life. Blessings to Mr. Dacher for his works in the humanities, and recognizing that we cannot be fully well and happy, without bringing the many different layers of ones being into their care and teaching ourselves ways to express and live with loving-kindness. This is just the start to my evolution to integral health and human flourishing! “If we are to fully unfold and live our precious possibilities, we must feel the urgency and, much as the alchemists have done, focus our mind’s eye on finding the true unalloyed gold of an expansive health and life.” (Dacher, 2006, p. 11).

References:

Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing.

Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.