Unit 8 - Moving Towards "Mental Fitness"

The two exercises that I found most beneficial were the Loving-Kindness and Subtle mind meditations. Both of these meditations worked hand in hand for the stage of integral health I am in at the moment.

The Loving-Kindness meditation put me in a happy place remembering a time in which life’s problems seemed none existent. This exercised opened my heart by focusing on a time in which things seemed much easier; before “D” day (diagnosis of both my daughter’s disabilities). The focus on softening our mind and heart and removing the self-centeredness from my life taught me how to maintain an open heart no matter how tough things seem to be.

The Subtle mind meditation was a great exercise to use in teaching the mind to remove all of the unnecessary chaos, and to find a peace and focus in order to move closer to health, happiness and wholeness. Incorporating meditation in with a prayer schedule would be an excellent idea for me to work towards removing the chaos of my daily life. This could also help in assisting with my spiritual connection. In the subtle mind meditation exercise I was able to free my mind of all chatter this could be very beneficial prior to praying aiding me to focus during prayer. This meditation exercise could also be beneficial prior to bedtime clearing my mind of all the unnecessary chatter aiding in a peaceful night’s sleep.

I do find it very difficult to incorporate meditation into my life but after all I have learnt over this term it seems to me that it is beneficial and I must find the time for my integral health and human flourishing.

Using the Loving-Kindness and the subtle mind meditations in my life would definitely bring me closer to integral health.

Daphne

 

Unit 7~Meeting Aesclepius

The saying, “One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself,” applies to all aspects of our lives. As a health and wellness professional it would be difficult to guide clients in developing their health psychologically, physically and spiritually if you did not understand and practice integral health yourself. For example if you were a smoker how could you guide and advise another to quit smoking if you did not know how to quit yourself.

 

In this meditation exercise I was asked to choose a person to guide me through it. This person could be someone who was from my past or present. I chose my father who has always been my strength even though he left this earth 20 years ago I carry what he taught me growing up close and can always find comfort in his memory. I was skeptical at first of this exercise but I was able to find great comfort and a connection with my spiritual self. In order to grow in my psychological and spiritual wellness the Meeting Aesclepius exercise would be very beneficial.

 

In order to incorporate human flourishing into my life I must implement a lifestyle that promotes total psychological and spiritual growth. To begin this process, a daily meditation ritual, along with changing my diet and exercise habits will be the first goals that I hope to achieve implementing human flourishing into my life. This would be very beneficial in helping relieve the stress of taking care of two children with multiple health and emotional needs. Without taking time for yourself you cannot properly take care of those who depend on you. Taking these small initial steps will help bring me closer to achieving optimal health and wellness.

 

Unit 6 ~ Integral Assessment

“May all individuals gain freedom from suffering.”

“May all individuals find sustained health, happiness, and wholeness.”

“May I assist all individuals in gaining freedom from suffering.”

“May I assist all individuals in finding health, happiness and wholeness.”

 

In practicing the Loving-Kindness meditation I could only think of how to open my heart and bring a loving kindness into my life. If we are able to find health, happiness and wholeness in our lives we should be able to aid others in bringing health, happiness, and wholeness into their lives.

In evaluating my life at this time it is difficult to determine how to move forward in achieving integral health and healing. Looking at the four aspects of my life-psychospiritual, biological, interpersonal, and worldly are all affected with the life issues I am faced with at this time.

1.      In the past month my daughter was fitted for her first wheel-chair (this is life changing). Along with her increasing health issues and seizures the days are long and tiring so there is no time to focus on much else than her and her sister’s needs.

2.      My son who suffers from mental illness and addiction issues has refused all help and is now wandering the streets (this is heartbreaking for a mother). He has chosen drugs and alcohol over his family and most of the time we do not know where he is at and there is a relief when the jail calls to let me know he is there. This is our only way to know he is still alive…this issue has made me loose much of my focus.

3.      My oldest son is on his second deployment…you always worry about our men and women who are protecting our freedom but when it is your child it does weigh a little heavier.

4.      Lastly I have a mass in my neck that is very painful and is growing.

With all of these issues I still am trying to focus on the positive by looking forward and trying to flourish spiritually. The positive things in my life are keeping the days bearable include:

1.      Having a son who is graduating from the University of Oregon with honors. He is focusing on his future as a special education teacher inspired by his sister’s.

2.      My daughter-in-law and grand-daughter are living with us during my son deployment. I am enjoying having them with us.

3.      My non-verbal daughter is learning to communicate with her new communication system.

4.      That same daughter who has been feed primarily via g-tube has begun eating…while she does not eat anything substantial she is eating (this is huge).

5.      My belief in God has grown stronger giving me the strength and the power to cherish the good things.

While the health issues are important and must be dealt with, focusing on the positive while dealing with the negative makes it easier to move forward.

As a family we are doing this together by changing our diet, beginning to exercise, and becoming stronger spiritually. I am learning that when the mental chatter becomes overwhelming meditation can relive many of the stresses for the moment and move me closer the health, happiness and wholeness.

 

"You must first learn how to dance in the rain"…

 

Daphne

 

 

Subtle Mind

The loving kindness exercise took my mind to a place filled with beautiful memories replacing the thoughts which brought stress to my life and the kind, peaceful thoughts began to bring peace to my mind. Being a parent is a difficult job and your mind always seems to be going in so many different dirrections….so being a parent of a child or children with multiple special needs your thoughts are moving at an accelerated speed allowing little time to shut your mind down and turn off the mental chatter. The days of caring for your child’s special needs are long filled with doctors, therapies, medications, and adaptable equipment and there is little time to train your mind much less start Olympic training of the mind (this is where spirituality balances my life).

At the beginning of the subtle-mind exercise I was very anxious and I could not turn my thoughts off. My breathing was rapid as the exercise began. The further into the exercise I got the better I was able to focus; gradually turning down the volume of my mental chatter. As the exercise progressed I was able to pull away from the distractions and free my mind of all of the chaos. This exercise was a little more difficult than the loving-kindness exercise, but I do see the benefits of freeing your mind of distractions in order to help you focus. I hope to work towards this goal adapting a way to train my mind and turn off the mental chatter. If I am able to tame my mind it will bring the witnessing mind into stillness, creating a stable mind and reach the final level of psychospiritual flourishing called unity consciousness.

Daphne