Hello again,
And I was just wondering what your new classes will be at Kaplan this next November term?
Mine will be: #HW499-01: Bachelors Capstone in Health and Wellness
with Professor Maryanne Oleksowicz and #NS430-02: Whole Foods Production.
Will anyone else be in these two classes with me as well? I hope so.
We just finished two great classes in health and nutrition.
Kudos,
JD
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Welcome friends
Hello again fellow bikers and class mates from Kaplan University! My two classes are coming to an end, and a new adventure will begin again. Food Science with Lab with Nanna Cross is closing in one week and Nutritional Counseling with Tamara Hein is too. These were very interesting class and I would recommend them to anyone. The labs were kinda tedious to write and some of the foods did not turn out the way I had expected, and one of my meat thermometers melted, but, all in all, I did learn quite a bit. Did you know that if the label says hydrogenated on the label, like Crisco shortening, and it says it does not contain any trans fats, that it really does, it contains like .5 % of trans fat. That is one thing I learned. Can you believe that? I can't.
Did you know that you can learn an awful lot about diet just by going to the website ADA? That is the American Dietetic Association, there are a lot of cool videos to teach you stuff there. Check it out.
Well, I hope I get to stay in contact with my classmates from that class, we had some very interesting discussions on the discussion boards. On line learning is good for fitting schooling to your schedule, but bad for seeing and getting to know your classmates. Also, it is kinda hard to get a little boost to your self-confidence when you are not there in person from your professors. Never the less, it has its advantages. I can still work and go to school and have a family life, somewhat, when I am not studying with my head in a book or on a computer.
Did you know that you can learn an awful lot about diet just by going to the website ADA? That is the American Dietetic Association, there are a lot of cool videos to teach you stuff there. Check it out.
Well, I hope I get to stay in contact with my classmates from that class, we had some very interesting discussions on the discussion boards. On line learning is good for fitting schooling to your schedule, but bad for seeing and getting to know your classmates. Also, it is kinda hard to get a little boost to your self-confidence when you are not there in person from your professors. Never the less, it has its advantages. I can still work and go to school and have a family life, somewhat, when I am not studying with my head in a book or on a computer.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
FATZ CAFE is so yummy in Pooler GA off 95- Ribs YES!
Hello friends,
As I was coming back to FL on a trip from my Aunt's 70Th birthday party in South Carolina, my husband and I were on Highway 95 in Georgia. We saw a new restaurant FATZ, and dropped in to visit the new restaurant in Pooler, Georgia near my old stomppin' grounds where I used to go to school. We tested the food and I just wanted to give a quick Restaurant Review for you.
The ribs at FATZ, my ultimate favorite, were incredible, tender, drop off the bone, with an awesome ole time hickory smokin' slap-you-in-the-face good taste! The chicken strips are really tasty, yummy to my tummy! The tri-colored lettuce house salad was scrumptious with a toss of real bacon crumbles on top.
If you are ever in that area of the South country, rolling along on highway 95, kinda near the line of Savannah, GA and Beaufort, SC. Wow, it was worth the stop. The manager, David, is really nice, friendly and accommodating as well. I asked for a special sampler taster platter not on the menu and he was very helpful and hospitable. Service with a Southern smile! I guess they say the South is very hospitable and they were right! Check it out.
The restaurant name again is FATZ Cafe, in Pooler, GA. The atmosphere is cool, casual and nice. The size of the restaurant is comparable to Chili's or Applebees and the inside is clean, neat and relaxed. Again the people, inside are very friendly and helpful.
If you want to put it into the GPS here is the address: 400 Pooler Parkway, zip 31311. Enjoy!
As I was coming back to FL on a trip from my Aunt's 70Th birthday party in South Carolina, my husband and I were on Highway 95 in Georgia. We saw a new restaurant FATZ, and dropped in to visit the new restaurant in Pooler, Georgia near my old stomppin' grounds where I used to go to school. We tested the food and I just wanted to give a quick Restaurant Review for you.
The ribs at FATZ, my ultimate favorite, were incredible, tender, drop off the bone, with an awesome ole time hickory smokin' slap-you-in-the-face good taste! The chicken strips are really tasty, yummy to my tummy! The tri-colored lettuce house salad was scrumptious with a toss of real bacon crumbles on top.
If you are ever in that area of the South country, rolling along on highway 95, kinda near the line of Savannah, GA and Beaufort, SC. Wow, it was worth the stop. The manager, David, is really nice, friendly and accommodating as well. I asked for a special sampler taster platter not on the menu and he was very helpful and hospitable. Service with a Southern smile! I guess they say the South is very hospitable and they were right! Check it out.
The restaurant name again is FATZ Cafe, in Pooler, GA. The atmosphere is cool, casual and nice. The size of the restaurant is comparable to Chili's or Applebees and the inside is clean, neat and relaxed. Again the people, inside are very friendly and helpful.
If you want to put it into the GPS here is the address: 400 Pooler Parkway, zip 31311. Enjoy!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Unit 10 Creating Wellness-Mark Maule HW420 final class blog
Unit 10 Creating Wellness-Mark Maule HW420
In unit 3 on my personal assessment, I scored the 3 areas of personal assessment with the following scores on a scale of 1-10 and 10 being the best score:
Psychological: score of 8
Physical: score of 8
Spiritual: score of 5
Now in Unit 10 these scores have change somewhat, as improvement has been made and my new scores are as follows:
Psychological: score of 9, up one point from last assessment.
Physical: score of 9, up one point from last assessment.
Spiritual: score of 8, up 3 points from last assessment.
Psychological Area: One of the goals and one of the activities in the psychological area of my life will be I hope to research the brain more as it is very intriguing to me and this class has brought it to my attention from reviewing all the brain research studies about it. I agree with the Bible that what we think has a lot to do with our success in life and with other people and in our physical, mental and emotional balance. It states, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Just think how good the world would be if everyone thought about those things constantly, daily. Wow, what a wonderful world this would be! It is my goal; to try to do more of this kind of thinking daily to make others and mine lives better.
(The Bible. Philippians 4: 8)
I have implemented one of the activities I have chosen for my mental and emotional well-being in the psychological area of my life by posting a Blog site, exchanging ideas and thoughts with others, learning from their ideas and thoughts, and journaling weekly in that blog.
Another activity I have started with others in a social group is the study group I joined on Wednesdays, to pass ideas, share ideas, learn new ideas and discuss problem areas that need to change and resolve to find ways to improve.
Another psychological goal: I also plan to join a ladies group for fun, games, and social connections at my church on Saturday’s.
Physical Area: The goals & activities in the physical area of my life are ongoing. I have not met the goal of loosing enough weight yet.
One goal I have made and have started to meet is eating more fruit. For the last year my diet has gone down hill, that is, before this class started. Since, I have realized this is a major part of my physical balance, and nothing should interfere with the personal goal I have made. Even if all the people in my family do not agree, or practice good eating habits, I can make my own a priority. This class has made me realize I need to make my health and it’s balance a priority, regardless if others whom I care about do not do that. I hope to eventually influence them instead of heretofore, the opposite. I can be mentally strong, and imagine this strength in visualization, until it is totally realized.
I have implemented one exercise activity since unit 3, I have chosen for my well being in this area of my life. I have started the CD exercise program with Sean T. and begun working my new abs workout routine. I will soon add weight lifting to this activity as well.
Another diet goal is to replace one or two meals a day with health shakes to enhance weight loss in the near future.
Spiritual Area: Some of the goals in unit 3 for spiritual areas have been met, and are ongoing. I have started to read my Compass to life/Bible more, gaining some success in the spiritual area. The activities in the spiritual area of my life are improving, as I have not only started reading my spiritual guidebook/Bible more, but have started a new class and the booklet that goes with it is helpful towards my goals. Other goals/activities are I need to balance living life for my self and others. This class has brought up the fact that I need to take care of myself or I will not do a quality job taking care and helping others. I need to take that special time every day to get in a quiet place to foster my own integral growth, but, I need to think of others in that time as well and how I can input love, compassion, mercy, and grace into their lives as well. As the Bible, my compass for life, says, "Do unto others the way you would have them do unto you." I need to have it as a personal goal to love others like I love myself. I know this is much easier said than done, but it does not hurt to have a goal. I must first take time to balance myself in order to know how to be able to balance others.
I have implemented one activity goal set in the spiritual area of my life by being in a new “Celebrate Recovery” study group that I go to on Wednesday nights and it helps me and others overcome all their hurts, habits and hang-ups that keep them from progressing in life. We have just started that journey last week and daily do homework for the class.
Other goals and activities I will observe, investigate, customize and possibly use are the approaches discussed in the Dacher book: witnessing mind, calm-abiding, and sensorimotor awareness.
I have not implemented all the activities I have set as my new goals for myself in life, but am starting on that path and working towards the goals I have chosen for my well being in these different areas. I have implemented some of the activities. I am starting step-by-step and increasing the intensity, and frequency of the planned/steps laid out for myself. Inch by inch I will move forward to my desired goals, and hopefully never go stale or backwards, but always moving positively in the on position and forward direction.
My personal experience throughout this course has opened my mind to a new realm of study and research that I will continue to investigate to better the clients I too will work with and share with. I do not know for certain what field I will be working in as of yet, but this class has brought to my mind that staying balanced and knowing how to get that way is a very important priority and invaluable in my and others’ lives as well. I may be working in education with children and they need this information to start life out right with good life habits for mind-body-spirit aspects of their life.
Activities, mediation practices/techniques/studies I may study, examine, customize and possibly use are: Olympian mental fitness visualizations, Loving-Kindness, Silence and Stillness, Meeting Asclepius, the subtle mind, The Crime of the Century, The Rainbow Meditation, The Witnessing Mind, Calm-Abiding, Unity consciousness, Visualization, Mental training, Contemplative work outs, Universal Loving-kindness, Integral practices: nature, creative arts, and grace.
I have developed and improved my own well being from learning new techniques and ways to stay mentally, physically, and emotionally focused, balanced, calm, and peaceful.
The most rewarding part of the course has been realizing the many avenues of inner peace and being introduced to all the new research available to learn from in the recent past.
The most difficult part of this course has been finding meditation practices without Buddhist backgrounds, as these are not my ways and beliefs.
The experience of taking this course will improve my ability to assist others by the simple fact that I can now approach my future jobs in a more balanced, holistic, integral, flourishing way especially with regards to inner peace. I have some new tools, techniques, information to investigate to learn and hopefully stay balanced in all areas.
In unit 3 on my personal assessment, I scored the 3 areas of personal assessment with the following scores on a scale of 1-10 and 10 being the best score:
Psychological: score of 8
Physical: score of 8
Spiritual: score of 5
Now in Unit 10 these scores have change somewhat, as improvement has been made and my new scores are as follows:
Psychological: score of 9, up one point from last assessment.
Physical: score of 9, up one point from last assessment.
Spiritual: score of 8, up 3 points from last assessment.
Psychological Area: One of the goals and one of the activities in the psychological area of my life will be I hope to research the brain more as it is very intriguing to me and this class has brought it to my attention from reviewing all the brain research studies about it. I agree with the Bible that what we think has a lot to do with our success in life and with other people and in our physical, mental and emotional balance. It states, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Just think how good the world would be if everyone thought about those things constantly, daily. Wow, what a wonderful world this would be! It is my goal; to try to do more of this kind of thinking daily to make others and mine lives better.
(The Bible. Philippians 4: 8)
I have implemented one of the activities I have chosen for my mental and emotional well-being in the psychological area of my life by posting a Blog site, exchanging ideas and thoughts with others, learning from their ideas and thoughts, and journaling weekly in that blog.
Another activity I have started with others in a social group is the study group I joined on Wednesdays, to pass ideas, share ideas, learn new ideas and discuss problem areas that need to change and resolve to find ways to improve.
Another psychological goal: I also plan to join a ladies group for fun, games, and social connections at my church on Saturday’s.
Physical Area: The goals & activities in the physical area of my life are ongoing. I have not met the goal of loosing enough weight yet.
One goal I have made and have started to meet is eating more fruit. For the last year my diet has gone down hill, that is, before this class started. Since, I have realized this is a major part of my physical balance, and nothing should interfere with the personal goal I have made. Even if all the people in my family do not agree, or practice good eating habits, I can make my own a priority. This class has made me realize I need to make my health and it’s balance a priority, regardless if others whom I care about do not do that. I hope to eventually influence them instead of heretofore, the opposite. I can be mentally strong, and imagine this strength in visualization, until it is totally realized.
I have implemented one exercise activity since unit 3, I have chosen for my well being in this area of my life. I have started the CD exercise program with Sean T. and begun working my new abs workout routine. I will soon add weight lifting to this activity as well.
Another diet goal is to replace one or two meals a day with health shakes to enhance weight loss in the near future.
Spiritual Area: Some of the goals in unit 3 for spiritual areas have been met, and are ongoing. I have started to read my Compass to life/Bible more, gaining some success in the spiritual area. The activities in the spiritual area of my life are improving, as I have not only started reading my spiritual guidebook/Bible more, but have started a new class and the booklet that goes with it is helpful towards my goals. Other goals/activities are I need to balance living life for my self and others. This class has brought up the fact that I need to take care of myself or I will not do a quality job taking care and helping others. I need to take that special time every day to get in a quiet place to foster my own integral growth, but, I need to think of others in that time as well and how I can input love, compassion, mercy, and grace into their lives as well. As the Bible, my compass for life, says, "Do unto others the way you would have them do unto you." I need to have it as a personal goal to love others like I love myself. I know this is much easier said than done, but it does not hurt to have a goal. I must first take time to balance myself in order to know how to be able to balance others.
I have implemented one activity goal set in the spiritual area of my life by being in a new “Celebrate Recovery” study group that I go to on Wednesday nights and it helps me and others overcome all their hurts, habits and hang-ups that keep them from progressing in life. We have just started that journey last week and daily do homework for the class.
Other goals and activities I will observe, investigate, customize and possibly use are the approaches discussed in the Dacher book: witnessing mind, calm-abiding, and sensorimotor awareness.
I have not implemented all the activities I have set as my new goals for myself in life, but am starting on that path and working towards the goals I have chosen for my well being in these different areas. I have implemented some of the activities. I am starting step-by-step and increasing the intensity, and frequency of the planned/steps laid out for myself. Inch by inch I will move forward to my desired goals, and hopefully never go stale or backwards, but always moving positively in the on position and forward direction.
My personal experience throughout this course has opened my mind to a new realm of study and research that I will continue to investigate to better the clients I too will work with and share with. I do not know for certain what field I will be working in as of yet, but this class has brought to my mind that staying balanced and knowing how to get that way is a very important priority and invaluable in my and others’ lives as well. I may be working in education with children and they need this information to start life out right with good life habits for mind-body-spirit aspects of their life.
Activities, mediation practices/techniques/studies I may study, examine, customize and possibly use are: Olympian mental fitness visualizations, Loving-Kindness, Silence and Stillness, Meeting Asclepius, the subtle mind, The Crime of the Century, The Rainbow Meditation, The Witnessing Mind, Calm-Abiding, Unity consciousness, Visualization, Mental training, Contemplative work outs, Universal Loving-kindness, Integral practices: nature, creative arts, and grace.
I have developed and improved my own well being from learning new techniques and ways to stay mentally, physically, and emotionally focused, balanced, calm, and peaceful.
The most rewarding part of the course has been realizing the many avenues of inner peace and being introduced to all the new research available to learn from in the recent past.
The most difficult part of this course has been finding meditation practices without Buddhist backgrounds, as these are not my ways and beliefs.
The experience of taking this course will improve my ability to assist others by the simple fact that I can now approach my future jobs in a more balanced, holistic, integral, flourishing way especially with regards to inner peace. I have some new tools, techniques, information to investigate to learn and hopefully stay balanced in all areas.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Interesting Brain Research Studies
1. List three research studies from our readings or other sources which you have found interesting. Briefly summarize the study and discuss why you consider the study important.
I am very intrigued with the brain. My first and favorite research studies in psychology heretofore are the neuroscientific studies of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), scientific exploration that examines the relationship between the mind and the body’s immune system. At the University of Rochester, around 1970, Dr Robert Ader, Professor of Psychosocial Medicine at the University of Rochester found a breakthrough, with an experiment involving rats, saccharine-sweetened water mixed with a nausea-producing drug Cytoxan. These rats learned to relate the drug water with the nausea it produced. When the drug was removed the rats still got nauseous. Now the drug was not the source of the nausea but now it was a mentally learned response. It was started by the taste of the sweet water. It is like association. This equals that, even though it did not for real. It was all in the mind. It was a learned response, a mentally learned response, triggered by taste. It was all in the rats’ mind. Then next they began dying of infectious disease. (Cytoxan is an anticancer drug designed to suppress the immune system. The rats mind had learned to reproduce the nausea, but they were capable of mentally altering their immune systems. This is something never before thought possible. For humans, it means our consciousness can self-regulate our immune system. This is astounding. Our mind can make a difference in how sick we are or are not. We need to think good healthy thots.
The study by Ader, just confirms what I thot all along that our minds are very powerful and when we make up our minds, it is going to come true, kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, we need to have faith that the best will happen and not the worst. We need to control our thoughts big time! Even manipulate them into thinking positive, staying light hearted and humorous.
Further, my second favorite study was in the 1970’s by Elmer and Alyce Green. They discovered that by using mental imagery, the mind could have an effect on many of the physiological functions of our body with the help of biofeedback machinery. We can also train our minds to voluntarily control our blood pressure, pulse, muscular tension, skin temperature, bowel motility and a lot more activities. They found even a mental image or a thought or an awareness itself can be translated into a physical experience. It would seem that yes the mind was speaking to the body. Our mind is powerful. We should use our mind to have a healthier, better life.
Yes, the autonomic nervous system controlling the automatic physical mechanisms of the body, and the central nervous system has something to do with moving our muscles in our body as well. Both of these systems depend on nerve connections between the brain and body. The brain action matters. We should use our brains to our advantage.
The third study, in the seventy’s Candace Pert, research professor at Georgetown University, discovered proteins/neuropeptides that circulate thru our body constantly, caring messages. This is one more communication system/a mobile one, made by the many cells in the body that act on other cells and our entire system. This is how the brain talks to the immune system, the heart, the kidneys, the glands, each cell and so on, creating a process of full interconnectedness of all systems. Then, Candace Pert found that (thoughts, feelings, visual images) our minds could produce specific detailed neuropeptides that can change our body-part functions/physiology to a specific mental state; a mental event can lead to a physical one. For example if we could control give out and change the negative emotional mindset, then we could do the reverse. Further, we could also then change our mindset from unhealthy and negative to one of health, happiness and wholeness. We must then focus on our inner life development. Mental activity affects depression, or the lack thereof. A nervous mind makes a nervous stomach and a clam mind makes a calm stomach. Dr. Pert even went so far to say that “The mind is the body, the body is the mind” (Dacher, 2006). The condition of our body is a reflection of the condition of our mind. Our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and internal images can change the body and functions and disposition. We need to use our minds to our advantage, and keep a positive success focused mentality to be in good health and balanced.
Peter Schnall, from University of California, Professor of Medicine, has research studies showing that unrelenting stress of negative emotions caused permanent changes in their baseline physiology and the structure of their bodies. (Dacher, 2006 p.18). So, if we have unrelenting, constant stress in our lives, we need to change something, even make a major change if we have to in order to stop damaging our brain and bodies. Get help, get counseling, and find a better way than constant stress. Constant stress can lead to cancer and Alzheimer’s, so don’t let this happen, change your life.
Source:
Dacher, Elliott S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
I am very intrigued with the brain. My first and favorite research studies in psychology heretofore are the neuroscientific studies of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), scientific exploration that examines the relationship between the mind and the body’s immune system. At the University of Rochester, around 1970, Dr Robert Ader, Professor of Psychosocial Medicine at the University of Rochester found a breakthrough, with an experiment involving rats, saccharine-sweetened water mixed with a nausea-producing drug Cytoxan. These rats learned to relate the drug water with the nausea it produced. When the drug was removed the rats still got nauseous. Now the drug was not the source of the nausea but now it was a mentally learned response. It was started by the taste of the sweet water. It is like association. This equals that, even though it did not for real. It was all in the mind. It was a learned response, a mentally learned response, triggered by taste. It was all in the rats’ mind. Then next they began dying of infectious disease. (Cytoxan is an anticancer drug designed to suppress the immune system. The rats mind had learned to reproduce the nausea, but they were capable of mentally altering their immune systems. This is something never before thought possible. For humans, it means our consciousness can self-regulate our immune system. This is astounding. Our mind can make a difference in how sick we are or are not. We need to think good healthy thots.
The study by Ader, just confirms what I thot all along that our minds are very powerful and when we make up our minds, it is going to come true, kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, we need to have faith that the best will happen and not the worst. We need to control our thoughts big time! Even manipulate them into thinking positive, staying light hearted and humorous.
Further, my second favorite study was in the 1970’s by Elmer and Alyce Green. They discovered that by using mental imagery, the mind could have an effect on many of the physiological functions of our body with the help of biofeedback machinery. We can also train our minds to voluntarily control our blood pressure, pulse, muscular tension, skin temperature, bowel motility and a lot more activities. They found even a mental image or a thought or an awareness itself can be translated into a physical experience. It would seem that yes the mind was speaking to the body. Our mind is powerful. We should use our mind to have a healthier, better life.
Yes, the autonomic nervous system controlling the automatic physical mechanisms of the body, and the central nervous system has something to do with moving our muscles in our body as well. Both of these systems depend on nerve connections between the brain and body. The brain action matters. We should use our brains to our advantage.
The third study, in the seventy’s Candace Pert, research professor at Georgetown University, discovered proteins/neuropeptides that circulate thru our body constantly, caring messages. This is one more communication system/a mobile one, made by the many cells in the body that act on other cells and our entire system. This is how the brain talks to the immune system, the heart, the kidneys, the glands, each cell and so on, creating a process of full interconnectedness of all systems. Then, Candace Pert found that (thoughts, feelings, visual images) our minds could produce specific detailed neuropeptides that can change our body-part functions/physiology to a specific mental state; a mental event can lead to a physical one. For example if we could control give out and change the negative emotional mindset, then we could do the reverse. Further, we could also then change our mindset from unhealthy and negative to one of health, happiness and wholeness. We must then focus on our inner life development. Mental activity affects depression, or the lack thereof. A nervous mind makes a nervous stomach and a clam mind makes a calm stomach. Dr. Pert even went so far to say that “The mind is the body, the body is the mind” (Dacher, 2006). The condition of our body is a reflection of the condition of our mind. Our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and internal images can change the body and functions and disposition. We need to use our minds to our advantage, and keep a positive success focused mentality to be in good health and balanced.
Peter Schnall, from University of California, Professor of Medicine, has research studies showing that unrelenting stress of negative emotions caused permanent changes in their baseline physiology and the structure of their bodies. (Dacher, 2006 p.18). So, if we have unrelenting, constant stress in our lives, we need to change something, even make a major change if we have to in order to stop damaging our brain and bodies. Get help, get counseling, and find a better way than constant stress. Constant stress can lead to cancer and Alzheimer’s, so don’t let this happen, change your life.
Source:
Dacher, Elliott S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
A plan to apply concepts learned holistic plan...
Final Project Unit 9
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically because of the need to have a balanced life in those three areas of their lives. The need to have a balanced flourishing healthy life to model and help other people along their road in life to find the same flourishing path is important. Practitioners need to be able to show others the way in the journey, guiding and showing them how we did it. One need is to display wisdom and knowledge. Professional practitioners need to acknowledge that a balanced life is a successful life, and it can work and is working for us very well with our health, emotions, and mental attitudes about life in balance, peace and harmony.
I wish to develop the psychological area in my life in more depth as my brain has a hard time getting rid of mental chatter. I will aspire to exercise my brain with mental training: Biofeedback, humor, brain books, music, creative visualizations, relaxation techniques, writing poetry, games e.g. chess, learning how to calm and still the mind, observe its activities, quiet them, focus on a focus point, and concentrate at will.
I hope to increase the physical area of my life by expanding to new areas of physical exploration for exercise, strength, flexibility, and an array and variety of recreational pursuits, since currently I only bike ride.
In the spiritual area of my life I yearn use prayer as a medicine, as I have not been doing enough evidenced by lack of internal peace and contentment. Prayer can bring improved health as a spiritual practice, reducing personal stress and increase my coping abilities. I will use prayer to meditate and contemplate on my relationship with the Divine Healer. I will offer gratitude for life and wellbeing and enhance informal conversation with God about dad-to-day matters, seeking guidance and counsel. I will increase my Bible reading to gain wisdom and direction as well.
II Assessment:
I personally need to increase my development in all three areas: psychological, spiritual, and physical as I am lacking and deficient in each area.
My personal self-assessment scoring will be from numbers one through five. The values/meaning of the scores will be as follows:
1. A score of one is: as close to humanly ‘perfect’/complete/ultimate success as much as humanly possible. Potential is reasonably high, vibrant and working well. Inner peace and balance is working with flourishing integral health present.
2. A score of two means: moving closer to goal of ’perfect’ strong, healthy, full of energy, forceful, working earnestly, vigorously, toward the ultimate goal of reaching a score of one of success, inner peace, and balance.
3. A score of three indicates mediocre progress of ordinary, moderate quality. The working/moving towards the goal, somewhat struggling with best way of making a faster headway, organizing, but head way/action is still happening, slowly progressing, and not stagnant.
4. A score of four means, motivation is barely there and almost gone, low twenty five percent of potential. Attitude not as positive as it needs to be, behavior is in need of improvement, not given up, but potential to give up looming. I am still slowing grasping and trying to move forward but it is hard.
5. A score of five is: motivation is almost not there, maybe one percent left, no flow of activity, give-up mode has set in with a defeated attitude, unsuccessful actions, in a rut of negative behavior, needing help/counseling/
intervention from a friend needed to come along to help and encourage me to come out of the rut in the area, and in need of overhaul and much improvement. Potential success seems out of reach. You have a total negative attitude present in this area of your life.
Since I need more in the psychological/mental/emotional state of my life I give myself a score of three in this area.
My assessed score for my physical domain is two.
A score for the spiritual area of my life is three.
III. Goal development:
It is my goal and hope to daily and progressively, strive to improve my self-development.
In the psychological area, my goals are to become familiar with many different meditation practices, make a list of them, review them, and make some new ones (not based on the religion of Buddha) but, based on Christianity and my core beliefs. Another psychological goal would be to investigate and visit a biofeedback clinic and see the machine first-hand with a demonstration.
An additional goal in this area is to daily change negative emotions to positive emotions with prayer being the main medicine to accomplish this goal. The goal of keeping a positive attitude and mental outlook in the replacement of a negative one as a new life practice forever.
I will use music as a mind and emotion practice to calm my spirit. Singing, playing my piano and writing new original music as poetry to vent my feelings and calm my mind will be used.
Developing a Humor Journal, tracking my favorite jokes and short funny stories to lift my spirits and share with others will help in this area as well.
In the physical area, the first goal is to start doing the new CD program I just received in the mail a few days ago. Getting started is the hardest thing and it is a goal to start within the next week.
A second goal in the physical realm would be to start doing arm curls with my dumbbells, and light squats with my empty bar. To start out slow and work up to higher weights is part of the longer-range goal.
Thirdly, in the physical area, I would like to add simple stretching exercises from my exercise book, and enlist my husband to do them with me as well.
In the Spiritual area, my first goal is to begin to pray more consistently and regularly with my husband at breakfast, then, after my husband leaves for work, read the Bible for fifteen minutes before I begin my school studies.
I would add to that, after the reading, I will add meditating on what I read, and on the goodness of God, his attributes, His compassion and loving-kindness to all mankind and me.
I will then choose to pray for at least one suffering individual that comes to my mind in the morning and throughout the day.
IV Practices for personal health:
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains-- Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.
In the Spiritual area, one strategy I will increase my mental focus on the spiritual foundations I believe, increase prayer and reflection time in the same way.
I will use positive and creative visualization to focus, breathing to relax, and my own compassion and loving-kindness meditations to go inward for health and healing. I will make up my own meditations to parallel my Christian beliefs. I will sing spiritual hymns in worship and meditation, and play the same songs on the piano as I reflect, meditate and visualize compassion and goodness. I will use this time to set my mind in a mode of deep compassion and a giving attitude.
In the physical arena, I need to focus on variety; stretching, arm strength, and abs strength training will be the new focus. I will begin to do Beach body’s CD workouts called: Hip-Hop ABS, Fat Burning Cardio, AB Sculpt, Total Body Burn, Secrets to Blat ABS, Last Minute ABS, and Hips, Buns, and Thighs and journal my activity, diet and routine times.
In the Psychological area, some examples I will investigate, tweak, and integrate are: Silence and Stillness, Skillful Action, Loving-Kindness, Renunciation, ‘Meeting Ascelpius’, Witnessing Consciousness, and Calm Abiding. I will look into and research and incorporate brain mental training methods and information form psycho numerology into my mental and emotional psychological learning and strategies.
Further, in the psychological area, I will purchase and read the book called the Power of Prayer, to investigate the healing power it can give.
I will investigate pets/animals in their use to psychological development as well.
V Commitment:
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?
I will access my progress or lack of progress in the next six months by measuring the stress levels in my new job (or lack of a job). I will look at the date on the calendar marked “Life self-check” and access my progress then, ask my husband what his rating would be from one to five since we got married a year ago, (one being no stress and 5 being totally stressed).
I will use these strategies of leading my family and friends in spiritual meditations I have come up with and see if it helps them in handling relationships within their life stressors. I will determine if my family and I have moved closer to a loving, serving, calm, healing attitude in daily life more than we were six months previous. I will note if our family has come to love unconditionally, and openly in the last 6 months giving consistent hugs and saying, “I love You” before departing each other. I will ask my husband to access on a scale of one to five if these noted areas are closer to one or five. My husband and I will rate our family on attitudes and behaviors that promote peace, health, happiness and wholeness to/for others and we.
My husband and I will rate our family in a listening scale from one to five for a deep unconditional way to each other. We will access how close from one to five scale if compassion and charity are the gold thread running thru the middle of our family.
The strategies I plan to use in maintaining my long-term practices for health and wellness are: develop a daily routine in the morning to build a foundation and keep building on it. I will strengthen the inner mind. I will stimulate brain functioning, exercise, prayer, Biofeedback, humor, brain books, music, creative visualizations, relaxation techniques, writing poetry, games, Sudoko, cross-word puzzles, witnessing mind, chess, learning how to do calm abiding, and still the mind, observe its activities, quiet them, focus on a focus point, and learn to concentrate in my inner mind at will, and use
Christian-centered and (not Buddha-centered) meditation practices. I will daily do something to train my brain. Not only will I daily work our muscles, I will work out my brain muscle as well, reading, writing, and contemplating.
Source:
Dacher, Elliot S. (2006) Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
It is important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically because of the need to have a balanced life in those three areas of their lives. The need to have a balanced flourishing healthy life to model and help other people along their road in life to find the same flourishing path is important. Practitioners need to be able to show others the way in the journey, guiding and showing them how we did it. One need is to display wisdom and knowledge. Professional practitioners need to acknowledge that a balanced life is a successful life, and it can work and is working for us very well with our health, emotions, and mental attitudes about life in balance, peace and harmony.
I wish to develop the psychological area in my life in more depth as my brain has a hard time getting rid of mental chatter. I will aspire to exercise my brain with mental training: Biofeedback, humor, brain books, music, creative visualizations, relaxation techniques, writing poetry, games e.g. chess, learning how to calm and still the mind, observe its activities, quiet them, focus on a focus point, and concentrate at will.
I hope to increase the physical area of my life by expanding to new areas of physical exploration for exercise, strength, flexibility, and an array and variety of recreational pursuits, since currently I only bike ride.
In the spiritual area of my life I yearn use prayer as a medicine, as I have not been doing enough evidenced by lack of internal peace and contentment. Prayer can bring improved health as a spiritual practice, reducing personal stress and increase my coping abilities. I will use prayer to meditate and contemplate on my relationship with the Divine Healer. I will offer gratitude for life and wellbeing and enhance informal conversation with God about dad-to-day matters, seeking guidance and counsel. I will increase my Bible reading to gain wisdom and direction as well.
II Assessment:
I personally need to increase my development in all three areas: psychological, spiritual, and physical as I am lacking and deficient in each area.
My personal self-assessment scoring will be from numbers one through five. The values/meaning of the scores will be as follows:
1. A score of one is: as close to humanly ‘perfect’/complete/ultimate success as much as humanly possible. Potential is reasonably high, vibrant and working well. Inner peace and balance is working with flourishing integral health present.
2. A score of two means: moving closer to goal of ’perfect’ strong, healthy, full of energy, forceful, working earnestly, vigorously, toward the ultimate goal of reaching a score of one of success, inner peace, and balance.
3. A score of three indicates mediocre progress of ordinary, moderate quality. The working/moving towards the goal, somewhat struggling with best way of making a faster headway, organizing, but head way/action is still happening, slowly progressing, and not stagnant.
4. A score of four means, motivation is barely there and almost gone, low twenty five percent of potential. Attitude not as positive as it needs to be, behavior is in need of improvement, not given up, but potential to give up looming. I am still slowing grasping and trying to move forward but it is hard.
5. A score of five is: motivation is almost not there, maybe one percent left, no flow of activity, give-up mode has set in with a defeated attitude, unsuccessful actions, in a rut of negative behavior, needing help/counseling/
intervention from a friend needed to come along to help and encourage me to come out of the rut in the area, and in need of overhaul and much improvement. Potential success seems out of reach. You have a total negative attitude present in this area of your life.
Since I need more in the psychological/mental/emotional state of my life I give myself a score of three in this area.
My assessed score for my physical domain is two.
A score for the spiritual area of my life is three.
III. Goal development:
It is my goal and hope to daily and progressively, strive to improve my self-development.
In the psychological area, my goals are to become familiar with many different meditation practices, make a list of them, review them, and make some new ones (not based on the religion of Buddha) but, based on Christianity and my core beliefs. Another psychological goal would be to investigate and visit a biofeedback clinic and see the machine first-hand with a demonstration.
An additional goal in this area is to daily change negative emotions to positive emotions with prayer being the main medicine to accomplish this goal. The goal of keeping a positive attitude and mental outlook in the replacement of a negative one as a new life practice forever.
I will use music as a mind and emotion practice to calm my spirit. Singing, playing my piano and writing new original music as poetry to vent my feelings and calm my mind will be used.
Developing a Humor Journal, tracking my favorite jokes and short funny stories to lift my spirits and share with others will help in this area as well.
In the physical area, the first goal is to start doing the new CD program I just received in the mail a few days ago. Getting started is the hardest thing and it is a goal to start within the next week.
A second goal in the physical realm would be to start doing arm curls with my dumbbells, and light squats with my empty bar. To start out slow and work up to higher weights is part of the longer-range goal.
Thirdly, in the physical area, I would like to add simple stretching exercises from my exercise book, and enlist my husband to do them with me as well.
In the Spiritual area, my first goal is to begin to pray more consistently and regularly with my husband at breakfast, then, after my husband leaves for work, read the Bible for fifteen minutes before I begin my school studies.
I would add to that, after the reading, I will add meditating on what I read, and on the goodness of God, his attributes, His compassion and loving-kindness to all mankind and me.
I will then choose to pray for at least one suffering individual that comes to my mind in the morning and throughout the day.
IV Practices for personal health:
What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains-- Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.
In the Spiritual area, one strategy I will increase my mental focus on the spiritual foundations I believe, increase prayer and reflection time in the same way.
I will use positive and creative visualization to focus, breathing to relax, and my own compassion and loving-kindness meditations to go inward for health and healing. I will make up my own meditations to parallel my Christian beliefs. I will sing spiritual hymns in worship and meditation, and play the same songs on the piano as I reflect, meditate and visualize compassion and goodness. I will use this time to set my mind in a mode of deep compassion and a giving attitude.
In the physical arena, I need to focus on variety; stretching, arm strength, and abs strength training will be the new focus. I will begin to do Beach body’s CD workouts called: Hip-Hop ABS, Fat Burning Cardio, AB Sculpt, Total Body Burn, Secrets to Blat ABS, Last Minute ABS, and Hips, Buns, and Thighs and journal my activity, diet and routine times.
In the Psychological area, some examples I will investigate, tweak, and integrate are: Silence and Stillness, Skillful Action, Loving-Kindness, Renunciation, ‘Meeting Ascelpius’, Witnessing Consciousness, and Calm Abiding. I will look into and research and incorporate brain mental training methods and information form psycho numerology into my mental and emotional psychological learning and strategies.
Further, in the psychological area, I will purchase and read the book called the Power of Prayer, to investigate the healing power it can give.
I will investigate pets/animals in their use to psychological development as well.
V Commitment:
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?
I will access my progress or lack of progress in the next six months by measuring the stress levels in my new job (or lack of a job). I will look at the date on the calendar marked “Life self-check” and access my progress then, ask my husband what his rating would be from one to five since we got married a year ago, (one being no stress and 5 being totally stressed).
I will use these strategies of leading my family and friends in spiritual meditations I have come up with and see if it helps them in handling relationships within their life stressors. I will determine if my family and I have moved closer to a loving, serving, calm, healing attitude in daily life more than we were six months previous. I will note if our family has come to love unconditionally, and openly in the last 6 months giving consistent hugs and saying, “I love You” before departing each other. I will ask my husband to access on a scale of one to five if these noted areas are closer to one or five. My husband and I will rate our family on attitudes and behaviors that promote peace, health, happiness and wholeness to/for others and we.
My husband and I will rate our family in a listening scale from one to five for a deep unconditional way to each other. We will access how close from one to five scale if compassion and charity are the gold thread running thru the middle of our family.
The strategies I plan to use in maintaining my long-term practices for health and wellness are: develop a daily routine in the morning to build a foundation and keep building on it. I will strengthen the inner mind. I will stimulate brain functioning, exercise, prayer, Biofeedback, humor, brain books, music, creative visualizations, relaxation techniques, writing poetry, games, Sudoko, cross-word puzzles, witnessing mind, chess, learning how to do calm abiding, and still the mind, observe its activities, quiet them, focus on a focus point, and learn to concentrate in my inner mind at will, and use
Christian-centered and (not Buddha-centered) meditation practices. I will daily do something to train my brain. Not only will I daily work our muscles, I will work out my brain muscle as well, reading, writing, and contemplating.
Source:
Dacher, Elliot S. (2006) Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Five guiding principles of Dachers' Integral Map
J.DePalma-HW420-03-U-9The Five guiding principles of Dachers' integral Map, (166, 46, 37) which characterize integral health and distinguish it from all other current approaches to traditional health and healing.
The principles of Dachers' ‘Integral Map’ are: Holistic, evolutionary, intentional, person-centered, and dynamic.
1. Holistic: Recognizing the relationship between the parts that make up a human and these parts working together balanced, to make one balanced whole human being. The integrating and recognizing that all the parts of the humans needs, of the whole person as a complete system rather than one part or the other part of a person working separately. Considering the psychological, physical, social, emotional and spiritual parts all as one whole all working together in harmony and balance, not separate. Viewing the whole being as in holistic. All the parts considered as to its effect on the whole being. E.g. In considering heart disease in someone, what are all the aspects of ones life that caused the illness? It was not just physical, but mental, emotional and spiritual as well all aspects of each area was combined to cause the disease, not just one area caused it. It is a four-part issue, as is everything in our health. We must address all aspects of our life to heal and prevent sickness and disease and have radiant health and life.
2. Evolutionary: Human life moving thru a number of stages, a developmental process kind of like a developing embryo in a mom to a higher level of development. It is a sequence of events, advancing with increasing complexity, actively moving forward toward greater potential of personal growth in knowledge, wisdom and higher levels of capacity in mind, body, and spirit, even going beyond what we can imagine.
3. Intentional: Human growth, change and development characterized/done by conscious proactive design, knowingly, deliberately, with intention, determination, and purpose. It can relate to the capacity of the mind, (to refer to different kinds of objects, existing only as the object of some mental attitude rather than in reality). It can be planned, designed, purposed, calculated, willfully premeditated, or prearranged. Being intentional is a mental ability to choose to act, and to direct our life. The idea is not reactive, but proactive, not to let something happen but make it happen. Instead of just letting it unconsciously happen or letting someone else control it we choose to control our mental activity.
4. Person-centered: This idea focuses on the individual’s needs and uniqueness: sincere, honest, caring, and open listening by the practioner, talking with, expressing feelings, goals, desires, concerns, being understanding, sensitive to feelings, hopes, dreams, and needs. Considering all: personal style, age, disposition, life circumstance, background, capacities, level of development, approaches to life and perspectives and considering personal uniqueness as central to tailoring a unique approach to the healing process and specific needs. Person centered is the use of unconditional, positive regard, with no judgment, just acceptance for each individual’s uniqueness. There is no such thing as one size fits all in person-centered health and healing. The practitioner is considering how each aspect of the individual’s life contributes to suffering and can contribute to healing, and identify potential areas of future growth and development.
5. Dynamic: The effects of ones’ life forces on the path/motion of human life; people tending to change or to encourage change, a condition of changing in life stages, pertaining to or manifesting force in life’s circumstances, relating to energy or to objects or people in motion, tending to produce change and characterized by continuous change, activity or progress, marked by intensity and vigor. One’s life is like a note played as from a musical instrument, a sound, going out from the instrument, it changes the quietness with sound moving into the air.
Sources
Dacher, Elliott S. (2006). Integral health: the path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
Farlex. (2010). The Free Dictionary.http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dynamic
The principles of Dachers' ‘Integral Map’ are: Holistic, evolutionary, intentional, person-centered, and dynamic.
1. Holistic: Recognizing the relationship between the parts that make up a human and these parts working together balanced, to make one balanced whole human being. The integrating and recognizing that all the parts of the humans needs, of the whole person as a complete system rather than one part or the other part of a person working separately. Considering the psychological, physical, social, emotional and spiritual parts all as one whole all working together in harmony and balance, not separate. Viewing the whole being as in holistic. All the parts considered as to its effect on the whole being. E.g. In considering heart disease in someone, what are all the aspects of ones life that caused the illness? It was not just physical, but mental, emotional and spiritual as well all aspects of each area was combined to cause the disease, not just one area caused it. It is a four-part issue, as is everything in our health. We must address all aspects of our life to heal and prevent sickness and disease and have radiant health and life.
2. Evolutionary: Human life moving thru a number of stages, a developmental process kind of like a developing embryo in a mom to a higher level of development. It is a sequence of events, advancing with increasing complexity, actively moving forward toward greater potential of personal growth in knowledge, wisdom and higher levels of capacity in mind, body, and spirit, even going beyond what we can imagine.
3. Intentional: Human growth, change and development characterized/done by conscious proactive design, knowingly, deliberately, with intention, determination, and purpose. It can relate to the capacity of the mind, (to refer to different kinds of objects, existing only as the object of some mental attitude rather than in reality). It can be planned, designed, purposed, calculated, willfully premeditated, or prearranged. Being intentional is a mental ability to choose to act, and to direct our life. The idea is not reactive, but proactive, not to let something happen but make it happen. Instead of just letting it unconsciously happen or letting someone else control it we choose to control our mental activity.
4. Person-centered: This idea focuses on the individual’s needs and uniqueness: sincere, honest, caring, and open listening by the practioner, talking with, expressing feelings, goals, desires, concerns, being understanding, sensitive to feelings, hopes, dreams, and needs. Considering all: personal style, age, disposition, life circumstance, background, capacities, level of development, approaches to life and perspectives and considering personal uniqueness as central to tailoring a unique approach to the healing process and specific needs. Person centered is the use of unconditional, positive regard, with no judgment, just acceptance for each individual’s uniqueness. There is no such thing as one size fits all in person-centered health and healing. The practitioner is considering how each aspect of the individual’s life contributes to suffering and can contribute to healing, and identify potential areas of future growth and development.
5. Dynamic: The effects of ones’ life forces on the path/motion of human life; people tending to change or to encourage change, a condition of changing in life stages, pertaining to or manifesting force in life’s circumstances, relating to energy or to objects or people in motion, tending to produce change and characterized by continuous change, activity or progress, marked by intensity and vigor. One’s life is like a note played as from a musical instrument, a sound, going out from the instrument, it changes the quietness with sound moving into the air.
Sources
Dacher, Elliott S. (2006). Integral health: the path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
Farlex. (2010). The Free Dictionary.http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dynamic
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