Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Acknowledging my psychological, physical, and spiritual progress

Hello everyone,
From unit 3, I scored 9 out of ten in both psychological and physical well-being. The two practices which I believed to be the most beneficial to me included both the rainbow meditation and the mental fitness practice. I really believe that both meditative techniques helped enrich my psychological life. For example, I really feel energetic and optimistic. However, I never scored high in spirituality. I don't consider myself a spiritual person. However,I really have hope that someday I can become spiritual. Dacher pointed out that psycho spiritual flourishing can be achieved through exploring the inner world. In addition, Dacher suggested that psychological development can lead to spiritual development.
From unit 3, I really scored very low in biological development. Dacher stated that the practitioners who discover that the mind and body are neither separate from each other, they can learn how to regulate their blood pressures, pulse, skin temperature, and glandular secretions(Dacher,2006). I really feel unable to control such bodily functions. For example, I am currently suffering from high blood pressure. In addition, my eating habits have been worsen since I got divorced. I eat uncontrollably. I eat huge amounts of food, and I suffer as my blood pressure goes up very high at night. I wish I can find a solution for my eating problem.
Creating wellness and the Psychological and spiritual Aspects of Healing was a turning point in my life. I really like all the theories I have studied during this term. For example, I really enjoyed practicing the loving-kindness meditation. It helped me release all the negative thoughts and feelings. In addition, I really felt so proud of myself when I started thinking about other people. The loving-kindness meditation helped me become a considerate and thoughtful human-being.
I really recommend the loving-kindness meditation for people suffering from depression. For example, when the depressed patients spend few moments thinking about other people's sufferingss, they can resolve their inner sufferings as well. Moreover, I can recommend the integral approach for my depressed clients, because the integral approach was based on one central idea: no human mind can be 100% wrong(Amorok,Schlitz,&Micozzi,2005). I really think that my clients will appreciate such theory, because it will help them gain more confidence in themselves.
As a nutritionist, I prefer to practice the rainbow meditation on a daily basis. The rainbow technique can help me overcome my eating disorder. In addition, I will definitely recommend the rainbow meditation to my clients. For example, the clients who suffer from eating disorders can be advised to to imagine several beams of light distributed on different organs of their bodies.
Finally, I really think that this class helped me look forward to meet my future husband. I don't suffer from guilt, fear, or hesitation thanks to the loving-kindness meditation. I really look forward to move on and find my future sweetheart.
Reference:
Amorok, T., Schlitz, M., & Micozzi, M.S(2005). Consciousness & healing integral Approaches to Mind-Body Medicine. Integral Theory And Practice: An integral Approach. St.Louis: Elsevier(ppxx).
Dacher, E.S.(2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Psycho spiritual Flourishing: The four levels of psycho spiritual Development. Laguna Beach: Basic health publications, Inc.(pp.60-61).

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Personal application of Integral health

I think it is very important for wellness and Health practitioners to develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically, because health and wellness practitioners will eventually help their clients pursue their physical, psychological, and spiritual goals. I really think that health and wellness practitioners should apply the different practices of integral health on themselves so they can heal their inner selves. For example, health practitioners who have inner struggles can start the self-healing process through acknowledging the negative emotions which occupy their minds. They can simultaneously reverse the deleterious effects of these negative emotions. In addition, they can transform their minds in the direction of health, happiness, and wholeness. Moreover, when health practitioners succeed in transforming the negative emotions, their bodies will definitely smile (Dacher, 2006).It is very certain that when health and wellness practitioners smile, the clients can feel appreciated and determined to start their own healing processes.

Health and wellness practitioners who become psychologically healthy can explore the deeper I think it is very important for wellness and health practioners to develop psychologically, spiritually, and nature of the mind. In this way psychological development becomes a springboard for spiritual development. As a health practitioner, I really think that both the rainbow meditation and the mental fitness practice helped me foster mental fitness. For example, both techniques helped me acknowledge a drastic increase in my mental strength, flexibility, and endurance. In addition, the two practices helped me transform all the negative emotions including anger, hatred, and despair. I am very certain that the peace I experienced after doing these two practices can help me explore the deeper layers of my mind (Dacher, 2006).

The biological lives of Health and wellness practitioners evolve to include the mind. For example, when practitioners discover that the mind and body are neither separate from each other , they can learn how to regulate their blood pressures, pulse, skin temperature, and glandular secretions(Dacher,2006). As a nutritionist, I was able to discover that my mind and body are neither separate from each other (Dacher, 2006). However, unfortunately, I was not able to regulate my blood pressure, pulse, skin temperature, or glandular secretions (Dacher, 2006). For example, my sedentary lifestyles made me gain more than twenty pounds during the past two years. The author of Complementary and Integrative Medicine book stated that migraine headaches have been caused by food allergies, and abnormalities results in excessive platelet aggregation (Micozzi, 2009). In fact, when I entered my personal information into http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/planner/launchPage.aspx , I was able to figure out the real causes of my persistent migraine headaches. For example, I realized that the refined sugars and the genetically modified sweeteners including corn syrup had increased the chances of migraine headaches. In addition, I really think that I need to include vigorous physical activities such as running, swimming, and jogging so I can achieve my fitness goals. In addition, when I include different physical activities into my daily routine, I can lose the extra weight which I have gained lately.

As a nutritionist, I really need to practice the rainbow meditation and the mental fitness practice regularly so I can foster mental fitness. In addition, I am very certain that the mental training can help me control my blood pressure, pulse, muscular tension, capillary blood flow, and bowel and bladder motility. In addition, the use of the mind/body can help alleviate migraine headaches, circulatory abnormalities, and gastrointestinal disorders (Dacher, 2006). In addition, I really hope that practicing the different psychological approaches including the rainbow meditation and mental fitness practice can move my mind into the direction of practicing a healthy spiritual life. I will definitely use prayer as a spiritual practice so I can explore the deeper layers of my mind and uncover the natural wisdom, inner peace, and loving-kindness that are the pivotal causes of a sustained well-being of body, mind, and spirit (Dacher, 2006).

I really think that logging on http://mypyramidtracker.gov/planner/launchPage.aspx can help me assess my physical progress. In addition, I really believe that my psychological and spiritual developments can be measured through making continuous efforts to control and regulate my bodily physical activities including blood pressure, glandular secretions, and skin temperature.

References

Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral Health: The path to Human Flourishing. Psycho spiritual Flourishing: The four levels of psycho spiritual Development.Laguna Beach: Basic health publications, Inc. (60-61).

Micozzi, M.S. (2006). Fundamentals of Complementary and Integrative Medicine. (3rd. ed). Causes of food allergies: Migraines headaches. St.Louis: Elsevier Inc.(pp.265-266).

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Rainbow meditation and mental fitness practice

Hello friends,
The two practices which I believed to be the most beneficial to me included both the rainbow meditation and the mental fitness practice. I really think that both techniques have helped me foster mental fitness. The rainbow meditation and the mental fitness practice made acknowledge a drastic increase in my mental strength, flexibility, and endurance. The techniques I did seemed repetitive, and they required a great deal of attention. However, the two meditative techniques helped my mind stop all mental activity(Dacher,2006). This pause was very healthy for me, because it helped my mind experience peace and tranquility. Moreover, these two practices helped me clear my mind from all the mental chatters, chaos, and negative thoughts.
As a nutritionist, I would definitely encourage my clients to include the mental fitness practice in their daily routines, because it can clear their minds and increase their attention spans. Moreover, I can recommend the mental fitness practice to all college students who wish to focus better and earn higher grades.
I really think that all nutrients can use the rainbow meditations as a tool to educate their clients about the importance of keeping a healthy and well- balanced diet. For example, nutrients can run the rainbow meditations on the patients who suffer from eating disorders including bulimia and anorexia. The clients who suffer from eating disorders can be advised to imagine several beams of light distributed on different organs of their bodies. For example, the clients can perceive the red light as a very healthy red pigment called beta- carotene. as a result, the clients can acknowledge the important role of beta-carotene in fighting cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Similarly, the patients can be taught to use their imaginations when they consume other healthy nutritionists including iodine and chlorophyll. I would definitely encourage my clients to think about chlorophyll as a green beam of light reaching out their chests. When the clients start visualizing the green light within their chests, I can start explaining to them the benefits of chlorophyll including lowering blood cholesterol and preventing heart attacks Finally, I can use the same technique to help my clients understand the benefits of iodine including regulating the manufacturer of thyroid hormones and enhancing the secretion of estrogen within the tissues of breasts(Murray,1996). The blue beam of light which represents iodine can be located when the clients starting imagining the blue beam of light emanating from their throats and reaching other organs within their bodies including the thyroid gland and the breast tissues.
I really look forward to implement all the techniques I learned in this course including the rainbow meditation and the mental fitness practice into my profession. In addition, I really look forward to teach my clients how they can avoid diseases through practicing both rainbow meditations and the mental fitness practices.
Reference:
Dacher, E.S.(2006). Integral Health: The path to Human Flourishing. Human Flourishing: A taste of Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach: Basic health, Inc. (147-148).
Murray, M.T.(1996). Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements. Minerals: Iodine benefecial effects. New York: Three Rivers Press. (pp.205).

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Meeting Asclepius- The inner Healer-

Hello Friends,
Meeting Asclepius was very interesting and helpful meditation for me, because it enabled me to retrieve very useful memories from my sub-conscious memory. For example, I was able to imagine my deceased mother giving me the courage and strength to proceed in life and laugh in the face of all hardships, disappointments, and fear. I was very happy to see my mother speaking to me and pointing at the hero who lives inside me. This wonderful experience started right after I sat very comfortably on a seat and closed my both eyes. My mother came smiling to me and, she placed a golden crown on my head. She told me that she was very pleased with me, because I had put all the bad memories behind my back. She told me to keep it up and to pass on this strength and confidence to my daughters. My mother told me that the cancer she fought in the last ten years of her life was never my fault. In addition, she encouraged me to stay healthy and to share the knowledge I have with other people so they never suffer from cancer.
The image of my mother was very sweet and vivid. When I told my mother that was very beautiful, she told me that she had felt the same exact way when she held me in her arms for the first time. I thanked my mother for the crown she had placed on my head, and I allowed a strong beam of light to form at the crown she was wearing on her head. Similarly, I allowed the dense white light emanating from my mother's mind to enter my own mind. In addition, I allowed this energy to bathe and purify my thoughts, feelings, and images. The energy had slowly transformed my mind into the mind of my mother. I felt love, kindness, and joy emanating from my mother's mind and penetrating into my mind.
Next, I allowed another beam of light to form and emnate from the throat of my mother's throat. This energy had bathed and purified my speech(Dacher,2006). I took on the qualities I admired in my mother speech including love, kindness, and sensitivity(Dacher,2006). I felt that I was able to pass on the same influential comments, phrases, and greetings to my daughters. The final beam of light which had emerged from my mother's heart was able to reach my heart in one moment. It was very warm, delicate, and sincere. It was so special, meaningful, and bright. This last beam of light had bathed and purified my heart with kindness, love, and compassion(Dacher,2006). This magnificent beam of light had finally changed my heart!
I experienced my mother soft voice praising my own songs. The soft voice I heard from my mother encouraged me to sing the same songs for my daughters. the final beam of light which emanated from my mother's body had dissolved into a bright white light. It successfully penetrated my body and reached out all the organs, cells, and tissues within my body.
I was very happy when I received the last beam of light from my mother's body. However, I was very determined to purify my body from all the cancerous cells which had claimed my mother's life. I told my mother that I will do my best to purify my system from all the toxins, carcinogens, and viruses which can lead to cancer. I promised my mother to take care of my own health so I can enjoy a very healthy and productive life.
Reference:
Dacher, E.S.(2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Preparing the Ground: Meeting Asclepius. Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications Inc.(pp.56).

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Moving toward a more sustained health, happiness, and wholeness(Dacher,2006)..

Hello Friend,
This week I have practiced the universal loving- kindness meditation exercise along with the integral assessment. When I completed the integral assessment, I discovered new aspects about my personal relationships, emotional development, fitness, work, and intimacy(Dacher,2006). For example, when I included my personal and emotional development in the loving- kindness meditation, I realized that I was lacking important social skiils which affect my emotional well- being and intemacy.I had to start with the universal loving -kindness meditation. I took a deep breath and I repeated the foloowing phrases for 10 minutes:
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.
The people I saw suffering in the universal loving- kindness meditation included myself and my ex- husband. The suffering of my falling marriage made me fear intimacy. I am sure that my fear is irrational. However, it felt very strong and over-whelming. My ex-husband was the king in the meditation who asked me to give up all my the negative emotions including personal ambition, greed, pride, and any thought of the king(ex-husband) (Dacher,2006).
The suffering of my ex- husband included the disappointment he experienced when I refused to do what the wise woodcarver has done. In addition, I was able to get in touch with my suffering which represented the feeling of guilt when I decided not to carry out my king's order!
I was dealing with the negative consequences of my marital failure for the past three years. However, today, I was finally able to overcome a new guilt which lived inside me for the last three years after the divorce. For the first time in my life, I never cursed the king who asked me to let go of my ambition, pride, and greed. I had blessed him! I was able to feel very strong, because I finally forgave the king. For the first time, I did not feel like screaming and saying "what a tyrant king". I just let go of him.
When I practiced the loving-kindness meditation, I found out that I needed to train my body the same way I have trained my mind. The area I have chocen to be a focus of growth and development was the biological line of development(Dacher,2006).For example, I decided to include some physical activities in my daily life such as walking, dancing, and practicing yoga.
The kind of yoga I chose to include in my daily routine was called "the tantric yoga". This kind of yoga was referred to as a sexual energy. The author of my alternative medicine book, Dr.Marc Micozzi has noted that tantric yoga posits that sexual energy is an important reservoir of energy that should be used wisely to facilitate the spiritual process rather than block it through orgasmic release. In addition, the author mentioned that orgasm doesn't lead to bliss but merely to pleasurable sensations(Micozzi,2006).
I will try to include the tantric yoga in my daily routine when I get married for the second time. however, I really like to think about what Dr. Dacher said about sexual energy. For example, Dacher explained that people can experience the moment which can stop all mental activities when they get immersed in the stillness of nature or when they reach the climax of pleasure during sexual orgasms(Dacher,2006). I would love to experience this kind of pleasure in my next marriage. In addition, i hope that the tantric yoga and other physical activities can help me achieve my fitness goals including loosing weight and working out my abdominal muscles.
Reference:
Dacher, E.S.(2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. The integral assessment: Biological and Interpersonal Flourishing.Laguna Beach: Basic Health Inc.(pp.105-116).
Micozzi, M.S.(2006). Fundamentals of Complementary And Integrative Medicine.(3rd ed.).Yoga: Sexual Energy: Trantrism And Yoga.St.Louis: Elsevier Inc.(pp.516).

Monday, March 29, 2010

Mental Fittness Practice.

Hello Friends,
It is my pleasure to share with you my recent mental fitness activity, and I wish you can enjoy discovering my findings and inputs about mental fitness practice. First, I need to write my comment regarding the title of the mental fitness practice. For example, during the last two weeks, I was supposed to call the activity I did for this blog a "meditation". This term has changed into "Practice". That is why I really felt like looking up two important words"meditation and practice". The term meditation which i found in my alternative medicine book suggested something to do with healing. Most meditative practices have come to the West from Asian religious practices, particularly those of India, China, and Japan. Others can be traced to the ancient cultures of the world. Although western meditative practice a contemplative form of meditation, there are also many active forms of meditation, such as the Chinses martial art, t'ai chi, the japanese martial art aikido, and the walking meditation of Zen Buddhism.
Meditation is thus a technique used to calm the mental activity, the endless thoughts, and ways of reacting to our circumstances. as long as these accumulated impressions linger in the inner recesses of the mind, nagging for attention, it remains difficult to experience an inner state of peace, calm, and health. Fast-paced Western society, filled with external stimuli, has conditioned us to push our minds and bodies to the point of exhaustion, often to the detriment of our own well-being. To be still, to experience the peace and contentment from this external materiality. Meditation is the process of calming and releasing the distractions from the mind for the purpose of opening up and awakening to our true inner natures(Micozzi,2006).
After I looked up the definition of "meditation", I realized that the meditation I performed last week had helped me released all the negative feelings. As a result of releasing the negative energy I had in my mind, both my mind and body experienced peace and serenity. I agreed with the author's definition of"meditation', because the meditative technique i did had absolutely calmed my inner recesses of the mind(Micozzi,2006). For example, for the first time in my life, I am starting to look at the past with an optimistic way. In other words, I really stopped blaming myself for my mom's death.
I think that three techniques I did so far in my blogs' assignments required healthy breathing. For example, when I started performing the rainbow meditation, the loving-kindness meditation, and the mental fitness practice; I took a deep breath. In addition, the three techniques required spending some moments focusing on the breath I took when I started the technique. Breathing was required in all the techniques I did so far.
The mental fitness practice enabled me to prepare my mind and clear mental chatter. As a result of doing the mental fitness practice, I was able to increase my attention span and both my short and long term memories. For example, my memories started retrieving old memories, positive thought, and deeds I have done in the past. I can definitely perform this kind of mental fitness practice before having any school assignments including tests, quizzes, and projects. However, I think that the best time to practice the loving- kindness meditation is before bed time. I read in the past that when people become depressed or angry at themselves, they tend to suffer from insomnia. That is why I really recommend the loving- kindness meditation for people suffering from depression or post- traumatic stress disorders including anxiety and chronic headaches.
Over all, I think that all the techniques I di so far were very beneficial and productive. For example, experincing loving- kindness meditation techniques helped me getting in touch with the sufferings of all the loved ones in my personal life. In addition, the last mental fittness practise I did this week helped me clear my mind from all kinds of mental chatters. I am looking forward to do similar activity in the near future!. I am very willing to boost my spirits and enrich my spiritual well- being when i keep an open mind to all kinds of therapies, metal practices, and meditative techniques.
Reference:
Micozzi, M.S.(2006).Fundamentals of Complementary And Integrative Medicine.(3rd ed.). Mind- Body Modalities: Meditation. St. Louis: Elsevier.(pp.293-294).

Monday, March 22, 2010

Experiencing Loving and kindness through meditation.

Hello Friends,
I really enjoyed practicing the loving-kindness meditation. It helped me release all the negative thoughts and feelings. I felt proud of myself when I started thinking about other people. I think that the loving- kindness meditation can make people more considerate and thoughtful. Thinking about others can help people forgive one another. In addition, when I practice this meditation, I wish happiness and prosperity for people who are not suffering. As I took in the suffering of many people I know, I really counted my blessing. I appreciated my health, my kids, and my good spirit. I really think that people who don't practice this meditation can feel upset when things around them go wrong. The negative feelings can trigger unhealthy psychological illnesses such as anxiety and depression. On the other hand, people who practice this therapy can experience peace and condolence . I really recommend the loving- kindness meditation for people suffering from depression. When people spend few moments thinking about other people's sufferings, they can question the causes of their own sufferings. In addition, when people suffering from depression think about themselves, they can start snapping themselves out of depression.
When I was a child, I used to blame myself for my mother's sickness. However, after I took in my mother suffering; I really started forgiving myself. I realized that I was not guilty because my mom was sich. My irrational guilt has finally vanished.
When I perform the loving and kindness meditation, I think about the foloowing facts:
After long and thoughtful consideration, I have come to a rather interesting conclusion.
Even though the global population is soaring into the billions, with thousands of religions, languages, philosophies, and cultures represented.
Ultimately, there are only two kinds of people.
There are those are certain the world is going to hell in a handbasket, and those who believe that the best is yet to come.
There are those who completely flip out at the very rumor of trouble and start screaming" The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"
But when you press them for hard evidence to explain their panic, they admit they have nothing better to back up their position than what "a little bird told them".
A far more reasonable approach is simply to put on the bravest smile you've got and admit that you are not the center of the known universe. Therefore, there will always be things you don't know and can't control(Tomorrow adventures in an uncertain world by Bradley Trevor Greive).