1. Review your unit 3 personal assessment of your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Reflect on these areas . How did you score yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 in unit 3? How do you score yourself now? Has the score changed? Why or why not? I scored myself worse in unit three compared to my current score. I was able to see that I have progressed in all areas. The scores have changed because some of the course material was able to enhance my health. I saw a real improvement in my spiritual health. This one I believe I improved the most in. Using a scale of 1 to 10, same as the first scale, my physical is at a 9, spiritual is at an 8, and my psychological is at an 8 as well.
2. Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain. I have made much progress by using goals and activities to progress toward better health. I enforced an earlier wake up time in order to have time alone to complete my meditation and yoga practices. I have maintained and added a few new work outs to my exercise regimen. Because I've been able to do those things I have seen a more calm version of myself. I believe this is because I'm in good health with those and that carries over to my psychological health.
3. Have you implemented the activities you chose for your well-being in each of the three areas? Explain. Yes after assessing my health weeks ago I decided to make a change. When we've reached new exercises and activitites in our units I would take at least one thing I enjoyed then apply it. I have maintained because I enjoy good health and I care about myself.
4. Summarize your personal experience throughout this course. Have you developed improved well-being? What has been rewarding? What has been difficult? How will this experience improve your ability to assist others? I have developed improved well-being. My state of mind has improved and that feels rewarding. The difficulty for me has been maintaining and adding physical exercises to my regimen. The more my pregnancy progresses the more tired I become. How won't this experience improve my ability to assist others? The stuff I learned in these weeks, I've never known before and applying it to my life has been wonderful. I can't imagine speaking this fluently and seeing it help another. That would be great!

Unit 7-Meeting Aesclepius & Describing phrase, "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself."

The only exercises I performed this last week in unit 7 were; pregnancy yoga, swimming, and Meeting Aesclepius mp3. I decided to start listening to the exercise at the beginning of the week as the first thing I complete for the unit. I also decided to finish my week with the exercise as well. My goal was to listen to it throughout the week but I found my plate becoming extremely full. The experience I had with this exercise was good both times but better the second time. I think it's because I was expecting it and was prepared for it more than the first time. I used a different person each time as well. I'm not sure if that had an effect or how much of an effect it did have. I feel like a happier person since taking this class. That goes the same for previous terms of this program. Every term I learn new information about how to live within health and wellness. Last term I learned about stress management and prevention and it has since worked wonders. Adding this class and more specifically the exercises I have found yet another level of health and wellness which makes me so happy. I know I will continue to use these exercises specifically because I have already added a copy of the downloads to my main drive. With each class, I take something out of it and apply it to my life.

"One cannot lead another to where one has not gone himself." This is simple to me, you cannot very well take a person down the path of integral health unless you have traveled that road yourself. How can you expect to teach a person how to sky dive if you have never done it yourself. You can't. How doesn't this apply to the health and wellness professional? In every way this applies to the professional. It would quite hard to lead someone in psychological, spiritual, and physical wellness, if I don't know it myself. That's why I'm working on obtaining the knowledge to do so efficiently. I would never want to lead someone astray because I was full of myself and tried to lead them without the know-how. Of course I have an obligation to my clients. Can you imagine going to the doctor's office and needed a vaccine to help with a contagious virus and they were incompetent or clearly were not efficient in what they were supposed to be efficient in?! That would be wrong on so many levels. That's why I would never do that to someone either. I have already implemented psychological and spiritual growth in my personal life by; having a nutritious diet, exercise at least a few days a week, wake up every morning to 20 minute yoga, use the exercises as often as possible, enjoy the little things, experience the human connection, and try every day to be a better overall person with optimal health and wellness.

Unit 6

I practiced the first exercise, Universal Loving Kindness twice. The first time was at home when I was alone and the house was quiet. The second time was at work/school, Kaplan Lincoln Campus. When I practiced it for the second time, I wasn't busy with other students but the Academic Success Center was indeed full of students. I tried to quiet my mind and read the phrases over and over. I thought that this setting would be impossible to tame my mind for ten minutes. Much to my surprise this specific exercise worked more efficiently. The students that were around were all accounting students and we were not staffed for them at that time, I have no knowledge of accounting. As I'm becoming the slightly stressed I realize as I'm reading those four lines I was becoming more tolerable of the students that had high stress levels. This book is definitely going on my book shelf at work; the exercise provided me with enough calmness to get through one of the roughest parts of the day at the Lincoln Campus.

The Integral Assessment I have only practiced once. When I did practice this assessment I realized there is a lot for me to work on in my life. I was able to answer a lot of the questions with confidence within myself then as the questions progressed and became harder I realized there are still a lot of areas needing improvement. My ratio is about 4:10, four being the areas which I feel I have mastered and or focused on. The rest is up to me to work on and focus on. One specific area I need to work on is the too much on my plate. I rarely have too little on my plate so that is something I’ve always counted on, kind of how an addict depends on a drug to silence the world. I just keep myself busy, as if I’m constantly in a race to keep things off my mind. However, with the recent practices that I’ve enjoyed, I have been able to confront my thoughts and assess them in a positive way. The other aspect I would like to work on is how much I can contribute to a better world. My attitude and acceptance of other people can no longer be the only aspect that I excel in; I need to now move to helping take better care of our environment. For example, plant trees within my community and recycle, drive less and walk more, etc.

While working on my full plate issue I can listen to exercises that allow me to focus on me instead of constantly thinking I need to do other things. I can also implement a rest time for at least an hour every day, probably more like two hours. The other issue, helping to better the world around me, I can dedicate sometime to put in place a system of recycling, reusing items, and when going out, try to ride bikes or walk. I can also use exercises that focus on others as well.

Unit 5 Loving Kindness and the Subtle Mind

This last weekend I was able to take my lap top to my grandfather's house. I had him listen to the Loving Kindness exercise and he almost fell asleep. He opened his eyes and said he would be using this as much as possible. He said that when he listened thoroughly he felt at peace in so many ways. I was so happy for him. He didn't seem to like the Subtle Mind as much. He said it was too long and that he felt that the Loving Kindness was more beneficial for his health. I thought the feelings my grandfather had about the two exercises summed up the two quite nicely. While they are both relaxing one seems to focus more on you and the other focuses more on the outer aspects of you such as people. I have listened to the Loving Kindness exercise a total of six times now. I feel this will be beneficial for my health as well. I've been experiencing high blood pressure due to stress. Now I thought that I was good with managing stress as I've taken the actual class here at Kaplan. However, these hormones have me pinned under a block of stress. So when I use this exercise I feel better. My husband had me start using it because he was with me when I showed my grandfather and my husband felt it's something that both of us should be doing. Every other night when my husband get's off of work early we lay down and listen. He mostly makes sure I'm comfortable, so I don't know if he's benefiting from it as much as I am. I tried the Subtle Mind exercise the other night when my husband was working late and I didn't feel it was as beneficial to me specifically as the other. I feel an overall wellness when I listen to the Loving Kindness exercise. It's the same feeling I get when I practice my pregnancy yoga. I even feel good physically because of the way it strengthens my mind.

Loving Kindness & Introduction Mp3 Reflection

1. I believe that listening to the sound of water/ waterfall made me the most relaxed. I listened to what she said and I felt the positive feelings from that but I really really enjoyed the water sounds. The sounds made my body feel so relaxed. I really did like to unattached myself from physical objects and to focus on love for my son and then to focus that love on me was a very nice experience. I have been thinking that I need to try to send this to my grandfather. He is in hospice and I believe the Loving Kindness Mp3 would help him feel good. I think my grandfather would benefit spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically from this. It might distract his mind enough for him to not feel physical pain. Halfway through the exercise is about imagining a loved one who is ill or in pain and suffering and help them or make them feel better. My grandfather would like to hear the faint Indian music because he has Indian in him and that part of his geology is important to him.

2. The "mental workout" is a practice in which you strengthen your mind by training your mind. The mental work outs can strengthen your mental state which in turn effects your spiritual, emotional, and physical states as well. When your mind can reach a healthy state and experience the evolutionary development your body can expect to feel and act better. Health is not just one aspect rather it's mind-body connections. I already have a way to implement mental workouts, I use yoga and meditation. I have personalized them to my preferences and likes. When my psychological health is focused on then the rest of me (physically) feels healthy. The repetition helps the mind to a workout. The more practice the more clarity will be allowed in your life.

The Crime of the Century Reflection and more!

1. Based on my reflection of my health I have realized that I have much room for improvement. I rated myself at an 8 for the physical wellbeing because I'm pregnant and am not on my normal diet. I loosened the leash I had myself on so that I am able to give in to the cravings I have. Also, I am no where near as active as I was before becoming pregnant.
I rated myself at a 5 for the spiritual wellbeing because I have little to no experience with spiritual wellbeing. However, I didn't rate myself lower than a 5 because I feel healthy in that sense.
I rated myself at a 7 for psychological wellbeing because with my hormones being out of control I don't feel I can rate myself any higher than that. However, I gave myself some credit for being pregnant even though I'm not quite my usual self.

2. For my physical wellbeing I am going to have a goal of joining a pregnancy exercise group at the YMCA in my town. I have heard great things from other pregnant women. I wish to make this a big goal to obtain because I want my body to be as ready as possible to deliver another baby.
Spiritually my goal is to involve myself in meditation. This is something I could do on my own at home. I believe this goal will help me to gain a better spiritual wellbeing.
Psychologically my goal is to maintain and create a focal point for when I feel like I am going to have a mood swing. I will also buy this book I was recommended that has helped my cousin with dealing with mood swings while pregnant.

3. If I am able to have a few moments to myself in the morning I can stretch my body and get my blood flowing nicely so that all my parts are working together. I believe if I am allowed this time in the morning to help physically prepare myself for the day I will be able to accomplish these new goals. The worst part of my day is waking up because my body doesn't feel good and wants to stay in bed all day. Waking up in pain has been a problem for me because it affects my eating and my attitude.

4. This relaxation exercise is good for my mind and my body. The last one was the same. I feel that these exercises will be beneficial to me when I'm near delivery. Every time I listen to these my whole body and mind feel completely at ease. There was no part of this that was frustrating for me. The beneficial part of this exercise for me was getting rid of the tension and chaos in my body and mind. I really believe I will use at least one of the exercises when I'm in labor.

Welcome!

I'm excited you're here! Let's see how this blog can better our education. I've never had to set one up in my Bachelor's program. I hope this is something that I can recommend to the students I tutor.