Integral Health Assessment (Unit 9-Final Project)

Health and Wellness Professionals

            To truly help our clients along the path towards integral health we must first develop psychologically, spiritually and physically ourselves.  Integral healing is not something that can be learned simply by reading a book or listening to a few seminars; it must be experienced first-hand to fully realize its concepts and benefits.  In this way, realization of our inner resources will enable us to have a stronger connection with those we are trying to serve.  To quote Dacher (2006) “We emanate a healing presence.  Every kind of work and every moment of work that is infused with consciousness can be healing to others and to ourselves.” (pp. 101).  This reminds us of what sets integral healing apart from all other systems; that it aims to treat not only the illness and the patient but the healer as well (Schlitz, Amorok & Micozzi, 2005). 

Personal Wellness Assessment

            Previously in unit three I assessed my physical, psychological, and spiritual wellness on a scale of 1-10.  At that point in time I found my physical health to be an 8/10, my psychological health to be a 5/10, and my spiritual health to be a 9/10.  There have been a lot of changes in my wellness during the past several weeks due to life events and also as I have been applying all that I have learned within this course.  Currently if I were to reassess my wellness I think I would find my physical health to be about a 6/10, my psychological health an 8/10, and my spiritual health to stay at a 9/10.  Physically I am beginning to feel more stressed as my body progresses through pregnancy.  Symptoms of fatigue, loss of energy, body aches, and heart burn all contribute to this decline in health status.  Psychologically I had previously indicated a lack of emotional control that I now feel is improving with my integral practices creating the increase in my mental and emotional health status.  My spiritual health status remains the same.

Personal Wellness Goals

            Goals for my physical and psychological well-being would focus on further development, while those for spiritual well-being would be more so of maintenance.  Physically I would like to set two goals.  My first physical goal is to take all actions necessary to prepare my body for a healthy labor and delivery.   The second physical goal would come afterwards by returning to my pre-pregnancy body.  As I mentioned, I have seen an improvement in my psychological wellness since the previous assessment.  I would like to continue developing this aspect of my life by setting a goal to become skillful in loving-kindness which is the area I think is still in need of work.  While I feel very confident in my spiritual wellness, I also believe that there is always room to grow.  As a spiritual goal I would like to devote more time to my meditations.  

Integral Practices

            To achieve my first physical goal I have been doing plenty of research and attending classes at my hospital so that I can be well informed of what to expect.  I also have been practicing breathing exercises and looking into relaxation techniques such as guided imagery and aromatherapy that may be helpful for me in managing pain during labor.  I plan to achieve my second physical goal through diet and exercise.  As opposed to going on a “diet” per say, I will just be mindful of my eating by making healthy choices and controlling my portions.  Then as soon as I am able to I will gradually begin resuming my regular fitness routine of jogging, strength training, and yoga.

            Practices of loving-kindness will be central to my psychological goal.  I can make a point of regularly practicing the “Universal Loving-Kindness” meditation by Dacher (2006), which I really enjoy and find to be a source of positivity and inspiration.  This concept can also be practiced throughout my everyday life by infusing my words and actions with loving-kindness.

            Meditation has thus far been vital to my spiritual wellness so in order to continue developing spiritually I need to consider what changes I can make to my current meditation practices.  Mindfulness meditation is by far my favorite and I intend to make more time in my day to spend doing this.  Since I enjoy meditation most first thing in the morning I can set my alarm clock for at least fifteen minutes earlier so I have more time to meditate.  Nature is also important to my spirituality.  I have recently been introduced to a practice called grounding which I would like to try.  The basic concept of grounding is to restore the body’s natural balance through direct contact with the Earth (Healthy Living How To, 2014).  This is something that I think could really help me take my spiritual wellness to the next level by incorporating both nature and meditation.  To do this I could find a tranquil spot to sit on the ground and meditate or practice a walking meditation while barefoot. 

My Commitment

            Making changes and sticking to them can be very difficult to do.  I like to keep motivated by writing myself reminders on little sticky notes all over the place.  I also like to keep inspiring quotes and pictures on my computer and phone that say things like “stop and smell the roses”, “life’s too short” and “think happy, be happy”.  Now that I have learned how to assess my physical, psychological and spiritual wellness I can continue to do so periodically in the future.  By keeping a record of my wellness assessments I will be able to compare results and determine any patterns that may indicate further development and opportunities for growth.  The blog we have developed in this course will continue to support my journey as well.  In the past nine weeks I have really discovered how much I enjoy writing about my experiences with health and wellness and plan to continue doing so after the course ends for any like-minded individuals that are interested in following. 

References

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Healthy Living How To. (2014). The invisible benefits of grounding. Retrieved from http://healthylivinghowto.com/1/post/2014/04/the-invisible-health-benefits-of-grounding.html

Hemling, M. (2014). The pursuit of wellness. Retrieved from http://mind-bodypursuit.blogspot.com/

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi. M. (2005). Consciousness and healing: 
         Integral approaches to mind body medicine. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier 
         Churchill Livingstone.