Integral Health - Unit 9 Project

       I.            INTRODUCTION:

Psychological, spiritual and physical development creates a positive state of well-being.  For the health practitioner, this means “a sense of inner control, competence, self-confidence,… healthier relationships”, as well as a “sense of meaning or purpose in life.” (Dacher, 2006)  Integral health is an expansion of the healing process, it takes healing to the next level from the anatomical of conventional medicine to the physical, psychological and spiritual.  As a health and wellness professional, personal development of all aspects of life shows the way to human flourishing and wholeness.   Professionally, the health and wellness professional is able to assist others to develop their unique capabilities, expand their consciousness, and find their inner healer.

To achieve my goals of a calm abiding mind and better stress management, development of my psychological life must continue.  By identifying destructive emotions and feelings and replacing them with positive attitudes I will be able to experience a calmer mind, and make choices that will help alleviate some of the stress that comes within the course of our lives.

    II.            ASSESSMENT:

Closer to the beginning of this course my assessment of these aspects of my life using a scale of 1 to 10 were as follows:

A.     Physical Well-being – Rating 7

B.     Spiritual Well-being – Rating 8

C.     Psychological Well-being – Rating 6

At that time, I felt like I had a long way to go with improvement, however as I look at these scores today, I see that they are not that bad.  I still agree with this assessment, and feel there is room for improvement, but expanding the consciousness is a process that takes time, patience and practice.  

 III.            GOAL DEVELOPMENT

To truly grow, one must have goals in their life.  Goals improve your life give you a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction and meaning or purpose to your life. 

Physical Goal:  To be more physically fit and develop my capacity for inner healing. 

Psychological Goal:  A calm, peaceful mind.

Spiritual Goal:  To continue my expanding my personal relationship with God.

 IV.            PRACTICES FOR PERSONAL HEALTH:

The following exercises can be used to foster growth in the above areas:

Physical: 

Yoga is a great way to “develop flexibility, strength and balance”.  (WebMD, LLC., 2005-2012)

Tai Chi “promotes serenity through gentle movements – connecting the mind and body”. 

                                                                       

Both of these exercises have become known to be helpful “for stress reduction as well as a variety of other health conditions’.  (Mayo Clinic, 2009)  By slowing down, and allotting  time in my schedule to exercise, I can take steps to become more physically fit.

Spiritual:

Both Prayer and Meditation work toward bring you closer to God.  Praying for God’s direction and help when faced with challenges in our lives keeps us on a spiritual path.  Meditation on God’s will and purpose, and the things we are blessed with, makes us grateful and humble.

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Psychological:

Practicing exercises like Simple Meditation (MaxLifestyle International, Inc, 2003-2012) and The Subtle Mind (Dacher, 2006 p.75) lead to calm, serenity and relaxation.

    V.            COMMITMENT

Periodically reviewing the six principles of integral assessment as outlined in Dacher is a good tool to assess any integral progress. 

1.      The goal of integral health is to alleviate suffering and promote human flourishing.

2.      Integral health recognizes the distinction between short-term relief of needless suffering and permanent relief.

3.      Integral Health recognizes the distinction between immediate pleasure and long term flourishing.

4.      Psychospiritual development is an essential component of integral health.

5.      Integral assessment relies on deep listening and guidance.

6.      Integral assessment addresses the aspects, levels, and lines of development that are relevant to our current circumstances. 

References

Dacher, E. (2006). Integral health: the path to human flourishing. (p. 46). Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

MaxLifestyle International, Inc. (2003-2012). Meditation - simple meditation.      Retrieved from http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/meditation/simple.asp

Mayo Clinic. (2009, November 14). Tai chi: discover the many possible health benefits. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tai-chi/SA00087

WebMD, LLC. (2005-2012). The health benefits of yoga. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/balance/the-health-benefits-of-yoga