1. Based on your reflections and the assessments completed in the project: On a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing) where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

After reviewing my unit 3 assessment of my psychological, physical, physical, and spiritual well-being, I now score myself a 10. Yes my score has changed because I am able to express myself more effectively when dealing with distress or disease. When striving for a more profound life and health I express myself applying the four aspects of psychospiritual, interpersonal, biological, and worldly experiences. I have stepped up to a higher level of development that embraces my previous knowledge and capacity and at the same time transcend their limitations. This shift/leap is accompanied by new priorities, resources, and capacities.

2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

In the physical area I have developed a goal to spend at least one hour every day engaging in physical activity. In the spiritual area I have developed a goal to spend wake up a half hour early to pray and meditate for at least one half hour in the afternoon and late evening. In the psychological area I have developed a goal to continue training my mind to be a mental Olympian. I will make inner development my life’s work. I intend to undergo a permanent change by properly training my mind from the ordinary to the exceptional.

3. What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

The activities or exercise I can implement in my life to assist in moving toward each goal is to apply the five essential characteristics that are important to fully understand as I seek to revitalize my current approach to health and healing.

4. Describe your experience with The Crime of the Century relaxation exercise. To hear it, click here. Describe your experience. (What it beneficial? Frustrating? etc.)

My experience with The crime of the Century relaxation exercise was refreshing. It made me acknowledge relaxation should be a part of my daily routine. If I apply this technique daily I would not have days that are extremely overwhelming to the point of being exhausted. However I find myself burning the candle at both ends of the stick often. The same time transcends my limitations.

1. Review the exercises and practice sessions you have completed in this course. (Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, Visualization, meditation etc.) Choose two practices that you have determined to be most beneficial.

The two practices that I have determined to be most beneficial to me are Loving Kindness and The Subtle Mind.



How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster “mental fitness”? Provide specific examples.

I can implement these practices in my personal life to foster “mental fitness” by developing a higher consciousness by obtaining the ability to reliably access the deeper layers of my mind. This is what transforms a glimpse of what is possible into a way of life. I am able to progress through the psychospiritual levels of development with a single practice, the subtle mind practice. I am able to progress through the psychospiritual levels of development with a single practice.
Loving-kindness continuously reminds me to endure well-being and requires a diminished focus on myself and my own needs and an enhanced concern and compassion for the welfare of others. This places me directly and firmly on the path to integral health and life. From experience it is confirmed that loving-kindness attracts loving-kindness. When I attract loving-kindness, my mind is calmer and a far better candidate for contemplative practice. Although, initially I must practice this mental attitude, there will be time in the development of my psychospiritual life that loving-kindness will reveal itself as a natural and effortless aspect of higher consciousness. Then I will no longer have to cultivate this attitude or quality through practice.
The Subtle Mind also reminds me that enduring well-being requires cultivation of wisdom. I cultivate wisdom by taming and training my mind, accessing its deeper levels, and exploring the essential nature of mind and experience. I begin by taming my busy mind. I learn how to diminish the ceaseless mental movements of thoughts, feelings, and images. When I practice regularly, I am definitely able to still my mind and develop a witnessing consciousness that subsequently progresses toward the stable and facile mind of calm-abiding.

1. Complete the "Meeting Asciepius" exercise on track #4 on the Dacher CD. Describe your meditative practice(s) for the week and discuss the experience.
My meditative practices for the week were very concentrated on my inner mind that produced the natural essence of my heart/mind which is the subtle mind.
Explain how mindfulness or meditation has fostered an increase in your psychological or spiritual wellness.
Mindfulness or meditation has fostered an increase in my psychological or spiritual wellness as I abhorred that which is evil and got a grip on those things which are good. I captured my dad, mom and sister all together just as it was many years ago as our family started out. I felt such a peace that caused my heart to smile as all negative images were overtaken by a bright white light. There was rejection to all interference of the subtle mind.
How can you continue to apply these practices in your life to foster greater health and wellness?
I can continue to apply these practices in my life to foster greater health and wellness my using this technique at least once daily. 2. Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (P.477).
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” is described as Wilber puts it: do not confuse the map with the territory; having a map of Hawaii (or any other place) is not like actually being there. The ability to see the divine in everyone and treat each individual as though he or she were Christ or the Buddha can transform the suffering of illness into the grace of healing.
How does this apply to the health and wellness professional?
This applies to the health and wellness professional because although we have not actually experienced exactly what a client has we can relate based on the knowledge we have obtained in our studies in addition to the information they have shared with us.
Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not?
Yes I do have an obligation to my clients to be developing my health psychologically, physically, and spiritually to become integrally informed and take up an integral practice and then bring this new awareness to the practice of medicine.
To see each patient as a luminous jewel, tarnished to be sure from the imperfect (from a relative perspective) unfolding process of human development, is to experience medicine as a spiritual path that transcends and diminishes the lower-level issues of the financing of health care.
How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life? I can implement psychological and spiritual growth in my personal life by becoming educated about the integral model so that I can at least be integrally informed and bring this awareness to each patient encounter.

3. Describe the exercise and assessment process.

The Loving Kindness (meditation) exercise is practiced by closing your eyes and for a minute of two rest into the natural ease of your mind and body, and repeat the following 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 individuals in finding health, happiness, and wholeness?

The Integral Assessment is another approach to identify any urgent area of distress. It is achieved by:

Closing your eyes while resting into the ease and stillness of your mind and body, releasing all mental activity. When quiet, ask yourself, “What aspect of my life—psycholospiritual, biological, interpersonal, or worldly—is the source of difficulty and suffering?” Focus on this one area. What line of development is most essential for me at this time? Focus on this one area. What is my current level of development and what can I aim for? This is the first aspect of assessment. You may explore this over several days or weeks.

Return to recenter in stillness. We’ll now shift from a focus on healing to a focus on promoting integral development. You may now ask,”What area of my life is ready for growth and development? Is it the same area that also needs healing or is it another area? What would the next level of development look like? This is the second aspect of assessment. You may wish to jot down a few thoughts in your journal.
What did you discover about yourself?

What I discovered about myself is I gained an enhanced awareness that serves as an informal and ongoing assessment tool.

What area have you chosen to be a focus of growth and development? Why?

The area that I have chosen to be a focus of growth and development is loving kindness because when I lost my mother and my oldest sister less that thirty days apart I was so broken and experienced a great loss in my life. I could not find answers as I searched my heart and asked why this was allowed to happen. It happened right before mother’s day and I literally found no reason to celebrate mother’s day although I am a mom as well.

What are some specific exercises or activities that you can implement to foster greater wellness in this area?

Some specific exercises or activities that I can implement to foster greater wellness in this area is practice the loving-kindness and subtle mind exercises.

1. Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise.

In comparison loving-kindness opens our heart to others and gradually diminishes self-centeredness, priming our mind for further development. The subtle mind—witnessing, calm-abiding, and unity consciousness, opens our mind and reveals a penetrating wisdom that knows the truth of our life and of existence. Loving-kindness and wisdom are the essential elements that heal at the source and drive human flourishing.

Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

My experience with the loving-kindness exercise included the benefits of a diminished focus on myself and my own needs and an enhanced concern and compassion for the welfare of others. My mind is calmer and it is confirmed that loving-kindness really does attract loving-kindness.
My experience with the subtle-mind exercise was I cultivated wisdom by taming and training my busy mind, accessing its deeper levels, and exploring the essential nature of mind experience. I learned how to diminish the ceaseless mental movements of thoughts, feelings, and images. I am able to still my mind and develop a witnessing consciousness that’s subsequently progressing toward the stable and facile mind of calm-abiding. In no way did I experience frustration.

2. Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness.

The connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness is the development from body to mind to spirit is a shift in experience and identity from the realm of the physical with its emphasis on survival, instinct, and self to the more subtle and intangible realm of the mental with its focus on ideas, intention, and interconnectedness to the most subtle spiritual realm of awareness, wisdom, and oneness. This same development sequence is also a shift from outer to inner to innermost.

Unit 4 Blog

1. Describe your experience.
My experience with loving kindness is what I absolutely need to dwell deeply inside of me. Love covers a multitude of needless pain and troubles. This made me really open up my heart and mind to witnessing, calm abiding, and unity consciousness. My mind opened up to truth without justifying any negative thinking whatsoever. I captured the subtle mind as I cultivated wisdom by training my mind to explore true nature at deeper levels.
(Did you find it beneficial? Difficult?) Why or Why not?
Yes I did find it very beneficial because it caused me to still my mind and experience calm abiding.
Would you recommend this to others? Why or why not?
There is no doubt that I would recommend this to others to become more stable and gain happiness, peace, wisdom and compassion.

2. What is the concept of “Mental Workout"?
The concept of Mental Workout is not for rest and relaxation but rather the progressive development of an expanded consciousness and its healing capacities.
What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out?
Research indicates that mental training can transform the mind by reducing disturbing emotions that case anger, hatred, confusion, fear, doubt, and worry while enhancing positive emotions such as patience, loving-kindness, acceptance, happiness and openness.
How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health?

3. Participate in the Blogs of at least three other students. Provide them with feedback on their experiences (Do you have any suggestions or support for them? How does their experience(s) compare to your experience(s)? What have you learned from their blog?).

1. Based on your reflections and the assessments completed in the project: On a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being optimal wellbeing) where do you rate your A-physical wellbeing, B-spiritual well-being, C-psychological well-being? Why?

Based on my reflections and the assessments completed in the project, on a scale of 1 to 10 I rate my physical wellbeing 9. I said 9 because I don'y always have the time to go to the fitness center or due to rainy weather I have to cancel my walk. Currently I have a very busy schedule. Physical fitness has always been important to me and when I can actually feel the difference I know it is due to lack of physical fitness. Regarding my spiritual well-being I rate myself a 9 due to my temporary schedule. Praying and meditation is part of my daily regiment. It is a very important part of who I am and the outcome of my accomplishment. My psychological well-being is a 9 as well because of my very busy schedule. My physical well-being and spiritual well-being determines my psychological well-being.

2. Develop a goal for yourself in each area (physical, spiritual, psychological).

My physical goal is to engage in some type of physical activity for at least one hour every day. My spiritual goal is to spend more time praying for all those connected to me and spend more time meditating as well. Meditation helps me to relax and focus on my priorities. My psychological goal is not to set unrealistic goals.

3. What activities or exercise can you implement in your life to assist in moving toward each goal?

The activities or exercise I can implement in my life to assist in moving toward each goal is to stay organized and maintain my schedule.

4. Describe your experience with The Crime of the Century relaxation exercise.

My experience with The crime of the Century relaxation exercise was refreshing. It made me acknowledge relaxation should be a part of my daily routine. However I find myself burning the candle at both ends of the stick often.
To hear it, click here. Describe your experience. (What it beneficial? Frustrating? etc.)

5. Participate in the Blogs of at least three other students. Provide them with feedback on their goal strategies. (Would their strategies be beneficial for you? Why or Why not? Do you have any suggestions for them? Would their strategies work for your clientele? Why or why not?)