unit 8

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

I think that the loving kindness exercise is really easy and yet you can really apply it to your every day life. I think that I of all people have the fault of really looking at life negatively and  seeing the glass and half empty if not completely empty. I think that I have really tried to utilize the loving kindness exercise when I am driving. I feel that I have "road rage" and find myself muttering four letter words about other drivers instead of letting petty issues go.  Since trying this activity I have been making up reasons why I should not get angry with people while I drive! I know that it is a small step but I am trying really hard.

I really, really liked the human flourishing activity from this week. It gave me a reason to go down memory lane and recall some of my favorite memories that I have long put away. I think that when I am angry or find myself in a negative place I am going to use this to remind me of all the great things in my life and all the reasons that I have to be thankful! Its crazy the details I was able to recall while doing this activity, it really guides you through the memories all the way back to the very smallest details that you may think you have forgotten!

unit 7

This has been a horrible week to try and attempt any form of meditation or wellness. I listened to the exercise and I even tried to allocate a time in my day that I could meditate this however, like usual however more so did not work out. I am currently on leave and I have spent a great deal of time hanging out with my family and eating as many Christmas baked goods as humanly possible. I also have caught up on a copious amount of sleep. I know that in our reading and even in my own life that meditation increases psychological and spiritual wellness however, I think if I could make the time I could really benefit from these things. I just however, have fail to do so.

This is a very true statement. I think that a lot of the help we give out is based on personal experiences. I think that giving advice from a personal place is far more valuable than a non personal one. I think that it almost gives it more credit. We definitely have a sole obligation to our patients to be the best we can be, to give anything less is to "sacrifice the gift". I think that it is always important to take a biased opinion and not subject to much of ourselves on our clients however, I also find it important not to be too robotic. I think that I can implement psychological and spiritual growth by finally committing a real time to meditate!!! as seen from most of my posts I have neglected to do so throughout the course of the class because of either laziness or stress both I think can be improved by meditation!

Unit 6

1. I sat at the kitchen counter and attempted the exercise. I found it to be unsuccessful because I am distracted by different things going on around me. I think that this would be better if I actually had time or made time for this exercise however, I am currently on leave from the Navy and I never get to see my family. I'm not trying to rush this activity however, I am not trying to excessively put more effort than needed into it either.

2. I think that this question in my life at least has multiple answers. For some reason no matter what I do I keep hearing a clock ticking in my head, I cannot fully appreciate the time I have because I am always waiting for it to end... For instance I am home for 17 days, the airport in Eugene is my favorite place in the world when I come in however, on my way out the only word to describe it would be perhaps loathing. I think that if I could learn to appreciate the moment more I would maximize my time more,

3. I discovered that I need to choose patience as my area of growth and development. I heard a song the other day that said "we must have roots before branches" the same concept is applied to walking before running. I think that I need to focus more time and energy on being patient and by doing that I think I will make more out of not only my time but also my life.

unit 5

1. I think that in a lot of ways these activities are a lot alike. I think that I am still having the big issue of allocating enough time to really get the most out of the exercise. This one reminded me a lot of the Loving Kindness exercise, I did like it more than the subtle mind one however, I am in a better mood this week so I think that that may have had something to do with it. I think that this could be really great if I had a group of people to do it with me or help keep me motivated but right now with the holiday and work it really has been stressful for me.

2. I think that the one thing that I have learned through this class is that all things are connected. with one thing off the whole cycle is off. I can relate to this because when my body is hurting my mind focuses completely on that aspect, but if your mind is altered like with stress your body feels the affects. we have learned that we can train the mind and body with the soul to work in perfect harmony. I think that between the two activities I like the Loving Kindness exercise because it is a little bit easier for people that are not really open to the eastern sense of medicine.

mental workout

I am a  Buddhist so the concept of guided meditation is not unknown to me. I tried very hard and listend to the activity multiple times throughout the week however, I was unable to really calm the thoughts in my mind and focus. I went to the yoga gym and sat with my fellow yogies however, even there in the heated room I couldn't find peace.  This lead me to reflect on my week and why I could not balance myself to meditate. I think that between work and the stress of the holidays I have been too busy to really work on my own inner peace and chi. Yesterday I got some sort of virus which I think is the physiological manifestation of my stress, I sat today and for one hour was able to calm my mind and meditate. To my surprise when I finished my headache was gone and my mind clear.

Aristotle once wrote "we are what we repeatedly do, then excellence is not an act but a habit."
I think that this quote best sums up what a mental workout is. According to the book studies have shown that a mental workout can prevent negative emotions and in the same time enhance positive ones. I think that this is an interesting concept that I should try and implement more in my life. We have already learned that through the implementation of integral health and holistic practices a person can go on to lead a much happier and healthier life overall. I think that this week was a great testament in my life to the importance of balancing stress in your life. I am usually a pretty stress free person however, once I let stress manifest in my mind my body was not soon after affected.

Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health.

UNIT THREE

1.) Being that I am in the military and our physical fitness is a contengency of our employment I think that I would have to rate myself at an 8. I am not a 10 because I feel that there is always room to improve and the fitness program that I am in facilitates for improvement and advancemen. My spiritual wellbeing I am embarassed to say is probably like a 3 or 4. I don't dedicate nearly enough time in my life and I let other things take priority. I am hoping that I can change this. My psychological well-being I think is the happy medium between the other two categories. I think that I am not as strong mentally as I am physically however, I know I am stronger mentally than I am spiritually so I would rate that at probably a easy 6.

2. My goal for my physical health is to be able to run a marathon by the end of the year. I think that at the rate I train this is an easily attainable goal. Spiritually I am trying to commit to doing meditation and yoga at least 3 times a week. I have been keeping a log and trying to accomplish this without making excuses or prioritizing other things above it. Mentally this class is actually my goal. I have been working a lot and feel myself fallinig behind, this is not what I want so I certainly want to try and change while we are still at the beginning of the class.

3. I have made a calender to facilitate all three of the goals. I think that my biggest problem is time management I consistantly put my job over all other priorities in my life despite how important the work may be. I don't know why I feel like I always have to be working but I do. I am using the calender as a visual reminder that I need to make time in my life for other things rather than realize it at the last moment.
4.) As "zen" as I claim to be I actually found the excercise really annoying because I thought that it was honestly a waste of my time. I know that sounds really jaded but at the rate that I move the mere thought of forcing myself to sit and "relax" for 19 minutes was horrible. I think that maybe though that was a good thing because I was forced to "chill out" I am going to try and do the excercise again throughout the class and see if I can build a tolerance to it.

Introduction

I am a United States Navy corpsman. I throughly adore my job and it has been the most unexpected adventure I have ever embarked on. I am originally from Eugene, Oregon. I adore the Northwest and despite my many travels I always seem to find my way back there. I love being outdoors and active whether it is running and hiking or playing rugby and rock climbing. I always find clarity outdoors. I spend a lot of time working, I tend to work between a 12-18 hour work day and when I am home I can be found either reading or playing with my dog. I got my dog in North Carolina on New Years Day when someone threw her out of a moving van. She is my greatest friend and the best companion through my ventures. I am a avid reader which is where my dog gets her namesake from. Her name is Atticus Finch, named after the lawyer in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" which just happens to be my favorite book. I found Atticus accross from a field called "Mockingbird folly" so I found the name not only poetic but fitting as well. I love history and whenever I find myself in a new place I find it necessary to learn the history of where ever I may be. I think it gives us a sense of connectivity to know where we come from.

Mhm, how to be reflective? I think that to me family is one of the most important things in my life. It grounds me, and in the work that I do it is very easy at times to feel your morality slipping away so it's good to have a solid foundation upon which to live your life. I think the quote in the Act of Valor sums up how I feel the best.

"You live your life by a code, an ethos, every man does. It's your shoreline, it's what guides you home. And trust me, you're always trying to get home."

I think that without my family I would be lost as sea, they are my lighthouse which guides me away from the jagged shoreline in storms, and point the direction to a safe harbor in rocky seas. I would be no where without them.

 I am hoping someday to go to medical school so that I can work overseas with impoverished countries offering medical care. We'll see how that goes.  However, until then it's just one big adventure....