Personal Application of the Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

I.      Introduction

Why is it important for health and wellness professionals to develop psychologically, spiritually and physically? What areas do you need to develop to achieve the goals you have for yourself?

It should be imperative that health and wellness professionals develop themselves psychologically, spiritually and physically.  This is crucial because the integral approach is specific and individualized.  The health care professional should be receptive in intimate listening skills, compassion, empathy and interconnectedness to the patient.  The professional, he or she, can only attain this valuable skill from pervading their own specific psychological, spiritual and physical needs and transformation.  This implies that a professional should at least have human experience and advice regarding any circumstances or dilemmas in one of the four aspects of life and can share through crucial and vital listening skills.  The health professionals help to facilitate their patient aspects from allowing through expansiveness, intimacy and evolutionary conversation that will arrive at a self-healing process.  The final process of spiritual enlightenment need not have an outside professional help.  Contemplative practices and integral human flourishing will establish a pattern of success. 

II.    Assessment

How have you assessed your health in each domain? How do you score your wellness spiritually, physically, and psychologically?

I have assessed my health in each domain and I only feel proficient in one.  The four quadrants or aspects of the human experience, I feel that the biological quadrant is strong for me with still a lot of necessary learning I have to do.  In this area it is in the outward quadrants of upper right and lower right quadrants.  The anatomical, physiological, mind and spiritual bodies, I can understand and work on easily.  However, I have work to do in the inward quadrants of psychospiritual and interpersonal which are the upper left and lower left quadrants.  My inner development is vital to my unique approach to integral health.  Inner and personal aspects need development and evolution to promote my well-being.

III.   Goal Development

List at least one goal you have for yourself in each area, Physical, Psychological (mental health) and Spiritual.

Physical domain:

My one goal is to develop the mind/body connection to its fullest extent.  This will help to strengthen my mind. 

Psychological domain (mental health):

My goal will to attain great characteristics of deep listening – 1. Sense of intimacy, 2. Empathy, 3. Compassion, 4. Unity of heart and mind, 5. Direct knowledge of the other, 6. An acknowledging presences, 7. Mutual inner peace and stillness.  Mental workout practices will help with stressors and insure a calmer, peaceful and empowering thought process.  (Dacher, 2006).

Spiritual domain:

My goal will be to someday reach Unity-Consciousness through meditation and diligent contemplative practices.

IV.   Practices for Personal Health

What strategies can you implement to foster growth in each of the following domains; Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual. Provide at least two examples of exercises or practices in each domain. Explain how you will implement each example.

Physically:

Since I work out a lot and now rely on the mind body connection, I can use it as a strategy for practicing the subtle mind: witness-mind and calm-abiding to get the most from my mental capacity to block out chatter of a busy mind and concentrate on movements.  Also the concentration on the visualization technique for my mind/body will help with Jui Jitsu moves and MMA strategies because of the chess match that is involved with this contact sport.

Psychologically:

The stressors of my life are abundant right now but manageable.  Loving-Kindness is a huge practice for me at this moment in life and provides great comfort.  I need to feel this way in certain circumstances and situation along with the subtle mind.  These two practices are now my stability and bridge for getting over a long day.  I will do my best to implement these practices each mornings and perhaps right before bed in order to gain recuperative sleep. 

Spiritually:

I hunger for this type of life but I know it comes with due diligence, patience and hard work.  To attain this level plan to continue the path to integral health and practice through all the quadrants and domains and strive to execute the five principles of Ken Wilbur’s integral map.  I will be intentional and person-centered in my attempt to practice intimacy and spiritual union.  My partner (my wife) and I can practice this union to spiritually stay on the path to intimacy and away from dependency.  This is another level of spirituality I want to cultivate.  This eludes separateness and also cultivates oneness.  This is an essential part of growth and development which can enable universal loving-kindness which is not a romantic relationship but a general relationship to others having open-heartedness, sensitivity, generosity and the capacity to empathic listening and seeing which leads to caring for others.  (Dacher, 2006).

V.     Commitment:

How will you assess your progress or lack of progress in the next six months? What strategies can you use to assist in maintaining your long-term practices for health and wellness?

I will do my best to keep a journal of my progress just as I do with a work out progress sheet.  When I prescribe my physical work outs for maximum benefit of exertion; I will have to implement a realistic time goals on my meditative and contemplative practices.  I will have to eliminate time robbers in my life and maximize my schedule to free up time for these practices. 

I can use time management to insure long-term practices.  I have discovered that time is precious and I should be able to allot 15 to 20 per day in these integral health practices.  All I can say is that I will do my best in these integral health endeavors.  I am thankful for this course and grateful it was required because I do not know if I would have taken this course it was not required.  I know that I will read Ken Wilbur’s Integral Health: The Path to Human Flourishing, again but I will take my time when I get stolen moments of the day.

References

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