Unit 7

1.  Complete the "Meeting Asciepius" exercise on track #4 of the Dacher CD. Describe your meditative practice(s) for the week and discuss the experience. Explain how mindfulness or meditation has fostered an increase in your psychological or spiritual wellness. How can you continue to apply these practices in your life to foster greater health and wellness?

I have not been able to meditate like I would normally do, with everything that is going on and traveling across country. I’ve had to make sure that things get accomplished so I am able to even stay in these classes and have a home in which to live and a job to support myself. When I was doing the meeting asciepius exercise I did not get that much out of it. I was unable to free my mind of anything but what things need to be done. No matter how much I tried my thoughts were always racing. I think if I were to have taken the time on my journey even while in the car to just be at ease with myself, this practice would have come a lot easier. Sometimes it is easier said than done. I need to make sure that I practice meditation daily, When I was doing it daily I felt more at ease and was less stressed and now that I haven’t been doing it I can totally see the difference. Even thought life can get crazy and hectic I owe it to myself and others to take the time.

2. Describe the saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (P.477) How does this apply to the health and wellness professional? Do you have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? How can you implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life?

The saying that comes to mind is ‘practice what you preach’. We cannot try and explain a practice that we ourselves have not done. As a wellness professional it is important to comprehend and understand what it is you are teaching to your clients. As a professional we have a duty to ourselves and to others to expand ourselves and be the best we can. This means that developing psychologically, physically and spiritually; these are things that are interconnected and affect not only our lives but what we have to offer to others. I think that psychological and spiritual growth is important and continuing meditating and practicing daily and continuing towards integral health will not only help me but those around me. I need to continue with my daily meditations and practice daily with all the interactions I come across. I could never ask someone to do something that I have not done myself.