Unit 10 post

Unit 3 ratings-
Physical- 2
Spiritual-9
Psychological-8

Unit 10 ratings-
Physical- 8
Spiritual-9
Psychological-9

In ten weeks I've lost 40lbs (actually, it's 45 lbs as of this morning) and I feel amazing! I have about 130 more lbs to go but I'm running, walking, swimming and doing weight training. I eat 1200 calories a day and if I go out to eat I make sure to re-create my meals (most restaurants are okay with this, some are not but if they get upset, I go somewhere else) to make sure that I am never over my allowed calories and fat intake. I completely cut things out of my diet because addiction to things like juice and butter is the reason I need to lose the weight. My motto is; no excuses! I am in control and only I can make this happen.

Spiritually I am still at a 9 but I think I was actually at a 6 before. I wanted to think that I was where I needed to be but in reality, it was just wishful thinking. I went to a workshop and I also met with my pastor to discuss the struggle of overcoming the abuse I went through while growing up in a fundamental church. As a gay woman I am constantly bashed for "turning away" from God but the truth of the matter is that I've never felt closer to the one who I call God, than I do now. I will continue to work on this area and remember that I am who I am and that there is nothing wrong with that.

Psychologically I am still at a 10. I chose to rate myself at this because I have worked so hard to make these amazing changes and that mind chatter is now gone. I'm more than okay, I am on top of the world but I'm also balanced and smack dab in the middle and that is exactly where I needed to be.

Everything about this course was incredibly life changing! I was already working on these areas in my life but this class gave me that extra push that I needed to take the next step. I enjoyed the meditation exercises and I will keep those Cd's around to use those exercises in my time of morning meditation. Life is beautiful and I intend to live every minute of it with a sound mind, a healthy spirit and a fit body.
I wish everyone the best. LIVE! : )

Unit 8 blog

I tried to pick just two exercises but I could not decide. All the exercises we learned in this course have a huge roll in helping us to reach full integral health. Loving kindness, visualization and meditation are among the top three in my opinion and they have been very beneficial in my day to day routine.
Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness, so I take both very seriously. I work my body out everyday as I continue my journey of losing weight and I take mental fitness just as seriously. I wake up everyday and start out by taking the time to meditate and think good thoughts not just for myself but for other people as well. I practice visualization because it helps me stay focused on my goals. If I can picture myself 130lbs thinner, then it makes it easier to get through those insane 2 hour workouts. If I can picture myself getting straight A's then it makes it easier to hit the books for several hours a day. These are just a few of the things I visualize but I also believe in the power of attraction. The idea is that one can have anything they desire as long as they believe it and walk through life knowing that they deserve the best.

Unit 7

Who knew that there was healer within me? Hmm, I found this to be very interesting! I love to meditate but this meditation in particular was more rewarding than others. The fact that one can heal themselves is intriguing to me.
Meditation is what gets me through the day or maybe it's my willingness to clear my mind and actually meditate but either way, I view it as something positive. I've been really busy this week but I still make time every morning to meditate before I go to the gym. Between that, working out and eating insanely healthy, I feel amazing!! Meditation is a spiritual practice for me, a time of prayer and healing and I never miss a day.
"One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself"- There has been no truer statement! I could never talk to someone about getting healthy if they have no interest in actually getting healthy. I would not expect an unhealthy person to guide me to full integral health.
I have an obligation to my clients to be healthy in body, mind and spirit so that I can guide them to total wellness. Pursuing a degree in psychology has been so beneficial for me because it has forced me to look at the areas of my life that need to be worked on.
I continue to meditate every day, journal, workout, pray and to be apart of an amazing community of healthy individuals who can lead me to full integral health.

Unit 6 blog

I found the process of this assignment to be relaxing. I really enjoyed the practice on page 93 because it did not just focus on me as the individual but it helped me to focus on others as well. I found that I have a long way to go before I reach full integral development but that I am able to "hold the space" in body, mind and spirit, so that I can achieve it.
The area that I want to continue to grow in is my spiritual walk. I grew up in a very abusive religious environment and now that I attend an interfaith church, it's difficult for me to look past the Bible abuse and brainwashing to find what I really believe, not just as a person of faith but also as a gay woman. I want to work on this because my spiritual walk is a crucial part of my integral health.
I continue to meditate and pray on the troubles that are most problematic for me in this area of my life. I attend different seminars through my church and talk to others of faith who are in the same position as I am in. I'm actually sad to say that it is NOT hard to find support in this area but that my support system is amazing.

Unit 5 blog post

I'm not sure why the assignment asks us to explain our frustrations because to me, there is nothing frustrating about meditation (although I do understand that everyone is different). Both of these exercises are very relaxing and the benefits are always the same; I feel refreshed and ready to face my day.
Spiritual wellness is connected to mental and physical wellness in such a way that each one balances out the other. It's manifested in my life just through day to day experiences. If I am of spiritual and sound mind, I feel better in body but if I am spiritually broken and stressed out, it plays a toll on my health.
I'm really enjoying this class.
Peace,
Kristin

Mental Workout

Think of a mental workout like you would a physical workout. I'm in the process of losing weight right now, so this was the best way for me to view this process. I think the idea is to keep striving for balance on a psychological level. Challenge your mind, keep your brain turning and release all negative energy through exercises like meditation and mental imagery.

Loving Kindness Exercise

I had a blast with this exercise! It was such a stressful week and I've been struggling with a lot of things lately, so I used the Cd's for my morning meditation on Sunday. I woke up at 5am while my wife and the dogs were still sleeping and found myself better able to find balance and focus.
I also used this exercise to try and find a way to show more love toward my mother who is mentally ill. Her illness affects me even though she is 3,000 miles away, so it is often difficult for me to remember that her actions are not her but they are the part of an illness. I've been dealing with this for 30 years and one would think I'd be a pro at it but it gets more difficult with each passing day.
The exercise really did help me to relax all my muscles and I pictured my mother and the pain that she must feel on an emotional level day after day. By doing this I was able to put myself in her place and get a better grasp on the real issue. I talked to her for the first time in nine days (yesterday) and I did not get annoyed with her even once. I think I'll keep this exercise around. :)

Blog post #2 (Week 3)

Physical well-being: I definitely rate low on the poll for this one. I have lost a significant amount of weight but I have a long way to go. I'd rate myself at a 2. I also rate myself at a 2 because my seizures are so out of control.


Spiritual well-being: 9 for sure! I am a pan-spiritual person meaning that I embrace all different beliefs and ways of spiritual thinking. I attend an inter-faith church that is a home for queer spirituality and it is there that I have really found myself and have allowed myself to let go and connect with the one who I call God.


Psychological well-being: I'm at an 8 here with plenty of room to grow. I love my life and I have an amazing circle of friends who are always there to support me. I do however become easily frustrated which makes already stressful situation worse than what they need to be.

My goals would be to just continue to grow in each area. Life is a constant learning process that never ends, so it's best to remain open to change. I continue to get plenty of exercise, eat healthy, take vitamins and herbs to control my seizures (I just started this), attend a church that accepts me for who I am, continue on my spiritual walk and I meditate every day to help me relax.

My experience with the relaxation exercise was peaceful. I listened to the tone of the speakers calm voice and allowed myself to be centered and focused on my breathing. Now I'm ready to face my day. :)

For the Love of Pickles, just Relax! :)

I'm sure that most of you remember the childhood game "Pickle in the Middle", right? It involves a ball, three people with two on opposite ends and one in the middle. The people on the end throw the ball back and forth to each other while the one in the middle tries to catch it. When I was little I spent hours playing this game with my friends but I always ended up in the middle. I was shorter than most of my peers, so I would spin in circles, jump as high as I could and stretch my arms as far as they could go but I was never able to catch the ball which left me feeling frustrated and unable to win the game.

The art of relaxation is difficult for an adult to master, so think about how much more difficult it must be for a child. Had I known back then what I know now, I probably could have taken a few deep breaths, relaxed, jumped up and caught the ball with little effort. Pickle in the Middle reminds me a lot of life in general because all too often we get stuck in one place and it causes us to panic. Have you ever thought about taking a deep breath and accepting that the "situation is what it is"? By doing this you are able to accept that life is not always perfect and in that relaxed state of mind, you will find the courage to overcome the situation through the power of positive thinking.

I know that I make it sound easy but I know for a fact that it's anything but easy! The other day my family went to the beach and we took my seizure alert dog, Zoey. Zoey is my BCF (best canine friend) and I love her to pieces but she is still a rambunctious puppy and sometimes she can be a little trouble maker. It was her first time at the beach and she just loved the water but unfortunately she also loved digging in the sand and barking at other dogs. I started feeling overwhelmed knowing that I was going to be stuck here all day and it once again left me feeling like I was trapped in the middle unable to catch a break. We packed up our things and found something else to do that day but I know that the situation could have been handled differently and taking some deep breaths would have been a great start. ;)

Today was a busy day, so when it came time to relax I decided to jump right into homework. I enjoyed the relaxation exercise so much that I did it twice! After I finished I felt refreshed and ready to move on to my next task with more energy. When I did this exercise I lit candles, turned on my fountain, sat on the floor and allowed myself to enter into relaxation in full body, mind and spirit.

I'm still that "pickle in the middle" but I'm ready to relax now, catch that "ball" and teach others how to do the same.