Unit 7
The Aesculapius mp3 meditation exercise, like all other guided exercises is a struggle for me. I am very much a relax at my own pace type of person, but because I know that everyone has different needs (not just in relaxing but nutrition, education, exercise ...) I try to keep an open mind. I actually visualized the great grandmother who raised my mom and her 3 sisters, by the time I was old enough to form solid memories she had begun to lose a battle with dementia but in her younger days had raised her children, siblings children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and was well versed in Appalachian medical remedies and knowledge. It was nice to see her face again, and think about the peace and love I always felt around her. 

This particular mediation practice is great for every now and then, especially when I feel like I need a change (sometimes doing the exact same thing day in and day out becomes too routine- just going through the motions because I know what should come next). It may be fantastic for someone who enjoys the led meditation, I did feel more refreshed after.

• 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?

I had never been to the Middle East, but took seven young medics there and it was my duty to keep them safe/ teach them to be better medics/ develop them into better soldiers and provide the best care for the most people possible. I had not gone there before my soldiers, we experienced this together, and yet I lead. Everyone came home, five were promoted (and deserved it 10 times over), all had a higher skill and confidence level- we lost no soldiers either.

I have never experienced the pain of congestive heart failure, sexual assault or the passing of a child, but am often called on to relieve, advocate, and comfort any given situation.

What I have not personally experienced, I have to study. I can use my personal knowledge of emotion and compassion combined with knowledge from others- books, case studies, intelligence gathered and briefed, drills, and training to help my patients. A map may not be the same as the actual place, but if you can read the map and understand what a hill or a stream looks like you might be able to infer the rest. I believe that just because we have not experienced every possible situation does not mean that we cannot combine genuine caring with external information to better help our patients. Of course that education is and should be a part of psychological and spiritual growth. After every class one takes do we not change our thinking habits or opinions once we have been exposed to factual information? Isn't that growth.

I think that the spirit of the text may have been something all medics learn in W school- treat the patient not the machine, which simply means each of us is unique, special, and wonderful so all will have different reasons behind why that monitor is screaming. (Oh and machines break.)

Universal Loving Kindness Exercise

Beginning with closing my eyes and resting into the natural ease of my mind and body was super easy and something I usually do daily anyway- for several reasons mostly because I want to leave work at work, school at school, and give my best self to my family.

Now dedicating an entire 10 minutes to repeating anything is a different story. I had to start this exercise about 4 times before getting a whole ten minutes in. Like most parents I have a stressful life- but good stress so I have picked up several centering and calming things to do that take a lot less time, and have equally easing results.
When I did get 10 minutes in I found myself refreshed, again no more than from a 2-3 minute grounding exercise, but calmer none the less for all of 3 seconds. I had to pop 3 Monster High heads back on, super glue a dolphin-bank, and figure out where the 2 year old found a box of nitrile gloves (not even going into why she was filling them with water). 10 minutes is just too long, even with the other parent in the house (he is the one who accidentally broke the heads trying to get the dolls re-dressed) so I don't think I will be using this particular exercise in my future routine.

The Integral Assessment was a little different, looking internally to find the source of difficulty or suffering in my own life was good, because it only took a little time over a few days. Once I decided exactly what I needed (or think I need) to focus on focusing on healing that area was really uplifting. Focusing on promoting promoting development for the area(s) that could use help was also helpful, and I think that in even as short time period I have seen some improvement. I am sure that other exercise will be beneficial, and although I have some staples I am open to new suggestions.