THE END........UNIT 10

Hey, Professor and Class! 

Is this REALLY the end?
  

Here is my final assessment.  I am rating myself from 1-10 (1 lowest and 10 highest). 

Psychological
In unit 3, my psychological score was a 3.  My mind had been "hijacked" because I was dealing with a lot of personal issues.  However, after taking this class and applying the mental practices that Dacher suggested, I am proud to say that I am now a 7.  I have learned (and still learning) that I do not have to live my life in mental defeat because I realize that the mind, body and spirit are not separate entities.  They are connected, and when one is disconnected, then all become disconnected.  I am growing and flourishing in areas that I thought were impossible.  My goal is to continue strengthening my mind so that I can flourish and be healthier.  When the mind is unhealthy, everything is unhealthy. I have found that I must respond and not react to situations when they arise.  I have learned that if you react prematurely, then the outcome of the response can become negative and ugly. So my goal and lifestyle change is to incorporate more focusing, meditation, reading, and journaling of my thoughts.  Most of all daily prayer. 

Physical

In unit 3, my physical score was a 7 and it remains there.  I need to incorporate more of a variety in my daily regimen.  I think with working full-time, family obligations and returning to school, I have been “hitting and missing” with exercising.  With the New Year approaching, I will do better in this area to reach a 10!  One of my goals is taking a yoga class through my health provider.  I am also going to walk briskly 15-20 minutes per day.  Stretching and getting the "juices" flowing upon rising in the morning will prove to be beneficial as well.

Spiritual

In unit 3, my score was a 9 and it will remain a 9 because there is always room for growth.  Personally, I feel that spirituality cannot really be measured.  Everyone’s belief system is different. Nonetheless, I consider myself a 9 because I have a relationship with God rather than a relationship with religion and traditions. Everyday, I work at bonding to have a closer relationship with God because I am so grateful and thankful for my life and all of the blessings that my family and I have acquired.  Along with the Bible, I have to say that this course has really strengthened my awareness of spirituality because I am learning to connect the mind, body and spirit to endless possibilities, of peace, loving kindness, intention and compassion and continuing to have joy in my heart. 

In closing, I am striving to be a better “Patricia” in 2013.   I am the first to admit that “I am a work in progress” and there is room for improvement in all areas.  I do not want to set myself up for failure because I am on the road to recovery.  I think a better description of a goal for me would be a LIFESTYLE CHANGE.   We are humans, and humans are fickle.  Every year people make New Year’s resolutions and by the middle of the year (or sooner), all of those goals and expectations are null and void.  Lifestyle changes are better for my life because I know if I don't succeed at first, I can pick up myself up, dust myself off and start again without being discouraged. 

What I take from this class is that I am learning to deal with life better—with more clarity and more growth.  When I eventually complete my college journey, the integral practices that I have learned in this course, will also help me to assist my clients professionally because I will be equipped to partnership in their healing process as well. 

I recently pull a book from my personal library called "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle.  This book is based on same the concepts as Dacher, and I believe that this book will be another great tool for my well-being and inner growth.

I would like to leave you with a passage that is very apropos:

“We are discovering that our mental and physical life are not predetermined and fixed, and our capacity for health is flexible, dynamic, and expansive.  Therefore, we know that the mind is trainable and that robust health can result from the systematic training of our mind through planned, systematic inner development" (Dacher, p 21).   I like that :)

Shout-Outs

Class, for those of you who commented and supported my blogs and discussion boards--thank you very much! Last, but not least, thank YOU Professor Maule for being a wonderful Instructor, and guiding me through various thought provoking questions as I probed deeper within myself.  I truly appreciate your support and I enjoyed this class very much. 

Best wishes to everyone and have a wonderful and prosperous New Year!

Peace and blessings always~

Patricia