Unit 7: Meeting Aesclepius

Describe your meditative practices 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 was not a big fan of this week’s meditation exercise. It reminded me of the meditation we did several weeks ago where we had to picture different colored beams of light coming from certain spots on our bodies. Through these different exercises I have noticed what I do and do not like. I like the relaxing music and noise of the waves in the background, but I did care for what the meditation instructor was telling me to do.

Meditation has definitely increased my psychological wellness. After each exercise (even if I do not like what the instructor is telling me what to do) I feel calm and relaxed. I can continue applying these practices in my life pretty easily. I could simply sit down in a quiet environment and practice quieting my mind, or I could go on YouTube and look up a guided meditation exercise.

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?

To me, the saying “One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” means that in order for me to teach someone about health and wellness I must practice what I preach. I cannot tell someone they need to do 150 hours a week of moderate intensity exercise unless I myself am doing 150 minutes a week.

I do believe that I have an obligation to my future clients to develop my psychological, physical, and spiritual health. Who is going to want to be told how to exercise from someone who is overweight? Who would want to be taught how to meditate from someone who is always stressed out? That is how I look at it. If I would not want to be taught from someone who does not follow their own advice nor would I expect my clients to.

I think there are always ways in which we can further develop our physical, psychological, and spiritual health. In my personal life, I could be more persistent in starting every day off with prayer and reading the Bible to develop my spiritual life. Taking time out of my day for meditation would be a good way to implement psychological growth.