I HEART YOGA

I love yoga; I really do. I think I was born with a natural inclination toward a yogic lifestyle. As a child, I enjoyed stretching and tumbling. Naturally, I gravitated toward yoga asana classes in college. I took my first ever Yoga class at City College San Francisco in 1998. I have been practicing with some regularity ever since. When I decided to do my first Yoga teacher training program in 2005, a whole new way of living opened up for me. Being introduced to the spiritual philosophy and practices filled a void that had been inside of me that religions had not. And life has given many opportunities for learning to practice, to live my yoga. I’m not talking about living in an ashram somewhere, meditating half the day, eating dal and organic kale. Who has time for that? Not me, not right now. I’m talking about applying the practices to meet the demands of my every day life and achieve some kind of balance. 

I have take on a lot of responsibilities in life. I’m a single parent with two kids and pets. I am self employed. I’m always taking classes. And it seems like there is always some kind of drama, heartbreak or upheaval going on in my life. I think this is because of the way I was raised and also my samscaras. I was born to teenaged parents who had substance abuse issues. I grew up to be, what I’ve learned is a pretty typical adult child of alcoholics. I find myself drawn to troubled people. For a long time, I thought I could somehow ‘fix’ these people. I have a tendency to become very attached to people who later abandon me and I can take it very personally. When this happens I may become very depressed myself. Interpretations of my astrological birth chart point to this tendency; it’s just who I am. This is my fait. Not to be a martyr, but to facilitate healing. My mission in life is to accept myself for who I am and to learn how I can best give service to people without giving too much of myself, not loosing myself inside of another. I humbly attempt to serve, selflessly.

Every morning when I wake up, I take a few minutes to meditate. I focus on my anja chakra. I focus on my breath and gently awaken my body. Sometimes I might play a guided meditation or a chant and I’ll practice some reiki hand positions or pranayam. I do not usually take a full 20 minutes of meditation, which is recommended, but 5 minutes every day, I do. I think consistency is the most important thing. Also I will call upon meditation to clear my head at any given point in the day when I catch myself not being present. 

When life gets particularly stressful, some people fall into unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol or over eating. I don’t know how many lives I’ve watched go from bad to worse because of these vices. Now, I’m not perfect. I have done these things myself, but more and more often, I choose Yoga and self care as my way of coping with stress and depression. My monkey mind may be spiraling around and round. My body may be aching with physical pain caused by the burden of stress I am carrying. Sometimes I am so overcome that I can’t function. So, I roll out my yoga mat. I find a supported, seated position. I focus on my breath.Then I visualize a grounding chord reaching from my pelvis into the core of the Earth and up into the crown of my head, I’ll focus on opening my 6th and 7th chakras, to shower in a white light with golden sparkles. I’ll sit and breath for as long as I need to, or as long as I can. Then I move into an asana practice that suits my current needs. I generally prefer a gentle, but flowing practice that emphasizes heart openers and twists because these literally unwind the knotted up energy and constrictions in the body. I also like inversions. They help to bring more blood flow to the brain, which helps to bring clarity. I think ‘fish pose’ is my favorite pose. I could stay there all day. I have been working on headstands recently. I have some issues with my neck and shoulders, so this has been a very good practice for building strength and overcoming limitations. 

Teaching yoga is a very important way I stay in practice. I really love the work of teaching and sharing what I have learned with others. Assisting the Seniors and Restorative Yoga Class at City College San Francisco has been such a wonderful experience for me. I enjoy working with the group. They seem grateful to have me there and I have learned a lot. I know more about modifications, variations and the psychology of working with people. I have been teaching mostly private lessons or small groups of three or four people. Working with the large group of sixty seniors has given me the confidence to begin teaching a larger group myself. It is time to propel my career to the next level. 

Many big changes are coming up in my life. One of which is that the primary teacher of Yoga I have been mentored by for the last few years is retiring. This does not necessarily mean I will never see her again, because I will have the opportunity to  work with her occasionally for workshops and I may see her at MA Center events. Suvani Stepanek has been a major influence on my yoga practice, my teaching style and my personal growth. I am very grateful for her influence on my life. Now that Suvani’s classes are coming to an end, I will need to find a new mentor. I think I will begin to spend more time at the Integral Yoga Institute,  I go there from time to time and I really like it there. I went there on Thanksgiving to practice asana, puja and have a pot luck feast. I can practice all aspects of yoga at IYI. I can volunteer in exchange for asana classes. I can participate in more pujas, kirtans and workshops. They are an international organization with a strong teacher training program. I am excited to spend more time there. Perhaps I’ll meditate for longer periods and eat more kale.

I am so grateful to be living my yoga. With all the addiction, mental illness and disfunction in my family, I don’t know where I would be without it. Because I have yoga I am able to achieve more equanimity in my life, a clearer mind, a more balanced emotional state and a healthier body. I am healthier, happier and more free from suffering. I want to share this freely with others, so they may reap the benefits of Yoga as well. 

ALCOHOL ABUSE & ADDICTION

Alcohol abuse is the primary drug problem in American society. Americans spend more than $90 billion dollars on alcohol each year. An average American may drink 25 gallons of beer, 2 gallons of wine, and 1.5 gallons of distilled spirits each year. 15 million Americans are dependent on alcohol. 500,000 are between the age of 9 and 12. Alcohol related problems are costing the American economy at least $100 million in health care and lost of productivity every year. About 1 out of 4 Americans admitted to general hospitals are abusing or dependent on alcohol. Undiagnosed alcoholics are being diagnosed for alcohol related illnesses and injuries every day. Alcohol abuse is the third leading cause of death in the US, causing 35 to 40 percent of motor vehicle fatalities, as well as chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, home injuries, drownings, fire fatalities, job injuries, and 3-5% of cancer deaths. 40% of all industrial fatalities and 47% of work related injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism. A 2001 survey shows 25 million Americans reported driving under the influence of alcohol, a number that grows each year. Among young adults age 18 to 25 years, almost 23% have driven under the influence of alcohol. The latest death statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), show that 17,488 people where killed in alcohol related traffic accidents in 2010. This report represents nearly 800 more people where killed than the previous year. In 1996, local law enforcement agencies made an estimated 1,467,300 arrests nationwide for DUI offenses. Four of ten criminal offenders report alcohol as a factor in violence. Among domestic violence victims, three quarters of incidents were reported to have involved alcohol use by the offender. 

Alcoholism is a mental health disorder that is characterized by an uncontrollable compulsion to drink. A combination of social and biological factors may lead to alcohol dependence. One primary risk factor is a family history of the disease. This is due to both the influence of psychosocial and cultural factors of being exposed to and effected by alcohol abuse, alcoholic behavior. Also biological factors, chemical imbalances and possible genetic predisposition. People who suffer from alcoholism become mentally and physically dependent on the drug. Alcoholics build up a tolerance, needing more and more alcohol to get the desired effects. Without alcohol, symptoms of withdrawal can present within a couple of hours. These symptoms include irritability, nausea, tremors, anxiety and insomnia. Severe withdrawal symptoms can include heart arrhythmias, seizures, delirium and death. It is advisable that someone who needs to detox, do so under supervised medical care. 

Excessive alcohol consumption may lead to permanent biological abnormalities. For the developing brain, alcohol consumption is particularly dangerous because during adolescence baseline chemical balances are being established. Glucocorticoid hormones are released under stress. Chronic stress can make the nucleus accumbens, a part of the  brain sensitive to high levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Dopamine is important for survival instinct, taking action and desire for more of something. Seratonin exists to regulate dopamine. Dopamine levels rise with consumption of alcohol as baseline seratonin levels may be low, creating a pathology of addiction.

Alcohol interrupts key receptors in the brain that effect the ability to create memories. This can lead to alcohol induced amnesia commonly known as a blackout. Additionally this interruption effects cognitive abilities for days after the drinking has stopped, so if alcohol consumption persists, it takes a toll on the hypocampus, an important emotional center of the brain. Alcoholic depression may worsen with time as do the chances of making poor choices that negatively effect the life of the alcoholic. Life becomes unmanageable, home and career being effected and physical health declining.

Most Alcoholics do not voluntarily seek treatment until they ‘hit bottom’. Even if the alcoholic does seek help, recovery takes a lifetime. Treatment for the disease of alcoholism is a multi step process. First the addict must detox. Withdrawal symptoms are harsh and at it’s worst may include heart arrhythmias, seizures, delirium and death. Medications can help reduce withdrawal symptoms but may pose the risk of becoming the replacement addiction. Disulfiram (Antabuse) causes vomiting if alcohol is ingested. It is commonly used to prevent relapse, an immediate return to drinking. Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist that helps reduce cravings by blocking pleasure producing effects. These are both helpful for preventing alcohol consumption. Valium or benzodiazepines ease withdrawal symptoms, overcoming motor excitement, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, tension and anxiety, but they must be used with great care and close supervision because they can be addictive as well. It would do an alcoholic no good to replace one addiction with another, but it happens. 

Residential alcohol rehabilitation centers are live in programs for individuals undergoing the earliest stages of alcohol detox and returning to sobriety. Licensed counselors, medical staff and other professionals care for and guide addicts toward a healthier life, treating the addiction, the mental health afflictions and the possible physical ailments caused by alcohol dependency. 

Psychological Treatment is the next necessary step to help keep an addict sober. The aim is to control abusive behavior and to learn healthy coping mechanisms for life’s challenges. Group therapy such as meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous or family therapy sessions can be helpful in providing social support and giving the addict some clarity and perspective. Behavioral and cognitive therapies are diverse in nature.  Aversive conditioning, a form of classical conditioning pairs alcohol consumption with negative stimuli such as drugs to induce nausea, vomiting or electric shock treatment. Learning social skills, modeling behavior, modifying cognitions, stress management, life skills and spiritual practices are all important to long term recovery.

Environmental Intervention seeks to assimilate an institutionalized addict back to society. Sober Living Environments, also known as half way houses. When people leave the strictly regimented alcohol rehab facility, they may not be ready to return to independent living. Sober houses provide an environment for addicts to live, providing structure, recovery planning and other tools, allowing them to have limited freedom while readjusting to life in society. Sober houses, employment training and job placement programs enable a recovering addict to get back on their feet and become productive members of society once again. 

Alcoholics Anonymous is the original Twelve Step Program that provides a structured path toward recovery from alcoholism. It is the primary model upon which many alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs are based. It combines a group therapy type of environment, with meetings and individualized support for it’s members by it’s members, with sponsorship. It’s premise is spiritual growth and personal accountability. The program is fully self supporting and self sustaining, which are powerful reasons why it works for those who work it. AA meetings can be found in virtually every community in the United States and around the world. 

Alcoholism is a family disease. To help a family cope and to possibly break the cycle, support and prevention programs for families do exist. 43% of Americans have been exposed to alcoholism in their families. Although people can not stop their loved ones from drinking, help is available that can provide support and guidance for those effected by alcoholics. Al-Anon and Al-Ateen family groups are twelve step programs related to Alcoholics Anonymous. Al-Anon members are able to recognize codependent, enabling behavior patterns that may do more harm than good for themselves and the addict. Through peer support and literature provided by the program, families can learn healthier ways to deal with the problems that arise due to alcoholism. Members do not dispense advise or directions, rather they share their experience, strength and hope. Members come to understand problem drinking as a family illness that affects everyone. By listening to members speak at meetings, one can hear how they came to understand their own role in this illness. The insights gained put them in a better position to play a positive role in the future. Research shows that when problem drinkers enter a recovery program, their chances for success are improved when they are supported by family members who are in a family recovery program. Al-Anon meetings can be found in communities nationwide and around the world.

Bibliography

Dougherty, Janis, The Pathology of Addiction, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3gfzfqEre0&feature=BFa&list=PLWfGqpx_2EcNGk84aqVsbZTlDYfSpaB93

Butcher, Mineka, Hooley, Abnormal Psychology Core Concepts, Pearson, Boston, 2011

http://www.healthcommunities.com/alcohol-abuse/riskfactors.shtml 

Afraid to Drink Afraid Not to Drink, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbUG_bUJLN4&feature=BFa&list=PLWfGqpx_2EcNGk84aqVsbZTlDYfSpaB93

American Psychiatric Association, DSM-IV, Washington DC, 2000

Al-Anon Family Groups, http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous, http://www.aa.org/?Media=PlayFlash

The Biology Behind Alcohol Induced Blackouts, Medline News Today,http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=230582, 07 Jul 2011

California Department of Motor Vehicles, http://dmv.ca.gov/about/profile/rd/duistats89_99.htm 

CDC Alcohol and Public Health,http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm

DrugRehabs.org, http://www.drug-rehabs.org/alcohol-statistics.php

Katcher et all, Estimating alcohol-related premature mortality in san francisco: use of population-attributable fractions from the global burden of disease study,http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/682

Medline News Today, Researchers Find Key Genetic Trigger of Depression,http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=204903 

National Institutes of Health, NIH News, Wednesday, January 19, 2011 http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/NewsEvents/NewsReleases/Pages/Genevariantspredicttreatmentsuccessforalcoholismmedication.aspx

Schneider, Mary-Jane, Introduction to Public Health, Jones and Bartlett

New Studies Bode Well for Yoga

New Studies Bode Well for Yoga

Past Life Karma

6-13-2012

So I had a revelation of what could very possibly be about a past life, karma and my quest for love. I put a number of pieces of the puzzle together from various aspects of my life. 

When I was a teenage girl, my friend and ex lover, gave me a deck of tarot cards, which I still have today. About a month ago, my friend was giving me a reading using these cards. She was very interested by the Princess of Cups card which was represented by Elaine, a character from the Arthurian legends. She advised me to look up her story. 

About a year ago, she did a reading with me for the first time. I was going through a difficult time emotionally as I was grieving the death of a friend’s daughter and at the same time my current relationship was falling apart. During this reading a couple of key points I recall were about past lives. She saw two. One was that of a powerful warrior. She suggested this was me in another life, but them she also saw a woman. This woman had something happen to her which consequently has carried into this life as a fear of my own power. She suggested I may have been persecuted as a witch. I shared with her an experience I had several years ago. I was at an overnight spiritual retreat with my mother and some of her friends. The lady who was leading the group was a hypnosis-therapist. She put us through a past life meditation in which I had a vision that I was a young woman, wearing a long robe, walking toward a small boat on a river. It was foggy, at the break of dawn. 

As for my present life, she saw that I had potential to be a great teacher and healer. She saw that traveling was important to me for fulfillment of my desires and my personal development. As for my soul mate, she saw him coming, in this lifetime.

So I look up this Elaine character. The first thing I find online is a painting of her entitled The Lady of Shallott” by John William Waterhouse. Immediately, I recognized it. I used to have this print. It is a young maiden sitting in a small boat. 

Elaine was the only daughter of Bernard of Astolat. In Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "Lancelot and Elaine" from The Idylls of the King (1859), she is an unassuming and humble woman. Lancelot, a famous knight of King Arthur's court, traveled to Astolat ,incognito, to compete in a tournament. Elaine falls deeply in love with him. She asks Lancelot to wear a token of hers in the tournament. It was her scarlet sleeve, emblazoned with pearls. He does indeed wear the token because it would add to his disguise. Lancelot is hurt during the tournament by a lance belonging to Bors, and falls ill. In Sydney Fowler Wright's "The Ballad of Elaine", Elaine sat by him day and night, nursing him back to health. For this, he did appreciate her and love her, but not in the way she loved him. When he was well, he announced that he would be leaving. Elaine begs him to marry her, but he finds that his love for Guinevere, wife of King Arthur, is too strong for him to be in love with Elaine. Lancelot does leave Astolat, and Elaine dies of a broken heart. Her family placed Elaine's body in a barge, and sets it adrift on the Thames River. The barge floats to Camelot.

In another of Tennyson's writings, The Lady of Shalott (original version, 1833; revised version, 1842), also includes a barge. But in this story, she is cursed to never look out her window. She is allowed to view the world only by looking into her mirror. She spends her days weaving the images she sees in her mirror, her "shadows of the world". One day, the handsome Lancelot passes by the window, and she forgets the curse and looks out her window to try and catch a glimpse of him. Her mirror cracks, and the curse is upon her. The Lady of Shalott goes down to the river, finds a boat, unties it and lays down. Her blood freezes and she dies. Her boat floats towards Camelot, and people come out to see this sight. In the crowd is Lancelot, and he looks down at her and says, "She has a lovely face: God in his mercy lend her grace, The Lady of Shalott".

So my theory is that I was Elaine, the Lady of Shalott. I’ve always been drawn to Druidic, pagan history, ritual and spirituality. I’ve also been drawn to the Arthurian legends. My daughter gets her name, Morgan from the Mists of Avalon. Those times were so magical, so mystical, it is not even considered to be history, more like legend. I am reading” Lancelot and Elaine” now. This story is of course about their tragic love. Tennyson describes her as a young girl, while Lancelot was three times her age. When he did not return her love, she grew very depressed. According to the curse, she felt she had nothing to live for without him. One version of the story said that she got on the boat  to follow him to Camelot and died on the way. It does not speak of a curse. I will have to continue researching to find out more about this curse, who put it on her and why. 

I think that this story could be pointing to my karma and the lessons I am here to learn in this life. Elaine may have died young, tragically. All mythology aside, I could see her a young girl, in love but naive. Perhaps she did get on the boat to Camelot, unprepared for the elements and froze along the way, hypothermia. As for Lancelot, I think he did carry a burden of feeling responsible for her death. 

Perhaps I am still chasing after my knight in shining armor, but I promise not to die in that pursuit in this life. I am becoming more powerful, more self assured all the time. I am whole and complete in myself. I have become much stronger in the last few years, proving to myself that I can provide for myself and my children. I do not have a man to take care of and my life is not over. 

This semester has been a wonderful journey of opportunity to develop my Yoga practice and personal growth. It is my fourth term in Advanced Yoga. I really enjoy the class and have been a dedicated student. I have perfect attendance in class and I have been very consistent and strong with my personal asana and meditation practices. The lessons on the chakra system, although not necessarily new to me, are deepening my experience of the chakras. I apply what resonates with me in my personal and professional life. Assisting the Senior-Restorative class this semester, has been very enjoyable and educational. Helping out in the teacher and seniors is really helping me to become a better teacher. The Universe is recognizing my efforts to further my teaching and has responded by attracting some new Yoga clients to my private practice. I have also been venturing out to classes and events at various Yogic Institutions with some frequency. I feel this is really expanding my horizons. In time, I hope to find a ‘home’ with one of these international Yogic institutions and study Yoga abroad. 

I love our class room in the Wellness Center at San Francisco City College. Whenever possible, I like to set up a spot to practice where I can see out the windows. It is so lovely and peaceful to gaze out at the panoramic view of San Bruno Mountain, the city and across San Francisco Bay to Mount Diablo while we practice.Today I feel stronger and healthier in my body and mind than I ever have before. I know it will only get better from here. I have been practicing Yoga asana for fifteen years. Over time, my asana practice has been becoming more advanced. Today, I feel stronger, physically than perhaps ever before. I have been taking on more challenging poses and holding them longer as my body is ready. I can hold inversion poses such as head stands and hand stands for a full minute or more. My goal is to one day hold a head stand for twenty minutes, as many of my teachers do. I have not practices much in terms of arm balances such as kakasana. This is something I would like to concentrate on more, so I must build more upper body strength and focus on my center of gravity. 

I really appreciate that in a public, community college setting, we are offered a Yoga class that is complete with spiritual teachings and practice. Meditation and pranayam in class has encouraged me to be consistent with these practices outside of class as well. I meditate at some point every day. Often I will take a few moments throughout the day to center, focus on my breath and clear my mind. I may not have 20 minutes, but I may have 2 or 5 here and there. I remain conscious of my breathing throughout my day practicing specific pranayam exercises such as ujai breath frequently. The lectures on the Yoga Sutras last semester spawned an interest to study them more in depth. I now have two copies of the Sutras, one pocket size from Integral Yoga and one larger book that offers quotations that correlate to the sutras, beautiful pictures and journal pages. I have been reading one almost every day and contemplating them. This semester we are studying the chakras. I first learned about the chakras when I began studying Reiki about ten years ago. It was during my first Yoga Teacher Training that I learned about the chakras in Yoga practice. The lectures and handouts have deepened my understanding of the chakra system with respect to what each chakra represents energetically and how the balance or imbalance of these chakras manifest to effect our lives. I finally have been practicing and have memorized the Bija Mantras which correlate to the different chakras. Using these sounds has enabled me to become more powerful and to facilitate healing more effectively. 

From time to time I have gone to a number of Yogic events at various institutions outside of the college. This spring I have been attending such events with increased frequency. In February, I attended two Shivaratri events. One was at the Anatubi Meditation Retreat Center in Novato, CA. I brought my children and a couple of my girlfriends. At the event, they explained the significance of the holiday, had katak dancing, guided meditation and a delicious meal, all at no charge. The Anitubi Center is part of the Brahma Kumaris, Raja Yoga organization. They are a world wide institution. They offer meditation workshops, retreats and more all by donation. I visit their San Francisco facility often. This was my first time at the Novato retreat center. The Shivaratri event at the MA Center in Castro Valley was an interesting experience that really had a profound effect on my personal life. The rituals performed that night had an immediate effect. I had set my intentions to basically purify a situation that has been ongoing in my personal life for several months now. As we pored the milk I asked Ganesha, remover of obstacles to release my ego and lusting after outcomes because I was feeling conflicted between my hearts desire, my perception of right and wrong. As we made our offerings to the fire, I focused on unconditional love. As was being discussed in the second chakra lecture, issues of codependency have been a major factor in my life. For me to be able to know that one must learn their own lessons, that I cannot fix things for someone, control the actions of others or change the situation has been a big lesson for me. I am a caregiver through and through. It is not easy for me to step away and wait on the will of the Universe. To hold that space in my heart of unconditional love is all at once a wonderful feeling, for I know it is genuine and it is a silent suffering because I hate to see someone I care so much for staying in a toxic, dysfunctional relationships and behavior patterns. I am whole and complete in myself.  So I continue to live my best life, accept myself as is, growing wiser, stronger and practice infinite patients. This makes me attractive to others and is the best way I can be of service.

I attended one other fire ceremony at a small ashram in San Francisco. A good friend of mine is involved with the swami who runs it. I do not know his name or the name of the ashram, but it was a good experience. It was a small group, a sharp contrast to the masses of people at the MA Center. On Good Friday, I went to the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco for the Gayatree Chanting. They do it every full moon. I brought with me, one of my yoga students. He seemed to enjoy it. I was happy to introduce him to a different aspect of yogic practice. For the most part, we tend to focus on asana practice. I think I grew a little as a teacher by sharing that experience with one of my students. Now, on my flight to New York, I am looking forward to visiting Integral Yoga New York...

Integral was awesome! I did not expect it to be so big, complete with a health food store and apothecary. I went to Integral twice while I was in New York. First, I attended a Level II asana class in the Heaven Room on the 6th floor. I was told that the Swami himself used to reside in that very room. The energy of the space was very nice, an oasis amongst the urban chaos. The class itself was good. It was challenging, but not overly so. I did learn a couple of new variations on poses that I had not done before, such as a variation on fish pose where the legs are in virasana. After asana practice, I stayed for Satsang. We chanted “Hari Om”, meditated, listened to a recorded lecture by Swami Satchitinanda and had a long discussion of the subject matter. It was kind of amusing, hearing these people with thick New Yorker accents discussing Yogic spirituality. I guess because they just sound so tough! The woman who led the group talked about the protective quality of her practices. I carried this with me as I wandered the streets and subways of New York City, all by myself late at night. I felt confident and powerful. No one was going to bother me and nobody did. 

Of course, I had to buy something at IYI. I found a book on Tantra, a subject I have been wanting to learn more about. I have begun reading it and in following the instructions, must now practice the energy conduction exercise of lesson one for two weeks before moving on to the next. I returned to IYI for a workshop on Tantra. It was a very fast two hours. I learned that Tantra is based in sacred sound and sacred geometry. She taught us in brief about Vedic Astrology, the representation of the days of the week and the planets and learned the Mantras that correlate to them. We did a guided meditation where she gave an overview of where Tantra evolved. I sank deep in that meditation and do not remember much, consciously of what was said. We also colored mandalas and did a tradac exercise, gazing into one another’s eyes. It was powerful. I really connected with a couple of people in the class. I am very excited to be beginning my study of Tantric practice for it has been interesting to me for some time. I had such a great time in New York, I think I would like to return to IYI to take more Yoga Teacher Training courses. 

This summer I intend to continue my Yoga karma Yoga practice by  volunteering with my children and practicing at IYI San Francisco, practicing asana at IYI, the YMCA and at home. Bakti Yoga I will practice on my own and when the opportunity arises. I am looking forward to the fall semester. The plan is to begin the Yoga Teacher Training Program at City College. I am already a Yoga teacher. I have taken many of the required classes, such as Anatomy and Physiology, so I imagine it wouldn’t take me very long to complete the program. And classes such as Teaching Movement and continuing to volunteer in the Senior Restorative class will be very inspiring and educational.

 

Tonia Weakland-Wilhelm Kaplan University HW499/ HW420 Unit 9 Final Project Integral Assessment and Commitment 04-03-2011 Revisited 02-05-2012

It is important for me as a health and wellness professional to continually develop psychologically, spiritually, and physically. I have been working on developing all of these areas and I believe I need to continue to work towards higher goals in all of these areas. This class Creating Wellness, as a whole has helped me to assess my health from a holistic perspective. This assessment has enabled me to set specific goals for developing the various aspects of myself. With my goals in mind I can implement practices that will foster my physical, psychological, and spiritual growth. Time will prove my level of commitment to lifestyle changes. In past courses I have had projects that take me through a similar process of assessment and goal setting. Each time I do such an assignment, it is an opportunity to see how far I have come and where I would like to go. 

My assessment of my health encompasses the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of my human experience. Physically, I am in pretty good shape, but there is room for improvement. I am fairly strong and very flexible. I enjoy walking and yoga, so I do these things regularly. I also enjoy hiking and biking, but only engage in these activities periodically. Mentally, I keep my mind fit by continuing my education and studying the complex human mind. I nurture my spiritual side with meditation, yoga, and  by visiting temples and beautiful places in nature that bring me closer to God. If I had to rank myself on a scale of one to ten, ten being the highest level of development in all areas, I would rank at a 7.5. I say this because I do live with an awareness of what is healthy and in my best interest, but I do not always do what I know is good for me. 

In the past, I have set goals for myself and have had varying degrees of success with committing to long term life changes. I find that I am most successful when I make one small change at a time. When I am able to make that change a part of my routine without any additional effort, I am ready to move to the next step. Physically, I know I need to do more aerobic activity and strength training. I am going to sign up for the Body Conditioning class at San Francisco City College again. I have taken it before. It is a good mix of low impact aerobics and light weights. The Contemporary Diet and Nutrition class at Kaplan and the book Fast Food Nation has inspired me to eat healthier. I rarely eat fast food and buy more organic, locally produced, non processed foods than I did a year ago. Recently I cut the processed sugars from my diet almost completely. I would like to start eating more healthy vegetarian food and cut down on my meat intake. Next quarter at Kaplan, I would like to take a class in abnormal psychology. The things I have learned about how stress effects our health is fascinating to me. The power the mind has over people is interesting too. The books Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman and Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulsers by Robert Sapolsky have been very enlightening as to the cascading effect stress has on our minds and bodies. In order to continue to develop my optimal mental health and cognition, I think taking another psychology class would be helpful. Spiritually, I think I have developed the most recently and have strong aspirations to develop this aspect of myself. Partially inspired by this class, Creating Wellness,  I have sought out local meditation centers and made great progress with my daily meditation practice. My goals for spiritual development are to become more deeply involved with local buddhist and yogic communities in the short run. In the long run, my goal is to develop a strong relationship with one or more of these local centers with ties to countries such as India. Once I graduate from Kaplan with my BS in Health and Wellness, I intend to go abroad to study and experience life in new ways. 

Practicing for my personal health means implementing strategies that foster my personal growth and overcoming obstacles that tend to throw me off track. Physically, I have set a goal to get more aerobic activity and strength training. One way to do this will be to sign up for Body Conditioning at San Francisco Community College. In addition, I am working on challenging myself more in my yoga practice by integrating more poses that require upper body strength in particular. Also, I have begun to ride my bike to run local errands. Now that the weather is improving, I intend to ride more frequently. For my psychological development I practice daily meditation and study the mind. I intend to continue my meditation practice and explore various types of meditation. I am at the point where I can call upon my breath, a mantra, or visualization at almost any time in order to keep my mind calm and quiet. I enjoy reading about how the brain functions, how the mind interacts with the physical body, and chemical reactions that effect the mind and body. Next quarter, I will take a psychology class that will serve to deepen my understanding of the human mind, help me to strengthen my own mental health and capacity, and to empower me with knowledge on how to deal effectively with people who may not be mentally healthy. Spiritually, I am drawn to nature, I am drawn to serve others. I am fortunate with my work that I get to help people feel their best. As I continue my educational, career and life goals, I look for ways to be resourceful and to give back, which nurtures my spirituality. I have attended functions at local meditation centers and yoga ashrams from time to time. I need to find a way to work this into my regular schedule. This means finding family friendly functions at these centers. In the resource  section of Dacher’s Integral Health text I did find a couple of Buddhist based organizations that had chapters in my area and around the world, that offer events for children, teens and families. Spirit Rock and Shambhala are easily accessible for me, have programs or events coming up that I am interested in and have centers around the world in places I would love to visit. I enjoy being in nature. Last week I visited a beautiful area in China where limestone mountains tower over rice patties and villages of people who live a primitive life by our standards. I intend to visit more such places and help improve quality of life while protecting environment and wildlife. I support nonprofit organizations which hold these values. As I mature professionally and my children grow up, my intention is to become more involved with these organizations to expand my worldly self, my knowledge and my spirit. I would love to work with Habitat For Humanity, Doctors Without Borders and other such organizations that are making a difference in my back yard and around the world. 

Assessing one self and setting goals is one thing, but to commit is another. In at least two previous quarters, I have had projects that involved these practices. I think the key to success is to take it a step at a time. Setting too many goals and major lifestyle changes can be a setup for failure for many of us. Looking back upon the previous assessments and goals I have set, I do believe I have made progress. Even if I am not where I would like to be, any progress is good. My goals today are essentially the same as the goals I have made in the past. Several months ago I set goals to get more physically fit by eating healthier, exercising more, and deepening my meditation practice. I have, in fact done this. Today I eat very little processed foods, almost no refined sugar, much less cheese or fatty foods than I did a year ago. My mountain bike sat in my garage for years, but in the last several months I have ridden it a couple of miles about once a week. One time recently I even took by bike to run errands around downtown San Francisco. I have been consistent with meditation practices daily for nearly a year. I often meditate as soon as I wake up and meditate my way to sleep. I find times throughout the day to get centered. If I do not have twenty minutes, I at least go for five deep breaths. I will continue to assess my progress, congratulate myself for my successes and keep working on the aspects of myself I could improve upon.

HW499 Unit 8 Project

HW420 Final Project Update

02-05-2012

Life is a continual process of learning and personal growth. Looking back at this project is an opportunity to see how far I have come in the year since I originally took this class. I have grown a lot and grown personally and professionally in the last year. I love learning and will never stop. 

A year ago I ranked my overall development at a 7.5. Today I would give myself an 8. Assessing my growth cognitively, emotionally, spiritually and physically, I can see measurable development in each area. I am very proud to be completing this Bachelor’s degree program. My educational path has taken many twists and turns over the years. I have started on paths with a goal in mind and detoured along the way, doing something different and never quite reaching that goal. It feels very good to finish what I have started. Physically, I am stronger and healthier than I was a year ago. I weigh less, eat healthier and have a more balanced fitness routine. My professional, spiritual and emotional development are all intertwined. The assignments in HW-420 helped me to develop in these areas. The journal exercises were great for taking a good look at myself. I also took a few workshops that involved energy work. I received my Reiki Level 3 attunement, which is the highest level and enables me to teach and attune others to Reiki. I took a really fun chakra workshop with one of my favorite yoga teachers that has cleared the blockages and reawakened my creativity. Then I took a course in Multidimensional Bodywork which was an amazing experience that has really helped me to come into my own power. 

The goals I set for myself a year ago have not all come to fruition; some have developed differently than I originally envisioned. I have accomplished much this year. I feel good about how far I have come. I am completing this degree. I still need to take Abnormal Psychology and perhaps some other classes that are prerequisites for the Master’s Degree I am interested in. I have made sustained changes in my diet and fitness routines. I do eat more fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods and carbohydrates as I did a year ago. I wish I would get better about shopping at the farmer’s market for my food, rather than shopping at the big chain stores full of GMO and pesticide ridden produce. I have continued taking Advanced Yoga at the local community college. Rather than signing up for a Body Conditioning class at school, I signed up for the YMCA. This has benefitted my children as well as myself. Now I work out at the YMCA getting my aerobic workout on the elliptical machine and tone my muscles with the weight machines. I am assisting the teacher for City College San Francisco’s Yoga for Senior’s class, which is great experience for me and I have managed to participate in programs at a couple of Yoga Ashrams in San Francisco with some regularity. Things are coming along nicely. 

Now that I have reached many of my goals I set for myself a year ago, it is time to set some new ones. Now that my BS will be complete I will have time to develop other areas that have not gotten as much of my attention. First of all, I will be able to give more time and attention to my personal relationships. I will devise a plan to spend more quality time with my children. I would like to take pottery classes with my daughter again and become more involved with my son’s school. I’m also keeping hope alive that the right life partner will come forth. I have accomplished much on my own. With the right partner, there is so much more that could be accomplished. The second thing I really need to put more focus into is my business. I have begun to strengthen the infrastructure of my business and started to market my business more. I will work on my business website every week until it is complete. I am going to maintain an online presence by using targeted advertising, offering special deals, and putting out a monthly newsletter/ blog that will highlight various products and services I offer. My third goal for the year is to take a journey. I am a woman of the world and I have the travel bug in me right now. There is a strong possibility that I will take a spiritual retreat to Mexico with a group of ladies this summer. I know it would be an amazing experience and think it would be a well deserved graduation present to myself. 

Here I am, at the completion of a cycle and at the beginning of the next cycle, at a higher level. The wheel of life keeps turning. Life is a continual process of learning and growth. Everything I want in life is just on the other side of fear. With courage and conviction, I face these fears, I push forward. I may fall down, but I get back up. A year from now, I will look back at my vision, my goals. I will assess how these have manifested, how far I have come, what I want to achieve next and set new goals to achieve. The cycle continues. 

References

Dacher, Integral Health the Path to Human Flourishing, 2006, Basic Health Publications, Laguna Beach CA

The Spirit Rock Meditation Center, www.spiritrock.org, Woodacre CA, 2011

The Shambhala Centers, www.shambhala.org, 2011

Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulsers, 1994, Holt and Co., New York

Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, 1995, Bantam Dell, New York

Blog - toniawilhelmhealthandwellness

Blog - toniawilhelmhealthandwellness