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Mental Fitness Mental Fitness andand

Psychological Psychological Flourishing Flourishing

Jill JerneeJill JerneeMarch 30, 2010March 30, 2010

Kaplan UniversityKaplan UniversityHW420, Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of HealingHW420, Creating Wellness: Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Healing

Unit 5, Project Unit 5, Project Susan Johnson Stewart, Ph.D.Susan Johnson Stewart, Ph.D.

Introduction: Mind, Body, and SpiritIntroduction: Mind, Body, and Spirit• Research has shown illnesses diminish by:

– Reducing negative thoughts– Replacing with positive thoughts– There is a mind and body connection

• Human and Psychological Flourishing Can Transpire by:– Getting in touch with the inner thoughts– Meditation and deep breathing exercises– Healthier and Happier People

Dacher, E.S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach, C.A.: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi, M.S. (2005). Consciousness and healing: Integral approaches to mind-body medicine. Saint Louis, M.I.: Elsevier, Inc.

Mind and Body Mind and Body ConnectionConnection

Mind and Body are Connected – Known as Hard-Wiring In Two Ways Autonomic Nervous System

Controls blood pressure Controls pulse

Central Nervous System Muscle movement at our command

Candace Pert Discovered Neuropeptides (Protein) She made the mind and body discovery Discovered we could transform our minds

What do Neuropeptides do? Carry messages up, down, and throughout our body Made by other cells



Ken Wilbur’s TheoryKen Wilbur’s Theory

Believes in Integral Health, Happiness, and Human Flourishing Can avoid mental illness at this stage

Integral Health – Human Experience Authentic Happiness Genuine Wholeness



Research Study – Dr. Robert Ader (1970)Research Study – Dr. Robert Ader (1970)

• Discovered and Studied Relationship on Mind and Body in Rats– Provided sweetened water and Cytoxan, a drug,

combined (Dacher, 2006)– Rats became ill after drinking this combination– Triggered a learned response– Cytoxan was removed from the water, rats still

became ill after drinking– All psychological



Research Study - Dr. Peter Schnall (1998)Research Study - Dr. Peter Schnall (1998)

Studied the Inner Experience– Stress and job strains in managers– Negative emotions led to hypertension

• Chronic illness

Reshaping and Re-Training the Mind– Start at the root to change thought process– Turn negative thoughts into positive ones



Research Study – Dr. Richard Davidson (2003Research Study – Dr. Richard Davidson (2003))

• Performed Stress Reduction and Relaxation Strategies on Humans– Eight weeks of studying– Studied immune system at the start of flu

vaccinations

• Studied Electrical Brain Activities– Blood flow within the brain– Metabolic activity– Mapped out negative and positive

responses



• Emotions Found in Prefrontal Cortex– Negative emotions on right side– Positive emotions on left side

• Studied Compassion and Loving-Kindness– Instincts are ready to help others

who suffer

Research Study – Dr. Richard Davidson (2003) Research Study – Dr. Richard Davidson (2003) (continued)(continued)



Five Guiding Principles to Five Guiding Principles to Integral HealingIntegral Healing

Holistic – Developed through inner and outer aspects

Evolutionary – Conscious choices

Intentional – Shifting our focus

Person-Centered – Exploring ourselves

Dynamic – Healing the issues by listening



Sensorimotor ConsciousnessDeveloped at birth through our senses and instincts

Psychological Life (Witnessing Consciousness)Stop and thinkBe aware of surroundingsChoices can be made

Spiritual LifeCalm-abiding consciousnessBecome unbiased and mature

Unity ConsciousnessWisdom from our conscious

Four Levels of Psychospiritual DevelopmentFour Levels of Psychospiritual Development



Research on Healing Qualities of Research on Healing Qualities of Mental and Spiritual FocusMental and Spiritual Focus

Dr. Randolph Byrd (1988 – Prayer Study)

Provides hope with prayerIntercessory prayer within groupsExtraneous prayer to pray for loved onesPower of prayer healsLeads to spirituality



Came up with a Lifestyle Program and Conducted Research on Humans

• Medical student who injected thallium into humans

• Tested validity and reliability with lifestyle program

• Eating healthier foods• Improved health• Lead to emotional and spiritual well-being

Dr. Ornish published an article in the American Journal of the American Medical Association (Schlitz, Amorok, & Micozzi, 2005).

Dr. Dean Ornish (1980) Dr. Dean Ornish (1980) Stress Management ProgramStress Management Program



LoveLove• Love is Self-Healing

– Heals others– Can be expressed– Both physical and spiritual– Love is happiness– Can be taught– Oxytocin levels are high

Lee’s Six Colors of Love are:• Romantic• First Site• Friendship• Loving love or in love with the idea• Shopping love• Selfless love



Improving Mental Fitness (Loving-Kindness Exercise)Improving Mental Fitness (Loving-Kindness Exercise)

• Sit alone and comfortably• Close your eyes and relax• Concentrate on breathing deeply and exhaling• Think of a loved one• Hold them close to you in your mind• Experience loving-kindness towards yourself and the loved one• Now turn the love outward to strangers• Feel nothing but peace and love• Picture someone who is ill and suffering• Breathe in the suffering and absorb into your heart• Release the suffering for your loved one• Experience happiness, peace, and love• Practice this exercise twice-a-day for 15-minutes



A Subtle Mind ExerciseA Subtle Mind Exercise

• Close your eyes• Concentrate on your breathing• Clear your mind• Breathing is the focal point• Count in and out with 10-deep breaths• Be aware of mental chatter and distracting images• Re-focus the mind by concentrating on your breathing• Known as witnessing the mind• Focus may be re-directed or lost• Concentrate on breathing and re-focusing the mind• Experience a stillness of the mind and calm-abiding• Continue to practice twice a day for a clearer mind and inner-peace• Unity consciousness will eventually be reached



SummarySummary

• Research has shown how illnesses can disappear through mental fitness and psychological flourishing by controlling our thoughts and re-training our minds to think positively.

• There is a mind and body connection known as the autonomic and central nervous systems.

• Candace Pert discovered neuropeptides that are proteins that carry messages around our body. Transformation of the mind can help control what we feel and think.

• Ken Wilbur’s Theory is that he believes in Integral health, happiness, and human flourishing as we experience authentic happiness and genuine wholeness.

• Research studies were conducted by Dr. Robert Ader with rats and learned responses that taught rats only one way of thinking, which was a psychological experiment.

• Dr. Peter Schnall studied inner experience and how people can re-train their minds to reduce stress and chronic illnesses by turning negative thoughts into positive ones.

• Dr. Richard Davidson performed stress reduction and relaxation experiments on people and studied their electrical brain activities to see how negative and positive responses were influenced within the brain and he studied compassion as well as loving-kindness where he automatically felt he had to help people who suffered in order to feel better.



Summary (continued)Summary (continued)

• Five Guiding Principles to Integral Health are: holistic, evolutionary, intentional, person-centered, dynamic, which leads to Integral Health, happiness, and well-being.

• Four levels of psychospiritual development are: Sensorimotor consciousness, psychological life, spiritual life, and unity consciousness.

• Research on healing qualities of mental and spiritual focus was a prayer study conducted by Dr. Randolph Byrd where prayer provided hope to people and lead to spirituality and good health

• Dr. Dean Ornish conducted a study on stress management and had people follow his lifestyle program to show good health and spiritual well-being as well as emotional happiness. He had this article published in the American Journal of the American Medical Association.

• Love is self-healing, expressed, taught, both physical and spiritual, and has Oxytocin levels that are high. Lee has six colors of love which are: romantic, first site, friendship, loving love, shopping love, and selfless love.

• Practice the Loving-Kindness exercise and the Subtle Mind exercise. Good luck and here is to a new you!



ReferencesReferencesDacher, E.S. (2006). Integral health: The path to human flourishing. Laguna Beach,

C.A.: Basic Health Publications, Inc.

Schlitz, M., Amorok, T., & Micozzi, M.S. (2005). Consciousness and healing: Integral

approaches to mind-body medicine. Saint Louis, M.I.: Elsevier, Inc.

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