Meeting Asciepius
- My mindfulness and meditation has fostered an increase in my psychological and spiritual wellness. This exercise gives me a sense of well-being just by imagining the positive characteristics of another and honoring his or her wisdom. I pictured the person's wisdom being shared with me and this brought a sense of peace and gratitude with it. I can continue to apply these practices in my life to foster greater health and wellness, by appreciating the wisdom in others and taking the opportunity to learn from them and grow. I can honor the wisdom of others and believe that I too behold these wonderful gifts.
- The saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself” (P.477) is what I consider to be the importance of sharing our experience and not offering advice. Giving advice with the absence of experience is arrogant and dangerous. How would we truly know what is best for another. Yet we can share what has worked for ourselves or explain where someone can go to get the help they need from someone with that particular experience. This applies to the health and wellness professional, because how can we guide someone in achieving wellness if we ourselves have not achieved wellness as well? I do have an obligation to my clients to be developing my health psychologically, physically, and spiritually. How can I expect another to follow my guidance on a journey I do not understand? I can implement my psychological and spiritual growth in my personal life by being mindful of my interactions with others, to respect myself and make loving choices that are good for self, I can give myself time to meditate and commune with my higher power, and I can take time to ask myself how I am feeling and why may I be feeling in a particular way.
I do believe we have to set an example for our clients. I also think that having the experience is beneficial to guide them and gain their trust. Some of the things we have to discuss with clients can be a touchy subject and very personal. If we have not gone down the same road, we surely better be able to provide them with the map on how to get there. If they can’t trust us with their personal needs for health and wellness, we have failed them and ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI do feel we are all still on an adventure and sometimes we take our clients along with us. We may not have all the answers or been there before, but we can hold their hand as we walk together to discover how to reach human flourishing. I don’t know if I will ever feel I have achieved complete wellness, but I know I will never stop learning how to get there eventually. I just hope my clients feel the same way. I don’t ever want them to stop learning or experiencing life because they did not have someone who blazed the trail before. Being a pioneer is not always a bad thing.
Great post.