Beyond Fitness: Wellness, Balance and Breakthrough

1. Beyond Fitness:Wellness, Balance and Breakthrough Leena St. Michael, RYT

2. Learn How Meditation can: • Improve member wellness • Increase member satisfaction • Raise company profitability • Participate in global sustainability and wellness movements (Save the planet?)

3. Our Present Healthcare Concept Is Outgrown • 30 Million people in the USA cannot afford health insurance • Those with health insurance, can no longer be assured of complete care • The US is 37th in the world in healthcare • Child mortality and disease are rising

4. Healthcare Defined Healthcare, is the prevention and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by medical, nursing and allied health-professionals. --Wikipedia 2007

5. Physical Fitness A general state of good health, usually as a result of exercise and nutrition. –per Wikipedia 2007

6. Wellness--West Chester University Wellness is a dynamic process whereby individuals and communities become aware and make positivechoices in creating and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Wellness is the understanding and integration of the relationship of mind, body and spirit into one's philosophy of living.

7. Wellness-National Wellness Assoc. Wellness is an active process of becoming aware and making choices toward a more successful existence. 

8. People Want Wellness… …beyond “healthcare” and “fitness”.

9. Process, Awareness, Choices, Success • Active Process—We can always improve. The process is continuous and conscious. • Awareness —We continuously seek more information/options about how we can improve. • Choices —We consider and select from a variety of options. • Success —One’spersonal life accomplishments (and path are unique—Leena).

10. Wellness is… …Self-Health—taking responsibility for one’s lifestyle, diet, fitness and professional healthcare services.

11. Self-Health = Self Actualization Abraham Maslow regarded self-actualization as the ultimate human need; a positive growth tendency thatdrives us from within to fuller development. --Dr. James R. Rini self-health.org

12. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

13. Six Dimensions of Wellness • Physical • Environmental • Social • Intellectual • Emotional • Spiritual

14. Physical Fitness is affected by emotional, spiritual, environmental, social and intellectual dimensions. Its all inter-connected.

15. Where do people take their first step to wellness? Hint: It’s not the doctor’s office.

16. The Fitness Club. No wonder the leading edge fitness clubs are becoming wellness centers. There is an opportunity to not only capitalize on radical culture change…but help to create it.

17. Benefits of Meditation through Change: Life “Process”. • The Change Cycle • Kubler-Ross Stages of Grief • Change Communication Model • Ancient Yin-Yang Diagram for Change and Balance

18. “Our World is Changing More Rapidly” “Success and fulfillment--your emotional, mental, spiritual and physical well-being--depend on how well you adapt to change.” According to Interchange International, Inc. developer of The Change Cycle

20. The Change Cycle Indicates-- • Life is always changing • Some phases are uncomfortable • Avoiding discomfort or being unaware can be dangerous • Discovery is on the other side of discomfort

21. Kubler-Ross Stages of Grief Kubler-Ross (1973) On Death & Dying, Routledge, London

22. Kubler Ross Stages of Grief per U. S. Military Diagram

23. Loss of a loved one, Trauma, Natural Disaster, Moving… Sudden, radical and unexpected change requires strategies to: • Re-energize • Restore balance • Reflect/integrate/accept

24. Got Resistance? It’s a sign of change.

25. The secret of change is tofocus all your energy,not on fighting for the old,but on building the new. - Socrates --Build the new, we must, and quickly. But what if we’re too exhausted to build something new?

26. When We Resist or Lack Awareness or Resources to Change An overload of tension and stress can lead to the “Danger Zone”.

27. “Up to 90% of the doctor visits in the USA may be triggered by stress-related illness, says the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.” http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-03-21-stress_x.htm

28. Recovery before Discovery Living in constant tension is like leaving the lights on in your car overnight: You are powerless to go anywhere until you recharge the battery.

29. Signs of The Danger Zone • Physical—Exhaustion, disease, immune system compromised, resources depleted • Environmental— Wasteful, over-use of conveniences, no energy to develop sustainable lifestyle solutions • Social—Loss of relationships, career, increased crime, accidents • Intellectual—Impaired problem-solving, mental confusion, reacting vs. responding • Emotional—Angry, depressed, panic-attacks, feeling helpless, radical behavior • Spiritual—Lack of creativity, values compromised

30. Recovery… • Accept the need to change (surrender) • Rest • Release Tension • Realize underlying emotions • Identify “stressors” • Integrate/learn lessons • Clean house/detox—mentally, physically • Assess core values

31. Meditative States Assist Recovery • Reduce stress, relieve tension quickly • Rejuvenate the body • Facilitate healing • Aid chemical detoxification • Dissolve addictions • Clarify values and priorities • Illuminate choices • Lower blood pressure

32. Meditation builds awareness “muscle”. How?

33. The intention of yoga is wellness and self-actualization through time spent in meditative states. Yoga is the oldest system of mind/body/spirit excellence

34. Meditation is not “Stopping Thoughts” It’s about stopping thought-waves.

35. There is a correlation between breath and thought-waves. In deep relaxation one can… Slow the breath… Slow the thought-waves.

36. Slow the Thought-Waves and Practice Focus… …one gains present moment awareness.

37. Present Moment Awareness… The ability to name your mental, emotional and physical state of being in the moment enables choice. Choice is essential to creating wellness. Choice is freedom.

38. "Yoga serves the individual through inviting transformation rather than by giving information." -T.K.V. Desikachar

39. But isn’t meditation…doing nothing?

40. Hardly. Meditative states require: • Physical health, especially spinal alignment, strength and flexibility (yoga asana practice) • Living in one’s core values • Control of breath (prana/ki/chi) • Ability to focus on one thing • Practice to achieve deep relaxation and release tension at will

41. Yogis don’t “do” meditation… They land there.

42. Will Meditation Make Me Lazy?

43. Meditation Inspires Action—Right Action Meditation practice is the fastest route to the most consistently effective and timely choices and actions. Deep relaxation learned in yoga meditation practice is the quickest way to renew body, mind and spirit.

44. Can we minimize the energy drain of dramatic change cycles? YES! • Master life balance • Live from vision/life Purpose

45. The only way to get out of change—is to get into it! What if we were aware of excess tension or discomfort as an early sign of change instead of something to be fixed or denied?

46. Learn How to Live in Balance The sooner we become awarethat discomfort indicates we're out of balance, the sooner we can implement strategies to re-balance, re-energize and move into wellness.

48. Change is the Only Constant • The ancient Taoist “Yin Yang” symbol represents the balance of opposites in the universe. • When they are equally present, all is calm. • When one outweighs the other, there is confusion and disarray. • The two swirling shapes inside the symbol denote change; the only constant in life.

49. Living in Balance… • Western life the values “Yang” side of life. • Rest and reflection are nearly lost in our culture. • Fitness clubs emphasize action, hard bodies, excitement, fast pace, heavy-metal music and the extreme heat of saunas, tanning booths, steam rooms and whirlpools. Members are inside, not connected to nature.

50. Living in Balance Is it surprising that fitness clubs lose member retention to yoga studios, meditation centers, spas and wellness centers?