Spiritual_Wellness_Holistic_Health_and_the_Practic

Connecting Personal Philosophy to Practice 51
health educators have stressed the importance of changing individuals ’ attitudes about
lifestyle factors that clearly have a great potential influence on health (such as smoking,
nutrition, lack of exercise, and so on) (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980). Another group of
health educators has expanded the primary focus of health education to include the
acquisition of credible information and the attainment of skills to utilize that information
in support of healthy decision - making (that is, health literacy) (Joint Committee
on National Health Education Standards, 1995). The logic behind the latter approach
is that individuals can make future health - related decisions from the standpoint of having
knowledge and skills (Bensley, 1993). All of these approaches have met with some
success in helping people lead healthier lives, and yet, they also have fallen short in
providing health educators with a consistent framework for understanding best practices
in health education.
Where does all of this information leave the health education profession and, more
importantly, the individual health educator? Essentially, this information leaves each
health educator with a need for personal research and analysis about the human potential
for health. Such research will help health educators identify, analyze, critique, and
internalize the value of health - related concepts. When a health educator identifies and
organizes concepts deemed as valuable in relation to health outcomes, he or she can
begin to form a philosophical framework for functioning comfortably and
effectively.
My personal journey through this exploration led me further and further into
explorations of human potential and mind - body relationships within the science and
social science disciplines. Such disciplines provide the basic knowledge health educators
strive to apply in practice. My research transpired into a dissertation that examined
the philosophical components of six renowned and highly relevant contemporary
scholars including Rene Dubos, microbiologist, environmentalist, educator, and
author; Erich Fromm, psychologist, educator, humanist, and author; Abraham Maslow,
psychologist, educator, humanist, and author; Ashley Montagu, professor of anatomy
and physical anthropology, educator, and author; Paul Tillich, philosopher, theologian,
and author; and Paul Tournier, psychologist, physician, and author (Smith, 1976).
My intent for this philosophical analysis was not to describe the scholars ’ contributions
to my philosophy, but rather to develop an aggregate synopsis of their contributions
to understanding the potential for health in mankind through their perspective of
the qualities of man, human potential, and the expression of human qualities within
individuals and society.
The philosophical components of these scholars reflected their perspectives
regarding the expression of qualities inherent to man. The scholars ’ perceptions of
man, human potential, and the expression of health within individuals and society,
were explored. The selected scholars were chosen because of their unique and valuable
professional contributions within and beyond their respective disciplines.
Essentially, the scholars transcended the confines of their respective disciplines to
study the holistic nature and well - being of man.