In the end of this series of looking within, I want to talk about an unusual ally that aids you to look within yourself. In fact forces you to do so. –Pain. As I work with people and also with myself, I am more and more convinced that pain is actually a friend. Unless we are pained, helpless, sorrowful, we never really question or look for answers from life.

Paintings, especially paintings of people, are not just beautiful pieces of art, they can also be artistic ‘mirrors’. Usually, when you look at a painting, you dwell on the art – the figures, their expressions, the colors, how they blend and change. Have you ever stopped to gaze at a painting, while remaining aware of what it brings up in you? How it makes you feel? What thoughts, memories or emotions come up within you while you look at it?

The dictionary definition of doodle is to scribble or make a rough drawing absentmindedly. However, doodling, as opposed to drawing, is an activity where you can fearlessly express, without the pressure of having to meet any external standard. A doodle represents something that has meaning exclusively for you.This mental health week, let’s try and see if we can make sense of this activity more ‘present-mindedly’!

With the busy lives that people lead, everyday routines do not have too much room for spontaneity. In that cramped room of “too many things to do/not enough time”, your natural urge to explore, to try something new or to just have fun hides in a corner, eagerly awaiting its turn. You let your roles and responsibilities limit you and thus, miss out on the rest of you! In this article, read about discovering this seemingly lost idea of “spontaneity”.

Life is generally viewed as a series of ups and downs, successes and failures. Hence, when we are going through a tough time we wait for “suffering to end” and hope for joy to be waiting at this end. What we forget is that happiness can exist alongside. Maybe not in big, obvious ways. But in small moments. Like the rainbow.

Mental peace, and how to achieve it, is probably one of the most sought after things in the mental health area. This is with good reason, all of us need moments of peace. Ironically though, the pursuit of peace causes more frustration in one too many of us, especially in those moments where we are genuinely feeling bad, distressed or hurt.

This year, our theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘Looking Within’. We strongly feel that mental health is not just about dealing with problems that come up but it is also about forming a connection with yourself- a compassionate connection that perpetuates a healthy mind and body relationship. And “looking within” is the first step towards this. So, take this week to look within, explore and truly connect with yourself.