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.
Thank you for reading, encouraging, and supporting us all along this year.
We think about you a lot when we decide what to write.
In a typical brainstorming session we try to raise and answer questions like: what are people looking for, what problems they need help with, what psychological difficulties are fostered by our environments today, in these changing times…
Inner Space turns three on the 26th of December 2013 and we also near the end of another year.
The year has been eventful, lots of action, work, an additional office, new associations, more therapists and so on. But amidst the enjoyable inertia of all this work and action, I want to remind myself and all the Inner Space therapists to not lose sight of why we started Inner Space…
It’s that time of the year again when every building is dotted with lanterns, diyas and lights…and not to mention, when it’s okay to eat as many sweets as you want to!
Diwali is here! The festival of lights is a much loved one across ages and communities. No wonder then that no exchange in these 3-4 days would be complete without “Happy Diwali” 🙂
Apart from the festivities and fire crackers, there is a deeper meaning that Diwali would hold for each of you. To some it would mean hope, whereas for some, joy.
For Diwali, we at Inner Space decided to come together and share with you what Diwali means to each of us in the team. Penning this down was a soothing experience and helped each of us connect with what Diwali truly meant to us.
Imagine you are a ship. On a voyage. Swayed by gentle breeze or choppy waves everyday. You feel pulled back or pushed ahead. At times, you find it difficult to stay on course. Wouldn’t you want to have an anchor, to keep you steady?
If the ship is your mind, the breeze and waves are your thoughts which take you to the past and future… but what is the anchor??
The anchor is something that is with you all the time – it is the ‘present’
Discovering the Present through Mindfulness
Mindfulness means paying attention to the present, completely and fully. It is a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience, be it of what you see/hear/smell, or your breath or even your thoughts.
We promised you that we’d share our experiences at the Mental Health Awareness Weekend 2013 (MHAW) with you. We’re a little late; ’cause we were catching up on some rest after the hectic preparation.
So here goes…
The Mental Health Awareness Weekend begins tomorrow, and we are looking forward to it!
For today, we decided to share with all of you a little memento that we’re planning to give away to those whom we meet tomorrow.
But first, some background about the memento…
Through our posts, we’ve been talking about how it is okay to seek help and how seeking help is a sign of strength, not of weakness.
We understand that even then, when you do decide to go in for counseling, you might have some doubts or apprehensions-
“What really is counseling?”
“What happens in these sessions?”
“Will it actually help?”
These are real questions and a lot of people we interact with do voice them as well. So, we decided that real questions deserve real answers; we asked some of those who have been in therapy with us, to share what therapy or counseling means to them.
We specialize in combining psychotherapy with deep wellness practices like mindfulness and meditation and creating a customized mental health plan for individuals and organisations.
We specialize in combining psychotherapy with deep wellness practices like mindfulness and meditation and creating a customized mental health plan for individuals and organisations.
A young woman from another country moved with her family to live for one year in a town near the monastery. When, in the course of the year she discovered the monastery, she would periodically visit to have discussions with the Abbess. The Abbess introduced her to meditation, which became very meaningful for the young woman.
When the family’s year-long stay was drawing to an end, the young woman asked the Abbess, “In my country there is no Buddhism and no one has even heard about meditation. How can I continue to learn and deepen the practice you have started me on?”
The Abbess said, “When you return home ask far and wide for who, among the wise people, is recognized as having the greatest ability to listen. Ask that person to instruct you in the art of listening. What you learn about listening from such a person will teach you how to further your meditation practice.
― Gil Fronsdal, A Monastery Within: Tales from the Buddhist Path
