Every Turn of the Mind: Reflections on World Mental Health Day
Every story begins with a turn—एक करवट. Sometimes life turns towards joy, sometimes towards restlessness, sometimes towards silence. As a writer, I often find that the deepest stories don’t come from imagination, but from those unspoken turns of the mind.
On this World Mental Health Day, I don’t want to give advice; I want to share a reminder: every emotion we carry is a story waiting to be honoured. Whether it is anxiety, grief, or hope—each deserves its space in our diary of life.
The Artist’s Reflection: Healing Through Rhythm
When I dance, I notice something strange—the same step feels different on different days. One day it releases anger, another day it releases tears. The taal, the raga, the brush of rhythm across the heart—they all remind me that art has always been humanity’s first therapy.
Long before psychology found its language, we were already healing through music, colour, gesture, and movement. Perhaps that’s why mental health cannot be separated from creativity—it is not only about surviving, but about expressing the unsayable.
The Community Reflection: The Power of Belonging
In my local women’s group, I often see how a single conversation can soften a heavy day. We underestimate the power of community in mental health. It is not just “my mind” that matters, but “our shared mind.”
A safe space, where you are seen without judgement, can sometimes heal more than any medicine. When we come together—in parks, in homes, even in WhatsApp groups—we create small sanctuaries of belonging. And belonging, in truth, is the opposite of loneliness.
A Cosmic Reminder: Honouring Our Phases
I often look at the night sky for metaphors. The planets, with their slow movements, remind us that our minds too have phases. The moon wanes, the moon waxes—yet we never call it broken. Why, then, do we call ourselves weak when our light dims for a while?
Perhaps mental health is not about staying “bright” all the time, but about honouring our cycles—just as the stars honour theirs.
Closing Thought
So today, instead of posting another slogan, I want to say this: your story matters, your art matters, your community matters, your phases matter.
On this World Mental Health Day, let us not just raise awareness. Let us raise connection. Let us listen—to ourselves, to each other, and to the silent turns of the mind.
Every turn (करवट) of the mind carries meaning. And sometimes, sharing that turn with another human being is the first step towards healing.
समर्पण
हर करवट का अपना अर्थ होता है।
कभी ख़ामोशी में, कभी शब्दों में,
और कभी बस किसी अपने के साथ बाँट देने में—
मन का बोझ हल्का हो जाता है।
Comments
Post a Comment