A Post of Gratitude to Talk About Mental Health

Sastang pranam at your lotus feet Swamiji.

Almost two years ago i.e. in November 2020, while passing through an emotional turmoil, I joined os.me community. That was a time when everything was blurry to me. I was in doldrums, not able to handle my day to day life. The only hope was some miracle to unfold before me. I wrote my first post crying out loud for help. This great forum listened to my hearty cry, it showered unconditional love and acceptance without any judgement. The best thing about this this forum is ‘acceptance without prejudice’. The baby who came crying to get some solace, did not only receive the same but also a lot more and the baby has now become a toddler of course with lot less crying!

If we accept someone unconditionally, we are really trying to open up both the acceptor as well as the accepted’s heart. The air becomes quite clear to create a great ecosystem of trust, respect and mutual understanding. Swamiji accepts everyone unconditionally when surrendered at his feet and this gesture has very deep connection with our subconscious inner-self. A sense of reassurance surges and the subconscious mind understands a lot than the logical-analytical mind. It feels a sense of security and a net of safety as far as I perceive. What gets generated in our heads, may be a set of chemical reactions, but to name it properly – it is sense of ‘Gratitude’. And this is a very effective weapon against any low phase of mind and necessary for a balanced ‘Mental Health’.

The topic of ‘Mental Health’ has been a taboo in our society and even on this date, we still lag behind. It is treated as a form of ‘weakness’. I would like to scream loud that – no it is not. Rather, hiding it or suffocating it is not ‘strength’ either. At least in this forum it is welcomed to be courageous enough to acknowledge the phase of mind.

Yes, it is okay not to be okay. Things go haywire and chemicals do malfunction. But that does not mean that the person who is undergoing a lot has been lost. All these souls require is some love, someone to believe in them, someone to tell them ‘it is okay to fail’. Failure is not a bad thing and contemplating on it is not either, provided the proportion should not be disproportionate.

Yes, pondering over something has two ways – just thinking round and round, again and again the same thing(s) and related disastrous consequences which is a negative spiral. Yes, I acknowledge that things are extremely difficult during that phase and it is better said than done to escape with a tangential force from the less meaningful revolution.

The other way is to contemplate and not ponder. Of course, a companion will always be better, a friend to confide upon and tell everything that troubles your nice soul and mind. You can read a lot of inspirational real life stories, real life conquerors etc., but having a friend has its own advantages. If you have not one yet, consider me by your side. Yes, I really mean it. It’s payback time. I have received a lot from os.me forum. It has given me a rebirth, a new direction to my perspectives, a new found confidence, a new found zeal to face challenges with a courage that was never before found inside me.

As I was listening to Swamiji, during his Birthday discourse in a mesmerized manner (Swamiji’s voice spells a magic on me anytime I listen to. He is my pied piper.) I suddenly found that it is high time that I should be contributing something to the society from my experience whatever tiny it may be. I am no more me, a part of Swamiji is a permanent resident inside my mind. The words of Swamiji really hit me and the thoughts sent by my mind to the universe were acknowledged in terms of my inclusion into the ‘Samurais Council’ of os.me platform. A huge ‘gratitude’ to the forum who has bestowed upon me the confidence and responsibility. The more I think of the events leading to me joining the platform and getting my life reshaped, the more ‘gratitude’ I would like to offer.

Have you ever marked that invariably every post of mine starts with salutation at Swamiji’s feet? It is nothing, but a sense of ‘gratitude’ I offer for taking me onboard, accepting me, doing everything that Swamiji and this forum has done to revive me. Gratitude for providing this wonderful platform to write. This has an amazing positive feedback loop which gets created in my mind and propels me to be more humble and more grounded. I still remember the first e-mail which I received from os.me forum to be grateful and offer gratitude for everything I have in my life. A sense of fulfilling and content will prevail once you offer gratitude. And believe me, it does happen as the universe taps your gratitude and goes on providing you more reasons to be grateful. Just pray and offer gratitude as you go to bed for a comforting sleep, your subconscious mind will seep in the idea. As you enter into the theta state of your brain, the more connected you will feel with your higher-self.

As I was recovering from my condition with the help of both medication and spiritual faiths, I started studying on ‘Mental Health’ related aspects. Some chemicals are responsible for our behaviour, but how to get our body release those chemicals? Please stay tuned to my upcoming blogs for more on this. Like Physical Health, Mental Health is also very important though it is not that visible or that evident. Like ‘Physical Hygiene’, ‘Mental Hygiene’ is also required to protect the mind against attack of unwanted and potentially harmful bacteria and virus of ‘Mental Turbulence’.

Yes, we will discuss a lot of things I wanted to share. I want your co-operation in this regard. Are you there with me? Together we will spread the revolution of ‘Mental Wellbeing’. Please reach out to me without any hesitation. May be, I alone will have limited capability and may be, you alone too, but in the company of each other, we both will have unlimited potential.

We will analyse more and dive deeper into various mental traits, various ways to offer ‘gratitude’, we will have case studies, scientific as well as spiritual view-points. Let’s go on a journey of exploring together, learning together, sharing together, caring together and of course changing together. So, what are you waiting for? Get up, hold your head high, you are not alone. We will have some funny bones to tickle and lots of changes to usher in.

Thanks for reading. Jai Shri Hari…