Mental Wellness: Be a “Friend to Your Mind”

She is a friend of my mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order. —Toni Morrison, Beloved

• Honoring intellectuality and creativity
• Practicing awareness in the moment, without judgment, simply observing thoughts
• Discovering inner wisdom, expressing ideas with confidence
• Speaking affirmations daily that support growth and development

In Ancient Kemet (Egypt), Ptah refers to the divine source of all life, power, health and creations. Hotep means “satisfaction” and “peace”. Therefore, Ptahhotep means, “he who acts so that God is satisfied” (Asa Hilliard, pg. 97).

Employing clear, calm and grounding practices that nourish our hearts, enrich our minds, bodies, spirits and souls is a radical and compassionate act of loving kindness that begins inwardly and eventually extends outwardly.

To live, love and be well is a matter of choice and perspective. Wellness is a multi-dimensional and interactive continual process that can be summarized in the following 6 domains of intentional engagement towards enhanced quality of living:

Finally a study validates what I have been telling students and clients for the longest time: movement makes mind/body health much better! Rather than focusing on burning fat or altering shapes, a daily commitment to simply move, as scientists continue to confirm, will lead to an instant shift in mood.

According to a New York Times article (6/19/2010), Laura Blue writes that exercise “…not only relieves depressive symptoms, but appears to prevent them from recurring”.

Neuroscientist Phillip Holmes reports: “…that exercise is the more normal or natural condition, and that being sedentary is really the abnormal situation…”. This news article further asserts that: “Our brains simply may not be built for an environment without physical activity. Research has also suggested that exercise may be an effective treatment not just for depression, but also against related anxiety disorders and even substance dependence.” (Blue, 2010)

That was true one unforgettable summer night, which will tell you a little bit about me.

“There I was barefoot in the kitchen slicing eggplant, mixing olive oil, and maggi cubes; right where He wanted me to be so that we could really talk. It was a familiar place and yet this particular time, it felt refreshingly different. My mood was more relaxed, not forced in the frantic “man pleaser” mode of my youth. Without a menses for over a year, nothing less than a miracle could create life inside of me, yet creative life energy is alive and flourishing. Maybe it’s because like the rats that ran without exhaustion when it was of their own volition, my neurons are firing and synapses are making all kinds of meaningful connections. Perhaps because I choose to cook, to read, to reflect, listen to God and to write, the ideas flow. Or it could just simply be my season to take back what the locust stole from me? Whatever the reason, it’s a joy to be barefoot in the kitchen, pregnant with possibilities. Engaged in mindful meditation, movement, and miraculous living, the Holy Spirit is guiding my mission to make a positive impact on the planet.”