“Shuddhi” & Synchronicities: Mental Health Awareness

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Early in January this year I set up a Facebook page, "Meraki by Me, Raakhee" to share my creations and honor my New Year resolution to create more than I consume. In a wonderful demonstration of "synchronicities" as mentioned by one of the online participants of the session I attended, the universe conspired to help me and I came across a WhatsApp Status updaate for a "curated reading" of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way the night before the event. 

To boost my creativity and mental health, on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, I participated in this hybrid Reading Circle session led by Swathy, an ace educational therapist, of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way at Shuddhi Space. The book as toolkit to boost creativity and the circle of supportive young minds at Shuddhi Space recharged me. Perfect activity for May which is Mental Health Awareness Month. 

The word "Shuddhi" means healing or cleansing, and the space is all about "Together toward Holistic Healing."  Mission Accomplished!

We exchanged ideas, learnings, gratitude and little mementoes to wrap up the session. I've come away thrilled that one of my creations - an artwork "Star of the Sea" that I posted about on my Facebook page Meraki by Me, Raakhee now hangs in the "Friends of Shuddhi" Corner along with its repurposed plastic sleeve with hanger a garment I bought came in as instant picture frame.

Here's to Sunrise Walks and "Morning Pages" to boost mental health and kick start creativity.

SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-Being

Climate Change and Mental Health 

In addition to winter blues and seasonal depression, the new weather related mood disrupter is heat. Heat stress increase in irritability, arguments and domestic violence. Extreme heat in addition to many other women-specific vulnerabilities disproportionately affects women's health and their mental health.

Humidity and high night-time temperatures disrupt sleep and affect mental health, mood and productivity.

Create to Combat Cognitive & Mental Health Decline 

pic.twitter.com/02Cs12fe2s

— Cozyreads (@Cozyreads_) May 4, 2026

Becoming by Creating 

A powerful reading of Kurt Vonnegut's November 2006 letter to students by thespian par excellence Sir Ian McKellan on the power of creating and creativity in helping one find oneself and becoming!

Healthy Bodies for Healthy Minds 

Ancient philosopher Musonious was an ardent proponent that healthy bodies are vital for healthy minds.

Mindless and repetitive physical activity, a kind of meditative movement helps deal with faltering moods and creative blocks. Britain's Wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill wasfamous for fighting off his dark moods - his depression through bricklaying. 

Winston Churchill fought his depression with bricks. He'd lay them for hours at his country home in Kent. He joined the bricklayers' union. And in 1921 he wrote about why it worked. It took psychology another 75 years to catch up.

He called his depression the "Black Dog." It… https://t.co/QfAsWvT9KB

— Anish Moonka (@anishmoonka) May 5, 2026

Exercise, Dancing, Singing, Listening to Uplifting and Foot-tapping Music, Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, Deep Breathing, Tapping and trying to be aware of your inner workings and emotions by listening to your body by shutting out the outside noise and focusing inwards all help with boosting mental health and well-being.

Female Friendships, a Nurturing Circle of Friends, a Supportive Social Life 

Rural women from Kutch, Gujarat, embroidering together - supportive community and income stream

(SDG 11: Sustainable Community and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth)

A supportive circle is everything. Be it family, friends or community, mood and mental health is healed by a nurturing and supportive circle of people. 

Heal in Nature 

Traditional remedies are very effective in tackling mental health challenges and in places like Japan, Finland & Greece they actually prescribe spending time in nature to reset circadian rhythms and cortisol levels and manage mental health.

"Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humour, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence, and nothing too much."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson pic.twitter.com/elMQFfOgld

— Cian McCarthy (@arealmofwonder) May 9, 2026

Forest Bathing or Shinrin-yoku in Japan, actual sea bathing (jumping into the Mediterranean Sea) in Greece, and hiking, sun & sauna time in Finland all are prescribed as healing practices for those struggling with mental health challenges. Audio Therapy of the Golden Frequency (432 Hertz) and even bird song also is effective in lowering cortisol levels - the so-called golden frequency in the golden ratio (1.618) helps heal. As does just the act of getting out of your head and observing minutely the miracle of nature surrounding you. 

Part 2. Charles Dickens swam in freezing sea water every morning before he could write. He built himself an ice-cold shower under a 150-foot waterfall in 1849. He wrote letters explaining why it worked. The chemistry of what he was doing has only just been measured.

Dickens…

— Anish Moonka (@anishmoonka) May 16, 2026

Charles Dickens fought his depression by walking through London at night. One October he set out at 2 in the morning and walked 30 miles, all the way to his country home in Kent. In 1860 he wrote about why it worked. It took psychology another 150 years to catch up.

Dickens… pic.twitter.com/l7ptbBytbJ

— Anish Moonka (@anishmoonka) May 15, 2026

Healing Plants 

 Insomnia, anxiety and stress are things tackled through plant extracts targeting the five senses. A popular example is Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) for stress relief. 

Then there is the obvious, food of the gods - Chocolate that has been repeatedly proved to be a health and well-being powerhouse - Theobromine the active component in chocolate/cocoa is truly a miraculous one. 

While exploring herbal health solutions, nothing beats Traditional know-how like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Forest herbs, kashayams (elixirs stirred up on kitchen stoves by concerned wives, mothers and grandmothers) and kitchen garden remedies passed down through generations are still very effective in boosting health, well-being,  mood and mental health.