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“He who has health has hope. He who has hope has everything”- Thomas Carlyle
We have been raised to believe that physical health is of paramount importance. And without a doubt, it is. But the recent pandemic has brought to light the fact that mental health is equally, if not more important for people across all age groups. The frequent news of the suicide of young people is on the rise. India recorded a rate of 12 suicides per every 1 lakh people in 2021*. The figures are disturbing and call for immediate attention.
The mind and body have a deeper relationship than we may think. Authorities across the world have noted that good mental health can have a direct, positive effect on physical health – the vice versa is also true: compromised mental health is known to harm physical health.
Take yourself for example; how do you feel after working out regularly for a month? Does it make you feel supercharged and energized, ready to take on the world? In the same way, a bad month at work or in your personal life often leaves you feeling angry, anxious and unhappy to the core, doesn’t it?
B.K.S Iyengar famously stated that ‘good health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.’ Creating this harmony is not the final destination, but rather a journey that begins with small steps. With commitment and determination, a sense of overall well-being- in body and mind becomes a way of life.
In the everyday rut of life, we become oblivious to the stress or burden we take up unconsciously. When finally, one is diagnosed with high blood pressure, chronic pain and severe digestive disruptions, we need to go to the root cause of the physical illness. Often, a change in the mental state helps more deeply than all the pills that one can pop. Physical exercise, yoga practice, mindfulness and nutritious food always help to last long in the game of life.
Mental illness is known to have a deep impact on the immune system of the body. An unbalanced mind creates a hitherto of unpleasant daily behaviors, including substance abuse, poor self-care, disorderly living spaces and multiple mood swings. The easy way to deal with these has inched the population towards junk food, alcohol, and nicotine overuse. Instead, trying basic breathing techniques like pranayama, writing a journal or even prioritizing an evening off with a good book or movie, with a bowl of fruit in hand will benefit in feeling joyous in body and mind.
Henry David Thoreau said, “Every man is the builder of a temple called his body.” Now if we were to place the mind as the sacred center, it becomes clear why what goes on in the mind also leads to what happens in the body.
The connection between the body and the mind is not a made-up myth in the 21st century. History provides evidence from the ancient Indian Epic- Ramayana, that when Ram Bhagwan left Ayodhya for 14 years, His Father, King Dashrath, despite being the supreme ruler, with abundance in all areas of life, became lonely, dejected and died of a heart attack.
When the mind’s sea is choppy, even the best of the vessels will sway astray. The calmer the mind, the smoother the sail. So, the next time your body feels tired, try calming and attending to the exhausted mind and watch the miraculous healing of the body and soul.
About Kelp
Kelp was incorporated in 2013 to provide the best HR solutions to organizations, and to improve workplace culture across the board. Over the last 10 years, we have serviced more than 800 clients in India and a few overseas, across various industries in the areas of PoSH (prevention of sexual harassment at workplace), D, E & I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) and EAP. But the common objective of all of these services is to build safer, happier, inclusive and productive workplaces.
For our services related to Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D,E &I) or Employee Assistance programs (EAP) do get in touch with us at info@kelphr.com, call +91-95001-29652 and our advisors will help you with customized offerings suited to your organization.
