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Hi everyone I am starting up a mental health wellbeing garden for people in our community on Waiheke island with mental health illnesses and people who are lonely and feel isolated..I would love to know if anyone here is involved with this sort of thing and from anyone who has any ideas to help get my project underway

Bettering mental health is not a quick fix or a magical cure. It requires consistent effort and a deep understanding of the science behind it. One such ancient proven science is the practice of yoga and pranayama. These techniques have been used for thousands of years to promote mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Through a combination of postures, breathing exercises, and meditation, yoga and pranayama work to calm the mind, reduce stress, and improve overall mental health. While the effects of these practices may feel like magic, they are rooted in the scientific principles of physiology and psychology, making them a reliable and effective tool for bettering mental health Through the guidance and support of Kaivalyadhama, individuals can discover the tools and practices they need to create a life of health, happiness, and wellbeing

Yogasanas to uplift mood The practice of yoga has been known to have numerous benefits for physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. At Kaivalyadhama Institute, the focus is on using yoga to uplift mood and promote positive emotions. The institute offers a variety of Yogasanas, or yoga postures, that are specifically designed to improve mood, reduce stress, and increase overall happiness. These Yogasanas include poses such as Bhujangasana, or Cobra Pose, which can help to increase energy levels and improve mood by opening the chest and heart center. With the guidance of experienced instructors at Kaivalyadhama, individuals can learn how to use these Yogasanas to uplift their mood and cultivate a positive mindset. Whether practiced alone or as part of a larger yoga practice, these simple postures can have a profound impact on mental and emotional wellbeing, helping individuals to live a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life.

Disease to Ease is a path that is set by the blend of Yog, Ayurveda, and Dhyaan, and it is a holistic approach to healing and wellbeing. Kaivalyadhama is one such institution that has been at the forefront of this movement, offering courses and programs that combine these ancient sciences to promote optimal health and wellness. Ayurveda, the science of life, emphasizes the importance of balance and harmony in the body, mind, and spirit, while yoga focuses on physical postures, breath control, and meditation to cultivate inner peace and strength. Dhyaan, or meditation, is a practice that brings awareness to the present moment, allowing individuals to connect with their inner selves and find peace amidst the chaos of daily life. Together, these practices provide a powerful foundation for healing and transformation, allowing individuals to move from a state of disease to a state of ease. Through the guidance and support of Kaivalyadhama, individuals can discover the tools and practices they need to create a life of health, happiness, and wellbeing.

At one point, I was the healthiest person I knew (or so I thought! haha). But what is "healthy" these days anyway? And how does the food you eat affect your mood and overall wellbeing? Is there a correlation? Can you share ideas of healthy meals / foods you eat? Photos are always welcome too

Char, I think your project of starting a mental health wellbeing garden is a wonderful idea. Gardening can have many benefits for people who are struggling with mental health issues, loneliness, or isolation. Here are some thoughts and scriptures that relate and offer support and encouragement to your project: Gardening can help people practice acceptance, gratitude, mindfulness, and hope. It can also reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and anger. It can improve mood, self-esteem, creativity, and cognitive function. It can foster a sense of connection to nature, to others, and to God. Gardening can be a way of expressing God’s love and care for His creation. It can also be a way of receiving God’s love and care for ourselves. God is the ultimate gardener, who planted the first garden in Eden and who makes everything grow according to His plan. Some scriptures that can inspire and motivate you and the people who will join your garden are: Psalm 1:3: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Isaiah 58:11: “And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” John 15:1-5: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.” Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” I hope these thoughts and scriptures will help you get your project underway. I wish you all the best in your endeavor. May God bless you and your garden abundantly. 😊 Sincerely In Christ, Katherine Stephenson

When i was 29 i had the same expierience. Fortunately it opened my real path as a wounded healer and to deeper knowledge. I almost died from allergic schock caused by antibiotics. It turned out that i was allergic. Allergy is a Greek word which means "change what you do". Being faithful to my soul was the answer in my life. Learning to cooperate with myself, setting boundaries and letting go of toxic family members who undermined my worth and wellbeing because of jealousy and a need to control was the key. Looking deeper into situations and aknowleging that others projected on me their issues. This understanding allows both self respect and compassion towards the other. We can t help someone who does not want it.

Hey Guys I am new to yoga and I am so excited to start this journey! I am sure you all know what yoga is, but for those of us who are new here, it's a practice involving physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation that aim to promote health and wellbeing. Yoga can help improve flexibility, reduce stress, increase strength and balance and help with relaxation. It can also help improve mental clarity, reduce anxiety and even alleviate chronic pain. The best part is that anyone can do yoga no matter what your age or fitness level. It's important to remember that yoga is a journey and not a destination. So take it slow, be patient with yourself and don't give up if something doesn't work the first time. Just keep practicing and you'll eventually get the hang of it. However, I am here to ask a few questions that you may have on your mind before you start practicing yoga: How often should I practice yoga to see results? Do I need any special equipment to practice yoga? Which yoga poses are best for beginners? How can I make sure I'm practicing yoga safely and correctly? Where can I get coupons for yoga mat and other accessories? Thanks in advance!

Hello, everyone! Nice to be here! I've been into meditation for quite a long time and was wondering if there are people on here who share the same interest! I'm an MSc Psychology student at the University of Leicester, UK, and am currently working on my dissertation. I'd like to promote nondual awareness research in modern psychology. If anyone practices meditation (in any tradition) on here and is willing to take a 5-minute anonymous survey on meditation, nonduality and wellbeing, I'd really appreciate your help! You're welcome to start here (Google forms): https://forms.gle/GfWH86nxsw27ff8v8 (At the moment I have about 234 responses out of 500 (target)). Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to connecting with some like-minded individuals! 🙏 ❤

Hi Janeames, I think it's a safe bet that there are many people out there feeling like this. Happiness is not always as others coin it. Being quiet and unobtrusive can be unsettling for those always seeking to be seen and heard. Of course the dynamics are much more complex than that. I deal with loneliness through the practice of acceptance. More so inner work. The latter not so easy when bogged down in low states of energy and emotion. These negative aspects of being for sure inhibit our ability to make substantial connections with other people. Thankfully I have discovered I don't need many people in my life to find substantial peace. Such an insight not welcome in busy groups that thrive on every day clichés of joy and bliss. That said, one or two connections can greatly improve our health and wellbeing. I just practice being myself as best I can be, but not to be better, thriving, successful or anything of those things. The few friends I have had for decades now to which I can count with just a few fingers on one hand, do not go to parties, sing or dance, we just accept the others for who they be, we take heart that we understand the things that others are so quick to disown. I hope this finds you as well as can be. I use nature over all and stay true to myself despite the push to fit in. Practice stillness and you'll come to see that square pegs do in fact fit into round holes without the need to be something or somebody else.

Hi Tine, By Alternative Health I mean practices that are beneficial to health and does not involve taking prescription drugs. I am currently practising guided meditation and hypnosis for 30 mins in the morning and night. And I notice that the things that bother me before no longer bother me. I feel more content and at peace. I am also recieving abundance in all areas of my life, home, work and business. Especially now when there are so much negative news around with the media talking about cost of living crisis. What crisis? I wish people will discover meditation and hypnosis to manifest what they want. That's what I mean by alternative health and wellbeing.

Totally agree that it's important to set boundaries with your friendships and relationships! And it's also totally okay to tell a friend if you are not in the right headspace or mentally capable to deal with their unloading. We all have good days and bad, and if it starts to affect your mental health or your wellbeing you should be able to be honest about that too.

A big part of self care is talking care of your mental health 🙏 Prioritising your own wellbeing is never selfish!

So true 🙏 Check in with yourself and prioritise your wellbeing. Loving yourself is not selfish 🌈

Stress can definitely have a terrible effect on our physical wellbeing and is the root to a lot of problems. Thanks for sharing 🪴

It sounds like it has been really difficult for you, and I'm sorry to hear that. Struggling with not getting the help you need and having financial worries takes a huge toll on our wellbeing and happiness. I'm sending you lots of strength and hope you find a positive way forward in this New Year. 🙏

A lot of people find yoga and meditation to be great tools to overall wellbeing and happiness 🙌 However you should do what you feel works best for you! There are lots of different kinds of yoga and meditation, so if you're curious but not sure what's right for you, I'd suggest you try a few different types to see if anything reonates with you. I'll share a few links from the magazine if you're interested in finding out more!

I went through something that made me feel similar to how you describe, and what eventually worked for me (as simplified as it sounds) was to choose every day to be positive, to be in a good mood, and to be happy. It didn't/doesn't work every single day, and some days it took a looot of effort, but I really felt like I didn't want what had happen to take away that happy/positive side of me. I did things that made me feel good, that made me laugh, and things that I knew was good for my body and my headspace. I focused on myself, my wellbeing, and practised a lot of gratitude - for example finding 3 things to be grateful for each day. I hope this can be helpful, and look forward to seeing other suggestions and advice on how to overcome a struggle and find happiness again ?

I went through an awful online divorce in Utah and parental distance from my most established girl. Rather than zeroing in on that circumstance, I've zeroed in on my joy instead.The things that satisfy me are cuddling and playing with my canines, a fiber expressions project turning out incredibly well, and being there for my companions whether it's chuckling or assisting them with working through things. I get a great deal of fulfillment from helping other people feel much improved and perceive their worth. I think if not for my wellbeing, I'd have become an advisor. What are ways that really satisfy you? I began to tune in to confirmations to develop my certainty and bliss once more. Furthermore, I began doing discontinuous fasting-any other individual attempt this? It has truly assisted with clearing my psyche.

Embracing our oneness with nature be key to our survival. The unity is the invisible Intelligence and is embedded in the rhythms and relationships that observed in nature, we are the work of this cosmic intelligence. What is good for the whole system? On Earth, to the web of life on the planet, what is good for the whole system is good for us all. However, what may be good for a few of us in the short term is not necessarily good for the whole system. Because a few can distort the dynamic, the structure of the whole, by biasing it to work for their immediate benefit, for greed, selfishness and vanity. So, let’s look at the whole system, let us act as if we are part of it—because we are. We are part of nature, and nature is part of the universe. This recognition is probably the deepest guidance we can have. AMAZON, alexis karpouzos official site The open Oneness doesn’t mean that we lose our individuality. The open Oneness means that we are joined together, each of us bringing something to the whole system, we are the whole system, we are all the others. This is what we need to understand; that we can, we must be, one with nature, without losing our individuality. We are not separate mechanical elements outside of nature. Every individual is a complex system running on the same information that orients all of nature. By following the intelligence implicit in the laws of nature we are not losing anything. We are gaining everything, because the secret of our health and wellbeing is to be one within ourselves, and to be one with others. Every event, every action impacts the whole system. If we know that, then we can freely choose to act as part of the whole. Every living system is alive and healthy when all its elements, every one of the trillions and trillions of cells, are working together with and for the whole system. If in the human body there is a group of cells that is out of step, moving on its own, if it just grows and multiplies on its own we have the condition of disease. Every disease is basically a condition where some parts of the body do not cooperate with, are not fully aligned with, the whole. All of us, all of the web of life on Earth, on Universe, must come together to form the symphony of oneness. That is the purpose of our existence. It is our contribution to the world. When we use our mind, our spirit, our consciousness the natural way, the way they were born to be used, we will find our way to oneness in our family and community, on Earth, and in the universe. Alexis karpouzos alexis karpouzos, iam the universe (1).ogg

I'm sorry to hear you're feeling unhappy and lonely, those are feelings that can easily overwhelm and take over so it's a great thing that you're reaching out for support and advice. I agree with Tati that it's important to try and find happiness in yourself; to come to the understanding that you can make yourself happy rather than relying on others for happiness. If you feel like you messed something up with this person you mention, perhaps try to talk to them and explain your feelings and apologise if you did something wrong. Whether they accept or not, it might give you peace of mind to have shared how you feel. It's been a difficult year that has left many of us feeling lonely and anxious, and due to different stages of restriction it might be hard to socialise with others at this time. Joining our little community is a great thing, but perhaps you can also look into joining (online) classes of some sort? Whether it's yoga, live workouts, a book circle - there are tones of niche communities that have emerged just because people are restricted from going out and meeting in person. Focus on yourself, your wellbeing, and what makes you happy. Take a long walk, do some kind of exercise that you enjoy, bake or cook something delicious, watch a series/movie/documentary that you like, etc. If you never tried it, perhaps give yoga or meditation a chance - it could be a great way to start. There are lots of free yoga classes on YouTube (I like Yoga with Adrienne) and many meditation apps where you can try it out. You can also have look in our Academy for some free resources that you might find interesting! ?

Welcome back and thanks for posting this question! ? I was actually talking to someone about this just the other week, and we both agreed we were a lot more affected by being under lockdown than we realized while we were still in it. Isolation and uncertainty had a huge effect on both our headspaces and wellbeing, but I guess these things sometimes become apparent first when you reflect back. I have also noticed how the pandemic has made me worry more, and made me feel a bit more anxious in general. I worry for elderly family members and friends and those who are in 'risk groups' who are so much more vulnerable. I'm sad for feeling I have missed out on time I would have spent with family and friends, but I guess that has perhaps made me appreciate it even more and not take for granted being able to do that whenever I feel like it. It's definitely been a strange year, how do you feel about it?

I have close friends, but we live far away from each other. Sometimes months go by where we don't talk, but when we do, it's like nothing changed or happened in between. I think having friends and close relationships is important to our overall wellbeing, but the lockdown has taught me that it's totally possible to be isolated and have no contact with people you love and care about you while you take care of and focus on YOU.

My understanding of Qi Gong (chee gong) is that it's a Chinese medicinal therapy based on breathing control, and it helps eliminate tension, stress, and brings health and vitality. I suppose they could be categorised into the same healing therapies like tai chi or reiki? They all come from Eastern traditions and support the importance of properly channelling the qi - or vital energy - through the body's meridians. According to these principles, the good state of one's health will depend on our ability to achieve the correct balance between body and mind; thus achieving wellbeing, mainly through meditation and breathing control. Has anyone tried? What are the benefits and how often would one have to practice? Please comment and share your experiences :)

Today I clicked onto another members profile who had responded with a like something I wrote yesterday when I signed up. On his profile was a link to an article that appeared in the Guardian Newspaper digging deeper into research that has discovered that humans are at their most miserable at 47 years old, well 47.2 to be precise. Now this may or not be the day it went to press but the day it came into my awareness is exactly 47 years and 2 months to the day when I was born at Kings College Hospital, London. I would be a churlish man to guarantee nothing outside my control could not unexpectedly dissect my life and pose a threat to me or my wellbeing. But as friends will have picked from me throughout 2019 I have experienced recent changes that were traumatic and brought me to a place where I did not recognise people I thought I knew, up from down, true from false. In a dark moment of being alone and very sad I felt as though I may have been the one who betrayed himself. But inside that dark moment and out from that insight. A deep question had flowered within, if 'I' had been the one who betrayed 'myself' then who was 'I' and who is 'myself' since there is only one of me? This was a very important question to ask myself because the answer was nothing that my mind knew or could answer. My mind had been stumped. While my brain shrugged at its lack of knowledge. That realisation resonated with the awareness that has a very strong connection to my gut and my heart, the still, silent awareness at the core of my being. Conscious who 'I' was, I became witness to my mind and mindful of the thoughts that come and go as my brain presents a conceptual understanding of the world around me intended to help me navigate life's path surviving danger and meeting certain fundamental needs. Having awakened to this new found vista of consciousness and allowed my brain enough time to comprehend what it did not itself have scope to have deduced. I found another answer glowing out from the darkness as blatant and as bright as light. Love, self-love will protect against any instance of self betrayal. So I began to practice meditation more and start to change the relationship with myself generating self-compassion, more self-love and a searching enquiry to better understand my needs, to develop a better language related to the needs we all have. If life is dependant on basic needs being met, and those needs are universal and the same for each individual. Then our greater knowledge of our needs is vital to be sensitive and empathic towards our own efforts to meet them and understand what our instincts are doing when we react when they are not being met or something or someone is obstructing us from what we need. So I listen intently to my emotions, guiding me to meet them and this helps me understand more what may be alive in others, who are in conflict with me or others, when something is or is not being done that results in their needs not being met. Knowledge of ones needs lets me see how this drives people to act. They may not know how to say this non-violently, they may just know that their needs are being frustrated and they are blaming the cause of their anxiety. But all conflict results from a need that is not being met. We can learn a language which allows us to be honest and direct with pin point precision of the way we are feeling, what is alive in us, and with practice you can learn how not to blame others or accuse them of wrongdoing and show them what is happening that is blocking you from what you need to thrive and enrich your life and the lives of others willingly. Out of self-love comes compassion and greater empathy I am sure. Essentially I had more growing to do, and as far as I can work out it looks very like the Universe is my best friend too. Because everything being placed on my journey was showing me exactly what I needed to learn the lessons that I needed to know. I am an extremely grateful embodiment of carbon in consciousness. While I am unable to calculate my worth in a material sense, I can be confidently assured in any given moment, that I, like you, am priceless. Anything, including negative thoughts or anyone suggesting otherwise in the direction of worthlessness is not using the language of non-violent communication they most probably just don't know how to speak it. Whether they are conscious of this or not they are abusing you and not willingly sought to enrich your life, and so it spells the end, it is at odds with your true value, they don't have to see it your way, that is their own deficiency, not yours and so this is the time to walk away from their toxicity don't try to steer someone towards a lesson that the universe is very much in command of, forgive them, when you are ready to not feel hurt by holding the hurt, let it go and say a prayer asking the Universe to bless them with the same kind of insight that I feel I have received. Find the life underneath the life situation, the story of things happening to me and don't identify with the ego's fondness for drama and conflict. Let your life love you back to the you you have always been, you are perfect just as you are without conditions attached. And for me personally the most important person who needed to really know this life lesson has been me. Thank you gorgeous universe for the gift of getting more appreciation of living before I die, and for the amazing gift of being me. Xxx P.S they say from here on in - everything starts to look up! ?