Mental Health and Mindfulness Day 9 (Kenna)

 

For the first hour of day 9, we started with meditation that focuses on our Ajna chakra.

This helps build a foundation that invites deeper concentration and furthers intuitive thinking. We felt the

energy of the earth go through us as we sought positive affirmations.

Afterwards, we had a Zoom call with Dr. Reese so she could inform us on personality disorders.We learned a multitude of things on the subject of personality disorders and those who are diagnosed

with them. We learned the importance of being compassionate to people who are diagnosed with this and

the importance of informing ourselves on this topic and understanding the different aspects of this disorder.

We learned how it develops in the brain, either environmentally or neurologically. We also learned about

the different segments of personality disorders that there are, and what symptoms make them different.

Finally, we learned how this disorder can be treated with therapy and support from others. This presentation

substantially helped give insight into personality disorders and the support systems that can be given to

individuals who are diagnosed with it. 

Later, each group went back to their sand mandalas and proceeded to destroy them in a 

structured and practiced way. Destroying sand mandalas after they’ve been completed is a spiritual 

practice known as the Dissolution Ceremony. The destruction of the sand mandalas is fulfilled for 

several different reasons: teaching the importance of not being attached to material things, giving  

healing energies to the world, and being symbolic of the impermanence of life. 

After dismantling the sand mandalas, we proceed to scoop them into bags and spread them around

the school. Spreading the sand was an act of giving blessings and healing energies back to the earth. 

Next, Khushi gave a presentation on yoga and breathing influences on the brain. We learned that

breathing can affect how the brain functions and can have a direct impact on our nervous system.

Breathing is one of the few body systems that we can control, and doing certain breathing practices

can improve focus levels and mental health.  

Then, we watched the movie Inside Out 2. The movie is about characterizing the emotions in a

young teenage girl’s mind as she starts to go through puberty and experience complex emotions.

The movie starts with simple emotions such as Joy, Anger, Sadness, Disgust, and Fear, navigating

a young girl’s mind. As she grows older, they get met with a set of new emotions: Anxiety, Envy,

Embarrassment, and Ennui. At first, these complex emotions starting to arise in the girl’s mind

seem scary and complicated as she navigates her way through her day-to-day life. Over time, the

movie teaches a lesson to the audience that these emotions aren’t “bad,” but rather, normal

emotions that are a part of growth and development. It also teaches the importance of people

experiencing these emotions and the significance of having a good support system and coping

skills to combat times when these emotions start to become overwhelming. Overall, it taught us

a lot about mental health in a way that normalized it and accepted it. 

Lastly, we finished off the day by doing some breathing exercises. We practiced similar breathing techniques to those we had done throughout the past couple of weeks. This was a great way to end our day, as we were in a calm and peaceful state of mind.