Why mental health?

Mental health, happiness, depression, stress etc are some topics I deeply care. A few years back I went into deep deep states of feeling worthlessness, depression or whatever you say it. No one around me can even notice that I feel sad because I was an expert at hiding it. I would want to reach out to someone but found it difficult to talk sadness. Media and world around is conditioned to speak about travels, exiting adventures, promotions at work and all sorts of happy things. It was difficult to speak about my feelings to anyone because it was just emotion. When I would express I would be asked why are you sad? Come lets go out for lunch you will feel better etc. Deep down I knew going out for lunch etc won't work but I would still go since I didn't want to upset the other person. They would ask why are you sad? I would mentally think, had I known the answer I would have felt better, you asking me is not helping at all. Contemplating, thinking, trying various things what worked was talking to someone with whom you can literally say anything or everything and have trust that he/she won't leave you. Also, it is not always possible to have that person around you and you sometimes even feel that you don't want to burden this person with your sad emotions. At those moments I resorted to yoga, pranayam and meditation... Over the years I have been discovering many secrets of meditation and it really really does wonders. I have been moving from life is useless to life is precious. I am seeing transformation happen in myself and in so many many people on a daily basis. I have seen people come out of depression, stress, trauma of losing their loved ones and smile like they never smiled before. We have these breath and happiness courses that teach techniques on how to live life happily. These happiness courses happen every weekend. You know, you don't have to wait till a disaster hits your life. Just having these tools and techniques at hand will help you when u need it, which you will eventually realize when used daily transforms your life.... I always say this reading 100's of books, watching 100's of videos doesn't matter, what matters is the experience! 

So here I was just sharing my experience and asking you to take that step to experience it. https://sites.google.com/artofliving.org/seattlemeditates, https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/program/171729 these are 2 course links. 

We do free introduction talks as well - https://tinyurl.com/ydyy6omt

Apart from these I am always available if you need to talk to someone. I know it sometimes helps talking to someone unknown or outside your circle. :)

UPDATE after couple of hours!

It is funny that I re-read my own article like 15-20 times. Everytime I was amazed reading my own words. It feels like someone else wrote those words and I am someone else reading it... It was actually my first time putting it in words. Thinking more I wanted to add, though you know when to reach out it is not always easy to reach out. Growing up I never had the luxury to share my day or feelings with another person. So, it was naturally hard to reach out to anyone. I knew it was high time I go visit a counsellor. I googled the best of the counsellors and kept their numbers and addresses handy. It was 2 years but still couldn't go. I asked a friend to accompany me but I kept postponing it. I did not have the courage to express. But luckily I was introduced to yoga at 6-7 years of age in my family and had a practice. I hadn't been practicing for almost 8+ years. Watching random inspiring videos and with some glimpse of sanity from somewhere I thankfully came back to my practice. Made it a discipline come what may I will do my practice every day. It was very very very hard but I did it anyway.... Looking back I cannot think of any advice I could have given to my old self. Only thing I could say is: There is HOPE! And to my present self, I realised that when I formally learnt breathing techniques and yoga my practice became effortless or deeper. Most physical ailments have cure but very few mental illness have a permanent cure. They say prevention is better than cure. In case of mental illness yoga, breathe and meditation can be both prevention and cure.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a daily practice. It can be any type of practice. Learn a practice and have these tools handy. Learn it before it is too late. If you are out of practice it is time to have that refresher. Just do it! http://tiny.cc/onlineintrotalks2