Mental Health Awareness Month

May

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

The body and the mind. We call them as such with names, but they are not separate entities, the mind is part of the entire body. The whole body.

Outside/Inside

When we want to be in touch with our bodies and treat our bodies well, we go to the gym and eat right, or we may go on a diet. We go out and exercise. It's physical, we can see when people are exercising, it’s visual, it’s actual, it’s real.  

The mind though, and our thoughts and thinking are inside, unseen. 

“Show me your mind! Put it right here in my hand. Show me!” 

I can hear a Zen master shout loudly. 

So we have the seen, the body, our out-ness, and the unseen, the inner, the mind. Thoughts can, though, become actual physical seen things through also sorts of creativity. There seems to be less emphasis on the mind in the public realm. The mind is more of a private territory in our society. You are the only person with your inside talk, it's very personal. Because the mind is an unseen thing, there may be issues you may not be able to detect, realize or see in other people.

Uranus and Mercury Awareness

Conscious awareness takes place in the mind. Thought processes is its realm of work, and however that is for each individual person is vastly different from one another. We’re all wired differently. The planet Uranus is associated with the higher mind, and "genius" even. It represents the personal UNCONSCIOUS. Uranus does, however, represent independence, as the mind is singularly unique to ourselves, yet, it too can be connected in a higher capacity in a collective group consciousness kind of way beyond what we can comprehend.

Wesak, the day that celebrates Siddhartha Gautama's moment of enlightenment, his realization of Buddha and the his death, also takes place in the month of May in the sign of Taurus. Enlightenment (Uranus) doesn’t happen without the mind (Mercury). Buddhism, in general, has more of a psychological mental focus, yet it is considered the practice of "no mind." Liberating beyond thought and just being. “Non-attachment.” Unattached from bubbling up feeling or thought after thought. The “Witness,” the “Observer” of thoughts and feelings. All Uranian and Aquarius themes.

Gemini as well, begins in the month of May and associated with mental activity, thinking, and learning

The planet Mercury (associated with Gemini as well as Virgo), our personal consciousness, our thought functions, our thinking, the logical mind, is more of our left brain hemisphere in action that works in tandem with our creative and intuitive right hemisphere brain (Jupiter and Sagittarius associated energies) Both sides work together in the brain as one mind, as part of an entire body of a being.

Where do you have these mental planets Uranus and Mercury? Are there aspects involving these planets in your chart. Analyze these placements and connections or talk with an Astrologer about how these planets express themselves in your life in regards to your mental capacities, gifts and challenges.

Feelings

Feelings play such a large part in mental health. They bring us down, we’re sad, they make us feel alive, there's great joy, there’s happiness! They are ever changing. And like thoughts in our mind, they come and go. Sometimes they seem to stay for a long while and we get depressed. Our human-ness requires feelings as a part of our being. Everybody has them. Whether one shows them or not is another thing. Emotional health is not something that is taught enough it seems. Emotional maturity is something that may come over time but still at 54 we may act like an 8 year old child under certain circumstances. Therapy can be a big help, we don’t have to go through the tough stuff alone, but we are responsible for how we deal with our feelings and emotions.

Raising the Bar with Mental Push Ups

Exercise your mind for good mental health that can have long term effects for your mental well being in the future. Are you aware of how much your mind “controls” you? Take responsibility for yourself to practice engaging with your mental awareness with good health practices and with a healthy mental discipline. Here are some healthy suggestions.

For You

Work on mind, math and word puzzles. Read. Practice remembering people's names or a list of things. Recall the day in your mind before bed. Do something new. Take a class to learn something new. Take a new router to work. Change your environment or who you engage with. Take part in a conversation. Join a group or do community activities. Be with friends and family.

Exercise. Physical activity is also good for your mental health. 

Go on a “mental diet” by limiting or removing what you put your attention on, the intake of things that may be unhealthy. Be aware of your inner negative mental talk and remove habitual negative mental loops.

Do activities that give your mind a break and don’t use much brain capacity like going on a walk. Do de-stressing activities. Pick up a hobby. Work in the garden. Do artwork.

Meditate.

For Others

Contribute by being available to spend time with someone. Initiate a conversation with curiosity. Call or text. Listen to another. Give space for another's self-expression. Being a presence for another even without words does wonders. Invite and include another to a social gathering or to go meet up. Play a game with someone. Create together. Ask if they need help.

Mentally Challenged or Illness

While this can be, overall, a personal approach to bring awareness to our own mental health and others, the month of May is a month that is very much a time to be aware of mental health issues and of those who are suffering, need assistance, are mentally ill, challenged, are impaired in some way, or actually just are very different mentally than what society labels the “norm”.  Sometimes we do see and recognize that. 

We can also see and recognize people who engage with good mental habits and practice positive mental health by one's behavior in society, or by one’s character in some instances. Healthy people can have mental issues, all people, and even an accidental or a traumatic experience can change that in an instant. 

Stop and “think” about your mental capacities. Bring awareness to that and bring gratitude there in whatever condition you find yourself in while also being mindful of what you can or cannot see in how others are or how you can be of help to others in small ways. Those small ways can make big differences in changing up a vibe. 

Have a good Journey!

Christopher Perricelli

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June 1st!