Monthly Reflection: Qudrat (Power) – On Mental Health, Sunny Perth and Holy Days

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Hi friends!

How is it the month of Qudrat already? The end of this month has come and we’ve wrapped up Mental Health Month for 2022! Although it is over for this year, mental health problems don’t hold themselves to one month a year so I’d like to take this moment to acknowledge the struggles that many people are going through. What we have shared across all our platforms this month will remain available indefinitely and we hope the content brings you some solace and provides valuable information that can help you work through your thoughts. If you are facing something particularly serious and you’re in Australia, you can call the Lifeline Helpline for support at 13 11 14 or 000 if you are facing an emergency. We encourage you to find the emergency number for your respective country if you are not in Australia.

I was really excited this month to fly over to Perth (from quiet little Blue Mountains in NSW) to help the Mind & Soul Matters podcast team and the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Melville to record their Mental Health Forum for Youth Wellbeing. You can check out the videos for this event here.

This was my first time visiting WA and I really wanted to make the most of it! I was invited to a number of Baha’i spaces, where it was such a delight to meet so many of you, and I was taken around to some of the beautiful sites of sunny Perth. Keep an eye on our TikTok and Instagram for a number of short clips of the visits and the various paces I was invited to.

Another highlight of Mental Health Month was this beautiful song called ‘Invincible’ by Amelia Mahony about bullying and self-esteem. Also be sure to check out our interview with retired psychologist Kevan Pitcher on our website for an expert perspective on mental tests. Last, Hope as a Response to Hardship – 7 Baha’i Resources About Mental Health is a great comprehensive list of ways to navigate hardship.

During Mental Health Month we also had the Twin Holy Days, just last week! How did you celebrate them? Feel free to send in short clips of what your community got up to—we’d love to hear from you! Our team tried something new: we made a few trivia videos!

We’ve received some positive feedback so far; did you enjoy them? We’re thinking about making more for future Holy Days so we can all play them with our friends and family.

Remember to check out our site for many of the articles not mentioned here and to follow along with our Instagram and TikTok for other bits and pieces we’re sharing all the time. If you have something you’d like us to share on any of our socials, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] .

See you in nineteen days!

Posted by

Cherie Heggie

Hello, I’m Cherie! I grew up in Sydney, Australia, and currently live just west in the Blue Mountains, where my heart has always belonged. I’m a graphic designer, photographer, and general artist, having basic skills in a wide range of mediums and performing arts. I love learning new ways to live sustainably and sharing these ideas with my friends, family, and the local community.