Authored by: Rasha Rahman, 25, CEO of Clairity Healing
In an era where each tweet feels like a call to arms and the world's injustices flood our feeds daily, the burden on creatives and activists grows ever heavier. Caught in a storm of advocating for change while wrestling with personal doubts and creative blocks, the journey can feel isolating. For those amplifying voices for a better world, the challenge extends beyond being heard—it's about nurturing the hope, calm, and inspiration that fuels your passion in the face of overwhelming odds.
My journey through this fog—marked by personal loss of my father to cancer, academic pressures that led to a 2.5 GPA at UCLA, and the destruction of a relationship nurtured in the microcosms of a pandemic—brought me to a suicidal breaking point. Therapy and medication offered promises of escape from this pain, yet they felt like detours, leaving me more lost and disconnected. Why did therapy and medication not work?
While I cast a critical eye on conventional healing methods, it's not without a deep respect for the field of therapy. A skilled therapist can indeed be a catalyst for profound change, and the world certainly needs more of them. However, the traditional approaches to healing present challenges that can't be overlooked:
A) The Barrier of Truth: Therapy hinges on honesty, yet shame often silences the truth. Secrets remain guarded until a sense of safety allows them to surface.
B) The Human Condition: Therapists, like all of us, navigate their own struggles. While their guidance is invaluable, the impact of their approach can vary widely—a reality that sometimes does more harm than good. The influence of a therapist's approach can significantly affect a client's condition, for better or worse.
C) The Misunderstood Role of Medication: The notion that mental wellness can be achieved simply by altering brain chemistry is a simplification. Yoga philosophy teaches us that true change encompasses much more. The prevalent practice where brief consultations with a Psychiatrist result in lifelong diagnoses and prescriptions is particularly concerning.
D) The Digital Age Dilemma: The rapid evolution of technology and societal changes in recent decades demand a fresh perspective on mental health, one that comprehends and addresses these shifts head-on.
E) The Limitations of Self-Help Apps: While many apps offer valuable tools for self-improvement, they often lack a comprehensive view of well-being, missing the mark on offering a truly holistic healing journey.
It was amidst this darkness that I found a sliver of light in the ancient wisdom of classical yoga.
Yoga wasn't just another item on a list of wellness trends; it was a revelation. With my best friend Nick, I discovered a path paved with balance, peace, and internal healing. Yoga's profound philosophy for the mind and soul offered what modern therapy couldn't: a holistic approach to not just survive the chaos but to thrive within it. Within a few months of expression, journaling, and meditation, I got the healing I needed to live life more authentically, driven with purpose. My creativity came back, and my love for the world was getting stronger and stronger. In one of my meditations, I received a revelation that made it clear to what my purpose was.