Powerful Mindfulness

13 November 2014Jared B, Privett '16; Photos by Jared B, Privett '16

The mind is the most powerful resource known to man. It stores our deepest thoughts and governs our every move. It is the hidden power behind all of humanity’s greatest technological, political, and cultural advancements. Even the knowledge that the mind is the most powerful resource known to our species is knowledge that is contained by the mind. The mind is the mastermind behind our government, our law, our infrastructure, our medications, and our sciences. It contains the good and bad memories associated with our pasts. The mind contains the very essence of who we are as human beings. But what happens when the mind does not work the way it is supposed to? People all over the world are plagued by mental illnesses: depression, eating and sleeping disorders, anxiety, stress, schizophrenia, ADHD, you name it. There are so many mental illnesses that it is impossible to know them all. It is even more beyond common knowledge how we should deal with mental illnesses in a way that is both sensitive and efficient. On Saturday, November 8, the Grade 11s participated in a day of learning about a variety of mental illnesses and how to deal with them, in an annual occurrence known as Mental Health Awareness Day. We were all challenged to look beyond who people are on the outside to see what they may be struggling with on the inside. We learned that mental illnesses have had an effect on the lives of many people who members of the Brentwood community. The day’s activities were all preselected by students and they included a session on how to deal with and prevent eating disorders, a session on how yoga can be used to calm the mind, a session on dealing with anxiety, and more. We closed off the day with a great presentation that went more deeply into how stress and anxiety can be dealt with efficiently. The silence of mental illness has been broken, and it is now up to us as future leaders of the world on how we should respond. We can either choose to keep to ourselves what we have learned or to spread the knowledge to those who are unaware. After an experience like Mental Health Awareness Day, it seems to me like our only choice is to choose the latter. Thanks to all who worked hard, long, and tirelessly to put on Mental Health Awareness Day! It was a huge success and is an event that should be continued for years to come. Jared B, Privett ’16

Where Students Choose To Be