IndigoBlue Magazine February 2022

As we enter into the deeper stillness of winter, we hope you are staying committed to those resolutions you made for 2022. Are you struggling? Is it difficult to find the time and tools to make those changes? In this issue, we offer some techniques to clear the chatter of the mind, and the recurring patterns of our past. With a clean slate, we can see our goals more clearly, and incorporate more honesty in building that authentic life. And we can be inspired by trailblazers who championed mental health issues in communities across the country. We hope you find this information useful in getting started—or back on track. We remain committed to helping our readers achieve their goals, maintain their health and wellness, and establish lasting, healthy relationships.…

Meditation was not part of my formal education or personal experiences during my childhood. However, after experiencing bouts of anxiety and depression throughout my teens and early 20s, I heard that meditation could help with these issues, and I became interested in learning more. Armed with a vague notion of meditation and a couple of books on meditation for beginners, I attempted to follow the practices laid out in the books, but was not successful. My monkey mind kept my thoughts churning and I could barely sit still. The more I “failed” at these attempts, the harder I tried, until I finally gave up, feeling that meditation was not for me. Years later while participating in a creativity workshop, I was introduced to guided meditation through our group leader, and I…

In the popular 80s show, Quantum Leap, Dr. Sam Beckett’s failed experiment with time travel left him trapped in a never-ending loop, jumping from body to body, striving to change history for the better. He hoped the next leap would bring him back home to his own body. With the show airing for five seasons, he was usually disappointed. But each leap also brought about a new opportunity to experience a different lifetime and perspective. There are times when we feel like we are caught in an eternal loop, bouncing from one life event to another. We feel lost and hope the next job, relationship, or diet makes us feel like we have reached home. We react to each life event without feeling grounded or prepared. When we feel trapped by…

More than 75 years ago, humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow put forth a simple but pathbreaking theory that explained what motivates human beings to behave the way they do. He saw humans acting according to a hierarchy of ‘needs.’ Think of a pyramid with five levels. At the base are physiological needs necessary for survival like food, water, air, and sex. Then comes safety needs such as health and security. Above safety, there are needs like obtaining love, intimacy, close friendships, community-membership, involvement in social or religious groups, etc. Then we progress to the esteem needs which include the need for recognition from others (fame, prestige, or attention) as well as self-recognition (inner competence and self-respect). Finally, at the top is the need for selfactualization. This is the stage of selffulfillment. It basically…

“The truth will set you free,” is one of the most frequently quoted phrases from the Bible. We all know that honesty is an important virtue, and that telling lies is wrong. Yet, we still do it. Many of us tell white lies all the time. We may lie about our reason for missing a party, or why a work assignment was late. We may lie about what we think of the dinner our partner made, or whether a friend’s lateness bothered us. If you start to become aware of it, you may find that your daily life is sprinkled with untruths. What’s the problem? Whereas lying can be a cruel and calculating thing done to get ahead, a white lie is usually told with the other person’s feelings in mind.…

The month of February is reserved as Black History Month, in which participants pay homage to Black people that were pioneers in shaping parts of United States history. From science, and mathematics down to music and agriculture—there is no part of the existence we have today that would be possible without the contribution(s) of a Black person. These monumental contributions are also evident in the world of mental health. For years, psychologists, social workers, therapists, and advocates alike have been doing the necessary work to remove the stigmas associated with mental health and illness in the Black community. Born in 1872, Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller, the first Black psychiatrist, provided a substantial impact in understanding and treating Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Fuller worked with Dr. Alois Alzheimer, credited for discovering the traits…