I’d been reflecting on my time with context to self-care in the past few weeks. During the lockdown, my self-care activities changed immensely because of the change in the structure of our everyday lives. Earlier my self-care was more about staying indoors and watching a film, but now that stepping outside randomly is not the idea, I had to incorporate some other self-care ideas that I may not be used to!

So when Priya called me up to ask if I’d be interested in doing a DIY self-care zine on Instagram live, I was all up for it! I had been making zines for three years but didn’t really see it as a self-care activity. It was more of a creative outlet, sometimes even an anger outlet. Plus, I hadn’t created a zine in some time due to my work and study load. The idea of creating a self-care zine was in itself a new activity of self-care to me.

What is a ‘zine’? What is ‘self-care’?

Although I made zines, I didn’t really know a lot about their history until my partner, who hails from the country of corn-dogs, showed me some aspects of it me.

A zine is a DIY publication in terms of batch and content, traditionally, easily reproduced through photocopying, folding, stapling, or so on. The history of zines and its influence on the recent revolutions in the States is definitely something to learn about! In India today, zine festivals provide a safe and independent platform to people from various communities, to share their thoughts, experiences, and hopes, which we may not get to read through mainstream publishers.

Self-care on the other hand is a deliberate activity that encompasses just about anything we do to be kind to ourselves, in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Some activities of self-care can be journaling, exercising, observing nature, and painting. It is important to integrate self-care into our life to prevent possible burnouts. When practiced correctly, self-care has long-term benefits for the mind and the body.

However, it’s important to note that not everything that feels good is self-care. We can all be tempted to use unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating, procrastinating, or risk-taking. But these activities can be more self-destructive or harmful than good.

Although I’ve preached the good things about self-care above, sometimes we may find ourselves unconvinced of practicing it regularly. Maybe we end up thinking that our resources are better saved for working on something else or helping someone. (that’s okay, even I do that sometimes). However, I can guarantee from personal experience the benefits of self-care are greater than we can recognize or observe right away.

The good thing is that self-care is such a personal activity that we all get to choose our own! To practice our most loved act of self-care helps create a loving and compassionate bond with ourselves.

Priya, Michael, and I set up Instagram live on the 9th of August. It was the first time for Michael and I on an Instagram live, so we didn’t know what to expect. There were technical glitches during the call but it wasn’t enough to hamper our process, thankfully. We started by showing a form of paper cut and fold instruction for the zine. It was definitely pleasing to see some people join in the process and ask questions during the live! The challenge was to quietly create the zine and place the phone camera in a way that can show the process of creating the zine.

I personally really enjoyed drawing, writing, and pasting stickers on my zine! It was great to see the uniqueness and different forms of zines that resulted from the hour’s session. The aim to create a self-care zine was to remind ourselves of the activities that we love to do when we want to rejuvenate or take care of ourselves! One common thing I noticed in our zines was a reminder ‘to breathe’, to take a pause even for a few minutes, in our daily life.

* * * * * * * * *

Written by Ishita Mehra

Ishita is an illustrator and a mental health advocate from India, currently juggling projects and examinations along with the uncertainties of the lockdown!

I’d been reflecting on my time with context to self-care in the past few weeks. was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I am angry at myself. I am angry at you. I am angry at this entire planet because it’s not enough, from me from you from anybody. The limitless potential we hold not just as individuals but as a species, we squander. How do we fill our time? We only waste it.

So I wrote a poem.

F***s to give.

Fuck the system, fuck this society, proud to be human I ain’t proud of no nationality

Fuck monarchs fuck bureaucracy don’t like it get fucked by democracy

Fuck roles, fuck gender fuck being a bread winner or sandwich maker

Fuck race, fuck genetics your mother is my sister and its all inherited

Fuck war, fuck oil its all just a facade and to the victor go the spoils

Fuck faith, fuck religion love thy neighbour but control is their ultimate mission

Fuck illness, fuck “disability” why is human value based upon working capital

Fuck sex, fuck sexuality fuck who you want, consensual and it doesn’t matter to me

Fuck global warming, fuck state lies care about the children but allowing them to die

Fuck the rich, fuck poverty if this world is bottom up then who really deserves credibility

Fuck you, fuck me too what are we doing here there’s things we need to do.

I am a mentally struggling but aspiring poet from Preston, Lancashire, UK. I write poetry to fill my time and occupy my convoluted mind.

I am angry… was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Just recently, I was featured in of the Castrol Activ’s ad video about the ‘heroes’ who are still doing their good bit while staying indoors during the lockdown.

In the video, I am saying that I am helping people cope with anxiety by providing online sessions. I absolutely loved being part of this ad. It makes me gloat more to find that The Logical Indian and Storypick have also covered it and have featured me.

So what these online sessions?

We, at Bhor Foundation, started an initiative called The Listening Circle that is a peer support group for mental health survivors and caregivers in Delhi. Since the first time I held a support group session in a park near my place two years ago, The Listening Circle has been successful in creating a safe space in the community and for the community of regular attendees. It has been featured in the Hindu, Times of India and other media channels. It was also featured by India Today in their documentary on mental health. We have been regularly conducting support group sessions in Delhi and also in Bangalore.

Our last meet was in Feb 2020 at one of the cafes in CP, Delhi when the global pandemic and lockdown happened. Since then, we have been running virtual listening circles on Zoom because we didn’t want these safe spaces to become unavailable for the community, especially now.

Today I want to feature and thank the heroes of Bhor who are contributing selflessly for the cause and are behind the scenes of the Listening Circle. It’s just not one person’s efforts but so many people coming together.

Jhilmil, like the truly Wonder Woman Diana, conceptualised the Listening Circle and is the rock of our team. Her own work in the space of mental health and art and poetry is the reason why Bhor is all about creative healing through arts and writing. She is the founder of Bhor Foundation.

Priya is the one who initiated the first virtual listening circle, the talent of the group, the most likeable person, and the face behind most of our beautiful creative posts on Instagram and Facebook . She brings art-based activities to the listening circle. Her own creative touch. She also holds her own TLC in the west part of Delhi where her art-based activities are as refreshing and exciting as the first cup of morning tea. Something we always look forward to. She is also a part of the core Bhor team.

Komal, a therapist in traning and mental health advocate/peer counselor, has now become an integral part of the listening circle and Bhor Foundation. Her drive to work for the cause and selfless dedication to really help people by being there is what makes me really grateful to have her in the team. She has supported us by conducting some of the listening circles and being there for assistance. She takes care of posting TLC’s whereabouts on Bhor’s Facebook page by creating event pages and sharing related information.

Yashita has been interning with Bhor since last year. With her support, we were able to increase the frequency of the Listening Circle and make it more consistent. Her self-made posts are all over Bhor’s Instagram page. Better scheduling and frequent posting of the updates were achieved with her contribution. With a cheerful smile and heart, she has become a constant face in the listening circles.

Moupiya was the first person who believed in the listening circle apart from Bhorians. We were able to take TLC out of Delhi and to Bangalore through Moupiya’s selfless drive to help people and be there to support them. Apart from being a full-time design and marketing professional, she has conducted some TLC sessions in Bangalore and a few of the virtual ones. Her presence in our team even till now pushes us to not give up even when scheduling and conducting TLC’s become a strained effort. We are able to rely on this solidarity.

Apart from them, Bhor has been constantly supported by fellow Bhorians like Arpita, Zain, Sonaksha and so many of other volunteers. These are our heroes!

The lockdown is a crisis for each and every being right now but it also an event when the best version of humanity is being witnessed right now. Let’s keep doing our little bit of good, however much is possible. And let’s not forget that even taking care of oneself during these days is ALSO that bit of good.

#staysafe #stayindoors

Bhor Foundation is a not for profit mental health startup in Delhi, India.

To spread the word about our work in Delhi, follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter and share your views and support us! Don’t forget to support the awesome work we are doing with The Listening Circle.

The Heroes Behind The Listening Circle: COVID-19 Lockdown Story was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

“If you don’t come out of this lockdown with:

A new skill, more knowledge, better health and fitness.

You never lacked time.

You lacked discipline.”

So this is a rant. Be warned.

Before people make statements like this they should reflect that are they really helping and being motivating or being the exact opposite? Do you know that for some people this may be a very challenging time and such statements are totally unhelpful because it makes them feel unworthy and adds to their feeling of depression and anxiety? This will touch a sensitive nerve which is already exposed during these times. This is not a holiday where by choice people are spending time at home. This is a time which is actually difficult and needs to be acknowledged as such, instead of some Olympic achievement race. (Even the Olympics have been postponed, I might add.)

Maybe just coping every day is hard. Maybe doing housework is a challenge. Not everyone keeps or has help at home because it is a luxury but a necessity. Maybe the person has a nerve disorder, maybe there is a family member who needs constant medical care/attention, maybe the person has a broken limb, maybe the person has mental health issues. Who knows? You don’t know and that’s the truth.

Life was perhaps difficult before but it has just multiplied in terms of difficulty right now. Some of us maybe completely alone and far away from aging family members who we are worried about. Medications are becoming difficult to procure and supply chains are failing. We may not all have loving and supportive partners.We may not have a partner at all. We may not have someone whom we can call on or speak to whenever we wish to and know that they have our backs. We maybe stuck at home in a situation of domestic abuse — and yes, abuse comes in all forms not necessarily always physical. The person can mete out emotional abuse or throw tantrums etc. Definitely no question of help coming from that quarter. Just adds to your woes that’s all.

There are ofcourse close friends who pop up to check on you and some with whom you speak daily. Some old friends, some you considered acquaintances with whom you had very limited interactions may have shown that they can be counted on in these trying times. Similarly people who you thought were close to you, may show their true colours during this time as well. Their self-centredness showing itself very clearly and just a formal enquiry once a week with a close-ended sentence maybe all they think you are worth. So to repeat — a difficult time.

It is kindness, compassion the way people are opening their hearts, doors and knowledge for everyone stuck at home or stuck in a variety of ways that is the most heart-warming. This achievement drivel during these times makes no sense. If you are able to achieve a lot of things — that’s great but for you to point out that someone has a discipline issue is plain silly. Maybe they are inefficient at house work because of a very valid reason. Maybe their isolation is making it tough to get through the day. Maybe they have people in their lives who they could have done without. To be fair — none of us know. The external faces people show the professional world is not the be-all and end-all of existence.

If you have been kind to someone today, you have done enough. Instead of giving unwanted ‘gyan’ if you have helped in some small way, even to do a Google search on behalf of another person, that’s good enough. Remember before you make a battle-cry for achievement, sometimes just being alive and well, is all the achievement needed.

© Arpita Kuila

April 9, 2020

Over-achievement, achievement itself is over-rated during the lockdown was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Baggage

Food comes in a bag,
Fruit comes in a bag,
Bread comes in a bag,
Wine comes in a bag,
Milk comes in a bag, water in a bag.
Ice in a bag.
Clothes come in a bag, hats come in a bag, shoes come in a bag, bags come in a bag, dvds come a bag, cds come in a bag (do cds come in a bag anymore?) Baggage

As humans we carry with us a lot of baggage. May that be emotions, grudges, trauma, responsibilities, restraints. Regardless of what it is we are carrying why do we burden ourselves more so by placing all consumerist or commercial items in yet another bag. The drains and sewers are filling up with our unneeded baggage, the oceans are gaining plastic islands from our greed and laziness.

You carry enough baggage, perhaps if you cannot carry all in one; it is time to let go.

My nom de plume is Jonny Cosmo, I am an aspiring poet from Preston, Lancashire, UK. I believe we live in a time when we have to balance our minds against the world around us, so let us not make that any worse for ourselves or each other.

A Short Poem on Plastic Bags, Possibly the Guilt we Carry With. was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Sirens wailing

Privileged in Starbucks complaining

Societies failing

Dealers sailing

Children maiming

Snitches naming

There’s no gold paving

Nurses in training

Armed pigs are raiding

Trauma we’re trailing

God’s for nailing

Wasted life gaming

No gates just railings

The mad need saving

Satirically entertaining

Victim blaming

Kink shaming

Truthes get jailing

Wars of trading

Workers are slaving

In a thousand years is the world really changing?

My nomme de plume is Jonny Cosmo I am an aspiring poet from Preston, Lancashire, UK. I am anti-capitalist to say the least and the woes and ills I see within my society I write down as poetry. Epstein didn’t kill himself.

Late stage Capitalism was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Different just like YOUR different

Hollow people with painted faces

No soul to fill the spaces

Beasts of desire

A smile for hire

Substances to give your life substance

Empty promises and broken silences

True charity is rare, judged by the clothes you wear

Tell me how you see a beautiful soul, if beauty is only skin deep

Your bedsheets Egyptian silk, in a dirty sack on the streets, a man sleeps

Idle minds and active digits

Keep your prodigy child distracted with a spinner fidget

Good people with no morals

But I was drunk it’s fine no quarrel

Lie to others don’t tell the truth

Keep your secrets under roof

Like to speak but never listen

Everyone is a rose, all I see is thistles

Rather not let go at fear of being alone

Sell your ass so your life can pass right before your eyes

Give years to your television, reality TV isn’t fiction

Tell me Nobel prize winners, tell me chart music fillers, tell me about celebs personal lives, forget whatever drives you to do the impossible.

As a child have dreams, grow up because they’re not plausible.

Tell me what scares you tell me about your fears

Less of the dark or death more people’s jests and jeers.

Have a belief have an opinion.

Fall under scrutinies dominion.

Don’t even speak if you have a religion.

Hate falls like rain.

From love comes pain.

Read magazines stay skinny.

But.

Read books and then you’re winning.

Stay true be you.

Stand out of the crowd, stand proud.

Neither wolves nor shepherds sleep at the feet of sheep.

Meditate don’t procrastinate.

Shop for charity I promise you’ll gain more clarity

Wait and save, don’t spend and slave.

Feed your soul not your appetite

In moderation we claim true gratification

Stay off social media you’ll just get greedier, in fact social marketing is a better tool for business.

Your business is your own, remember that if you feel alone.

Speak to be known not to be heard, hold your tongue if its a filler word.

Smile brighter than the sunrise

And breathe in a sunset

I’m still learning I’ll admit to that

But get out the race fast it’s full of rats

Answer to you and who is your integrity

Why are we even listening to paper thin blow up doll celebrities

Trust scientists, listen to priests, Heck even listen to that dirty poor man sitting on the street.

Everyone you meet

Is another book

You just have to ask their story.

Face value, might as well behead that mask if it’s not too gory.

I could go on and on, but I don’t chase glory.

Memento Mori.

My nomme de plume is Jonny Cosmo I am an aspiring poet from Preston, Lancashire, UK. I have battled with my mental health for many years and now hope to inspire others to win that battle if they themselves are suffering.

Superficial was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Whilst wondering the hills of Southstacks in Anglesea, Wales I began to contemplate suicide. Not in the morbid sense of wanting to take my own life, no, but I began to think about how it feels to be in that situation comparing the ‘battle’ that takes place in ones own mind to an actual historic, bloody and gruesome battlefield. I thought about the vikings and their notion of Valhalla in which only warriors dying in battle went to the most esteemed heaven, to which I decided to think about the families of those warriors. Surely the family of a warrior who came home after the battle were much happier rather than a warrior who fell in war whatever external influences might have said.

Is a warrior who dies in battle more victorious than one that doesn’t fall

It maybe so but the warrior who comes home lives to fight another battle

In the midst of darkness, in red, in war.

Dying in the name of grace may seem courageous

But victorious are the survivors who fight to come home.

My nomme de plume is Jonny Cosmo I am an aspiring poet from Preston, Lancashire, UK. I have battled with my mental health for many years and now hope to inspire others to win that battle if they themselves are suffering.

Valhalla 24/10/19 13:49 was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

It needs to be said

Every day more men, women and children are dead.

And I’m not talking about sickness, famine, casualty or collateral of war

I’m talking about your family your friends your neighbours

I’m talking about suicide and you should too

In fact it should be so common subject it’s no longer taboo

If I can make a joke in jest oh so macabre about this cigarette leaving cancer in my chest

Why not that losing my job, my partner, a friend

Makes me feel as if I’ve no choice left

We need to talk about suicide

Because otherwise social rules get to decide

Which of my emotions I speak and I hide

Who I get to laugh with and who I can show that I cry

In school, in church, in work, in the pub

Tell your friends it’s okay, give them your love

We need to talk about suicide because

Deciding you’re own fate is something nobody should.

My nomme de plume is Jonny Cosmo I am an aspiring poet from Preston, Lancashire, UK. I have battled with my mental health for many years and now hope to inspire others to win that battle if they themselves are suffering.

It needs to be said. was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

My reading for national poetry day event held at UCLan. The theme was truth so I decided to write about my truth, an indepth subjective view of my life with ADHD.

For those who cannot follow my words the trascript is as follows:
A. D. H. D.
Just four letters but they change how you think of me Once bright, eccentric, charismatic
Now you question my sanity Now you look at me as if to see a spanner in the works As if me an individual, different than you, from birth, in life, in experience, in thought — as is everyone, even most likely differently taught But four letters change all of that in a second and the exact thing that beforehand made you curious to know me now makes you uncomfortable because you wonder how they control me
What pills for my ills do I need to be subdued
How about just a hammer and chisel up my nose, clink, and you can bare me, am I scary?
See it’s odd to think that the exact tick that distracts my attention is the exact thing that also heightens my perception… I over think..
See because when I told you just four letters, your left eye twitched, you retracted your gullet, your brow raised-fell? I couldn’t tell because in that millisecond you caught it and then you faught the urge to tilt up your head and look down your nose at me but you did, I saw it, by the minimal degree your face showed a decree of what you now think of me.
But I’m used to it, it’s hard to understand what’s going on upstairs in someone else’s psych land, but every hand is still flesh and bone.
A. D. H. D. Sometimes it makes work hard, doing work, finding work, keeping work, finding work again again again again again again again, I need a sick day please, a chill day, a free from stress day, because its not easy to be me and for you I have to be this thing that beeps, submits, smiles.
DECLARE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH why so you can discriminate under the table against my will because you think I’m less able, unless PR said you need a token in the work place.
A. D. H. D.
That’s what they call it anyway, this one thing, my first diagnosis but I could tell you I’m also depressed and anxious, apparently due to stress from having ADHD but how does that mean my problems are any smaller. How bout we add dyspraxia in there, hey I’m epileptic too but just by adding to this list you now can’t resist to again and again change your view of me with each letter, you might think that I’m better off dosed, of locked up. You might feel empathy or are you sure it’s not sympathy, please do not pity me can’t you see for all its worth we are stood in the same room.
None of this makes me better. If it makes you then by all means follow through with your reactionary thought but a book is far better than its blurb. Astounding, couldn’t wait to read the next page, truely one of a kind. 1/5 went off on tangents a lot couldn’t follow.
A. D. H. D We’re all different. Even as new born infants. Can’t we just wait a little longer, read more than the cover, give at least the first page a chance, before we put the book back down judged at a glance.
A. D. H. Me.
A. D. H. We.
In a world where nobody can look up from their phone screens, constantly flicking through images, messages, articles and games. To resort back to our dwellings, or sitting with the family or friends, to again stare back at our screens, with another screen for background stimulation, because silence has become so unbearable. Only a maniac would tell a child, deficit of attention with energy and determination to match a jet engine has a disorder.

My reading for national poetry day event held at UCLan. was originally published in Bhor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.