culprit was caught through CCTV. That’s it. If only I could have thought like this initially, this would have saved me so much stress. Even at work, the increasing level of responsibilities, deadlines and pressure from management has me in a stress-like state. I have found this to be the case for many individuals I have interacted with.

The question arises for me: How can I keep my mind positive, chilled and peaceful, even through all the mayhem that is occurring around me? What can I do to ensure my mind remains at peace even though I may be going through a tough period at work or home?  

Many have suggested the use of mindfulness activities such as yoga and breathing techniques. I have given this a go for a few weeks. However, I only obtain temporary peace. Once I finish this activity, the thoughts of worries and anxiety pop into my head again. I wish to obtain a state of mind where I am at peace all the time and I see the positive in every situation, thanking God as I live my life.  

My faith is a big part of my life. I go to church every Sunday with the family to pray to Jesus and to find serenity. Joining the congregation at the church and singing praises to God gives me immense joy and peace and to know that God is taking care of us in our journey on Earth. This has given me a lot of strength in my life to push through hard times.  

A few months ago, I got a call from my friend who mentioned an art gallery has hosted a new art installation called the ‘Journey of the Mind’. My friend continued to explain how it talks about mental health, so I thought to visit and have a look. When I looked at the art and read the excerpts which were alongside this, it gave me an appreciation for the life I had been blessed with. The art was about Sikh History, and it explained how many people in Sikh history had gone through very tough times and what they did to overcome the challenges they faced. It felt very relatable to me and my journey.  

And then this was the moment when I came across Simran. Simran is a focussed practice for the mind. The idea of Simran is to chant a simple two-syllable word, you can choose any simple word that you would like. Listen to the chanting with your ears and place your full focus on the sound of your voice. There was a room in the gallery where I gave this a go. I sat there for a good 10 minutes and repeated the word. With every repetition, the thoughts sort of left me, and by the end of it, I was left feeling immensely different, as if I was sitting in another world.  

After this experience, I thought I would continue this practice and it has worked wonders for me. The painful thoughts have reduced dramatically as I continue to practice this every day, and I see more positives in my everyday situations. I have never been more at peace.