Wellbeing – Caring for the whole human

Wellbeing – Caring for the whole human

Human beings are made of mind, emotions, energy, body and spirit. Even in normal times we need to actively care for all of these to be really healthy, but in difficult times like now, it’s even more important to focus on the whole person. Because mind, body and spirit are interconnected and influence each other, it is not enough to keep just the body healthy. In response to the COVID-19 problem, we now have access to a lot of resources on how to maintain distance, how to wash your hands etc. We are very grateful to the people and organizations engaged in those efforts.

However – our mind, emotions and the spirit need more care as well. This is why the teachers at Karkhana and the counsellors at the Isha Institute are collaborating to produce a series of videos and resources that you can use to care for yourself and your children at this difficult time. 

This course is laid out in four parts. In part 1, we understand the science behind what is happening to us in times like these. In part 2, we understand how to set realistic expectations for ourselves and from our near/dear ones in extraordinary circumstances. In part 3, we look at some basic tools and practices you can use to keep your mind safe and healthy. Just like washing your hands keeps your body safe. These practices will help keep your mind safe. In part 4, we give you additional tools and practices you can use to stay healthy and happy throughout this process.

Over the next few weeks, we will be creating and releasing videos, but also blogs, on the topics below. Please keep visiting this page for new updates.

  • An Introduction To The Course

We hope this section will help you understand our motivations, our training and how we developed our expertise in these issues.

    • Who is involved in creating this material? Why are psychologists and educators collaborating?

    • How should we understand stress? Is stress always a bad thing?

    • How is the material in this course organized?

  • PART 1: Understanding The Science

In this section of the course we will introduce you to the science of what happens to us in times of stress. This section will draw on our understanding of western psychology but also on the spiritual science taught by our traditions.

    • Understanding The Science: Video 1 ‘Body, Brain & Stress’

    • Understanding The Science: Video 2 ‘Stress and the Nervous System’

    • Understanding The Science: Video 3 ‘Respond to Stress’

  • PART 2:  Behavior and Expectations


    In difficult times we should all expect that our behavior will be slightly different than in normal times. What kinds of changes can we expect in the mood and behavior of our family and close friends? What kind of expectations should we have of our children? Understanding how stressful situations impact our behavior will help us set new expectations of our loved one and be more tolerant of them.

  • PART 3: Tools and practices for keep your mind, body, spirit safe and healthy

In this section of the course, we will learn some basic practices that can help keep our mind, body, and spirit safe and healthy. This section will help us understand how the activities           show in Part 4 can be useful to us.

  • PART 4: ADDITIONAL Resources

In this section of the course, we present some videos and articles that enable you to implement everything you have learned in the course of this program.