10 Gentle Signs That You Are Stressed(& that your soul is asking for care and renewal)

On November 5, 2025 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection, spiritual healing5 Comments

“Every day brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace.” ~ Joan Borysenko

I used to think I can take any amount of pressure in my 20″s. And I did excel under pressure at the time. I would study until late for exams and then go take them on 2 hours of sleep. I did and still do work well under stress. However, while I could achieve results under stress, I did not realize how I was harming my own body and mind in the process.

It was about a year after my daughter was born, when I started to see the full effect of the stress taking over my mind and body. It took the form of persistent migraines, lower back aches, dark circles under my eyes and forgetfulness. It was then that I realised something was seriously wrong. Physically, all my tests were normal, and that was a wake up call for me. I knew I had put so much pressure on myself, and needed to take back control of my life. For my sake and my baby’s.

Stress is the psyche’s way of signaling that something within or around you feels out of alignment. It arises when your inner sense of harmony is disrupted by a perceived challenge or demand that seems greater than your current capacity to meet it. In essence, stress is the body’s sacred messenger, alerting you to areas where balance, boundaries, or deeper presence are needed. When experienced in small doses, it can awaken growth, focus, and resilience. But when it lingers, when tension becomes your constant companion, it can fragment both body and spirit, calling for restoration, compassion, and mindful recalibration of your inner world.

Here are 10 gentle signs that your spirit may be stressed and is asking for care and renewal… along with reflections and healing practices for each.

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6 Guiding Principles To Nurture Your Emotional And Spiritual Maturity

On October 30, 2025 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection, spiritual healing9 Comments

Part of spiritual and emotional maturity is recognizing that it’s not like you’re going to try to fix yourself and become a different person. You remain the same person, but you become awakened. ~Jack Kornfield

Part of healing is also growing emotionally. To be specific, emotional and spiritual maturity is what happens as we heal.

I’m more of a personal growth and personal development junkie, always have been. In the early days, I would buy every book, course and go for every event that was even mildly in that arena. I loved every moment of it all, but as I keep growing and healing, I have realised that I don’t need to read every book, or do every course or go to every event. All I need is to apply everything I already know, consistently and gently.

I have also realised that Emotional Maturity is not measured by the number of years you’ve lived or the experiences you’ve collected, it’s actually measured by how deeply you understand yourself, others, and the flow of life itself. True maturity is a sacred unfolding of awareness, patience, and compassion. It’s the quiet transformation that allows you to meet life with calmness, clarity, and grace.

Here are 6 Guiding Principles To Nurture Your Emotional And Spiritual Maturity:

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The 3-Minute Shower Reset-21 Days to Inner Peace~ Book Review& Author Interview

On October 15, 2025October 16, 2025 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection, spiritual healing8 Comments

I’m always exploring ways to bring mindfulness and healing into everyday life, beyond the meditation cushion, beyond the therapy room, into the heart of daily routines. Jenny Garufi’s new book, The 3-Minute Shower Reset – 21 Days to Inner Peace, is a beautiful example of how small, intentional moments can become portals to transformation.

From the very first pages, I felt a sense of calm wash over me (no pun intended). Jenny invites readers to view their daily shower not as a mundane task, but as a sacred space for renewal—a time to reconnect with body, mind, and spirit. In just three minutes, she offers mindfulness exercises that help release stress, quiet the inner chatter, and awaken a deeper sense of presence.

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