Kashmira Shaw Raj is a professional Taichi and Qigong practitioner and teacher, commanding over two decades of successful practice. She is also a clinical psychologist, psychic and healer as well as the co-Founder of ‘The Tai-Qi Touch’, which offers classes for adults and children. For details, Email: kash.shaw@gmail.com

Just as we maintain physical hygiene to prevent illness, emotional hygiene involves daily practices that safeguard our mental well-being. Emotional hygiene is crucial because it helps clear negative thoughts, heal inner wounds, and protect mental well-being. It enables us to live with clarity, resilience and a stronger sense of self by managing negative thoughts, fostering self-compassion and setting healthy boundaries to maintain emotional balance. Here’s the first of a 3-part series on Emotional Hygiene, by Kashmira Raj Shaw, which will set you on the path to refresh, rebuild, restore and rise stronger than ever before!

Just as ancient relics must be carefully dusted and scraped to reveal their true beauty, we too must shed emotional layers that cloud our essence. Hurt, ridicule, self-doubt, manipulation – these are not yours to carry. Release them. Protect your peace by refusing to accept energy that doesn’t serve your well-being. Ask yourself: Does this really define me? A cruel comment may sting, but it doesn’t shape your worth. Let it pass. Recognize that negativity often reflects others’ struggles, not your truth.

Inner Cleaning: A Journey to Your Authentic Self

Once you’ve cleared mental clutter and brushed away what no longer serves you, you’ve taken a powerful first step. Now begins the deeper work… the true cleansing that reveals your inner strength, clarity, and authenticity. Start with an honest conversation with yourself. What’s weighing you down? Is a friend’s behaviour hurtful? Is your boss creating unnecessary stress? Acknowledge the discomfort.

Step 1 – Prioritize: Categorize concerns – personal, professional and social. Identify what needs your attention. Perhaps there’s a control issue with a spouse, or a landlord who’s been unnecessarily difficult.

Step 2 – Choose your response: Decide how to move forward. Will a conversation bring clarity? Would addressing your concerns help you heal?

Step 3 – Learn and let go: Walking away from toxic friendships or jobs, or making difficult relationship decisions, may feel painful, but if it’s rooted in self-respect, it’s necessary.

Step 4 – Embrace change: Ending a toxic marriage or moving out of a stressful living arrangement may seem drastic, but prioritizing peace and self-worth is transformative.

Step 5 – Be your best friend: Reconnect with joy – join a dance class, paint, read or spend time in nature. Exercise, meditate or practice yoga to align your body and mind. Balance your personal and professional life, and above all, love yourself without guilt.

Repair And Self-Restoration

Like a precious relic awaiting restoration, we too require careful, intentional healing to return to our truest selves. The process starts with a deep internal cleanse – honest reflection, gentle repair and meaningful renewal.

Seek Support When Needed: There’s strength in seeking help. A qualified counsellor or therapist can guide you through your emotional and mental blocks, helping you identify pain points and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Mental health struggles are real, and professional help can often make the difference between staying stuck and truly healing.

Accept Your Scars: Scars are not signs of weakness, but of survival. Each one tells a story, teaches a lesson, and shapes who you are. Once the lesson is understood, the pain begins to fade. Acceptance allows you to shift from being a victim to being a victor.

Go at Your Own Pace: Healing isn’t a race. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Instead of rushing like a horse out of a stable, take your time. Prioritize what truly matters in your personal and professional life. Tackle one area at a time with clarity and intention.

Hold Your Head High: Guilt and shame have no place in your healing journey. You did not deserve the pain you experienced. Be kind to yourself. Self-blame only delays progress—self-compassion accelerates it.

Let Your Emotions Flow: Emotional release is part of the cleansing process. Suppressed emotions fester. Allow yourself to cry, grieve, or express anger in healthy ways. Only by letting emotions flow can true inner peace emerge.

Simple Practices for Emotional Cleansing

Sunray Visualization Exercise: Sit comfortably, feet grounded, palms resting gently. Take three deep breaths. As you exhale, relax deeper. Imagine golden sunrays gently falling on your body – face, chest and back. Visualize pain and sadness melting and flowing out of you. Let this golden energy fill every corner of your being, turning into a glowing white light. Stay here for 5 -7 minutes. As the light fades, hold onto the peace it brought. Rub your palms, place them on your eyes, and open them slowly. Carry that calm with you.

Journaling: Writing helps externalize internal confusion. Maintain a daily journal of your thoughts and progress. Record what hurts, what heals and what you hope to change. Set short-term and long-term emotional goals – this will keep you motivated.

Read and Reflect: Read about others who’ve turned pain into power. Personal stories of resilience can offer fresh perspectives and inspire you to move forward.

Channel Pain Creatively: Sing, dance, paint, write… whatever lets you express. Creative outlets are powerful tools for releasing pain and reclaiming joy.

With the right tools, there is no scar too deep, no spirit too broken. Repair and restoration is always possible. You just have to begin.