Each year, World Mental Health Day invites us to pause, reflect, and take meaningful steps to support our mental and emotional well-being. This year’s theme expands that invitation: to cultivate peace within ourselves so we can magnify peace in the world around us.
As part of the Magnifying Peace Project, we are exploring the many ways that inner harmony can be nurtured and expressed—through movement, mindfulness, creativity, and compassion. One of these pathways is through a playful, integrative art form known as Double Doodling, shared by Marian Egan in her presentation for World Mental Health Day 2025, hosted by the Canadian Association of BioEnergetic Wellness and the International Association for Specialized Kinesiology (IASK).
The Art of Balance: Double Doodling for Inner Peace
At first glance, Double Doodling looks simple—you draw with both hands at the same time, mirroring your movements across the center line of the page. But beneath its simplicity lies a powerful process for creating inner harmony.
When we use both hands together, we activate both hemispheres of the brain—the left (logical, analytical) and the right (creative, intuitive). This bilateral engagement builds bridges across the corpus callosum, the connective tissue between the two sides of the brain. The result? Improved communication within the brain, greater focus, enhanced coordination, and a sense of inner balance and calm.
As Marian Egan explains, “Double Doodling is a way to bring both sides of yourself together—the thinking and the feeling, the doing and the being. It’s where peace begins—inside.”
When we find that harmony internally, it radiates outward. A calm and centered mind is more likely to respond with kindness, patience, and compassion. Through this simple creative act, we plant seeds of peace that grow through our actions, words, and relationships.
The Science of Brain Integration
Our brains are designed to function as a unified whole, yet stress, trauma, and overstimulation can disrupt that balance. When the brain’s hemispheres aren’t communicating effectively, we may feel scattered, reactive, or mentally fatigued.
Brain integration—the coordinated function of both hemispheres—helps us restore balance and improve overall well-being. Scientific studies have shown that integrating both sides of the brain supports:
- Improved emotional regulation: When the emotional right brain and the logical left brain communicate, we process emotions more effectively and recover from stress more quickly.
- Enhanced creativity and problem-solving: Bilateral activities improve neural connectivity, supporting the ability to see multiple perspectives and generate innovative solutions.
- Better motor coordination and focus: Cross-lateral movement (using both sides of the body) enhances the brain’s ability to manage attention, timing, and coordination.
- Greater sense of calm: Bilateral stimulation—through movement, sound, or art—helps soothe the nervous system, reducing anxiety and promoting peace within the body and mind.
When we bring our brain into coherence, our physiology follows. Our breathing deepens, our heart rate stabilizes, and our body shifts from a stress response to a state of relaxed awareness.
The Role of Brain Gym®
One of the pioneering systems in the field of brain integration is Brain Gym®, developed by Dr. Paul and Gail Dennison. Brain Gym uses simple, enjoyable movement-based activities to stimulate neural communication and enhance learning, focus, and emotional balance.
Many of its activities, such as Lazy 8s or Cross Crawl, mirror the benefits of Double Doodling by engaging both sides of the body and brain. These movements support the development of coordination, concentration, and confidence.
Brain Gym practitioners have observed how bilateral integration can profoundly influence emotional wellness. As the brain becomes more organized, people experience greater ease in learning, communication, and relationships. In essence, Brain Gym reminds us that the body and mind are not separate—and that movement, creativity, and awareness are keys to mental health.
By including Double Doodling as part of World Mental Health Day, Marian Egan helps bridge the world of art and neuroscience, demonstrating that peaceful creativity can be a powerful tool for healing.
Peace Begins Within
The Magnifying Peace Project reminds us that peace is not an abstract concept—it’s an energy we cultivate daily through our thoughts, feelings, and actions. When we take steps to nurture our mental health, we are not only helping ourselves but also creating ripples of well-being that extend into our families, workplaces, and communities.
A peaceful mind creates peaceful communication.
A balanced brain fosters balanced relationships.
A calm presence inspires calm in others.
When we practice inner harmony, we magnify peace outward.
Join Us for World Mental Health Day 2025
On October 10, 2025, join us for an inspiring global event.
This year’s program features 12 engaging presentations across three time zones, exploring innovative ways to support mental health and well-being in the workplace and beyond. Each participant will also receive a downloadable Mental Health Handbook, filled with resources and reflective tools to continue the journey toward balance and peace.
Marian Egan’s Double Doodling session is just one of the many experiences that invite participants to reconnect body, mind, and spirit—creating the space where peace can take root and grow.
Cultivating Peace for Yourself and Others
This World Mental Health Day, consider how you can cultivate your own peace—through creativity, movement, mindfulness, or forgiveness. Every time you take a step toward self-care, you strengthen your capacity to support others. Every moment of calm you create within yourself magnifies the collective energy of peace around you.
As you register for the event and prepare to participate, ask yourself:
✨ What seeds of peace can I plant today?
✨ How can I nurture my own mental well-being so that others may be inspired by it?
The Magnifying Peace Project is a reminder that peace begins with one choice, one breath, one stroke of a pen—or one mirrored doodle at a time.
Let’s create harmony within and peace without—together.
Register for World Mental Health Day 2025: www.iask.org
🗓️ October 10, 2025 – 3 time zones | 12 presentations | Global community for mental health and peace
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