Creative Mindfulness, by Agni

This column blends timeless wisdom, science-backed well-being practices, and insights

from my personal and professional journey toward health and vitality.

Hippocrates stated two and a half thousand years ago: “Food is medicine.” Through

close observation, he honored the body’s natural wisdom and treated the whole

person—mind, body, and spirit—by activating nature’s innate power to restore balance

and health. This truth still stands today. Across civilizations and throughout history, we

see the same wisdom echoed in various medicinal systems.

From the ancient Hellenes

to Ayurveda in India, to Traditional Chinese Medicine, to name a few, each recognized

something we often forget today: the body, mind, and spirit are inseparable, and health

comes from keeping them aligned and balanced.

My name is Agni Zotis. I am a professional artist and a trauma-informed practitioner,

certified as a functional nutritionist, health and wellness coach, and instructor of yoga,

meditation, and breathwork for over twenty years. My path to wellness began 30 years

ago as a deeply personal journey, driven by the need to heal myself, ease pain,

understand the human condition and empower both my body and mind. Through

extensive world travels and with extensive time spent in India, I explored applicable

tools of mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, and nutrition, discovering the profound

connection between these practices and overall well-being and vitality.

Over time, my acquired knowledge and field work evolved into my teaching

technique, Creative Mindfulness, rooted in the belief that life itself is the ultimate

masterpiece. With every breath, emotion, thought, and action, we paint the canvas of

our existence.

I began bringing the arts into schools when my son Francis was three

years old, and for over two and a half decades continue this journey. Through founding

the MAY Kids Transform Foundation, I have guided thousands of youth, educators,

and communities toward health, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness through the

integration of Mindfulness, Arts, and Yoga. I extend this work through retreats, private

coaching, and consulting companies on mindful, healthy and creative culture.

Health is curated life style. It grows from consistent daily habits: nourishing food, deep

rest, movement, and community, and we all know the importance of these in our own

lives. A wholesome meal lifts our energy; processed food depletes it. Restful sleep

leaves us clear-headed; poor sleep drains us.

Movement through various exercise,

yoga, or even walking makes us strong and present. The body is an organic

mechanism, if we remove the toxins and provide the ingredients it needs, it operates

optimally at any age.

Humans evolved over millions of years, we didn’t just land on earth. Believing we can

rely on synthetic chemicals or heavily processed foods to survive goes against our

natural design. Our bodies were not made to thrive on these, in fact reacts against

them.

Overall aligning with how we evolved, through physical, mental and spiritual

inputs remains the path to wellness.

The challenge is that health is not one-size-fits-all. Discovering what supports your well-

being requires awareness, experimentation, and a lot of patience. It is not always easy

to connect the dots, but when we do, the reward is a life that feels more energetic,

balanced, and resilient.

We live in a culture conditioned to believe that health comes from the outside—from a

pill, a supplement, or a quick fix. While these have their rightful place, and can

temporarily help with symptoms, they rarely address the root cause. Advertisements

bombard us with promises of “health foods” that, when we look closely, are filled with

ingredients we can’t even pronounce or recognize.

Toxicity is coming at us from the

foods, water, air and stressful demanding lives. We are sold instant energy, rapid weight

loss, or quick pain relief, luring us into the illusion of shortcuts. Fad diets might deliver

quick results, but without sustainable healthy habits, their benefits fade. True wellness

is not about chasing trends or temporary solutions, it is about turning inwards, listening

to our body, and cultivating daily practices that genuinely nourish us from within.

This doesn’t mean rejecting modern medicine or striving for perfection. It means

recognizing that the foundation of health is built at home, in the small choices we

make each day.

Food, sleep, movement, breath, and environments form the support

that strengthens everything else in our life, including our work, relationships, creativity,

the capacity to give and receive.

Health is created moment by moment through choices. Disease, at its core, is “dis-

ease” a disconnection within the self. As the ancients remind us, when we align body,

mind, and spirit, we unlock our natural ability to heal and thrive.

This column, Creative Mindfulness is an invitation to contemplate Know Thyself. Each

month, I will share reflections, practices, and perspectives on living well, from ancient

wisdom to modern science, from art to daily rituals. My hope is that these writings

inspire you to explore what works for you, so that health becomes not a struggle but a

source of freedom and joy in your life.

This column is intended for inspiration to well-being and is not a substitute for

professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor.

Thank you,

Agni Zotis