Healing Through Art: Baguio’s Melan Ku Marquez Shares Her Journey in ‘Mindful Lines, Mindful Lives’

A psychology graduate and mental health advocate invites readers to reconnect with themselves through mindfulness and creativity.

Si Jingle Melanie “Melan” Ku Marquez, isang cum laude na nagtapos ng BS Psychology mula sa Saint Louis University, ay tumanggap ng Outstanding Women Leader of Baguio 2025 (OWLS) award bilang pagkilala sa kanyang mahalagang ambag sa adbokasiya sa kalusugang pangkaisipan at sa kapakanan ng komunidad.

Isang masugid na tagapagtaguyod ng holistic wellness, hinuhugot ni Marquez ang inspirasyon mula sa kanyang personal na paglalakbay ng paggaling—mental at pisikal—sa pamamagitan ng pagsasanib ng sikolohiya, neuroarts, mindfulness, at biswal na sining. Isa siyang art enthusiast mula pa noong 2017, at ang kanyang pagpapahalaga sa sining, na nahubog sa mas huling yugto ng kanyang buhay, ay naging makapangyarihang katuwang ng kanyang akademikong pundasyon sa sikolohiya.

Isa siyang honorary member ng Pasakalye Group of Artists, aktibong tagapagtaguyod ng mga inisyatiba sa kalusugang pangkaisipan gaya ng Anxiety and Depression Group Baguio, at kasapi ng Baguio City Mental Health Council. Si Marquez ay isa ring negosyante, nagsisimulang alagad ng sining, at ang tagapagtatag ng Art Heals Incorporated, isang organisasyong nakatuon sa pagtataguyod ng mental wellness sa pamamagitan ng malikhaing pagpapahayag.

Opisyal na inilunsad ang kanyang aklat na “Mindful Lines, Mindful Lives” noong Pebrero 7 sa Made Here Artisans’ Studio, Wright Park Hotel, Baguio City. Dinagsa ng mga mambabasa mula sa iba’t ibang edad ang book launch at signing. Ang kanyang personal na paglalakbay ay masusing inilahad sa kanyang unang aklat na Mindful Lines, Mindful Lives: Drawing Your Way Out of Stress, na nagsisilbing handog niya sa mga indibidwal na patuloy na naghahanap ng direksiyon sa buhay.

Sa kanyang debut na aklat at journal, ginagawang saksi ni Melan ang mga mambabasa sa mahahalagang yugto, pagsubok, at tagumpay ng kanyang buhay. Itinakda sa konteksto ng Baguio City at Benguet, ang salaysay na kanyang ibinahagi ay taliwas sa inaasahan ng marami—isang kuwentong hitik sa tahimik na lakas at matatag na pagkataong hinubog ng mahigpit na disiplina sa kanyang kabataan.

Pinagdurugtong ni Melan ang kalusugang pangkaisipan at pagkamalikhain sa pamamagitan ng Neuroart. Bilang tagapagtatag ng Art Heals Incorporated, isinusulong niya ang paggamit ng mindful line drawing bilang isang makabagong kasangkapan sa pagbabago, na tumutulong sa mga indibidwal na muling hubugin ang kanilang neural pathways tungo sa emosyonal na paggaling at linaw ng isipan.

Inaanyayahan ng aklat ang mga mambabasa na muling kumonekta sa kanilang sarili at linangin ang isang mas balanse at makahulugang pamumuhay.

Ayon kay Melan, “Stress is everywhere. It creeps into our mornings before we even get out of bed, lingers in our commutes, hides in the weight of responsibilities, and sometimes even follows us into our sleep. For many of us, life becomes a cycle of tension and exhaustion – our thoughts tangled, our emotions heavy, our bodies restless. I know this not just from observation, but from experience.”

“What if the way out of this cycle wasn’t as complicated as we think? What if clarity, calm, and even joy could be rediscovered through something as simple as a pen, a brush, or a sketchbook? This book is built on that belief. Mindful Lines, Mindful Lives is not about becoming an artist. It is about using the act of drawing as a tool – a way to slow down, untangle your thoughts, and rewire your mind toward resilience and happiness. Just as mindfulness teaches us to breathe and be present, mindful drawing teaches us to notice, to release, and to reshape.”

“With every line, shade, or color, you are not just creating art; you are creating space in your mind. In these pages, you will find personal life experiences, guidance, exercises, and reflections at the end of each chapter, designed to help you draw your way out of stress and into clarity. The goal is not perfection on the page, but transformation in your life.

Whether you are overwhelmed, searching for focus, or striving for a deeper sense of peace, this journey invites you to pick up a pen and begin again. Because in every mindful line you draw, you are quietly rewriting your story – one that leads to a calmer mind, a fuller heart, and a more successful life with intention.”

Isa sa mga empleyado ng Wright Park Hotel na si Ms. Pam Suyom ang nagbasa ng libro at nagbigay ng kanyang testimonial at pagbati.

Nagpahayag rin ng pagbati kay “Melan” si Jonas Dupo na isang tanyag na Author & Motivational Speaker – CEO & President, John 14:14 Group of Companies

Nagbigay rin ng testimonial at pagbati si Architect Dolte Monar

Ibinahagi rin ni Melan ang ilang talata sa libro na kanyang naging inspirasyon at ito ay kanyang isinasabuhay tulad ng ilang talata na kanyang binasa.

“I believe that change is important, finding your new self is all about becoming someone else, it is about uncovering the strength.

“For a great part of my journey, I thought everything that happened was simply destiny – an unfolding written long before I was born, guided by God’s will and beyond my control. It was a comforting belief, in some ways. It meant that even when life was painful or uncertain, there was a bigger plan at work. But as I look back now, I see more clearly: my life is not only the story of fate. It is also the story of choices.

“The truth I’ve learned is this: we are not powerless passengers in life. Each of us carries the freedom of choice.”

“Recognizing this has been liberating. Every day we are faced with choices, whether some small and almost invisible, or others heavy enough to alter the course of our lives and mindfulness for a changed life. # Mario D. Oclaman //Filipino News Sentinel