The hidden Hanuman within: On inner strength and belief

When I was younger, every time I would crumble after a setback — a failed exam, an emotional blow, or just a deep sense of “I’m not good enough”, my mother would say something I didn’t fully understand back then: “Ka chup sadhi raha balwana.”

 It’s a line from the Ramayana, where Lord Hanuman is reminded of his powers, long forgotten but not lost. Translated, it roughly means, “Why are you silent, O powerful one?”

I didn’t always know what it meant, but I knew how it made me feel. Like someone knew something about me that I couldn’t yet see in myself. It was her way of saying — I see your strength, even when you don't.

Years later, in my training as a therapist, I came across the concept of core anchors or attachment-based inner resources. These are words, gestures, or moments of connection, sometimes tiny, but they plant seeds of safety and self-belief deep in our psyche. They become part of our emotional memory.

Psychology often talks about external regulation leading to internal regulation. A caregiver’s belief in us can eventually become the foundation for self-belief. And sometimes, in the middle of life’s chaos, it's not our voice that picks us up, it's theirs-  A teacher’s kind words,  a mentor’s confidence in your shaky hands, a friend's steady gaze when you’re drowning in self-doubt.

These voices become our inner scaffolding.

I didn’t realize it then, but my mother’s words were a neurobiological anchor, helping my nervous system regulate, helping me return to safety. They were also a gentle cognitive reframe: a subtle invitation to stop identifying with the stuckness, and start connecting with the strength lying dormant beneath.

This isn’t just nostalgia it’s neuropsychology. Research shows that moments of felt safety and trust, especially in early relationships can help build resilience, confidence, and emotional flexibility. When recalled consciously during hard times, they can literally help regulate your body’s stress response.

So today, when I face something hard, I sometimes still hear her voice. “Ka chup sadhi raha balwana.” And I whisper back, “Right. I had just forgotten.”

Try This:

Take a moment and ask yourself —Who in your life has believed in you even before you believed in yourself?What words did they use? Can you feel the texture of their voice?

Write them down. Carry them with you.They are more than memories — they are maps.