Periods of depression are common. I have been asked to discuss it. Let me begin by saying that I have observed over and over again that proper meditation is the greatest cure. Depression is primarily physiological. Proper diet and exercise also help greatly.
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But what about behavioral causes of depression? Depression is the result of suppressed flow of life force. There are multiple motivations to stifle your life flow.
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You may have imposed upon yourself a strict value system that is in actuality not in harmony with truth – not in harmony with your true nature and the true nature of life.
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Always trying to do the right thing can be most depressing if in actuality it is not really the right thing for you. Take care to not devote your life to invalid notions. You may tell yourself it is valid, but deep inside, where it really counts, you know better.
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You may be more image-conscious than you realize… acting and behaving in a manor that is not your true nature in the name of how you may appear to others. Proper manners is one thing, but to depress your true nature in the name of a facade you feel will win people over, is quite another.
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Second guessing yourself is another common cause. You may be unable to make a decision fearing it will be wrong. Whatever you do, you wonder if you should have made another choice. You tie yourself up in knots and end up depressed.
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Judging yourself based upon an internalized standard is always depressing. Standards are external. Internalizing anything external causes depression. Use the external as an aid to explore your inner being, but not as an imposition upon it. Freedom, joy, and fulfillment come from within.
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The list goes on and on. However, there is one cause underlying them all – fear. To discover what depresses you, ask your self what you are afraid of.
Then ask yourself how you impose restriction upon your life as a result of that fear.
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This exploration is not to be taken lightly or acted upon too impulsively. It is a process. But rest assured that freeing your self, i.e. living your true nature, is the only path there is to fulfillment.
Thank you, profound and insightful:)
This has been one of the most directly helpful postings for me. When I was at the SF class in January, you rightly identified my primary divine current as “rigid/perfectionistic.” I have also struggled with depression, and can now see the connection because of today’s blog. I’ve also heard you say that people cling so tightly to their “truths” to not even recognize them as overlays. I always thought you were talking about other people. Not me!! How funny. Today is the first day my “truth” has been loosened a bit so I can start to work with it. I am so grateful. Thank you!
Thank you for writing on this topic. I never thought of depression in terms of fear before. But definitely as restricted energy, and restricted vision of myself and the world, and the inability to overcome it. Which is a fearful situation. But I never thought of fear as the source. I will be using that idea, it feels very helpful.
I first read meditation as medication in your first paragraph…(!) I do think that meditation is key to gaining the insight and distance to being able to recognize all of the mental fallacies you list. I am quite excited about how meditation is subtlety changing my outlook.
I don’t know how much medication has ever really helped.
Thanks again.
Yes, very good. We contract out of fear–fear of many things such as getting bad karma [e.g. fear of ‘going to hell’], fear of someone hurting us [emotionally, physically, economically, etc.], fear of making a mistake, fear of losing money, fear of failure, fear of looking foolish or bad, etc. Just feel what fear feels like in your body. It contracts/suppresses/depresses.
I do agree with the notion that fear has the purpose of protection. For example, if a gun it pointed at you, it is natural to feel fear. However, chronic fear as an ongoing state of physiology is unhealthy. It is the source of depression and disease.
I have totally weaned off Zoloft and am back to meditating regularly. Fear is paralyzing.
Excellent news Donna