Live Consciously

Depression is a seekers journey. It is a journey of understanding, peace, and inner guidance. In some respects, depression is a spiritual problem; a spiritual illness. It is an admittance of disconnection from our source, our total selves, our subconscious, our emotions, and our strength.

At times, depression can be overwhelming. You can go through depressive states and not even know your depressed. You can find yourself feeling like your missing something, but not knowing what. You can also feel that things don’t matter, or that its not so bad. Or you may feel overcome by deep sadness. It is a state of emotional and spiritual flux.

While there may be many causes of depression, there are ways to confront and overcome depression. There is hope. Finding strength and finding methods for relieving the imbalance is what this article is about.

It is by no means a complete list, but there are several tools that I have used to bring myself out of a depressive state and to reclaim my life. Let’s begin, shall we?

1) Recognition - Recognize what you are feeling now. Whatever you are feeling, become aware of it. Recognizing any sort of negative pattern is the first thing to do. When you increase your awareness, you are embracing your current state. While you may not know what to do next, you have taken an important first step in admitting to yourself that you are feeling what you are feeling, thinking what you are thinking, and that your life is mirroring these energies.

2) Grieve - Grieve for the losses in your life. Grieve for the people you miss, the things you cannot do or the things you want to do but can’t yet. Grieve for the choices you’ve made in your life. Grieve and feel, in some small way, that you are reconnecting with yourself. Your deep self. The self that you’ve somehow neglected over time. The soft inner self. Let yourself become aware of all these emotions, the conflicts, the struggles, the pain. Release your emotions.

3) Reclaim – Reclaim your lost, disassociated self. Reclaim your feelings, take ownership of them, no matter how bad. Say, at least their mine, for the time being. These feelings, once reclaimed and released, will gently dissipate in time. Reclaim the pieces. Reclaim the shattered emotional disturbances, the hang ups, the disappointments. Reclaim all of yourself. Say they are mine.

4) Channel The Energy – Find an activity, or a practise, that allows you to actively channel these energies. Find an outlet for them, a place to release everything. It could be a journal, an art, meditation, or qi gong When you have a way to channel these newly founded energies, you give yourself a way to become conscious of them, recognize them, and to release them. Soon this practise will become easier, and in time releasing these emotions will become second nature. This process is the part of the empowering.

5) For the Times You Need It - After a period of time, of recognition and release, you may find yourself slipping into old patterns or beliefs. When you need a boost, start by thinking of the things you are genuinely happy for in your life. Make a list, and keep these for when you need them. If you feel that you’re having a down day, thinking of these things will give you focus on something positive and uplifting and empowering. That will train your mind to recognize these patterns, and to turn your focus when you need to. By doing this, you are exercising your will to empower yourself in your life and your journey.

Any step in overcoming depression is a step in the right direction. Start small and with little bits at a time. Seek help, professional or from your loved ones if you need it. You might be surprised to find people will respond and support you in your time of need.

May you find peace and happiness on your journey.

Namaste