Depression part II
How do you cope with depression?
Depression seems very personal but reading about the way other people cope and what they go through can put things into perspective. Share with us.
Other People's Experiences With Depression.
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Coping with depression
I suffered from depression quite a lot in my life, and did some intense therapy with an excellent psychologist.
Many of the techniques he taught me …
Uses of Buddhism for Depression
I'm a 55 year old man with bi-polar disorder since my teens. The manic side is easily treatable with meds; the depression, not so much. That is not say …
Sometimes you've just got to be a rock. Not rated yet
I'm a security guard and work 12 hour shifts. My major cause of stress is the senior officer on my site.
No matter what I do I can't win with this …
When we suffer, it is hard to see beyond the pain. Hard to see that the world is beautiful and magical. Hard to be grateful for what we have and hard to feel loving-kindness for others.
Despite it being so hard, it is exactly what we need to do. As with most dis-ease, the best treatment is prevention so when you still feel good, or when you feel a little better from your depression, start a daily regimen of loving-kindness. First aimed at you, but also aimed at others as taking the focus away from you is exactly what you need to feel better.
What is Loving Kindness?
Metta in the Pali language, is a state of feeling that one has toward all sentient beings. We need to strive for it to attain Buddha-hood but especially when we are depressed. It is basically unconditional love that we feel. For me, it is a physical sensation. I feel waves of energy going up and down in my body like a tingling shiver. Your experience might differ of course. I focus this energy and send it to others. When I need it, I concentrate on receiving it from either the Earth or Heaven as in Chinese medicine, The Earth is Yin and the Heaven is Yang.
This loving kindness is self-less and not attached to relationships, without any exceptions. It is not related in anyway to lust or even maternal love, it has no expectations. It is a form of energy readily available to anyone that can be focused and can be given back.
I often send loving energy to people without them knowing about it. I see a person who needs love on the street -a homeless person, for example- I send them some. When someone, like a store clerk seems to have a bad day, I send them some. I especially use it in my massages. When someone entrusts me with their better-being, I often tap into the unlimited source of love in the universe and I pass it onto them. It is not unusual for the clients to feel energy coming from my hands.
I am convinced that anyone can do this. I am no more special than you.
There is also a meditation called The Loving Kindness meditation ( Metta bhavana ) which can help you develop what you need to overcome this suffering that is affecting you.
How can the eightfold path help you?
The Noble Eightfold Path is a path the Buddha taught us to cease suffering and the cycle of rebirth. We are interested in the suffering part for now.
here is a graphic representation of the path:
The main points that concern us here are
- right view
- right intention
- right speech
- right action
- right effort
- right mindfulness
- right concentration
Here's why:
Right view: We need to understand the cause of the depression and that the depression is not who we are. It is but an impermanent state we are in.
Right intention: Right intention is the willingness to always improve, to abandon our wrong patterns. As the AA say: the first step it to admit the problem ,the second is to want to change.
Right Speech: is to use one's power of speech in a way conductive of someone on the path to Buddhahood. In this case, this someone is you. Stop self-destructive affirmations and build a new temple in your mind. A temple of beauty and love.
Right Action:is to act in a way as to not hurt himself or others. It includes, not taking lives, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconducts. Do exercise, do not engage in destructive behaviors.
Right Effort: Right effort is what the practitioner does in order to bring forth his desire to improve his and other's lot in life. Basically is transforming will into action.
Right Mindfulness: is to be aware at all time of what we think and what we do. It is useful to do so in order to stop destructive behavior. Before consuming drug, stop yourself and be aware of why you need it and what can you do to fill that void that would be more in harmony with your goal of getting rid of suffering.
Right concentration is the practice of meditation. Meditation is useful in developing wisdom and insight. During meditation,we will be examining our right view and correct it if necessary. This is part of the process of cutting the defilements and self-awakening, thus freedom from suffering and depression.
Return from Depression part 2 to social issues |

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