The Catch 22 of Depression and Spiritual Connection

A new post from my blog When Depression Won't Heal:

There is a catch 22 to depression that most depressed people may not realize, but may need to realize in order to heal. It is that depression numbs our ability to spiritually connect. The problem is that we need spiritual connection in order to heal.

 When we are depressed, we become so heavy that it becomes impossible to feel freely, to be open, to sense wonder, to become inspired, to take creative action, or to connect to the richness of life. These are all aspects of being spiritually connected by the way. So it is important to realize that when we are depressed, it becomes incredibly easy to not believe in the divine or sense any spiritual resonance or feel spiritual connection whatsover.

To an almost unbelievable extent, I have witnessed this in my own healing journey. I've gone from feeling horribly depressed one minute, like there is no meaning in life and literally wishing that I could just die, to feeling an unmistakable connection to the divine after a good healing session. Suddenly, after a visit with an energy healer, I'd be at peace, with an inner well-being and knowledge that my life had great purpose in this world.

 I have also witnessed the opposite happen. Many times I have felt peacefully content and spiritually connected just to slip back down toward the blackness and void of depression again. Once there, I noticed the distinct lack of spiritual belief or desire for connection that I once had. I would continue with my spiritual practices, but they felt empty and uninspired. No matter how hard I tried, I could not "make myself" feel spiritual again.

For me, this was explicit proof that spirituality and healing go hand in hand.

The problem is that we can't force ourselves to feel spiritual connection when we are depressed, but we need this spiritual connection in order to heal completely. So how do we make this happen?

The answer is multifaceted, and the path is circular. There is no straight, one size fits all, solution to healing. Spirituality is a huge component, but we need to incorporate healing on all levels of our being: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. So first of all, don't ignore the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of healing! A discussion about these other components of healing goes beyond the scope of this blog, but I will address it in future posts.

I will also talk more about how to cultivate spiritual connection while depressed in my next post, so stay tuned...

The Spiritual Root of Depression

This post is from a new blog I started called When Depression Won't Heal.

Spiritual Beings Living in Physical Form: The Root of Depression

I realize that many people will not agree with what I'm about to write, but what I convey comes from my direct experience, and it is something I feel compelled to share.

I believe we are depressed because we are not existing in our true home. We are spiritual beings who belong with the unconditional love and light of the Divine, but are instead living in physical form. This is like forcing a bird to wear scuba gear so it can live in the sea.

Could a bird learn to be happy living underwater? Perhaps. But inevitably some birds will realize that something does not feel right. Something will continue to gnaw at them, and unless they have some knowledge of who they truly are, and to live in ways that reflect their True Selves, peace will be hard to come by.

Spiritual beliefs and practices were always my core foundation for healing at a deeper soul level. But I always kept my spiritual beliefs at a safe level. I didn't want to (or wasn't able to) completely believe in anything that seemed too weird or new agey. Chakras, energy bodies, smudging, healing herbs, and crystals. These all seemed like silly and unrealistic new age ideas. Even more important, I didn't want other people to laugh at my strange spiritual beliefs.

But then when I was 41 I had my first energy healing. It blew me away. For the first time in my life, I felt like my thoughts and emotions were completely cleansed. This healing, as well as the soul retrieval I had two weeks later, literally blew my mind. This was followed by full blown spiritual experience that lasted a good two weeks.

Since then I have learned to sense my chakras and blocks in my energy system, use herbs for healing baths and smudges, and to be open to spiritual healing techniques and teachings. But most of all, I learned to strengthen my connection to the Divine in ways that I wasn't able to before.

This connection guides me and heals me. It helps me to realize who I Truly am and to envision a world that I wish to see, rather than trying to fit into a world that does not reflect who I am at my core.

I believe my depression has been a calling for me to come back Home. I have seen this in ayahuasca ceremonies, in my spiritual teachings, and can feel it in my heart and in the depths of my soul. It teaches me to let go of the things in this world and focus on love. My pain is caused by my attachment to being human, and all of the cultural, societal, familial, and personal expectations on what it means to be a special and deserving human being. These definitions of happiness say I need to look young, have a family, fulfill a special purpose in life, or whatever. When in reality, if I simply know my True Divine Self and just focus on love, there would be no need for that.

The answer is to know ourselves as Love. To love and forgive ourselves unconditionally. To envision a world where love across all ethnic, cultural, religious, and geographical boundaries is possible. To see the Divine in the people we meet. To know that the Divine is with us, supporting and guiding us in a multitude of ways.

I believe that the closer we get to doing this, the more we can heal.

We might need additional tools to help us through, including self help techniques, therapy, or energy healings. But if we keep up the practice of knowing ourselves and others as Divine Love, then we get closer to creating our True Home right where we are on earth. I believe this is the true path to healing.

P.S. As a side note, I no longer care what people thing about my spiritual beliefs, although I am still careful about who I express them to. In fact, I can now talk about guides, angels, crystals, and spiritual herbs so confidently that my friends, family, and even some co-workers, listen openly and without judgment!

Purpose

If you want to find your purpose in life, start envisioning the world as a better place.

And then go from there...