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...