Life is sad/beautiful

for those of us who have been depressed more often than not, (cough), how do you flip the coin to beauty? I can do it myself, with my own way in a few minutes (ie meditation on love and the vastness of experience) but its never quite that simple, problems continue and eventually we have to face the music. With a vast pool of kindred hearts I would like to hear other's versions of this duality that is always in flux…

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

This can be a difficult issue for those of us who tend toward depression. 

Looking forward to hearing more from you all.

One of the things I have to ask myself when I am depressed before I rush toward feeling better is what is the depression teaching me? Sometimes I am depressed because of a wrongness in my life I need to change. Sometimes it is a question of perspective, or a biochemical imbalance and there are many other reasons one might be depressed, including seasonal depression.

If it is light-related, a full spectrum light can be a great boon. If loneliness, the good company of friends and loves can be greatly healing. If a need for solitude, some kind of retreat.

Let the cure suit the ailment.

Love,

Nicole

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Greetings,

I believe it is our natural state of being to be happy, loving, compassionate and connected. Whenever we find that we are not experiencing ourselves in these ways something has gone astray.

Perhaps our ego/painbody has come to the forefront of our consciousness and we have lost awareness of who we truly are. We have slipped into incessant thought of the future and past and without returning to NOW awareness the emotional response continues.

Try to see that ultimate reality is not a coin with two sides, but ONE.

Namaste

Grimm

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Grimm, I believe as you do that this is our natural state but that some are alienated from that, and it is a sorrowful thing.

You seem to be referencing Eckhart Tolle's concept of the painbody and the Power of Now, is that right? See The Pain Body by Eckhart Tolle


Love,


Nicole

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Indeed, a wonderful resource. Eckhart has a wonderful gift of conveying such deep spiritual principals.

Grimm

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Indeed the duality I speak of is only relative, and I have read Eckhart's Now and New Earth as well. I truly appreciate your help in putting other's words into the mix, and just so no one is worried too much, I no longer get depressed, to the extent of hateful habits. but living, never having that special someone to hold, is still very difficult for me to look beyond that grey sky every now and then. I just wish up in nowhere Minnesota there was someone I would've ran into by now that shares my feelings of the universe, but those I do meet seem they can't get past their new shoes… or what so and so said, gossip gossip gossip. I simply love enjoying the moment and reaching into the formless for inspiration and that kind of talk just makes me sad, there is soooo much more than what we just see. whoo! Its good to get that off my chest, and thanks again for all of your support.
heres to Nibbana for all of creation

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Hm seems like the sadness is from a lack of companionship….
And Nicole I agree with you greatly.. I'm interested on any input someone has on the subject too. I also would like to know some ways to fix that as it was.  I think deppression mainly is telling me there is something wrong with how I'm running my life at that moment… I know I'm happiest with certain things and events around me and a way to create that life is important…

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

     My first 20 years, I had a rather rough life. I was always sickly and depressed. I was, at one point sent to a psychiatrist and diagnosed as a manic depressive with suicidal tendencies. Low finances caused an almost immediate dropping of the psychiatrist. For many years, I didn't do  anything about the depression. Medication was offered but I don't believe in drugging myself. For years I suffered through occasional blue periods, that were, at times profoundly, paralyzingly, deep.
     As I got older, I came to realize that my depression was often triggered by situations in which I felt powerless. To compensate, for the powerless ness, I beceame, for a time, all manic all the time. I lived my life at a very intense level and found that I had more control over my life. As time went on further, I have come to realize that I don't have to be all manic and that control is a relative term. I then mellowed out and my depression speels became less frequent and more mild.
      My saving grace has often been my spiritual side and one key to balancing my depression is reconcyling how to keep my spiritual side alive and functioning in the face of the stresses associated with functioning in our modern society. I believe this particular issue is THE issue with many spiritual people. I believe that I have been put through  all of this to learn how to effectively cope with depression without medication or “professional help” just as I have learned to cope with and conquer many physical ailments that most others succumb to. I can't say that my approach will work for others I just know that what I did evolved into a cure for me.  

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Grimm, Jake, Naomi and Mr:

Yes, Eckhart is a special communicator. 

Jake, loneliness is very hard. I remember a short time ago how deeply I suffered in the midst of a very happy and full life because I did not have someone who cherished me. 

Naomi, depression can have so many causes. It seems to be vital for each one of us to discover our own causes and triggers and work through them accordingly.

Mr, I have seen the destructiveness of that sense of powerlessness many times in my own life as well as in the lives of others, especially my ex-boyfriend who is nearly always depressed, and my ex-husband.

My beloved had a very different experience with depression, or what was diagnosed as depression. But if he wishes, he could speak to it himself, it is not for me to share here.

Love,

Nicole

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

I didn't realize that you had so many people in your life who dealt with deppression Nicole… That is very difficult. (((((hugs))))))

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Depression is far more common than many know, my dear friend. And I have noticed Gaia, as it attracts sensitive beings, attracts people susceptible to depression. But it's ok, we just have to learn how to work through it together.

Much love,

Nicole

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

I believe that it is natural to be depressed at times but not for long periods of time. Depression can be an opportunity for reflection.

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Might it be natural for some to be depressed for long periods of time? I agree, depression can help reflection…

Love,

Nicole

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

I am not ashamed to say that I have to take high levels of anti-depresants to maintain a sense of equilibrium. 

I have been diagnosed with acute depression, related to Parkinsons disease (Pd) which I was diagnosed with 4 1/2 years ago.

They don't make me high, but without them the world feels like it is closing in on me.

If people would get over the stigma that is associated with taking medications, particularly anti-depressants, society would be a lot happier and a lot less paranoid.

Before anyone gets on their bandwagon I would ask you to consider this - we live in an environment in which we are continuously being exposed to chemical pollution and we have no idea how that may be affecting our brains or who may be more suseptible to the effects.

Medical science hasn't found a cure for Pd because it can't be sure what causes it, but exposure to chemical pollution is high on the list of suspects.

I have no problem taking the anti-depressants because they work for me.

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

That is so great that the anti-depressants work for you. We really do need to get over knee-jerk reflexes about this sort of thing.

Excuse me, I have to go take some tylenol, I have a headache.

Warm hugs,

Nicole

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Andrew,
I like your ascertion that we live in a world of chemical pollutants. My freind Doug says that that is to prepare us to live in outer space.

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

G'day Mr.

Your friend Doug might be right.  Does anyone ponder what experiments and research are going on in those expansive military underground bunkers that don't exist.

If the US administration can pull off a stunt like 9/11 and convince the US population that somebody else did it, against the empirical evidence surrounding the events who knows what else they are up to.

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

Hmm, you guys might be onto something here - if we keep going this way there won't be any planet left here to live on, so…

Love,

Nicole

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

I wouldn't lose sleep over it Nicole.

Things go on behind the scenes all the time, if it impacts on us so be it, but I believe there will be an unfolding sooner or later that will explain why we experience what we do. 

What a total waste of a universe if there is no such unfoldment.

Either way I don't think we will have much say in the matter, so why worry?

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

No, I sleep very well at night, sweetie. I have enough problems of my own over which I do have control to worry over things that are beyond it.

Hugs,

Nicole

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

wow! I'm glad to have started this conversation, there are more meaningful stories flying around and I love it! And the whole pollution is helping thing I'm not so sure about, my view is that our planet is one of the few where the inhabitants do not live in a constant state of love and harmony with their Mother, I feel that she is definitly distraught when we kill the air, the sea, and land along with everything in them. I have heard tales of other planets where the foliage and flowers have such a perfect state of nutrients and love that the beauty is beyond comprehension and the leaves change colors brilliantly depending on the type of light coming to them. But once again, stories, and I have not been there myself, but I feel that in an infinite universe, concrete and pesticide is not the best or most beautiful landscape to look at… That does explain to some extent why our planet is starting some kind of deathrattle in response to our blunders and soon she will turn over, just to start anew.
Thats my 'short' interjection on the matter, but what is important is the journey of self, when we learn to create with conscious intent, all of our reality, and flow and grow in the light and love.

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

This is so beautiful, I especially enjoyed:

what is important is the journey of self, when we learn to create with conscious intent, all of our reality, and flow and grow in the light and love.

Re: Life is sad/beautiful

May the earth be blessed with the love and care of humanity
May we acknowledge our “earth mother's gifts”
May we all learn to live in harmony on our precious planet
May we flourish with the help of one another in our communities and here on Gaia
May we reach total communion with our original self
May compassion be our way

Love Tai