Spiritual Problems Need Spiritual Solutions

Today I am answering an important question that was emailed to me through my website, SoulManifesto.com: Can Spirituality Help With Depression? Yes, my friends—spirituality is a powerful tool for lifting away the numbing and energy-draining effects of depression. But today I want to do more than explain what depression is, where it comes from, why so many people hide it…

The wonderful Fred Rogers, from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, once said, “There are times when explanations, no matter how reasonable, just don’t seem to help.”

So we are going to take a different route today. Okay, so if you are here, and you are currently struggling with depression—Let me just say, I know how you feel. And it’s so hard to describe to other people because it isn’t sadness—and that’s what people often think, right? That being depressed means that you feel sad, and that’s just not true. If someone who’s depressed could feel sad, that would almost be a relief—because at least you’re feeling something!

Being depressed is more like feeling nothing. No joy, no interest, no desire…and it’s like all the color has drained out of life, and everything is in greyscale.

It’s hard to talk about with other people because then they’ll want to try to help you “feel better,” or they become worried and start hovering—and this kind of help, while it’s coming from a place of love, can almost make the depression seem worse, you know what I mean?

Here’s why it feels like there’s nothing anyone else can say or do that will help ease your symptoms of depression:

Because Spiritual Problems Need a Spiritual Solution.

Yes, there’s plenty of valid psychological research to enhance our understanding of things like depression, anxiety, self-doubt, lack of self-esteem, loneliness, and fear. And I love science! But understanding the psychology behind depression, for most people, isn’t a solution for lifting away the weight of having depression, and I bet you could have told me that yourself.

Depression is a spiritual problem. It’s the by-product of going far too long not expressing your true feelings about something—smiling when you want to scowl. Laughing when you want to cry. Saying you feel fine when you’re actually under a lot of pressure. Saying yes when you mean no. Saying, “oh, that’s okay,” when someone treats you in a way that is actually unacceptable or inappropriate. Saying you are happy in your relationships, with your living situation, with your position at work—when in truth, you feel out of place, undervalued, and uncomfortable. Enthusiasm and motivation turn into, “What’s the point?” And a beautiful sunny day is met with a soul-sickening, “I don’t care.” And that’s where all the psychological explanations in the world can’t reach us. That’s when we need a Spiritual Solution.

I had a client, a wonderful woman that I love so much, who came to me for help with her depression. Some things that her friends could tell you about her is that she’s very funny, intelligent, compassionate, creative…but when she’s depressed, she shared with me that none of that matters. She just doesn’t care about the things she cares about anymore. When she’s depressed she becomes a writer who doesn’t care about writing. An avid reader who won’t pick up a book. A loyal friend who won’t pick up the phone. A foodie who doesn’t care what she has for dinner. A nature lover who doesn’t care that it’s a beautiful day outside…You see?

Depression is the act of radically denying our true selves because there’s some important part of who we are that feels completely ignored. Right? Depression is the act of denying our true joy because there’s some important part of us that feels completely ignored, rejected, or subjugated.

And so at some point, often without even realizing it, we just burn out on pretending and say “Forget it! If I can’t be my whole self, what’s the point of being anything at all.”

You aren’t broken. Let’s just get that out of the way right now. Who you are, at your essence—Is wonderful, interesting, beautiful, creative, complex, and complete—and you are deeply beloved by Spirit whether you are temporarily cloaked in depression or not.  

Deepak Chopra says, “Awakening is not changing who you are, but discarding who you are not.”  I Love that!

So how do we awaken our spirit when depression has settled over us like a fog? I am going to give you 3 tools that helped me, and have helped hundreds of my clients. But I’m going to start by asking you to be aware that if you are currently feeling depressed, your first reaction to these tools may be to scoff. You may think, “Yeah right, that’s not going to work…” That’s just your depression talking. Your mind is using depression as a survival mechanism. Can you imagine? Your depression is actually a misguided way of protecting you from your feelings. But guess what? You don’t need protection from your feelings. Feelings aren’t facts, and they always pass. UNLESS we don’t allow ourselves to feel them! Then they linger with us, branch out into other parts of our life, and create disharmony throughout our bodies.

Remember you’re here with me now because you DO want to break free. You DO want to enjoy the little things again. You DO care. In fact, what’s most likely the case, is that you actually care so much that your emotions have shut down like an electrical box during a power surge because your human form couldn’t contain it all at once.

Can spirituality help with depression? Yes, it can. 

If you’d like to gain access to 3 Spiritual Solutions for easing depression, click the link to watch the full episode. They are simple, actionable, and with practice many people find them to be wonderfully effective. 

Thank you so much for this opportunity to connect with you while I answer this very important question of Can Spirituality Help With Depression. You’ve got this, and remember if you want even more support, click the link to watch the full episode. I want to send you my love, and remind you that even if you aren’t in a place right now where you feel ready to receive it, that Love is Spirit, and Spirit is Love. When you are ready, the love will always be there waiting. Namaste.