*Abraham Lincoln named it his Melancholy. He is quoted as saying, "I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better I can not tell; I awfully forebode I shall not; To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better."
*Theodore Roosevelt referred to it as, his heavy dark cloak of sadness. *Winston Churchill called it his Black Dog. “I don’t like standing near the edge of a platform when an express train is passing through. I like to stand right back and if possible get a pillar between me and the train. I don’t like to stand by the side of a ship and look down into the water. A second’s action would end everything. A few drops of desperation.” However one refers to mental and emotional illness; clinical depression, bi-polar disorder, psychosis,...living with the dreadful weight of it can be all consuming, debilitating and even deadly. It can stretch or sever relationships and affects every living thing the sufferer comes into contact with. It can cause unbearable guilt, self hatred, exhaustion and extreme confusion which only adds to the overload one is already experiencing. Personally I can relate to Churchill's remarks: I believe my current discomfort with heights has to do with experiences I had in my youth, originally stemming from feeling a lack of self worth that caused depression. I felt, when looking down from a great height, a deep urge and pull to jump. Almost like vertigo but not quite the same. More the feeling that I was not in control; as if another being had taken over and was urging me to just let go and fall into that inviting void. The fear that arose was after the fact and two-fold: First, I came to realize that on some level I was attracted to the irrational pull and felt that it was much too inviting for any sane and healthy person. In addition, the feeling of helplessness I felt when not in control of this pull was frightening because I felt as if a spell had been cast over me taking away my sense of reason. Fortunately I had reason enough remaining to react to this frightening event by closing my eyes, holding onto something tightly and telling myself to slowly get down. My body would be shaking furiously when my feet were once again on solid ground. Then shame, guilt, confusion, and other negative emotions would swamp over me and a tidal wave of depression and self loathing would envelope me. And the darkness would again consume me, and the cycle would continue. I tell you this personal story because NOW I know that: 1. I was suffering from depression and wasn't crazy 2. I wasn't alone in this dark disease 3. There are tools that can help heal this suffering and they are simple and easy to obtain. First of all I want to be very clear and state that if you are on medication prescribed by your doctor - Stay on it! Then add Mindfulness Meditation to your life. Science has proven through numerous clinical studies that Mindfulness Meditation can be the answer for the mental and emotional disturbances that can haunt us. Mindfulness can also be utilized for problems with sleeplessness, anxiety, and reducing stress and stress related illnesses including depression and other mood disorders and has even helped some go off their medication completely-Though I wouldn't recommend doing so unless your doctor is working with you on this. Mindfulness promotes clarity of mind and opens us up to allow for the richness of life and gifts of emotional freedom and inner peace. Mindfulness helped me put a leash on my Black Dog. Oh, I still hear her bark. But she is off in the distance and doesn't creep up on me so often. Practicing the awareness that is part of Mindfulness has kept me alert to her games and to the triggers that can cause her to leap up on me. I'm wise to her guises now and can head off trouble from her before she goes for my throat. Mindfulness has literally saved my life, along with the Twelve Steps and loads of therapeutic help. The point is, if one is suffering from any of these emotional or mental challenges there are many tools that can be utilized and Mindfulness is a very positive and powerful tool that can add a tremendous amount of happiness and peace of mind to your life. Join us each Monday evening at 7pm for an hour of Mindfulness and Lovingkindness Meditation here at A Positive Light Center for Spiritual Awakening. There is no fee for this group and donations are appreciated. *Joanie Lane is director and teacher at "A Positive Light" meditation center. For more information on Joanie and the center visit www.apositivelight.com or her blog Joanielane.com **These are original writings by Joanie. Any quotes by others have been identified.
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Most of us have been taught how to be a good guest at someone's house or event. We learned to tidy up after ourselves, to show appreciation, to be considerate, gracious, compassionate, patient and so on. In practicing these behaviors we show fellowship and respect to others. When we extend this practice to the world at large we show gratitude and respect to our planet and all sentient beings. In addition, we take care to be a good guest in our world by tidying up after ourselves, keeping our planet safe and healthy.
As we live, learn and grow on this planet we may find ourselves forgetting to take the same care with ourselves. When we make a conscious effort to become more aware of our thoughts we have the opportunity to make substantial positive changes in ourselves. This in turn provides us with more clarity, peace of mind and happiness. We become happier people when we become aware of the thoughts we think. Enjoying the positive thoughts and catching the negative banter, replacing it with positive thoughts of gratitude. When we keep our thoughts tidy and uncluttered we allow a simple change that can have an enormous effect on our outlook adding to our happiness. In practicing awareness of our manner of interacting in this world we can create deeper relationships in all our encounters during each day. In moment to moment awareness we may see where we can help our fellows; perhaps by simply holding a door open for someone. We might pick up discarded trash from the ground or even become more conscious of how often we drive our car simply for convenience when we might be able to walk or ride a bicycle to where we wish to go. The lessons, that we may have thought only to be used during a visit to someone's home or event, can be practiced daily toward ourselves and the world. In doing so the changes we make with this practice may seem small but the impact and repercussions of kindness, compassion, patience, appreciation, and gratitude have a powerful effect on our happiness and the world we are a guest in. Constantly regard the universe as one living being, having one substance and one soul; and observe how all things have reference to one perception, the perception of this one living being; and how all things act with one movement; and how all things are the cooperating causes of all things that exist; observe too the continuous spinning of the thread and the structure of the web. — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, iv. 40 *Joanie Lane is director and teacher at "A Positive Light" meditation center. For more information on Joanie and the center visit www.apositivelight.com **These are original writings by Joanie. Any quotes by others have been identified. |