Spring and Depression

September is a very challenging time for many in the Southern Hemisphere, with the highest rate of suicides it makes me curious about why people find it so mentally troubling?

I used to think of Spring as a really wonderful time, however the more I reflect, read, feel into and learn about it, I notice the dynamic nature of it makes it quite clunky.

Growth is sprouting,

lots of change is happening,

one day is hot, the next is cold.

Its windy.

Its a pretty wild time.

Spring in Zenthai relates to the Wood element, which relates to our direction in life, our purpose and personal development. The hun, our spirit of consistent growth.

Yesterday I saw a bird of prey at Booti Booti National Park, the kite soured through the air, and when it found something to target, it channeled all its energy and attention on that, flying with commitment, speed and intention on a direct line.

I was reminded how important it is that we are able to look at life from an eagle eye view, taking in all the possibilities. A zoom out. Maybe we can find a way through the day, bringing something in that will serve us wholesomely.

Years ago I visited Chen Rezig where, on the Sunshine Coast they used to have a lunch invitation on Tuesdays for people to come in and enjoy the buddhist sanctuary, and the nun Tsultrum sat with me, we chatted about our lives and she shared that a lot of her work was to support people when they were suicidal, it was her speciality, she was very effective in being able to support them to not go ahead with their ideas. I asked her how she managed these situations.

Hope.

She knew that Hope was the most important thing to connect with in these times and she directed the conversation to that of hope.

As you may know, I am teaching the Zenthai Therapist Training and we have a module, Elements 2, which explores our spirit and emotions. The self enquiry question was, “What is your experience with depression?”. As a facilitator I felt a bit edgy to bring this topic to the surface. Especially since we were all in grief about the passing of Rachel Gaynor who had begun the year with us. But had passed away from Stage 4 Colon cancer just 6 days before.

I was not sure if this topic was wise to delve into. However, I was suprised how the energy in the room changed during this process. It felt lighter, some pairs were laughing, and there was a deeper sense of connection in the space.

When we harvested the conversations further it was clear that everyone had plemty of experience with depression in some way, shape or form. What stuck out for me was a comment by a student, he said “I was relieved to hear that I was not alone, you always think that you are alone when you go through an extremely challenging, or emotional time”.

It is so common for us to think we are isolated.

It seemed very beneficial to open the conversation about it. Perhaps it is best had with a trusted person who is able to listen without an agenda, uninterrupted. I am aware sometimes these conversations are not heard well, and people jump to conclusions, panic, try to fix, etc.

When it comes to mental health, as I am sure most people are aware, there are many things that we can do physically to support ourselves, one thing I have noticed through experience is the powerful connection between the gut and the mind, and when I was in the depths of sadness myself, one of the best pieces of advice I got, was to make sure I ate 5 different vegetables each day. I noticed the difference almost instantly, chocolate made me feel worse (after the instant gratification), vegetables/vitamins… were great.

Also being hydrated is a massive one that we forget, our kidneys are a big player in mental health.

I feel it is a great idea to ask ourselves these questions,

What could I add to my daily routine to avoid, spiralling down into a depressed state and getting stuck there? What would serve me. Am I hydrated? Am I breathing well?

For ease, we add something beneficial to our routine, and then with some care and compassion, we might also be able to take things away, such as the sugar, the scrolling, the smoking/alcohol/drug use. It is easier for us to add something, rather then taking something out. Yoga is designed to calm and quieten the mind and encourages us to let go of things, thoughts and habits that do not serve us.

And sometimes we may need professional help to get us through a challenging time. I highly recommend councelling, and the many different options such as internal family systems, hakomi, gestalt therapy and psychotherapy. Rest and the ability to relax, becomes an essential part of the healing journey when it comes to mental health. Your life depends on it.

Here is a great quote that has stuck with me ever since watching the documentary.. “Die Well” with Stephen Levine.

“ Today is the first day of the rest of your life “.