The Depression Book: Depression as an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth
By June Shiver and Cheri Huber
()
About this ebook
Read more from June Shiver
There Is Nothing Wrong with You: Going Beyond Self-Hate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fear Book: Facing Fear Once and for All Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The Depression Book
Related ebooks
Trying to Be Human: Zen Talks Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sweet Zen: Dharma Talks by Cheri Huber Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBe The Person You Want to Find: Relationship and Self-Discovery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Suffer, Communicate!: A Zen Guide to Compassionate Communication Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Big Bamboozle: How We Are Conned Out of the Life We Want Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMorning Meditations: Daily Meditations for Spiritual Humanists Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlues Ain't Nothing But a Good Soul Feeling Bad: Daily Steps to Spiritual Growth Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My Life in Black and White: A Book of Experiences Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Gift of Our Compulsions: A Revolutionary Approach to Self-Acceptance and Healing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leap Before You Look: 72 Shortcuts for Getting Out of Your Mind and Into the Moment Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummary of John Kim's The Angry Therapist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHealing and Transformation Through Self-Guided Imagery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWho Do You Want To Be On The Way To What You Want?: Coaching With The Empowerment Dynamic Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnattended Sorrow: Recovering from Loss and Reviving the Heart Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Life You're Made For Coaching Companion Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Desire Factor: Unlocking Personal Growth and Fulfillment Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Guru in the Guest Room Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNondual Therapy: The Psychology of Awakening Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'm Just That Into Me: You're the One You've Been Waiting For Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSuffering Is Optional: Three Keys to Freedom and Joy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Kindness Handbook: A Practical Companion Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Force of Kindness: Change Your Life with Love and Compassion Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Love, Hatred & Mettā Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Witness and the Explorer: Learning Dyad Meditation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummary of Sonya Renee Taylor's The Body Is Not an Apology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAutowar Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGoldmining the Shadows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Feel Better: A Guide to Navigating the Ebb and Flow of Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe No Self, No Problem Workbook: Exercises & Practices from Neuropsychology and Buddhism to Help You Lose Your Mind Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsComplete Without Kids: 2nd Edition: 2nd Edition An Insider's Guide to Childfree Living by Choice or by Chance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Self-Improvement For You
Don't Believe Everything You Think: Why Your Thinking Is The Beginning & End Of Suffering Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Big Book of 30-Day Challenges: 60 Habit-Forming Programs to Live an Infinitely Better Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Stolen Life: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Win Friends and Influence People: Updated For the Next Generation of Leaders Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall In Love With the Process of Becoming Great Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Self-Care for People with ADHD: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Prioritize You! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Witty Banter: Be Clever, Quick, & Magnetic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Think and Grow Rich (Illustrated Edition): With linked Table of Contents Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How May I Serve Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Child Called It: One Child's Courage to Survive Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: The Infographics Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Depression Book
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
The Depression Book - June Shiver
So you’re depressed…
This book suggests that this is your best opportunity:
to see the cause of your suffering,
to accept where you are,
to embrace yourself in compassion,
to let go and end the suffering.
RIGHT NOW!
not later when you’re feeling better.
THREE STEPS
you could take while depressed
1. Pick up this book.
2. Accept the pain and be as kind to yourself as possible.
3. Appreciate yourself for having the willingness to do 1. and 2.
FOR CONSIDERATION:
The state of
is not the problem.
The process of
is the problem.
If you are depressed, ask yourself,
What am I depressing?
When depressed…
you don’t want to
deny the experience
nor do you want to
indulge it.
A friend comes to you and says,
My husband just left me.
You don’t say,
Good riddance. He was a toad.
AND
you don’t say,
Here, take these pills. Suicide is best.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO?
EACH TIME YOU ARE DEPRESSED,
stop and turn
your attention inward.
Imagine that you are someone you have no reason to dislike. Pay attention to all your feelings and begin to record them. No analysis, just turn on the recorder and allow your feelings to come out like a volcano. Spew it out. Express it in whatever way. Stay with yourself (this person you like) until you express everything you need to express. Go through all the feelings that arise until it seems like you get to the end of it.
The point?
When you do this kind of process,
you will begin to see patterns.
You will begin to see the steps you take that lead to self-hate and depression. You will notice your fears and assumptions and conditioned reactions to circumstances. It will begin to become clear that depression is something YOU DO, not some larger-than-life ogre to which you are victim.
YOU CAN DO THIS
FOR YOURSELF.
What we’re moving toward is letting go of everything that keeps us from
BEING PRESENT WITH OURSELVES.
And the first and last thing
we’ll encounter
is fear.
We are afraid of how we feel,
afraid of who we are.
The importance of understanding
depression in general
and yours specifically:
Your depression is not random.
You feel,
think,
say,
and believe the same things every time.
Perhaps what you are depressing changes. How you depress remains the same.
The only way we can know what is going on is to sit down with an open mind and pay attention.
If we watch closely enough, we notice that there are sensations in our bodies that go with depression.
They don’t vary.
They’re the same every time.
We have a labeling system that goes with bodily sensations. In this case, the label is depression.
With this label comes a learned response, the internal conversation, everything we’ve been taught to believe about depression.
What it is… What it means…
What I am for feeling it…
What will happen as a result…
How the future will be…
When that conversation starts, we have an emotional reaction to it.
I don’t want this.
I am afraid.
This is too painful.
Oh no, not this again.
And then comes a conditioned behavior pattern, which is usually avoidance/escape.
I should quit my job.
I’ve got to leave town.
I need a drink (or drug).
I want a divorce.
I can’t function. (paralysis)
I’m going to kill myself.
SEQUENCE: sensation
thought
emotion
behavior pattern
THESE ARE GOING ON ALL THE TIME, not just in depression.
If we are willing
to pay close enough attention,
we notice that in depression:
the sensations in our bodies
don’t vary,
the thoughts in our heads
don’t vary,
our emotional reactions
don’t vary,
our impulses toward certain behaviors
don’t vary,
AND THIS CHAIN OF EVENTS
DOES NOT VARY.*
*This is a BIG CLUE.
Whenever I speak publicly about depression, someone in the audience invariably asks, What about antidepressant medications? Do you think people shouldn’t take them?
(I think this question is based on a deep belief that spiritual people are here to take away everything that is good, fun, easy and enjoyable.)
My response is something along the lines of: There is no reason to do or not do anything. Whatever you do or do not do,
pay attention.
And then,
to be a bit more encouraging, I might say something like: Do what seems best right now. Do the thing that seems kindest, most caring, most compassionate, and pay very close attention.
Remember, this is a person’s life you’re dealing with here. The well-being of a being is riding on what you decide.
Should you take this on as stress?
No.
Should you ignore how important this is
and go to sleep?
No.
There is an expression in Zen:
Train as if your hair is on fire.
What does this mean?
It means don’t wait. Get immediately into the present moment and do