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“Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them.”
— Tolstoy
Subclinical depression is almost the norm in our society. The root cause of most depression is negative thinking, which triggers negative emotions and associated physiological changes. These causal factors revolve in a vicious circle that must be broken.
At the core of most depression is a negative judgment of the Tao (“Life sucks and then you die. I never get a break. Existence is meaningless. Nothing I do will ever work. I’ll never have the money/job/body/lover I need to be whole and make life worthwhile,” etc.). Such global negative attitudes toward life, whether conscious or unconscious, will block the flow of life energy through your body and reliably lead to depression. Depression is a yin state — passive, watery, tending toward inertia and lethargy. To change it, summon your inner fire by getting up and becoming active! Do necessary tasks that can be accomplished in small steps — cleaning your living space (which is also morale-boosting) is a great place to start.
Another way to perpetuate depression is what I call, “life evaluation on the fly.” There is no more cognitively challenging task than life evaluation. Yet, most people do it on the fly, especially when in a bad mood or the aftermath of a difficult experience. I recommend doing a life evaluation only when you are at your cognitive best and actively writing in a journal during the whole life evaluation session.
Get some fresh air, exercise, and eat a high-vitality diet. Shift from internal considering (what you are feeling, what others think of you, what you want) to external considering (compassionate empathy for what others are going through) and service to others. You may have a deficit of meaning in your life. Ask yourself what you will remember well on your deathbed, and get busy doing it!
See: Dealing with Zones of Inner Jeopardy
Could you be addicted to pain? See: Rebelling from the Pain Body Matrix
Are you unhappy about being in your body? This is the core of much neurotic torment and takes the form of dissatisfaction with looks/weight/aging/health.
Read: The Glorified Body
Are you unhappy about romantic relationships?
Read: Challenging Thoughts on Love
Stop the Hottie!
Casting Precious…
Having trouble finding a path of meaning and creativity in your life? Much depression is caused by a deficit of meaningfulness. Read:
The Path of the Numinous
For more on discovering the core meaning of your life and facing some of the tough existential realities of human incarnation read:
The Capsule of Intentionality… and read all parts of A Guide to the Perplexed Interdimensional Traveler If your depression is related to a devastating loss or shock, the last part of the guide, “Dealing with Shock,” will address that directly.
Worries have you down? Read: An Antidote to Worry
Feel like there’s something wrong with this entire plane of existence? Read: A Splinter in your Mind
Too much focus on the social matrix compromising everything else? See:
Confessions of a Self Aware Starship
Want an effective life stance that will hold up to the darkest moments? Consider the path of the warrior:
The Way of the Warrior
Warrior Quotes
The Taoist Path
Taoist Quotes
Finally, if you’ve looked into all these other possibilities and feel that an outside force is depressing you, read the documents in the mind parasite category of the writing section or order a copy of the Mind Parasite Matrix.
