D E P R E S S I O N A N T I D O T E S – April 1999 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A unique newsletter to support, inspire, inform and encourage anyone who is recovering/recovered from depression. IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Notes from the Coach"Hanging out in the Void"Last time I wrote "The good news is that it doesn't matter (if you're not sure of who you really are or what you really want). You can start exactly where you are with what you know and life will teach you the rest. All it takes is the courage to practice being truly honest." This time I would add that part of "being truly honest" is "hanging out in the void". If you wondered where I was these past few weeks I've been all over the place. Not in a physical sense, but mentally and spiritually. I'd been trundling along, quite happily, feeling confident I was moving in the right direction when, suddenly, I awoke one morning, in a panic. The evening before, I'd drawn together the threads of all I'd been working on recently and come up with a game plan for the immediate future. It all seemed right at the time but the morning brought a strong sense of foreboding. I thought I was on the right track but I felt panic. Something was wrong with the plan but I didn't know what. So I decided to not do anything but stay with the feelings. As the week progressed I noticed a fear of what would happen if I let go of my plans. Without my plans there was a huge void. I noticed it felt more comfortable to follow my plans (even if they weren't what I truly wanted) than live with the not knowing. When I sat with the emptiness I could feel myself sinking into the pit. I realised that this not knowing is a big trigger for my depression. Over the years I have noticed how may people keep themselves very busy to keep their own personal demons at bay. They use work, family, socialising, substances etc to fill their personal voids. What I hadn't noticed is how I used depression in the same way. By sinking into depression I was able to avoid the deep emptiness and void in my life. A sort of avoidance by inaction rather than action. However, depression was not much of an improvement on the discomfort of the void and so I was always seeking to find out what I could do to alleviate the feelings of emptiness. "If only I knew what I wanted to do, I could do it and all would be well." This past few weeks I have given up trying to work out what I really want to do. Maybe now is not the time. Instead I have been hanging out in the void and experimenting with not knowing. It's hard! I find myself turning on the television, prowling around the kitchen looking for tasty morsels and mindlessly surfing the net. However, I know that if I can embrace the emptiness there is great learning for me here. What else can I say? All I know at this time is I don't know! 2. Depression Antidote No. 9**Fill Your Home with Flowers**Spring is in the air. (At least it is on the South Coast of England!) And what better time to bring the beauty of nature indoors? There is an abundance of fresh flowers on every street corner for sale at very reasonable prices. So bring some sunshine and life into your environment and fill your home with flowers. 3. Alternative ApproachAffirmationsThis approach is based on the idea that what you consciously and unconsciously think about yourself, dramatically affects your life -- physically, emotionally and spiritually. When you free yourself from your limiting thoughts and replace them with thoughts of unlimited potential, messages of unlimited potential are sent to every cell in your body and every fibre of your being. Researchers have found that internal beliefs about ourselves take root in our deeper mind, and usually cannot be changed by will power alone. Instead, these beliefs must be replaced by new, more positive beliefs. Studies have shown that by using affirmations (positive thoughts) while in a state of deep relaxation (the Alpha State), your limited beliefs can be exchanged for more positive beliefs of unlimited potential. This can make an incredible difference in your general state of well being and happiness. During your waking hours, your left brain, which is the critical, censoring portion of your brain, is very active. In this active state, if tends to filter out any "input" that does not coincide with its database of logical, critical ideas. In that state, it is very difficult for thoughts of unlimited potential to seep into your deeper mind. When you are in between sleeping and waking Alpha brain waves become active. Your eyes are closed and your mind is in a quiet state of relaxation. In this state, your critical, censoring left brain is half-asleep, so it is not able to perform its "thought-filtering" routine as thoroughly as it does in your waking state. Thus, with your "accepting" right brain more active than your "censoring" left brain, your affirmations can more easily pass through to your deeper mind, unhindered by self-doubt and negativity. When your deeper mind accepts your affirmations, dramatic change can then take place in your physical, emotional and spiritual realities, including healings and enlightened experiences. 4. Resources*Touching the Void by Joe Simpson* 5. Just for FunInternational SignsTOKYO HOTEL: Is forbidden to steal hotel towels please. If you are not a person to do such thing is please not to read notis. BUCHAREST (ROMANIA) HOTEL: The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.
Have a wonder-filled week Nancy
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