...and you weren’t born with a neurological deficiency.
When you were little, you bit on thoughts because you were curious. It took years of hard work to develop the thinking habit.
Biting on thoughts will lead to depression. Sooner or later. You’ve experienced this. It’s 100% inevitable. Runaway thinking just feels awful.
Tech designed to be addictive isn’t helping matters.
But it doesn’t mean you’re defective. And you don’t need a pill. 💊 Nope.
But why? Why would I risk my neck and say this out loud?
Well, part of it is my monk training which has flipped the way I see the mind and reality.
Let’s look at this from both sides of the table. From the point of view of the brain, and the point of view of the mind. And then a pleasant surprise.
The way of the brain
A doctor who prescribes you a head pill will not do an expensive brain scan to look for defects.
The doctor will not ask you what’s going on in your life at the moment that is related to your mental health concerns—they just don’t have the time nor that kind of training.
What they will do is ask you a mere handful of symptom questions, whip out a prescription pad, and their job is done. They’ve solved your problem. According to chemistry.
You will leave feeling relieved. You’ll think, “Thank goodness! I am saved by the science of anti-depressants”.
The doctor will likely not tell you in plain words, that yes, while you will have less thoughts, you will feel more emotionally numb, less alive.
Awful, awful side-effects will likely be played down. Like suicide ideation, hostile behavior. On top of cognitive decline, sexual dysfunction, bipolar disorder.
Yay?
The way of the mind
Maybe we should just start over and look at the issue again.
But this time from the point of view of the mind—not the brain—the mind. This isn’t an article on that difference, but let’s just say one is matter and one is consciousness. Night and day.
As mentioned at the start, no one taught you how to use your powerful mind when you were little.
No one said to you, “I see what you’re doing there. You’re biting on thoughts. Yuck! That’s a bad habit. I wouldn’t do that if I were you. It’s going to make you feel bad, just you wait and seeee....”
Yet after many years of you doing just this, maybe around the time you’re 12, the habit of thinking is nearly automatic. Awareness of the larger dimension of you is shoved aside.
Not coincidentally, this is also about the time when things begin to become more complicated for you. Overthinking everything. More emotional. Unruly. Wondering where the joy went.
So if the problem began in the mind, with a misuse of the mind, let’s go there to heal all symptoms at once.
We need a way that de-emphasizes playing Whack-A-Mole towards symptoms.
We need a way that raises awareness to the field of peace, intuition, creativity—the qualities of the soul you knew intimately as a child.
This new way seems silly at first blush, but the alternative doesn’t work. Not really, if we’re being honest.
So what way would this be? Well, how about a soul-based meditation format?
Deep. Time-efficient. Rejuvenating. Cheap. Use anytime, even eyes open. No negative side-effects. And there’s healing.
It turns out that soul-based meditation does reverse the poor mind management habits we developed. And actually quite rapidly and elegantly. No analyzing of stories needed.
And guess what happens next?
The way of the soul
Returning to awareness of the soul is simple.
You knew this part of you when you were little. The spiritual aspect of you. It’s the largest part of who you are.
👉 Where there’s clarity. Lightness. Joy for no reason. Knowing of purpose. Peace.
Just like when you were little.
And in this space, where is depression?
You may very well question the need to take anti-depressants for the rest of your life.
But don’t just take my word for it. Why not see for yourself?
Of course, you absolutely must consult your doctor and plan together on how to safely reduce anti-depressant dosage over time. Stopping abruptly is not recommended.
Nor is meditation meant to be a total replacement for therapy from a well-trained therapist.