PACE MAKER
Don’t lose heart
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Practical mystic and yoga guru YOGACHARINI MAITREYItells you how to deal with depression the yogic way.
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Photo: N. Sridharan
Look for the way out: Channelise emotions positively.
Every person who is in touch with their humanness has gone through a depressing phase. So don’t feel alone. Even Rama went through a phase of existential angst and depression and his guru Vashista showed him the way through it. This is the whol
e theme of the Yoga Vashista. Sometimes confusion and disillusionment may be the road to delving deeper into spiritual truths. So don’t lose heart if life seems bleak and the world gloomy. If you are depressed, know there are ways out and emotions can be channelled positively.
Aggression and depression
Those who have suffered aggression and have not released its trauma will be depressed. The trauma can be due to physical aggression or verbal abuse or manipulation. It can be released by both mentally accepting it and forgiving oneself for the incident as well as body-oriented practices. Many physical practices release the nervous energy in the system or the dullness due to depression.
The victim may, sometimes, end up feeling terribly guilty. This can be handled as long as it is short-term; however in the long-term it starts affecting daily functioning. The victim may also end up in a cycle of self-blame and even sometimes trying to save the aggressor at his/her expense. This causes an imbalance in the energy system and in their life situations.
When the victim is attached to the victimiser as in the case of a parent-child or spouse relationship, their self-worth is tied to the aggressor’s opinions. So the person is trapped in victim mode and is perpetually dependent on the aggressor to cultivate their self-esteem. If the person they depend on is mean and abusive, then their self-worth is compromised and it becomes a vicious cycle.
The yogic viewpoint on depression is that it allows one to reassess one’s life and draw healthy boundaries. One can also access compassion for oneself and others. Every one goes through feelings of being worthless at some point in their lives. Endless pressures and stress make one feel drained. When these symptoms persist and when one could cause harm to oneself or another, intervention is necessary. The medical system offers drugs that correct the chemical imbalance in the brain and numb the pain. Psychological counselling is helpful and it is good not to be in denial of the problem.
Getting help
In India, many people are embarrassed to admit they have sought out the help of a therapist or psychiatrist. In the West, it is the other end of the spectrum where people go to the therapist even for minor life issues. The yogic viewpoint is to work on cultivating the discernment that will help identify a challenge from a self-created problem. As Swami Gitananda said “You don’t have a problem, you are the problem.” We create these problems in our minds unnecessarily ruminating on them and giving them a reality. We need to learn to defocus and relax and more than half our problems will be non-issues.
The therapist can help identify the non-issues and self-created stress due to unhealthy expectations or ideas. Also they can offer a support system in times of need and with regard to setting your boundaries. Yoga therapy is very useful as, apart from the psychological counselling, one can also release stress from a physiological and energetic point of view
There are various other alterative therapies also that address depression on a pranic energy) level. Ayurvedic therapies are very effective for depression and so is energy healing. It helps clear out stagnant energy from the system that causes this low grade feeling and lack of motivation. So be aware that you may need help and don’t be afraid to ask for it. Also be ready for positive change.
Offering support
If a friend or family member is depressed, listen to them; make them feel you are there to support them. Also, as a caretaker, keep time for your own well being and rejuvenation. This time to nurture oneself is very important to help one feel replenished and not resent the person you care for. Be there for the person but also help them develop their own interests and not get clingy.
When the system gets overwhelmed, it is best to take a break rather than break down. Be firm that you need some space. Enlist help and delegate tasks that need to be completed. Slow down and give yourself processing time. Modern lives have become so busy that we automatically internalise a lot of situations without letting go of unwanted junk. We become habituated to waiting for a crisis to take action rather than recognising small irritations and annoyances.
There are many practices that release depression and negativity in the Yogic system. Apart from these, discernment and cultivation of the right attitude is also important. Breathing tools are very important in addressing depression. Those who are depressed habitually have short and shallow breath. Hence deep breathing practices in the Yogic system are a boon for the depressed.
Before one starts with the deep breathing practices, the bhastrikas are excellent for building awareness of the diaphragm. The diaphragm needs to be exercised to release the tension built up in the solar plexus and gut area. When depressed, there may be a looming sense that something is going to go wrong. The bhastrika releases this feeling from the root. The mukha bhastrika is excellent and can be practised many times at the start, at the end and in between the practice of asanas and pranayamas to release pent up emotions. It can also be practised on its own.
The mukha bhastrika
Mukha means mouth and bhastrika means bellows used by the goldsmith or ironsmith to stoke the fire. This is a practice that stokes the internal fire to burn out tamas, dullness or inertia. Depression causes a feeling of fatigue and listlessness that this practice releases.
Yogacharini Maitreyi is a practical mystic who teaches yoga and creates conscious community around the world. E-mail: maitreyi9@hotmail.com or visit www.arkaya.net
Signs of depression
Excessive fatigue
Unreasonable guilt
Suicidal or thoughts of death
Imagining hurting oneself or actually hurting oneself
Continual sadness and grief
Withdrawal into a shell
Difficulty in focus, concentration and making decisions
Lack of or excessive sleep
Loss of appetite or excessive eating
Feeling worthless and hopeless
Having flat emotions, unresponsive, apathetic
Moving pains
Pains that appear and then disappear
The practice
Vajrasana (1): Sit in Vajrasana. Vajra means a thunderbolt or diamond. Now breathe in and swallow.
This movement of breathing in and swallowing is called the aprakaasha mudra. This activates the aprakaasha bindu or respiratory centre at the base of the brain.
The brain stem or the old part of the brain is where the respiratory centre is present. It is in charge of old survival reactions and fears. By swallowing we activate this area.
Those who have mental aberrations or are emotionally distressed may find it difficult to breathe in and then swallow. It is an area we are looking at bringing consciousness into, as respiration is autonomous or not voluntary.
Neural control centres responsible for co-ordination of both breathing and swallowing are contained in the same area of the brain stem.
The rishis or ancient researchers discovered this connection and the swallowing movement was used to reset any imbalance in the respiration and emotional system.
Mukha Bhastrika (2&3): Now after the swallowing motion, blast the breath out with pouted lips. Keep whooshing the breath moving downwards and completely emptying the lungs. Then breathe in and come up. Do this three times.
Dharmika Asana (4): At the end of the third time when you reach the ground, remain in the Dharmika asana and hold onto your feet. Stay in that position for a few minutes. The dharmika asana is the devotional pose. It is a pose of surrender and we are surrendering to the divine in this gesture.
Suptha Vajrasana (5): Now come up and get into the ardha or half suptha vajrasanan. This is the counter pose to the dharmika asana. This whole routine can be done three to nine times.
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