Meditation For Depression

Thank you for taking this moment for yourself. Depression can impact so many aspects of our lives - how we show up in our day, how we think, feel, sleep, relate to others, and more. For those of you listening who are experiencing depression, thank you so much for being here and for choosing to listen. With a focus on the experience of depression, this guided practice will explore the message in emotions, including viewing depression as a messenger. It includes mindful breathing and visualization, taps into compassion, and ends with setting an intention.

I hope it leaves you feeling a little lighter.

Resources used in creating this meditation: Karla McLaren, The Language of Emotion, Cheri Huber, Being Present in the Darkness: Depression as an Opportunity for Self-Discovery

Music by Liborio Conti

Transcript

Hi,

Welcome!

I'm grateful you are here sharing this practice with me.

I'm Susan Guttridge and today we're focusing on depression.

I'll start out with some information about emotions and then offer a guided practice so you can relax into connection with self.

I hope you have a quiet place to sit,

One where you won't have any distractions for a bit of time.

And so get comfortable,

Settle into the support beneath you,

Perhaps your chair or bed.

And let's start by just noticing what our breath is doing.

Not trying to change it,

Just noticing.

Now,

On the inhale,

Invite renewed energy into your body.

And exhaling,

Release any tension or heaviness you may have been carrying.

Now,

Noticing your body with curiosity,

Notice if perhaps your shoulders have relaxed down just a bit more than where they had been sitting in your posture a moment ago.

On that note,

I invite you to tune inwards and take note of any thoughts or feelings or sensations that are present within you,

Just observing with curiosity.

Please be gentle with yourself as you explore and observe,

For these sensations and emotions are the landscape of your inner world at this moment.

Here,

We can create a space free of judgment fueled by curiosity,

Just observing with an open mind and an open heart.

This morning when I was out walking my dog,

I ventured down a road I rarely go down.

One of the neighbors there had planted the most beautiful garden along their fence line of the most colorful zinnias.

It was like a vibrant patchwork of color,

Each flower a brilliant burst of life against the deep green backdrop of foliage.

Coral pink,

Buttery yellow,

Orange,

Scarlet red,

And polar bear white.

Together the flower heads tilted toward the morning sun,

The zinnias swayed gently in the breeze,

Their many colored petals forming a joyful tapestry of beauty.

I had slowed down as I walked by,

Just to notice,

To take in each of the different colors and honestly to just be in awe of this little garden.

I'm sharing that with you because I hope you can allow yourself that same style of observing as your attention is tuned inward,

As you notice the thoughts,

Emotions,

Or sensations present in your body.

Just noticing what's there,

Without judgment,

With an open heart and a curious mind.

Inhaling in,

Slow exhale out.

Just noticing if perhaps your body feels a bit more settled now compared to where it was even just a moment ago.

So today we're talking about depression.

If you have been feeling depressed or if you ever have in the past,

It can feel pretty heavy,

Make you feel quite powerless.

So I hope this eases that just a bit for you.

Every emotion brings with it a message.

For example,

Anger searches forward Anger searches forward with the message that our boundaries have been violated,

Something we are dealing with feels unfair.

Fear rushes in with the message that something important demands our attention,

Our caution,

Our preparation.

Fear demands we assess our surroundings or situation,

Helping us to stay safe and to be alert to potential risks.

Sadness seeps in with the message of release.

It signals that something meaningful has been lost or changed and invites us to slow down,

To let go,

To allow space for grieving and healing.

Depression might feel like something you want to immediately push away when you feel the weight of it creeping in,

Threatening to darken your outlook.

Did you know depression is also a messenger,

A signal from within that something in your life is calling for attention,

For understanding and healing.

Carla McLaren,

Who is a social science researcher and author of the book The Language of Emotions,

Describes depression as signaling a need for deep internal reflection and rest.

The message of depression is often one of turning inward to re-evaluate life,

Desires and unmet needs.

It may call for us to slow down,

To pay attention to where we feel stuck or overwhelmed,

And to allow that internal exploration to unfold with a discovery of what needs to change or shift in order for us to realign with our true self or with our life's purpose.

McLaren emphasizes that depression is not simply about withdrawing.

It's an opportunity to pause,

To deeply reflect and create the space for a significant shift or transformation.

The key learning I take away from her work is that we must listen to the message depression brings rather than shutting it down,

Avoiding it,

Denying or dismissing it.

Bring your awareness once again to the quality of your breath.

If you were holding your breath or taking very shallow breaths,

Use this as your cue to deepen it.

Inhaling in renewed energy,

Exhaling out releasing tension.

Thinking of the message of depression with your breath slow and deep,

Connect now with the space around your heart.

First noticing what's there.

And now thinking of the words you would say to a close friend who is struggling.

I'd like to invite you to say those same words to yourself.

I wonder what words you might like to hear.

Perhaps,

I'm doing the best I can in this moment.

It's okay to feel this way.

It's just for now.

And these feelings don't define me.

This pain is temporary and I'm allowed to take things just one moment at a time.

It's okay to rest and take time to heal.

I don't have to force anything right now.

Pausing to notice how I feel is courageous.

I can honor my strength for facing this darkness,

Even when it's hard to see that strength.

Just repeating to yourself now the words that most resonate with you.

Inviting a bit of space for compassion within your beautiful strong heart.

If it's okay,

Place a hand on your heart.

Placing a hand on the heart symbolizes your physical gesture of compassion and connection to self.

It represents an act of kindness for by doing it,

You are acknowledging how you've been feeling with care and acceptance.

By placing a hand over your heart,

You are creating a tangible reminder of or an anchor to your intrinsic worth,

Promoting a deeper connection to your inner experience while offering the same empathy you'd extend to someone you love.

Your hand over your heart is a gentle,

Mindful way to signal self-love and compassion.

And with your hand there now,

Extend compassion towards yourself.

Acknowledging the pain and suffering that depression can bring.

Acknowledge this pain with tenderness,

For really,

Depression is a natural response to the challenges and struggles of life.

With your breath,

Slow and deep,

Rhythmically flowing in and out.

Picture in your mind's eye a warm healing light beginning at the top of your head and surrounding your entire being.

Allow yourself to feel this warm light enveloping you with kind understanding.

Connecting with this warm healing light in your mind's eye,

Notice how you feel within it.

How held,

Present,

How honoured you feel.

It's okay in the space of this healing light to offer yourself the gift of self-acceptance.

It is,

After all,

By accepting ourselves as we are that we can then start to move toward growth.

Embrace all aspects of yourself,

The beautiful bits that align with your heart and your values,

And the ones that feel burdened by depression.

Know with every fibre of your being that you are not defined by depression.

It is just one part of your journey.

With this warm healing light around you,

Allow it to gently dissolve a few percentages of the grip depression has.

Let them just evaporate away.

Your heart strong.

Your mind open.

Courageous.

Let them just evaporate away.

Your heart strong.

Your mind open.

Courageous.

Know that this healing light imagery is yours now.

You can call upon it whenever you need a moment,

A visual reminder of the compassion you are deserving of.

Whenever you need it,

Picture it warmly surrounding you.

Pair it with the kind words to self and allow another percentage of that heaviness to dissolve away.

When we picture these types of healing practices in our imagination,

Our body experiences it as though it is actually happening.

So give yourself this gift of symptom relief as often as you can.

When we experience depression,

Our thoughts often become self-critical and judgmental.

These are just symptoms.

These thoughts are not the truth.

These negative and intrusive thoughts are just echoes of conditioning and pain.

Just like my walk along the sidewalk where the colorful zinnias were growing,

I invite you to observe these thoughts with compassionate detachment,

Allowing them to rise and then fade away.

Those dark thoughts may tell you not to reach out,

That you are alone,

That you are not worthy of help.

Please know as you navigate the depths of depression that you are not alone.

When this meditation ends,

Can you make a list of those that you can turn to,

Those you can reach out to in a dark moment?

Perhaps a trusted loved one,

Or a friend,

A counselor,

Or a support group,

Someone who can hold space for you,

Because you are deserving of that space.

It is,

After all,

The same space you would offer your loved one or close friend if they shared a similar experience with you.

Please reach out,

Share your experience,

And allow yourself to be supported.

Where possible,

Let go of the illusion of isolation and know that connection and understanding can be powerful sources of healing.

After all,

We cannot heal in isolation.

By making that list,

You are creating a touchpoint for yourself,

A tangible reminder that there is support.

As we start to bring this practice to a close,

Take a deep breath in and let it out slowly.

Feel your body supported by the chair or bed beneath you.

Place your hand once again over your heart to acknowledge the care that you have just provided to yourself.

As you return to your day,

Remember that depression,

Like all emotions,

Carries a message,

And you have the strength to listen with tenderness.

The road might be challenging at times,

But know that by paying attention to these emotions,

You are engaging in healing.

Take a moment to set an intention of self-care before you close this meditation,

Something small and nourishing that you can do for yourself today.

Thank you for being here,

For sharing your story,

And for being a part of this healing process.

Carry with you the knowledge that you are worthy of love and care,

Just as you are in this moment.

You are not defined by depression.

You are a strong,

Resilient soul on a path of healing.

As you move through your day,

Continue to hold yourself with kindness,

Continue to look within with curiosity,

And know that you have the capacity to find lightness even within the darkest of moments.

And as always,

Don't go this journey alone.

Thank you.