Freedom
from Depression
(A talk by Swami Shivaprakashananda on 19,
Apr-2020 transcribed and edited by
Bhuvaneswari and Vaibhavi)
Namaste.
The topic we have chosen
is freedom from depression. It is a very
vast topic. Therefore, I have tried to
sum it up and simplify it as much as I can.
In this talk I am going to discuss the Vedantic approach to the problem
of depression. Depression is a very
common problem. Many people in the world
are suffering from the problem of depression.
Therefore, this topic is very much relevant today.
Let us try to understand
what depression is when we discuss the problem.
First of all, we should understand problem, then we should understand the
cause of the problem. Then we should look into the solution. Depression is
basically the emotion of sadness, the feeling of sadness. In Vedanta, sadness is called shoka. This word is often used in the Vedanta
literature. Here, I would like to make a
note that there is a difference between the Vedantantic method and modern psychology in looking at the
problem.
In modern psychology, a
mild form of sadness is not called a depression, because it is experienced by
everyone once in a while. It is normal.
Therefore, it is not considered an issue. Only severe and persistent
sadness is called depression or clinical depression. It is considered a problem and it is
addressed. But in Vedanta, even the mild
form of sadness is treated as a problem.
Because, if I can experience a milder sadness now, I can be prone to
depression in future. I can experience a
more severe sadness in future.
Therefore, even the milder form of sadness is an indication of
susceptibility to depression.
Vedanta addresses the
problem right from the root. Depression is basically sadness. Sadness is
associated with so many other emotions like hopelessness. A depressed person feels a sense of
hopelessness. He does not see any hope
in future. The future looks dark, then
there is loneliness. He feels nobody
loves me, nobody cares for me. This is
the feeling of loneliness Then there is a sense of worthlessness, I am not
good, I'm good for nothing. These are the expressions of worthlessness. Then
there is a suicidal thought. A depressed person often gets suicidal thoughts.
This is the understanding of the problem. There are so many emotions associated
with the depression.
Now, there are certain
physical indications of depression. There are so many physical indications,
like tearfulness. The person looks sad. He bears an expression of sadness on
his face. Then there is sleeplessness and so on. When we look into the cause of
depression, we can classify the cause into twofold reasons:
1.Incidental cause
2.The root cause
Incidental
cause:
The incidental cause is called Nimitta. The nimitta can vary. There can
be any possible nimitta. For example, a failed relationship can cause
depression or a failed career can cause depression. I know many people who did
not succeed in what they wanted to do in life. Therefore, they got into
depression. This boy one Mr. Devadatta, his parents wanted him to be a doctor.
But he was not interested in medicine. He wanted to become a singer, a
musician. But his parents compelled him and forced him to go to a medical
college. He enrolled into medical college, but he could not study medicine
because he was not interested and in a matter of a year or two he got
depression. There are so many such incidents.
Then there is loss, loss
of wealth, loss of job loss of a relative, a relationship can also lead to
depression. These are some incidental causes and sometimes there may not be any
visible incidental cause. The depression is caused purely because of one's own
previous samskaara. It is possible. That is why, some people get depression
very early in their life. There is no reason. Everything seems sound, yet there
is depression. These are the incidental causes of depression.
Root
cause:
Now comes the root cause.
What is the primary cause of depression? The primary cause is called moolah,
the root. Generally, all other systems discuss only the incidental cause, they do not try to understand the primary
cause of depression. But Vedanta, understands the primary cause of depression.
The primary cause happens to be self-ignorance (ajnana). The Vedanta is clear
about this fact. Our true nature is free from all limitations.
This limitless nature of
ours, is covered, is hidden by the ajnana - ignorance. Therefore, we end up
identifying ourselves as limited beings confined to this body. Because of our
limited identity, we experience a sense of limitation. And the sense of
limitation makes us psychologically vulnerable. The psychological
vulnerability, is called samsara.
Samsara is psychological vulnerability. And the person who is psychologically
vulnerable is called Samsari.
Because of ignorance, we
become psychologically vulnerable. Therefore, the freedom from the
psychological vulnerability is called Moksha. Moksha includes not only freedom
from psychological problems, but also freedom from psychological vulnerability,
which implies a total freedom from all psychological problems. Therefore Moksha
includes freedom from depression also. Moksha includes freedom from many
psychological issues, depression being one of them. Moksha implies, freedom
from depression also. Though the Vedanta addresses all forms of emotional
problems, now, we are discussing specifically the problem of depression.
Therefore, Vedanta
approaches the problem of depression. What is the solution to the problem of
depression in Vedanta? There are three approaches and what we need is a synergy
between the three approaches and integration of the three approaches.
The three approaches are
1.Karma, the approach of Karma
2.the approach of Bakti and
3.the approach of Jnana.
Approach
of Karma:
The first one is the
approach of Karma. Karma means right action, proper action, virtuous action.
There are so many intricate facts, so many involved facts in each of these
approaches. But I'm trying to explain each of them in brief. Karma means right
action. What is right action? What is virtuous action? It is the action of
generosity. The action of generosity is in the form of giving, helping,
serving, reaching out, charity. Generosity is directly proportional to the
amount of happiness. Let us call it Generosity Quotient. GQ. The amount of
generosity one has is called a GQ. GQ is
directly proportional to HQ, Happiness Quotient.
Generally, depressed a
person seems to have very low happiness quotient. Because he is self-centered.
A self-centered person has not understood the joy in giving. He has not
understood the joy in being broad minded. The joy in being magnanimous.
Therefore, the first discipline for the depressed person is to be more generous
and express one's generosity in the form of service in the form of Giving.
Therefore, if you find a depressed person, ask him to get involved in some
service activities in some voluntary service activities. It can help to a great extent. This is about
the approach of Karma.
Approach
of Bakthi:
Then comes the approach
of Bakthi. If you look at a person in depression, the first thing he needs is
emotional support. He is badly in need of emotional support, like a drowning
person looks for something to hold on. A depressed person seeks emotional support.
That is why he tries to find it from his relatives or from his friends and so
on. In fact, all of us need emotional support.
Adequate Emotional Support - AES. Adequate emotional support is a necessity.
But unfortunately, the human beings cannot provide us with adequate emotional
support. Adequate emotional support means an emotional support which is stable,
and unwavering. It should be lasting. Such emotional support, we cannot find
from human beings unfortunately. Then where to seek, adequate emotional
support?
There is only one source,
Ishwara. Seek emotional support from
Ishwara, from God. How to seek emotional support from Ishwara? Cultivate a relationship with Ishwara. The means to find emotional support
in Ishwara is to cultivate a relationship with Ishwara. Now you may ask me, how
to cultivate relationships with Ishwara? There are so many spiritual
disciplines like Japa, Pooja meditation and so on prescribed in the Shastra,
practiced in our tradition. All these Sadhanas, all these spiritual disciplines
facilitate in connecting with Ishwara. facilitate our relationship with
Ishwara. When we do the sadhanas, we realize
that Ishwara really answers.
Suppose you are given a
phone and someone told you with this phone you can speak to a
person far away but you
are holding the phone and you say no it is not working. There is a proper way
of handling the phone. You must dial the number of the person, then it works.
You can connect with a person far away, but you should know how to handle the equipment
properly. There is a process of handling it.
Similarly, the sadhanas
like Japa, etc facilitate our relation with Ishwara. They are the means, that
techniques devised to connect with Ishwara. The more one cultivates
relationship with Ishwara the more he is able to see the supporting hand of
Ishwara. And as he is supported by Ishwara he is vertically uplifted,
vertically is elevated from the psychological problems.
Approach
of Jnana:
The approach of Jnana (the
approach of knowledge) is the ultimate solution to depression. Jnana puts a
total end to the problem of sorrow. In
Chandogya Upanishad, chapter seven, Narada says तरति शोकं आत्मवित् | (tarati shokaM Atmavit)
An Atmajnani crosses over
the ocean of sorrow. How does it happen?
If you speak to a depressed person, generally, his problems can be
categorized into three.
1. a feeling of hurt
2. a feeling of guilt
3. seeking for a source of happiness
One Mrs. Gupta came to me,
who lost her husband a few days back. Mrs. Gupta had not been happy with her
husband. She was complaining a lot about her husband regarding how her husband
had treated her in an unfair manner. In the meantime, she also felt she had not done enough for her
husband. “I was not fair to my husband.” This is the feeling of guilt. Then she
had a feeling of hurt also. “My husband was never nice to me” is a feeling of
hurt. “I was not nice enough to my husband
perhaps” is guilt. These are major problems and these two problems pushed her
into depression.
So, problem number one is
guilt. problem number two is hurt. And
there is another problem, a depressed person is seeking for a source of
happiness. He is lacking in
happiness. He is searching. “Where can I
find happiness?” These are the three major problems of a depressed person.
Where is the source of happiness?
Now, Vedanta solves all
these problems. First of all, Vedanta reveals our true nature which transcends,
both hurt and guilt. Because the feeling of guilt is associated with the doer-ship.
As long as I'm the doer, I'm subject to guilt. The feeling of hurt is
associated with enjoyer-ship. As long as I am an enjoyer, I am subject to hurt.
Vedanta reveals my nature
which transcends doer-ship and enjoyer-ship and thereby, Vedanta puts an end to
my hurts and guilts. If you look into Chandogya chapter seven, the teaching
begins with shoka or sadness. Narada, is
an accomplished person. He has many
degrees to his credit. In fact, he lists them, as he approaches the
teacher. Therefore, the problem is shoka, or sorrow and the solution given is Sukha - happiness. Ultimately, Sanat Kumara, the
teacher reveals the true sukha, true happiness.
Sanat Kumara teaches Narada that he can find the Atma or Brahman within,
and that is how the teaching culminates.
Now, we have discussed
the three approaches to deal with the depression in brief. In fact, this is
what we elaborate in the sessions of Vedanta. To get better clarity about these
3 approaches, one should approach a traditional guru and learn the wisdom of
Vedanta.
Om Tat Sat
