How can “depression” be described and overcome in accordance with yogic teachings? I am interested in people’s personal experience of yoga (not only asana) in relation to improved moods/more balanced approach/positive thinking.
Yoga Teachers; do your students report mood elevation and improved mental health with their practice? What key areas lead to these improvements? Thankyou 
First, by helping the “diseased” find ideals to strive for, second, by helping the “victim” to a better diet.
Depression is the result of this sceptical world, the world of processed food, and too much polyunsaturated fats in the diet. The best fat for human beings is the oleic acid. (70 % in olive oil)
Asanas will help with the first, and of course, spiritual truths will bring the light, peace and confidence to overcome the odds, what are so many today, and what really cause depression.
Because we have built antibodies for religion, I think art is the most suitable today to provide the necessary ideals. It also depends on the individual’s temperament. For melancholics, for example often it is enough to show the example of people who suffered but managed to overcome their hardships.
somtimes as people we label ourselves as depressed, bipolar, etc… and fail to label ourselves as the time we are not in these states, so we label on a limited and untrue perspective. Yoga talks about non attachment, I beleive that refers to labels as well. I hope there is something in there of assistance
Brother Neil
Personally I view depression as an inflated ego, attaching too much importance to yourself, your physical body, your desires (even those to be happy) and your fears.
As a yoga teacher I try to bring this awareness into the conscious of those whom I know do suffer from depression, not with much success as they usually don’t like to hear that they are too egoistic and by the next class they don’t return.
Adminstring truth ? That is often too bitter, and today’s humans are crybabies. Razzle-dazzle them !
Who said it … Sai Baba ( I hope that of Sirdhi, the one I like, not sure what to make of the other one) if they are not able to get what we can give them, we need to give them what they are able to recieve. Guess it was the other one … now that I thought of it a second. But it might still work for some. Perhaps it’s not your karma to do that … you see, there is a reason even for charlatans.
Dear Pandara,
With due respect, maybe you should consider changing your approach to students approaching you with depression. Clinical depression is a disease, just like cancer or diabetes. I can’t imagine you telling a cancer patient that they suffer from an inflated ego.
Should your students come back for a second lesson, you will find that yoga and mindfulness can benefit them in many ways. This has been documented by such diverse authors as Amy Weintraub (Yoga for Depression - A compassionate guide to relieve suffering through yoga) and Marc Williams (The Mindful Way through depression).
If you would take a more compassionate approach, you would not deprive these potential students of the blessings of yoga.
dear anula
you may want to check out this thread:
http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16/feeling-down-4589.html
BM has an interesting interpretation of what would have caused consternation in most of us.
take care. 
Thanks for your replies. Pandara, whilst i understand where you are coming from when you say depression is due to inflation of the ego it does appear that many depressed people have physiological imbalances contributing to their depression. They may do much inner work on ego and detachment from the body/ mind etc but if the physiological imbalance remains they will not be able to overcome it. Its much more than just the ego as im sure those who have experienced it will confirm.
[B]Anula:[/B] I 100% agree with you, for example my own sister was diagnosed with depression a year ago, given a variety of pills to take on a daily basis by her psychiatrist and she didn’t really got any better, in fact she became more like a zombie than anything else. Eventually after many visits to different doctors, one doctor had the good sense to test her iron levels and how her body uses it. It turned out that her body just doesn’t take up any of the iron she disgest in the form of food or supplements. This doctor realised that she needs Vit B12 for her body to efficiently assimilate the iron supplements and since then her life just changed, she went off all the anti-depressants, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety pills and is now completely the person I knew, full of laughter, fun and always ready to help where she can. So, yes I agree, for some it is inner work, for others it might be just a simple vitamin that will make the difference. This is just an example of how wrong it can go for someone, because as my own teacher used to say we call them doctor, no matter if some of them got 90% and others just made it with 50% in their exams.
[B]Willem:[/B] I know I sound blunt and incampassionate here. I think you might have realised from my other posts on this forum that in my classes I am much more compassionate than what I have expressed here.
Point I am trying to communicate to a person who is depressed and who might stumble upon it when they search for something like this on the net, is look at this, it might be you and I felt at the time of posting it that beating around the bush with nice wording might not communicate the message effectively.
In my own classes I hint at it with great compassion, the students who work with me have seen major changes already in terms of how much medication they need and in terms of how their moods have changed completely.
Even if they have made it 90 % in their exams, it’s no guarantee they will become good doctors. Healing is an art, and requires much deeper knowledge of the human being both in general and particular than what materialist science is able to provide. Fortunatley, some of these doctors are able to complement their academic knowledge with a wiasdom aquired in time.
Regardless of this, moderns medical science is still rather a treatment of symptoms than real healing. In the given example, how much Pandara’s sister had to suffer until she met a wise doc ? An expereinced doc will get the hunch about your weakness form how you look. Sadly, with the industrialization of medicine (and science in general) we forgot to use our innate abilities in dealing with patients. Docs even a century back in time were much more perceptive, as they lacked the tehnology. But today, only the tests count … and if you have no idea what to make tests for (although the patient would reveal them if we still posessed and had the expereience of an inquiring mind/soul, using all our God given senses) than you just shoot blindly.
The turn towards a metarialist world conception, and reliance on technology made us forgot our real powers.
PS. Far form me to judge, as their meriots are great. But the external must be complemented with internal knowledge, and the details intergrated into the bigger picture. Indeed I have seen signs of this happeninng, like that of this polish doc who wrote a book about art and mythology. One cannot leave out soul, and spirit from the equation of health.
I would have to say Pandara, that there is depression beyond the level of moods. In the cases you speak of, yes it’s a person’s repeating thought-patterns that get them in a chain of consecutive moments of negativity. This can effectively be reduced and changed with multiple methods of therapy, yoga etc.
But there is another form of depression, it seems to me, that comes not from ones conditioned patterns (well in a way it does, but not in the conventional way) but it comes from utter hopelessness.
If I speak from personal experience, I have to state that when in this type of depression, one can still be open to all suggestions about himself. If someone says: “Hey, take at look at your mind, it’s repeatedly telling you this and that.” than you are open to that and willing to look at it. But in my experience it weren’t merely egoistic thoughts that made me feel down, nor was I feeling down in the regular sense of the word. Instead, I was utterly helpless, hopeless, inspiration-less, motivation-less, etc.
This was not a mood created by my thinking about myself, because even when I was exceptionally clear-minded and empty, depression, hopelessness, was there. What was it then?
In my case, I had put so much intention into reaching something, I had used so much effort to build some ‘spiritual’ structure of reference I would consciously and unconsciously use to explain everything I encountered, that at some point it all just collapsed and simply nothing I thought of and nothing that crossed my path could motivate me because I saw no meaning or use in any of it anymore. I knew at some crazy level that whatever I would do or undertake, would not lead to anything, EVER!
From this arose a period of utter hopelessness, also resulting in emotional moods like depression, intense fear, anxiety, clinginess even though I knew nothing could be effectively clung to…
So no matter what I was thinking, it was just there as a complete hopelessness.
This ‘type,’ if I may call it that, of depression is not something one gets over with if someone tells him that it is due to his own egoistic thinking and such. Just wanted to share this. Other than this, I would agree that sometimes a gentle or rough pat on the but can help someone to take that one step back where he can see his own thinking and through that realize his patterns and such. This is indeed an effective approach in many cases. And I am confident that you will be able to bring such a change in a most compassionate way, why? because you are utterly well-intended, as always.
But that approach just did not help in my situation at all, since it did not have any value or power to bring about something… nothing would.
The only thing that could help me was… nothing.
So this is my statement for those who are in utter hopelessness: You really are in utter hopelessness and nothing you can do can change your depression.
This may sound like the cruelest advice anyone can give you, but it actually is the best advice anyone can give you. Because the moment you accept the fact that your situation is utterly hopeless… Your situation won’t change still! You will still be in utter hopelessness!! The only thing you can do to find true peace even in hopelessness, is by no longer to trying to change your state of being. Accept hopelessness completely.
From this arises clarity, love and wisdom. Hopelessness/depression at this level will either stay or leave on it’s own account. Accepting hopelessness as it is and no longer fighting with it, will bring you at peace with whatever is. That does not mean that hopelessness necessarily goes and peace comes to replace it, no. It is deeper than that. Peace just arises as a natural presence, on top of whatever your experience may be. Accepting whatever is, will not necessarily change whatever is, but it will transcend you to that place in which you are beyond all states of mind. Because if peace is what you experience even in the face of depression, than that peace must be coming from a freedom that’s not touched by the depression. That freedom is your nature at all times. No longer trying to change or improve your state of mind, whatever it is, will make you see the naturalness of this.
Love to Self,
Bentinho.
It sounds as if there are different approaches according to ones type of depression.
I know that we can quite easily have repetitive negative thoughts, the same issue eating away at you each day in an obsessive way…this is curable, infact it is instantly curable. When in the throws of this you have to assert yourself, out loud I suggest…with vigor and anger that you will cease this thought…this has worked for me, almost in a remarkable way.
Another cure is catch the thought as it arises and repeat …Ami tabba Buddha six times.
It is important to catch the thought as early as possible…I use this. You will find it
works.
I read that in Buddhism depression is an acceptable state to be in, for the period of time you are in it. It brings about positive changes when you eventually come out of it?
But for the kind of depression that is a disease…this is very unfortunate…I wish I had an answer for this. Yoga is so good for so many problems that I hope it helps this condition.
Good Nutrition is also a wise must.
Kind Regards Kareng
It sounds as if there are different approaches according to ones type of depression.
I know that we can quite easily have repetitive negative thoughts, the same issue eating away at you each day in an obsessive way…this is curable, infact it is instantly curable. When in the throws of this you have to assert yourself, out loud I suggest…with vigor and anger that you will cease this thought…this has worked for me, almost in a remarkable way.
Another cure is catch the thought as it arises and repeat …Ami tabba Buddha six times.
It is important to catch the thought as early as possible…I use this. You will find it
works.
I read that in Buddhism depression is an acceptable state to be in, for the period of time you are in it. It brings about positive changes when you eventually come out of it?
But for the kind of depression that is a disease…this is very unfortunate…I wish I had an answer for this. Yoga is so good for so many problems that I hope it helps this condition.
Good Nutrition is also a wise must.
Kind Regards Kareng
I read that in Buddhism depression is an acceptable state to be in, for the period of time you are in it. It brings about positive changes when you eventually come out of it?
Well, in Zen (Buddhism?) they somewhere describe a period called ‘The Great Doubt’. Supposedly this is a period of depression that precedes the unveiling of Light/love/God/Awareness. In Christianity they have something similar and it is called ‘The Dark Night of the Soul.’
This concept returns in other religions/traditions as well. And quite frankly, it also matches with my personal experience of Depression. It really is like the darkest end of the tunnel before the light is visible again.
So it sounds quite plausible to me if you read somewhere that Buddhism says it is an acceptable state to be in. In fact, I would not want to trade my depression for all the gold in the world, since it is the depression that makes me more and more simple, authentic, innocent, pure, receptive, open, aware, desireless, etc.
So in my opinion, depression is not a bad thing. If one can only see the state for what it is (an appearance within awareness) and allow the probable suffering that it releases to guide one back to remaining as the stillness of being, instead of chasing after desires. Depression and hopelessness can be a huge motivator to actually be dedicated to awareness/Being alone and not be fooled by all appearances anymore, since you know they lead to nothing that brings you satisfaction anymore.
I guess the difference between the two types of depression I spoke about is that one means simply to be trapped in the negative thought-patterns while the second is a depression arising out of not seeing any value or prospect in anything anymore. From this one is left with a certain hopelessness that guides as a direct motivator to be as one is without further seeking and describing. This depression could be considered, the way I see it, as the dark night of the soul, or The Great Doubt, because in some cases, it leads to the Light and clarity of demand-less being.
Love,
Bentinho.
Serious depression involves a chemical imbalance. You need to up your seratonin. Eat well, get fresh air, go for a long walk, swim, start some gentle yoga, meditation. Movement is essential. When you start to feel better you will do more of the same!
I get over depression by :
[quote=Bentinho Massaro;25966]Well, in Zen (Buddhism?) they somewhere describe a period called ‘The Great Doubt’. Supposedly this is a period of depression that precedes the unveiling of Light/love/God/Awareness. In Christianity they have something similar and it is called ‘The Dark Night of the Soul.’
Love,
Bentinho.[/quote]
Heh, you really brought a little warmth to my heart with these words. I would’nt thought it to be possible … but what the hell, it’s X-mas time ! 
Namaste
Hubert
Merry X-mass Hubert!
Love,
Bentinho
Bentinho wrote “This concept returns in other religions/traditions as well. And quite frankly, it also matches with my personal experience of Depression. It really is like the darkest end of the tunnel before the light is visible again.”
Notice how the lack of light is noticed in Depression. The light we produce when we are happy disappears when we are sad. This light is at the heart of mental balance
Kind Regards Kareng
I recommend utilizing some Jnana yoga (the way of wisdom) to overcome depression.
Most of the time, I observe depression is only “the tip of the iceberg”. People who’ve had a rough childhood can become horribly depressed when they grow up. They don’t realize the emotional trauma they experienced is carried with them throughout life. It’s as if they’re stuck in the past (as some of you know, I call this the “medusa complex”).
Here’s a typical scenario- the mother figures leaves the baby for a long period of time, the baby gets anxious from the separation, then throws a crying fit, gets angry, rejects comfort from caregivers, carries that anger, eventually realizes throwing a fit is futile, hope is lost, despair sets in, and overwhelming grief pacifies the child. People mistaking believe the anger & anxiety is gone, but the grief & depression is only a mask. The baby grows up depressed, experiences unfulfilled longings and gets more depressed. They don’t even realize they’re stuck in the past.
That was only one scenario. But the trick to overcome depression, is to remove the negative emotions lodged in the unconscious. The first step is to learn from the past. So that emotional layers begin to peel and the heart becomes light instead of heavy as stone.