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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 27

much, whatever the source of that might have been, a The anxiety and despair that come with depressive
broken family, a failed marriage, consistent bullying at states don’t allow us to think clearly and can even make
school, failing to meet social expectations, etc. our bodies too sick to be able to sustain the fight against
depression. The biochemistry in our brain can change
However, no matter what the reasons were, people for the better with meditation and Dharma practice,
would criticize them. Even I did so when I was younger, and so in the same way it can change for the worse
thinking that it was their fault for not being strong if we keep feeding it with negative or unwholesome
enough, or that they were just lazy and didn’t want to thoughts. Meditation practice is very useful, the right
take control of their own lives. That is, until I suffered concentration recorded in the early texts in the form of
from depression myself. the first four jhānas, or altered states of consciousness,
include pleasure and happiness, in the form of piti
It was only then when you realize that you don’t know and sukha. Those sensations could be related to the
what causes the despair; the anxiety is too strong to neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, showing us
handle. You feel worse by thinking that other people that we can train our minds to produce them and bring
actually suffer real pain while you are ungrateful for all the us wholesome well-being.
blessings in your life. But you still cannot handle it, you
blame yourself for being weak, and become even harder So our task is to diligently work our way out of this,
on yourself because of this, and it all become a vortex of practicing the Dharma and ending unsatisfactoriness
negative emotions with an unimaginable way out. and suffering for our own benefit and the benefit of
others. We are very fortunate to live in an era where we
Our thoughts become our enemies. They create the still have the teachings of the Buddha available to us,
conditions with the result being more and more and there is a growing knowledge of other factors that
unsatisfactoriness and suffering. The Buddha was well influence our brain's functions, such as the food or the
aware of this. He rediscovered a way to end all the entertainment we choose. We also have psychotherapy
suffering we create with our minds. His dharma points in so many different forms that fit a wide range of
us to the way to learn to deal with our inner processes personal preferences or conditions. So use them. Look
and to grow above them, as a lotus flower from the for help without shame. There is nothing wrong or
muddy pond grows above the muck and mire to thrive reprehensible in feeling terrible and wanting to get
“happily”. He also pointed to a way of life devoted to better. On the contrary, acknowledging that you want
happiness that is wholesome and not dependent on help to improve is worthy of praise. That is the first step.
pleasuring our senses. However, usually some people The Dharma advises us to have admirable friendship,
need help. And that’s ok. There is no need to feel spiritual friends or companions, people around us to
ashamed. Don’t think you are not worthy, or that you help us grow and improve, to get better. We have this
have lost the battle, or that you are a failure because, Dharma. How lucky!
even with the dharma, you can’t handle it. Please don’t
do so. Don’t be hard on yourself, go easy on yourself. Nowadays the Dharma has permeated, or at least
These attitudes are hardwired in our brains and it’s influenced, psychotherapies around the world. You can
very hard to unwire them. We condition our minds to find mindfulness based stress reduction therapy and
treat ourselves badly, then we get really good at it! cognitive behavioral therapy among many others that,
not surprisingly, have insights that are found in the
This condition is real. Depression is a real thing and teachings of the Buddha. The enlightened one is the
it’s hurting so many people out there, or maybe even supreme physician, yes, but if you need some support to
right where you are reading this article. There are many get out of the well of depression, reach out your hands
different types of depressions and diagnosis, and some of and ask for it. There might be something wrong in your
them might go undercover in our day to day business, or brain that can be treated; there might be the case that
we simply avoid looking at it by constantly distracting us. you are unaware of the episodes in your childhood that