DEPRESSION, HUMILITY & LOVE: STRANGE BEDFELLOWS (OR NOT)
In searching for antidotes for depression, there may be some value in examining how humility enters the picture.
It may initially seem counter-intuitive to connect humility with depression—since a common symptom of depression is thinking oneself not worthy.
But if “humility is thinking less on oneself,” certainly the obsessive worry about oneself should be lessened. That says nothing about self-concept or self-esteem. Nothing. Often how one views oneself is integral to depression.
If you have back pain but you don’t think about it, it will probably not hurt. If I am thinking about how I can best serve others, my personal problems–be they physical or psychological– will not be on my mind.
Similarly, if the energies of stress and fear can be sublimated, everyone is better off. Of course, this is much easier said than done, you may be thinking. One tool is trying to be an instrument of the Divine rather than attaching yourself to yourself.
Step three of Alcoholics Anonymous (and many other 12-Step programmes) says:
“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
Those of us who do Agnihotra each sunrise and sunset are in this loop when we say the last three words of the mantra, IDAM NA MAMA -it is not mine or not my will but Thy will be done.
If we are able to turn our lives over to God, then we are doing His work and His living basically. Seems that should greatly reduce fear, stress, worry and anxiety.
Let’s say someone has borrowed your car. Quite possibly you may have some worry as to whether he/she is going to be careful. If, however, someone has borrowed your neighbor’s car, you would not give it a second thought. Why? Because it’s not your car.
If what I am doing is God’s work, not mine, why should anxiety enter your mind? As long as I make sincere efforts to do the work, it should be fine.
Then there is Faith? If I truly believe that a compassionate God is looking after my best interests, where is the opening for stress, fear, or anxiety to enter?
