May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses. May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free. May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending one another. May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wilderness ~ the children, the age, the unprotected ~ be guarded by beneficial celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood
In the past week or so, I have noticed a downward slide in my spirits - for no reason. Ennui? Langueur. Tédio. Boredom. I am not alone. It is the time of "seasonal affective disorder."
I'm not alarmed or concerned, but I am ready to level off and stop the downward spiral. A friend of mine who moved to Rome, New York, and developed severe depression, bought a sun lamp and kept it on 24/7 until she started to feel better. My sister-in-law recommends a frothy calcium/magnesium mineral drink called Ionic Fizz for sleep disorders and mild depression. I've heard that the hormone, melatonin, might also help relieve the symptoms of SAD. Several friends swear by the simple act of counting their blessings - being grateful!
All of these remedies are worth trying.. and that is the critical step in getting rid of depression. Try something.
For people who have never experienced severe depression, it might seem silly to emphasize "trying" or "doing." They may not realize what a gigantic effort it takes to move forward - to move, really, once depression sets in. Sufferers know when it is time to put the brakes on and avoid this unhappy paralysis. Panic and fear only worsen the condition and gratitude seems to lighten the mood and keep the panic under control. I have learned that saying "thank you" gives me the time I need to take vitamins, adjust the lighting, fire up my aromatherapy potions, exercise, get together with friends and family, volunteer, join a group, journal, etc. These actions and brighter days eventually eliminate the spiral. Time for my ionic fizz and a five minutes on the treadmill!
I just found the website Zen Habits and these two links, plus this YouTube video. Good stuff.
"Men go to extremes more than women. It’s true not just with IQ but also with other things, even height: The male distribution of height is flatter, with more really tall and really short men." - from the essay "Is There Anything Good About Men?" by Roy F. Baumeister
It's all good, imho. Baumeister recognizes the gender "good" via a historical perspective in this essay. His ideas offer some explanation for the seeming powerlessness of women throughout world history and redefines the concept of power. A good mid-day brain snack for us all.
“The National Coalition of American Nuns is impelled by conscience to call you to act promptly to impeach President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for ... high crimes and misdemeanors,” the group wrote in a letter written on behalf of its board members.
The letter says that impeachment is warranted for their “deceiving the public under the false pretense that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction” and “destroying” the reputation of the United States and the good will of other nations." - published Sept. 1, 2007 - journalnow.com
You know things are bad when Catholic nuns get agitated. These ladies have a long history of addressing society's injustices and so I should not be surprised at their latest jab at the big kuhunas of injustice.
One of my earliest schoolroom memories is of Loreto nun, Sister Xavier, dressed in her black, heavy nun's gear, dripping sweat while teaching first graders their ABCs in the heat of an Arizona Indian summer. She always smiled and never complained. That was what really impressed me, even as a kid.
Whew! It's only 11:15 a.m. and the temperature is 98 degrees. Hot, hot heat! I'm thinking of Sister Xavier's sweaty brow and brilliant smile, right now. Our traditional Labor Day backyard BBQ is cancelled today - my husband is working and it will be even hotter in a couple of hours. With weather like this, I think I know what it's like to breathe fire.
