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Originally posted by sunyata

Hi Eli,

So sorry to hear about your friend. You are such a wonderful friend for helping her. Yes, excess pranayama (breathing exercises) can lead to these symptoms. You have already given her good suggestions. I would ask her to walk barefoot, if she has a backyard and in and around the house or even a park. Laying down on the grass/soil helps ground the excess energy.If you are able to or her family-Take her out for lunches. Spend time with her and just talk to her about worldly stuff not her symptoms. Ask her to engage in activities that she loved. Listen to fun uplifting music, dance. Serve in little ways if she is able to. Eating heavy food which you already mentioned. Looks like she needs lots of grounding at this time.

I believe SB has helped some people but she still needs to keep an eye on how she is feeling. Mantra meditation may be too much for her at this point. Once things smooth out she may be able to take mantra meditation. I hope this helps.


Sunyata

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Originally posted by lalow33


Hi Eli,

I'm not sure she should be doing any practices right now. Depression is sort of a low energy state which could benefit from pranayama or Bhakti. The reason I wouldn't recommended practices now is because she's having strange thoughts. Pranayama can sometimes increase these in my experience.

In AYP, we are taught to favor practices over experiences. She is clinging to a past experience. She'll have to let it go or continue to suffer. I think her practice should be some type of physical labor and eating. After a few days of that, she should be able to engage in the world, go out to lunch with you, etc. ( like Sunyata said)h

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Originally posted by parvati9

Hi Eli

Welcome to the forum.

Such excellent advice from Sunyata and Lalow. What you can do Eli to help your friend is to research all the various grounding techniques. Dancing, singing, praising God, strenuous exercise, feeling gratitude are delightful ways of balancing energy. There are many other ways. As Sunyata said, laying down on the ground is very effective. If you know something that will make her happy, try gently coaxing her to try it. Stay with her, be patient and unceasing in your efforts to comfort her.

Above all, your friend needs to release her idea of separation. Obviously we are all in this together. We are all so tied together that we are inseparably One. To feel individually responsible for the universe is a misperception that results from being miserable. I think most of us have been there and done that, and it's no fun at all. It's like you're temporarily swallowed up in a black hole and can no longer perceive what is real and true. We are all responsible. Collectively what we truly are is Divine Love. Through you, her other friends, her family, and the natural world, this divine love is eternally radiating and enfolding your friend. You might continually remind her of this interconnectivity and help her to feel it.

For her to regain a balanced perspective, she should cease all spiritual pursuits. Including spiritual reading, discussions, or listening to spiritual music. It will be some time before she is ready for meditation. Her attention needs to be on her body now, on physical exercise and relaxation and also on being with the people she loves. She needs to forgive herself for everything she may have thought, felt or done ... and engage in activities that used to make her enjoy life. Continually being in the presence of friends and family will probably be very beneficial for her. If she tries to isolate herself, do what you can to prevent that. This is a time for her to be with those who love her.

Hope this helps. All the best to you Eli on your spiritual path.

love
parvati

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Originally posted by So-Hi

Reading what has been shared she has come in contact with her own mind from the outside as a witness and she has lost her balance.

She is feeling both disconnected from her mind and her emotions and not anchored to anything, the depression is symptomatic of all these things and is her system attempting to find ground and crying is perfectly ok.

There is only 1 thing you can do. Be there for her as much as she wants and love her tell her everything will be ok, hold her if she will let you or a parent a Mother would be best and just rock this dear sweet child even if she is 50 and just to hang in there this is only temporary and will pass.

No Deep Meditation at all no spinal breathing.

These are too strong right now the most she should consider is focusing on the point between the brows with a full belly yogic breath and just feel the breath coming in and going out. Allow it to take whatever tempo it will but slow is better.

She will likely cry allot and that is good her psyche has been traumatized, but will heal and find balance again.

The heart is too emotional and not all emotions are pleasant what is needed mostly is her mind finding it's seat, it's balance again.

This will settle the mind and give her balance from her place of command. Let her sleep as much as possible. She will regain her balance soon enough.

Tell her what she is going through is okay and it is going to be okay this too shall pass.

These things can happen but there is no reason to expect it is her new normal nor that it will remain so. That it is going on at all is proof it is temporary and will soon run it's course.

Oh and next time take it easy with groups of nit wits teaching when they do not know what they are doing in the first place.

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Originally posted by ChemEng

Hi Eli,

I am new here although been a silent in the background for a long while. I am only just trying to recover from depression. My symptoms were different, I withdrew myself from everything and kept within my room all the time, not able to do much, not care about anyone or anything, wanting to give up everything, not able to sleep then lying in bed all day, tons of procrastination and anxiety. Also avoided eating. It is very strange it takes over the mind very difficult to control or for others that have not experienced it cannot understand.

I too found on these forums comments about SBP/DM helping some. So I continued only to find I went into overload with large break-out of urticaria (rash) which had a burning sensation and moved around the body also could not sleep due to the excess histamine at which point I stopped all practices and after couple of days got deep pain in my chest, after 1 hour could not tolerate and was not sure if it was something critical. Went to the hospital for diagnosis, fortunately the ECG did not show anything.

All advice you have got here is very good. I was advised by my doctor to take SSRI medication but I did not take them for personal reasons, speaking to others who have suffered from depression have found them to help but they are primarily selective to serotonin, but the chemical imbalance could also be due to other chemical imbalances such as endorphins, dopamine, etc. Take advise from the doctor.

This is what I have found very useful for depression for myself:

- lots of grounding - long walks everyday, running, exercise
- Asanas - surya namaskara, all backward bending, standing and twisting asanas (I found this in book called "Asana pranayama mudra bandha" by Satyananda Saraswati) - note there are contra-indications for many asanas as indicated in the book, care is required
- Ayurveda - Since I had pitta depression, I used gotu kola (from book by Vasant Lad and advise from ayurvedic doctor) - must get advise for this
- book called, "the upward spiral" by Alex Korb, very good advise on how to recover from depression with explanation about chemical imbalances and causes.
- getting adequate sleep at the correct time
- engaging with people really helps

I am much better now and lot more aware, still struggling with lack of willpower and still lots of procrastination. Recently joined crossfit training, although can be intense but the coaches are very good and allow for gradual build up, the engagement with people as it is a very friendly community and different new activities everyday is really helping.

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