Is Ego backlash the root cause of depression?

[clouffy]

it's like nothing you do really helps with the depression, and I'm starting to wonder...

[Nahm]

@clouffy What is depression?

[clouffy]

@Nahm the state of being out of alignment and fragmented for a sustained period of time, really

[Nahm]

@clouffy what are known things one can do to realign? 

[Matt23]

Is there a true root cause to anything?  It seems to me like each perspective has its own root cause.  And there's many different perspectives.  So how can we know what is the true root cause or true perspective?

Could simply being alive and an ego be the ultimate root cause?

To me, root causes seem to imply that there's something that needs to be fixed.  

Could it be that the ultimate solution to depression is realizing there's nothing to fix?  I'm not saying this is true, but that it might be and to certain degrees.  If it is true, it's probably not the easiest way to overcome depression or anything else of that nature.  It probably takes a lot of time contemplating and meditating.  

I dunno.  

I've found that the best thing that's helped me overcome emotional "stuff" is doing solo retreats and simply doing nothing and sitting on the couch.  Not even meditating.

Have you ever done one or a Vipassana retreat?

[Gabriel Antonio]

The root of depression is in the brain chemistry. 

[Leo Gura]

Not ego-backlash but ego is the root cause of depression.

More accurately, the ego-mind is constantly evaluating, judging, and assigning meaning to reality. Depression is one of these meanings which you are creating but you are not conscious that you are creating it. It happen automatically in you because your level of consciousness is quite low.

Try this experiment: sit comfortably at home and do not think a single thought about the future or the past. Be fully present. Strip all meaning from reality. Can you still feel depressed?

Keep doing this until you realize that depression is something YOU ARE DOING! It is not happening to you! All negative emotions are something you create. Negativity is never found in the "external world". It arises out of how your ego-mind assigns meaning to external things based on its survival needs.

You might say, "But Leo, what if I get cancer? Cancer caused me to be depressed!" No! The meaning YOU ASSIGN to cancer causes you to be depressed. And it possible to train yourself to stop assigning meaning to things.

Consciousness and mindfulness helps with depression. But you must actually do it. And the catch-22 is, if you're depressed, you probably don't want to do it, nor do you want to believe what I'm saying.

[Gabriel Antonio]

31 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Not ego-backlash but ego is the root cause of depression.

More accurately, the ego-mind is constantly evaluating, judging, and assigning meaning to reality. Depression is one of these meanings which you are creating.

Try this experiment: sit comfortably at home and do not think a single thought about the future or the past. Be fully present. Strip all meaning from reality. Can you still feel depressed?

I assume you haven't had any experience with depression. I think this advice will not help anyone who suffer from it. Have you ever read any book on this topic? 

[Jkris]

@Leo Gura Dear leo there may be and may not be reasons  for depression. Serotinin imbalance is the reason for depression is my understanding. So proper treatment medically and physchotheraphy counselling could be the best possible solution. Depression is killer. 

Loneliness withdrawing from society friends lack of interest motivation no energy enthusiasm to do any thing. 

Depressed people need physcological help medical treatment.

@Serotoninluv

[Gabriel Antonio]

58 minutes ago, Jkris said:

Dear leo there may be and may not be reasons  for depression. Serotinin imbalance is the reason for depression is my understanding. So proper treatment medically and physchotheraphy counselling could be the best possible solution. Depression is killer. 

Loneliness withdrawing from society friends lack of interest motivation no energy enthusiasm to do any thing. 

Depressed people need physcological help medical treatment.

I agree. 

Edited February 3, 2019 by Gabriel Antonio

[martins name]

I was depressed for a long time due to not knowing I had celiac disease. The problem can be in the body instead of the mind.

[clouffy]

@Nahm Good question, I have no idea. I'm just so lost. Sometimes I feel like you can only wait and suffer through that...it's like waiting for the next quantum leap. 

[clouffy]

@Leo Gura @Gabriel Antonio

Thanks Leo. And also Gabriel.

Can meditation PLUS going the conventional way of "seeking help" from a therapist/ counselor work together? Since coming from Leo's perspective (and I do buy it) that depression is self-inflicted. But sometimes we have to admit to our stupidity and ask for help (though some therapist don't speak in terms of ego/ mind assgining meaning to depression, and I find that I'm kind of alone in this because no one i physically know can speak with me on those terms...)

[Nahm]

 

21 hours ago, clouffy said:

@Nahm the state of being out of alignment and fragmented for a sustained period of time, really

What does “being out of alignment” mean for you? Can you name 2 or 3 things / habits / perspectives / life situations, etc which are what you are referring to?

What is fragmentation to you? I’ve heard of it but what does it mean to you, how is there fragmentation in your life now?

2 hours ago, clouffy said:

@Nahm Good question, I have no idea. I'm just so lost. Sometimes I feel like you can only wait and suffer through that...it's like waiting for the next quantum leap. 

Try becoming aware of what’s going on, without any perspective, without beating up on yourself. 

What would the ideal “quantum leap” look like, in terms of body, in terms of mind, changes in actions, changes to your life, your directions, etc?

[clouffy]

@rounder how do you find a therapist who is into yoga and does consciousness work?

[Moreira]

13 hours ago, Jkris said:

@Leo Gura Dear leo there may be and may not be reasons  for depression. Serotinin imbalance is the reason for depression is my understanding. So proper treatment medically and physchotheraphy counselling could be the best possible solution. Depression is killer. 

Loneliness withdrawing from society friends lack of interest motivation no energy enthusiasm to do any thing. 

Depressed people need physcological help medical treatment.

@Serotoninluv

You imbalance your serotonin levels with your wrong habits, wrong thoughts, addictions...

Cut internet, TV, porn, tasty foods, masturbation, smartphones, and every source of short term gratification. Let the brain rewire and the serotonin receptors heal.

[Ethan_05]

On 2/2/2019 at 5:59 PM, Leo Gura said:

Consciousness and mindfulness helps with depression. But you must actually do it. And the catch-22 is, if you're depressed, you probably don't want to do it, nor do you want to believe what I'm saying.

So just sitting down and doing the work even though you don't want to might be the way out of mild depression?

Chronic Depression or diagnosed mental illnesses is not what I'm referring to, just wondering whether a good way to combat a  recurring sadness and low self-esteem might be to just take action even if you don't want to?

[clouffy]

@Leo Gura Thanks. There are so many catch-22s in life...how do i combat those knots that never seem to resolve?

I'm think of concepts of like yin and yang, and paradoxes.

maybe watching leo's video on paradox would help?

[Zigzag Idiot]

Years ago Arnold Keyserling said something related to this which has stuck with me and at times was helpful in initiating action. He said developing real will is developing the capacity to 'act' for no reason whatsoever other than just for the hell of it.

[kev014]

On February 3, 2019 at 9:00 AM, clouffy said:

how do you find a therapist who is into yoga and does consciousness work?

There are a whole bunch of different trainings, certifications and specialties that one can receive. Just do a quick google search. Some potentially useful places to look are: A 'yoga therapist' with training beyond the traditional 200 hours, a somatic therapist focuses on trauma release, bioenergetic analysts, meditation teachers, holotropic breath work practitioners, Reiki practitioners. A more traditional/Western therapist with some more Eastern/esoteric training is a 'transcendental psychologist.' Good luck in your search.