Years ago, in my early thirties, I went through an acute depression. During this period, I found myself plunged into an emotional and existential darkness that I had never before experienced. My life became completely unraveled at the seams and the work I had been doing as an artist and as an advertising art director suddenly became hollow and unfulfilling. This was particularly terrifying as art had always been my foundation.

Fraught with times of utter desperation, confusion and fear, it was as though I was suddenly wandering through some uncharted realm. I had no guide or rudder save the desire to find the thread of Light that a deep part of my psyche/soul knew still existed. With all the resources I had left of my mind and heart, as well a stubborn will to “pull myself up by my bootstraps,” I went in search of maps to help me find my way.

Having had some rudimentary understanding of Tibetan Buddhist practices from my study of the tradition’s religious iconography, I began to read about Chöd rites and Bardo states. Further exploration of the wrathful deities leads me to travel backward in history to the pre-Buddhist, Bon tradition. In my study, I was led backward even further to shamanism and the shaman’s journey. There I found ethnographic descriptions of shamanic dismemberment experiences, which finally gave me a framework for what I was feeling! This discovery made me want to find out more about the shaman’s path and eventually guided me to learning the shamanic journey process.

Each day, I journeyed to work with the beneficent spirits. It was a though I was thrust into a spiritual doctoral program and so they taught me many wondrous things! The spirits also did healings to soothe my raw psyche and helped me discover a strong and very old part of myself that could guide me into a new life and Light.

While I explored, I also availed myself of a conventional intervention. As those were the pre-Prozac days, I entered into a course of twice-a-week psychotherapy. Since my depression came with restless agitation and insomnia, I was also prescribed a medication to allow me to sleep at night. While I am sure these medical and psychotherapeutic interventions I was given offered me some benefit, it wasn’t until I had my first journey experience that I felt the profound feelings of hope and possibility flow back into my life. It was as if some inner faucet had been turned on again! The shift was so marked that in three weeks after learning to journey, I felt strong enough to “fire” my therapist and discard my sleep medication.

Over the years and with the benefit of hindsight, I came to understand more deeply that period of depression. I placed it into a larger context in my life and in many ways, I am grateful for it having occurred. It is also true that I strive never to be that “low” again and so have put together a toolkit of the things I need to include to keep myself well-balanced. Since over nineteen million people in the United States live with major depression and many more suffer from chronically depressed moods I wanted to share the elements I have found to be incalculably valuable and essential to me.

1. Practice gratitude every day

Gratitude has the power to utterly transform your inner emotional landscape. In a study of organ transplant recipients, researchers from UC Davis and the Mississippi University for Women found that patients who keep “gratitude journals” scored better on measures of mental health, general health and vitality than those who keep only routine notes about their days. Test subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group kept routine daily notes about medication side-effects, how they felt about life overall, how connected they were to others and how they felt about the upcoming day. Patients in the other group answered the same questions but were also asked to list five things or people they were grateful for each day and why they were grateful for them. They were asked to reflect on what they wrote as well. After 21 days, mental health and general well-being scores had risen for patients in the gratitude group but declined for those in the control group. This is particularly important, as feeling better has been proven to actually translate into becoming more physically and emotionally well! It may seem counterintuitive, but if you can feel better first, you will be more likely to get better. (To support you in your gratitude practice, Spirit Passages offers a guided imagery CD titled, Becoming the New Human that is available on Amazon.com.)

2. Get outdoors

Nature has remarkable restorative benefits. The changing seasons, phases of the moon, and shifting weather all remind us of the larger cycles of which we are a part. As nature goes “up and down” we, too, have rhythms and when we can allow ourselves to notice and honor our own natural cyclic flow, we can move through our lives a little easier. Going outside every day and into Nature as often as is possible helps you to feel much more “connected,” which is an excellent antidote to the isolating effects of our culture.

3. Eat like your brain depended upon it

Especially when we are feeling low we may fall into poor eating patterns. We may eat too much and/or choose foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates. Unfortunately, a poor diet is also a contributing factor to depression and anxiety. Our brain needs balanced nourishment to be able to function well and remain healthy. It is important to get support to clean up your diet—adding plenty of fresh, organic vegetables and good protein sources to keep your brain as well as the rest of your body in top shape.

4. Have your Vitamin D level checked

Many of us in the Northern Hemisphere have chronically low vitamin D levels—even those of us that eat well and get outside. Low vitamin D can lead to depression as well as several chronic health issues. To know where your level stands and to get an appropriate a “prescriptive strength” dosage regime, it is imperative to work with a doctor or nurse practitioner. They will order simple blood tests to keep an eye on your levels of Vitamin D and calcium to make sure you get enough without worry of a toxic overload.

5. Go for a walk

Any exercise that moves your body in a healthy and fun way is great. Walking, swimming, dancing, even shopping all help to support a healthy metabolism, which in turn supports a healthy mental state. (Remember, even exercising is best approached in a balance way. Too much can lead to adrenal dysfunction, which can be as debilitating as the effects of too little exercise!)

6. Follow a regular bedtime routine

Often when we feel blue or depressed, our sleep becomes ragged. It is at these times more than ever that we need to keep a good bedtime routine. This means doing quiet reading, meditation, listening to soft music or even taking a warm bath for the last hour before you go to bed; going to bed at the same time every night and rising at the same hour each day to help regulate your inner clock; and staying away from stimulants such as caffeine as well as carbohydrates and alcohol since all of these contribute to poor sleep regulation. It is important to get some exercise in the daytime, which also supports your mood as well as good sleep (see number 5).

7. Find or develop a reason for your life

In my mind, a rich life is when you have something outside of yourself that excites you about getting up in the morning. Whether it is a job that you love, a friend that could use some support, volunteer work or something else, it is vital to have some passion that motivates you. Finding yours and nurturing one if you already have identified it is an essential part of feeling good about life. Keep trying things until you find just the activity that generates inner excitement.

8. Fake it ‘til you make it!

Sounds weird, but this can actually help to you feel better. Studies of athletes have shown that practicing a task mentally can actually train the brain to do it well. I’ve found that the reverse is also true in that by engaging in pleasurable actions you can actually improve your mental state. If you find yourself thinking, “If I wasn’t feeling so depressed I could (insert activity here)” then start doing the activity even though you don’t yet “feel like it!” Often, the simple act of getting busy with something that you desire to do can transform your mood. I liken this approach to the practice of Laughter Yoga. In a typical session of this unusual form of eastern exercise, the group practices “fake,” exaggerated laughter. Invariably, after a period of this practice, authentic laughter erupts spontaneously! (Here is a link to a video of John Cleese visiting a Mumbai Laughter Yoga group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEfjVnYkqM&feature=player_embedded)

9. Enter into a relationship with Spirit

In my personal experience, having a connection to the numinous world of spirit is a salve to my heart and mind. The direction one takes to the Divine is a personal choice. You may find prayer or meditation is your path. For others it might be in church and for others like myself, shamanic spirituality and journeying. Which ever route that you choose, open yourself to the limitlessness of All That Is. Within the vastness of the All, it is possible to find context for your life and be given meaning that can sustain you even in difficult times.

10. Get more support

Friends and family can be a help but also a hindrance when you are struggling with sad or depressed feelings. Oftentimes, entering into a brief course of psychotherapy or shamanic counseling can help you to understand the root of your feelings and how you can really feel better. (More information about shamanic counseling as a healing modality can be found at: http://www.spiritpassages.com/shamaniccounseling.html.)

We humans are social creatures and spending time in the company of trained, supportive people can make a huge difference in your overall well being. This is particularly important to remember as the television ads run by “Big Pharma” would lead you to believe that your mood issue is based upon some kind of medication deficiency! In fact, reliance upon medications to ameliorate symptoms rarely if ever resolves the underlying causes of depression or anxiety. Getting to the root of your emotional and/or physical issues, attending to what needs healing and having a strategy for living in balance is the best path to emotional freedom and inner harmony.

© 2010 Evelyn C. Rysdyk

Nationally recognized shaman teacher/healer, speaker, and author, Evelyn C. Rysdyk delights in supporting people to remember their sacred place in All That Is.  Whether though face-to-face contact with individual patients, groups and conference participants, or through the printed word in books, columns and articles—Evelyn uses her loving humor and passion to open people’s hearts and inspire them to live more joyful, fulfilling and purposeful lives.

She is the author of Modern Shamanic Living: New Explorations of an Ancient Path (1999), columnist and writer of numerous articles and features. Her writing and artwork have appeared in regional, national and international publications—both in print and online—and she is the executive editor of Spirit Living, an eco-spiritual e-magazine.

In joint practice with C. Allie Knowlton as Spirit Passages since 1991, she offers workshops in advanced experiential shamanism across the USA and Canada.  In addition, as founding members of True North, an integrated medical center in Falmouth, Maine, she and Allie collaborate with physicians, nurses, a psychiatrist, naturopath and other complementary health practitioners.  Evelyn may be contacted through her website: www.spiritpassages.com.