28 Jul 3 Healing Powers of Mind Against Depression

Depression is not an unfamiliar term. As per statistics, around 350 million people in the world today suffer from depression. All thanks to stress caused by fast-paced lives and the pressure to perform better than others. However, this is not the only reason for people falling prey to this disease. Grief, substance abuse, medical illness and several other such factors can also lead to depression.

When you are already suffering from depression, it is hard to stay positive. Even for a small incident, your mind will start cooking up negative stories. It might create fear of anything and everything. For example, everyone has a fear of losing their loved ones. But depression takes this fear to an extreme level. You cannot be at peace as your mind continues to develop thoughts about what if something happens to that person? What if he or she goes away from you? What will you do without them? And, many more thoughts of these kinds. As a result, you end up getting more depressed.

Many people blame depression for their negative thoughts. However, little do they realize that it is their negative thoughts which have led to depression. In fact, negative thinking is said to be the core cause of chronic depression. Depression is a disease and no disease can ever do any good to you. Hence, it is very important to fight depression.

Power of Meditation against Depression

• Mindful Meditation

Certain studies prove that mindfulness can actually help in combating depression. In order to practice mindful meditation, follow these steps. When you are aware of what you are doing while actually doing it, it can actually help in fighting depression.

1. Choose a calm and peaceful but not a depressing place. Sit on a chair or on the floor, wherever you are comfortable.
2. Keep your back straight. Do not close your eyes completely. Keep them somewhat open and focus on wall or floor.
3. Now divert your all attention on your breath. Focus on your present and nothing else. Your mind might start wandering. Do not panic and just bring it back. Also, do not start judging your random thoughts. Just let them pass.

• Body Scan Meditation

This can help you focus all your attention on the present which would help in fighting depression.

1. Choose a comfortable place and lie down with your knees bent and hands resting on your stomach.
2. Set your aim as how would you like to live your life.
3. Now start scanning your body. Start from toes first. Are they cooler from the rest of your body parts? Now move to your feet. Do you feel any vibrations in your feet? Are they colder or warmer from other parts of your body? Now move up a little further and scan your legs. Continue this till you reach your head. Also, remember to fade away your previous body part as you move to the next body part.
4. Once you have scanned your entire body, now connect each and every part together like feel the leg connect to your feet and feet to your toe etc.

When you are focusing on your body, chances for negative thoughts to enter your mind   reduces greatly.

• Loving Kindness Meditation

This is a very effective way to combat depression. In its practice, you have to focus your attention on what all you want in your life. For example, a healthy and happy life, feeling of relaxation, happiness for your parents etc.

1. Sit down on a mat in a comfortable position with your hands placed over your chest one over another.
2. Close your eyes and start wishing good things for yourself. Keep going till the list finishes off.
3. After you are done with yourself, start wishing for your parents.
4. Now direct these thoughts towards your enemies as this would be really empowering.

The core purpose of meditation is to divert your attention from the worries of past and future and live in the moment. Thinking about what had happened and what will happen usually leads a person to depression. When your focus is just on present and happiness, you can certainly stand against depression.