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Creative Wellness Newsletter

Creative Wellness

Newsletter - Winter 2009/2010

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Discovering Meaning in Darkness

by Laura Karnes, MA School and Community Counseling, Certified Hypnotherapist

As we enter the winter season, the darkness outside and the lack of sun make it difficult to see hope. One hears those catch phrases of “Just take it one day at a time,” or “This too shall pass, things will get better.” Sometimes a person must take each day one step at a time; a great practice in mindfulness. When one is trapped in a seeming void of existence, caught in a world of tumultuous fervor and activity, it can be nearly impossible to hear the quiet gentle voice inside that gives strength and hope. For many, caught in this struggle, the inner voice is amplified into a maddening roar of pain and at the same time numbing apathy. Often in this state one’s purpose in life is lost.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is one of the most common psychological problems, affecting nearly everyone through either personal experience or through depression in a family member. Each year over 17 million American adults experience a period of clinical depression.

Coping with emotions comes first by letting go. The dark void of depression can be vast and overpowering, victimizing in its icy grip. But there is always something inside that is holding on. What if it is that every defect of character, every fault or vice or mood that strikes exists because we are holding onto it? It must be serving some purpose, otherwise it wouldn’t be there. One may think, “Depression has a purpose? I’m not holding onto this, it’s always been here, I don’t want it! I want to feel happy!” But there may be a deeper purpose that the human mind is grasping for.

Judging our moods or states as good or bad can distract from the process. Many people believe that when moods fall into depression, sadness, or anger they are regressing. Hitting these emotional depths can be the opposite. It is a sign that the process is deepening. At this point a person is moving into the true depths of the soul.

When tears begin, the process has started. Tears occur when the body becomes so overwhelmed with emotion that it cannot contain it, and the spirit weeps. When this happens, something is being touched deeply, something that feels and is ready for healing and change.

Desperation can be the greatest gift. It is the breaking point, the razor’s edge. It is the point at which one is so tired one is willing to sacrifice the current state for change. Change can be frightening because it leads to the unknown, but change also carries with it the possibility for transformation and healing.

It may be that depression can be seen as a wall that was created out of a deep need for blocking feeling, a self-protective need for abating pain, for causing things to be less intense. Human beings have the most powerful capacity to feel and for that, it can be overwhelming to feel the depths of darkness that can transpire throughout our lives. However, as deeply as we feel on the darker side, it creates the mirror propensity for light, from depression to compassion.

The beginning of this process with therapy begins with looking at the erected walls, the reasons for blocking feeling and ultimately blocking the spirit. During the therapeutic process when it is safe, and only when it is safe, we begin to look at the doors that open these walls. As intricately locked as they may be, they hold the keys to our deepest fears which emerge in forms of loneliness, shame, guilt and fear of letting go. They hold the keys for discovering meaning and purpose in life.

During this time it can often be helpful to engage in other modalities that complement the inner processes. Many of the modalities increase serotonin and dopamine. Massage is a wonderful modality that increases the serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain, chemicals that are naturally produced by the body that increase the pleasure centers in the brain, giving rise to a natural happiness. Light therapy, the use of ultra-violet lights, is another modality that increases the production of Vitamin B and D which also increase the serotonin and dopamine levels. Acupuncture is a very helpful modality that accesses the nerve points that control nerve endings for emotional balance. Sometimes writing is a helpful way to purge the mind. Writing a gratitude list can be a powerful practice because it inspires a person to reframe current situations into hopeful possibilities. Create a schedule. As much as this is good for pets and children, it’s especially helpful for ourselves. A schedule permits normality and consistency. It promotes staying on task and managing life’s duties. Socialize. This is imperative because finding others’ perspectives helps to shift one’s own. It helps with loneliness. Connection is the key.

We are never alone in our suffering. Finding meaning in one’s suffering and bringing light to those dark corners softens and nurtures those deep parts of self. Hope transpires giving birth to purpose and intent for change and ultimately joy.

 

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