Anxiety and Depression - a spiritual perspective

Understanding Mental Health and the power of the mind

Through a yogic lens

A Spiritual Perspective on Anxiety and Depression

Where do anxiety and depression live?

How many of you think your mind is inside the body? How many of you think that your body is inside the mind? Our body is actually inside the mind, because our mind is bigger. This is prana, and prana means life energy. When this life energy within us shrinks, that’s when people get depressed, and if it shrinks every further, if the pranic body or mind shrinks smaller than your physical body, then you can even have suicidal tendencies. It’s like you’re wearing a jacket that is too tight–what is your natural tendency? You take it off! This is what happens.

Labeling our experience

We have to remove this label we put on ourselves: ‘“I have anxiety”. You could say you had or experienced. Never say it in the present tense. “I have anxiety.” You might have had anxiety last week or yesterday or an hour ago, but it is gone. You know, we should put this very strongly into our consciousness. We have to move with the moment, with the time, and not label ourselves. This is very important.

Strengthening your pranic body

When you do kriya and pranayama, your pranic body, your subtle body, becomes stronger. When you are happy, it expands. Whenever you have been happy in your life, you have noticed it is associated with a sense of expansion. When you are happy, something within you is expanding, right? When you are miserable, what is the feeling? Something within you is shrinking. Our prana is something in us that expands and shrinks, and we need to know and learn about it. This is why spirituality, yoga, meditation, and all these techniques are worth knowing.

Once you know about the thing inside of you that expands and shrinks, and you are a little proficient and controlling it, then irrespective of the situations around you, you can keep it expanded. This is how you become unconditionally peaceful, and in unconditional love all the time.

Meditation and Yogic practices

The yogic traditions have extensive techniques and practices, such as meditation and Hatha yoga to help us fully grasp and embody these truths about our selves and our minds. The Vedic texts also give some some insight and depth into these yogas and practices. It is important to understand ourselves, holistically for us to realise our potential as spiritual being in a human body.

It is always best to find an experienced practitioner and/or a sangha (spiritual community) to help one evolve on this journey. Reaching out and having others who have experience of overcoming is beneficial to ones growth. Visiting meditation centers, retreats, a spiritual psychotherapist and spending time alone to reflect can be useful for ones expansion and overcoming mental health concerns.

This article was provided by

Megan Jackson runs meditation and yoga retreats for women. She has been immersed in spiritual practice and study for 15 years, living it fully, with humility and compassion as her backbones for progress. She lives a quiet life reflecting on the dharma, being with nature and helping others who are wanting change, transformation or spiritual wisdom.