Depression and Anxiety...

Depression? Anxiety? Here is what an enlightened master has to say about it:

…“Before enlightenment, I used to be depressed: after enlightenment, I continue to be depressed.” But there’s a difference: I don’t identify with it anymore. Do you know what a big difference that is?

You step outside of yourself and look at that depression, and don’t identify with it. You don’t do a thing to make it go away; you are perfectly willing to go on with your life while it passes through you and disappears.

If you don’t know what that means, you really have something to look forward to. And anxiety? There it comes and you’re not troubled. How strange! You’re anxious but you’re not troubled.

Isn’t that a paradox?

And you’re willing to let this cloud come in, because the more you fight it, the more power you give it. You’re willing to observe it as it passes by. You can be happy in your anxiety.

Isn’t that crazy? You can be happy in your depression. But you can’t have the wrong notion of happiness.

Did you think happiness was excitement and thrills?

That’s what causes the depression. Didn’t anyone tell you that? You’re thrilled alright, but you’re just preparing the way for the next depression. You’re thrilled but you pick up the anxiety behind that:

How can I make it last? That’s not happiness, that’s addiction."


~~~~Anthony de Mello S.J.