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Some Inspiration
for those of us who deal with Depression
I found this in America On-Line's Pagan forum library many years ago. The accompanying information related it as coming through a priestess (Ariannna) during a ritual. I have kept it ever since, as a touchstone for times of trouble. Although the ending of the piece is not quite on-topic, I have included it as a courtesy to the Author, and because it has value for us in its own right. My own personal notes are at the end of this piece.
I am She who you called.
I may be Diana to you,
Virgin Goddess of the coming Spring
but I am Moon Goddess of many names.
I am She you humankind has called upon
for guidance and light in times of darkness.
I light the path for the travelers.
As you travel in your life, you have chosen
to call upon me, to light your path.
I am here tonight to give advice to Ariannna
and to all of you with similar conditions,
To let you know how to proceed.
Depression is a seductive mistress
that calls to you longingly, but
clings onto you ever so tightly
once you felt her embrace.
Not something that anyone enjoys,
and the funny part is, that it is a bold faced lie,
because depression tells you that you have no power,
that all is hopeless, and that you are helpless.
You especially, who have led a group such as this
for four years should be aware of her power.
But in trying times that knock you for a loop,
even you can doubt.
Even you can wonder whether the Goddess
is still with you.
So I must, must tell you to reclaim
the personal power that you've always had.
Realize that NO circumstance, no person,
no activity, no guilt, no desire,
NOTHING can rob you of your personal power.
It is YOU who lays it down,
and enters the grips of depression.
That YOUR choosing.
If you say, "but Goddess my road has been
too tough, I'm at my wits end ,
I don't now what to do."
Realize that if you choose to stay in a difficult situation
for whatever the reason, you are still powerful.
Look at the power it takes for you to stay there,but
realize that you are not trapped, that is your choice.
If your choice is to work through a difficult situation,
whether the outcome be good or bad,
realize that you are the powerful one for staying in there
and working on it.
Ariannna was cautioned last month
about the dangers of Fairyland..(lost in day dreams).
She has emerged
struggling through the swamps,
and has regained her footing on solid ground, and
her friends in the etheric have helped drag her out
the final few steps.
You must tell her to keep going,
not to turn around and go back,
and not to sink back
into the murky swamp from which she has arisen.
To hold her truth,to hold her integrity,
to turn her face towards the moonbeams
and to move on in her path
keeping with her integrally,
and her truth will bring her peace
wherever her path may go.
She is already starting to experience that peace,
and should remember that as she
follows her joy, her bliss, the other things
will take care of themselves.
One thing about those stumbling stones,
you don't have to stumble over them
and you don't have to step on them
and you don't have to retreat from them.
You can glide right past them,
dance around them, keeping
joy and peace and wholeness in your heart.
Thank you my daughters all of you,
for coming to Ariannna's life
and supporting her over the years.
She in her trials and her dark times wondered
whether she could draw down the Moon this month
whether this gift would ever leave her,
and she should be reassured that regardless of
how she has let herself slip,
The love and the light of her sisters in this
group is enough to allow her to speak as Me
no matter what her difficult situation is.
And all of you should take this to heart too,
that no matter how down you are.
No matter how tough of a day you've had,
don't feel you're ever too low to come Me,
your inner Divine presence.
This love will lift you up.
Bring the grace and flow of your dance
into the rest of your life.
Dance around those stumbling stones.
Show others that joy and grace
in the presence of your spirit,
as well as in the presence of your form
On this Valentines month remember my darlings,
do NOT judge your power by whether or not
your coworkers, your family, your sexual partners
appreciate your inner or outer beauty.
Feel your personal power.
Does a rose in a garden care,
whether someone gazes upon it?
It is just as lovely and just as scented,
and just as much graces the world with its presence
whether or not it has the admiration of a certain fellow.
So please walk in your beauty
and power and BE THAT ROSE,
whether or not your admirers are on cue.
Remember, your sexuality comes from your power,
your power is NOT your sexuality.
Don't let the tail wag the dog,
but the dog wag the tail.
Let your power shine through.
Be of good grace. Be of truth.
I love you. Goodnight.
It is important to remember that chronic depression is a mental illness, caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, and is often inherited. There is help in the form of medication and psychotherapy. And taking advantage of those aids is not a weakness, but rather a show of strength, in that you are taking an active role in dealing with an illness.
If you dislike the concept of modern pharmacutical medications and modern doctors, I will suggest you try St. John's Wort. This herbal remedy has enjoyed an incredible surge in popularity due to several recent studies indicating it is effective in treating mild to moderate depression and has few (if any sideaffects).
The first of the recent studies on St. John's Wort were looking at it as a possible anti-viral medication in the treatment of AIDS. It was discovered to have anti-depressant properties when the patients in the study reported improvement, which turned out not to be related to a lessening of their AIDS-related illness, but rather a general improvement in their feeling of well-being, caused by St. John's Wort's anti-depressant properties. As with all medications, you should seek the advice of a qualified physician before proceeding with treatment, and not rely upon St. John's Wort as a sole remedy if others are called for. The most commonly noted side-affect of St. John's Wort is photo-sensitivity, so it is important to significantly limit sun exposure while on the remedy to prevent sunburn. If you would like to try this remedy, I would recommend reading one of several books recently published on it for more information, including dosage indications. Try:
The Natural Prozac Program : How to Use St. John's Wort, the Antidepressant Herb by Jonathan Zuess
Hypericum
(St. John's Wort) and Depression by Peter McWilliams, et al
There are also a number of fine "self-help" books available which can help you understand the precise nature of depressive illnesses and give you strategies for dealing with its effects upon your life. My favorites are:
Change
Your Life and Everyone in It : How to : Transform Difficult
Relationships over Come Anxiety and Depression Break Free from Self-Defeating
Ways by Michele Weiner-Davis
Defeat Depression : Understand Your Sadness-And Banish It Forever! (Life's Little Keys - Self-Help Strategies for a Healthier, Happier You) by Frank J. Bruno
(Clicking on the above titles will take you to Amazon.com,
where you can purchase them if you wish. The
symbol by any book link on this site means this is one of my Top Picks!)
Above all else, remember that we are beloved of our Gods, and of each other. If you deal with your illness as a measure of respect for yourself, you are working in harmony with this way of being.
