When you’re trapped in depression, anxiety-induced panic, or apathy, it can feel as if you’re in an endless tunnel with no way out. If you’re weighed down by the thought that it may last forever, here are three suggestions for finding your way forward.
1. Where does this suffering show up in your body?
When your heart feels crushed under the weight of everything, try asking yourself, “Where does this suffering show up in my body?” Simply asking this question and tuning into your body can reconnect you to it, even amidst the fog of depressive thoughts that make you feel trapped. Reconnecting with your body is, in essence, reconnecting with your Unihipili.
Many people who experience anxiety or panic may see it as an issue of the mind, but that’s precisely when bringing awareness back to the body can help. Hugging yourself, singing, or dancing can be grounding actions. For me, running or swimming brings that connection back. Relearning and re-engaging with your body—by noticing what it needs, rather than relying on someone else’s idea of what’s right for you—is often the first step out of depression.
Depression reflects a state where your Unihipili is distant from your true self. By focusing on the body and listening to its subtle signals, you can release the mental label of “depression” and “despair.”
2. Feel the Seasons
When you’re in a depressive state, it may seem as if this state will last forever, as if it defines your entire being. However, think of the seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter each come with their own qualities. Even if you dislike the bitter cold of winter and struggle to endure it, seasons and time constantly flow and transform.
Life, too, has its own seasons, and these are always changing. Even if you feel unprepared or powerless in moments of apathy, you can use Cleaning to bring a sense of sacredness to the rhythm of life’s seasons. In this very moment, even within pain, you have the power to reclaim yourself.
3. Breathing
The sacred breath is always there, reaching and connecting you to life. However, when overwhelmed by memories or thoughts, it’s hard to sense it. When you feel anxiety, your emotions are reacting through your body, making you feel unsafe or distressed.
You might try to solve the problem at hand, but instead, gently approach your Unihipili as a mother would soothe a fearful child. This is often the quickest path back to peace and balance.
“This doesn’t feel safe!”
“I’m uncomfortable!”
“I feel unloved!”
To the cries of our Unihipili, what we need to do is to restore our bond of love and connection—this is essential for resetting the body and regaining balance.
Peace
Nello Ceccon
