Using Meditation to Alleviate Seasonal Affective Disorder

When you are feeling depressed lots of difficult emotions can emerge—grief, anger, shame, sadness, worthlessness—your mind may feel like everything has slowed down but that you are not in control. It can be difficult to get up in the morning or enjoy activities that used to bring you joy. Often we then judge ourselves for having low energy and depressive thoughts, which only makes the depression worse.  To break this cycle, try introducing a gentle and compassionate mindfulness routine into your day. With mindfulness, we learn to become aware of and know more about our thinking patterns and beliefs. From awareness, we learn that we may have these thoughts, but they are not who we are—the thoughts and feelings, no matter how difficult, come and go. We learn that we can rest in awareness—a restorative spaciousness within each of us. There are many research studies supporting the benefits of a regular meditation practice to holistically reduce depression and increase energy levels.

Here is an example of a practice you can do any time anywhere. Just a few moments practicing this “Heart breathing technique” helps change your mood:

1) Focus on the area around your heart. Imagine that you are breathing in and out through this heart space. Notice, without judgment, what feelings are present as you begin this breathing process.

2) Think of someone or something that you love and care about. (It could be a loved one, family member, friend, pet, or place). Allow that feeling of love to amplify as you breathe it in and out through the heart.

3) As you get a sense of this love feeling, let go of it being about that particular idea and let yourself feel the sense of love flowing from within. Let that feeling expand to fill your body, visualizing the love as warm, gentle flowing energy filled with light. Notice any changes in your sense of well being.

There are lots of ways to meditate and it is easy to learn. Some of the clinicians at Healing Circles integrate mindfulness practices into their work with clients. Pam McDonald, LCSW-C offers a 30-day meditation coaching program to support clients in getting started on a meditation practice that fits their needs. The coaching series and an ongoing drop-in meditation group are offered regularly at Healing Circles.

Pam can be contacted at (301) 712-9015 ext. 1022 or pam@therapywithpam.com. For more information on the services Pam offers visit her website, www.therapywithpam.com.