Words & music by Alexander Bell

Imagine for a moment that you are feeling depressed…

For some that is easy, as they are very familiar with the sense of negativity, hopelessness, low energy and so on.  But just remember that feeling. Instantly, your body slumps, your face falls – its as if all the vital life force in your body has nearly disappeared.

Now remember the negative mindset that accompanied this feeling. The attitude of “what’s the point?” and “I can’t be bothered” and “life is too hard” and “I’m so stuck” etc.

These kind of thoughts always accompany depression. In fact, they actually feed it, and prolong the sense of futility and negativity. 

So what would happen, if amongst all these low feelings, you told yourself; “There is nothing wrong with what I am feeling. It is okay to feel this way” and you just felt it? If you didn’t carry on with the negative mental commentary and just observed what you are feeling, what changes?

Straight away, a negative situation has vanished, because you are no longer judging it, saying “I shouldn’t feel like this.” Instead, you are giving yourself permission to feel how you are feeling, without any negative judgment whatsoever.

This is a very liberating thing to do, and so simple. Our negative judgement of certain situations, feelings and emotions creates a negative energy within our being, which could so easily not be there. Yes, there may be sadness, there may be anger of frustration, but feeling these things helps us to know what to do with them. It helps energy to flow through us, rather than being blocked and stuck, as we resist things. If we tense up in response to feelings and emotions, we simply create suffering for ourselves.

I know from many years of first-hand experience that depression is not suffering. It is an energetic low in the body, experienced as a result of many factors, which are not so important to explain here. The suffering comes from our fight with how we are feeling. Trying to feel differently, or trying not to feel at all. 

There is not mental suffering present when you simply observe the energies which are present within you. There may be a lot of mental energy, there may be a lot of emotional energy. As you notice and observe what is going on, without comment or judgement, you no longer try and change or control the experience. The resistance disappears. You accept it, and you observe it. It is not complicated. 
 
Why not try now, with whatever you are feeling or whatever you are thinking… Be the observer, free of commentary, free of judgement. Just see it, with a relaxed mind and a relaxed body. Allow a sense of “okayness” to be there, with whatever is going on within you.

As resistance vanishes, peace naturally arises…

Alexander Bell

Download Alex’s new book for free: “HOW TO LIVE IN LOVE“

If you feel this article would help someone you know, please share it and consider a small donation to help support the non-profit peace work of Alexander Bell. Thank you.