If depression is a symptom of being stuck in the pain of the past, and anxiety a fear of the future, the obvious answer is to align oneself in present time. Your physical body is the vehicle by which you enter present time, but in order to do so you must also have mastery over your thoughts and emotions. This is what the ancient practice of meditation and yoga are about. But not everyone wants to mediate or do yoga, and so I recommend exercise, especially movement of a repetitive nature, as a form of moving meditation. Rhythmic activities, which can be as diverse as knitting and drumming, entrain the mind into a different frequency pattern, one that is calmer and quieter than our everyday way of being. In this state, our natural creativity flows as our energy is freed from the constant concerns of our everyday reality. For someone like me, who once suffered from debilitating bouts of depression followed by intense manic states, I needed to find an activity that was so intense and captivating that I could experience the rewards mentioned above. For decades, ice climbing has done that for me.
Whether you suffer from depression, or simply the regular ups and downs of a modern stressful life, I encourage you to find an activity that allows you to “stand outside yourself”, which is the etymological meaning of the word ecstasy.
