Logic and the principles of health XVI – Depression

The picture of depression shows that a very particular kind of self-activity is required of those affected. A feeling of sluggishness, despair, exhaustion and lack of interest in life, when considered more deeply, is a subtle-feeling that actually rises up from the body. Why does it spring up from the body like a geyser? Is it not mainly external causes, such as a lack of success in relationships or insults, that enter the organs unprocessed, so that individuals produce a feeling of despondency in life? Although depressive moods and even longer lasting depressive phases are always triggered by external influences, the reactions nevertheless develop from the organs of the body. The sullenness of the liver rises, for example, up into the consciousness and disgruntles it with all manner of enveloping burdens.¹⁾“The sullenness of the liver” is a description from an esoteric perspective that all unconscious experiences, moods and impressions are stored in the organs and depending on the constitution of organs, these are reflected in the consciousness or the nervous system. For further descriptions of the meaning of the organs for the consciousness see “Das Wesensgeheimnis der Seele”, Die Organe des Menschen, ihr seelischer Zusammenhang und die Möglichkeiten eines spirituell orientierten Bewusstseinsaufbaues. (The Hidden Essence of the Soul – Not yet translated into English). The lack of interest in life arises, therefore, out of the depths of the body and takes possession of all sense processes and ultimately all natural feelings, which only dampen the experience.

One of the main unseen and yet ever present causes of depression is a person’s own dependence on certain people and on outer feelings of success. The individual’s feelings are strained, disappointed and ultimately exhausted. However, a closer look into the psyche of those with depression shows that there is a certain fear of being free and often also an emotional dependency that usually begins in the family and then continues to future partnerships.

It is very common with depression for there to be particular religious ambitions, that those suffering produce in a kind of dependency. Those suffering imagine God as an unreachable being or an untouchable instance, that humans can only accept in good faith and they must therefore passively and devotedly submit to fate. In depressive phases paralysis of drive and will can almost always be seen, and this is a circumstance that leads to the cycle of dependence on other people and perhaps on various authorities in society. Frequently, though, the emotional-mind tends, when it is upset by melancholy, to pray, and waits for help from a supposed higher instance in a distant heaven. If the prayers are not answered, and this is nearly always the case, the illness takes on a chronic character. Often the individuals then attach themselves to the so-called good and declare in response that there is a great deal of bad in the world. The result of this though is that they do not really find the good and will only be confronted by all manner of tribulations, and this situation often causes them to despair. To heal depression the concept of God must be examined more closely. Is it a higher authority sitting in heaven? Or is it just a figment of the imagination that can provide ideological solace to the vexing humans in their earthy exhaustion. Both forms, defining God as a high, indescribable and untouchable being or abolishing him as an ideology of delusion, cannot give a satisfactory answer. It is therefore important to take a step in forming a consciousness for a higher or greater question of existence, that can strengthen people in every way directly through the right mental picture and view of reality.

As difficult as it may seem in many life situations, it is nevertheless necessary to bring this mostly so misguided concept of God into a concrete and clear form and this is particularly true for depressed people. The subservience resulting from a lack of self-orientation and the resulting false forms of devotion are often the problem that needs to be addressed. What is God, that high reality of existence? That higher limb of existence living within or outside the human being, that invisible, all-commanding and original existence? It is the real thought that is at the beginning of every creation. Just as a building begins with a few thoughts from the architect, to the same extent the entire creation of the world lives from a multitude of thoughts. Every tree, every stone is formed out of a thought and this thought is an instance of light at the beginning. Humans carry through the consciousness the ability to think a thought and to subsequently realise it. When a climber conceives a first ascent, his endeavour begins with forming ideas about the climbing route and these are finally brought into a reality through various activities. However, if there were no thought, a person would never be able to climb a route. Ultimately, human existence depends on the ability to think thoughts and to bring these thoughts into being in an appropriate way.

To heal depression, the people affected need to consciously develop a real picture of God or otherwise expressed a real concept of thought.²⁾In his 1913 lecture in Prague, Rudolf Steiner spoke of the necessity to expand on one’s concept of God: ‘One should strive to deepen one’s image of God, one could also say: to elevate it. Every image of God only approaches God, none can be comprehensive of him. People speak, for example, about pantheism and theism, as if one excludes the other; in reality, however, humans are both, by day humans are pantheistic and by night more theistic. Pantheism means experiencing divinity actively in the world. [In] theism, one experiences how divinity watches over the world as if in a clairvoyant world sleep. One cannot rely on evidence, but ‘he whose strivings never cease, him can we redeem’*. One should not only want to come to a standstill, [but should] want to move beyond every stance. The truth is indeed one, but it is manifold in its revelations.’ Rudolf Steiner, Death and immortality in light of spiritual science, GA 69d (whole lecture not yet translated into English). *from Goethe’s Faust Neither the denial that thought as an instance lies at the beginning of all activity, nor the obedient worship of an assumed God in heaven can provide a way out of the disgruntlement that rises up out of the organs and takes possession of the consciousness.

For this reason, depressive episodes can sometimes be overcome very well if those affected do not allow themselves to fall too much into passive feelings, think of intentions for their lives and then realise these for their lives. Great caution should be taken with regards to prayer, as usually only prayers of supplication are spoken without any awareness. An ability to build really clear mental pictures must be trained. A conscious avoidance of complaining and lamenting, combined with intentions to engage in meaningful conversations and favourable activities, are valuable disciplines that will in general always have a positive effect. Basically, in the phases of depression, every effort should be made, to very clearly think a thought and ultimately to realise it. The courage should be taken not to make oneself dependent on the feelings of the body, but to turn to conscious, contentful thoughts and bring these to fruition.

In summary therefore the following can be said: Do not wait for a God or any foreign help, but form a concept every day, set yourself goals and check in the evening whether these have actually been realised. Learn to make yourself independent from depressive feelings and to pursue healthy activities. Individuals must not make themselves dependent, even on success or failure.

The next article will be about the annual outlook for 2025 and the series of articles about health will continue in February.