Spiritual Aspects of Health and Healing
Depression – Medical Diagnosis or Spiritual Emergency?
~Rev. Dr. Joanna M. Carmichael
The prevalence of depression is widespread. Now more than ever in this age of
economic turmoil, the events of 9/11, and the seemingly endless bouts of terrorism,
and earth changes happening all over the world, leaving us to fear for our safety, and
the threat of more wars, we have all been affected, whether consciously or
unconsciously. Perhaps the low-grade depression affecting all of us is a message to
put our attention to our spirit so that true healing on a collective, as well as individual
level can occur. It is our perceptions about depression or any illness that can give
clues as to the cause, and the possibilities for healing.
From my perspective, there are three types of Depression – Clinical Depression,
Situational Depression, and Spiritual Depression. Clinical depression, being that
which causes a great deal of pain, seemingly without purpose, and unrelated to any
condition or transition, and for which medications are usually the treatment of choice.
Situational Depression is self-evident, and Spiritual Depression which enters at a
turning point or cross-roads in a person’s life is depression at the service of a better
expression of the person. There is a deep sense of sadness because of a recognition
that there may be a part themselves of which they need to let go – that literally needs
to die, sometimes outwardly manifested by the threat of suicide. The difference
seems to be suffering at the service of growth, versus needless, non-productive
suffering. Given that, it is curious to me that examining spirituality is thought of last
as a target for therapy.
The use of medication without therapy that includes a spiritual component, merely
supresses symptoms and denies an individual of the potential opportunity for growth
and transformation. But as a culture, it is even difficult for us to allow sadness and
grief to be present for long. People are uncomfortable with these things as a naturally
occurring part of being human, and want to fix it – at any cost – even the cost of the
patient’s spiritual growth. The constant in treating all types of depression is that,
metaphysically, everything happens for a reason – for our growth and
transformation. So that even in clinical or situational depression, lessons are
presented from which we can learn. The patients that find their way to my office
are those for which medication has not provided the desired results - or at least
not permanently, those who feel the numbness that inevitably sets in after
months or years on medication, those who have been in psychotherapy for years
without any discernible results, or those who consciously recognize their
depression as a challenge to grow spiritually, i.e., the deeper meaning.
As a spiritually-oriented lifestyle counselor, I have found that I can help those people
the most who have lost, or more accurately, forgotten, that connection to Self, or to
the Divine, which may be the source of their problems. Starting with my own belief
in the Divine perfection of a person leaves an opening where healing on mental,
emotional, and spiritual levels can be facilitated. I do no do the healing – I just hold
the Truth about them at a time when they cannot hold it for themselves; meaning,
that I see their perfection - their light, spirit or God within that is clouded over,
making them unable to “see” that they are more than this condition labeled
depression. This may or may not affect the physical aspect, because as we know,
healing and cure are not the same thing. However, by disregarding the spiritual
aspects of a person, we are really neglecting that creative-eternal aspect of the
individual from which all things originate. Holding this Truth for them leaves an
opening for transformation to begin and takes into consideration that fact that we are
spiritual beings first. Medications and psychological treatment without
acknowledgment of this spiritual component overlooks this very important truth
which can potentially lead to profound transformation and true healing.
Additionally, I take nutritional/exercise considerations into account since the
foods/supplements we consume or do not consume, coupled with when we
consume them, and whether or not we exercise, can affect brain chemistry
profoundly. I have found many depressed patients to be extremely depleted
nutritionally, and once balance is achieved in this regard, healing can be
accelerated because the body can support the process of psycho-spiritualemotional work more effectively.
It is true that we need to develop the ego in order that we may transcend it, making it
the powerful servant it was meant to be rather than the tyrannical master it wishes to
be. It is only when this occurs that humility, awareness, and accountability can truly
be present. The degree of the emergency is directly proportional to the degree the ego
requires transcendence. This is when spiritual emergence results in an outcome of
true wisdom and healing thereby alleviating the symptoms originally causing one to
search for answers.
Although we know it is a choice to learn through joy or to learn through pain, it
seems to require some degree of pain to take us to higher levels of consciousness
whereby we can understand the human condition to its depths, thereby transforming it
to its potential. An acceptance of this can be a beginning in opening the door to the
powerful transformational forces of depression. Sometimes it is this mere act of
surrender that takes us to a place of humility, and perhaps that is the lesson – to let go,
stop trying to analyze, plan or even understand, but to simply accept things as they
are, being alert to feelings, thoughts, disappointments, and inspirations, and go with
the flow rather than pushing against something whose only inclination is to push
back. Breakdown can lead to breakthrough and at all times, the only way out, is
through. It means getting to a conscious understanding that metaphysically,
illness/disease, whether physical, mental, or emotional, happens for a reason.
Depression is such an illness and many times is an invitation to wake up spiritually,
regardless of the type or the “treatment”. Recognition of the kind of depression one
is experiencing may not always be clear. From the highest spiritual perspective,
the problem of depression has presented itself (whatever the type); the solution,
as with any problem, lies in viewing it from a higher perspective. This can
sometimes mean simply acknowledging ourselves as multidimensional beings
and learning how to care for ourselves that way.
Sometimes in our desperation, we fervently look for answers in medications, diets,
therapists, workshops, gurus, etc., implying that the answers reside outside ourselves.
Perhaps when one is allowed the space to be where they are, and in the presence of
someone who sees their Light, freedom is created for one to come full circle to a
wisdom in knowing that, all along, the answers have resided within.
Dr. Carmichael is the Founder of Kalyana Centre, Inc. where she practices as an Integrative Lifestyle Consultant
and Spiritual Counselor. In addition to her BSN, she holds doctorates in Metaphysics and Divinity and was
ordained as an Interfaith Minister in December 2002. After 20+ years in the pharmaceutical research arena, she is
dedicated to elevating consciousness and bringing education to patients and healthcare professionals alike about
the need for conventional and complementary medicine to work together rather than against each other, and the
nature of healing and its intimate relationship to spirituality. She may be contacted at (484) 412-8815 or at
Joanna@thekalyanacentre.com and has office hours by appointment only.