Hopelessness/sloth drains out energy when one cannot find strength or motivation to proceed with their life and responsibilities. It can be in the form of depression, apathy, laziness or else. One of the seven deadly sins, it can be conquered with a few simple steps that will help you get out of the energy swamp and start living your own vibrant and fulfilling life.
The steps that will help to get there are:
1. Proper nutrition (physical level)
2. Spending more time outdoors, in the nature, in the mountains
3. Physical activity, sports
4. Acting according to one’s dharma (first of all to act according to the nature: feminine or masculine)
5. Maintaining harmonious relationships with other people and in the family
6. Being capable of earning a living, being successful (more applicable to men)
7. Creating goodness with one’s life (how can you contribute to life of others around you in a positive way?)
8. Writing and following your life mission and purpose
9. Practicing daily selflessness, eliminating egoism
10. Acting in Sattva (mode of Goodness), being “here and now” (state of awareness)
When one is being despondent the most effective technique is to come back to “here and now”. It may be difficult if you are feeling depressed or sad.
The easiest path to “here and now” is: complete 10 full conscious inhales and exhales. Do it with full awareness. When you breathe consciously the ego-mind disconnects, and the depression loses its grip, and the body and immune system will respond in a positive way.
We keep coming back in our mind to some life situation over and over because we have not fully accepted it. It is required to tame the ego-mind and to accept any situation on the inner (we may accept something inwardly, while act according to the situation on the outer, remaining in state of peace and calm — from editors).
You feel despondent when you are resisting the situation, and put on a mask of outer complacency. Therefore this outer mask needs to be dismantled.
You need to learn being grateful in all situations, even towards people who have hurt or upset you. It will be difficult in the beginning, yet later things will change. You must work with your subconscious — do the prostrations (bow to the ground: in the mind’s eye if in public or physically bow with forehead touching the ground when at home), speak out certain things (not suppress), write with your left hand (exercise recommended by Rami Bleckt — from editors).
When you feel grateful the energy of happiness flows through you and you see the world through a different filter. Will you be upset with another person, when you see in them a teacher delivering a valuable life lesson?
One of the best methods to free yourself from hopelessness is to repeat the words “Every day and in every way my life is becoming better and better in all respects”.
Do this 10 minutes per day, for duration of 6 month. If you are feeling content, it will be very easy for you to repeat this. Yet if the depression is imbedded deeply in your subconscious, you need to practice this for two to three years in order to reprogram your subconscious program.
If you do not resolve this subconscious program, your life foundation will be destroyed.
One can find despondent people among people who practice spirituality. Spirituality gives the sense of righteousness, and a person starts criticizing others. This judgment originates because of lack of love, and due to living according to rigid dogmas and morality, which shut down the heart centre.
It is best never to condemn others. “You have your point of view, I have my own point of view, and it is great that we have our ways and we can discuss this”.
Never be envious of anyone, as envy leads to despair very fast (“he has such a beautiful car, and I don’t have any” “she has such an expensive fur coat and I cannot afford it”, and so on).
Rami Bleckt
