What is depression?
With life, there is suffering in the form of illness. We believe that it is microbes, viruses, bacteria and injuries that cause disease in our physical body. Similarly, we believe that it is mainly an imbalance of brain chemistry that causes mental and emotional illnesses, such as depression, addiction, etc.
In shamanism, on the other hand, these diseases and conditions are perceived as effects. It is believed that for true healing one cannot simply mask and suppress these effects, or symptoms, with medication; we must address the root cause of all these problems. The root cause goes far beyond viruses, bacteria, and brain chemistry; the main cause comes from the inner realm, and not physical.
The 3 Causes of depression
From a shamanistic perspective, there are 3 classic causes of depression:
disharmony (or loss of power)
Disharmony, or loss of personal power, often occurs when someone has lost an important connection to life, or when life seems to lose its meaning. This can happen subtly or catastrophically; either way, we experience a loss of sustenance and meaning, and experience a loss of power in the process.
This loss of will, or vital power, strongly and directly affects our energy matrix and can make us very vulnerable to disease. A common but tragic example of this is when there is an elderly couple who have spent most of their lives together and one of them dies. The survivor often enters into a life crisis after the loss and soon after, develops depression and then dies. This is a cause of disharmony due to the loss of a loved one.
Fear
Fear is the most common cause of depression. Fear is responsible for emotions that cause your body to go into a state of stress and then depression.
Scientists and researchers also widely agree that when these stress-producing hormones are present, they rapidly begin to disintegrate the protective mantle of the body’s immune system, as well as the overall energy matrix. The disease of depression, as a result, is inevitable.
soul loss
Soul loss is the most extreme, though sadly still common, cause of depression; in fact, it is the most serious diagnosis and one of the main causes of serious illness and even premature death.
Soul loss is most often experienced after a traumatic experience, such as fighting in a war (an all-too-common trigger for PTSD), a bitter divorce, or intense bullying. In some cases, these experiences can be so devastating that one’s soul can begin to fragment and dissociate. In the most extreme and overwhelming cases, these parts of the soul are too lost and do not return.
We have heard people say things like, “I haven’t been the same since the incident” or “a part of me died that day.” These comments are warning signs for soul loss.
