The Agony of Anxiety and Depression

Just walk slowly in the time after the sun sets and before night descends. Feel the breeze, smell the flowers, hear the trees’ leaves rustle and the birds sing. Watch the stars begin to emerge. ~ Dan Rather, journalist

Peace at Sunset in Tuscany, Italy

Journalist Dan Rather knows a thing or two about finding peace in the present moment, despite a long career spent in anything but peaceful circumstances. Listen to what he says here:

One of my favorite things long has been taking a leisurely stroll with wife Jean at twilight time. My steps are getting slower and, increasingly, I have another journey on my mind—the one into eternity. …the joy—the sheer unadulterated joy—of a hand-in-hand, slow walk as evening shadows fall never ceases. The contrast with the ever-present fast pace and screaming headlines of modern life is stark.

The legendary 86-year-old journalist is, as he said, coming to the transition we all face. But he’s obviously found much peace and tranquility—and, equally important, deep gratitude for the gift of life.

His simple, yet profound, advice is “Take in the moment. Live in the now.”

So what does all that have to do with anxiety and depression?

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), nearly 40 million adults in the United States, suffer from anxiety and depression. The problem is compounded because folks suffering from one often suffer from the other also.

The worldwide numbers are even starker. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),  about 8 percent of the world population suffer from anxiety and depression. That’s a staggering number—over 600 million people.

I know this old world of ours has lots of problems, but the epidemic of anxiety and depression is surely one of the biggest.

Spirit

How many times have you caught yourself living in the past or the future? Whenever you feel guilty or depressed, you’re living in the past. Whenever you feel worried or anxious, you are living in the future.

But when you’re feeling loving, wise, peaceful, and joyful, you are living in the present, in the now. In reality, now is all you have.

Even when you focus on past or future,  you are doing it now. Whatever you’re doing, thinking, or being, you’re doing it now. Now is all you have. Now is all that’s real. All else is illusion.

You waste your present moments by pretending you can return to the past or live in the future. How do you know when you’re doing that? By the depression or anxiety you feel.

If you can be fully present in the moment with love for all that is (including yourself), you will know the peace that passes all understanding. You will know that old familiar feeling of coming Home.

You may still wander into illusion now and then. But you cannot get lost. You will always be able to return Home again—to the  home you, in truth, never really left.

Adapted from John Cali and Spirit Special Reports

P.S. This is one of the 9 most uplifting posts from 2018 you cannot ignore.

Copyright © 2018 by John Cali

Are anxiety and depression issues for you? Do you find it difficult be fully present in the moment? Or do all the world’s distractions rob you of the joy and peace that are your birthright?

Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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One of my favorite spiritual teachers is Mooji. In this short video, he discusses depression— what it is and what it is not. Note his emphasis on the words “I am.” As many of you probably know, those 2 words carry great power, and represent our connection to the Divine.

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12 Responses

  1. Ron B.

    Are symptoms not necessary to give us an opportunity to make changes?
    Of course there are exceptions, as always. but they are relatively few and those often throw us off the track. Sometimes I even wonder if maybe we are not supposed to know the rules of this game.

  2. Jean Horn

    I am not often depressed, when I start traveling that world with worry about what will be or what happened, I stop and think let it be. It is what it is and it isn’t me now! I pull myself up and let my thoughts gather what is in front of me. It’s hard, I know but we all can do it. It will help to just take one day at a time move in whatever direction makes you feel good. Feeling good will help a great deal. Whatever takes you to feeling good about yourself will be a blessing.
    It’s hard but changing your thoughts to what makes you feel good is as easy as letting go of everything else and finding what feels good is a way out of the dark.

    love and hugs
    Jeannie

    • John Cali

      Thank you, Jeannie.

      As Spirit has often said, in the present moment, there is only peace. The present moment is all that’s real. Therefore, anxiety and depression are illusions. Having said that, however, we must have the greatest love and compassion for those who suffer from either or both.

      Love and hugs,
      John

  3. Sarah D

    I know meditation should be silent but I have to play relaxing music in the background to focus and still my mind.
    I saw Geoff hoppe on the Tuning in movie. I also enjoy Kryon’s teachings. I’m sure I read in his first book that sometimes we choose challenging situations and attributes pre incarnation to learn from them and I feel my biggest challenge in this life time has been maintaining a balance (due to having bipolar disorder) as it’s something I have had since childhood.
    I must learn more about Ekhart Tolle.
    Thank you for the thoughts and prayers, much appreciated.

    • John Cali

      Meditation doesn’t always have to be silent. I have several meditation routines that use Sanskrit mantras. They work very well.

      If I’m remembering this correctly, Eckhart Tolle had bipolar disorder (or something similar) when he was younger. If you haven’t read it yet, I’d highly recommend his book, The Power of Now. It’s great.

      You’re most welcome for the thoughts and prayers

  4. Elaine Joe

    Hello! I just read Spirit’s message and Sarah’s sharing of her experience, and oh, both have come just at a moment when this is so needed for me to be reminded about. Thank you to all. Love and more love. Feeling such gratitude.

    • John Cali

      Thank you, Elaine Joe. I’m delighted the timing of Spirit’s and Sarah’s sharings were so timely for you.
      Love,
      John

  5. Sarah D

    Hi
    I could have hugged you when I saw this post as it is something I have been struggling with the last few months … not the depression, just the anxiety. I know I am one of millions and it is a debilitating condition.
    It is fascinating what spirit says about depression dwelling in the past and anxiety in the future. And often in a future which probably would never have materialised had we not been obsessively dwelling on it in our thoughts and emotions (for I believe emotions are even more powerful than thoughts in creating our reality).
    Meditation is a wonderful tool, although anxiety does make it a challenge as ones mind keeps wandering forward into imagined catastrophe! But managing to achieve that calm and stillness, even if just for a few minutes, is blissful.
    have been reading the Creator material by Tobias (Geoffrey Hoppe) and finding his teachings very comforting and they really resonate with me. The first couple of chapters deal with acceptance. Accepting yourself without judgement, accepting things as they are and accepting others. I am really working on these three things and they are really helping not only with the anxiety but with my sense of peace and love. You can download the book for free on the Crimson Circle website. Being in the moment is really tough, I find, but when you achieve it, even for a minute, it is like seeing through the eyes of a child again.

    • John Cali

      Thank you very much, Sarah, for your thoughts and comments.

      As you mention, you’re not alone in this challenge. But that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier. Meditation is certainly a powerful tool, one I personally have been using a long time.

      Tobias and Geoff are great teachers. I’ve known them many years. Like you, I find their words of wisdom powerful and uplifting.

      I love Eckhart Tolle’s words: “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make NOW the primary focus of your life.” It really is like seeing through the eyes of a child again.

      Bless you, dear. I’ll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

  6. George Ball

    With your help, I don’t get anxiety or depression, dear John. Love, George

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