Spirituality and Depression

[Geister]

I'm a very spiritual person, I like to think that everything has a purpose and we're all here to grow and learn life lessons and move on once we die to go learn more about this universe of ours. But sometimes I begin to doubt my beliefs (I have no real religion, I'm agnostic for the most part, I just build on it with any new theories/ideas I read that sounds plausible to me) and then I get very depressed. How important is spirituality, religion, etc to all of you and your emotions?

[spongebobfan]

Oh my. That is an intense question. The simple answer my opinion is that religion is directly related to emotions. I am a Christian. That forms my values, it tells me what is right and what is wrong. Without a solid foundation of values life would be chaos. There have been a few times that things have gotten so bad that I wanted to die. Those times coincided with the times my faith weakened. If I didn't have my beliefs/religion I don't think there would be a purpose to life. That's my opinion.

[Geister]

That's exactly the problem I'm having! I got depressed, and the started thinking about my beliefs and went borderline atheist. But if I feel there's nothing spiritual in the world, an afterlife, etc, I feel there's no point to life. I don't see the point of just existing for the sake of existing until we die and then that's it, it's like we were never there and nothing we've done matters. So I've been thinking that for the past week or so, and it's really getting to me. Was just wondering if anyone felt the same way, it's nice to know I'm not alone.

[Dreamline]

Yeah me too.  I started out forced into Christianity and I remember when I was depressed as a kid thinking how pointless it was, how did I know Jesus existed, god hates me...etc.  Over time I eventually lost the hard core beliefs and replaced them with more spiritual believes.  I'm like you Geister, I take what makes sense to me and throw away the rest so now I am not defined by any particular belief system.  I still question stuff all the time but esp when depressed I will almost not believe anything anymore...you feel so abandoned, alone and bleak.  I do believe is Jesus, I think he is much more than the bible portrays him and so is "God" aka the universe.  Being spiritual helps me see through depressions because being connected to your true self (your soul) keeps you from suffering so much with your body.  If you remember the true you the physical pain is less impacting and the truth is also that if remember who you are you can heal yourself.  Its very simple yet easier said.

When you feel emotionally bad that's your spirit trying to tell you that your thoughts are not on track.  Our beliefs and thoughts create feelings (emotions are our guidance) so if we change these we change how we feel and if we do that we change our lives.  Its also about momentum, when you are going in one direction for while it takes a lot of counter momentum to gradually change it.  But YOU are the pilot of your dreams.

[Geister]

I wasn't forced into a religion although my mom was raised catholic, she's pagan now. My mom wanted me to wait until I was old enough to pick my own religion/beliefs that I felt was best for me. Was it hard being forced into a religion like that? And yeah that's exactly it. I have nothing against atheists, I just get horribly depressed when I'm in a low mood already and I start leaning towards atheism.  Yes, when I really  do believe there's something out there and being on Earth actually matters, I don't feel lost and depressed.

I wish it'd tell me where I'm supposed to go!

[Dreamline]

It was very hard.  My parents were very overbearing anyway and forcing their big religion up my ass didn't feel so good. LOL  I wasn't allowed to do anything or go anywhere for fear of being influenced by others.  I wasn't allowed to leave our dead end street even, NEVER!  I wasn't allowed to even go in my neighbor's house!!!!  I couldn't have or go to sleep overs...no cable TV.  Sexual acts were all wrong unless you were married.  I didn't learn to drive until I was 18.  I didn't have a radio until I was 14 and couldn't listen to anything other than classical because it was offensive if this if that.  I had to hide myself from them always about everything...the disapproval from them was not just them voicing them opinion but their rath and belittling, SHAME and abuse.  I sucked.

[Geister]

I've never know someone who was strict like that, I would have hated it.  So was that why you turned agnostic? I have a weird family.. I could watch things like Saw, the ring, etc when I was young 5 or 6. And I even had sleepovers with my friends (3 were boys). My mom always says that if I make a mistake, it's just a life lesson and I have to learn that the real world isn't a safe and caring place to be in.

[Dreamline]

I guess it was because of when they taught me their harsh reality, it never felt right yet there was the guilt and shame of going astray.  I got more and more comfortable going astray and thought about it more to where I learned the truth.  My outrage I experienced fro early childhood never died.  Doing LSD sped up the process as it unveiled things for me...I took some quantum leaps during manic episodes.  I don't doubt why I have anxiety...that kind of upbringing didn't make me a self confident no worries person.  All I can do is move forward from here...no looking back, I'm not going that way.

[Kensho]

i grew up in a very uptight christian home... stopped believing at 13, kicked out at 16, grew up in a buddhist home from that point till i was 22 and then on my own... continued with buddhism for awhile.. then dumped it, then went back to it... all kinds of religious delusions while i was ill... and now today i consider myself a spiritual agnostic like yourself really... it just makes too much sense to me... to be an atheist really makes no sense at all and i kind of laugh when one tries to assure me there is no god... they're just as bad as the firm believer... you know where i stand right now, we've talked about it in the forum... i understand the nature of the universe, its size and the number of galaxies... how can someone with a straight, clear,  truthful mind believe we are all there is? how self centered is this? but by the same token how can a true believer be 100% sure what they believe is correct... if there is a god, i feel comfortable in saying it is the universe itself... and i'm it's grandchild... and the earth is my mother... and the universe is the parent of earth... what made the universe? whatever you feel comfortable with, that's what it should be to you... this is your religion, it can can be any color or any flavor you prefer...

Kensho 

[LadyAshley]

Personally, I'm an Atheist but I can be spiritual as well. I like to believe in interconnectedness and energy and believing we have a purpose. I believe in nature I suppose.