Hi Stacey,

This resonates with me. I go through long periods of invincible spirit, limitless energy and a healthy insulation from all that is unhealthy in the world. I become short sighted of others struggles and can lose my compassion at times.

And then, with little warning, all things change. The center of the world shifts and I am tumbling without balance trying to regain an equilibrium. Sometimes, such as now, I actively created the circumstances which are so unpleasant... sometimes I just stumble into a vortex. Each time, I struggle with diagnosing the errors in my navigational compass. But then, when I compare my navigational skills with those of others, mine don't look all that different. So what is truth here?

I am reading "The Mindful Way Through Depression" and it speaks of a "mode of mind" that is enabled by certain kind of life events. This mode replays a set of moods and feelings that have a genesis in a low sense of self-worth episode that occurred at some point in our life. This script is an internal threat. Our bodies respond to internal threats with the same mechanisms that external threats engender. However, we can't sprint fast enough or far enough to avoid internal threats. Eventually we are ground down by the tension, sense of defeat and failures of these responses.

I see truth in these concepts and have just begun working with the techniques to redirect this internal scripting. I can only say now that the meditative practices are calming and I have had some new insights into these world shifts. I am trying to keep an open mind for now.

This response was long and still brief on content, so I apologise for both. I wish you well and welcome additional discussion if you are so inclined. Best to you... notsomuch