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Since When Did We Sikhs Start Getting Depressed, Anxious , OCD And A Host Of Other Mental Illnesses

Seeker2013

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Aug 29, 2013
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I thought we were a kaum that believed and practised the spirit of 'chardi kala' (rising energy, perhaps mystically referring to the rise of coiled kundalini energy along the spine as it usually happens with advanced spiritual stages)

We saw the worst of days under the mughals and the british and then the indian govt. I wonder how did members of such a mentally and physically strong community got physically weakened by drugs and mentally weakened by depression, anxiety and host of other unholy mental diseases .

In my opinion a true gursikh can never be depressed. Because once u believe in god's hukam, once you really believe that whatever happens in your life is god's deed , for your own good !, I think once you truly realize that, there is little room for depression .

What do you sangat think ?
 

Harry Haller

Panga Master
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Jan 31, 2011
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I thought we were a kaum that believed and practised the spirit of 'chardi kala' (rising energy, perhaps mystically referring to the rise of coiled kundalini energy along the spine as it usually happens with advanced spiritual stages)

The spirit of Chardi Kala has nothing to do with coiled mythical serpents, its just a state of mind.
 

anon

SPNer
Mar 3, 2013
40
51
In my opinion a true gursikh can never be depressed. Because once u believe in god's hukam, once you really believe that whatever happens in your life is god's deed , for your own good !, I think once you truly realize that, there is little room for depression .

What do you sangat think ?

I think this is a harmful view to take. Depression is something extremely complex, and is being constantly researched.

I think it's safe to say that the state of depression is multifactoral. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that depression is both a consequence of our external environment, and our own biology and chemical releases in our brains. It's called the mono-amine hypothesis, its quite complicated and not that interesting but basically chemicals can cause depression.

Some people find cognitive behavioral therapy helps with their depression, this means that they are taught how to deal with negative thoughts. For example somebody may feel depressed because the they have a negative thought in their head like "every one is staring at me because they think I am ugly". A person with depression may allow this thought to alter their behavior and mood.

Cognitive behavior therapy equips people with ways of handling thoughts like this, for example in the person who thinks "every one is staring at me because they think I am ugly", they would then be taught to end a string of potential negative thoughts by telling themselves that "there could be many reasons people are looking at me and it does not necessarily mean I am ugly". I am no expert in depression but this wikipedia article nicely summarizes the negative thoughts people can potentially have which can lead to their depression: Beck's cognitive triad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This brings me to sikhism. Sikhism teaches us tosit on the floor close our eyes, to stop seeking knowledge, to stop thinking and just think "Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru". The phrase "Blissful ignorance" comes to mind.

"I've got no money.... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"I'm fat and unhealthy... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"Im alone and have no human interraction... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"

This is one of the reasons sikhism isn't for me, well at least the sikhism espoused by my family. I don't believe there is a Waheguru, and I would rather confront my own problems rather then telling myself it'll all be okay and waheguru will sort it all out.
 

anon

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Mar 3, 2013
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gurbani does talk of mythical coiled serpant, and how when it arises, it goes in its home - the shiva . If you read bani, u will find it

Can I get a page reference to this?

I'm trying to read gurbani to help validate leaving the panth. A page reference which says something like you described would be very helpful in helping me validate my decision :D
 

Harry Haller

Panga Master
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Jan 31, 2011
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I think this is a harmful view to take. Depression is something extremely complex, and is being constantly researched.

What is this heretical talk, depression is a sign of bad karma, everyone knows this!

think it's safe to say that the state of depression is multifactoral. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that depression is both a consequence of our external environment, and our own biology and chemical releases in our brains. It's called the mono-amine hypothesis, its quite complicated and not that interesting but basically chemicals can cause depression.

nope its karma

This brings me to sikhism. Sikhism teaches us tosit on the floor close our eyes, to stop seeking knowledge, to stop thinking and just think "Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru". The phrase "Blissful ignorance" comes to mind.

aha, some of us believe it does not, some of us believe Sikhism teaches us to be pragmatic.

"I've got no money.... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"I'm fat and unhealthy... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"Im alone and have no human interraction... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"

look, I am of of the above, quite literally, but I do not lose myself in mental gymnastics, yet I consider myself a Sikh, I consider you more of a Sikh for asking questions.
This is one of the reasons sikhism isn't for me, well at least the sikhism espoused by my family. I don't believe there is a Waheguru, and I would rather confront my own problems rather then telling myself it'll all be okay and waheguru will sort it all out.

and that my friend is what Waheguru wants you to do
 

Harry Haller

Panga Master
SPNer
Jan 31, 2011
5,769
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Can I get a page reference to this?

I'm trying to read gurbani to help validate leaving the panth. A page reference which says something like you described would be very helpful in helping me validate my decision :D

The SGGS is full of references to Kundalini practices, mostly, in my opinion, to stay away from them, but each to his own.
 

anon

SPNer
Mar 3, 2013
40
51
I totally agree with you Harry,

I do get the impression that the Sikh community at large think that mental illness can be overcome with spirituality alone. I do think I was perhaps a bit too harsh in my above post, as Sikhism or any religion for that matter could be considered a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, especially if they stop us from persuing negative thoughts that affect our mood, but for some people cognitive therapies are not enough. Medications and in some cases electrocution are needed are needed to overcome depression.

I have no doubt that sikhism can help people with their depression, and I think the eagerness of people to go to medications like prozac is alarming, but I don't think religion can cure all mental ills.
 

Harry Haller

Panga Master
SPNer
Jan 31, 2011
5,769
8,194
54
I totally agree with you Harry,

I do get the impression that the Sikh community at large think that mental illness can be overcome with spirituality alone. I do think I was perhaps a bit too harsh in my above post, as Sikhism or any religion for that matter could be considered a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, especially if they stop us from persuing negative thoughts that affect our mood, but for some people cognitive therapies are not enough. Medications and in some cases electrocution are needed are needed to overcome depression.

I have no doubt that sikhism can help people with their depression, and I think the eagerness of people to go to medications like prozac is alarming, but I don't think religion can cure all mental ills.

of course it can, this is the sheer brilliance of Sikhism you see, whilst other religions favour mumbling, rituals, ceremonies and belief in supernatural magic, Sikhism favours understanding, the reliance of nobody, to dig deep inside yourself and not only jump out of depression, but live a life of understanding that ensures you are never depressed, without knowing why, and what to do about it. Not all of us do anything about it, but a lot of us know why!
 

chazSingh

Writer
SPNer
Feb 20, 2012
1,644
1,643
I thought we were a kaum that believed and practised the spirit of 'chardi kala' (rising energy, perhaps mystically referring to the rise of coiled kundalini energy along the spine as it usually happens with advanced spiritual stages)

We saw the worst of days under the mughals and the british and then the indian govt. I wonder how did members of such a mentally and physically strong community got physically weakened by drugs and mentally weakened by depression, anxiety and host of other unholy mental diseases .

In my opinion a true gursikh can never be depressed. Because once u believe in god's hukam, once you really believe that whatever happens in your life is god's deed , for your own good !, I think once you truly realize that, there is little room for depression .

What do you sangat think ?


i think the first part above describes the Sikh....
the second part describes 'khalsa'...the one that has become pure and one with Waheguru within and without.

we all fall at varying stages between...
 

chazSingh

Writer
SPNer
Feb 20, 2012
1,644
1,643
I totally agree with you Harry,

I do get the impression that the Sikh community at large think that mental illness can be overcome with spirituality alone. I do think I was perhaps a bit too harsh in my above post, as Sikhism or any religion for that matter could be considered a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, especially if they stop us from persuing negative thoughts that affect our mood, but for some people cognitive therapies are not enough. Medications and in some cases electrocution are needed are needed to overcome depression.

I have no doubt that sikhism can help people with their depression, and I think the eagerness of people to go to medications like prozac is alarming, but I don't think religion can cure all mental ills.

if the goal of Sikhi is to become one with Waheguru...then it can Cure all ills...

because Waheguru is beyond the mind...
 

chazSingh

Writer
SPNer
Feb 20, 2012
1,644
1,643
I think this is a harmful view to take. Depression is something extremely complex, and is being constantly researched.

I think it's safe to say that the state of depression is multifactoral. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that depression is both a consequence of our external environment, and our own biology and chemical releases in our brains. It's called the mono-amine hypothesis, its quite complicated and not that interesting but basically chemicals can cause depression.

Some people find cognitive behavioral therapy helps with their depression, this means that they are taught how to deal with negative thoughts. For example somebody may feel depressed because the they have a negative thought in their head like "every one is staring at me because they think I am ugly". A person with depression may allow this thought to alter their behavior and mood.

Cognitive behavior therapy equips people with ways of handling thoughts like this, for example in the person who thinks "every one is staring at me because they think I am ugly", they would then be taught to end a string of potential negative thoughts by telling themselves that "there could be many reasons people are looking at me and it does not necessarily mean I am ugly". I am no expert in depression but this wikipedia article nicely summarizes the negative thoughts people can potentially have which can lead to their depression: Beck's cognitive triad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This brings me to sikhism. Sikhism teaches us tosit on the floor close our eyes, to stop seeking knowledge, to stop thinking and just think "Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru". The phrase "Blissful ignorance" comes to mind.

"I've got no money.... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"I'm fat and unhealthy... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"Im alone and have no human interraction... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"

This is one of the reasons sikhism isn't for me, well at least the sikhism espoused by my family. I don't believe there is a Waheguru, and I would rather confront my own problems rather then telling myself it'll all be okay and waheguru will sort it all out.


"I've got no money.... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"I'm fat and unhealthy... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"Im alone and have no human interraction... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"



why not just replace that with "waheguru waheguru"....and be filled with thoughts and feelings like "Gurbani says you're within me...where are you...".... "will i ever know you"...."make yourself known to me" "help me with my 5 thieves, so that i become a better more truthful and more useful member of society"...

and then just 'be'

just 'be' ing is the strangest thing...you know you're there...but who are you....what are you...

just let go of everything....slowly...breath....feel alive...feel your body...and just let go...

Waheguru vibration move through your mind...one after the other...


if we're lucky, waheguru will draw us deeper within...

connection to the 9 outer doors slowly dissolves...

what am I?

who am I?

this is, so much more than just:

"I've got no money.... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"I'm fat and unhealthy... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
"Im alone and have no human interraction... WAHEGURU WAHEGURU"
 

anon

SPNer
Mar 3, 2013
40
51
if the goal of Sikhi is to become one with Waheguru...then it can Cure all ills...

because Waheguru is beyond the mind...
I don't think god can cure cancer or diabetes. I think involving religion in physical and mental illness is quite dangerous and I wouldn't have anything to do with it.

why not just replace that with "waheguru waheguru"....and be filled with thoughts and feelings like "Gurbani says you're within me...where are you...".... "will i ever know you"...."make yourself known to me" "help me with my 5 thieves, so that i become a better more truthful and more useful member of society"...

and then just 'be'

just 'be' ing is the strangest thing...you know you're there...but who are you....what are you...

just let go of everything....slowly...breath....feel alive...feel your body...and just let go...

Waheguru vibration move through your mind...one after the other...


if we're lucky, waheguru will draw us deeper within...

connection to the 9 outer doors slowly dissolves...

what am I?

who am I?

this is, so much more than just:

Because in order to be a productive member of society we must have thought beyond those that are solely religious? How can do my job or pay my rent if I just think about waheguru?

really think this is a nave view to take of something as complex as mental disease. Having some vague-woolen-feel good notions about "Just being... who am i?" isnt enought to cure depression. I literally have no idea what you are even saying here. t sounds nice like a poem, but it reallymeans nothing we can all do it.

Look ill do it now:

Sometimes you just need to close your eyes and ask yourself where you are and what you are doing, and then in that moment realism that you are at one with the universe.

Allow yourself to be overcome by the grandeur of gods creation, realise that at once you are a mere fragment of the allmighty's creation but also that the allmighty is within us. A light inside us, all of us, that connects us and allows us to transcend this physical realm. If we could all do this we would all be at peace

What i just wrote sounds nice i guess, but it really makes no sense. People do it all the time.

Mono amines are real and inside me
electricity can make people come out of depressive comas
antidepressants can make life bearable

I have no idea what this has todo with what you just talked about.
 

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