Hey, Can You Save Me?

Are you connected to any kind of group who might lift your energies at this moment and help you receive comfort from The Higher [exchange for your own preferred term]? I was struggling with depression and anxiety from 1999-2006, but I actually did not seek out any kind of supportive group out until *after* I was hospitalized, with severe anxiety and other mental nastiness and being fed all kinds of drugs.

What will give each of us energy and hope varies. My mother who is a two-time cancer survivor said to me once that in her first bout with cancer it did help to be with other patients in some organised support-groups, later she felt it took her energy because all people could talk about was their illnesses. In the psych ward it was much the same; I never really got much from the support groups organized inside the hospital although I did appreciate the initiative on part of the staff.

What did lift me more than I could do myself was actually joining a Christian reading group. I had been part of a loosely organized ‘spiritual’ group before, for people who felt they might have had Kundalini risings (if you are familiar with that phenomenon – if not, no matter – the point is that it was a support group). Anyway, the spiritual group was not bad but ‘too loose’ – people came and went. But also, for me at least, it did not have a framework of interpretation that we could all lean on in unison. Some were spiritual shoppers, some were practitioners of various healing methods, some were Buddhists, etc.

With the Christian group it was settled – it was about Christianity and the support we can rely on from God and Jesus, as we go through the stages of life which inevitably will contain some pain and sorrow. I was never much into Christianity as such, but it appealed to me at the time and still does. It also helped that it was a more eclectic group led by a priest who was open to Buddhism and other perspectives, which were discussed. That resonated with me. I even was invited to do a talk about Celtic Christianity (and John O’Donohue) for the others, which also helped me to distill lessons from that perspective and use them in my own healing process.

I didn’t get cured, obviously, by participating in the group. That was something I did on my own through an extensive regime of cognitive therapy which I had to do myself because I had no money to pay for therapy, except what they granted at the hospital (which was limited to 8 or 10 sessions, I think – then drugs). I did feel and still do that I was comforted and supported, though, at a time when I sorely needed it. I felt hope. Both from the people there and, I believe, from God.

Our teacher had a ‘Wreath of Christ’ which symbolized various stages and experiences in life, which Jesus also went through (albeit in a very compressed time) – I used that a lot when I prayed myself, as a physical anchor for my focus on being open to God and God’s help. Unfortunately, it is not widely available outside of Scandinavia, it seems, but perhaps the concept is of value to read more about. Here is an article I found: https://www.praytellblog.com/index.php/2017/03/05/wreath-of-christ-2/

But long story short: If you don’t already have some kind of support group that gives you energy, I believe now is the time to find one.

Let us know how it all goes …

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