[90 second read]
What do you think of this passage?
“If you look at the story of the Christian passion psychologically [particularly in terms of psychoanalysis schools], voluntary acceptance of suffering produces a transformation, or a sequence of transformations–the dying and resurrecting God, symbolically speaking. That voluntary acceptance and transformation is sufficiently powerful to transcend tragedy and to keep malevolence at bay. That’s purely psychological…
There’s a metaphysic behind that, where you start to move into religious territory…”
Is depression a path of transformation — at least to the extent that it is voluntarily accepted? To me, voluntary acceptance involves not rushing to escape depression or grieving; instead, letting darkness do its work, as espoused by Thomas Moore.
Now that I’ve slowed down in dep-ressed deep-rest, I’ve taken the time to become more aware of my own responsibility for the pain that deposited me here. The pain that I have caused to my Self, and the pain I have caused others.
This awareness seems to have had to widen for me to have an authentically humble confidence that I’ve been transformed into a person incapable of inflicting those kinds of suffering any longer. I at least have faith that that humility is authentic, and don’t have delusions so grand that I believe I won’t commit many more mistakes, but have the hope of faith that those transgressions will be less catastrophic. My depression is transforming into a gift: Grace.
What do you think?
Leave a comment below.
[The quote is from https://youtu.be/W5iaERTETvE?t=27m1s]
Neil D. 2020-03-31
Feel with Neil 