#channel/bodhi-light-teachings  Depression starts with a negative thoughts. And brings you lower and lower and lower until it takes hold of you. You basically are helpless. Your thought, your mind are full of these thoughts that overwhelm you. Okay, when you get allow yourself to get to that point, it's very hard for you to get out. So, you heard of people lying in bed for days. They refuse to get up. Okay? Or they feel morose all day, no matter what happened, they feel sad. This is this this sadness that's pervasive. They look everything through life is what's what's there to get excited about. Okay? And those people don't even recognize it. Those thoughts, they are basically a victim to their thoughts. Chan meditation is a meditation discipline that trains you to recognize those negative thoughts a lot sooner before they snowball. So, they are a lot more manageable. When you recognize your afflictions, you have the skill you develop skills to squash it. It's like nip the problem at the buds. >> You know, lately now when I feel like depression coming on, my reaction now is I don't give a damn anymore. I don't care how you feel like I don't care those about these feelings. And I just go Maybe this is a terrible way to to do it. Maybe this is just me encouraging more of it. I'm just bearing suffering. There's some but do you think that's a terrible approach? >> Not at all. That's all you have to do. The very simple way, very effective way of dealing with depression that work for you, it's not just for you, it work for so many people in our temples. Uh Uh and our way places is basically uh don't fall prey to those negative thoughts. Don't listen to them. If you can. Mhm. But there's a caveat. I want to warn you. So far you've been able to do it, but be prepared. Brace yourself. There'll be a day when those those episodes of depression will be so strong, will be so overwhelming that you can't ignore them. It will come. Trust me. Crap. Okay? And this is a fallacy of people. They think that they can handle it. This is especially another friendly warning for all of you. As soon you you say nuclear victory. Hey, I have it licked. I can handle it. This is when those stronger episodes of depression will come to you a lot sooner than you think. So, what's the point I'm trying to make? Okay? First of all, what you're able to do is real. Meaning that you're able to get those types of depression episodes that you had before licked. You did it because of the methodology, the spiritual practices you learned, the chance skills you developed. That's why you're able to say, "I don't care." Okay? But there'll be some instances where you'll be overwhelmed again. Okay? And when that happens, you know where to find us. Okay? So, keep that in mind. You don't have to be victim to your depression, folks.