@Donna. Yes, music! Even better, candles and music and dancing! Thanks for sharing…

Thanks so much for all this helpful information.

Friends are my best anti-depressant and thankfully they are there when I need them. The pills I get given to relax, help lift my mood more but it’s is far from a cure. I have been also practising a form of Mind-Chi. 8 minutes each day and usually after I have listened to your lessons. It involves placing your thumbs to either one of your fingers intern or when either one is required through out the day. Remember this BEAT. Body Emotion Action Thought. In thought for example, I can enhance my awareness and think better as to what I wish to focus on. I find this helps with creativity or organising my list of things to do. Action for when I’m feeling a little lazy or slack, or before I walk or do other exercises . This seems to create an energy making me get up and crack on. Emotion opens up the feeling good or bad to surface, I seem to notice an ease soon after and also get many creative ideas but most of all, seems to clear the grey matter better. The body I find is similar to chakra meditation as my awareness is on my physicality. Any back ache or itches, I can focus on, it seems to heal or ease the pain or itch.

With out being a routine person, I do make certain each day or night that I am at least doing things kick out the blues and try to calm the highs that can be quite lofty!

Thanks so much for this blog and for all you do for you listeners! There are some great ideas here and believe it or not MOST of them… I have not even tried yet. I have been able to take some time to meditate more often and some interesting things have surfaced as a result. I believe you are right, in that we tend to push our grief down and then become so active with daily “stuff” that it sometimes will surface when we are not active, more sedentary and indoors. This surfacing has actually been a necessary and positive thing for me. Another positive thing is that I have been spending more time with my family, rather than running off on my outdoor quests. We have even decided to take a night this weekend to look thgough some old photos and talk about our next family vacation. Thanks again for the valuable insites. As always looking forward to your next CD and/or podcast. I will be thinking of you and Richard in California when I light that candle tonight! i hope some of the light reaches you.

@Lotus – I’m glad you brought up the importance of human connection. That makes a big difference for all but the most reclusive of people. And balance is certainly the key, and the right balance is different for all of us. We need to listen to our own unique rhythms.

For me, this winter has been a big improvement. Never thought much of it until I read this.

I go to the park few times a week to do a form of qi dance with a group. With time my friendship with those people has deepen. What I find is that, it is not only the getting out in the sun or the exercise but the human connection. I think that makes a big difference.

I don’t know does the human connection have the same result with others. Or is it just that I am a people person. One thing I know is that I feel very joyful when I connect with others especially when we are all involved in deep meaningful activities.

For all said, I am also a person who totally embrace Solitude. If there is one thing I truly indulge in, it is the joy of Silence.

I think the essential key to it all is the right BALANCE (or some call the Middle Way).