The Anchorhold of the Heart
The Focus: Depression.
Remember to take shelter in the precepts. We need to see and understand which precept will help us. We do this on our own. We also need to study the thoughts and feelings crammed into the mind. The mental forms are like clouds and smoke; they come and go. Let them go.
This post is the first of a series. The focus is on depression.
Let’s begin.
The Anchorhold of Depression.
When we understand depression as an action of lowering, pressing downward or sinking as in the lowering and sinking of an anchor into the ocean to steady and stabilize a ship, we can see both visually and metaphorically what happens in a depressed heart.
The heart carries us as does a ship in the seas. This lowering and sinking in is like the lowering and sinking of an anchor off the side of a ship which the spiritual hermit willingly sets into the waters of solitude to discover the divine.
Persons who experience depression feel sunk, feel stuck, feel held or captive by the anchorhold rather than realizing that the heart requires repair, refueling and rest and that the anchorhold is a necessary grip.
In other words, depression is an anchorhold to steady and stabilize the heart.
Depression is a harbor to repair, refuel, or rest, the broken, empty or exhausted heart. It is useful to see that the heart sinks and stays in a harbor until it is repaired, refueled or rested enough to lift and set off again.
The precepts help us.
Here are some useful definitions.
Anchor, a heavy iron composed of a long shank, having a ring at one end to which the cable is fastened, and at the other branching out into two arms or flukes, tending upwards, with barbs or edges on each side.
Anchor hold, the hold or grip that an anchor takes; also, the ground that it grips; a spiritual retreat or spiritual hermit.
Anchorite, a person, who has withdrawn or secluded himself from the world; usually one who has done so for spiritual reasons.
Anchorage, the place where the ship lies at anchor.
Mooring anchor that is not portable but provides secured lines to a mooring place.
The Heart
Heart ineffable, indescribable, beyond words; life force.
Aweigh to lift the anchor from the waterbed; release the grip or hold. Lighten the burden of the heart.
Don’t Give Up. Keep Going.
OM
🙏
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Indeed!
Depression is a harbor. A reassuring teaching.