Jul 16, 20218 min read

Bipolar Depression and Paganism.

What it's All About:

I just read that there was something on Facebook about alcohol addiction and paganism. I think that it was hosted by Harold Carter. I didn't join into that. But I thought that I might talk about something that affects some people and that is Bipolar Depression. But I want to focus on the pagan way of treating this.

Songs Featured:

Sad Story by Folknery
At the Tree At the Lonely Place by Inkubus Sukkubus
Rainbow Blues by Blackmore’s Night
Gosling Girl by S. J. Tucker
Heartbeat Healing by Jana Runnalls
I Called Your Name by :Of the Wand and the Moon
Guided Meditation for Relieving Depression by Dr. Ramdesh
You Say You’re Happy Now by Unto Ashes
We Are Love by Ginger Doss

Links Mentioned:

Spirit Guide of the Week:

Duck

Dream Symbol: (There are three)

Nail

Name

Neck

Transcript:

(01:58)

Welcome to another episode of the Music From the Goddess’ Vault Podcast. I am your host, Midnight Starr. At the top of the show, you heard Sad Story by Folknery. Today’s show is all about Bipolar Depression in Paganism. But, if you can, please share this podcast via Twitter, Facebook, goddess vault one dot Wix site dot com forward slash home, or wherever you can talk to everyone you know. And don’t forget to check out the blog at goddess vault one dot wixsite dot com forward slash home. Now for the topic: Bipolar Depression in Paganism. As I was thinking about this topic, there was something on Alcohol abuse and Paganism on Facebook that I believe was hosted by Harold Carter. I have both anxiety and bipolar depression. I also have something else that I will do a show on later. But, I know that I am not the only one suffering through this. I know that many of you lost a job during the pandemic and are still looking for another. Yet, you also have to pay the bills somehow and support your family. But bipolar depression is more than just losing a job and feeling low. There is more to it. There are people like me who had bipolar depression for most of their life. Now that I mention it, I do exercise every day. But I don’t feel better after I do that. That study that was a few years ago about depression and exercise was in a lab setting. It doesn’t reflect real life. That’s also true with all other scientific research. It probably does help people who have depression but not bipolar depression. So to me, whatever good feeling that exercise does to depression is only temporary. But that is my point of view. You can contact me to argue about this point. I am going to talk about bipolar depression and the pagan way of dealing with this. I am going to play some Inkubus Sukkubus for you. This one is At the Tree At the Lonely Place.

(08:27)

I want to talk about Bipolar disorder before I get into the pagan ways that you can deal with this. Depression is a part of life. You do need to feel the blues at times. But some people can get over it, while others cannot. Bipolar depression is a lifelong disorder. It is unlike regular depression, where you have it for a while, and then it goes away. You are now content. You know that bipolar is a significant mental health issue where you get extreme emotional mood swings. You do get high highs and low lows. And these mood swings can affect your energy level, behavior, sleep, and ability to think clearly. The only things that can help you deal with bipolar depression are lots of psychotherapy and, of course, meditation. Plus, there are other treatments for this form of depression as well. You have to find what fits you. One thing that you can do is to keep track of your symptoms. I already mentioned some of the symptoms, which are feeling sad or worried and having low energy. Other symptoms include too little or too much sleep, a hard time getting out of bed, you're not finding pleasure in what you're used to enjoy doing, you eat too little or too much, and more. Aside from psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy is another good way to handle depression. That teaches you ways to handle all those negative thoughts. Now that I mention all this, if you feel suicidal or plan on other ways to hurt yourself, you must tell someone you trust, call your doctor, call 911 or go to an emergency room. And/or you can call the Suicide Prevention Hotline. In the U.S., it's 1-800-273-8255. In Canada, it's 1-833-456-4566, or you can text them at 45645. There are many other things to talk about when it comes to bipolar depression, but I don't have the time to do it on this show. What I am going to do now is to have you listen to Rainbow Blues by Blackmore's Night.

(14:51)

It's time for another spirit guide of the week. I am going to be talking about the duck. If the duck is your totem animal, it means that you should take note of new opportunities coming your way. To succeed in pursuing new ideas, you have to act quickly. If the duck is your power animal, you need to release any pent-up emotions. You need some help in moving out of difficult times. Even though you are a homebody, you do need the emotional support of others to get you through these times. You can also use affirmations and gratitude to aid you. If your spirit animal is the duck, that means that you are good at dealing with other people’s emotions as a counselor, coach, or therapist. Totem animal duck also lets you know that you are going into a new cycle of either work or a relationship. And the power animal duck is telling you not to take yourself too seriously. But, sometimes, you do need to have fun and be silly. So accept yourself the way that you are and get back that sense of humor and play you once had as a child. That is it for now. Stay tuned for another spirit guide of the week.

(20:12)

That was Gosling Girl by S. J. Tucker. Before talking about Paganism and Depression, I should let you know it is best to find a general therapist first who will help you out with this. I wish there is a Pagan Therapist or Counselor everywhere, but that will be in the distant future. I am sure that I am not the only one, but I found out that pagans are more likely to suffer depression. Part of the reason is that we feel like outcasts, being in a family with opposing faiths and gender and sexual identity. However, depression comes from an abusive background or suffering from anxiety or any form of addiction. Before I go on, if you have suicidal thoughts, please tell someone. Also, if you know of someone who is having these thoughts, please get them to help immediately. What I am going to say about the Pagan perspective of depression is not to replace the advice of your doctor or therapist. However, they can be complementary to the medication and treatment that you are already getting. And these are also not quick fixes either. I know that this is one thing that your therapist will have you do: find and use positive affirmations. Or write in your journal. But from personal experiences, affirmation and journaling aren't for everyone. Meditation has proven to help fight depression. You already know that there are tons of different ones out there in many various forms. You can do mindfulness meditation or ones for casting circles and rituals. I have tried an emotional meditation that allows you to express whatever negative ones you feel. That was an interesting experience. There is one ritual on the internet that I found that is something you can try. It's called the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. I do have the link to it in the show notes for you to try that one out. Another two other things that can help with your depression is a shamanic journey or soul retrieval. You can even do some shadow work. Some spells can even help too. Burn a black candle. Make a witch's bottle or poppet. Divinations can also help—especially tarot reading, by asking questions about your depression to get answers. There is a natural antidepressant that you can try called St. John's Wart. Or drink some camomile, peppermint, or lavender tea. Try aromatherapy. And even though I mentioned that I do this and am still depressed, I can still recommend exercise. Now it is summer, why not go for a walk in nature. There are other alternative ways to heal from depression, like reiki. You get the point. The list goes on and on. And the other thing that you can do to heal from depression is to listen to music, like Heartbeat Healing by Jana Runnalls.

(26:24)

Here's another dream symbol to interpret. There are three in this week's dream symbol. They are nails, name, and neck. If you see nails in your dreams, that means you will work long and hard with little pay. To dream that you hammer nails symbolize your persistence and tenacity. If you had a dream where you hurt yourself with a nail, it's telling you not to open your mouth. That's because you need to be careful of what you say. If you had a dream where you are pulling nails out of something, it means that you are not ready to go forward with a relationship or situation. If in your dreams, you hear your name called out symbolizes that you are in touch with your spirituality. If you dream that you forget your or someone else's name, it's telling you that you are overwhelmed in a current situation. If you changed your name in your dreams, it means that there is a transformation happening in your waking life. To dream that you see a familiar name written somewhere in your dreams represents how you feel towards that person. To see your own neck in your dreams indicates the relationship between the mind and the body. And if your neck is sore or injured in your dreams, it is letting you know of the separation between your heart and mind. If you want a dream symbol to interpret and maybe have a dream symbol featured; the contact information will be mentioned at the end of this show.

(31:40)

Again, if you are listening to this podcast in a moving vehicle, please skip ahead. This next track comes from the LP Stress Relief Meditation: Guided Meditations for Busy People by Dr. Ramdesh. In keeping with the theme of this show, this track is called Guided Meditation for Relieving Depression.

(41:40)

That was You Say You’re Happy Now by Unto Ashes. Before that you heard, I Called Your Name by :Of the Wand and the Moon. That is it for the show. Again I am your host, Midnight Starr. If you have a suggestion for a song, show topic, spirit guide, or dream symbol; Or you just want to like, share, or comment; you can do so at goddess vault one dot wixsite dot com forward slash home. Through the Music from the Goddess’ Vault Facebook Page, and on Instagram and Twitter at Goddess Vault. I am going to leave you with some Ginger Doss We Are Love.