22 July 2016 - QA 5

In spite of being an Art of Living practitioner for over 20 years, I still struggle with depression. What are your concrete recommendations? Should I do more chanting? Or seva? Or more meditation? Or work with my mind? Gratefully yours.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

First of all, there is a mantra for depression. You want to know how to get depressed? Sit and think about, 'What about me? What about me? What about me?' You will get depressed. When you come out of that, and see, What is it I can do, how I can contribute? You will have no time to sit and brood over yourself.

So, service activities is one thing. Then of course practice meditation and listen to knowledge. I have made number of knowledge series. All of this will definitely uplift you. If you have any doubt about it, just for sometime stop everything and see what happens. Just one week don’t do any breathing exercises, or any meditation and see what happens. Then you will know the effectiveness of what you’re doing, and how it is saving you from drowning into depression.