Hope, poetry and depression

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –  

Rachel Kelly, author of Black Rainbow

I loved this beautiful short video, sent to me by a friend, featuring Rachel Kelly, who healed her depression through poetry.

This might sound peculiar, but we need more creative and positive approaches. Depression is a growing problem in our society, and there is no clear answer to how it should be treated and healed. While medication can play a part, it is extremely overused. The ‘chemical imbalance’ theory, on which the drug treatments are based, now seems to be discredited.

Another approach, which may resonate with many, is to look for the meaning of the depression. What feelings and needs are asking to be heard? What purpose is wanting to incarnate itself in your life? Instead of treating it as merely a sickness of the soul, perhaps it can be seen as the beginnings of health.