Doubt recently is a huge thing with me. It seems to have a negative ring for most people, but I've caught myself saying it a lot, because my life is filled up to the brim with doubt in the present. I opened up my book again just to pick another chapter that looked interesting and that I could use for good, all about doubt. Once again, this is extremely interesting to me. The more I read of Zen teachings, the more I feel I belong here. It is the only thing to date I've ever read or learned or heard about that resonates with the way I believe and think and makes (so far) 100% sense to me, it just 'fits'. It gives me a warmth and peace to read about it, and makes me feel like I am already home, everything is already fine, no matter what. There is no getting saved, there is no repenting, none of the nonsense that will never make sense to me. Everything I need, I already have. It is an all encompassing feeling of acceptance and simplicity. What more could I want? Anyone that knows me, know I am never satisfied with someone's word, I question everything and I research and research myself and sometimes still, never satisfied with a 'truth' in whatever situation. .... Sharing a bit more through my depression experience- a good thing right? right.
=)
"Many people come to religion, including Zen and Buddhism, looking for that certainty. They hope that through religion they can have their doubts relieved. Some religions and teachers do offer assurances. They promise a certain and safe place in an uncertain and sometimes dangerous world.
But in depression all the reassuring and comfortable touchstones we had (or thought we had) are gone. We feel adrift, with nothing to believe in. The doubt within us sits heavily in the pits of our stomachs. We can't seem to get rid of it no matter how hard we try. When our doubt grows big enough, we want to expel it, to get rid of it forever. We want certainty in its place. Failing that, we at least want to find something we can believe in.
Unpleasant as this place may feel at first, it is actually a very good place to be."
"Typically, we may look to religion or philosophy for some belief or explanation that can be a safe harbor in the storm. But in our life the storm rages on. There are no such safe harbors. There never have been."
"...Instead, we are told to examine everything. We are encouraged to doubt. We are urged not to believe anything until it has been proven to us through our own direct experience." "Often, doubt is what brings us to Zen teachings and mediation in the first place- doubt over who we are, why life is so painful, and why we should live knowing we will die. We must then take this doubt, meditate with it, and digest it, until it fills our whole being."
"We must become willing to reside in the midst of this enormous doubt and let it be all right. In fact, we must accept that it may never be resolved and that this will still be all right.
This means we continually question; we never simply accept the answers given us. It means that we do not hold on to the answers even when we have discovered them for ourselves.
If we can live with this doubt, we can then be continually ready to be surprised- by life, by ourselves, by our answers, by our experience."
" To live in doubt is to live in mystery, to let it be large and vital in our lives. Human life is bigger than anything we can ever believe or understand about it.
This is why the doubt we are given in depression, is a gift and a great teaching."
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Happy Xmas Eve!!
We had a lovely time with my one and only local friend here and her family. Us adults got to (kind of) relax and eat and drink and all that good stuff us adults like to do.. while our children got to run around like little crack addicts wearing themselves out before the joys of Christmas morning overtakes them. A good time was had by all. Then Chris and I got to come home, rush kids into jammies and then into beds so we could play Santa for another year. This has become tradition.. the last minute dragging out gifts stashed in various places, that may take a few to remember all where, sitting around chatting and wrapping and talking about what is to come. Fortunately, our kiddos passed out like lights and were not heard nor seen! Santa has come and I am giddy with excitement for them tomorrow when they wake up. I have been told that on Christmas morning, opening presents in your pj's before brushing of teeth or eating of breakfast, or cleaning of house is what is done. Well, I didn't grow up with Christmas so I have no idea about this all. All I do know is that I live according to schedules and without those schedules forms chaos which I don't live well with so......... if it were up to me I would get the kids bathed and ready for the day before the whole present thing happened.. I'd also have the house cleaned so I could relax and be okay with sitting around taking pictures and smiling, laughing and helping to rip paper. Chris has said there will be NO baths first, NO cleaning, no nothing, Christmas first because that is what it is to be a kid on Christmas. Gosh, this is hard for me!!! But I guess I will get up super early to at least vacuum the house so at least I know the floor they are sitting on is clean lol. Okay, so maybe I have a sickness, wait.. I knew that.
May all of you have a very happy, merry, peaceful and fulfilling Christmas. I hope your day is spent with those you love, at least some of them. I would say I hope you get what you wanted but as we all know (us adults that is), this is not what Christmas is about. My joy lies in that of my childrens joy to be surprised and excited by things left under the tree for them that they've not asked for. This is my most favorite holiday not because of gifts, lord know that is stressful enough for us all. Not for receiveing gifts because I am not one to ask for things or care what I receive, but because I get to GIVE which I love more than anything, and I get to spend an entire day with my immediate family which happens only once a week normally, and my extended family who we are blessed to have.
I'm tired! and I must get to bed before small people will have me up much earlier than is healthy. ;)
Monday, December 22, 2008
Party and some stuff
okay so we had rye rye's bash yesterday and that was fun. i put so much mental (and some physical too) energy into that it seemed like i blinked, the kids were in bed and the day was done. as i look around at all the balloons and decorations covering the walls, i am saddened this is all life is, one moment in time and then it is gone- forever. that leads me back into dark places in my brain again that life is all one big waste of time. i mean, it is. i dont care what any of you 'believe' what you're doing here or where you're going afterwards. i believe we're all ending up in the same place after trying so hard to stay caught up while we're here...
i think it's important to let go of it all. one day it's here and the next it will be gone, so enjoy it while it's here because all we will have are memories. =( memories fade, and that is the real sad part.
last night i got sad, so sad i teared up some at the thought of my kids growing older. turning into different kids right before my eyes, only i'm too busy to notice until a photograph reminds me. and it is SO fast folks i mean. most of us spend our days doing unimportant things, things we HAVE to do to once again, get through this life to something we think waits for us on the other side. for me it's death, so what am i killing myself for now? lol. stop and enjoy every moment. this is my new focus. stop craving material things. simplify your lives. don't expend ANY energy on other people besides the ones that truly matter and are worth something so precious. worry when you have a reason to. don't envy. dont hate. hoping can be a good thing but not if when your hope turns into something unexpected, it lets you down. in that case, don't hope. just live with no expectations of what is to come. life happens as it should i believe and every day is just us turning another page over in each of our written books. i'm waiting to get to the REALLY good part. but for now, i am waking up to see what this day holds for me.
having said all of this, i am still sad to see the time go. it makes me feel old. it makes me think ahead (which isn't something good) of when my kids will be grown, i will be older and looking back fondly on these times that now, seem like one hell of stress. i dont want to be old. i dont want my kids to grow up. i am holding fast to my life as it is, although not perfect, hell even not ideal. im afraid to move past it. im afraid to be OLD. im afraid for my kids to leave me. i am afraid to lose my worth and be faced with my own demons that for now, i can easily stave off. i look for things to busy me, to distract me, and with the 4 kiddos you don't have to look far.
am i ready to do this all over again? no. but i still crave the brand new smell of a baby. the way you can snuggle and cuddle them as much as you want to without much protest. the way they fall asleep after a full belly. the way they cry as hard as their lungs allow, and even that isn't 'loud'. i miss being all they need. i miss being 'needed'. i miss all these moments that get clouded and then drowned out by all the sleepless, hormonal nightmarish nights that i don't miss. ;)
...
..
.
that's all for now. what you see is what you get. i'm not afraid to be honest. the food was good, the cake was too. i got alot of good pics of my little smurf and enjoyed being with family. one more piece of me has disappeared with another year.
He turned quite blue heehee, bath water did too!
i think it's important to let go of it all. one day it's here and the next it will be gone, so enjoy it while it's here because all we will have are memories. =( memories fade, and that is the real sad part.
last night i got sad, so sad i teared up some at the thought of my kids growing older. turning into different kids right before my eyes, only i'm too busy to notice until a photograph reminds me. and it is SO fast folks i mean. most of us spend our days doing unimportant things, things we HAVE to do to once again, get through this life to something we think waits for us on the other side. for me it's death, so what am i killing myself for now? lol. stop and enjoy every moment. this is my new focus. stop craving material things. simplify your lives. don't expend ANY energy on other people besides the ones that truly matter and are worth something so precious. worry when you have a reason to. don't envy. dont hate. hoping can be a good thing but not if when your hope turns into something unexpected, it lets you down. in that case, don't hope. just live with no expectations of what is to come. life happens as it should i believe and every day is just us turning another page over in each of our written books. i'm waiting to get to the REALLY good part. but for now, i am waking up to see what this day holds for me.
having said all of this, i am still sad to see the time go. it makes me feel old. it makes me think ahead (which isn't something good) of when my kids will be grown, i will be older and looking back fondly on these times that now, seem like one hell of stress. i dont want to be old. i dont want my kids to grow up. i am holding fast to my life as it is, although not perfect, hell even not ideal. im afraid to move past it. im afraid to be OLD. im afraid for my kids to leave me. i am afraid to lose my worth and be faced with my own demons that for now, i can easily stave off. i look for things to busy me, to distract me, and with the 4 kiddos you don't have to look far.
am i ready to do this all over again? no. but i still crave the brand new smell of a baby. the way you can snuggle and cuddle them as much as you want to without much protest. the way they fall asleep after a full belly. the way they cry as hard as their lungs allow, and even that isn't 'loud'. i miss being all they need. i miss being 'needed'. i miss all these moments that get clouded and then drowned out by all the sleepless, hormonal nightmarish nights that i don't miss. ;)
...
..
.
that's all for now. what you see is what you get. i'm not afraid to be honest. the food was good, the cake was too. i got alot of good pics of my little smurf and enjoyed being with family. one more piece of me has disappeared with another year.
He turned quite blue heehee, bath water did too!
YUMMY spinach lasagna that everyone loved, including baby Rye bear and his carnivorous father. ;)
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Thursday, December 18, 2008
I have a ONE YEAR OLD today.
And I'm not too excited about it. I could quite easily break down and cry that my life and those of my children are just running off alongside me and I can't catch up no matter how fast I run. =( We had a good day today, and good thing because he deserves it. =)
We took him to dinner, and for ice cream with just Mommy and Daddy because that is what we do in our family when birthdays roll around now. =) Sunday we'll throw his little celebration with just my Mom and Sis and our gang.. have cake, presents and lots of camera flashes. I want to make him a special dish he would like but I haven't figured out what.. he could live on cheese, he is a mouse. Bears don't eat cheese, maybe I should change his name.
Happy Birthday to the softest, sweetest teddy bear I will ever hold. You are golden. And I thank God he blessed us with you. We love you Rye.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Happy Birthday To you Chrissy Poo. =D
<3 How do I love thee let me count the ways <3
I figure now that you are quite old, you may need a reason for each year you've been here. ;) Oh, and also, I pretty much suck at telling you most days.. my emotions trapped behind a steel door sometimes. =(
1. You love me without conditions.
2. You think I'm beautiful when I think nothing of myself.
3. You are a very involved father (something HUGE to me).
4. You have grown into a wonderful, caring, thoughtful and selfless parent.
5. You work hard even for little at times.
6. You don't get 'mad' at much of anything at all- ever.
7. You let me make decisions that are important for me to make.
8. You are not controlling, you push me into doing things just for ME because you know I have a hard time doing so.
9. You don't let things get to you, you know how to let go.
10. You will embarass the whole clan of us in public if it will make one of the kids laugh.
11. You don't care what people think. This used to bother me but now I realize it's better than caring too much.
12. You fold laundry.
13. You will do about everything I ask you to, even if it means buying me tampons or Monistat lol.
14. You change diapers (sexy!).
15. You are an awesome cook.
16. You've learned what my standard of 'clean' is and you strive for it when you make a mess. ;)
17. You make me laugh.
18. You are never very serious (annoying mostly but sometimes I need it because I am serious enough for us all).
19. You have rough, scarred hands because you work hard for what we have, and I love them. =)
20. You share the complete chaos known as 'bedtime'.
21. You give really good hugs.
22. You've been an excellent labor 'coach' for our 3 babies.
23. You aren't afraid to cry.
24. You fix just about anything (and it works!).
25. You put our children first.
26. You put the optimism in our life.
27. You are fun to be around.
28. You consider and treat me as though I am your wife, even without a piece of paper.
Happy 28 Chrissy =D I am still waiting impatiently for the big 30 hehe.
I love you. I am happy we have grown more together in the last year and a half than we have in the previous 4. The trials of life have been testing us, and we have passed the test. You drive me nuts at times, but I'm still here. ;) I see more fun and unexpected years ahead, and I look forward to them, with you.
I figure now that you are quite old, you may need a reason for each year you've been here. ;) Oh, and also, I pretty much suck at telling you most days.. my emotions trapped behind a steel door sometimes. =(
1. You love me without conditions.
2. You think I'm beautiful when I think nothing of myself.
3. You are a very involved father (something HUGE to me).
4. You have grown into a wonderful, caring, thoughtful and selfless parent.
5. You work hard even for little at times.
6. You don't get 'mad' at much of anything at all- ever.
7. You let me make decisions that are important for me to make.
8. You are not controlling, you push me into doing things just for ME because you know I have a hard time doing so.
9. You don't let things get to you, you know how to let go.
10. You will embarass the whole clan of us in public if it will make one of the kids laugh.
11. You don't care what people think. This used to bother me but now I realize it's better than caring too much.
12. You fold laundry.
13. You will do about everything I ask you to, even if it means buying me tampons or Monistat lol.
14. You change diapers (sexy!).
15. You are an awesome cook.
16. You've learned what my standard of 'clean' is and you strive for it when you make a mess. ;)
17. You make me laugh.
18. You are never very serious (annoying mostly but sometimes I need it because I am serious enough for us all).
19. You have rough, scarred hands because you work hard for what we have, and I love them. =)
20. You share the complete chaos known as 'bedtime'.
21. You give really good hugs.
22. You've been an excellent labor 'coach' for our 3 babies.
23. You aren't afraid to cry.
24. You fix just about anything (and it works!).
25. You put our children first.
26. You put the optimism in our life.
27. You are fun to be around.
28. You consider and treat me as though I am your wife, even without a piece of paper.
Happy 28 Chrissy =D I am still waiting impatiently for the big 30 hehe.
I love you. I am happy we have grown more together in the last year and a half than we have in the previous 4. The trials of life have been testing us, and we have passed the test. You drive me nuts at times, but I'm still here. ;) I see more fun and unexpected years ahead, and I look forward to them, with you.
Happy Birthday!!
To Uncle "Mikey Beans"!!!!!!!! =D We love you and wish we saw you more often. Hope your day is FUN!
Monday, December 15, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
(yesterday) To my one and only sister. I love and miss you and I can't wait to see you this weekend!!
*cupcake smiles* =D
*cupcake smiles* =D
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Shot on the Spot
*this is my happy face*
1) Take a picture of yourself right NOW!
2) DON'T change your clothes, DON'T fix your hair... Just take a picture.
3) Post that picture with NO editing.
4) Post these instructions with your picture.
5)Tag 10 people to do this..On your mark, get set and GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
new ideas
so, i've been concentrating some of my mental (and physical) energy in trying to deck the house out in christmas stuff. i've aquired some cute things from http://freecycle.org/. thanks freecycle! and have saved some money in decorations! well, more like saved me from being super bummed we can't make our house look like it's christmas because i have no money to do so! normally, we have a tree and do lights, a wreath and that's about it. well, it's become my new obsession to collect everything i possibly can to go all out for christmas each year. this is my most favorite time of year weatherwise, so naturally christmas became my most favorite holiday also. i could care less about the rest really, so besides a couple little things for halloween and whatnot.. the kids and i will be looking forward to christmas even more! this year i got the girl's a tree and well i'd say the boy's but rye isn't sharing the room that is now jude's yet, but will soon be both of theirs... so jude's got his own tree too! if i can manage to save any money this month (christmas and 2 birthdays just in our own family circle alone this month), i will try to buy some clearance items for the coming year. i'm not holding my breath though. ;)
The front door is actually the most important part of the house. It is the point where energy enters into the home. It is the symbolic point for opportunities to come into your life. So by having a red front door you are bringing high energy into that area. However, that does not mean that you have to go and paint the front door red. You can simply put some red by the door, which would achieve the same object. Some red flowers by the door, for example, or some red in a wreath on the door, or a welcome mat would work. This would bring the same energy as a red door."
In China, it's tradition to paint the front door red before the new year, to invite good luck and happiness.
In Catholocism, the red door on a chapel symbolized the blood of christ, and other martyrs, to signify that the ground beyond the door (inside the church) was holy, and a sanctuary from physical and spiritual evils.
In Ireland, front doors are painted red to ward-off ghosts and evil spirits.
Soooo.. I thought it very interesting to read that after my unknown obsession with doing it. and since chris wouldn't buy me any red paint today, i went and painted it white (it's already white), just to make it look decent enough to put a wreath on.. but needless to say, my next project will be a red door on my house. i plan to pick and buy my shade this week! i will post that pic when it's done too. =)
amidst all of this 'newness' going on, it has been very refreshing and maybe a bit distracting.. or just refreshing? for my mind. yesterday in talking to chris about a project i wanted to do with our pumpkins from halloween (once that is completed and if it looks like it should, i'll post pics), i got this bug up my butt to paint our front door RED. i don't know why exactly, but i couldn't shake the desire to do this. chris of course immediately shot the idea down.. but i kept pressing.. well, cause that's what i do. i brought it back up today and he is no warmer to the idea but just because he feels like he is going to get stuck with a repaint job, should i (or when i ) become bored. men always think like that don't they? "hmm, how could this turn into more work for ME?". well i had mentioned the idea to a friend of mine, who also said she loves red doors and then she sent me this info.. at which i of course, did some more reading because it intrigued me so..
The front door is actually the most important part of the house. It is the point where energy enters into the home. It is the symbolic point for opportunities to come into your life. So by having a red front door you are bringing high energy into that area. However, that does not mean that you have to go and paint the front door red. You can simply put some red by the door, which would achieve the same object. Some red flowers by the door, for example, or some red in a wreath on the door, or a welcome mat would work. This would bring the same energy as a red door."
In China, it's tradition to paint the front door red before the new year, to invite good luck and happiness.
In Catholocism, the red door on a chapel symbolized the blood of christ, and other martyrs, to signify that the ground beyond the door (inside the church) was holy, and a sanctuary from physical and spiritual evils.
In Ireland, front doors are painted red to ward-off ghosts and evil spirits.
Soooo.. I thought it very interesting to read that after my unknown obsession with doing it. and since chris wouldn't buy me any red paint today, i went and painted it white (it's already white), just to make it look decent enough to put a wreath on.. but needless to say, my next project will be a red door on my house. i plan to pick and buy my shade this week! i will post that pic when it's done too. =)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
always changing
as much as it seems our life is unchanging, my feelings about it are. today, i feel a sense of approaching a place of acceptation. there can be good and about about that place i think. good in the fact that you have learned what your place is here on earth, at this time, and it may not be where you think you should be, or that it's even fair, but it doesn't change what is. bad in that, sometimes learning to accept, means learning to stop trying to change something. also, it's good to remember that there is absolutely nothing in this life that is permanent, nothing at all. life is just a cycle. this (just now) made me think of a book i began reading years ago.. while in another depression and so i (just now) went and grabbed it off the bookshelf beside me to read some. I never finished reading it back then, but it is hitting me in the face where i am in my life right now. i think it's time i finish it. =)
"all things are impermanent.. everything put together falls apart."
"like washing a clod of dirt in muddy water." "still our practice is to go on, right in the midst of hopelessness."
"We want to have the things that give us pleasure remain as they are. Indeed, we want our very selves to remain constant. But this truth of impermanence tells us not only that nothing lasts forever, but that nothing remains the same. The world around us, and we ourselves, are changing from moment to moment. Death is nothing but a more drastic change in a world where everything is changing anyway."
"We would like to feel that we stand on solid ground, that there is constancy, certainty and permanence that can support us. But if we choose to try to depend on such constancy, we are left standing on air."
"Standing atop a hundred-foot pole, take one step forward." Impermanence is that hundred-foot pole. Or, rather our attachment and desire for permanence is the hundred-foot pole we remain tethered to, afraid to move. It is what keeps our lives small and confined, no larger than the top of the pole.
"We can step forward into that world of impermanence. Who knows? Rather than falling, we may find a new freedom. We may fall into the beauty of impermanence.
Every gardener knows that it is the very impermanence of the blossoms that makes them precious. The beauty of the garden lies in it's constantly changing nature, in the waves of colors and shapes that are constantly moving through it.
The beauty of the world lies in the same constant movement. We can step into this beauty, into the midst of all that is dying and being born around us."
"all things are impermanent.. everything put together falls apart."
"like washing a clod of dirt in muddy water." "still our practice is to go on, right in the midst of hopelessness."
"We want to have the things that give us pleasure remain as they are. Indeed, we want our very selves to remain constant. But this truth of impermanence tells us not only that nothing lasts forever, but that nothing remains the same. The world around us, and we ourselves, are changing from moment to moment. Death is nothing but a more drastic change in a world where everything is changing anyway."
"We would like to feel that we stand on solid ground, that there is constancy, certainty and permanence that can support us. But if we choose to try to depend on such constancy, we are left standing on air."
"Standing atop a hundred-foot pole, take one step forward." Impermanence is that hundred-foot pole. Or, rather our attachment and desire for permanence is the hundred-foot pole we remain tethered to, afraid to move. It is what keeps our lives small and confined, no larger than the top of the pole.
"We can step forward into that world of impermanence. Who knows? Rather than falling, we may find a new freedom. We may fall into the beauty of impermanence.
Every gardener knows that it is the very impermanence of the blossoms that makes them precious. The beauty of the garden lies in it's constantly changing nature, in the waves of colors and shapes that are constantly moving through it.
The beauty of the world lies in the same constant movement. We can step into this beauty, into the midst of all that is dying and being born around us."
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Zzz
So the past couple of days I've been sleeping REALLY deeply. I am the lightest sleeper I know besides 2 of my kids so this is quite unusual for me. I still hear Rye, so he is good at waking me up at least once a night to nurse. I am supposed to get up at 6:45 every morning well, today I never heard my alarm, any alarm at all and Chris's went off twice! So it was he who woke me up at 7, ahhhhh! I need those 15 mins to beat the other 2 to the one bathroom we have. But oh well, hopefully that was just a fluke and I won't not hear the alarm every morning. Besides the fact of needing to get up in the morning, the better sleeping thing is MUCH needed by me. A side effect of the St. Johns? Maybe... At any rate, I'm long overdue, so I'll take it!
Does St. John's wort extract negatively affect sleep like other antidepressant agents?
No. While antidepressant drugs, particularly tricyclic antidepressants and MAO inhibitors, interfere with REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and reduce sleep quality, St. John's wort has been shown to not interfere with REM sleep and to actually improve sleep quality and well-being.19 The ability to improve sleep quality may turn out to be a key mechanism of action for St. John's wort extract. It does not act as a sedative (i.e., it does not reduce sleep onset) nor does it change total sleep duration. It simply improves sleep quality. St. John's wort accomplishes this when given in divided dosages throughout the day (e.g., 300 mg three times daily).
Does St. John's wort extract negatively affect sleep like other antidepressant agents?
No. While antidepressant drugs, particularly tricyclic antidepressants and MAO inhibitors, interfere with REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and reduce sleep quality, St. John's wort has been shown to not interfere with REM sleep and to actually improve sleep quality and well-being.19 The ability to improve sleep quality may turn out to be a key mechanism of action for St. John's wort extract. It does not act as a sedative (i.e., it does not reduce sleep onset) nor does it change total sleep duration. It simply improves sleep quality. St. John's wort accomplishes this when given in divided dosages throughout the day (e.g., 300 mg three times daily).
Monday, December 1, 2008
Day 3
on my quest for happiness.
HA HA. totally kidding.
but, it is day 3 since i've started taking st. johns wort. i have high hopes this will work well for me, it's no sissy herb! i took it years ago during a very stressful and traumatic time in my life.. custody battles etc.. as much stress as i've got now, that tops it.. and it took the edge off what i was going through. it is said to work for mild to moderately severe depression, which i know i fall between. it's said to rival that of some of your commonly prescribed anti-anxiety and anti-depressants, that's what we need! here is some more info on it in case you're interested.. i'll post as time goes on and my experience with it's effectiveneess in my particular situation. I should start to notice some effects in 2 weeks time, but of course not feel the full effects for 6-8 wks.
St. John's wort ( Hypericum perforatum ), once thought to rid the body of evil spirits, has a history of medicinal use dating back to ancient Greece, where it was used to treat a range of illnesses, including various 'nervous conditions.' St. John's wort also has antibacterial and antiviral properties and, because of its anti-inflammatory properties, has been used to help heal wounds and burns.
In recent years, there has been renewed interest in St. John's wort as a treatment for depression and there has been a great deal of scientific research on this topic. St. John's wort is one of the most commonly purchased herbal products in the United States. Because St. John's wort interacts with a wide variety of medications, it is important to take it only under the guidance of a healthcare provider who is knowledgeable about herbal medicines.
Depression
In numerous studies, St. John's wort has been effective in reducing depressive symptoms in those with mild to moderate but not severe (called major) depression. When compared with tricyclic anti-depressants (medication frequently prescribed for this condition) such as imipramine, amitriptyline, doxepin, desipramine, and nortriptyline, St. John's wort is equally effective, and has fewer side effects. This also appears to be true for another well known class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) including fluoxetine and sertraline
More can be found here:
http://www.doctormurray.com/articles/worteditorial.htm
HA HA. totally kidding.
but, it is day 3 since i've started taking st. johns wort. i have high hopes this will work well for me, it's no sissy herb! i took it years ago during a very stressful and traumatic time in my life.. custody battles etc.. as much stress as i've got now, that tops it.. and it took the edge off what i was going through. it is said to work for mild to moderately severe depression, which i know i fall between. it's said to rival that of some of your commonly prescribed anti-anxiety and anti-depressants, that's what we need! here is some more info on it in case you're interested.. i'll post as time goes on and my experience with it's effectiveneess in my particular situation. I should start to notice some effects in 2 weeks time, but of course not feel the full effects for 6-8 wks.
St. John's wort ( Hypericum perforatum ), once thought to rid the body of evil spirits, has a history of medicinal use dating back to ancient Greece, where it was used to treat a range of illnesses, including various 'nervous conditions.' St. John's wort also has antibacterial and antiviral properties and, because of its anti-inflammatory properties, has been used to help heal wounds and burns.
In recent years, there has been renewed interest in St. John's wort as a treatment for depression and there has been a great deal of scientific research on this topic. St. John's wort is one of the most commonly purchased herbal products in the United States. Because St. John's wort interacts with a wide variety of medications, it is important to take it only under the guidance of a healthcare provider who is knowledgeable about herbal medicines.
Depression
In numerous studies, St. John's wort has been effective in reducing depressive symptoms in those with mild to moderate but not severe (called major) depression. When compared with tricyclic anti-depressants (medication frequently prescribed for this condition) such as imipramine, amitriptyline, doxepin, desipramine, and nortriptyline, St. John's wort is equally effective, and has fewer side effects. This also appears to be true for another well known class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) including fluoxetine and sertraline
More can be found here:
http://www.doctormurray.com/articles/worteditorial.htm
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