What do you think?
Rate this book
The Depression Book: Depression as an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth
This Zen guide to utilizing depression as an opportunity for spiritual growth and personal acceptance includes personal accounts, written excercises, and meditation instructions.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
18 people are currently reading
709 people want to read
About the author
Cheri Huber
53 books163 followersCheri Huber, author of 20 books, has been a student and teacher of Zen for over 35 years. In 1983, Cheri founded the Mountain View Zen Center, and in 1987 she founded the Zen Monastery Peace Center near Murphys, California. She and the monks at the Monastery conduct workshops and retreats at these centers, other places around the U.S., and internationally.
In 1997, Cheri founded Living Compassion, a nonprofit organization dedicated to peace and service. Living Compassion’s primary work is the Africa Vulnerable Children Project, based in Zambia, where for over a decade they have been working with the people of Kantolomba, beginning the process of turning a slum of 11,000 people into a self-sustaining community.
Cheri also has a weekly Internet based radio show.
In 1997, Cheri founded Living Compassion, a nonprofit organization dedicated to peace and service. Living Compassion’s primary work is the Africa Vulnerable Children Project, based in Zambia, where for over a decade they have been working with the people of Kantolomba, beginning the process of turning a slum of 11,000 people into a self-sustaining community.
Cheri also has a weekly Internet based radio show.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 19, 2008
I love this book I suffer from depression and this book has done for me what the Zoloft could not do: understand my depression
July 27, 2018
Not really sure what to make of this book. It might be a really good read for someone who struggles with depression that is caused by stress or life-struggles. However, as someone with Bipolar II, who has spent over a decade studying meditation and centering techniques in an attempt to alleviate the depression that comes with my mental illness, I found the constant reiteration that finding the CAUSE of the depression will allow you to move past it almost insulting. The cause of my depression is an imbalance in the neurotransmitters in my brain. I've known that for several years - hasn't stopped the depression or even shortened cycles. However, for those who have depression as a reaction to an external stressor, it's not bad advice.
June 8, 2011
Once I'd got over my dislike of the cover (a more depressing book visually I cannot imagine), my problem with the handwriting and drawings (I kept thinking 'couldn't they have chosen a prettier script and better illustrations?' before I realised that this reaction was exactly the sort of perfectionism that results in anxiety/depression), I gained many really useful insights from this book. Take this:
'If your hair were on fire, it would not be helpful to panic and race around in all directions at once... Nor would it be a good idea to take a nap... What would be helpful? Get present, assess the situation, then move as quickly as possible to the nearest source of help. And I would encourage you to pull out all the stops. Staying with our hair-on-fire analogy, dunk your head underwaterwater, grab a fire extinguisher, smother the flames, yell for help. In other words, see your physician, see a therapist, start an awareness practice, learn to meditate.'
Given when I'm down I can veer from mania to duvet diving, this struck a nerve, and there was more, too. Interestingly, it shares a lot of the reasoning I found in 'Sunbathing in the Rain' by Gwyneth Lewis. Personally - and this is subjective - I preferred Sunbathing, as I loved Lewis' writing and the author's life experiences resonated strongly with my own. I also liked 'Shoot the Damn Dog' by Sally Brampton. But I would, as indicated by the quote above, suggest one adds this to meds/therapy/other books when pulling out the stops to heal oneself. Especially as only takes an hour or two to read, if rather longer to put into practice.
'If your hair were on fire, it would not be helpful to panic and race around in all directions at once... Nor would it be a good idea to take a nap... What would be helpful? Get present, assess the situation, then move as quickly as possible to the nearest source of help. And I would encourage you to pull out all the stops. Staying with our hair-on-fire analogy, dunk your head underwaterwater, grab a fire extinguisher, smother the flames, yell for help. In other words, see your physician, see a therapist, start an awareness practice, learn to meditate.'
Given when I'm down I can veer from mania to duvet diving, this struck a nerve, and there was more, too. Interestingly, it shares a lot of the reasoning I found in 'Sunbathing in the Rain' by Gwyneth Lewis. Personally - and this is subjective - I preferred Sunbathing, as I loved Lewis' writing and the author's life experiences resonated strongly with my own. I also liked 'Shoot the Damn Dog' by Sally Brampton. But I would, as indicated by the quote above, suggest one adds this to meds/therapy/other books when pulling out the stops to heal oneself. Especially as only takes an hour or two to read, if rather longer to put into practice.
April 1, 2015
A lot of good ideas, but somewhat lacking in practical advice. OK, we're not supposed to resist depression, but how do we not resist it without wallowing in it and becoming slaves to it? Like a lot of introductory Zen texts, I always feel frustrated, like there's something not being said that I'm just supposed to intuitively know how to do, and I don't. Still, some throught-provoking ideas that I might find helpful. Will reread and reconsider.
December 26, 2023
Tämä oli todella hyvä kirja vaikeiden, raskaalta tuntuvien tunteiden kohtaamiseen ja synkkään oloon. Kirja auttoi näkemään asioita eri kulmasta ja antoi paljon ajateltavaa. Yksi tärkeimpiä kuluneen vuoden lukukokemuksiani!
May 5, 2015
Of all the people who say "I am depressed," there are some experiencing a clinical condition that is very serious, beyond the control of willpower, and can in fact spiral downward into life-threatening complications. A change of attitude and a little meditation is not a panacea for a psychiatric disorder.
Others who refer to "depression" refer to a generalized category of soul-numbing patterns of thought that suppress feelings and flatten one's inspiration, and it may feel out of control to one who has given up. For the latter, Zen teacher Cheri Huber offers some suggestions for reframing one's experience of despair, fear, resistance, melancholy, existential fatigue - and turning it into a creative basis for awakening.
The direction of the book is constructive and positive, and emphasizes simple, practical meditation as the basis for untying those knots which are tied by none other than ourselves. It is an important contribution to our attitudes about depression and encapsulates core Buddhist teaching with hardly a mention of the Buddha or Buddhism. It is also fun to read, often hilarious, sensible - and unsparing. One of the basic and essential works of this important modern guide.
Others who refer to "depression" refer to a generalized category of soul-numbing patterns of thought that suppress feelings and flatten one's inspiration, and it may feel out of control to one who has given up. For the latter, Zen teacher Cheri Huber offers some suggestions for reframing one's experience of despair, fear, resistance, melancholy, existential fatigue - and turning it into a creative basis for awakening.
The direction of the book is constructive and positive, and emphasizes simple, practical meditation as the basis for untying those knots which are tied by none other than ourselves. It is an important contribution to our attitudes about depression and encapsulates core Buddhist teaching with hardly a mention of the Buddha or Buddhism. It is also fun to read, often hilarious, sensible - and unsparing. One of the basic and essential works of this important modern guide.
August 22, 2008
An honest, non-coddling, supportive, caring suggestion on how to re-wire your brain to love yourself. When I was in an extremely good mood, this book seemed silly and unnecessary. When I was feeling truly down and worthless, I couldn't bear to look at this book. In the times I was ebbing in and out of my various moods, this book touched upon truths that I know deeply. The guiding words could be taken differently by one person on different days. To be "depressed" seems almost a cliche label these days, but many people feel a little negative now and then. I find myself reflecting on the writer's words often.
September 14, 2015
I like it.
It is written in a straigh forward and simple manner and gives you something to think about.
I disagree with the fact that we just "depress" ourselves. Some peoples depression is caused by a chemical imblance in the brain and is due to a lack of serotonin.
It is good to be aware of what causes you to feel depressed or a deep, deep sadness. Or even being aware of the emotions/symptoms that are caused by your depression. ie anxiety, sleeplessness, irratability, anger, fatigue etc.
The more familiar you become with your own personal experience of how you feel, the better able you are to work with improving the state of your mental health.
Be good to yourself, eat well, get adequate sleep, some excercise ( short/long walks) and lots and lots of sunshine whenever possible.
Its a good simple straight forward book to read and not challenging at all. Particularly if you are not up to reading or doing anything much.
Take on board what relates to you and work with it. Small steps are the best. Then read it again and see what new insights you become aware of and go from there.
It is written in a straigh forward and simple manner and gives you something to think about.
I disagree with the fact that we just "depress" ourselves. Some peoples depression is caused by a chemical imblance in the brain and is due to a lack of serotonin.
It is good to be aware of what causes you to feel depressed or a deep, deep sadness. Or even being aware of the emotions/symptoms that are caused by your depression. ie anxiety, sleeplessness, irratability, anger, fatigue etc.
The more familiar you become with your own personal experience of how you feel, the better able you are to work with improving the state of your mental health.
Be good to yourself, eat well, get adequate sleep, some excercise ( short/long walks) and lots and lots of sunshine whenever possible.
Its a good simple straight forward book to read and not challenging at all. Particularly if you are not up to reading or doing anything much.
Take on board what relates to you and work with it. Small steps are the best. Then read it again and see what new insights you become aware of and go from there.
January 31, 2016
Now this is a really interesting, oddly empowering book on depression, placing it in the context of a person's spiritual state and making recommendations on that basis. Very easy to read. This one cheerfully flies in the face of medical-model "you've got a chemical imbalance" nonsense.
August 3, 2020
I read this since the author was recommended to me, and this was the one that is available.
It was okay for what it was, which is not for me. It simply did not resonate very well. There are recommendations for centering exercises and meditation, which always put me in mind of the song Nothing from A Chorus Line:
As these techniques are clearly helpful for many people, I would stop short of writing them off as absurd, but they are decidedly unhelpful for me. I rarely feeling "uncentered" to begin with, so the result is mostly the kind of anxiety over the process that poor Morales describes in that song.
There were some cogent points about attachment to the idea of being depressed, and the counter productive cycle of making problems worse by avoiding them (the example of not going to the dentist out of fear of going to the dentist was not strictly original but very apt).
I question whether this book would serve people with serious clinical depression particularly well. There are limits to the idea that we "depress ourselves" and that by accepting the feelings we can defeat them. It may be a good starting point for people with pervasive but not especially severe bout of melancholy, though.
It was okay for what it was, which is not for me. It simply did not resonate very well. There are recommendations for centering exercises and meditation, which always put me in mind of the song Nothing from A Chorus Line:
They all felt something
But I felt nothing
Except the feeling
That this bullshit was absurd
As these techniques are clearly helpful for many people, I would stop short of writing them off as absurd, but they are decidedly unhelpful for me. I rarely feeling "uncentered" to begin with, so the result is mostly the kind of anxiety over the process that poor Morales describes in that song.
There were some cogent points about attachment to the idea of being depressed, and the counter productive cycle of making problems worse by avoiding them (the example of not going to the dentist out of fear of going to the dentist was not strictly original but very apt).
I question whether this book would serve people with serious clinical depression particularly well. There are limits to the idea that we "depress ourselves" and that by accepting the feelings we can defeat them. It may be a good starting point for people with pervasive but not especially severe bout of melancholy, though.
May 2, 2024
I found this book on the shelves of a Buddhist monastery I spent time in a few months ago and read it through twice in one day. Sure, it’s about depression which I personally do not struggle yet I love how simply they break down the fact hay any unwanted behavior or condition or action (etc.) is triggered by a thought, that thought was triggered by an emotion, and that emotion stemmed from a sensation in the body. But our lives are so busy and noisy (and overstimulating!) that we so rarely slow down (meditate!) enough to see what’s at the root of these thought processes and actions we take habitually throughout our days. So, this book applies to anyone and everyone who desires making changes in their lives, and helps provide clarity that anyone can change their life if they first make a decision to shift their mindset.
August 3, 2018
Read this in the middle of a pretty hefty depression spiral. And it did quite a good job, not of pulling me out of it, but pulling me more deeply into it, letting myself actually listen to what it was telling me and productively work through a complex pile of emotions and experiences I hadn't let myself look at directly. It's unabashedly spiritual, and frankly better for it. Mindfulness isn't a panacea and depression is a serious, treatable disease, but I at least found this approach helpful and rewarding
July 20, 2021
Our play therapist lent us this book on Monday morning and I finished it on Tuesday morning. It is written in a clear and simple style that allows the reader to understand the process of depression and depressing. Why we often make the same choices again and again even though we are not getting the “results” we want. The explanation of self-indulgence vs self love is revelatory. There are a couple of simple mindfulness exercises and a guide for seated meditation included. I highly recommend this little book for anyone who has ever wanted depression or “bad” feelings to just go away.
June 10, 2020
...una scrittura carina, peculiarità della scrittrice che risulta sempre scorrevole e motivazionale anche se in questo particolare libro (li ho letti tutti) arriva meno che in altri... trattare di depressione è complesso anche se ci sono ottimi spunti di riflessione... non si pone mai come terapista e trovo molto piacevole la meditazione proposta per trovare respiro... Lei sempre un ottima scrittrice!
August 17, 2019
This book was so precious. I loved reading about how depression is a healing force, and that we can both learn from and enjoy it. I found the section about Depression Parties to be especially helpful. This was a sensitive and thoughtful book by a person who obviously has wrestled The Black Dog herself. And it was the first book that taught me to really treasure my depressions.
March 2, 2024
Depresyona direnmeden, önce kabul edip, içinden geçerek dönüştürmeyi anlatıyor. Yazar Budist olduğu için meditasyon ve nefes üzerinde duruyor. Kısaca: Kabul, kendine şefkatli davranmak, meditasyon ve nefes aracılığıyla gelen ruhsal, zihinsel, duygusal, bedensel farkındalıkla yaşama dönmek ve yoluna devam etmek üzerine bir kitap.
May 10, 2018
Generally good, but with such a reliance on metaphors, it's hard to figure out what she's really talking about sometimes. On the practical side there are a couple of really good meditation exercises in here.
August 13, 2020
If you are depressed or need help please speak to a medical professional asap.
My big take away from this is looking inside yourself and reflecting. CBT and meditation works for me.
It's written like a diary or journal. I almost felt as if I had taken someones book and was nosing through.
My big take away from this is looking inside yourself and reflecting. CBT and meditation works for me.
It's written like a diary or journal. I almost felt as if I had taken someones book and was nosing through.
February 8, 2019
Handwritten, kind, experienced: the best book for treatment of depression ever, all based on the things we do and can do differently.
March 24, 2020
really accessible and thought-provoking; short easy read with complicated ideas
January 20, 2024
will be reading more by her
This was great to read and very refreshing and validating. I’m not sold on recording and listening yet, but I will definitely be reading more by her.
This was great to read and very refreshing and validating. I’m not sold on recording and listening yet, but I will definitely be reading more by her.
March 7, 2024
Love all of Cheri Huber’s books. Reading them is like drinking a cup of tea for your soul.
April 3, 2022
"Semplicemente inspirate ed espirate... niente vi separa da tutto ciò che è".
February 18, 2010
Handwritten to help you read it a little differently - perhaps a little slower.
This book hit me at a wonderful time, and has given me language and understanding to use in accepting my experiences and those of others. I imagine that it could be a book that could spiral around, with added potential each time. I recommend it.
This book hit me at a wonderful time, and has given me language and understanding to use in accepting my experiences and those of others. I imagine that it could be a book that could spiral around, with added potential each time. I recommend it.
November 8, 2015
This Zen/mindfulness perspective has significantly altered my own perspective on coping with depression, for the better, I think. Her approach to depression and other negative emotional experiences is unconventional but empowering, and pretty darn functional. If you deal with depression or anxiety, I highly recommend this. It's not much of a time commitment, either.
September 15, 2015
A fresh look at depression suggesting that it may be a blessing in disguise. A chance to learn about and come to love yourself more. That it may be easier than you think to let that darkness subside. It's not the end all and doesn't replace professional help but it shows you a path that could help you become more at peace with your circumstances.
November 22, 2017
In The Depression Book, Cheri Huber suggests that rather than look at depression as something to get "over," looking at depression as a spiritual tool. Perhaps by looking inward and seeing what we really need we can move through depression quicker.
January 22, 2008
It made me believe that I am capable of coping with my periodic depression without going on meds - and that's a good thing -
January 28, 2008
This book changed & saved my life. It's name has since changed to "Being Present In Darkness", which I reccommend to everyone.
February 25, 2008
helpful tips
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews