Wu Wei, Negativity, and Depression: The Principle of Non-Trying in the Practice of Pastoral Care

Discover a pastoral approach to depression that combines Eastern wisdom and Western science! Wu Wei, Negativity, and Depression reveals a way to break the cycle of depression, not by denying it or fighting it, but by the ancient principle of wu wei, non-trying. The bleak cycle of depression starts when people experience negativity. They turn inward to try to find self-esteem, but the negativity strips all the power of self-affirmation from them. The gap between is and ought--how they see themselves and how they want to be--is too great to bridge. The cycle known as self-regulatory perseveration means that depressed persons are caught in a desperate, fruitless search for affirmation. Instead of self-esteem, they find self-criticism and further negative thoughts. Yet they keep looking . . . and looking . . . and looking. The more they look for self-worth inside, the less they find, and the harder they try--the cycle continues. When trying simply doesn't work, wu wei, the principle of letting go, may help break that cycle. When trying simply doesn't work, wu wei, not-trying, may help. Wu wei is the principle of letting go. By giving up on the self-imposed and unattainable oughts and shoulds, the depressed person stops focusing on self. Wu wei breaks the cycle of negativity, allowing the depressed person to begin to heal. Wu Wei, Negativity, and Depression offers a comprehensive discussion of depression, including: epidemiology of depression etiology and biological causes psychosocial theories standard treatments of the past and present pastoral care of depressed persons This important book constructs a possible approach to depressed souls weary of fighting and trying to fix themselves. Wu Wei, Negativity, and Depression can bring new hope to those who most need it.

Siroj Sorajjakool, PhD, is Associate Professor of Religion (Pastoral Psychology) at Loma Linda University in California