A short talk on methods to handle crisis.

A SUMMARY 
by Maggy Jones

I have nothing in Buddhism dealing specifically with depression. Life in exile for Tibetans was hard, we were sad but did not have depression. I only met depression when I came to the West. I think that people are too quick to diagnose depression and prescribe medication. In the West there is emphasis on equality of opportunity, but as people are not equal, this idea leads to high expectations without foundation and a notion of “failure” leads to low self-esteem.

The Tibetans’ acceptance of samsara meant that they expected suffering and dealt with it accordingly.

Look clearly at the situation, accept it, and move forwards. Sometimes we focus on some problem until it becomes an obsession to the exclusion of everything else. If you broaden your outlook you will find positive things. This may not solve the problem but it will give some perspective. We live in a competitive world and if we react accordingly we will always be lonely. Don’t expect too much, especially from your parents. Q&A