Dealing with depression, a largely unseen illness, can feel overwhelming and disabling. As negative thoughts and a sense of helplessness take over, it's easy to fall into self-blame. However, you shouldn’t do that.

Depression in all its forms is associated with an imbalance in the production of neurotransmitters and hormones, which are essential for mental well-being.

According to acclaimed biologist Robert M. Sapolsky, “It is impossible to understand either the biology or psychology of major depressions without recognizing the critical role played by stress.”

In simple terms, one may think that depression was triggered by some unfortunate life events, or some physical or psychological disorders, or side effects of medications used for other conditions. But actually the main culprit here is the constant activation of a stress response (aka ‘fight or flight’ mode).

When we experience constant stress, our brain starts to lose its ability to shut down the release of glucocorticoids. If this becomes a long-term issue, it significantly increases the risk of depression. 

These steroid hormones disrupt the function of the three key neurochemicals —dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin (aka the ‘happy hormones’)— that play a crucial role in preventing depressive symptoms, all of which are vital for keeping us happy, healthy, and balanced.

Sakura meditation for depression is one of the simplest alternative therapies to practice and is often reported to produce the fastest results. Studies have shown that after 2 months of practice, participants experience a 45-50% reduction in symptoms of depression.

It acts on a number of different levels to restore balance, harmony, rationality, and positivity to our mind and body.

The personalized mantras bring balance to the nervous system so that our thought processes are no longer over-written by irrationally negative perspectives.

As you practice regularly, the activity of the amygdala is normalized so that it stops becoming hyper-aroused every time we see something sad. Each time you meditate the brain gets flooded with happy hormones resulting in lifting your mood. This creates a virtuous cycle where everything starts to feel better and better each day.

Meditation for depression has also been shown to increase a vital hormone which helps to offset glucocorticoid secretion by blocking their access to receptors.

Depression and other mental health disorders are among the main causes of disability around the world. (Scientific Reports, 2024). Depression accounts for 4.3% of the global disease burden. Meditation can be the empowering cure, and it will also act as a preventative tool.