Darkness Before Dawn

I've been a Sounds True customer and sincere spiritual practitioner for decades. I never expected to find myself going through a major and long dark night of the soul, now into its third year, as I contend with the decline of an aging parent and all the unexpected shadows that have been kicked up. I found this book to be very realistic, respectful, and helpful. Thanks Tami, and thanks to all of the contributors for compiling this thoughtful collection of writing that gets to the heart of the matter. I found it to be very helpful and encouraging.

Every chapter in this book provided a remarkably different angle of looking at and perceiving the topic of depression. I was surprised at how the authors of these chapters all went through depression at various periods of their lives. Many of them have inspired me in the past, through their publications, but I didn't know that they had experienced depression too (like I have). Like them, I have realized how much depression has played in spiritual journey in life. There are different types of depression and the book discusses this. Just as there are different types of depression, the are a number of different ways to treat this disease. For me, I am learning that living a balanced, healthy life, slowing down to take a breath of fresh air, and being kind to myself are the elements that keep me happy. Perhaps more than anything else, depression has taught self-acceptance. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the topic and/or wants to find the ways to harness its reigns on the path of wellness.

Thanks for publishing this set of essays and interviews on depression. As someone who has wrestled with chronic despair and existential disconnection since birth, I was grateful to stumble upon this collection. I appreciated the contributors who examined depression from a spiritual and mythical lens. I particularly appreciated the message that depression is a normal part of existence, not a pathology to be medicated, and an experience worthy of honor and time. In the United States, a culture which perpetuates the message that a constant state of happiness should be projected and attained, it is reassuring to receive a few true lifelines on occasion, such as in this book, that serve as validation for the rest of us, those who aren't shiny and happy, that we are not alone. I was familiar with some of the book's contributors, whom I already appreciate, while grateful to be introduced to some new voices. The topic of depression, outside of the narrow confines of a psychiatrist's clinical notations, deserves much more attention. This anthology theoretically could have a Part 2 because its message is that needed and there are more thoughtful opinions to be shared.