Beginning the New Year Right

Here is some advice passed on to me by parishioner Pat Vercruyssen which may help you to begin the New Year in good fashion:

"After my thanksgiving in service today, a few people asked how I have managed to get off antidepressants, particularly after such a long stint with them. I thought I might put out some reference works that have been helpful to me on this blog for the good of the order...

The following three books have been essential for getting me to a place where I can function on my own. All three are "practical" books, inasmuch as one gets as much out of the exercises as one puts in to them. Practice, practice, practice.

Learned Optimism, by Martin Seligman ~ also, please see the excellent practical websites, http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/ and http://www.reflectivehappiness.com/

Awaken the Giant Within, by Anthony Robbins ~ particularly ch. 8, "Questions Are the Answer," about how assumptions are built into the questions we ask ourselves

The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle ~ first recommended to me by a Jesuit, this is not a Christian work, but does contain useful suggestions for living that are consistent with our faith

Last but not least, I highly recommend the sermons of Dean Baker; a recent one concerning chaff vs. wheat (http://trinitycathedral.org/about_sermons.shtml - see sermon for 12/17) has literally redefined my understanding of heaven and hell- preach on! :)

Of course, if you (the reader) are considering going off antidepressants yourself, please please please discuss it thoroughly with your physician/psychiatrist/mental health care professional first. I had tried many, many times to go off of them, only to find I was not yet ready. There is no shame in accepting professional help, and I affirm that if that help had not been there for me in my early 20's I would not have made it to my current age of venerableness.

Anyway, 2006 has been a great year, and I'm looking forward to a fantastic 2007!"

Pax vobiscum,
Pat Vercruyssen