Mother Mary stressed in her comments the importance of using Conscious Language in our unspoken language (thoughts) as well as our spoken language. In the past this has been a challenge for me, particularly in winter in northern latitudes when days are short and clouds cover the sun often for weeks at a time. I offer a few suggestions to fellow students with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD syndrome) caused by lack of sunlight that affects neurotransmitter levels in the brain. When serotonin and other transmitter levels are low, people with SAD tend to feel mild depression, sadness, sluggishness, insomnia, etc., and negative self talk. The interior world and exterior world both look bleak. A few weeks ago, my I AM Presence reminded me of this. So I started doing things to boost my neurotransmitters. First, I retrieved my light box from the basement and started using it regularly when there is no morning sun for sungazing. Sungazing and high-intensity light raise serotonin levels naturally. Serotonin is known as the feel-good hormone. Serotonin is just one of several important neurotransmitters. Also, I boosted the levels of neurotransmitter supplements I take. Tryptophan, 5-htp, tyrosine and other amino acids, sam-e, B vitamins, rhodiola rosea and/or ginseng are some ingredients to look for. There are many supplements on the market that have various combinations of these and other ingredients to boost neurotransmitters. This year I started looking more at foods that would help boost neurotransmitters as well. Here are some foods that are high in tryptophan which is a precursor to serotonin: seeds including (in descending order of levels) sesame, pumpkin, squash, chia, sunflower and flax; nuts including (in descending order of levels) black walnuts, cashews, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, English walnuts, pine nuts, pecans, coconut, and macadamia; fruits especially bananas, dried dates and papaya; peanuts; buckwheat and oats (Other grains have lesser amounts of tryptophan but higher levels of gluten which can create problems.); eggs, meat, fish, and milk. (Warm milk before bedtime was the remedy our grandparents used for insomnia.) Adequate protein is necessary for converting tryptophan into serotonin, so I find that as a vegetarian I need to increase protein intake in the winter. As my neurotransmitter levels go up, the negative self-talk goes away and I feel so much better about myself and the world around me. This happens naturally in spring and summer, but I have to give it a boost in winter.

Thank you for this post! I have been trying to discover why I feel so unmotivated, and why mindless TV and other less than ideal activities seem to appeal to me. Ug. I keep telling myself I need more will and asking what is wrong with me? It makes sense that it is the lack of sun.

It's been cloudy and cold for days here in Texas. I miss my nature contact. I will experiment with some things to raise my neurotransmitters. And also I wonder if a lack of Vitamin D from the sun could contribute to lack of will?

I think that in the golden age, all will be light, no cloudy dreary days. We are meant to be in the light!

I wonder if meditating on the sun in our imagination would help. I don't have a light box. But I can visualize the beach.

Ann Slezewick in Tx

The book Conscious Language is a great key in a major paradigm shift to help with negative self-talk. Also having a partner who is supportive, positive and kind to "be there" is most helpful to work through past patterns that at times arise.

For bodhisattvas who have vowed to take on planetary karma to save sentient beings, we can remember to depersonalize the weight that we, at times, feel of world pain and not identify with it as our own, while still lovingly taking full accountability for our entire world that we are continually co-creating daily and hourly.

Using "I AM" statements brings everything back to the NOW, while allowing God to enter the equation and buoy us up with light!

Meditating upon the sun of our Presence can occur at any moment, even if the physical sun isn't visible. I love smiley suns as a reminder to smile, to laugh and to take things siriusly instead of seriously!

Blessings,

David

I encourage you to experiment with visualizing the sun to see if it affects how you feel, and please let me know if you find it works for you. In regards to Vitamin D, most people are seriously deficient in it, especially in winter. Personally I take 10,000 units of D3 per day in the winter (Wisconsin) in order to keep my level within optimum range. Your doctor can do a simple and inexpensive blood test to determine your levels. The best time to test is in February when most people's levels are at their lowest. I have not noticed any correlation between my neurotransmitter and Vitamin D levels, but adequate Vitamin D improves many aspects of health especially colds, flu, and many more serious health conditions.

All these comments are wonderful! And yes, visualizing the Sun does help! Thank you, Margaret. It is also helpful to obtain "natural" light in your home in the form of full-spectrum compact bulbs (which can be obtained via www.mercola.com) or you can google it for other sources. We could try a combination of vitamin D (natural source), plus facing this light while visualizing the sun plus a statement like: "I AM uplifted in the Light of God as it flows through me now" (or whatever feels right for you)!

Eating food "as much like God made it" as possible is also very important (along with learning to know your body and what it particularly requires).