The road to "remission-realized"(Kankai-Jyoujyu) of bipolar disorder, starts only when you are able to accept your illness. At times you beleive you have become a person that brings great joy to others and does wonderful things, but at times you become "possessed by the spirit of the fox" (Kitsune-tsuki) and, as if cursed by its spell, will move beyond your will and destroy everything in your way. Often patients of this disorder curse's oneself for such behavior, and resultant suicide is not rare.
What is important is that you admit that some powers are beyond your control, but also in order to maintain a "lower steady mood"(Hikume-Antei) it is important to self-monitor your actions everyday. In Shintoism, a mirror is often enshrined in the household altar, and this is also a holy tool to picture yourself objectively at all times.
In parallel with the persistent use of western treatment and medicine, entrust your daily life to traditional Shinto teachings, and at the moment you confront God through changing the Shinto altar's rice,salt, water and the water of the Sakaki plant, you are able to realize your state of mind that day, and praying for another peaceful day will be a definite step to making the coming days moreso fulfilling.
That being said, during depression there are times when it will be impossible for you to even get out of bed. This, I intrepret , as a time to retreat from spiritual duties(Imigomori); a time that you are allowed to hold distance from spiritual duties,and to take leave from caring the household altar(Kami-dana) and the shrine. Rather, it is during Depression that you spirit is unclean and wilted. Thus, it will be disgraceful to openly face and worship the Shrine, and so you must conciously refrain from doing so.
From olden times Japanese have respected the division of celebetory times(Hale) and daily doings(Ke);some occurences worth congratulating and some not. Thus, it was natural for our lives to change pace in accordance to the circumstances of the many Gods. Actually, that holds true today. In appearance, there seems to be a vast change in lifestyle with the creation of convenient tools- as is apparent in that the worship of this Bipolar Shrine is possible through computers, cellphones and smartphones. But though we have forgotten a little bit of it, there is a type of mentality that has remained unchanging within us throughout all this change.
For starters, come worship the Ujigamisama. Ujigamasama is the God of the Shrine that is resting on top of the land you live in.As stated before, people in a depressive state do not have to force themselves to come worship; only when they feel up to it.Only 30yen for a money offering is enough, and maybe more only ifyou grow deeper pockets.
If you receive counseling at a mental clinic, one 90minute session can cost around 15,000yen, and that would continue at a rate of once or twice a month. Not only that, you cannot predict how many months or years the treatment will take, and if such long-term financial burden will make you lose all your money, and leave you with a worse situation than when you started. In contrast, an offering when visiting a shrine will only be a 30 yen investment.
These illnesses and disorders are not going to be cured or reach remission by investing piles of money. I think the time has come for us to search into what kind of wisdom our predecessors have left us about the mind and heart.
written by Chief Shinto priest