Noonday Demon, Again: Guest Blog, by Ron Christiansen

Had meant to read your new post after we visited Austin two weeks ago, but just now getting to it. As I think I mentioned to you, this line of thought reminds me (not surprisingly) of Andrew Solomon's book "The Noonday Demon: an Atlas of depression"--it's a much more engaging read than the title may suggest though it certainly does have an atlas-like feel. He is sometimes tedious but his intro chapter on depression and his chapter on the history of depression are quite good. 

In the history section Solomon cites the 5th century christian aesthetic as describing 6th combatant in the 19th Psalm as the noonday demon which "produces dislike of place where one is, disgust, disdain, and contempt for other men, and sluggishness." Cassian's description is a bit more active less indifferent than the one that you offer (though you do suggest the "sucking" of intellectual and spiritual energy). Solomon continues by saying that Cassian saw the noonday demon as the "thing that you can see clearly in the brightest part of the day but that nonetheless comes to wrench your soul away from God." That about gets it right I think--maybe it is the contrast between the light of day and the mood, a contradiction the mind and heart can't quite make sense of. 

Building on this idea, Solomon explains why he chose this as his title: "because it describes so exactly what one experiences in depression. The image serves to conjure the terrible feeling of invasion that attends...There is something brazen about depression. Most demons--most forms of anguish--rely on the cover of night; to see them clearly is to defeat them. Depression stands in full glare of the sun, unchallenged by recognition. You can know all the why and the wherefore and suffer just as much as if you were shrouded in ignorance." I love the thought of depression as brazen, as invasive, maybe because it is personified into something real. 

As you suggest here, action is in order. Cassian suggests manual labor. I like what you say here--meditation, routine, stimulation. It occurs to me that anything which can wet/water (in contrast to the emotional dryness you speak of) the soul is worthwhile. For me usually a show like Downton Abbey (btw Ali and I have knocked out 4 episodes since your/Cam's recommendation) or a good novel can help. But during times of extreme dryness and indifference, I have to rely on the tried and true, the ritualistic. This might be scripture for some; recently for me it is a few scenes from the LOTR or Moonstruck (learned this from Lora via you) or a long meditative hike. 

Thanks so much for the post. It found me today mid-fight with the noonday demon, having been all-out sick for two days, sun a shining, weekend hikes and plans ruined, soul needing some stirring and engagement. 

What is UP with DOWNton Abbey? Guest Blog, by Lora Clark

While living back east, I had the opportunity to visit the lovely Newport mansions in Rhode Island. The Breakers, the Vanderbilt Estate, is my favorite. As I walked through this magnificent mansion, and later on the expansive grounds, I wondered about the people that lived and breathed there. What were the relationships like between the servants? Between the Vanderbilts and servants?

The new PBS Masterpiece Classics "little darling" is Downton Abbey. Why not invite a group of aristocrats who live upstairs and the servants who live downstairs into your home every Sunday night? You'll witness their parallel lives unfold. You will find yourself loving both groups.

Who?

A strong professional cast. Every person is interesting and has a story. There are three in particular, who become verbs immediately: Pamuk, O'Brien, and Violet, the Dowager Countess of Grantham.

And who can forget the tacit Mr. Bates, with his iconic cane, from first episode to last? He speaks less but says more than any other character of the cast. Or the ever-wise hero, Lord Grantham?

Note the carefully-worded and intelligent script. Every word counts. For example, Lady Cora, "You married for money." Lord Grantham quietly asks, "And have you been happy all these years?" And they embrace. Time goes too fast, and you don't want it to end.

Contrast these finely honed lines to the "royal" Kardashians' reality TV show, where endless babble about nothing leaves you wondering why you just spent an hour waiting for it to end.

Why Watch?

• It provides a historical framework, ie, the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, etc.
• Each episode leaves you eager for the next. What will be Bates' fate? Who will marry Mary?
• Watching it with millions of others during prime time creates a feeling of community, not unlike South American novelas.
• There's something soothing about rhythm, continuity and problem resolution. The episodic structure helps us pace our week. Some of us watch The Good Wife for the same reasons.

The series raises a question about the shelf life of a place like Downton Abbey. Can a 300 room castle survive financially in the face of a changing economy? What is the equalizing effect of the war on Downton Abbey?