What i think is some interesting alternative information on healing from psychosis.

7 Billion Paths to Awakening: healing from what is often called psychosis ? Beyond Meds

A series of talks are being given on this area that can be accessed here -

Shades of Awakening ? summit

[CANDC]

Thanks for the links apotheosis. Like that title 7 billion paths to awakening. Everyone in this world is on a path to awakening.

Is it a spiritual crisis or mental illness? | Cindy Teevens

i think it's good that a few are speaking out with a different story to the official/mass narratives around all these areas.

A few more links questioning the current status quo -

Rethinking Mental Illness: Are We Drugging Our Prophets and Healers? | High Existence

Book challenges orthodoxy of psychiatric practice

History of Spiritual Emergence Network | spiritualemergence.com

Uploaded on 3 Nov 2011

When studying treatments for depression in rural Africa, Solomon has an overly intimate encounter with a ram.

Andrew Solomon is the author of The Irony Tower: Soviet Artists in a Time of Glasnost, A Stone Boat, and The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, which won the National Book Award.

"We had a lot of trouble with western mental health workers who came here immediately after the genocide and we had to ask some of them to leave.

They came and their practice did not involve being outside in the sun where you begin to feel better. There was no music or drumming to get your blood flowing again. There was no sense that everyone had taken the day off so that the entire community could come together to try to lift you up and bring you back to joy. There was no acknowledgement of the depression as something invasive and external that could actually be cast out again.

Instead they would take people one at a time into these dingy little rooms and have them sit around for an hour or so and talk about bad things that had happened to them. We had to ask them to leave."

~A Rwandan talking to a western writer, Andrew Solomon, about his experience with western mental health and depression.

From The Moth podcast, 'Notes on an Exorcism'.

Shades of Awakening interviews can be listened to now free for the next 5 days [link in OP].

Spiritual Emergency | Watch Documentaries Online | Promote Documentary Film


Synopsis: This ground breaking 40 minute documentary presents fascinating accounts of six people's extraordinary experiences, three progressive medical doctor's thoughtful insights, new research data, and graphics to illustrate unusual perceptions and the processes people go through assimilating higher states of consciousness and shifts in perception and sensitivity.

The apex and decline of evidence-based psychotherapy and psychiatry ? Beyond Meds

[misslabarinth]

Thanks for posting this!
Take care~
MissLabarinth

"Self-awakening is speeded up by clearly observing the human scene
in all its chaos and heartache. George MacDonald describes the
pathetic picture, 'There they go — little sparrows of the human
world, chattering eagerly, darting on every crumb and seed of
supposed advantage!' To see how bad it really is does not
indicate a negative personality, but reveals an honest mind.
And it can arouse the declaration, 'I refuse to live like that!'"

Esoteric Mind Power, p. 36

Top 5 Ways To Improve Your Mental Wellness | GreenMedInfo | Blog Entry

Traditionally, many conditions labeled under the umbrella of 'mental illness' were summed up solely as genetic or biochemical imbalances. Modern advances in psychiatric medicine have found causation to be more and more integrated to lifestyle and environmental factors, often finding the fundamental cause to be multi-factorial.

[Rest in Link]

“The more you make your thoughts and beliefs into your identity, the more cut off you are from the spiritual dimension within yourself.”
Eckhart Tolle

A Psychic Remembers Being a Spirit Helper in a Celestial City | nwspiritism

An interesting book list of a few of the books out there on the afterlife & related areas -

The Afterlife Revealed: What Happens After We Die by Michael Tymn (2011)
Science & The Afterlife Experience - Chris Carter
Consciousness Beyond Life - Pim Van Lommel
The Last Frontier - Julia Assante
The Fun Of Dying -Roberta Grimes
The Afterlife Unveiled - Stafford Betty
Life After Death - Deepak Chopra
Adventures In The Afterlife - William Buhlman
Multidimensional Man - Jurgen Zwiewe
Answers About The Afterlife - Bob Olsen
Is There Life After Death - Anthony Peake
The Art Of Dying - Peter & Elizabeth Fenwick
A Lawyer Presents Evidence For The Afterlife - Victor Zammit
The Afterlife Revealed - Michael Tymn
Application Of Impossible Things - Natalie Sudman
Stop Worrying, There Probably Is An Afterlife - Greg Taylor
The Two Worlds of Helen Duncan.
Teachings of Silver Birch.
Light from Silver Birch
With Spirit (Mavis Pattilla)
'Life In The World Unseen' (Anthony Borgia)

'Exploring the Eternal Soul - Insights from the Life Between Lives' by Andy Tomlinson.

'Journey of Souls' by Michael Newton.

An excellent book about the realities of the psyche -

'Soul-Centered Healing: A Psychologist's Extraordinary Journey Into the Realms of Sub-Personalities, Spirits, and Past Lives' by Thomas Joseph Zinser

'Is There an Afterlife?: A Comprehensive Overview of the Evidence' by David Fontana

'Worlds Beyond Death' by Grant Pealer.

These aren't so specifically on the afterlife but deal with it as a side issue, explore consciousness out of the body etc

My Big TOE - Tom Campbell
The Sacred History Of The World - Jonathan Black
The Divine Matrix - Greg Braden
The Daemon/Labyrinth Of Time/Infinite Mindfield/Out Of Body Experience - all by Anthony Peake
Supernatural/The Divine Spark - Graham Hancock
Biocentrism - Robert Lanza
The Quest For Gnosis - Gabriel Roberts

[Christopher1990]

Thanks for all these links Apotheosis. I'm trying to find alternatives.. I'm convinced my manias have been kunahlini, spiritual emergency. I've read into kunahlini experiences, and I have experienced almost all of what it describes. I feel like I'm being healed. My back pain goes away, my orgasms are more intense, I can have multiple orgasms at time, my bowel movements are more solid and my diahreah goes away. I feel like I am moving at God speed. And I have basically no ego during this. Music sounds better, food taste better. I feel lighter. I feel so divine. Synchronicity everywhere I go. I feel connected to nature. Feel vibrant.

But, Western society doesn't care about this. Psychiatrists think nothing of this aspect. And the more you tell them about what your experiencing, the more drugged up your going to be. This should be a time for healing, you need support during "psychosis" or "mania"

I want to go to a retreat where I can meditate, practice yoga and be around spiritual teachers. I know I can't get through this by myself. As, i have tried, and when I try, I usually end up in the psych ward. And then I take my meds and pretend like it never happened.

I don't know where I could go for something like this. I know I'd have to travel somewhere. I'm willing to do this.

What do you recommend ?



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Christopher1990

Thanks for all these links Apotheosis. I'm trying to find alternatives.. I'm convinced my manias have been kunahlini, spiritual emergency. I've read into kunahlini experiences, and I have experienced almost all of what it describes. I feel like I'm being healed. My back pain goes away, my orgasms are more intense, I can have multiple orgasms at time, my bowel movements are more solid and my diahreah goes away. I feel like I am moving at God speed. And I have basically no ego during this. Music sounds better, food taste better. I feel lighter. I feel so divine. Synchronicity everywhere I go. I feel connected to nature. Feel vibrant.

But, Western society doesn't care about this. Psychiatrists think nothing of this aspect. And the more you tell them about what your experiencing, the more drugged up your going to be. This should be a time for healing, you need support during "psychosis" or "mania"

I want to go to a retreat where I can meditate, practice yoga and be around spiritual teachers. I know I can't get through this by myself. As, i have tried, and when I try, I usually end up in the psych ward. And then I take my meds and pretend like it never happened.

I don't know where I could go for something like this. I know I'd have to travel somewhere. I'm willing to do this.

What do you recommend ?

i think it's a familiar story & the spiritual dimension is certainly missing from orthodox psychiatry - it's my main Beef with it all as well.

It seems very hard to find places of appropriate support & care. There is a retreat that Sean Blackwell is setting up -

A lot depends on what area you are in & what resources you have access to. Over the past 14 years i've focused primarily on my own healing path & using what resources have been available - reading/research, the internet, alternative healers etc.

In my own case on balance i do accept my diagnosis & need for a medication - i take a low dose of one med & have a schizophrenia diagnosis - But i do see my own condition in integral/holistic terms - biological/psychological/social/spiritual. i do think that mental illness exists. For me the penultimate & critical question is what ways can best be used to best help heal & support people. i think that there are far better ways of helping more people.

Good luck with your own journey. X

[Christopher1990]

Originally Posted by Apotheosis

i think it's a familiar story & the spiritual dimension is certainly missing from orthodox psychiatry - it's my main Beef with it all as well.

It seems very hard to find places of appropriate support & care. There is a retreat that Sean Blackwell is setting up -

A lot depends on what area you are in & what resources you have access to. Over the past 14 years i've focused primarily on my own healing path & using what resources have been available - reading/research, the internet, alternative healers etc.

In my own case on balance i do accept my diagnosis & need for a medication - i take a low dose of one med & have a schizophrenia diagnosis - But i do see my own condition in integral/holistic terms - biological/psychological/social/spiritual. i do think that mental illness exists. For me the penultimate & critical question is what ways can best be used to best help heal & support people. i think that there are far better ways of helping more people.

Good luck with your own journey. X

T.y. I know a trip to Brazil isn't realistic for me. Maybe in the future. I wish there was a place somewhere in the states. I'm trying to save money for a holistic doctor. It just sucks they don't accept insurance.

I'm still struggling to accept the fact that I might need meds the rest of my life. But, I am only on lamictal 200mg. And saphris 10mg night. I'd like to try and come off the saphris because I really hate antipsychotics and am worried about long term effects on the brain.

For my healing, I have been staying on a healthy diet for quite some time now. I have lost 30 lbs since January. I started doing yoga and meditating, but I couldn't commit to it, and haven't done it in some time.
I want to try out CBT. I do exercise almost every day. This should be part of every treatment plan.

I do think the most important thing to, what some may call "recovery" or maybe time of healing"" is a healthy diet, exercise, and staying away from drugs and alcohol.

It's also important to find ways of enjoying life. And finding ways to stay away from stress as much as possible. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Writing, also helps. Along with reading and keeping your brain active.

My diagnosis is bipolar 1 and my last episode he changed it to schitzoaffective, which I don't agree with. I don't really care for labels, because they're both treated the same anyways.

It's really sad how almost all modern day psychiatrists here in the U.S. talk nothing of a healthy diet, exercise, yoga, being spirtual. Maybe, things will change in the future. But, right now I feel like the system, is being ran through big-pharma and these "doctors" want to push as many meds on you as possible. When I hear of people on cocktails over 5 medications, I just think that is crazy. There is a side effect to every drug. And they're different for almost every person.

apotheosis - during your time of starting your healing path, has it kept you stable for the most part? Have you relapsed during this time?

For me, my biggest struggle has been dealing with mania. Since 18 I've had about 5-6 episodes of mania. And it has really damaged much of my life. I'm stuck on social security for another year and there's nothing I can do to get off. But, looking back these episodes have been caused by me, either not taking medication as prescribed and also being brought on by marijuana, and also gambling. I am lucky I have never felt with any severe depressions. I know what being depressed feels like, but I've never had any suicidal tendencies, or thoughts. Mostly sleeping all day and over-eating.

Through all this I still remain hopeful. I love hearing about people with M.I. who have overcame their struggles and are living successful, fulfilling lives. I know it's possible.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Christopher1990

I do think the most important thing to, what some may call "recovery" or maybe time of healing"" is a healthy diet, exercise, and staying away from drugs and alcohol.

apotheosis - during your time of starting your healing path, has it kept you stable for the most part? Have you relapsed during this time?

Through all this I still remain hopeful. I love hearing about people with M.I. who have overcame their struggles and are living successful, fulfilling lives. I know it's possible.

Hi. i agree with you about the system & current orthodox paradigm - But what do we do to change it all?

i went through a lot in the past, it's a very long story - The last major episode i had was 10 years ago - Since then have decided it's a lesser of evils to just accept the diagnosis, that i have an illness & maintain the medication. i've been also stuck in the same catch 22 for 25 years - there isn't/hasn't been any proper access to alternatives.

Yes, trying our best to live as healthily as possible helps.

i have all kinds of ongoing difficulties & struggles. i just plod on. i haven't been able to find a deeper connection & understanding with anyone else to be able to more fully work through things with, & i feel that i need that. It's Not been through a lack of trying on my part.

i think/see there being something very seriously wrong with this planet/society/culture/civilisation.

i've been out of work & on welfare for 14 years, & can't see that i'll work again. i find it very hard to see how i can change/more fully resolve certain things? Despite everything i do it has been a success & big achievement that i've lived independently for so long & maintained a degree of stability.

Personally i think a lot does depend on what levels of understanding, help & support someone has - on the overall circumstances of their life. i think a part of me gave up during the last breakdown.

What Is The Shamanic View Of Mental Health?

Broadly speaking any form of awareness around mental health that includes spiritual, mystic and/or mythic considerations could be included in a shamanic view of mental health. This ranges from ancient indigenous shamanic practices to yogic methods involving kundalini awakening, through to Jungian and transpersonal psychology (which draw heavily from ancient cultures) in modern times. Jung, for example, characterised schizophrenia and psychosis as a natural healing process.

The Shamanic View Of Mental Health

Madness and Renewal: Michael Cornwall | Madness Radio

What if people struggling with madness could explore their emotions in a supportive sanctuary? Do frightening ‘psychotic’ experiences have the power to transform and heal? Is breakdown also breakthrough?

Michael Cornwall became a therapist after surviving his own crisis — without medication or psychiatric treatment. For more than 30 years he has worked in the tradition of Carl Jung and R.D. Laing to support people to go through psychotic states in medication-free community settings, including John Weir Perry’s Diabasis House in the 1970s.

Trauma, Psychosis, and Spirituality: What’s the Connection? By Ron Unger, LCSW

Trauma, Psychosis, and Spirituality: What?s the Connection? By Ron Unger, LCSW - Spiritual Emergence at CIIS

There is a perennial question directed toward those of us who see madness as having a spiritual dimension, and it goes something like this: “How can “psychotic” experiences that are both terrifying and debilitating be seen as at all spiritual? Isn’t it true that looking for spirituality within psychosis is just a case of “romanticizing madness?”

One way to answer this question is just to turn it around, and to point out how the usual psychiatric approach of seeing nothing at all positive in “psychotic” states acts to increase fear of madness, which in turn increases distress and disability. In other words, the usual approach goes to an extreme opposite of “romanticizing” madness, and instead “awfulizes” it. We can then explain that what we advocate for is simply a balanced view, or being open to noticing both what is negative and positive in experiences that go outside of usual cultural boundaries and are seen as “psychotic.”

But to fully address the question, I think we need to go deeper – very much deeper! What follows will be my take on how to make sense of some of the deepest issues of our existence which I believe play a pivotal role in key experiences such as those of trauma, psychosis (or madness), and spirituality.

[Rest in Link]

- Schizophrenia or An Advanced Spiritual State?

[Christopher1990]

Originally Posted by Apotheosis

- Schizophrenia or An Advanced Spiritual State?

this was a very good read.

imagine if patients got together from all across the world, to put together their ideas about life, God. and the universe. so much knowledge is still to be found.

its ashame that western psychiatry dismess all thoughts and revelations and just right it all off as delusional, psychotic. maybe in the future, the mind will become more understood, and doctors will include mystisism and spirituality and come up with solutions instead of numbing our brains with antipsychotics and other crazy meds to shut down our emotions and beliefs. basically, they just want to shut us up. tune us out.

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An interesting article on the various spiritual paths -

Which of the Ultimates is Ultimate?

Which of the Ultimates is Ultimate? - Contemplations - A.H. Almaas

An interesting article on spiritual crisis -

Are You Having A Spiritual Crisis? | The Wellness Universe

Also a couple of interesting Wikipedia Links on comparative Mythology & the Dantian (Assemblage Point/Core Star etc) -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compar...particularists

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dantian