[spiritual_emergency]

<center><img src=http://spiritblogpics.homestead.com/beautifulpictureTheBeautyofaDesert.jpg></center>

There were two labels given to my experience by those who witnessed it: the first was "enlightened" the second was "schizophrenic". I didn't know what those labels meant for I had never encountered anyone in my life that I considered to be either of those things.

As far as the human condition goes my experience is not a common one although neither is it radically uncommon. It occurs in roughly 1 in 100 people, which is enough for the majority of people to sidestep it entirely, yet still know someone who's gone through this kind of experience. Typically, when it does happen, you go to the hospital yourself or someone takes you -- willingly or unwillingly. It's at the hospital that you learn to speak the language of the medical model. That's where my own experience differs from so many others because <a href=http://thefifthbody.homestead.com/index.html>I didn't go to the hospital</a> and I didn't learn the language. Instead, I came into this room I am sitting in right now, I locked the door behind me, and I committed myself to the experience. I recognized something beneficial within the process I had fallen into.

I've since discovered there are many names for my experience and they vary by culture and setting. Some of the names for my experience in <u>this</u> culture and setting are: ; <a href=http://members.shaw.ca/positivedisintegration/>positive disintegration; ego collapse; ; <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis>an acute psychotic episode; ; and, <a href=http://www.ahpweb.org/rowan_bibliography/chapter14.html>transpersonal crisis.

Some of the names for my experience in <u>other</u> cultures and settings are: ; <a href=http://swamij.com/kundalini-awakening.htm>kundalini awakening; ; <a href=http://www.gnosis.org/library.html>gnosis; shamanistic initiation; ; <a href=http://www.godrealized.com/>self-realization; ; <a href=http://spiritualemergency.blogspot.com/2006/01/inner-apocalypse.html>the inner apocalypse; ; <a href=http://www.annebaring.com/anbar08_seminarl1.htm>the alchemical process; spiritual emergency.

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[Malady156]

I've read your blog before, actually, and enjoy it very much! Keep bending those paradigms.

[spiritual_emergency]

Malady156: I've read your blog before, actually, and enjoy it very much!

Thank you.

Keep bending those paradigms.

lol. I suspect that's very likely.

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[spiritual_emergency]

<center><font size=2>[b]<font color=191970>Contrary to popular misunderstanding

the term "schizophrenia" does not refer to multiple personality syndrome.

The Greek etymology of the word actually means "broken soul" or "broken heart".</font></font>

Source: The Inner Apocalypse - Michael O'Callaghan</center>


[<font size=1>phrenic Gr. phrenM = (1) diaphragm, and (2) brain. From this word, which dates back to the time when the heart was thought to be the seat of emotions, two series of terms have been derived. From its first meaning, heart or diaphragm, we get the name of the phrenic nerve. On the other hand, from its second meaning for brain, we get phrenology and several compound terms ending in phrenia, such as schizophrenia, now transformed into frenzy. The heart continues to be thought of as the seat of the emotions only in amorous affairs, in which the mind plays a little part.

Source: Medical Etymology</font>




<hr width=100% size=2>

<center>[b]<font color=800000><u>Ode XI</u>

My heart was cloven and there appeared a flower,
and grace sprang up
and fruit from the Lord,

for the highest one split me with his holy spirit,
exposed my love for him
and filled me with his love.

His splitting of my heart was my salvation
and I followed the way of his peace,
the way of truth.

The Odes of Solomon</center></font>

[mlyn]

so they say it is what it is but they been there right? Oh never mind. does not matter anyway. atleast you have a reason to say what you see what you hear. explains nothing of what I hear and feel and see. Does not matter when I see their dark eyes with no white of the eyes, it means nothing or the other being in that child what is that? they say it is a sickness. is it? what do you say? It watched me walk past with color different than the child. why? Husband felt it why? is it sickness is it spiritual who knows does anyone really know? name means nothing!!!!

[spiritual_emergency]

Nae lass. I hear you. I may not be hearing you well, but I hear you.

[stark1974]

Interesting comments in relation to how we frame experience in terms of our culture and understanding of what certain particular, individual elements of experience may mean. I am somewhat familiar with the Kundalini experience (I spent a lot of time after my first psychotic episode avoiding the diagnosis I was given and now take it with the proverbial "grain of salt), and the concept of dark night of the soul.

Thanks for your post and alternative perspective.

For more details about my own experience with so-called "mental illness", see Stark Delusions.

[pachyderm]

Hmm. This thread seems to have been revived by a ghost. Or spirit? The post dates do not match.

[spiritual_emergency]

<blockquote>
No ghostly mystery. I revived it last night. I was going to say something about it but then, I changed my mind so I deleted my post. That left the thread revived with no apparent reason for why it was.