Schizophrenia LD, AP and OBE

[eyeoneblack]

Some years ago we had a member who was Schizophrenic. He wasn't with us long but I'll never forget his story. He had a place he went which was idyllic and, to him, the best possible world. It was a island, I believe, and he enjoyed ‘being’ there. I learned, first hand, why he wouldn’t take his medication because he would not be prohibited from visiting his ‘place’.

The curious thing, and the reason he joined us briefly, was the crushing ‘reality’ that his ‘place’ was disintegrating over the years. What was bright and beautiful was turning gray and black much like Spring giving over to Winter. It was this that caused extreme distress to him.

I don’t know what to think of this from a psychological / psychiatric point of view, but in a very real way I could feel his pain and suffering. But of course I couldn’t help but make connections to his schizo-world and the experiences we have in our adventures in consciousness (LD, AP, OBE). One striking difference, however, is we ‘travelers’ seldom, if ever, have the blessing of returning time and again to a ‘place’ we enjoyed and would like to experience again.

I just read an article http://www.aeonmagazine.com/altered-...oid-delusions/ about schizophrenia that put these thoughts in motion. I bet I could put myself in a mindset that, based on a questionnaire, would fool most any mental health pro into thinking I am schizophrenic. Don’t imagine that would be hard at all. The big and obvious difference is I have a line between my real world self and my imaginative ‘other world’ self. That may be all that prevents the co-mingling of the worlds so as I, for the Most Part, appear to be sane.

The link was interesting to me, you might enjoy it too.

[DarkChylde]

we have schizophrenia in our family , my brother has it , my maternal uncle has it and my paternal first cousin has it.

it's like waking up to a challenge every single day ,today we had to put our food in our car's trunk , on medication my brother can't stop eating , my heart goes out to my parents they live in constant heart ache & nothing seems help , the fact that my brother has enough faculty to function "almost" normally makes their loss twice as tragic.

[eyeoneblack]

we have schizophrenia in our family , my brother has it , my maternal uncle has it and my paternal first cousin has it.

it's like waking up to a challenge every single day ,today we had to put our food in our car's trunk , on medication my brother can't stop eating , my heart goes out to my parents they live in constant heart ache & nothing seems help , the fact that my brother has enough faculty to function "almost" normally makes their loss twice as tragic.

Yes, I have some personal experience with it myself through my best friend's brother. Unlike something like Alzheimer's it tortures without end and affects the lives of so many for so long. I feel for you DC.

Can you see a connection between schizophrenia and dream work? I'm not sure, but it occurred to me.

[Dreamweaver]

The language of dreams is metaphor and people who live with schizophrenia and or who have certain kinds of psychotic episodes speak in metaphor -have cognitive filters that organize input into metaphor.

[Tutor]

The language of dreams is metaphor and people who live with schizophrenia and or who have certain kinds of psychotic episodes speak in metaphor -have cognitive filters that organize input into metaphor.

I like that. the language of depth, deep calling unto deep, is metaphor. Upon translation of Hebrew books into the Greek Septuagent(sp?), Origen stated that the whole of it was 7 metaphors deep, from the literal storied fables to the uttermost of beginnings, and from the uttermost to the literal. dreams and visions, journeys to within the beyond from within, transic states, prayer-meditation-contemplation, lectio divina...and so much more throughout human culture, all are reproof of our human expression from Spirit.

often does "illness" cover the well, in that, many look down the well, but few have dove into the well. even still, "I look into the cistern and no one is within it" - paraphrase.

the psychotic "episode" is often the break through, though those around one so enduring, merely recognize one within a cognitive break down whereof the emotional runneth over with metaphor. metaphor because 'what it be like' is all one has in the face of those around one whom yet think to know 'what it is'. they say, don't go that way for it leads to death.

seeing how She is dressed, they say that She is a temptress, a whore, a harlot, a lady of the night, a prostitute, or any other damnable label they can think to know of Her. thus is Her mystery ever Her's, but to those cognitive wonders whom with word dare to say 'what She be like'. i say, we've gone that way, for the very moment that we are born, this way through life leads to death.

Black Dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuzAxJQElqs

is there life after death? hmmmm, is there life between birth and death? hmmm, is there life before birth? hmm, is there death before birth?

maybe metaphoric input [re]organizes filtering cognition. Houston, we have cog-nition! that be pullin some G's.

Bach's Air On G String - Perfect Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7RYSQvrUrc

Certitude ~ neither Theism nor Atheism, no-isms in the twain of those bankered banks drawing interest on my deposited pain...period; Just Me and God Alone, free of "god-complexes", free as simple as is the next breath given so received, the heartbeat given so received, the cells given so received, the contained fires of my bodily passion's desire to live life as it is ~ Given. meta~4~ic

mitochondria produce the energy currency of the cell

uncontained ~ i like this metaphoric work of art titled "Music Angel": http://artfiles.alphacoders.com/259/25975.jpg

~

metaphor ~ Grace Falling Like Rain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trNolL4i6hw

Matt.16:19

~

Solomon's Song of Songs 2:8

Misty Mountain Hop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cOYzDtpEmI

[eyeoneblack]

Blavatsky, among others of the Theosophical School, and other writers from the East speak of a veil between our world and the astral. It is a natural barrier intended to protect people from the images and experiences of the astral. This veil can, on occasion, be rendered prematurely resulting in psychosis. These teachers would count schizophrenia in that category.

We, as explorers of the astral and beyond, are suited benignly to these experiences and proceed naturally as we grow. A few, however, become victims of their experiences and do not perceive a distinction between here and there. Actually, perhaps the psychotic do know the difference and prefer otherwhere to the mundane life. Or so I’ve read and clearly the subject member I spoke of was of this mind.

Over a period of years this subject detected a growing evil presence invading his Eden, which disturbed him terribly.

I must say that I am guilty to a degree of preferring the dream-world to the RW which tempts me to sleep well into the morning. However I do not believe this is unhealthy. On the other hand, this group, We of AD, vary in many ways from each other. We bring many different talents to the table and each have our strengths and weaknesses. That said, ever so seldom I meet a new member here who raises my concern as to his/her general health. This raises a question; does psychosis occupy a range, or a slope, along which experiencers of the astral world and events can be cast from healthy to psychotic or is it more a toggle switch? Put, for example the man-on-the-street at one end and RB etal at the other. I’ll be found somewhere in between.

Blavatsky takes great pains to distinguish the ‘medium’ from the ‘mystic’ implying the ‘medium’ is a mindless vessel sensitive to astral influence but ignorant of the science of that phenomenon. I know people here that are psychic, but beyond that are not much different at all from the rest of us. However, it does seem to me that psychic ability grows with the practice of, and understanding of the dimensions we encounter as we dedicate ourselves toward the experiences we seek - LD, AP and OBE.

I’m just thinking, here, and wondering what thoughts others might entertain?

[Tutor]

yeah, hmmm...i dont think anyone is saying that all such as are schizophrenic or have endured psychosis, are by any means all inclusive within any sorted outcomes.

i dont see how to reply to your offering Richard, it is chocked full of polaritys. while i do see the need for dualistic wording, my attempts are to bust them. i suppose that as long as life could in any shape, form or fashion be deemed mundane, then certainly the brevity expires without readiness to expire, for "it" had never truly lived at all. to truly live is to understand that all is truly alive, even that which is unseen, as yet to be seen. surely such a readiness has seen.

i am quite familiar with Blavatsky and lord knows how many other such authors by whatever ilk they fly or have flown by. stones are meant to have been turned over, and not carried forth. wood split is to be burned, and not stored till it rots becoming home to night crawlers.

[Dreamweaver]

I have a significant number of blood relatives who are diagnosed/diagnosable with some schizophrenic spectrum disorder. If i were completely forthcoming to certain professionals in my own field i would meet many criteria for a NOS disorder. I also have much Masonry in my family. Let me just say, some keys are inherited. Schizophrenia is not adequately understood either by science or mysticism and I wish modern western culture had an appreciation and respect for people who live in the dream between worlds.

[eyeoneblack]

I have a significant number of blood relatives who are diagnosed/diagnosable with some schizophrenic spectrum disorder. If i were completely forthcoming to certain professionals in my own field i would meet many criteria for a NOS disorder. I also have much Masonry in my family. Let me just say, some keys are inherited. Schizophrenia is not adequately understood either by science or mysticism and I wish modern western culture had an appreciation and respect for people who live in the dream between worlds.

This is exactly what I was fishing for and is well and concisely expressed. Thanks, kcsobko. You have helped me to define the issues I've been trying hi-lite. I have said many times before that I notice and believe there is no hard line between so called Waking Life and Dream Life. That, in fact, my WL is often invaded by the sort of 'craziness' we are accustomed to in our DL.... if you'll only pay attention you will find many examples. So, you see, I could expand on your statements, with a twist and a turn, so to perhaps drill a little deeper..

yeah, hmmm...i dont think anyone is saying that all such as are schizophrenic or have endured psychosis, are by any means all inclusive within any sorted outcomes.

i dont see how to reply to your offering Richard, it is chocked full of polaritys. while i do see the need for dualistic wording, my attempts are to bust them.

And Tim, we have no dispute, you have revealed my 'interrogative' style. I often will express 'polarities', but I do so only to hopefully invite others' line of thought. You also agree that psychosis is not a 'toggle switch' affair. It is not, sometimes, my purpose to inform, but to quiz for further input. Busting the dualisms is what I hope to inspire.

I was class moderator a few years what seems like long ago, but that style of encouragement of the individuals of the group to participate, is sometimes a default for me when the subject can have so many angles and opinions. In other words, it is not MY opinion that counts, so as not to intimidate hoped for contributors to the dialogue.

Now, if I had simply presented my specific case in consideration of the nature of schizophrenia, then that might be the end of it. Better, that we all express our cases, experiences, etc. and make for a richer investigation.

Thanks, both of you.

[Tutor]

I have a significant number of blood relatives who are diagnosed/diagnosable with some schizophrenic spectrum disorder. If i were completely forthcoming to certain professionals in my own field i would meet many criteria for a NOS disorder. I also have much Masonry in my family. Let me just say, some keys are inherited. Schizophrenia is not adequately understood either by science or mysticism and I wish modern western culture had an appreciation and respect for people who live in the dream between worlds.

we weep together.

when two worlds as alpha and omega cease as two, then there is one up...under...standing, having risen from the having gone to the knees within the terrifying event wherein all whereof came crashing inward, filling the cup of despair's finish, to runneth over with NEW life, actual life, two ah-g-ain, this time a union, an androgeny of wandering winged wonder, eyes ripped wide open. the dreamer and the dreamed oned, of one neither dreamer nor dreamed, just as it is...lived as life. come WHAT?! may

and "I" cried out in a screaming scream, forgive ME for this abomination that "I" have called a lie-fe! and it was on like donkey kong, to drive out that which never belonged to ME. and the fle~H~S of my very Self having so long lay upon a S~H~elf, Crossed over upon a Rainbow Bridge, did quicken Life of very Love's Joy upunder Me, to from quivering knees, stand up amidst face to face where within all without Me, thrown back over faces into blazing fury consuming of bitter ends, of a new beginning, whereof new life quickly burst forth from ashin ground, left to right, right to left, up to down, down to up, in to out, out to in, the turning turned turn ~ thriced as NOW over ME; and all my people say, Na na na, na na, na na na NA...

Hosanna in the Highest

there was more, i deleted it, cuz i wrote it out of backwards consideration. gotta look deeper from...to