The topic of mental health and its relationship with spirituality is quite a sticky
wicket. Just the fact that so much of spiritual belief and practice depends upon intensely personal and subjective thoughts and experiences makes it hard to draw a line between mental “illness” and the vivid spiritual experience. Throw in the dogma attached to both the psychiatric/psychological fields and the sometimes just-as-rigid “New Age” movement, and you’ve got a can of worms that’s not easy to untangle.
I’m aware of therapists and psychologists who won’t even discuss spirituality because they equate it with religion. It’s startling to find such close-mindedness in a profession that perforce requires a whole bunch of winging it to be effective. But even the less rigid psychologists who recognize the value of some kind of spiritual belief as a part of a healthy ego, generally refrain from introducing it into the therapeutic program in favor of the safety of what they were taught in school; and when they do, it’s usually centered around the mainstream notion of relying on a Higher Power outside of the patient’s influence, to be supplicated for help.
We also see some spiritual “teachers”, intuitives and psychics assert that there’s no such thing as mental illness; that the subjective reality of a person is completely valid and not to be questioned. They seem to feel that one who is experiencing a “different” reality than the one commonly accepted should be left alone…that introducing medication or other therapies is meddling with that person’s authentic spiritual experience. They are invariably the ones who put huge stock in channeling extra-physical beings, seeing spirits and visions, and all the trappings of the occult and non-ordinary. When I see one of them tell a person who is, say, hearing voices to not listen to their doctors and family, but to embrace the phenomena as a spiritual “gift”…well, frankly I sometimes have an urge to tear my (or their) hair out. Based upon one blog comment or forum post, they’re making a diagnosis that could literally mean life or death. Not smart. Not thoughtful or prudent. Not anything good at all.
In these cases, they may or may not know that they’re totally feeding into the illness that may be present. The thing about what we might call the “negatively altered mental state” that makes it different from all other illness, and makes it so insidious, is that it cannot recognize itself. If you have a bad heart, you can understand that and make a choice whether to do something about it or not. But if you’re psychotic, that is your only point of reference. Your reality is what it is…you know what you know, and you know it just as surely as anyone else knows their own reality. Thus, having one who is a supposed authority (the psychic or intuitive) tell you exactly what you want to hear (namely, that there’s nothing wrong with you) puts the last nail in the coffin of sanity. Thus, through the power of affirmation, a possibly well-meaning numbskull helps to reinforce the illness and possibly affect the course of a person’s life for years to come.
All that said, there is for every physical/mental illness or malady a reflection in our spiritual aspect. As it is above, so it is below (and vice-versa). If we’re sick in the body, there’s usually also something wrong in our mind, our emotions, and yes…in our soul. In my training, my practice, my intuitive insights and in my observations, I’m quite sure that mental illness more often than not has roots in the higher dimensions…and the “vice-versa” part is that it can be rooted in the physical and have an effect on those higher dimensions of our psyche. For instance, mental abilities can be affected by head trauma, which obviously is going to affect our emotional aspects, and I dare say our ability to evolve spiritually since we have lost some of the ability to consciously learn and act. That would be a case of the physical dimension having an effect on the spiritual dimension.
Going the other way…from spiritual-level damage to physical/mental…is, of course, quite an esoteric topic. All I can do is to relate my observations and conjectures.
Firstly, in the interest of openness, I will say that I have several family members who have been seriously mentally ill. One is fine now; the other is recovering. At any rate, I think that that has given me a unique point of view since I have been intimate witness to not only the life-disrupting aspects of the thing; but I have spent much time thinking about and researching remedies for it.
One should never, ever rely solely upon any kind of psychic or spiritual remedy for serious mental illness. The kind of clearing work that I do, for example, is based upon the conscious participation of the patient or client. A person who lacks the capability to think clearly has, to some extent, lost not only a frame of reference…they’ve also lost a good portion of their free will. Indeed, exposure to the kind of esoteric practices common to many healing modalities could be destructive for these people, simply serving to reinforce their idea that “this” reality is not real at all.
In my healing modality, one common cause of serious mental disruption is the loss of soul facets (or “fragments”). In a nutshell, particular and specific parts of the soul are missing…the ability to interact socially, the sense of reality, or the ability to be creative or to love. Often, several of these aspects can be missing at the same time. And it’s not as though these parts of the individual can be “taught” or “therapied” back into existence…they’re simply gone. Unavailable. In some cases these essential personality fragments can be recovered. But it’s extremely difficult.
A somewhat less problematic situation occurs when there’s an attachment. This can be an actual entity, or a non-intelligent “psychic organism”. They are all rather equivalent to ethereal bacteria or viruses…foreign bodies that don’t belong where they are. They can also be thought of as neuroses on the mental level, which may make them easier to swallow for traditional thinkers. These can be extracted fairly easily if a person is capable of understanding what’s going on, and set the intention to get rid of them. But in the midst of full-blown psychosis, the patient is just as likely to want them to stay since they’ve attained so much control that there is no longer any distinction between person and foreign body. It is possible for these entities to be the source of “voices”…but that is certainly not to be assumed without serious investigation. Again, things can be done, but it’s still very difficult.
Yet another source of mental distress can come from open “portalways” to past-life experiences. We live in the physical under a veil that is in place for a reason. Imagine experiencing a hundred lifetimes at once, and it’s easy to see how a psychotic person would have trouble dealing with daily life. And access to certain experiences within those lives could obviously be bothersome; having vivid memories of trauma like being murdered, executed, or of war experiences with no filter in place is bound to produce difficulty.
In Part Two, I’ll address some specific cases and discuss the possible root causes and why a soul might choose to incarnate into a life of infirmity and low level functioning.
Thanks, Michelle.
Regarding past life regressions, Dr. Brian Weiss does offer CD’s that are said to aid one to attempt it one’s self. He also lectures abroad and gives seminars to other professionals – it’s likely he has at least one student in NZ.
That said, my work does include finding those open portals (and closing the inappropriate or unhelpful ones).
Glad you liked the article.
Hi Michael,
What a truly awesome article, on too many points to mention. All of it totally resonates with this New Zealand lass! 🙂 My disillusionment with conventional mental health practitioners began many years ago, for reasons including some of those listed here. Intrigued by your comment about Portalways. What I wouldn’t give to find a talented past life regressional therapist here in NZ. Was inspired on this subject years ago, firstly, after reading the book Other Selves, Other Lives, by Roger Woolger PhD. May the dogma lessen, in years to come.
Hi Donna,
Sorry to hear about your nephew. In a case like this, letting go is pretty much what you can do…as long as you remain open to helping him if he ever comes to be able to ask for help. I always say: let go, surrender, trust…but never give up. He may have needed to wander the world in this lifetime to learn something. Perhaps someday he’ll be done wandering.
There’s no way to discover whatever spiritual-level things might be going on with him without doing a formal reading. Chances are that without his participation, there would not a huge immediate effect by doing any clearing…but OTOH I have seen some benefit take place by doing clearing on others’ behalf. You never really know.
I guess I need to add a blurb to my readings page…I can do readings/clearing for people who I don’t speak with on the phone, but it needs to be asked for by someone whose life is intertwined with theirs pretty much on a daily basis.
BTW, congratulations on having your Higher self kick your butt for you… 🙂
Hi Michael,
Your points are so well taken. Depression got me off the couch. At the time I didn’t know how to face how much I was holding on to old ideas, perceptions and past hurts. I wish I could actually say I was fat and happy, but that was not the case. I was innately moved by something so much bigger to find my way and am appreciative for the experience. I immersed myself in yoga teacher training and meditation and over the course of three years have much more clarity about so many things. Best of all, I am at peace. No more drama.
My nephew, on the other hand, suffers from sever depression, schizophrenia, and constant drug abuse. He was on his way to recovery until he got married and had a baby with someone equally as troubled. He since, has gone back to drugs, been arrested, skipped court date and left the state. He does not stay in touch with anyone. We are all at our wits end. He will not listen to his doctor and he tends to sway toward hard core religious communities. We have let go. Any advice on that one?
Love your blog.
Donna Marguglio
Hello Cynthia,
There is really only one criteria: does it interfere in a substantial way with one’s ability to function to the degree that’s desired, in daily life? If not, all bets are off. You can believe anything you want about the world, yourself, reality…that’s the privilege of any sentient being. If you can still feed, clothe and shelter yourself – and relate to others to the degree that you like – there’s no problem whatsoever.
Depression , anxiety etc. are often quite necessary…and are often triggered subconsciously by our Higher Selves…as ways to get us to move off of dead center. Fat, dumb and happy often allows us to abstain from evolution.
Hello, interesting topic. The symptoms of awakening could be viewed as a mental disorder. Depression or dark nights of the soul could also be viewed as such, and yet there is much growth to be found by having and surviving these experiences.
I can feel a spirit/presence near me before I hear it, and I usually catch a glimpse of light or see a shadow. Do I think I’m psychotic? No, but I question my sanity anyway. As Billy Joel once said… “You may be right. I may be crazy.” It is healthier to ask than to be in complete denial. And too many open spiritual doorways are problematic for most people – gifted or not. If you start feeling too much mental pressure, it’s time to concentrate on peace and pure being-ness.
Thanks, I enjoy your articles.
Peace!
Hi Julie,
Deciding that a “non-ordinary” experience is paranormal or some other “spiritual”-type experience is one way that people can explain what’s happening to them. No one wants to think there’s something wrong with their thinking because it’s the essence of who they are. Imagine literally losing yourself. Scary. It’s extremely common for people with these problems to deny that there’s a problem at all. Add in the paranoia that’s often a part of it, and any excuse not to take the meds or talk to the therapist is almost a given.
As I said I’ll discuss the attachments in more detail soon…but it’s not always attachments. Our psyches have definite structures, and those can be blown apart – sort of like Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall.
I’m sure it’s clear cut to you – but it’s just as clear cut to someone who has a psychosis. They have their own frame of reference, and for them it’s completely valid. The problem comes when that frame doesn’t sufficiently coincide with the one we all have in common.
This is a serious subject and one I’d like to understand better. Until you pointed it out, it never occurred to me that a peron might use “a spiritual experience” or the advice of a psychic/intuitive as an excuse to avoid proper treatment for mental illness.
Like Justin, I have also wondered about attachments. For example, what actually occurs to allow this to happen? Is it a thought form, or wishing so hard for/against something that somehow you are granting permission without consciously realizing it?
It is very clear cut to me what is “communication” with more than meets the eye on this plane and “a mental health problem”, but only for myself. I would not be able to diagnose anyone and although I would expect that to be clear to clients, apparently in some cases it is not.
Hi Justin,
I think we need to clarify the distinction between “spirituality” and the vivid spiritual or paranormal experience. Spirituality is very broad. Seeing and hearing things and having extreme non-ordinary thought patterns is what we’re talking about.
The topic of the attachments is way too complicated to go into here, but I’ll touch on some of it in the next post. It’s a large part of what one learns about when training to be a clearing professional, and even after the training it takes a goodly amount of time to really understand it.
As for things to look for, there aren’t any – because each case is different. It takes a thorough investigation (a “reading”) to find out what the root causes are.
Hi Michael,
It seems that there is a fine line between mental illness and spirituality. Certainly extreme mental states can lead to mental illness as well as other imbalances.
What about the spirit attachments? How does this happen? What signs and signals should we be made aware of?