Mental Health and Metaphysical

I've been thinking about this all week, ever since I saw the Denton show on Monday (Mods if this is better in TV, then please move).

Andrew Denton was attending a seminar on mental health.

On it was a lady called Heidi that was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

She talked about the angels and devils that she could see.

She also had drawings of them.

When I saw them - particularly the drawing of her dog I thought - 'That drawing looks very similar to spiritual drawings that I have done in the past.'

Then it got me thinking - what is the link between spirituality and mental health?

Heidi actually talked of feeling that she was more in the next world than she was here.

Also, the man running the seminar (sorry, can't remember his name) felt like his aura was literally beaming out of the television.

I wondered that if either of these people had been brought up in a different environment, whether their gifts would have been viewed in a different way?

Or is it that they need the drugs to control their mental illness, but still would be highly gifted spiritually?

I know a friend of mine that works in mental health says there is a strong link between mental illness and spirituality.

I'd be interested to know what people think.

ETA - I am not trivialising mental health in any way - I have at times had depression and my DH has anxiety so I know how horrible it is to be in the throws of these conditions.

I have always thought that people who have a mental illness are somehow connected to a world we can't see. Unfortunately, mental health doctors really don't want to hear anything like that, and would rather dope people up and spit them out of hospital as soon as possible. Mental Health is an area which is seriously under staffed and under funded. IMO.

If there was enough funding and staff, and perhaps a view to holistic care then maybe the whole person could treated rather than just the disease that is associated with them. Really wish it was different.

Well I'm sorry I missed the program, sounds like it was very interesting.

In my own observations, ppl with mental health problems (like delusions/hallucinations) often have very tattered/holey auras, it's like the aura acts as a screen for all that excess energy/information out there. When it's damaged, the individual can no longer control what energetic stimulus they get and are 'overloaded'. This theory (which I have discussed many times with my sis who's a social worker and also trained in energetic healing like me) is supported by the fact that all mental healing involves re-learning personal boundaries, at a physical, emotional and psychic levels.

Just my thoughts anyway...

Im not sure either way...I am sure that there are mental health sufferers that truly have issues, and some that are probably just diagnosed that way for convenience of society.

We talk about this quite often, and for me it always comes back to this: If there is truly supposed to be a second coming of Christ, nobody would know, because he would be put in a hospital and told he has schizophrenia.

I thnk its a very valid point, just unfortuntate that modern medicine doesnt allow much room for the metaphysical.

Some excellent POVs here that I had not considered before. Thanks everyone!

I just found the website where you can view the show:

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Enough Rope - Angels and Demons

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I'll have to settle in and watch it soon!

I have often wondered this too. Perhaps that is why most people with metaphysical abilities keep pretty darn quiet about them. Was only 300 years ago they were burning people at the stake for being natural healers (and calling them witches)

this is just my point of veiw and in no way mean to offend anyone.
I have experience with a lot of mental health isues in my family (both my mum and dads extended family) and dps mother.
It seems to me that a lot of the time people with mental health issues seem to use "religion" or spirituality as a crutch. I dont mean this necessarily as a negative, just something that helps them get through the day to day.
My fathers mother (who has no idea who I am) is we think bi polar, has never actually been diagnosed, has a history of changing church, belief or religion every few months or so, my mums sister who I was once very close to is also diagnosed manic depressive (now known as bi polar) possibly drug induced, anyway a few years ago she decided the best thing for herself to do was up and move states, cut contact with everyone and become a born again christian, with very rigid beliefs etc. seeing as my mum is a white witch who reads tarot cards she has been advised to have no contact with our family as we are evil and in league with the devil, productive or good for her mental health? I think not!
anyway, I guess I going off on a tangent here, sorry, I think I made my point..?

The waters are muddied because it's hard to know if people who are spiritual are seeing/hearing/witnessing real phenomena which others cannot detect or if their mind is conjuring these things out of nothing.

As someone who has worked since a young age on grounding in this reality and NOT seeing the bits of awareness i'm not supposed to, i would say that yes, it's possible that for some reason some people are seeing through this reality and onto others which taken as they are seen make no sense. I think some people are just more open to that. My experience was one which led me to know that it is easier to shut the door than to deal with what is on the other side of it. I don't feel it was a "gift" any more than having size 8 feet or being blonde is. The ability is there but i reject it.

Part of the problem with drug use is that if, in order to access a different plane of reality, you open a gate inside yourself, then using drugs to do the same basically blows the gate right out of its hinges. Then you have no gate you can shut over and whatever is on the new plane you accessed can come hassle you all the time.

As a child i had the tendency to leave my body so now i work on accessing the higher awarenesses physically with tantra, yoga, running and so on. Physical meditation, for ME, is a safer way. But i'll bet drugs are quicker and lots of people want the feelings without the work.

I think you have touched on another aspect too there Hoobley.
From my personal experience many people experience one form of astral travel/projection at some stage in their lives, most not knowing what it actually is or dismissing it for dreams, etc. But I think its highly possible that many people with mental disorders or problems are not aware of what they are doing, nor ho to do it safely, or properly, or simply prevent themselves from doing it full stop.
Part of the major teachings of most pagan relgions is the understanding and correct use of AP, and how to stay safe doing it. It is not something that should be taken ightly as it can lead to things we are not prepared for.
And I think that often these negative aspects and contacts could manifest as something most classify as a mental disorder or disease.

Sounds like Spiritualism and Paganism has similar teachings about controlling astral travelling and openings of aura, Limeslice.

Which was going back to my original point - if some of these people had been taught how to do this, rather than going straight to a mental health diagnosis, would they have the same issues?

Hoobley, I'm amazed that you have been able to keep the otherworldly at a distance. Amazed, but I understand. My mum is very similar.

I'm actually the opposite - I needed to have knowledge of what was going on in order to reduce my own fears and understand this spiritual side of myself.

It's been fun trying to integrate it all!

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As someone who has worked since a young age on grounding in this reality and NOT seeing the bits of awareness i'm not supposed to, i would say that yes, it's possible that for some reason some people are seeing through this reality and onto others which taken as they are seen make no sense. I think some people are just more open to that. My experience was one which led me to know that it is easier to shut the door than to deal with what is on the other side of it. I don't feel it was a "gift" any more than having size 8 feet or being blonde is. The ability is there but i reject it.

Part of the problem with drug use is that if, in order to access a different plane of reality, you open a gate inside yourself, then using drugs to do the same basically blows the gate right out of its hinges. Then you have no gate you can shut over and whatever is on the new plane you accessed can come hassle you all the time.

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Yes Yes YES!!!

Gargy: It would be interesting to tell, but thoe with the most intimate knowledge do not share it, because it is not to be shared.
There is a reason the Masons are a secret society, there are reasons why there are keepers of the secrets which are not to be shared exist. And one of them is the power that is involved with fully understanding an dcontrolling the extreme effects (and affects) of such things, is simply too great for understanding - to quote common cartoons (lol) it is used to evil, instead of good!
So hence, information needs to be protected to protect people from themselves...iykwim!
That's why it takes 20 years to complete a druidic apprenticeship...lol..you got to be committed!! lol

But Ido think that there are mental disorders out there...I watched an American Dateline program this mornig about a ma who has utterly convinced me of that (scary fellow!!) I just dont always agree with how society deals with it and the people who suffer under them.