>>> Updated every New Moon <<<August 19, 2001
Dear astrologyTOMORROWtoday (tm) Reader,
In the final analysis …
A Cure For Psychosis?
(This article should be appreciated in its entirety --
please do not quote me out of context. Thanks.)
I started expressing myself in journals relatively late.
It was 1989 and I was in my 30's.
I had felt the need to express myself much earlier but since I was
very itinerant in those days, I had to restrain myself from writing
as I wouldn't have had a private place to store my thoughts.
I now tend to think that I could have benefited from this "therapy"
much earlier had I begun the "expression exercises" earlier.
I think humans can ALL benefit from the right therapies.
I think there should be no shame nor stigma in having had therapy.
Or in having had the need for therapy.
My colleagues and I have come across psychiatrists, psychologists
and social workers who have needed some sort of therapy themselves.
Anyway, I was writing an average of three hundred (300) pages a month
for like, seven (7) years.
From time to time, I'd visit the old entries to see "where I was"
at such and such a time and made mental notes of my progress
or lack of.
That was *my* therapy!
Go read this site link about how one man discovered *his* own
therapy and helped himself out of seventeen (17) years of mental illness
by writing a unique kind of book.
When I got on the Internet in 1996, I decided it was unnecessary,
wasteful even, to keep all my thoughts to myself and so I made it a
point to exchange worldviews with pen-pals and whomever was interested
in the exercise.
It got so, that I found I was repeating myself and in order to save
time and energy, some of the "Odyssey" pages were created.
I find that writing for a Web site is a better investment of myself
than writing for individuals.
Writing for "att" is like throwing a flower (for want of a better term)
into a crowd, knowing it will hit a mark.
With individuals, when you miss, you miss.
In this sense, I find writing for "att" more worthwhile and fruitful.
Still, I notice a 7-year pattern (one Uranus cycle) in my life where
there is a shift in priorities and associated activities.
It remains to be seen if I'll still be writing for "att" by the end
of 2004.
If one year on the Internet is the equivalent of seven years in the
"Outernet" (read: regular life), then, by the end of 2004, I would
have been sharing myself on "att" for like, almost fifty years!
Top
Recently, I have been receiving email asking for my opinion on how to
treat psychoses and early mental illness.
One email reads:
"Hi Mei Nah Khoo,
It is quite special to read through your web-site and we hope to keep
in contact for further in-depth review of your content.
It is not fair to comment on this short information.
We are also "Consultant" or "Master" to others and we believe that
we can build and change our life at this moment.
I and my partner are seeking information and trying to explore the
solution to treat the mental illness in the initial stage.
We try to explore how to deal with "special" locating into the suffer,
with the help or support of some special voices from Buddhism.
If you also have some guides in this topic, kindly advise.
Keep in touch.
H. N. -- Hong Kong
P.S. Your colleagues one and two should feel our coming.
Ask them if you find query."
Granted, as a "Destiny" number 33 person, I tend to attract people
and experiences that mirror the traits of this number so that I may
be able to develop into my highest potential.
However, I need to remind you folks that I am NOT a therapist and
DO NOT and CANNOT substitute for one.
That said, I also happen to hold the view that professionally trained
counselors are *not* necessarily more effective in helping people in
trouble.
I think they lack the background and personal experience to touch
base with troubled souls.
As such, their worldview and professional counseling can be
uninspired and limited in scope.
Most professional counselors and care-givers do not *only* neglect to
factor in the "psychic forces at work" (Pfaw) in the treatment of their
patients … their lack of metaphysical understanding can create problems
for themselves as well as their patients, without their knowing.
I understand psychiatrists, doctors and nurses have the highest rate of
suicides and drug dependence.
And this is despite the fact that their training protects them from being
over involved and burnt out.
In the final analysis, SIGH, who's to say who is qualified to counsel?
Everyone can give of themselves -- share personal experiences and
reference points -- and the listener can decide who to listen to as in,
who makes sense in his estimation (read: reality).
The listener really decides who can help him.
At one time, I would get too involved with the cases that came my way.
I would care too much, having been there myself, and didn't know
how to turn the tap off when I should have been living my own life.
I've come a long way since those days, and presently, I concede that
I cannot play so many roles.
As a writer, I see my role as informative and consciousness raising.
I shall leave the role of "therapist" for other people to fill.
Writing for the general "att" reader is a different responsibility
than writing for a specific person with specific needs.
This stance of mine met with disapproval recently, causing a certain
disgruntled and disappointed individual to write that I am
"not writing to help anyone but myself, my own egoity (sic)."
Well, I have already said in "about mEinah" that I write first,
to clear the confusion in my own head.
Having to organize my thoughts give form to otherwise vague
abstractions and theories.
Writing affords me a way to get in touch with my unconscious
and subconscious, allowing me to unfold that, which is already
embedded in my soul.
This exercise of writing certainly helps me to grow and evolve
further and in so doing, should I manage to make a difference,
however small, in any of your lives, my purpose and "mission"
would be fulfilled.
The same disgruntled writer also said that whenever I wrote of
"fellow sufferers", I was "building the walls of (my) martyrdom
a little higher".
Webster's Dictionary defines a "martyr" as:
1a. Any of those persons who choose to suffer or die rather than
give up their faith or principles.
b. Any person tortured or killed because of his or her beliefs.
2. A person who suffers great pain or misery for a long time.
3. A person who assumes an attitude of self-sacrifice or
suffering in order to arouse feelings of pity, guilt, etc. in others.
"Martyrdom" is defined as:
1. The state of being a martyr.
2. The death or sufferings of a martyr.
3. Severe, long-continued suffering; torment; torture.
I personally know TWO people who fit the above descriptions
better than I.
While I may be paying a high price to maintain certain principles
and beliefs, I think I am too bothered by the consequences of my
choices to be real "martyr" material.
(Please note that we are *not* talking about religious or political
martyrs.)
The first martyr type I know feels passionately for various causes and
his latest one is in helping stray dogs.
Whether I like it or not, I am somehow involved in his causes
because our lives overlap.
This person is One Phone Call.
I have taken in ten strays already and although they are wonderful
creatures, they are a burden to feed and care for.
Some people say I am a "saint" for doing this.
Instead of feeling boosted, I am actually mournful because
it points to the state of the situation.
If more people are willing to do what OPC, "Auntie" (the other
"martyr" type I know) and I are doing, this won't be perceived
as a "saintly" act.
This would be the norm.
Instead of lending a helping hand, most people complain about
our dog activities.
They say we are "inconveniencing the neighborhood".
Worse, many of them ill-treat the dogs that they won't help.
Some of them are even cruel to their own dogs! : <
If any of you readers have worked with the stray population in
any part of the world, I would love to hear from you -- your ideas
and suggestions -- on how OPC, "Auntie" and I should go about this.
How do we keep the population down (we can't catch the strays
for spaying and even if we could, we couldn't give them aftercare)
and how do we find good homes for the existing strays when most
people are only interested in owning pedigree "status symbols"?
While OPC and Auntie are somewhat "martyr" types, most of the
people the three of us collectively attract to our lives are typically
"troubled souls" who need the "compassion, self-sacrifice, courage
and unwavering commitment to reform, truth and healing of the
number 33 Destiny" -- unquote.
As much as it's my life-path "mission" to make a difference in
whatever way I can, sometimes I have to admit to myself that
some cases (regarding humans especially) are too complex and
multi-dimensional for me to handle.
Crying or feeling bad for the plight of the stray dogs or for the
sufferings of human beings doesn't help.
I go to bed at nights alternately feeling sorry for others and for
myself.
I can't make sense of all this wretchedness … I don't see the point
except to allude everything to karma, lessons for the soul and
existentialism, which does little to cheer me.
OPC and Auntie fare better.
Being not exactly "thinkers who watch their own minds", they live
a day at a time, DOING in the moment and facing challenges as
they come.
They don't worry about tomorrow.
Here's a Newsflash:
"Martyrs" are people with their share of personality flaws and human
folly.
They also live very unbalanced lives -- the bigger the martyr, the more
unbalanced the life -- and I do not aspire or desire to be unbalanced
at all.
While I make no claims to "martyrdom" myself, I do think that
people who share their thoughts (in print or otherwise) generally
do have "a (genuine) high opinion of themselves".
I prefer to call it self-esteem, a sense of self-worth or a belief
in the self.
If they didn't feel more often than not, positive about themselves,
they wouldn't have the confidence, courage and commitment to
share themselves in the first place.
Many think "ego" is a negative thing.
Actually, it's how one directs the ego that makes it a positive or
negative thing.
Not having a healthy ego can manifest as an unstructured personality
which lacks control, certainty and direction.
Top
Many people seem to have problems with "psychic forces"
(Pfaw) these days.
I've finally thought of a less serious term to describe the evil forces
at work (Efaw).
In my opinion, the best thing to do to "neutralize" these
"disturbing forces" is for the subject to get involved in
some "spiritual" work.
Spiritual charitable work, that is.
Spiritual charity is when you help others (animals included) to the
point of your own discomfort or inconvenience.
Spiritual charity is when you help until it hurts.
If the helping doesn't put you out somewhat, it does not qualify as
spiritual charity.
Thus, the effort would be rendered insufficient to help you in a
spiritual way.
I believe most of the "psychic disturbances" in our world
have to do with disembodied spirit entities with unfinished
or selfish agendas.
They interfere with people's vibrational field whether they
mean to or not.
This upsetting of humans' vibrational field can and do result in
physical ailments for certain individuals, so susceptible.
In "The Dance Of The Qi", I mention the book "Going Within"
by Shirley MacLaine.
In the book, Shirley says that physicists claim the Earth vibrates at
8 cycles per second (p. 177).
She claims the nervous systems of all life forms are attuned to this
basic frequency.
Shirley also says that there is an invisible harmonic resonance between
the Earth, as a living vibrating entity and the human being when in a
relaxed state.
When we are hyper or tense, we are out of balance with the resonating
frequencies of the Earth itself.
Feeling in harmony with the Earth and ourselves then becomes a natural
marriage of electromagnetic vibrations.
Now, I've said enough times here on this site that humans are essentially
electromagnetic entities.
We vibrate at a different cycle per second than the disembodied entities.
That's why we hear of people falling sick after having had an encounter
with entities of a different frequency.
That is only the physical manifestation of having had one's cycles per
second interfered with.
Many, if not all, native cultures and traditions are based on the
"superstitious" belief that spirit entities are responsible for many of
humankind's illnesses -- both physical and mental.
While modern minds may pooh-pooh these "superstitious" beliefs as
nonsense, metaphysicians know that these "superstitious" beliefs are
based on Timeless Truths.
No amount of intellectual gymnastics is going to void this truth.
I'm not saying that the HIV virus is not responsible for AIDS.
I'm not saying that the Helicobacter bacteria is not responsible for
stomach ulcers and stomach cancer.
I'm only saying that the Efaw or Pfaw (use whichever term you're
more comfortable with), being opportunistic forces, make certain
people more susceptible to diseases than others.
Several years ago, OPC and I had a chance encounter with a medical
scientist based in Washington, D.C.
He told us about his research on the DNA structure in our bodies.
He described a "wall" between the cells that was somehow hindering
the passage of information to the neighboring cells, thus creating
mutations and cancers as we know them.
OPC, being kind of savvy in matters of "forces", suggested to this
eminent scientist that it was the "wall" itself that should be looked into
as the part sending the wrong information.
OPC believes this "wall" is the conducive place for the Efaw or Pfaw
to create havoc within the human body.
Particularly in medical cases where the "experts" can't find anything
wrong with the patients that should give rise to the symptoms.
[OPC and I didn't introduce the Efaw or the Pfaw of course.
We didn't look forward to being certified insane right there and then! : > ]
Top
One can choose to be an instrument of light or an instrument
of darkness.
Disembodied spirit entities with their personal agendas will have
difficulty occupying the same "space" as the person with
a helpful, spiritual agenda.
Other than figuring out whether the mental disorder is
functional or organic, and treating it accordingly, charitable
programs in tandem with conventional and/or traditional
treatments, will be a surer way of staying "sane" in an
"insane" world.
Acts of compassion not only alleviate the suffering of
despairing souls but give hope to the ones carrying out the
acts of compassion -- "Ask not for whom the bell tolls,
it tolls for thee."
It's known that humans create diversions to avoid the REAL
issues in their lives.
Addictive gambling and shopping are two examples of
NEGATIVE diversions.
Getting actively involved in various worthwhile causes is a
sterling example of a POSITIVE diversion.
In addition to taking your mind off your own problems,
when you see the proverbial "people with no feet", you will
no longer feel that "having no shoes" is such a big deal.
Working with those more unfortunate than yourself makes
you count your blessings.
While you may not be able to change your own (karmic) situation
due in part say, to the interplay with main players in your karmic
theme, you may be able to make a difference in the lives of
strangers -- souls not necessarily participating in your karmic theme.
When you succeed to help a human being or even an animal,
you don't feel so helpless, so inconsequential, so divested of power.
The ability to help others in however small measures will
contribute to your overall sense of validity and relevance.
No matter how you look at it, this can only work in your favor.
These "giving" environments will also facilitate the meeting
of spiritually minded, high-quality people.
The lonely and the depressed definitely stand a better chance
of meeting favorable affinities in these situations.
In the hierarchy of our existence, there exist "spirit guides"
and these "guides" will help protect you from harm when they
see that you are being self-sacrificial, disciplined and brave.
These "guides" or "angels" will help see to it that "disruptive
forces" don't succeed to get in the way of your lifetime's
learning and purpose.
I've often wondered why I live a life with no REAL options
to speak of (superficial options are not considered REAL).
Just recently, it dawned on me that my life path 33/6 is so
demanding that if I had an easier REAL (as in authentic)
option, I would easily choose NOT to walk this path.
It's a fact that we don't always welcome our life lessons, yet
we must have faith that we are each gifted with all the talents
and energy needed to fulfill our "Destiny".
I can think of no more bona fide belief than the belief that
when you *sincerely* help others, you are also helping yourself.
The word "SINCERELY" has to be stressed here because a
lot of people think that just by joining a charitable cause, service
or organization, they are being "charitable".
I shall refrain from being explicit here and leave what I mean to
your discernment, dear reader.
The effort has to be SINCERE or else nothing will be happening
at the cell, genome or vibrational (vibration or force field) level.
This is what is meant by: "You may fool others but you cannot
fool yourself."
It was Emerson who said: "It is one of the most beautiful
compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help
another without helping himself." Top
When I think of psychoses, the movie starring Michael Keaton
comes to mind.
It centers on the plot of a bunch of institutionalized whackos on a
day trip to New York for the ball game with their psychiatrist chaperon.
The movie was a good exhibition of the Pfaw on highly intelligent
people who otherwise would have led "normal" lives:
- a paranoid schizophrenic
- a delusional schizophrenic
- a violent personality and
- a catatonic case
The theme of the movie also drives home the point that people need
each other and should work together as a team.
As a single chopstick, each can be broken easily.
As a bunch of chopsticks, humans have a better chance to triumph
over adversities.
The theme also reminds us that humans need someone to love and
someone to love them.
Two of the main characters benefit from their love relationships.
The sanitation man/doctor schizoid had his wife and daughter while
the violent Michael Keaton character had his ex-wife or girlfriend
who still believed in him.
These "loonies" were "cured" while on the outside and not while they
were being institutionalized.
Of course, this being a feel-good movie, it ends with them being able
to live "normal" lives.
In real life though, schizophrenia is difficult to overcome.
I enjoyed the part in the movie (sorry, it's been too long and I can't
recall the title), when these lovable characters, motivated by their
desire to rescue their doctor from the cop killers, took command of
the situation and under the threat of violence, bundled the group of
doctors off to an insane asylum.
The line delivered by the Jesus schizoid, when told Jesus wouldn't
approve of any violence, is a classic.
He replied: "Stay out of my psychosis!" (Was that a blast or what! : > )
Psychosis is defined as: "a major mental disorder in which the
personality is very seriously disorganized and contact with reality is
usually impaired".
Psychoses (the plural) are of two sorts:
a) functional (characterized by lack of apparent organic cause, and
principally of the schizophrenic, paranoid, or manic-depressive type)
and
b) organic (characterized by a pathological organic condition such as
brain damage or disease, metabolic disorders, etc.)
Psychosis is synonymous with insanity.
Back in 1998 (this is from my records), I was horrified to read a true
account reported in the media about this high-flying banker who went
"crazy" while on an international flight.
He stood on a food trolley and in full sight of the passengers,
dropped his pants and … get this, EXCRETED on the food.
Next, he used cloth napkins to wipe himself and then wiped his
soiled hands on the cushion seats.
As if that wasn't disgusting enough, he trailed the excreta along the
length of the aisle, soiling the carpet and freaking out the passengers.
To me, THAT behavior had to be total Efaw (not Pfaw) possession.
OPC knows of a case involving a medical doctor who started to eat
his own feces.
Both cases above exhibit extreme and total loss of control and the
taking over of malevolent entity forces.
OPC and I observe that split personalities in general, are above
average in intelligence.
We think that is usually due to personalities who have developed their
intelligence at the expense of their spiritual and intuitive sides.
Leaving vacant spots, as it were, for the Efaw (or Pfaw), which are
opportunistic forces, to penetrate and create disturbances.
It is vital for intelligent people not to exercise their intelligence
independently.
Intelligence has to be stabilized by compassion, only then can
conflicting forces be balanced.
This is why I recommend the participating in compassionate activities.
A quote comes to mind:
"Intellect must not exist by itself.
When it rejects the guidance of love and inspiration it can justify all
bigotries (sic), no matter how brutal;
it can explain away any madness, including murder.
In the wrong hands, a beam of light may become a death ray."
-- Neil Millar, on the power of the mind.
So, what do I think might be helpful to cure mental illness?
In a nutshell, the following:
1. An understanding of the causes so that you may treat the
causes rather than just the symptoms.
2. Be a vessel of good. Help others so that you may help
yourself.
3. You need to surround yourself with a POSITIVE vibrational
force field.
One that is not conducive to NEGATIVE forces.
4. Believe that whatever the tough times, as long as there's
an opportunity, there's hope.
Be ever so grateful for any kind of opportunity for tomorrow.
5. This is going to sound crazy, but what the heck -- I'm already way out
on a limb here -- GO HUG A TREE.
The color spectrum (aura) of trees hint at the possibility that
hugging trees are an authentic way to combat stress and
depression.
Gautama Buddha DID meditate and attain enlightenment under a
Bodhi tree, so the concept isn't that far off, methinks.
Uh, just make sure you don't get bitten by a snake or whatever
while you're at it. :>
6. While studying the definition of schizophrenia, it occurs to me
that the definition is so broad that almost everyone (if not everyone)
experiences some stage of the "dis-ease" at some point in the life.
A reflection of the reality of our world perhaps, so let's not forget
that one person's "reality" is another person's "psychosis".
Hope springs eternal folks, and as long as you can manage
the one foot in front of the other bit, on the tightrope that is
our lives, you have not been beaten yet.
Say it with me people:
"YO, LIFE! YOU SUCK, BUT I AM STILL STANDING!"
Gee, didn't *that* feel good! :>
Until next time, :>
mEinah@astrologyTOMORROWtoday.com
