Schizophrenia

Recovering slowly but surely after a bad "episode" - always stuns me as it comes right-out-of-the-blue then disappears JUST as mysteriously ...

From recent reading and surfing -

Kindness makes you happier

Happiness tip kindness

Free sentient beings from suffering

Love letters to strangers (Hannah Brencher)

Lama Zopa cherish sentient beings

fpmt Zopa quotes - dozens at one site!

I thought there was more ... oh well!

Should add these to schiz thread? -

Character flaws: The seven chief features of ego - Personality & Spirituality

An Unexpected, Spontaneous Spiritual Awakening

Repairing an Awakening Gone Bad

Spontaneous spiritual awakening can be messy - it sure can! -

Spontaneous Awakening Can Be Messy

How To Become Enlightened - Enlightened People

Articles on Happiness | BeAnInspirer.com

All the best!

Huge couple of days on the home pc ... remind me 2 paste in from Awakening page - not too sure just what my shrink will make of the more forceful anti-psychiatry sites

Anyway it is as good as it is likely to get - here is the thread about my free book -

A Beginner's guide to reality

A few sites about the experience of schizophrenia -

This is my reality -

The goal of This Is My Reality is to provide an extensive cross-section of information on accessing support, shared lived experiences and items of interest to my peers diagnosed with a mental illness, their family, friends and the general public.

Through my services and this website, it is my desire to increase awareness and understanding of mental illness, whilst reducing stigma.

Rethinking madness - get the entire book for free!

Also check-out their Resources menu - here

Tried a search for transpersonal psychology schizophrenia - after it pops up rather unexpectedly ina recent Google search -

The VERY first I click on -

Much needless suffering results from ignorance of the multidimensional nature of the human personality, human psyche or ‘human nature’. Insights into the workings of human nature are revealed by combining Western scientific research with concepts provided by Eastern psychologies, such as Buddhism, concerning the dimension of human nature which is beyond the persona or ‘ego’, namely the transpersonal or ‘spiritual’ dimension. Complete development of human spirituality results in spiritual awakening or ‘spiritual emergence’ also known variously as ‘individuation’, ‘self-realization’, ‘self-actualization’, ‘spiritual renewal’ or ‘spiritual rebirth’. In terms of the transpersonal dimension of the human psyche, so-called ‘schizophrenia’ is a part of the human condition and a concern of transpersonal psychology.

In the conceptual framework of transpersonal psychology, schizophrenia can be understood as a period of crisis involving psychic overload…chaotic and uncontrollable subconscious material surfaces to the conscious level of awareness and this results in intense psychological and spiritual growth… a ‘psychospiritual crisis’ or ‘spiritual emergency’. Spiritual emergency is a process which should be properly understood, respected and supported because of its potential for positive transformation of the person from an ego based consciousness of the ‘conditioned self’ to a higher consciousness state which is more effective for social adaptability, namely the ‘authentic self’.

Passage from one into the next is revealed by the person’s apparently bizarre speech and behavior which are still misunderstood as ‘symptoms’ of disease or ‘mental illnesses’

Psychiatric survivors stories - remind me to paste in a couple from 8 myths about psychiatric drugs ... quite a few from many years ago!

Beyond meds is along a similar theme - looks a huge site actually!

Gail Hornstein's site is also worth a look ... esp the menus ...

Another charming little site

Mind freedom site has a library

Beyond the psychiatric box - A LOT better than I initially thought - check-out these menus at right -

Click here

Paste in some of Lorne Ladner's wonderful book - "The Lost Art of Compassion" - yes -

There is so MUCH tension in this world because MOST people are nowhere near as compassionate as they could possssibly be ...

Here's a couple of examples from Lorne's book -

To develop meaningful compassion for ourselves, we have to be willing and able to look deeply at our own suffering and its causes. Doing this is sometimes so painful, heart-wrenching, humiliating and terrifying that people avoid it at almost any cost - even when the cost is terrible over a long period of time

When you strive to see the divine everywhere, including within yourself, you naturally begin feeling a sense of connection and kinship with others and with the world around you

When you view yourself and others as sacred, then you naturally see beyond any temporary limitations and negativities to each person's underlying vast potential.

May post a few more ... or just check-out Zen habits compassion!

Here's a taste -

Morning ritual. Greet each morning with a ritual. Try this one, suggest by the Dalai Lama: “Today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.” Then, when you’ve done this, try one of the practices below.

I am getting used to "uncanny timing" but this is up there with all of them ... from Lorne's book -

Bodhisattvas take on a personal sense of responsibility for freeing every sentient being everywhere from every kind of suffering, and they vow to remain in the universe going anywhere necessary throughout oceans of time to fulfill their commitment to others. Upon making this vow, of course the bodhisattva begins working for the welfare of others. Her main task in the beginning, though, is to attain her own liberation from suffering and her own full enlightenment. This may sound odd at first, but upon making a compassionate vow to spend all of eternity working for the welfare of others, the bodhisattva's first, main task is to attain a state of enlightenment that brings heer total freedom from suffering as well as limitless bliss, intelligence, skill, joy and wisdom. The reason for this is purely pragmatic. You cannot give others what you don't have yourself.

Lorne also recommends gratitude to lift your spirits

A gratitude challenge

Greater good site advises us to cherish our eccentricities

Unleash your brain!

Be more creative

Challenge your limiting beliefs!

Happiness tips - OR - search for Cindy Holbrook happiness

More on that theme - the world's happiest places

positivepsychlopedia year of happy - should paste it in! -

Here is the site

Socrates thoughts about poetry and madness

Become your best self - makes for an interesting Google search too ...

Excerpts from Gina Lake author of a few books includin "Radical Happiness"

Youtube free yourself from negative thoughts

Another pdf page of excerpts - I am off-line as I type so I don't actually recall what the excerpts are about - remind me to fill you in next time I log onto the internet

Great bunch of books on this page

I believe this is another page of book reviews - you would expect them to be good considering the enlihgtened name of the site ...

Are you an exuberant human being?

Untethered Soul pain price freedom - really should read that book again ...

Gregorian chanting - loads at Youtube - lovely visuals along with the soothing chanting!

From a recent library session -

Stop sabotaging your happiness!

Remind me 2 paste in a few more links at that site - or just click on the menus at top ...

How 2 become enlightened

Spiritual awakening can be messy!

When things turn bad?

More about the experience of awakening

I wonder just what my shrink might make of that lot!

Ah ... nearly an afterthought to send this to whole gang - hope your sense of humour is as twisted as mine ...

This email is mainly for Mum & Dad but the other members of our loud and aggressive family might like to be clued in ...

There is no need for Mum or anyone to worry about my u3a participation - it is totally independent of the NDIS funding that I may or may not be getting.

I can understand why Mum was concerned if she thought the NDIS decision would mean that I would have to stop going to u3a ...

I am actually doing fine even without the NDIS - Steve made a good point - he occasionally does produce a thought or two that aren't completely inane!

Steve said Geoff has lived without NDIS his entire life so why is ti such a big deal all-of-a-sudden?.

At least I think that is the gist of what he said at one of our lunatic conventions recently.

If you're wondering why I would call our family gatherings a lunatic convention then you need to get a clue real quick.

I'm in a "funny" mood and I keep forgetting that other people's sense of humour may not be as eccentric as mine!

Anyway we had a good day overall - met with my case manager and a student nurse for well over an hour and guess who did the most talking?

They are going to get more info on why I was knocked back by NDIS. But I'm definitely NOT losing any sleep over it - we live in a very imperfect world and you can't expect any "system" to run perfectly with no "unfairness".

That's not REALLY cynical - just a calm acceptance on my part that human beings don't manage to create the perfect society just yet. Probably not of much comfort if you are on the receiving end of the roll-of-the-dice!

After that we found a great little shop in Clayton - a lot of gift ideas - I think the Owners of most of the restaurants & shops near Clayton are Indian.

Anyway, this shop cost Mum & Dad some hard-earned dollars as Mum found something her life would be incomplete if she didn't purchase it - you can see it at the next lunatic convention

They also have a HUGE array of vegetarian meals in the fridge - some brands you just will NOT find in your average supermarket!

Then we lunched at the cafe and that is when Mum asked if the NDIS decision affects my attending u3a and I had no idea she had been so concerned that I would miss out on it.

Sorry about the long email - sometimes I just sit at the computer and type manically whatever thoughts appear in my consciousness. Sometimes I even manage 2 make sense!

It's a very Zen thing to do - especially when my hand-writing is getting shaky - I have a few poems which sounded great in my head as I frantically scribbled them down and only later did I discover that my hand-writing is virtually indecipherable!

Not much else to report - except that one waiter is quitting as the pay isn't to his liking - which surprised Mum because she thinks the owner is a great guy and not the type to under-pay his workers ...

Anyway, if any of you managed read this whole email you are in for a surprise. Whether it is a pleasant surprise is out of my hands because we all have different tastes so I won't be horribly offended if you don't respond with manic enthusiasm.

What the bleep am I talking about? Well ... I found a few poems I barely remember writing during my un-medicated days ... you can read them in the attached file to this email.

Don't believe all the "scary stories" about opening email attachments - you can trust my attachments because I bear absolutely no malice towards anyone.

Let me know if I forget to attach the poems - my brain aint what it used to be ...

Love from Geoff

Turns into a very surrrrreal 24-hour period ...

Check-out this :interview" -

Could write VOLUMES and sites and my book and books like Surya & Neale & Untethered and dozens more ...

Here are the interview questions - I could write a MASSSSSSIVE reply to many or give books like Surya and Ladner & many MANY others ...

1: What do you believe is real in the sense of the nature of the universe? (Do you believe in a God, many gods, or is the material cosmos all there is?)

2: Is the world around us chaotic or orderly? In other words, is it purely matter, or is there are spiritual world as well?)

3: What is a human being? (Complex machine or something more spiritual?)

4: What happens when we die?

5: Why is it possible to know anything at all? (Is this a process of evolution or creation etc.?)

6: How do we know what is right and wrong? Or is there even any right and wrong to know?

7: Is there any meaning to human history?

8: What convictions and commitments do you hold to because of the worldview/religion you hold? How do your convictions affect the way you live?

That is all, and thank you again for your willingness to help me! I so appreciate it.

This MAY just be your lucky day because I may be the most unique poster at the forums - I say that VERY much tongue-in-cheek because the most amazing feature of this universe is that we are all unique individuals!

Before I even get to your questions and a bit of ego-indulging on my part - let me give you a brief history of the evolution of my beliefs ...

And even that is not totally accurate - I believe it was Eckhart Tolle who said the following:

What is arising now is not a new belief system, a new religion, spiritual ideology or mythology. We are coming to the end not only of mythologies but also of ideologies and belief systems.

The change goes deeper than the content of your mind, deeper than your thoughts. In fact, at the heart of the new consciousness lies the transcendence of thought, the newfound ability of rising above thought, of realising a dimension within yourself that is infinitely more vast than thought.

You then no longer derive your identity, your sense of who you are, from the incessant stream of thinking that in the old consciousness you take to be yourself. What a liberation to realise that the "voice in my head" is not who I am.

Who am I then? The one who sees that. The awareness that is prior to thought, the space in which the thought - or the emotion or sense perception - happens.

I highly recommend "THe POwer of Now" if that little excerpt has made you curious - it has transformed many people's experience.

You can also find Eckhart Tolle at youtube for free!

Okay enough of a side-track - let's answer your questions as best as I can ...

1. I believe that everything in the universe is evolving to a higher state. Just as primitive life on Earth slowly evolved over vast amounts of time to become more and more complex until the Earth contained a multitude of various forms including sentient beings capable of asking - and even answering - questions such as Why am I here and is there a God who created all the beings currently on this planet.
Gary Zukav goes into EVEN more detail on human evolution towards an almost un-imaginable higher state of consciousness. Some in history have founded new religions because they stood out as phenomenal examples of what our potential really is. Sadly, the religions are not perfect and can turn some true believers into judgemental jerks!

Gary is also on YouTube - but a much deeper appreciation of his philosophy can be found in his books - including the 25th Anniversary of "Seat of the Soul".

2. The world is a perfect environment for human souls to grow. The word spiritual has been misused so often and by so many people that it is easy to be confused.

Of course there is a "spiritual dimension" to human life. Without a soul you wouldn't be ABLE to experience love or curiosity or courage or wonder or kindness to name a few off-the-top-of-my-head.

Without finding a few ways to nourish your soul it is simply NOT possible to live a truly fulfilling life.

3. Good question indeed. I answered it to some extent with my beliefs about the human soul. The physical dimension dimension of human experience has been compared with a dream. A dream seems totally real until you wake up and realise it was"just a dream". Death is simply like waking up from a dream. Whilst living in this dimension of reality our souls are evolving towards an experience of unconditional love - for the majority of people it is not yet a reality but many "experts" agree that we are going through unique transition to an experience our minds can't even imagine.

4. A fairly common question as the various faiths seem irreconcilable on the matter! Buddhists believe you get reincarnated over and over and over again until you experience enlightenment which is the end of emotional negativity. Examples are Buddha and many of the people he showed the way to enlightenment 2500 years ago. There are also very wise & compassionate individuals on this and other planets whose only desire is to help ease the suffering of all beings. There may be more such people on the planet now than there have ever been before. You may meet one of them - you would meet someone without any need to gratify their ego and they would be humble as well as compassionate towards all beings who are suffering. Keep on the look-out and you may be surprised.

If you aint lucky enuf 2 meet one there are many classic books that can aid you in your evolution towards enlightenment. Here are a couple -

"Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsch

"A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle

"Happy for no reason" by Marci Shimoff

"Spirtiuality for Dummies" - forget who wrote it but it is worthwhile reading even if you're not a dummy!

"The Good Heart" by the Dalai Lama who also wrote the classic "The Art of Happiness".

"God and the Evolving Universe" by James Redfield & Michael Murphy & Sylvia Timbers

"Zen Made Easy" by Timothy Freke

"The Spontaneous Healing of Belief" by Gregg Braden

If that isn't a long enough reading list send me an email:

[email protected]

5. Anohter interesting question! A similar question is "What is truth?" or what do we know for sure. THe senses provide us with a ton of data about physical reality and science has helped us understand the laws that underpin physical reality. But that is just the beginning. Science so far has shed precious little light on the most important questions that can drive you to distraction or alcohol if you don't find satisfactory answers.

Meditation is also known as "Inner Science". It has been practiced by many sages and wise guys over the millennia. I personally can vouch for that after at least 30 years of serious practice during my current lifetime. Meditation is the key to evolving beyond the physical realm and almost EVERY good religion has a wide-variety of methods for training the restless human mind. The key is to find one method that suits your personality & disposition then just practice as f your very sanity depended on it. It is worth the effort, trust me!

6. Another key question that requires much thoughtful contemplation and patience. I have to agree with Gary Zukav that we should all adopt an attitude of reverence towards our fellow beings. He devotes an entire chapter of his book to this issue. A person who has reverence for life is simply incapable of malice or anything that would cause somebody else to suffer.

THe Golden Rule aint half-bad either! Treat people the way that you would like to be treated yourself.

7. Human history is a familiar tale of suffering and injustice but many experts think we are on the verge of a totally new way of living. You read some accounts and it sounds almost too-good-to-be-true.

Try Plugging Ascension symptoms into Google if you are curious. I may even remember to give you a link to the Ascension thread here at the forums.

8. An excellent question to finish with but I could write and entire book in response. I truly believe that a healthy belief system is one that helps you become a kinder & more compassionate human being. In theory any religionyou follow could lead you to this experience but unfortunately history shows that such people are so rare that they usually become famous and a religion often is then built on the idea of following their example.

In short, my beliefs are the motivation for every thought & word & deed of mine. I am still evolving but I sincerely believe that an emotionally healthy person is one who makes sure that their thoughts & words & actions are motivated by kindness and compassion as much as they can manage. The more you practice the better you can manage it until it becomes habitual and you don't need any reminding anymore.

If I have confused you at all I apologise - please feel perfectly free to ask follow-up questions.

If you want a free copy of my "book" just email me -

[email protected]

Wishing you all the very best!

Geoff

Another customer ...

That will cost you ... no wait I did say it was free didn't I?

Okay - I shall attach it to a email once I get back home.

Wishing you all the best - if you don't mind a personal question - how long is it?

Oooops that is rather personal - are you a Monty Python fan - if not then my humour may be a little mystifying for you.

I was mainly interested in how long you have been living with a diagnosis like I have ...

Anyways, enjoy the book - should be a few hours until I can attach it and send it 2 you.

Cheers!

More from that "interview" - just-off-the-top-of-my-head ...

His new questions -
Thank you so much! I do have a few follow up questions if you are willing to answer.
1. Do you believe that our souls are also just a product of evolution?
2. What does it even mean to have a soul?
3. Just a follow up to the question about death. Do you agree with Buddhists of this issue? Do you believe we get reincarnated?
4. What does meditation help us realize?
5. This is in regards to your answer about a person with reverence to human life: In my experience, even though I do have reverence for human life, and I try to love and be kind, I still have times of anger or jealousy where I don't act in the right way. I do have reverence for human life, but still I am capable of evil. What are your thoughts?
6. Is it right to say that you believe love, compassion, and kindness to be the goal every human should work towards? That this is the ultimate goal of humanity?
I already can SEE myself answering from a LOT of Zukav regards soul and evolution in a physical universe and having lived as physical beings our imaginations struggle to conceive of life without a body. The body needs food & water & sleep and exercise & yoga to stay healthy. An existence without those needs is tough even for those of us who have been blessed with imaginations.
Boy ...
Dalai plus experiment on your on mind - even IF he isn't actually asking for that ...
Plus Leunig quote and a link to his main site - recent cartoons ... boy!
Yes -
"Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as difficult as that."
Thanks for the follow-up questions. It is a useful exercise for me to try to explain how my current views have evolved and continue to evolve. When you stop evolving you stop growing spiritually and life becomes a dull, rather predictable affair.
But nothing is forever. Each soul will eventually evolve through a series of incarnations into this physical universe.
Enough rambling ... let me specifically address your questions:
1. A good question - our souls and bodies both are experiencing evolution through the experience of being human in a phenomenal universe. Each soul carries karma from previous lives and that karma determines the kind of experiences & relationships that person will experience.
I am para-phrasing Gary Zukav here - absolutely loved reading "The Seat of the Soul" and it is probably the one book if I was limited to one book that I would keep for reading over and over again until I experience enlightenment which may or may not happen in this lifetime. This is the first truly conscious lifetime that I have had. This is true for many of the humans living on Earth today. Many are "waking up" and realising that the physical reality is just part of a MUCH larger reality and there are beings FAR more advanced than we humans who can and do give assistance when it is needed.
I have probably wandered off a little - one of my quirks - my brain is not QUITE fully trained so I do experience a litttle bit of doubt and anxiety at times but I am getting better through my meditation and other practices like yoga & chanting & reading enlightening books and sites ...
Please do let me know IF my answers are not quite what you had in mind when you posed the question. I promise I will do my level best to answer as many questions as you have. There aint many mids like mine - so you are either lucky or unfortunate to be getting the kind of answers you might not have been looking for. Okay ... onto the next question ...
2. There is no simple answer to this question. I never thought I would believe in souls and spirits and life-after-death. Nobody is MORE amazed than me.
Again Gary's book goes into this issue with far more depth than I can convey in a few lines. Sorry about that but there are no "simple" answers to some questions.
The best I can do in one sentence is to say that you are making true progress when you "see" yourself as a spiritual being having a human experience rather that a human being having a spiritual experience.
3. I would say that Buddhism comes closest to describing my current views - namely that we ALL are born with buddha-nature and thus we ALL have the potential for full enlightenment. To even be human is a great achievement because the human experience in a physical universe allows JUST the right mix of suffering and happiness to be able to engage in meditation to purify the mind. This is nothing new - the Buddha said it very well 2500 years ago and his methods DO work - if you have the courage and enthusiasm to practice as if your life depended on it.
Let me know if you want more of an answer to that - I can't read minds very often so I am only guessing at what would be the "best" way to answer your questions. I know very little about you except you sound curious and curiosity is a vital part of the human experience. So keep asking and one day you will have different questions more suitable to that stage of your evolution.
4. Meditation is the main spiritual practice in many religions. It works. It is not a quick fix but it definitely works. I am living proof - I used to be as angry and cynical person on this planet. Having meditated for over 30 years I can say it works and would recommend it to anyone who has any serious questions about the nature of the mind & human consciousness & non-physical reality.
I can't recall the site but I did find a brief quote along these lines: Meditation is the answer to every question you will ever have. Not sure I would say it quite as dogmatically as that but it is food for thought. For anyone interested in a satisfactory quality of life meditation is a proven method.
The Dalai Lama is one of my favourite humans and he recommends that we find out the truth personally. Conduct experiments on your own mind. This means observing your thoughts as they come & go and discover which thoughts lead to suffering and which thought lead to true contentment. Many meditators have performed such "experiments" and they basically come to the realisation that true peace of mind comes from thoughts of forgiveness & compassion & kindness & gratitude. This is because although we are each totally unique as individuals, we all have the same buuddha-nature and thus we all have the potential to overcome emotional suffering - the Buddha did just that 2500 years ago - then he taught other "seekers" to copy his prescription. THat has become the basis of the various schools of Buddhism. Enlightenment can be defined a few ways and this site is maybe the best one to give a brief impression of it -
Enlightenment | What is enlightenment | How to become enlightened | Compassion | Laughter | Divine Comedy
5. Evil is one of the biggest "issues" we have to resolve as human beings. That is why many people reject religion because there does NOT appear to be a satisfactory answer as to why a "loving" God could create such twisted, evil humans as some people are?
I won't insult your intelligence with the suggestion that it is an easy question to answer. Some great minds throughout history have given it their best shot and I can't say which actual answer is the most satisfying - that's a personal decision.
It issimple for me though - I have no potential for evil as I once did. It is not even an issue - I believe very strongly in karma and committing evil is a great way to cause yourself to suffer. You cannot escape karma and s I would never consider harming anyone deliberately for any reason whatsoever. This is why saints are praised in most religions - they demonstrate a FAR more satisfying life by consciously choosing virtue rather than evil. Hope I have covered that question - it's a great way to start an argument if you ask questions like is evil real or does karma exist so that if I commit evil in this lifetime then I will surely experience suffering in this life or in a subsequent lifetime. I wouldn't mess with negative karma even if you feel you are justified.
6. Another great question! THere is one thing I know for certain - an emotionally healthy individual is one who makes sure that their thoughts & words & actions are motivated by kindness & compassion as much as they can manage. And, like every skill, it gets easier and easier the more you practice it. I meditate on that piece of wisdom regularly - it requires constant vigilance in the beginning because most human minds find discipline to be elusive and they have to train their minds until it simply becomes automatic to refrain from any negative emotions. Don't feel too bad if you think I am a bit "loopy" because so far in human history the main motivation for people's thouhgts & words & deeds has been anything but kind & compassionate! That is why we revere the "holy" and "wise" individuals amongst us because they represent a living example of what human beings are capable of doing if they are sincere in their motivations.
Well that was a bit of fun sitting here at my end typing whatever popped into my head as I read your questions. I wish you all the best and ask any more clarifying questions if you want - I am quite happy to give you the best answers I have arrived at through personal transformation. Cheers!


PLus Leunig next time? -

The Glimmer - Leunig

More sites November 2018 -

Some interesting sites November 2018!

What we can learn from our canine friends?

Quotes & images about dogs! - esp heaven? Could Google a couple!

This one is also worthy of a visit!

PASTE in one of the images? - remind me ...

Find happiness by embracing all of your emotions - not just the mindful site!

Remind me 2 include a few from my Tiny Buddha list ...

Are you stressed-out?

This page may also help - from a book all about treating yourself with kindness & understanding so you can treat other people the same way ... haven't read the book but have heard good things about it ...

How to bounce back when life knocks you down for a while!

Appreciate simple things

Tiny Buddha has a few articles about the power of gratitude!

Ah ... found a couple of other excellent articles at Tiny Buddha - just check-out their menus if you don't believe me

Rise above difficult circumstances

We do have the power to change - it may NOT happen overnight but transformation is a very real phenomenon on this planet right now as I sit here madly typing

The key to making things better is to acknowledge you are not okay at the moment

Is positive thinking doing you more harm than good?

Funny dogs - at YouTube!

Live a miraculous life! ... the website seems to have simply disappeared since I saved that one page ... try these searches? -

Yes - miraculodynamic principles - only a few results but Gerardus is good on its own!

This site has a lot of it!!

soulwise.net happiness - quite a few ...

Anthony de Mello happiness - didn't QUITE expect a few videos for that search

The Directive is beautiful, because it calls forth the highest potential of every human without weighing them down with details.

You can start living a miraculous life NOW. Over time, you'll evolve deeper into this lifestyle; living a miraculous life is more of a process than a goal.

Dedicated to the evolution of humanity

The personal purpose is useful in its mutability. You say (fill in the blanks): "I came from _________. While I'm here, I will ___________. When I die, I will ____________." For example: "I came from the future. While I'm here, I will live a miraculous life! When I die, I will rejoin my 'Group Magi.' "

(A Group Magi is a probable future-earth life form. At present, we have no models that accurately describe those beings. At best, it's an ultra-intimate, supra-physical union of widely diverse consciousnesses.)

Cosmic Harmony is similar - it's huge - for example -

Wisdom from extra-terrestrials!


A spot of reading - that Tolle book - you forget!! -

Tolle stress anger anxiety body

Tolle enthusiasm creative power universe

Tolle become friendly with the present moment

Several dozen of his

The spiritual experiences site has quite a few authors and quotes - as well as "unusual" personal experiences ...

Neale was extremely angry before his "Conversations with God"!


Some changes look negative on the surface - yes - an inspired "choice"! - tosses up several!

Check-out this reading list! - I could add a couple

Life changing books - sounds like a thread I did a while back!

Again! - the google search comes up with a few gems! High existence just caught my eye so far ...

Osho book reviews - I do have "Te Everyday Meditator" amongst my collection

Interesting session at library -

Happiness stop criticism

Happiness is the function of your consciousness when it is awake, unhappiness is the function of your consciousness when it is asleep. Unconsciousness is your mirror burdened with much dust and luggage and the past.

From this site

Things 2 start doing for yourself!

Even more at pinterest

Thread about living miraculously ...

From Gerardus - looks plenty ... for example -

Short wisdom stories - add to our thread!?

Self care ideas for mental health

Ways to Let Go and Feel Less Pain

Click on the following image -




Lovely images & quotes - random?
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious - looks a great site!?

How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people — first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy. A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving…

Continues ...

Another email was from the sunshine parenting site - search Google for Sunshine parenting kindness - quite a few sites I am yet 2 explore ...

Here is one of the first I clicked on -

Focusing on kindness

Try these searches - yet to click on more than a couple but some look very good! -

Positive parenting world

Parents encourage kindness

Little ways to encourage kindness

Very well mind compassion

Greater good parenting

Here is a page that mentions contagious optimism! amongst other "happiness habits"!

Scroll down to the bottom of this page if you want a few interesting sites but you suspect that you might not be ready to confront your ego directly at this point in your life ... no worries - sooner or later you will awaken ...

Includes some links which I found after reading a mag called "Well-Being"

Wishing you ALL the best!




More ...

Quotes about conformity - new thread?

40 Quotes on Nonconformists

Dealing with negativity -

You could look for the theme on the web - e.g. How to handle difficult people

The following comes from an excellent book called "The Lost Art of Compassion" by Lorne Ladner

Include an Amazon link??

Anyways, I was just reading it this evening and you do tend to forget just how insightful some books are ...

Page 234 -

The chapter is called: "Joyfully losing an argument".

At first, trying to use an argument as an opportunity to develop compassion and find joy seems a bit strange. Someone in your life approaches you in a provocative, agitated, unreasonable annoying way. You immediately think, "Oh, good, this is my opportunity. Here's an argument starting. Now I can really practice compassion!"

When you're just getting started, you'll be of two minds about the situation. Based on old habits, part of you will want the person to stop being difficult and to act kind and friendly. The part of you that is happy to find this opportunity initially may seem weak or less than genuine. That's alright; it just means that you're not yet accustomed to practicing compassion and inner disarmament. Lama Zopa Rinpoche advises us that when you get good at this practice, the thought of enjoying such challenges will arise as naturally and joyfully as the thought of liking ice cream or chocolate. It all depends on what you're accustomed to.

May type out some more IF you remind me.

Then - this from Ann Albers -

Love as we define it, is simply an acknowledgment of the spark of light within a soul, and a recognition that each soul – no matter how wounded, no matter how stubborn, not matter how unkind, is doing their very best, ultimately, to feel loved ... whether they realize it or not.

Click here for the full article!

Or if that don't work - could always search for: Ann Albers doing their very best loved

Some further thoughts at home - esp after the latest family get-together & the continuing soap-opera of battling egos ...

Yes - I did make a few notes to myself - such as look up Tolle suffering ego ... and it drives me nuts to hear the same drama re-enacted with no difference in the result ...

Plus good reads Tolle quotes?

Yes - nobody is perfect but how much imperfection do you tolerate? Just where do you draw the line?

I am left feeling sad rather than angry - most egos behave that way and they can't even imagine an alternative ...

It creates so much tension on this planet. Hardly anyone is even thinking about becoming free of all the ego nonsense!

And in fact NOTHING short of a fundamental change in your habits will be of any use.

The world is in the sad state that it is currently in because most people have very fragile egos that create a lot of tension & drama in their relationships with their fellow-travelers.

When everyone is crazy they call it normality. Could take that thought a LOT further - as in jake.htm - something about all the spineless & dishonest people getting precisely what they deserve ...

Yes! It would be absolutely hilarious if it wasn't so tragic!

And maybe I was right - maybe they are ALL just robots ...

Even this unkind thought popped into my head:

"Don't you realise? Mum has NEVER been wrong about anything - every opinion she has ever had has been absolutely the correct way of looking at things."

And I must admit - it is the perfect opportunity to practice unconditional compassion because I know from experience that people only indulge in such pointless drama because they are a LONG way from feeling genuinely happy within themselves!

I suppose I could always send this to them and hope it might "do the trick"!

I forget a LOT of the stuff that popped into my consciousness ... then home and reading "100 Happiness Hacks" - one of which mentions indiegogo.com - for actually helping people with REAL problems ...

Then this email after only a couple of phenomenal hours dreaming!! Far more vivid than I have EVER experienced before ...

Dreams!!

Left it out? ...

Links into next post ...

Some links:

Buy the book!

The habits of very happy human beings!

Or click here 2 read it while you are off-line!

Lorne says that a meaningful life is one during which you consciously cultivate wisdom & compassion - then he details exactly how 2 do so ...

Or try: World's happiest man - I have his book too

How to handle difficult people - with or without Tiny Buddha in the search

Transforming anger

Conflict in personal relationships - should toss up a few ...

Guide to cultivating compassion - should paste some in?

Dalai Lama compassion

How 2 be grateful for difficult people - otherwise you would have NO oportunity to practice compassion & patience!

A few quotes about forgiveness

That site is excellent - here's a few about compassion

Dealing with negativity

Tame your negative thoughts - loads at that site - such as:

Thoughts about being a little bit kinder - plus menus at top of page!

How to deal with negative emotions - plus plenty more at that site!

20 expert tactics 4 dealing with difficult people

Emotional maturity - another excellent article!

12 Steps to a compassionate life - a google search too?

Compassion and the golden rule

The Charter for Compassion is a document that transcends religious, ideological, and national differences

Golden rule videos - for kindness thread?

At the risk of labouring the point!

Habits of happy kids

Very next day - quite a few -

Mary Oliver - two for Christmas

Now Wednesday Nov 28 -

mindful.org difficult emotions

Find Happiness by Embracing All of Your Emotions

Leads to more advice on handing tough times!

Practice gratitude during difficult times - a couple?

Free book on gratitude & happiness?

virtuesforlife.com free book 12 ways gratitude happiness

WOW!!! ----> I intended just 2 find the book but it's one huge site! - for example -

Tips for a happier life!

I’ve Read All the Happiness Books and I’m Still Not Happy - for Gina??

Leads to - Path to Sustainable life satisfaction

She is also on youtube too!

Love Your Enemies: How To Break The Anger Habit

Even more books!

List of wisdom blogs - yet 2 fully ...

Enjoy!

First "episode" in months - intense and only now re-surfacing ... NOT sure how much of the anger will wind up in this thread but now I am back to my usual compassionate frame-of-mind ...

Congratulations! I am not easily surprised by my fellow human beings.

I am totally stunned you never called the cat team. Especially after that angry email that signals I am having another "episode" ...

I have thought long-and-hard about just how to phrase this email.

I suppose it doesn't really matter - there is always NEXT time ... that is IF there is a next time.

You are always asking me what I think and until now I have rarely told you the truth because you just can't cope with it at this stage of your evolution.

Anyways, this may astonish you or you may prefer 2 believe it is nothing but the demented ravings of a psych patient.

Most of the human race are at least as confused as you are. So I am fairly a-typical because I can now see the true nature of suffering & happiness & love.

Only an extreme situation has the potential to transform your life - otherwise you will go back to what is familiar even when it is most un-satisfying.

Maybe having a child with schizophrenia is just the right kind of stress to make you re-evaluate almost everything you and the rest of the conformists think about such matters.

Enough rambling, what am I trying to get at - the first step in personal transformation is to admit your confusion. Most people are not ready - it takes something monumental to overcome people's fear of the truth.

Most of the human race are suffering due to their egos. This has been the case on this planet for thousands of years.

War, addiction, violence of every conceivable kind, non-stop entertainment ad suicide ... these are not the signs of a species that has any concept of healthy attitude to life.

I can't really put it bettter than Eckhart Tolle amongst all the books I have read ovr the 35 years of my supposed "mental illness".

I used to say I do NOT mind being considered "crazy" when you look at what all the "normal" people have done on this planet.

And yes that has often made me very very very very verY ANGRY!!!

So ... I have first-hand experience of what it is like when the ego falls apart and what can happen one you are no longer dominated by the neurotic tendencies of the rampant ego.

Maybe the stress of having a "schizophrenic" as a son is enough stress to blow your ego apart. I don't have perfect judgement about such things but I do consider it a very real possibility.

If it doesn't happen in this lifetime you will have to come back to earthly existence to tie-up-all-the-loose-ends.

Not sure what else I can add - I know how frustrating & confusing life is when the ego is dominant. So I can imagine your state of mind at receiving such an email.

You may not be "ready" for the truth that can set you free.

By freedom, I mean the exquisite feeling when you suddenly see through the facade of your own ego and are no longer suffering extreme ego-pain.

VERY few people in our history have totally freed themmselves of the ego. They stand out in sharp contrast to everyone else. Generally religions have been one atempt to follow their example. But conventional religion has lost most of its transformative power.

That is why "The Power of Now" has proven so popular - it is a reliable road-map to genuine freedom from the ego.

If you want to read it, I do have a copy.

If you want a taste of the teachings, try these sites -


Eckhart Tolle Teachings | Eckhart Tolle on the Ego

I hope they help. I have no real way of knowing whether you are "ready" ...you may need to experience more and more ego drama before you literally change your mind.

If you want to regard this whole email as just some random "nonsense" from an unbalanced & traumatised mind it won't really bother me but you might be missing an opportunity few people have had ...

All the best!

Love from Geoff

From adventure page? -

Update December 2018 -

Pathway to happiness

Cosmic Harmony - yet to fully explore ... God-consciousness is 10 million times more blissful than sexual experience

Well-being advice

Spirit library - look for Ann Albers ...

Altered states of consciousness

Self-Compassion Exercises to Boost Your Happiness

Quotes about becoming genuinely free of emotional drama & tension!

Happiness tips

Dalai Lama's guide to happiness

The logical song

Gary Zukav has written some fabulous books

Spirituality & practice has a lot of quotes!

Pema Chodron is another author I recommend - one is called "When Things Fall Apart"

Tiny Buddha has dozens of great articles - for example -

Start loving yourself

Buddha Doodles

How to let go

How to feel more love & compassion for yourself & everyone else

Beliefs You Have to Let Go If You Want to Find Inner Peace

3 Things I Learned from Teaching Happiness

Why Letting Ourselves Feel Bad Is the Key to Feeling Better - plus links in the text!

“Toxic” People Often Need Compassion the Most

What does self-love mean to you?

I think self-love encompasses a wide range of thoughts, beliefs, behaviors, and choices. I structured the chapters in Tiny Buddha’s Guide to Loving Yourself to address what I believe are the most important pieces of this formula, including:

Releasing shame about our past and the limiting beliefs that keep us stuck

Seeing ourselves as beautiful and valuable, with all our flaws and weaknesses

Accepting ourselves more and judging ourselves less

Forgiving ourselves for our mistakes instead of being hard on ourselves

Minimizing the need for approval to feel more confident

Letting go of the comparisons that keep us feeling inferior

Feeling complete so that we no longer look to others to fill a void within ourselves

Finding the courage to share our authentic selves for deeper connection with others

Learning to take care of ourselves instead of putting everyone else's needs first

Believing that we're valuable so we can live lives we love

Comes from this book -

Guide 2 loving yourself

Guide 2 loving yourself

Spiritual experiences

They also have a bunch of quotes

Thread about gratitude and how crucial it is to your well-being - may include a few of the links -

Greater Good is one site you should visit

Giving thanks can make you happier

Thoughts about making the world a kinder place

Start a kindness revolution

The mindful site is also worth a look! - some tips on handling difficult emotions

Advice for becoming more mindful of your thoughts & feelings

From a great little book called "Happiness" by Matthieu Ricard who has been a monk for 35 years - about as long as I have been living with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia ...

What I discovered never called for blind faith. It was a rich, pragmatic science of mind, an altruistic art of living a meaningful philosophy and a spiritual practice that led to genuine inner transformation. Over the past thirty-five years I have never found myself in contradiction with the scientific spirit as I understand it - that is, as the empirical search for truth. I have also met human beings who were enduringly happy. More, in fact, than what we usually call happy: they were imbued with a deep insight into reality and the nature of mind and filled with benevolence for others. I have also come to understand that although some people are naturally happier than others, their happiness is still vulnerable and incomplete and that achieving durable happiness as a way of being is a skill. It requires sustained effort in training the mind and developing a set of human qualities , such as inner peace, mindfulness and altruistic love.

Reminds me of this meditation!

Also try a Google search for World's happiest man

Can't really recall where these quotes came from -

"You will never experience genuine, lasting happiness as long as you insist on blaming or complaining or judging your fellow beings."

"Conduct experiments on your own mind. That means observing your thoughts as they come & go and discover which thoughts lead to peace of mind and which thoughts disturb your peace of mind. You may discover that true peace of mind comes from thoughts of forgiveness, compassion, kindness & gratitude."

If you want a few more email me or go to this site -

Quote of the day

Trans4mind happiness quotes? -

Click here

That is one huge site - try these healing tips for anger etc!

A few more quotes!

www.preparingforthegreatshift.org

Matrix 5 is an absolutely mind-blowing book that will answer all your questions about life & what on earth you are doing here!

Spiritual Happiness - looks a wonderful book - these excerpts are all about liberation

When things fall apart -

Articles

All the best!

To end the year on a positive note ... just by "luck" found this collection of articles -

Happiness Greatest Hits

If that aint enough ...

The Best Greater Good Articles of 2018

Hope 2019 is a happy year!

Busy overnight again - as this may indicate -

Schizophrenia - for pasting into thread - think!

November 16th 2018 - nope! It is now January 5th 2019! -

Hi Doctor Sanghvi!

If he is the first 2 see this - at moment I have a million thoughts and trying to type fast enough - also scribbled down some stufff QUITE by accident after reading what I wrote more than 19 years ago!

Remind me to include a link to oldstuff.htm and the various pages it links to ...

Also remind me to put newest searches and sites - sooooooo MUCH has happened in under-two-weeks since I gave that USB to Melissa - I wonder just how much she read and what she thought - it aint PRECISELY the same as the "conventional" view of schizophrenia as a psychiatric illneess!

Where-on-earth do I even start - find that epic poem about psychosis - in mental.htm?? - Let me see ...

NOT for the first time in recent memory do I experience uncanny "luck" - I did a search for mental.htm and found all the poems and more! They are not all in the poems page on the Melissa usb.

Poems about psychosis

Funny thing! -> I only picked up that stapled list of articles & poems because it had the game - where DID I paste that - or include a link

See this link - IF I do in fact remember and keep track of the dozens of ideas in my over-worked consciousness ...

Shall we play a game!

So far so good - let's all pray my "luck" continues - I may as well list a few recent searches or just try this collection - IF I include it -

Highlights of January 2019 - started very small and JUST grew!

Just in case - knowing how imperfect my memory is - try any or ALL of these Google searches:

Greater Good happiness greatest hits - just by dumb luck - as comprhensive a collection of articles you will ever see!

Happiness habits to practice every day

Happiness poster (pinterest)

Leads to -

Amazon motivational posters happiness

mindful.org anger - a few - and anger.htm - or just search for Mindfulness anger

Greater Good Stacey Kenelly - several articles - yet 2 fully explore ...

Spiritual emergency - when I am online next must paste in hte best sites of that search!

Very well mind compassion

Happiness even in the darkest of times - many images!

Reduce Stress and Improve Your Life With Positive Self Talk

Give thanks for your mistakes - I do

Free Ebooks to Live Your Best Life

Quote look for the wonder in the smallest things you do - try www.livinglifefully.com ...

How 2 create a happy family

MORE of my thoughts about the big issues - life love madness conformity - you name it!

Also some of the forum? - esp old poems & schizo thread ... hmmmm

PLUS -> the kindness thread - a must-read if you like 2 think you are a decent human-being

Here is a bunch of resources about gratitude as a key factor in whether you are happy or not!

Now ... getting to the stuff I originally planned to search for - I am still off-line but these should prove illuminating if you possess a truly open mind -

Yes firstly - Hazel Gray schizophrenia - pity her site is gone? Hmmm ... I wonder if any ohter sites have her writing - so close to mine it is uncanny!

Nope - no sign of it - may tap out the 2 pages of her site I have a hard-copy of ...

Sinnott protoplasm

Al Siebert schizophrenia

Successful schizophrenia - esp their books page!

Shamanism & schizophrenia

Mentions - dreams elf shot (arrrows)

Mind expanding exercises - to be used only by flexible minds

That is it so far - I figured much more scribbled down - anyways - Successful Schizophrenia would be a fine place 2 start -

Here is their main books page! - plus menus at top-of-page

This site also popped up - quite a few tales of schizophrenia!

I will pick-out the best when I get a moment

My favourite spontaneous mantras

Shamanism and schizophrenia - but several sites & videos from a simple search!

Leads us to this search - quite a few? -

Shamanic view mental illness

So I need a shaman NOT a shrink

Here is one of the suggested searches from that page -

Mental illness or spiritual awakening

Fragments of a conversation - the new (& improved) version!

I included some recent links too ...

I promise I won't be horribly offended if you decide it is not quite your cup-of-tea

Click here and scroll down to:

The psychiatric disease that converts man into an other-worldly creature - at once wiser than the wisest of the sane and yet so deeply troubled that he suffers more than a terminal cancer patient - is surely schizophrenia.

Free Ebooks to Live Your Best Life!

My oldstuff - assorted thoughts & poems - once I locate it amongst my backups!

Update!!! Within a few hours of typing up ALL the above I am shattered - they were JUST dreams - for the second time in maybe a month I forget to take my meds and thought I would be awake for hours ... oh my lord! IF ONLY you could film my dreams - they were indescribably bizarrrrre ... like a trip on acid multiplied by a billion - cannot begin to describe what they were like - and what seemed 2 take several hours of dream-time was fairly short by the clock - now I REALLLLY cannot sleep - I don't know if this counts as a "good" idea or the worst idea I have ever had - I do wonder what would happen to my mind if I stopped the meds - if this is ANY indication it would be fascinating but also incredibly frussssstrating!

Look up bizarre dreams if I go online soon ...

Yes - it would be fascinating but ultimately verrrrrry frustrating because they make reallity seem verrrrry tame indeed!!!

Here is one email I send at 2 AM - not sure it is the most coherent email anyone has ever sent ...

Hi Denise and every body else I may send this to ...

Funny question to ask me - I am at the computer at 2 AM having had the MOST surreal dreams ever and for me to say that is quite a statement.

They were psychedelic like the kind of experiences people describe when they take mind-altering drugs.

I forgot my meds for once which makes me wonder what I'd be like off the 3 meds!

I was disappointed to wake up and find they were JUST dreams - they were indescribably bizarre and if ONLY I could film them they would be cult-classics!

May also do a search online for bizarre dreams ....

I found some old poems today - may send a couple to the family - I wrote them over 17 years ago and had almost forgotten them.

Also this site where they have some "success stories" of schizophrenia -

Schizophrenia.com - Schizophrenia Stories and Success Stories

I will keep you informed if I have any more insane dreams to report - I really do wish I could film them!

Thanks for the updates about Mum & Dad. Not sure if mum needs to know I am reporting such dreams ... or Dr Sanghvi - but he knows I am a little crazy

Hope you're all well!

I wonder if I will get back to sleep - I also wonder if I will "experiment" further with the meds - probably not the greatest idea in human history but I am feelinfg a little adventurous at the moment!

Take care and be safe.

Love from Geoff

* look up bizarre dreams schizophrenia??

Here is one site that caught my eye ...

Plus this just from a weird dream search!

This site also has some neat stuff ...

Laying WIDE awake in the middle-of-the-night ... how ABOUT trying these searches - at library?

A few of them come from this "ancient" file - more dumb "luck" to even find that book!

Still some dud links - so I may update that page ... yes - needs updating but some great sites already ...

Toxic Psychiatry

Also search YouTube for Peter Breggin!

Recovering from psychiatry

Psychiatric survivors

The Troubled Mind - absolutely BLEW my mind when I read it nearly 20 years ago!!

Love thy enemy

Mind Freedom

trans4mind resources - one HUGE site! Almost forgot it ...

trans4mind happiness

My list of interesting mental-health sites - plus a few neat mantras plus depression help ...

Very well mind compassion

Very well mind depression

"Sometimes I wonder if I might be psychologically deranged!" - a link to latest poems?

Include a link to lyrics Yes Close to the Edge?

Quotes about madness - could easily google a few ...

Such as: people crazy enough think change world

Plus Google's suggested similar searches!

And from right-out-of-left-field ... try this for a belief-system! -

Live a miraculous life!

That came from a site no longer in existence - pity - but you can search for Miraculodynamic Principles and see what shows up ...

Or how about - How can you live a miraculous life? - I am off-line as I type so no idea where that particular search takes you ...

Miracles do happen!