Enlightenment vs insanity

[contentest]

Is there ever any way to know if bizarre things that happen around you are valid spiritual synchronicities or if you're actually just a complete lunatic? If the only way to know is to just have faith, then that seems like a good way to accidentally become a complete lunatic. Or am I on the right track as long as I can remember my zip code?

[WhiteWarrior]

Well, asking the community if said events are 'normal' could be one way to have them validated. What experiences do you have?

[psychoslice]

Well you have to be out of your mind to ever taste Enlightenment, my schizophrenia pushed me strait into nothingness where I found Everyness, hey, is that a word lol.:smile:

[contentest]

Well, asking the community if said events are 'normal' could be one way to have them validated. What experiences do you have?
I think someone else talked to me inside my mind, or actually through things in my environment, but like someone else's consciousness was guiding mine into finding signs of communication in random things. It lasted for a while and then went away. The (potential) communication was without words, but still quite clear.

Apart from making me question my mental health, this was a positive experience. What was it? How can I know I'm not simply nuts?

[SerpentQueen]

I think someone else talked to me inside my mind, or actually through things in my environment, but like someone else's consciousness was guiding mine into finding signs of communication in random things. It lasted for a while and then went away. The (potential) communication was without words, but still quite clear.

Apart from making me question my mental health, this was a positive experience. What was it? How can I know I'm not simply nuts?

If it's helpful, according to my shrink, if you hear voices and they aren't your own (for example if you are female and you hear a male voice) then you are schizophrenic. If you hear voices and they are your own voice (having a zillion incessant conversations going on at once with your own self) that makes you bipolar. Your experience is "none of the above" as you are not hearing a voice, right?

And if it's helpful, I haven't needed a shrink in well over a decade, as I was declared "normal" ... actually on my last visit he said I was just having an "identity crisis" ... which I think is hilarious because that is exactly what it was -- it was me waking up to answer the "Who am I" question, but I digress... I'm only saying even if you do start hearing voices, it doesn't make you insane.

I don't think you're nuts. What you describe happens to me all the time. When you listen and you are aware and tuned into it, the universe begins to talk to you. And as I just got done saying, I've been certified sane for a long time.

Try keeping a journal. Try having a conversation with this entity talking to you. Ask for signs that it's "real." And if you receive a sign, ask those around you in real life see the sign too. Be a good scientist -- that's what I do. If I'm delusional and hallucinating, so are my husband and my closest friend, since they have been witness to many of the signs I requested as "proof."

[Enya]

Generally speaking, if you're aware enough to debate your sanity, then you're not nuts. :smile: The only way is decide what is real in *your* slice of reality is to take what works for you, put the rest on the shelf and continue with a working definition until something else comes along to challenge and expand that definition.

[WhiteWarrior]

I think someone else talked to me inside my mind, or actually through things in my environment, but like someone else's consciousness was guiding mine into finding signs of communication in random things. It lasted for a while and then went away. The (potential) communication was without words, but still quite clear.

Apart from making me question my mental health, this was a positive experience. What was it? How can I know I'm not simply nuts?

I can speak and be heard by someone elsewhere, in their mind. If they have the right abilities, that is. So can some other psychics, and spirits in general. Same with sending images. As for random things, it's not so much a question of making the random things happen as guiding your attention to that event.

As SQ says, write everything down that feels like it wasn't a random thought. Even better, sit down and just listen for a while. Say 'I am listening' and just be at peace, think about sitting on a nice empty beach watching the sunrise.... and as you 'hear' and 'see' words and images that don't fit in with that, start writing.

You are having an experience that does not fit in with a rational mindset and worldview. Of course you are worrying about your mental health. I know that feeling so well. But don't let that worry stop you in your tracks, any more than your first kiss stopped your interest in the preferred gender.

[Miss Hepburn]

This may surprise many here - but I actually have experienced insanity --besides being with 2 insane people - separately,
meaning they could have easily butchered everyone in sight in an instant with a French knife --thats pretty Charlie Manson insane....but
I talked them done, by the Grace of God...
But I digress.

I have also expereinced absolute Divine sainthood ---what I found is:
There is a thin line between the 2...


Example --- You could run around saying you are George Washington or Jesus Christ and be in the looney bin ----
but as a Saint, having the same experience you know you are George Washington and Jesus Christ --- why, but of course, you
are - -you are everyone...and are elevated to incredible wisdom and insight into the workings of creation...

My 2 cents...

[Internal Queries]

sanity is popular opinion, society's parameters for normal, a collective determining the nature of reality. this might be a good idea if our species weren't insane from the get go. the collectives who are making the rules of normalcy aren't logical, are often self destructive, contradictions abound, natural good inclinations and talents are suppressed and perverted and priorities are totally counter productive for the survival and the advancement of the human species.


i figure that as long as i'm not compelled to run down the middle of main street wearing only a jingly jester hat while screaming "green jello! green jello! green jello!" i'm no more insane than my society.

[Racer X]

Is there ever any way to know if bizarre things that happen around you are valid spiritual synchronicities or if you're actually just a complete lunatic? If the only way to know is to just have faith, then that seems like a good way to accidentally become a complete lunatic. Or am I on the right track as long as I can remember my zip code?


It is all in how well you are able to Integrate all experiences~


Enlightenment is a well integrated whole......



Insanity is an inability to integrate, it is splintered and in denial. The worst of insanity is a denial of ones own darkside ..... Luna.... hence Lunatic! Yet, ironically the insane refuse even more the Divine Whole; not the Lightside as in Sol...... but the Divine ONE Being from which both Sol and Luna came from~


Initial experiences are somewhat ecstatic and this is easily confused by others who have had NO Experience and so they PROJECT there FEAR onto those having an experience.


So study the lives of those you transformed and you will resonate with them if you are in such a transformation ....... or you will think them crazy if you are insane.

Who??? Carl Jung, Manly P Hall, Elisabeth Haich, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Vernon Howard, Kenneth Smith, Francis Melville, Paulo Coelho, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Abraham Maslow ~ to name a few....

[Neville]

I have often considered myself a little insane, but in my defence, I thought life sent most people a little cuckoo :smileinbox:

[Joshua Flynn]

Is there ever any way to know if bizarre things that happen around you are valid spiritual synchronicities or if you're actually just a complete lunatic? If the only way to know is to just have faith, then that seems like a good way to accidentally become a complete lunatic. Or am I on the right track as long as I can remember my zip code?

Very, very dangerous question.

Basically, the unknown, the weird, whatever you want to call it, is like the ocean depths. The deeper down you go, the more pressure that exerts itself on you, and if you rise from the depths too quickly, you may find yourself suffering from the sudden changes/differences.

The problem is, the... unknown... cannot conform within the limits of the materialistic world. It's like trying to calculate the distance down to the precise millimetre of the universe inside your head by measuring from one end to the other.

So when you experience something weird, or abnormal, there is no way to define it within materialistic, and therefore 'normal' scopes (normal is merely a paradigm enforced by the majority - for example, Mexican in Mexico is 'normal'). You cannot conform spirituality to materialism, or materialism to spirituality - either you get the spirituality but without the hollow shell, or you get the hollow shell without the spirituality.


If you want to know, on the other hand, whether or not you are right (and not merely conformist to the system), I found in my case (might be different for you, different people have different methods) was to work logically from the ground up, starting with the most likely possibility, seeing if the theory fit the facts (your own personal experience takes precedence over other people's mere opinions), and if it didn't, eliminating it, and continuing onwards, until eventually you walk into the least likely possible scenario, the realm that people will deny simply because it's taboo. To them.


For example, if I was to see something, I might work by:

1. Verifying I actually saw it (I must give myself the benefit of the doubt on this though).

2. Try to identify what it is, what properties it has, appearance, movement, descriptor etc (this comes in handy when you need to perform an analysis).

3. Immediately begin comparing it to common skeptical views (so for example, if it's a UFO, is it a plane? No, it's angular momentum is too sharp and fast, G-force shear would likely kill occupant etc). Systematically assess any and all so-called 'normal' viewpoints.

4. Take mental note of reasons why any of the skeptical arguments don't fit (you'll need this to defend yourself when challenged).

5. Inquire with other people what they think it might be (act as if it's 'hypothetical' if they are too narrow-minded). Include points of view that disagree with your own. Chances are they will regurgitate skeptical views you've previously assessed - echo your reasons why you don't believe it to be valid. If they produce any new viewpoints, assess them.

5a. Inquire with a doctor for their medical opinion on the matter if applicable (for example, mysterious appearing scratches, etc). Describe the symptoms as appropriate (I'd personally omit anything taboo sounding). Bear in mind the doctor might take a 'take two pills and call me in the morning' approach (I.E. dismiss it), so be sure to do your own groundwork investigation.

5b. This doesn't include psychologists or psychiatrists given their assessment are based on subjective criterion (I.E. anything taboo sounding will be seen as symptomatic behaviour). Do your groundwork research on what happened first so you have at least a solid case to back yourself up with - imagine a person who could detail every argument they assessed and numerous books they read versus someone who just claims to have seen something.

6. Read up on the topic. Do other people correlate what has happened to you? Be somewhat open minded and skeptical (if that makes sense) - what they say may well be valid, but you have to treat it objectively. If multiple people correlate what you are saying (not just a few keywords but similar experiences), chances are it was real.

6a. You may optionally (although exercise appropriate judgement of character and if in doubt, leave it out) want to approach or inquire with people regarding their experiences. People can be a little defensive (given other people can be defensive). Try to respect them on it, although they may respond if you explain your experiences first.

7 (optional). Formulate a theory on how/why it happened. Treat a theory as just that, a theory (it's how you think it works). It's so you have at least some grasp of understanding of what is happening, even if it's incomplete. It prevents the events from appearing as disjointed.


These things won't mean that you won't feel a little 'out there', but being systematic in assessment, analysis, information gathering and formulating theories, means you will be able to place a much greater confidence in yourself and what happened, and even be able to sufficiently refute any challenges.

[midnightstar]

We're all a little crazy in my opinion :smile:

[Kiki04]

The communication was without words? It seems as if you were being guided by your intuition? Your higher self maybe? :)
We do have guides from the spiritual realm that are trying to help us along our journey. I've also questioned my sanity because I didn't believe in anything spiritual until a couple of years ago. The way I see it is that as long as this communication is helping me then I'm ok. :) And from the sounds of it , it was indeed a positive experience. My suggestion is that you simply trust and don't question it. ;) The more you question it the more you might move away from being open to this helpful communication. :)
Good luck on your journey!! :hug2:

Love and light,
Kiki04

I think someone else talked to me inside my mind, or actually through things in my environment, but like someone else's consciousness was guiding mine into finding signs of communication in random things. It lasted for a while and then went away. The (potential) communication was without words, but still quite clear.

Apart from making me question my mental health, this was a positive experience. What was it? How can I know I'm not simply nuts?

[skyblue]

Excellent question. If your looking at the spiritual realms or doing meditation or just experiencing things out of the blue as sometimes happens with people,
the best mode for long term success is to take note of the experience and
not to worry about it as long as there isn't any danger or harm in what is happening. A lot of people experience things and you hear them searching around for an explanation as to what the experience is all about. That is probably the most common theme on these forums. It is like watching one of those dating shows where people get together on camera to go on a date
and someone has to chose a winner from a select group of people. You don't see two people having any kind of an experience together, just a lot of interrogation. the spiritual side of a person requires openness to function properly and relies on the physical part of the person to protect it.
Imagine if you had a real profound or interesting experience and you never
understand at the physical level what the experience is about. Maybe your
spiritual side is taking notes and you just are not that aware or your understanding isn't up there yet to keep track of what is going on.
You live what you see and you see what you understand.
Always give yourself room to maneuver. It is possible to experience things
you don't understand. Many people will tell you that. As for wondering if your crazy, that should be the least of your concerns. The big jumps in understanding are very scary. Use that as a guideline.

[feralfae]

Is there ever any way to know if bizarre things that happen around you are valid spiritual synchronicities or if you're actually just a complete lunatic? If the only way to know is to just have faith, then that seems like a good way to accidentally become a complete lunatic. Or am I on the right track as long as I can remember my zip code?

Well, I have had valid spiritual synchronicities... I'm also a complete lunatic. Sometimes there is a fine line between enlightenment and insanity. But if it's a good experience, or comes from a good place... it's generally spiritual. That being said, sometimes "insanity" is spiritual in and of itself. In their times, how many people must have thought those like Buddha and Jesus were insane?

[Internal Queries]

Well, I have had valid spiritual synchronicities... I'm also a complete lunatic. Sometimes there is a fine line between enlightenment and insanity. But if it's a good experience, or comes from a good place... it's generally spiritual. That being said, sometimes "insanity" is spiritual in and of itself. In their times, how many people must have thought those like Buddha and Jesus were insane?


well, if you're going to perform miracles then reality has to be malleable.

[feralfae]

Lol, Internal... truer words were never spoken.

[philodope]

contentest, Im interested in what it was that you expierenced, where they in any way visual phenomena or just kinda empthic or auditory in nature?

Sometimes i love visiting the forum for its extremely beneficial postive outlooks, although some responces I find to be rather nebulous and thought provoking. I hate the fact that people can jugde something as beautifully complex as being an individual with the power that we have in this realm of existence, being that we are alive, are intelligent, and have the freedom to choose. That being said we choose to put energy into that which will make us happiest, comfortable, stable, take you pick or add your own beacuse it doesnt matter. What one percieves as truly happy and/or etc etc could be either very similar in one way and very differtent in another. I find some of the happiest moments of my life are when I have truly connected with someone on an emotional and intellectual level. That being said i endevour to find ways to communicate with anyone I come across. And thats not to say that I am not jaded and absolutly livid that I didnt come out of the chute compleatly aware of the power of my own mind, the fact that time isnt linear, and psi abilities where for crackpots and crazy folk. My parents told me once that if my life where a canvas that all they could supply where tools to cope with (or paint) my own life, whether or not they knew much more than what they shared with me, on the whole I dont think, that after emerging from a drug and hormonal stupor and hearing a rather loud crack, I turned out too bad. However when I simply let my memories guide me through some of my guilt and my delusions, it became increasingly obvious that my perceptions of things as hard to grapple with as time and how it works, the power of energy both internal and external, and the power of overwhelming fear that your public enemy number one (which is very dramtic seeing as Im in the comfort of my own room and that I have had no one go out of their way to make me believe that fact it is something I choose to believe :) And what I have found is that despite my own feelings, perceptions, values and beliefs that there is someting to be learned, or at least be reminded of, from just about any one you meet. I have had some trouble peeling away the layers of my mental illness and the reconstruction of "reality" and all the while trying to have a little more fun before I kick the bucket. I searched the forum for any thing concerning sucide, and in the last month alone there are dozens of threads and more to the point the ones in the past few days have really caught my attention. This isnt some sob story, on the whole its fairly vague, nebulous, and lacks detail. I found it extremly hard to concentrate when I first found the forum, and my paranoia and fear held the better parts of my reasoning through most of what what I think Im expierencing to this day. For now I will try to mind my own bussiness, be safe and cooperative and just ignore the things I dont have control over. I would be fairly interested to get other peoples opinion and thoughts.

P.S. In my honest opinion Bob/ username TzuLi (I know I butchered that) is a total bada** . I think the way he chooses words to describe his thoughts and opinions really brings together existence in our human form, as he most eloquently put in a post once, as a whole. Excellent communicater and a wounderful teacher. I am sorry to put him on the spot like this especially since everyone here has so very much to offer.

[philodope]

new thread general beliefs

[mattie]

Your having someone talk to you ‘inside your mind’ could have been you communicating w/ your higher self (HS). This is a very positive communication. This is often telepathic. You can always quiz any entity contacting you (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=397371#poststop) to see if it is benevolent or not. Not all are, but we can deal w/ them easily. If the conversation contains things that are positive it was probably a benevolent being, even your own spiritual team. If it generates fear in any way firmly tell them to scram.

What synchronicities are you referring to? Specific details would be useful.

Be hesitant to label your self as crazy just because you might have an energetic experience that others don’t have (yet). Your comments sound completely lucid. Many have questioned their mental health when they have had very common energetic experiences, like, for instance, beginning to remember nightly astral projecting.

290 results @ multidimensions.com for HS:
http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=higher+self&btnG=Google+Search&domains=multidimensions.com&sitesearch=multidimensions.com

[contentest]

Your comments sound completely lucid.
That is just because so far I'm making an effort not to seem crazy :D

I think this was actually a telepathic connection with another person on the planet.

Synchronicities: I often feel like relevant song lyrics happen to pop up in my iPod in comment or answer to things I am pondering. Now that's vague and arbitrary enough to be potentially "just" "coincidences" for someone who believes in random chance. But this time, it was like one long uninterrupted sequence of such random coincidences, or possibly a single one that was ridiculously coincidental and lengthy. There was a TV on and every word from it melded perfectly into the wordless communication that was going on in my head, or complemented it.

That was actually how it started, I was in another room just hearing the TV with one ear, gradually becoming aware that the words seemed increasingly directed at me personally. And when I eventually thought to myself "is that meant for me?" - I don't know what show was on but right then someone exclaimed "all right, she finally noticed!!" :eek:

And that's when it became a stream of internal communication. Right now all I can hear myself saying is "the TV talked to me!" but at the time it was undoubtedly very real. Which helps absolutely nothing in determining whether I'm insane :)

It has never happened again after that, a couple of weeks ago. I have a feeling it was more through the effort of the other party than myself that it happened, but I would like to learn more...

[freddyfresh]

Is there ever any way to know if bizarre things that happen around you are valid spiritual synchronicities or if you're actually just a complete lunatic? If the only way to know is to just have faith, then that seems like a good way to accidentally become a complete lunatic. Or am I on the right track as long as I can remember my zip code?

What is your definition of a lunatic? To me many of the things and the way people act on a daily basis is lunacy. At the end of the day one can NEVER and I mean never allow themselves be defined by another person's behavior. When we all start to act EXACTLY like the masses lunacy will surely have arrived

[WildHairedWoman]

Is there ever any way to know if bizarre things that happen around you are valid spiritual synchronicities or if you're actually just a complete lunatic? If the only way to know is to just have faith, then that seems like a good way to accidentally become a complete lunatic. Or am I on the right track as long as I can remember my zip code?

I think you have a good point. There needs to be some kind of consensus, however if you have an experience that is real to you and you have no witness you have to work it out for yourself. Each of us has to assign meaning or ignore any experience we have that we don't understand. Our current society in the western world has been working for a couple hundred years to make sure no one assigns meaning to unusual experiences in order to keep us all "in our pen".

That being said, there are a lot of people who want magic in their lives and will take the most innocuous happenings and declare them metaphysical. Like seeing a satellite and insisting it is a UFO, or accidentally brushing past a counter and knocking something off and calling it evidence of a ghost. There has to be some common sense and attention to detail.

Strange, unexplainable things do happen to everyone, but most ignore it or don't notice. We all have filters on our perceptions and some notice subtleties that others don't.

I have had a lot of weirdness in my life and I have talked about some of it only to be called a nutter or a liar. I am strong willed and know how to ignore that kind of reaction, but I don't talk about a lot of my experience because I sometimes have no clue it it really happened or if I imagined it. The best you can do is strive for balance in all things.

[WildHairedWoman]

Is there ever any way to know if bizarre things that happen around you are valid spiritual synchronicities or if you're actually just a complete lunatic? If the only way to know is to just have faith, then that seems like a good way to accidentally become a complete lunatic. Or am I on the right track as long as I can remember my zip code?

I love this. You are thinking and it is causing some cognitive dissonance. That is how we learn and how we figure out what is real and what isn't. Faith is a word that is over used to manipulate people into "buying" someone else's belief system. You have to figure out when you imagine stuff, when you experience stuff and that you don't have to prove anything to anyone but yourself.

A person I met once told our group "Follow spirit without hesitation." Someone asked "What if we think we are following spirit without hesitation and we realize we are not?", her answer was "Then you follow spirit without hesitation." Practicing that, it becomes easier for you to learn who you are, why you are here, what you really want out of the experience of being human on planet earth, and forge your own path as that is the only way you will ever know for sure.

Blessings on your journey.

[Dominik90]

Yes if they support you, make you happy, relaxed and balanced instead of to crazy, pressured and feeling not "home". You can be assured that the signs are synchronicities form your higher mind and beyond that fully support your highest excitements.

[Demy]

Your having someone talk to you ‘inside your mind’ could have been you communicating w/ your higher self (HS). This is a very positive communication. This is often telepathic. You can always quiz any entity contacting you (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=397371#poststop) to see if it is benevolent or not. Not all are, but we can deal w/ them easily. If the conversation contains things that are positive it was probably a benevolent being, even your own spiritual team. If it generates fear in any way firmly tell them to scram.

Having gone through a year of near-insanity, I would hasten to add that it is important to find a verification of the goodness/authenticity of the voice inside.
I have running dialogues with the voice offering answers, guidance, even making fun of me. I have a female above, while I am a male, which makes some discussions...interesting.
However, I suffered from at least two saboteur voices that took nearly a year to remove.
I think that once my Higher opened the channel, that either permitted evildoers to sneak in and become parasites, or they were there (in me) before and became noticeable once the dialogues began.