posted October 20, 2005 05:25 PM            

Is it our higher being, the great watcher inside us all?

Is it spirit guides communicating with us?

Is it just a part of our own psyche?

posted October 20, 2005 05:32 PM            

I believe its our higher self , God.

Regards,
IAT

If you ask a religious person he will reply:
It could be divine or demonic voice.
Seeds of confusion and doubt is certainly from demon. Seeds of peace and love is divine.

If you ask a scientist he will reply:
Were you abducted? Did they transplant a chip inside of you.

If you ask someone inbetween he will reply:
Don't ask me, it could be anything of the opposite extremes.

posted October 20, 2005 05:42 PM              

listen to the voice within

posted October 20, 2005 05:45 PM            

As long as the voices are in your head, and not outside your head, you aren't crazy.

posted October 20, 2005 06:09 PM            

>>>>>>>LOL does your higher self speak to you?

It does. I believe that every moment of our existence here on earth, we will hear two voices, a higher and lower. No matter how realized one is. We have to create conditions around us to avoid that battle, if we cannot listen to our higher voice.
A real yogi can be any place and circumstances does not affect him. I do not think I have gone that far LOL

In the movie Prophecy, Gabriel was asked why doesn't he talk to God. His response is because God does not listen to him anymore. That made me wonder if humans are indeed so special, to have that special place that we can go to right within us, any time, any place?

posted October 21, 2005 08:12 PM              

Of course..there are also just plain old fashioned lunatics too....

posted October 21, 2005 08:32 PM              

Well, first off understand that "crazy" isn't a sciencifically defined term. It's reltive to cultural and societal biases of what is acceptable and what is not.

"Illness" is a scientifically defined term, and in the case of mental illness, there are specific certeria that define what is an illness, Namely:

- does the symptoms interfer with having a productive and fulfilling life
-does the symptoms inhibit rational thought
-does the symptoms inhibit lucidity (clear and undistorted awareness of one's present time and surrounding)

Example: hearing voices that say you're evil and you should hurt yourself or others, or that people or conspiring against you isn't norm of functional, rational or lucid thought, and therefore likely to be the result of an illness. Hearing voices that tell you to reconsider your place or purpose in life, or offer a choice, or reveal a fuller undersatnding of something doesn't necessarily impede functionality, rationality or lucidity, and therefore may in fact *not* be symptomatic of an illness.

So in short, if you have a "symptom" and you're still quite functional, rational and lucid, well, chances are it's *not* a symptom of mental illness

I note however that there are cases in psychiatry and psychology where illness isn't actually defined so scientifically, and defined more by cultural or social norms. This is where I take issue with the shrinks, becuase it's a fallacy to assume that what is different is automatically a disease.

Case in point: mystics do have expeirences that are so outside the norm that the "experts" eagerly assume (arrogantly) that it's so different from "normal" people, it most be symptomatic of a disease. I hope the irrationality of this is obvious.

And reality is we all have experiences that branch into that mystical sphere, whether we want to accept that or not. Human society has attested to the mystical leanings of human nature well before recorded history, as religion and myths have been so crucial to human at every stage of our existence as a means to expresses this sphere of our nature that transcends teh material and mundane.

posted October 21, 2005 08:41 PM            

**Lei_Kuei Commits himself to the nearest asylum **

btw Very nice post Gem, and I would agree with you

posted October 21, 2005 10:09 PM            

My post was hyperbole for the most part, not to be taken TOO seriously I know that you work in the mental health field, pisces in your chart?

I'm on track right now to be a psychiatrist, so of course I know that the word "crazy" can be intepreted in many ways. I think studying mental illnesses has lead me to bit of hypochondriasis concerning my own mental health. Need to stop that. I also react to my own bizarre thoughts, by panicking, need to stop that too.

What exactly do you do in the mental field?

Fayte, I agree, but there are many functioning people who could be diagnosed with a mental illness. It's all relative I suppose, and the criteria for diagnosis are constantly changing. The brain is just so much more complex than the rest of the body, I guess we're still weeding out this and that.

posted October 22, 2005 11:02 AM              

Great story......

posted October 22, 2005 05:32 PM              

AND you would be a wonderful one, what with that knowledge you have, am sure your bedside manner would be second to none !!!

Love

posted October 23, 2005 05:27 AM              

I had an experience this year of a "voice inside my head".

I was going through a very hard time and spoke with a "spiritual counsellor". She had a christian background and because I am open to all things spiritual she asked if I would like to pray with her at the end of the session. Well I did. As I drove away from the office I heard a voice inside my head, it gave me specific instructions on what to do with my life at the moment. I have followed those instructions and everything has worked out really well. If I had followed my own plans at that time I would have ended up in a mess and so many good things have happened that would not have been possible if I had followed my own decision. I absolutely believe in the power of prayer now.

Love and light