The following article, entitled "Schizophrenia and Buddhism", has been written, not by myself, but by the anonymous 'Buddha of Kilburn'. It was originally published by the National Perceptions Forum (the organisation formally known as the National Voices Forum) a "UK user led organisation run by mad people for mad people". The 'Buddha of Kilburn' suggests that Buddhism offers a "superior substitute" to the philosophy of the mental health system. Is that so?
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SCHIZOPHRENIA AND BUDDHISM
by Buddha of Kilburn
I was diagnosed with schizophrenia ten years ago. Since then I have converted to Buddhism. My girlfriend is a Christian and we are happy. Feng Shui dominates our life and I am perpetually trying to eschew my schizophrenia roots. However, the subject of this article is the links between schizophrenia and Buddhism: how the latter can provide aids for sufferers of the former and how Buddhism offers a superior substitute to the philosophy of the mental health system.
Before they are diagnosed as such and before they are led into the throes of a mental hospital, people with schizophrenia often do not know what is going on. "What is going on?" is a good question for any Buddhist to meditate on. However, following the diagnosis of schizophrenia, people are often trained or led to believe that they are feeling "awful". The onus is very much on the individual. Instead of being trained to think "There is an awful feeling here", they are trained to think "I am feeling awful". This completely contradicts the Buddhist doctrine of "No-I", whereby there is held to be no 'me', 'my', 'mine' or 'I' distinguishable from any other sentient being. It also burdens the individual, for obvious reasons in a poorly way, with responsibility, without giving the wider picture. Buddhism gives the wider picture in the context of universal suffering; Buddhism, being a religion, tends to have more far-reaching tendrils than that of the mental health system. The latter tends to be restricted to the lower echelons of society and is very parochial in its outlook.
As a "schizophrenic", I was "enlightened" by Buddhism to find that it wasn't necessarily "me" who was suffering - that, in fact, suffering was universal. "Who is it who is feeling this way?", I would ask; it isn't me, because there is no "me". That was very helpful. Then I met a few people who were also of Buddhist inclination and I learnt that we could share the Dharma/truth/readings without being under an umbrella of doctors, legality and hospitalisation. I had found my freedom.
The mental health system purports to help people live independently, but independently of what?! We all are born and die independently. Whereas the mental health system implicates people in a cycle of repeated hospitalisation, Buddhism merely points out that we are all subject to the cycle of Samasara - that of birth, death and rebirth.
In the analogy of life as a play - one in which suffering is intrinsically found, my role is that of "schizophrenic". This may mean that at times I am not polite and obtuse, but at heart I remain a Buddhist. As a "schizophrenic", I never knew what I was going to do next, which is fine because as a Buddhist, being prepared for death means scuppering all but the remotest of plans.
What's more, schizophrenia and its being dealt with by the mental health system epitomises the egocentric view of the world predominant in the West. It's a solipsistic view that I am "it", whereas in fact it (the world) is quite the opposite. We are a global community of sentient beings, not icebergs prone to being cold and lonely.
Note: You may also be interested in Manasa Ayurveda - a traditional Buddhist Ayurvedic approach to mental health and wellbeing, now being introduced in the West...
Comments and views welcome!
ReplyDeleteI just went through the same thing, and then found this webpage. So I'm left wondering about a lot of things. Why don't more people know? Lol.
ReplyDeleteIf you'd like to write something about your experience and share any questions you might have that would be great! Apologise for being off the radar for so long!
ReplyDeleteI have been experiencing many things which would I know not be considered to be ok by health care professionals. Having spent some time a couple of years ago in a mental institution, and seeing that they had nothing to offer me which didn't involve medication and that my map of life was so completely different to theirs I have decided to find my own way through my continuing journey of acceptance. Thank you for writing. I experience non existent smells, huge visual displays in my minds eye, many characters in my mind. I began to be unaccepting of my characters and to push them away, this has led to some extremely dark thinking over the past couple of weeks, but today, I have begun to offer myself kindness again, and not a need to get rid of what my mind offers. I have begun to feel welcoming towards it again and to receive these things like gifts.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this! It sounds great that you have begun to offer yourself kindness, with my nurses hat on I'd say that it would be good to let your GP know about this stuff if it gets distressing. I would go to a psychiatrist and use medication if I felt it might help. This blog is not an alternative to medical advice and I'm saying please seek professional advice via your GP if this stuff is troubling. Thanks! _/\_
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see your blog. I always have to remember who I really am beyond the periods of difficulty. That we are not the mind, it is one part of our experience. I have definitely found it tougher to practice Buddhism with mental health issues, but someone else said that the obstacles are the amrita (nectar); which I find to be true. It definitely helps me to practice impermanence and I really appreciate times of good fortunes and ease because I have to work a little harder to find them. I have tried to hold the hope for some recovery, while taking this as part of my path to self-discovery, as one of my obstacles to soul healing. Tradition therapy and drugs have helped slightly but really Buddhist mantras and qigong have had the best effect.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced some big relief from one Buddhist practice - the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door at guanyincitta.com/en/. People with schizoprenia, and other mental as well as physical illnessed have really experienced improvements, with some big recoveries. People of all faiths have used it with real success. Personally, I have significantly improved from the practice and I have more peace of mind than when I started. It is a several month or year long process of recovery, but those who are diligent can experience healing. The Buddhist sutras and mantras can really be healing and effective when done in the appropriate combination and with a strong wish to benefit others. I am still about a year out from what was recommended in my case. Based on the individual's condition they can (through the secretary) recommend a course of healing based on reciting several hundred mantras and filling in the recited mantras on a piece of paper, which is representative of repaying karmic debts. Personally, I'm not to a place yet where I can say I have been able to get a normal life back, like I had before, but if that time comes I will come back here and say it. (This involves traditional Mahayana sutras like the mantra of Great Compassion and Heart Sutra) This specific practice was developed by a healing master in 2008 so it is quite new. It has been featured at noted conferences around the world, including at Harvard University.
Thank you Cameron, would you be interested in writing a piece on your experience with this for this blog?
Deletethe sevitabbasevitabba sutta is very good for understanding how recovery from schizophrenia happens. to sum up the sutta it says merit decreases demerit or skillfull actions decrease unskillfulness. which means the more good you do your dark kamma or dark energy will diminish, in my experience this took about a decade going from dark to bright. with all the hard work done, we still cannot rest on our laurels of merit making, we must keep doing good actions of body speech and mind to keep schizophrenic symptoms at bay. what helps me alot is thinking good thoughts like gratitude, turning negative thoughts into wholesome thoughts, and the biggest help has been generosity physically, and recollecting how that generosity made others feel. Buddha said in the dhammapada "having done something meritorious, repeat it, wish for it, merit piled up brings happiness."
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