Spiritual crises and emergencies: Resources
Last updated 11/06/2007
Introduction
According to the Spiritual Crisis Network (see site below) a spiritual crisis can be described
".... as a turbulent period of spiritual opening and transformation. Spiritual crisis is also referred to as spiritual emergency, where a process of spiritual emergence, or awakening, becomes unmanageable for the individual.
A person may experience psychological or mental health difficulties. Hence the term psycho-spiritual crisis is also used sometimes. If understood and supported appropriately, these experiences can be deeply transformative, offering the possibility of breakthrough rather than breakdown."
Here we provide some links to sites and organisations and other resources that you may find of interest.
Websites
International Spiritual Emergence Resource
This web site has been created to pool information and resources from around the world to help facilitate radical shifts in consciousness and aleviate distress due to profound spiritual transformation and spiritual emergency.
Spiritual Crisis Network
Hosts an impressive website, volunteers offer support to those in Spiritual Crisis and their carers.
Schizophrenia Drug-free Crisis Centre & Helpline
The Schizophrenia Crisis Centre & Helpline was founded in Adelaide, Australia, to respond to an ever-growing number of sufferers and relatives who are seeking natural, healing, caring, soulful and re-empowering alternatives to the psychiatric approach. "Schizophrenia" is defined as an acute psychospiritual crisis.
Publications, DVD's etc.
Evolving Minds DVD
Evolving Minds offers a fresh and radical perspective on alternatives to the mental health system. Presenting clear information in a humorous style it covers diverse topics such as shamanism, nutrition, psychotherapy, meditation and protest against draconian mental health legislation.
Produced by Undercurrents & Melissa Gunasena, Evolving Minds explores the connection between psychosis and spiritual experience and provides techniques for people to explore and take control of their own minds.
You can purchase it at this website.
Hard to Believe DVD
A Film About Spirituality and Mental Health. "Hard to Believe" considers both Mental health services' attitude and knowledge regarding peoples' spiritual needs and Faith communities' understanding of mental health problems/issues. The film tells the story of three service users, how their Spirituality was perceived by mental health services, and the role that Spirituality has played as part of their recovery.
Meetings and conferences
One-day conference: Spirituality, Psychology and Mental Health, Thursday 21st June 2007, Harewood House Conference Centre, Harewood LS17 9 LG
This conference will focus on understanding different cultural and spiritual approaches to mental health and how spirituality can be incorporated in clinical psychology training.
Comments
-
this is a very useful and informative site.
-
Hi everyone! I like this website :) It clears up any misinformation regarding the Myth of Mental Illness and is encouraging. I will recommend this website to others but I thought this site could possibly be re branded as the authority on access to "Angelic Archangels Voice Makeover Network" I had not had any contact with voices prior to this year when some mental health idiot put spells, hexes on me and my stuff, in my house as "these people" wanted to clear the house of my personal effects and put in new ones. Most of the customers are really nice and some are just childish and want everything on their terms. We (my angels) are endeavoring to make this Christmas a gift from the archangels not a bunch of mental health crap. Have a wonderful time and this is a good place for some advice cheers Ouchbot!
-
My son is 6 years old and recently told me he has been hearing voices. When I asked him what they said, he didn't know. Then I told him when ever they talk to you come tell me. Tonight I asked him to check on his sister Savannah, he said, I did mom she was sleeping, but I heard voices and they told me to kill her. Right now they are telling me to kill you. This was extremely shocking to me. I believe in spirit guides, in my church we call it the Holy Ghost. We aslo believe that our loved one's from time to time, are allowed to help us out. So hearing voices is not alien to me, infact I hear them more than most it seems (from talking to my husband and family), but they have usually been good voices, when they are bad I usually say that's enough of that and say get the hence satan in the name of Jesus Christ,and that works, sometimes, there are other times when I've had to have a priesthood blessing from my husband and that helps immediately. In my church we believe that before we all came to earth we were actual sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father (God). Our elder brother was Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father proposed a plan for us to progress and grow. He taught us that we needed a Savior and asked whom the Savior should be. Jesus Christ volunteered to be our Savior and to give all the glory to Heavenly Father. We would all be able to choose for ourselves whether to accept Him as our Savior or not. Jesus voluteered to be our Savior because He loves all of Heavenly Father's children. Lucifer had his own plan. Lucifer said he would be the savior , but only if he could take away our freedom to choose. Lucifer also did not want to give Heavenly Father any glory he wanted it all to himself. We then were given the chance to choose whose side we would be on. The one's who chose Lucifers plan were cast out of heaven and sent to earth to remain as spirits never to get a body of their own (one third of heavenly Father's spirit children). All those who chose Jesus' plan remained in Heaven until it was our turn to come to earth and recieve a body. Everyone on earth chose Jesus' plan. We are all here to prove ourselves worthy to go back to Heaven. Any way my reason for telling you this is so that you could recognise who the bad voices are. They are real entities, not imagination. I've always thought that children were protected from them until they are eight years old, which is when our church believes we become accountable. However with my 6yr olds experiences, I don't know now. We've always been taught that if we live our lives cleanly, meaning no drinking, smoking, drugs, and our minds clean with clean entertainment (no violent movies, porn, pg-13, R rated movies) we'd be protected. I have to admit my 6yr old has seen several goosebump movies (pg) and loves the old star wars movies (pg) So maybe I have't been picky enough. We haven't had any traumatic experiences, that I know of. The only thing I can think of is my husband yells alot. He has a stressful job and almost no tolerlance of misbehavior when he's home. I spend most of my time refereeing between my kids and husband when he's home. Infact I've been yelling a bit lately too, but only at my two oldest kids who recently brought home reportcards with 4 d's and 1 f. So I've been on them to be responisible and to do their home work. When my 6 yr old was a baby (2-3) he would lie in bed with me after story time, I would read my own book. Many nights he would look up at the ceiling and then throw the blankets over his head because he was scared, this happened quite often. One night a few days after my Grandmother had passed, I noticed he was looking at the ceiling again, but this time he was smiling and nodding his head. I couldn't see anything, but he could, then he waved his hand and said Bah (bye). If any of you are interested in the information above you can contact The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Their website is www.lds.org or usually a local church is in the phone book. If other blessings from priests or pastors not of my faith, have not worked, it may be because some evil spirits our only brought out by much fasting and prayer (see the bible) Also our church is the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ, which was on the earth when He was. So the priesthood my husband holds is a power directly from Jesus Christ. It has been past down from priesthood holder to priesthood holder since the restoration. Thank you for this website, it has been tremendously comforting.
-
In Nov. of 2007 I heard a male voice call my name inside my home. This continued and still does. It is the same male voice although it changes slightly. I have actually recorded this voice on a digital recorder. I see nothing, but I can actually hear the breath at times when it speaks. It basically repeats my name over and over with some other short statements such as "remember me", "it's me." Someone suggested a digital recorder and told me to ask this voice questions which I did. I was amazed to listen to the answers from this whispering male voice. I can't call it a spirit for my own sanity so I refer to it as the voice, the orb., etc. I've tried it all from priests, house blessings, holy water and psychic researchers. Apparently this thing doesn't want to go; I have no idea who it is although it has said it's name and is on the recorder as well. I have found the best way to deal with this is to not talk to it in any way hence it becomes more real and frightening that way. It is impossible to "ignore" it, but giving as little recognition to it helps me. I do get angry with it, but anger takes my energy away so I try not to. Humor helps me enormously, humor within myself for example; when it says "remember me", I say under my breath, how the hell can I forget or I never forget and idiot. This thing as I also call it is relentless mainly whispering my name which I'm thinking of changing and it follows me also. One recording was at my sisters house where it answers basic questions I asked it like its name, what it wanted, how it knew me, what it wanted. I just want it to go. Oddly enough it (the voice) can't seem to talk over the television which is excellent and I have put one in my bedroom closet. It likes 2 closets in the house as well as the bathroom. It does not however come outside if I should go for a walk. I believe as hard as it is to comprehend that it is a "spirit." I can't deny what I and others hear on the recorder as well as one other person who heard with their own ears the voice whisper my name. It can drive anyone crazy and causes much anxiety which I try to control. Not one paranormal person has been able to help get rid of it. I have had a leading researcher come to the house and the best she could do was say that something strange was there, but didn't know what it was. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Many don't or won't believe the recorder itself; I believe out of fear for the most part. I know what it's like to hear a voice continually whisper my name and short phrases. Remember humor, being with other people, getting out of the house, MP3 players. ipods, exercise and most importantly having one or more persons to talk to about it will help. May the voice(s) stop for all......
