Excerpt from new book – in progress.

Healing and harmony can take place not by denying or ignoring, but by treating professionally when indicated, whilst working to undermine the causative darkness and find a pathway that ensures a return to the Light. It is still for me about what one essentially is, a Being yoked with the Cosmic Consciousness.

Your Pathway to this position is up to you. (See also the earlier visualization exercises to discover one’s Pathway. It’s your Wayfarer’s Journey! I have mine and have written a number a books with specific “instructions”. (They are geared to my practice in India as a monk however – not everyone’s “cup of tea”.

Fear and reactivity

What happens when all noticeable mental health issues are resolved, including even mild to moderate. What is left may still be negative as far as “complete” mental health goes.

Fear and Reactivity.

These two always disturb ones serenity and peace. What can one do?

If we are embedded in our soul centre, we are without fear, and can mix in the world at ease. We will not accept fear and remain resistant to our reactivity.

This realized or enlightened space is a transition period even for the highly developed spiritual practitioner, because we are still in human form and still experience and display emotions. Surely, we are only talking about a small percentage that have that perfect state of realization?

Being free, means freedom from the two items of fear and resistance, but much more.

I am discussing these two in order to drill down to a sense of what this process requires.

When we seek to remove the old ways through our practice, at the same time our guides, angels, or our Power of choice moves towards us. Just as we move towards It/He/She/Them. We still get life experiences, but they are always what we need to learn through, and what we need to shine through. We then exist in a different world, which is still the one we leave! (How does that work?).

It is all about our vibration, the expression of our soul as its enlightened self.

Therefore, we accept. We do not react. We do not fear. We deal with life and function. Then

G.O.D. equals Good Orderly Direction.

As far as change goes, we accept it, but do not hasten or dramatize it. We see and probably experienced change in a much gentler fashion. However, we do not sit around saying “its karma man”. Alternatively, “what will be what will be”. We act and do so dynamically in times we needed to do so, when “righteous reaction” is called for. We are called to transform ourselves and this world around us.

We will not tolerate the darkness in all its forms. We encounter destiny as part of our realization, and that can be in the middle of a busy world, not in some cave.

We are called to serve when we accept our Wayfarers Journey. It is not though about going out and running a soup kitchen for the homeless. That may bring us kudos in this and the afterlife, and make us feel good now. True service is not motivated by ego decisions.

Growth can occur through all experience and your presence in all circumstances. Remember it is about not radiating fear or reactivity. That alone is service. Otherwise, one is just looking for the method of how to be “a good person all round”.

Until this connection with occurs, the ego base self continues to look for answers through different channels. That may include therapy, treatment or medication. (Which often helps the earth bound personality).The issue here though, is finally overcoming the confusions of self, along with the manifestations of psychological disturbance, from its root. This issue is about a switch to the full light of Truth, which brings release from all darkness.

Which brings us back to the beginning, the baseline ego based human experience of being fearful and reactive.

I have been willing to change.

Depression, Addiction – more views.

Spiritual people may struggle with different types of addiction. They may experience depression (some more severe than others). One of the most interesting aspects is the recognition that prior or within the depression, most of them were rather disciplined, in control of things and life events, and even “succeeding”. This is also a reminder to me that before & during my own experience, I was often optimistic with a strong sense of accomplishment. I believed in my ability to achieve, but when in significant depression, it was very difficult to keep this sense within me.

Is it possible that the initial cause of depression in the first place has to do with a very high expectation for oneself? The expectations that may be imposed externally about being spiritually “good”, or being “perfect in God’s presence”. The only way to come to God though seems to be to come the way we essentially are. If we are something “unhinged”, we think we will end up dishonoring God.

Spirituality is an invitation to us in all aspects of who we are. Spirituality should be that space that allows us to just be and be ok with who we are. It negates any attempt to be what the society wants us to be. It negates any attempt to find the high in the spiritual experience. It “is what it is.” It is not going out looking for God and proving yourself to God. It is in knowing that Truth is in the very “isness” of us.

This leads to a question. Is it possible that certain understandings of spirituality can lead to depression &/or addiction and not the other way around? Personally, while I see that it is possible that pondering spiritual ideas can lead to depression, it is equally possible that the opposite is true. “Depression experience” can also be a central part of the spiritual path. Some say we must go through a Dark Night of the Soul to attain spiritual growth, & that it is wrong to see depression as somehow negating our spiritual growth. “Happy times” are not necessarily the most growth producing.

I led a very disciplined life as a monk in my twenties, but have since found that depression caused more changes in my actual behavior than disciplined spiritual practice ever

For me the most important measures of spiritual phenomena are subjective. I can try to describe it in terms of various cognitive, behavior, and emotional parameters. Furthermore, I try to define my experience as “spiritual” distinguished from my “normal” experience or as different from what I know about other approaches. (Such as atheism).

I know something is happening, but it is not immediately observable to me, more in the nature of subtle ongoing “improvements”, (which is really waffle!). In addition, I get a range of experiences from “nothing’s happening” to “did I really experience that”.

I know I have experienced what others could diagnose as significant, depression. However, at the time I was not always aware of my misery. It just was.

At least for me there is a growing and significant consideration of spirituality, and I also believe this is happening more in the world, even though the daily news says otherwise!

I have been interested in academically exploring the topics I am writing about, including scientific research about spirituality and mental health.

There seems to be a broad consensus that spirituality is an important dimension of human experience, particularly in the settings of illness and adversity, and is typically associated in a beneficial way with measures of health status, coping, and well-being. There also seems to be a substantial level of interest on the part of health professionals, although in practice I am not seeing it in my daily business.

I try to incorporate spirituality into care-giving or professional work in the mental health field. I am wary of this approach also! (Even though in my readings on the topic, spirituality was viewed as a broad aspect of human experience, having to do with meaning and purpose of life). It does motivate and inspire me to “keep on keeping on” at the least, and to do much, much, more, (at times).

It is definitely not always easy to talk about my life in the context of how spiritual experiences are a part of it, but as far as my work goes, it helps me to honor the divinity in others, and not judge them. It helps to also learn from them, and see in them their strengths. For me Spirituality is clearly about seeing people as unique human beings that are part of the Cosmic Consciousness.

Cultivating my own spirituality makes a difference in how I not only see people, but also how I deal with frustrating clients and situations. I can have strength, and remain at peace, even when things are not looking so good. I feel I can “heal” better and more.

I seek to help with meaning and purpose, and find out what makes each individual. The Strengths Model I often use helps with identification of sustaining values.

If we are able to talk about perspectives, and behaviours in the face of illness. If that is “on the table”, then I can promote to some degree the healing qualities of soul seeking endeavours.

Thus, I do not have to provide answers, as I do not have them! Apart from my own belief system which I have available to share, (Such as in my other books). I do see a void often, but I cannot say “here do this/believe this”.

I can try to ask questions that lead to these questions:

What is my purpose here? Who am I and what am I?

I think the key to addressing spirituality in the caring professions is to create more opportunities such as inclusion in the training curriculum. We need to be talking about it more often, as well as have more formal learning avenues for staff. It needs to be “multi-faith”, where religions are concerned.

The thing you say is “I am willing to be met and to be helped”. “I can do my bit but it’s not much”. (Being humble!). Met in truth.

The truth will prevail despite my efforts otherwise and despite my ego based searching seeking and desire for a good presentation to others. I suppose the good thing is that I accept my personal nonsense, and I am not grabbing on it, while seeking to have a line to the something which I believe is healing.

Sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, and more? No. I align myself to the Higher Power and yes I still really feel the distortions of my thoughts and behaviour. (I am the “Witness” and am “mindful” of those thoughts).

In that I feel free enlightened as in “lightened from my burdens”.

It is radical, this growth and ability to comprehend that there is nothing outside of the Cosmic Consciousness.

True reality is there, and it’s not to be thrown away, pushed away, or minimized.

However, I need to be party to doing the restorative works, which is not the same as floating on a cloud meeting a “happy God who makes a happy place”.

My service then is this is a service to myself and I understand if I do not do this, then this lack of intention and drive will be my depression.

So I release all the lies and agree to allow that Grace to respond and wash over me.

of practice enumerated in depth in my other books)