Love And Peace, Family And Friends.
שלום.नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلام.Peace.साटीनाम.صلح.Kwey.Amani.Udo.Barış.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.
Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن.和平.平和.평화.Ingatka.Wominjeka.Aloha.
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During this past week I have an appointment
with a psychiatrist. During this
appointment, the psychiatrist posits the question of whether I think I can “save
the World” as a litmus test to gauge my sanity:
a “No” response implying a person having reasonable expectations of
himself/herself, and a “Yes” response implying a person having grandiose ideas
that err on the side of psychotic.
Without directly affirming or denying the
question, I respond by saying that the question is interesting. That response seems to pose enough of a
challenge to also be perceived as psychotic.
I should provide some context. See, over a decade ago, I graduate from law
school. And instead of securing a cushy
6-figure job, I refuse to practise American law. I fundamentally protest the US Constitution,
calling it a racist and classist power-sharing agreement the divides and
oppresses. This during a period of American
history fraught with paranoia and hatred towards anything that disagrees with
that paranoia.
Needless to say, I experience occupational
limbo, trying to find a job, let alone a career, that agrees with my
politics. I move back into my childhood
home, licking my wounds and searching for a path. During that period, both of my parents are
very worried for me (and probably for our entire family). My anti-American vitriol is received with
fearful and anguished looks. “Just take
the bar.” “People are going to think you
are crazy.” “We love you but we are
worried.” My parents know by that point
in my life, there is an absence of telling me what to do; the best my parents can do is earnestly
advocate for conformity. However, my
conscience compels me to maintain my position and my proclamations.
Within a few months, my parents have me
committed into a psych ward where I am forcefully injected with anti-psychotic
drugs. A very dubious process is
initiated whereby I am eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia. I hazily remember being awakened from my
drug-induced unconsciousness, being brought to a room with a man of Indian
descent sitting across from me, and being asked a series of questions whilst I
fade in and out of consciousness. “Do
you hear voices?” You mean other than
the voice you are utilising to ask me that question? “Do you think people are out to get you?” You mean other than the dozen police officers
who enter my childhood home and forcefully drag me from our living room easy
chair? “Do you have any thoughts of
hurting others?” Although in my nascent stages
of spiritual development, I am a practitioner of Ahimsa. “Do you have any thoughts of hurting
yourself?” For me to actually answer
that question requires the very thought of the supposition being posed; but I abstain from being suicidal. In fact, I fundamentally disagree with the
psychiatric process and the diagnosis that is made against me. And I am informed that such rejection, in and
of itself, is considered a symptom of mental illness.
Sadly within the psychiatric industry, the
questions vary little from this standard routine. Rather than genuinely becoming familiar with
an individual, understanding the challenges that an individual is experiencing,
and working to help reconcile those challenges, the psychiatric process
involves simply asking the litmus questions, adjusting how much psychiatric
drugs to administer, and then scheduling another 15 to 20 minute session in a
few weeks. Next.
I fundamentally disagree with this
process. I fundamentally disagree with
the psychiatric conclusion of behaviour being determined by chemicals in the
brain. And I fundamentally disagree with
the psychiatric approach of altering chemical balances in the brain as a
solution for undesirable behaviour. If
that were the case, criminals, politicians, corporate raiders, pornographers
(including Madison Avenue), and psychiatrists as well, are all due for monthly
forced injections.
However, instead, I share the belief that
behaviour is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that is determined by a multitude
of factors. Behaviour is social,
spiritual, biological, and etheReal, amongst other considerations. It can be changed through inspiration,
providing a positive example, counselling, maturity, change of environment, and
additionally. Undesirable behaviour
during 1 stage of an individual’s life may also be fundamentally changed during
the course of years, consultation, maturity, and additionally.
For myself, in the few years that proceed
that initial psych ward lock-up, I recognise the anger and the reactionary hostility
that I experience immediately after graduating from law school. And I recognise how I take much of that anger
and hostility out on the people closest to me, the 1’s who love me, rather than
against the individuals against whom I have that anger and hostility. In the years that follow that lock-up, I
pursue a path of spiritual awakening, studying religion and spirituality, and
better understanding the nature of interdependence as well as the necessity for
compassion. Yet, the psych ward lock-ups
continue, and the forced drugging continues.
I do my best to have genuine compassion towards the individuals who
inflict this aggression towards me, yet I also have my limitations and
imperfections. I am still growing on my
spiritual journey, and I am learning how to be proficiently thorough in
providing compassion towards all people, towards all beings, and towards all
life. I love everybody, and I believe I
have a responsibility towards alleviating the suffering that everybody is
experiencing.
So when the psychiatrist introduces the
question about “saving the world,” I am taken aback. The negation of that supposition is
antithetical to my spiritual journey and to my religion (I am a mystic). So I offer to the psychiatrist that this line
of questioning seems to prompt an individual into denying certain spiritual
Truth and Realisation. I mention that if
Jesus answers the question, he likely responds, “Yes. I can save the World.” And, “Yes, people are out to get me.” He may also offer, “And Yes, people are out
to help me, as well.” The Buddha may
also respond in a similar, affirmative manner.
So, the line of questioning seems intended towards deterring individuals
from cultivating a Prophetic voice and from pursuing a Prophetic life. I abstain from equating myself to Jesus or
the Buddha, however, I do have some awareness of the spiritual teachings and
examples that Jesus and the Buddha and many other Prophets provide.
In responding to my observation, the
psychiatrist divulges a portion of the psychiatrist’s Christian Faith and
proclaims that Jesus does indeed save the World (“but he is different”). And I appreciate this divergence from the
Realm of psychiatry into the Realm of spirituality (as science and medicine
are, indeed, distinct and subjective systems of belief rather than some
ultimate, objective proclamation of Truth).
And I respond by stating that, rather than a “scientific proof,” the
psychiatrist’s proclamation is a matter of Faith. And I liken that to the proclamation that an
individual can (and should) save the World.
It is a matter of Faith. And it
is a matter of actuality resulting from the pursuit of Faith. But we are without the availability of hours
to pursue this discussion during the appointment. Instead, the psychiatrist proclaims a
perception of me “teetering on the edge” and the psychiatrist orders an
increased dosage of the psychiatric drugs that are injected into me.
Why do I go to the psychiatrist appointment
in the 1st place? Why do I
acquiesce into sitting and taking the drug injections? That question has yet to be satisfactorily
reached by myself. I can provide that
these are part of the agreement that facilitates my latest release from the psych
ward. My experience is that doing so
significantly calms those around me who have significant disagreement with my
politics and my spirituality. It
initially frustrates me how so-called sophisticated intellectuals, such as
psychiatrists, resort to very primitive and primal methodologies (including
forced incarceration, torturous drug injections, and additionally) as a means
for imposing the premise of suggestions.
It is actually debilitating to the profession of psychiatry. But much like everyone else including
myself, we all do the best that we know.
It seems as though the proficient response
is to have forgiveness (rather than acceptance) towards this behaviour. To provide genuine love. And to inspire enhanced behaviour through
establishing a positive example of the change we want to see in the
Universe. Thanks, Gandhi. And thank You, God. It is a matter of patience.
Love And Peace,
Peter.
שלום.नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلام.Peace.साटीनाम.صلح.Kwey.Amani.Udo.Barış.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.
Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن.和平.平和.평화.Ingatka.Wominjeka.Aloha.
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ૐ.אמן
Shalom(Hebrew).Namaste(Sanskrit).Samadhi(Thai/Pali).Pax(Latin).Salaam(Arabic).Peace(English).
SatNam(Punjabi).Solh(Persian).Kwey(Algonquin).Amani(Swahili).Udo(Ibo).Barish(Turkish).Erieni(Greek).Pache(Italiano).Paz(Espanol).Paix(Francais).
Fred(Scandinavian).Frieden(Deutsch).Siochana(Irish).Mir(Russian).Amin(Urdu).Heping(Mandarin).Heiwa(Japanese).Pyeonghwa(Korean).
Ingatka(Tagolog).Wominjeka(Wurundjeri).Aloha(Hawai’ian).Peace(Common
Symbol).Peace(Common Sign).Peace(American Sign).Peace(American Braille).
Om. Amen.
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