Spiritual development of a person is a long process; this is a journey through wonderful countries, rich not only in amazing events, but also in obstacles and dangers. It is associated with the processes of deep moral cleansing, complete transformation, the awakening of many previously unused abilities, the growth of consciousness to an unimaginable level before, and its expansion to new external spaces. Therefore, it is not surprising that such important changes pass through various critical stages, which are often associated with nervous, emotional and mental disorders. Under normal clinical observation, they are easily confused with disorders originating from completely different reasons.
Meanwhile, the disorders that we are talking about have a very special meaning; they require a different assessment and treatment. These days, these distress caused by spiritual causes are encountered more and more often. More and more people appear, consciously or unconsciously, experiencing internal spiritual burdens. In addition, the spiritual development of a modern person, due to his greater diversity, and especially as a result of the resistance caused by his critical mind, has become a more difficult and difficult internal process than in the past. Therefore, it is advisable to give an overview of the nervous and mental disorders that can occur at different stages of spiritual development, and show the most effective methods of overcoming them.
On the path to achieving full spiritual consciousness, a person can go through five critical stages:
- crises preceding the spiritual life;
- crises caused by spiritual awakening;
- recessions following a spiritual life;
- crises at the stage of spiritual awakening and, finally, - "dark night of the soul".
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In order to correctly assess the meaning of strange internal experiences that are the harbingers of spiritual awareness, we will say a few words about the psyche of an average person. It seems to be carried by the flow of life. He accepts life as it comes, without asking questions about its meaning, value and goals. For a person with a low level of spiritual development, everything comes down to the realization of personal desires, for example, he strives for wealth, satisfaction of his desires and ambition. A person, whose spiritual level is somewhat higher, subordinates his personal inclinations to the fulfillment of those family and civic responsibilities, respect for which is inherent in his upbringing. However, he does not think about where these responsibilities came from, how they relate to each other, etc. He may consider himself a believer, but his religiosity will be superficial and stereotypical. To live with a clear conscience, one must formally fulfill the precepts of his church and participate in the established rituals. In short, an ordinary person relies, without thinking, on the unconditional reality of everyday life. He firmly holds on to earthly goods, which have a positive value for him. Thus, earthly existence is practically an end in itself for him. Even if he believes in the future paradise, his faith is purely theoretical and academic. And he will strive to get into this "paradise" as late as possible.which have a positive value for him. Thus, earthly existence is practically an end in itself for him. Even if he believes in the future paradise, his faith is purely theoretical and academic. And he will strive to get into this "paradise" as late as possible.which have a positive value for him. Thus, earthly existence is practically an end in itself for him. Even if he believes in the future paradise, his faith is purely theoretical and academic. And he will strive to get into this "paradise" as late as possible.
Nevertheless, it may happen, and from time to time it happens that this "ordinary" person undergoes a sudden transformation in his spiritual life, which catches him by surprise and frightens. Sometimes this transformation occurs in the result of many disappointments, and often a strong emotional disturbance, for example, due to the loss of a loved one. However, at times it flows without external reasons: in the midst of complete well-being and grace of fate, there is an undefined anxiety, a feeling of dissatisfaction and inner emptiness. A person suffers from the absence of something indeterminate, something that he himself cannot name or describe. Gradually, there is a feeling of unreality, the mundane nature of everyday life. Personal interests, which until now occupied a person and completely filled him, seem to fade and lose their importance and value. On the foreground, new questions are being tried: a person begins to think about the meaning of life, about the causes of phenomena that were previously perceived as self-explanatory - he thinks about the sources of his own and someone else's suffering, about justifying human inequality, about the origin of human existence and purpose.
At this stage, delusions are common. Many, not understanding the meaning of this new state of the soul, regard it as a heap of spirits and painful fantasies, since it is very painful, they try to suppress it in every possible way. Fearing "to lose their minds," they do everything possible to re-immerse themselves in a particular reality, which, as it seems to them, threatens to slip away from them. In the course of this struggle, some with a double zeal rush into the whirlpool of life and eagerly seek new activities, excitements and sensations. Sometimes in this way they manage to play down their anxiety, but almost never manage to get rid of it altogether. It, this anxiety, wanders in the depths of their being, dissolves the strains of everyday life and after some time, sometimes even after several years, breaks out with renewed vigor onto the surface of consciousness. Now this worry is getting worseinternal emptiness is even more unbearable. A person feels himself destroyed, everything that consisted of his last life seems to be a dream, falls off like a blank shell. At the same time, a new meaning has not yet appeared, and sometimes a person does not just know anything about it, but does not even suspect about the possibility of its existence. Often, a moral crisis is added to this suffering, ethical consciousness is awaited and deepened, a person is tormented by a heavy feeling of guilt and remorse for his past deeds. He shrieks at himself and falls into complete despondency. Often, a moral crisis is added to this suffering, ethical consciousness is awaited and deepened, a person is tormented by a heavy feeling of guilt and remorse for his past deeds. He shrieks at himself and falls into complete despondency. Often, a moral crisis is added to this suffering, ethical consciousness is awaited and deepened, a person is tormented by a grave feeling of guilt and remorse for his past deeds. He shrieks at himself and falls into complete despondency.
Naturally, in this state, thoughts of suicide are easily manifested; the termination of one's physical existence seems to be a logical resolution of the inner collapse. Note that this is only a general scheme for the flow of such experiences. In reality, various individual characteristics are possible here: some do not experience an acute stage at all, others find themselves in it completely suddenly, without preliminary stages, while others are dominated by obsessive philosophical doubts, and in the fourth, the main role is played by the moral crisis. These manifestations of a spiritual break are very similar to certain symptoms in neuropasthenia or psychasthenia. In particular, one of the symptoms of psychasthenia is nothing more than a waste of functioning in reality, another - depersonalization. The similarity of the spiritual crisis with these diseases is intensified by the factthat it causes the same physical symptoms: exhaustion, nervous tension, insomnia, digestive and circulatory disorders.
Recessions Following Spiritual Discovery
After some time after spiritual awakening, a decline usually occurs. We have already said that the harmonious process of spiritual awakening causes a feeling of joy, enlightenment of the mind, awareness of the meaning and purpose of being. Many doubts are dispelled and many questions are resolved, a feeling of inner confidence appears. All this is accompanied by the experience of unity, beauty and holiness of life: the awakened soul pours out a stream of love to all people and to every creature. And in fact, there is nothing more joyful for the heart and more comforting than contact with an awakened person who is in such a state of grace. It seems that his closest personality with its sharp corners and unpleasant sides has disappeared, and a new person is smiling at us, filled with sympathy, an aspiration to bring joy and be useful to others,to share with them the received spiritual treasures, which he cannot embrace alone. This state of joy may last more or less long, but of course it ends. The everyday personality with its deep foundation only temporarily left the surface; it seemed to fall asleep, but did not disappear and was not completely transformed. In addition, the flow of spiritual light and love, like everything else in the world, is rhythmic and cyclical. Therefore, sooner or later, the tide is followed by an ebb tide. Experiencing the departure of grace is very painful, and in some cases it entails a severe decline and serious distress. Again base instincts are accepted and with renewed vigor assert themselves. Everyday personality with its deep foundation only temporarily left the surface, it seemed to fall asleep, but did not disappear and was not completely transformed. In addition, the flow of spiritual light and love, like everything else in the world, is rhythmic and cyclical. Therefore, sooner or later, the tide is followed by an ebb tide. Experiencing the departure of grace is very painful, and in some cases it entails a severe decline and serious distress. Again base instincts are accepted and with renewed vigor assert themselves. Everyday personality with its deep foundation only temporarily left the surface, it seemed to fall asleep, but did not disappear and was not completely transformed. In addition, the flow of spiritual light and love, like everything else in the world, is rhythmic and cyclical. Therefore, sooner or later, the tide is followed by an ebb tide. Experiencing the departure of grace is very painful, and in some cases it entails a severe decline and serious distress. Again base instincts are accepted and with renewed vigor assert themselves.and in some cases, it entails a severe recession and severe disruption. Again base instincts are accepted and with renewed vigor assert themselves.and in some cases, it entails a severe recession and severe disruption. Again base instincts are accepted and with renewed vigor assert themselves.
All the "garbage" absorbed by the stream floats back to the surface. Meanwhile, the process of living has already thinned out the ethical consciousness, has strengthened the striving for perfection, a person will curse himself stricter, more ruthlessly, it may seem that he has fallen deeper than before. This delusion is reinforced by the fact that previously deeply hidden inclinations and inclinations emerge on the surface: high spiritual aspirations, as it were, a challenge to these forces, roused them and removed them from the unconscious. The decline can go so far that a person begins to deny the spiritual significance of his inner experience. Doubt and self-humiliation reign in his inner world, he succumbs to the temptation to consider everything that happened to him as an illusion, fantasy, sentimental “fairy tales”. He can become bitter and sarcastic, make fun of himself and others cynically,to renounce their ideals and aspirations. But in spite of all the efforts, he is no longer free to return to his previous state. The beauty and wonder of what he has experienced remain in him and are not forgotten. He can no longer just live a petty day-to-day life, he is tormented and haunted by divine anguish. In general, the reaction is extremely painful, with feelings of despair and thoughts of suicide. Such exaggerated reactions are overcome by a clear understanding of what is happening, and thus by realizing the only way to overcome difficulties. It is in this person that outside help is needed. You should help him realize that the state of grace cannot last forever and that the subsequent response is natural and inevitable. The wonderful state that he experienced was like taking off to the summits illuminated by the sun, from which the whole picture of the world is visible. But every flight sooner or later comes to an end. We return to the plain again and then slowly, step by step, we overcome the steep ascent leading to the top. And the realization that the experienced descent or “fall” is a natural process through which we must all go, consoles and encourages the stranger, helping to gather strength to begin a confident ascent. Crises at the stage of spiritual transformation.
The mentioned ascent actually consists in the complete transformation and reincarnation of the personality. This is a long and complex process, which includes different phases: phase of active purification in order to remove obstacles to the flow of spiritual forces; phases of development of internal abilities, before hidden or weakly expressed; phases during which the person must silently and briefly let the spirit work with him, courageously and patiently enduring the inevitable suffering. This is a time full of change, when light and darkness, joy and pain replace each other. It is not uncommon for a person's forces at this stage to be so absorbed in difficult and sometimes painful internal events that he does not cope well with the various requirements of his external personal life.
An outside observer who evaluates such a person from the point of view of his normality and practical efficiency, most likely comes to the conclusion that he has become, as it were, “worse”, “worth” less than before. So the internal problems of a spiritually developing person are aggravated by misunderstanding and unfair assessments of the family, friends and even doctors. Never once hears disapproving remarks about the pernicious influence of spiritual aspirations and ideals that deprive a person of his dignity in practical life. Such experiences often cause deep depression, spiritual confusion and despondency. This test, like others, must be overcome. It learns to cope with personal sensitivity and helps to develop a firm and independent judgment. Therefore, one should not resist such a test, but patiently accept it. If relatives understand the state of a person in this situation, they can provide him with important help, save him from unnecessary suffering. We are talking only about a certain transitional period when a person left a previous state, but has not yet reached a new one. So the caterpillar, which turns into a butterfly, must go through the stage of chuckling, the stage of helplessness and unconsciousness.
In contrast to the caterpillar, a person is deprived of that security and silence in which a butterfly undergoes its metamorphosis. He must, especially in our time, remain in his place and to the best of his ability to fulfill his duty to his family and society, professional duties - as if nothing special happened in his inner world. Dropping out emy task is very difficult. You can compare it with the problem that faced the British engineers, who had to move the London station building without interrupting the train traffic for one hour. It is not surprising that such a difficult task sometimes causes such nervous and mental disorders as exhaustion, insomnia, depression, irritability, which in turn, due to the close interaction of spirit and body, can lead to various physical symptoms.
To help in such a situation, it is necessary, first of all, to recognize the true cause of the disease and provide the patient with the correct psychotherapeutic help, otherwise purely physical treatment and taking medications will only alleviate the ill-favored, but will not affect the spiritual roots of the illness. Sometimes these troubles come from overload - from excessive efforts aimed at speeding up spiritual development. The consequence of such efforts is not transformation, but the displacement of the lower components, the aggravation of the internal struggle with the corresponding nervous and mental strain. Those who are too zealous for perfection must constantly remember that the work of their inner transmutation is carried out by the spirit and spiritual energies. Their personal task is to call upon these forces through inner self-denial, meditation and the correct state of mind,strive to eliminate what may interfere with the free influence of the spirit. In addition, they can only wait with patience and confidence for the unfolding of the spiritual action in the soul. Another, in a sense, the opposite difficulty is to cope with an especially powerful stream of spiritual force. This precious energy can easily develop in excess of feelings and excessive feverish activity.
In some cases, this energy, on the contrary, is too contained, accumulates, is not sufficiently implemented in activity, so that in the end its pressure also gives rise to internal frustration. Thus, a strong electric current melts the conductor, causing a short circuit. Thus, one should learn to intelligently manage the flow of spiritual energies; without straining, use them in fruitful internal and external activities.
Crisis Caused by Spiritual Dispensation
The establishment of a connection between the personality and the soul, the accompanying streams of light, joy and active force bring about a wonderful state of liberation. Internal struggles, suffering, neuroses and physical disturbances can suddenly disappear and often with such amazing speed that it becomes obvious that they do not come from material reasons, but from mental suffering. In such cases, spiritual awakening is healing in the full sense of the word. However, the training is not always done so simply and harmoniously. It can itself cause complexity, frustration, and deviation. This applies to those people whose mind is not quite balanced, whose emotional life is excessively exalted, the nervous system is too tender or sensitive to painlessly withstand a sharp increase in spiritual energies. When the mind is too weak or not prepared,to endure the spiritual light, or when a person is prone to arrogance and self-centeredness, internal events can be misunderstood. There is a so-called displacement of levels, the transfer of the relative to the absolute, the sphere of the personal - to the spiritual world. Thus, spiritual power can lead to the expansion of the personal "I".
Several years ago I had the idea of observing a typical extreme case of this kind in the Vankon Psychiatric Hospital. One of its inhabitants, a pretty old man, calmly and efficiently asserted that he was the Lord God. Around this conviction, he weaved a canvas of fantastic ideas about the heavenly armies, which he commanded, about the great deeds they performed, and so on. In all other respects, he was a wonderful and amiable person, always ready to serve doctors and patients. His intelligence was very clear and attentive. He was so conscientious that he was made an assistant pharmacist. The pharmacist entrusted him with the key to the pharmacy and the preparation of the medicines, and this was not the slightest problem, except for the disappearance of sugar, which he was withdrawing from stocks in order to bring pleasure to some patients. From the usual medical point of view, our patient should have been diagnosed: just the case of megalomania, a paranoid disease. But in reality, all these formulations are only descriptive, introducing into some kind of clinical framework. We do not learn from them anything definite about the nature, about the true causes of this disorder. And it is important for us to know if there are deeper psychological motives behind the patient's ideas.
We know that the perception of the reality of the spirit and its inner unity with the human soul evokes in the person who is experiencing it, a feeling of inner greatness, growth, and partiality to the Divine nature. In the religious teachings of all ages we find abundant evidence of this. The Bible says briefly and clearly: "Do you know that you are gods?" Blessed Augustine says: "When the soul of a person loves, then it becomes like the one that loves." When she loves the earthly, she becomes earthly, but when she loves God, does she not become God? The strongest of all the complete identity of man - the spirit in his pure being - with the supreme spirit is expressed in the philosophy of Vedanta.
No matter how we perceive this relationship between the individual and the universal - as a complete identity in essence or as a similarity, as a particularity or as a unity - both in theory and in practice, it is necessary to clearly realize the immense distance between the spirit and in its ordinary pure being. The first is the basis, or center, or individuality. The second is our little "I", our everyday consciousness. Disregard of this distinction leads to ridiculous and dangerous consequences. This is what allows us to understand the spiritual distress of the patient described above and other, not so extreme forms of self-exaltation and self-deification. The painful delusion of those who fall prey to such illusions is that they ascribe to their transient self the qualities and abilities of the higher spirit. It's about mixing relative and absolute reality,personal and metaphysical levels. This understanding of certain cases of megalomania can provide valuable guidance for their treatment. Namely: it is completely useless to prove to the patient that he is wrong, that he is mistaken, to ridicule him. This can only cause irritation and excitement. Another line of behavior is preferable: to recognize the reality that is contained in his ideas, and then with all patience try to explain to the patient his delusions.and then with all the patience try to explain to the patient his delusions.and then with all the patience try to explain to the patient his delusions.
In other cases, the awakening of the soul and the accompanying sudden inner enlightenment can cause emotional overload, which appears violently and irregularly, in the form of screams, crying, singing, and agitated actions. Some strong natures as a result of the ascent caused by spiritual awakening may declare themselves to be prophets or reformers. They lead movements, found sects, characterized by fanaticism and desire to convert everyone to their faith. For some people of a high level, but too strong, as a result of the experienced revelation of the transcendental and divine side of their own spirit, there is a claim to full and literal identity with their spiritual part. In fact, such an identity can be achieved only as a result of a long and difficult path of transformation and transformation of the personality. Therefore, their claim cannot be satisfied - hence depressive states up to despair and impulses to self-destruction.
In some appropriately located people, the internal environment can be accompanied by various paranormal phenomena. They have visions of higher angelic beings, hear voices, or experience an automatic urge to write. The meaning of such messages can be different. In each case, careful checking and analysis is needed without deliberate rejection, but also without prior food, which may suggest the unusual source of their information. One should be especially careful about messages that contain direct orders and require a blind message, as well as those in which the perceiver of information is conveyed - true spiritual teachers never use such media. It should be noted that no matter how true and significant such messages are, they are always harmful to health,because it can greatly upset the balance of feelings and intelligence.
El Lamat