THE MANIFESTATIONS AND CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL CRISIS

(Just a reminder for those interested in the subject there is an excellent movie called Crazywise showing at 7pm, 24th of April at Montecito Hall. See flyer below.)

Last week's blog was on the various manifestations of Kundalini rising. Its important to know that one does not want to have a full blown Kundalini experience which can be devastating. A spiritual crisis can occur from overzealous involvement in various forms of spiritual practice which open up access to the "Field." A Vegan or vegetarian diet can facilitate the predicament. The idea is to slowly raise the Kundalini up the hierarchy of chakras and gently energize and balance them as well as their energy channels. A life long, dedicated spiritual practice is essential for this. For practitioners of Kundalini yoga this is the intention although many would prefer their practice to be more dramatic.  Fortunately most of the time it is not. It is often in those who are spiritual neophytes that this serpent power can run rampant. In the last blog we discussed mostly the more positive, transformational aspects of Kundalini awakening like those described by yogis and shamans. 
This week's blog is on the more adverse presentations that occur with no apparent Kundalini phenomena although the mechanism may still be important. 
Involvement in shamanic rituals especially those involving entheogens or mind altering plants may also be responsible, as may substance abuse.
Clearly there will be many patients who have a crisis because they do have a psychosis and need treatment. They will require psychiatric care and medication.

DISSOCIATION   

It is important to know that the Kundalini does not always appear to operate in case of spiritual emergency or crisis. Sometimes Dissociation can be the mechanism. The human condition  may demand that for survival we dissociate from what is happening around us when it is extremely traumatic. 
Soldiers in dire situations sometimes Dissociate and carry out extreme acts of bravery almost without knowing it - in a sense they are no longer "there" but somewhere else. This is often well portrayed by Hollywood war movies when the disastrous situation becomes quite surreal and the director actually captures the mood of Dissociation on film. The same mechanism can occur in children who have suffered sexual, physical or even severe verbal abuse. It also occurs in those involved in horrendous Satanic cults.
Any severe traumatic situation which is unbearable can precipitate this survival mechanism. The Flight or Fight reaction also includes Freezing and Feigning Death - possible Dissociation should be added to these four. Just as Kundalini is a catalyst for crossing the veil between worlds and entering a "non local Field" of possibilities, Dissociation can do the same thing. This is why those who have been through extremes of trauma also have the ability to access the Field and have paranormal or psychic experiences and gifts.         

Any of the factors in the figure below can cause Dissociation (as well as soul sickness and even soul loss.) Under these circumstances the victim may also begin to access the spirit world. S/he then may begin to get downloads from the Field which,  somewhat like the internet, is open to both light and dark forces. It is hard to predict who will get what and from which source. 

The person's weakest energy system or chakra will usually be the most vulnerable to these energetic or vibrational effects - good or bad.  Even if there is no malevolent intent the effects can still be very disturbing.

Dissociation can be a gift if it can be channeled into receiving non local information from the positive rather than the negative side of the Field. Hence the person may be labelled schizophrenic, bipolar, psychotic etc, or a gifted channel or talented psychic. Indigenous societies are adept in channelling the right energies in the best directions shamanically and preventing negative entities from intruding. In contrast our medical paradigm serves to suppress the dynamic with pharmaceuticals and inhibit spiritual transformation and growth.

Rumi said; 

"Out there beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a Field. I will meet you there." 

The Field like the internet is value neutral. Would that the sufferer meets Rumi out there rather than Lucifer.

Causes of Dissociation

MANIFESTATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Having a spiritual crisis is a little like getting a complex disease with many possible manifestations. There are conditions like toxic mold, Lyme disease and others that are very confusing to the medical profession because the symptoms do not fit neatly into any specific category. Many systems in the body are attacked and this can be confusing. Often the weakest system is the most vulnerable. Unless one thinks of it one will miss the diagnosis. The same is true for Spiritual Crisis. Eventually spiritual "dis"-ease can lead to organic disease but initially there are no organic problems.
The Southern African indigenous healer (Sangoma or Nyanga) is fortunate in being able to diagnose a spiritual illness either with divination ("The Bones",) trance possession or even following a dream. Frequently sufferers in Southern Africa with a spiritual disease are evaluated by the medical profession only to be told that they have nothing wrong with them - that they are confabulating or are crazy. On going to see a sangoma they will be correctly diagnosed and treated effectively spiritually rather than with anti-psychotic drugs. This is frequently relevant to a shamanic calling, the Wounded Healer archetype and what is called in South Africa "The Ancestor Sickness." The client or "patient" then may have to undergo a rigorous initiation called "Thwasa" before becoming a Sangoma.

 These sufferers may also be having one or more of the following;

Dreams of rivers. lakes, ocean and water.
Psychic dreams.
Psychic and paranormal revelations - just knowing things that cannot usually be known.
Buzzing in the ears (tinnitus.)
In indigenous societies a "stroke," paralysis.
Migraine/headaches, neck pain and other somatic manifestations.
Dreams of dismemberment, being torn apart by wild animals, traveling into the underworld or mythical realms.

On the other hand spiritual counsellors in the West may want to know - have there been?

Episodes of unitive consciousness or "Oneness Experiences" (Maslow's "Peak Experiences".)
Vibrational energy moving through the body and especially up the spine, tingling, burning or heat sensations.
A crisis of psychic opening with paranormal downloads,  past-life experiences or de ja vu.
Communications with spirit guides and "channeling" or the more devastating possession states - light or dark.
Near-death types of experiences (NDEs.)
Visitations, hallucinations, visions, hearing voices and are these useful or chaotic.
And even close encounters with UFOs and alien abduction experiences.