Schizophrenia and Hinduism

[Guest guest]

The following is from an article by Srila Prabhupada (originally written in Bengali) entitled, "FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE SELF REALIZED SAINTS":

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.18.12): harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunah manorathenasati dhavato bahih.

 

... a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own material speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?

 

The only way to cure this mental disease is to wholeheartedly follow Lord Caitanya's instruction to chant the holy names of Krsna. This will cleanse the heart of all impurities. Until this esoteric truth is propagated widely, the world will remain deprived of the panacea that cures all mental diseases. Our honorable prime minister should seriously consider this. If the number of Lord Krsna's devotees even slightly increases, there will immediately be a resurgence of peace and prosperity in the world. For man to rise to the glorious heights of a demigod, he needs only to revive his latent Krsna consciousness. Thus Krsna consciousness is the greatest boon to humanity.

The mahatmas possess other wonderful qualities, some of which Lord Krsna describes in the Bhagavad-gita (9.14):

 

satatam kirtayanto mam

yatantas ca drdha-vratah

namasyantas ca mam bhaktya

nitya-yukta upasate

 

Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with great devotion.

 

This text gives some hints of how to become a devotee of Lord Krsna. The word satatam ("always") has been used to indicate that the process of purifying one's consciousness does not depend on fruitive activity, empiric knowledge, yoga, or on time, place, or circumstance.

A living entity becomes free from all suffering as soon as he admits that he is an eternal servant of Lord Krsna. Such a servant of the Lord need not perform fruitive activity or cultivate empiric knowledge, nor does he have to undergo any other process of purification. The only essential factor is his intense greed for devotional service to the Lord.

An extreme longing for Lord Krsna is the only means for attaining Him. Thus intense, unflinching devotional service is another symptom of a mahatma. These mahatmas execute all nine limbs of devotional service, beginning with hearing, chanting, and remembering the name, form, qualities, pastimes, and paraphernalia of Lord Krsna. Such devotional service is transcendental to any mundane consideration of time, place, or circumstance. Mahatmas are always eager to render loving devotional service to the Lord. They tirelessly dedicate their lives, energy, words, intelligence, body, society--everything--in the service of the Lord.

The great endeavor the mahatma undertakes to execute devotional service is more intense than the ordinary man's voluntary acceptance of excessive pains and troubles to maintain his family and home. The struggle for maintaining family and relatives is illusion, or maya. Hence it is truly distressing. By contrast, the difficulties one accepts in serving the Supreme Lord are transcendental, and therefore they are a source of sublime bliss. Moreover, a person who serves the Supreme Lord automatically serves his family. But the opposite is not true: serving the family is not equivalent to serving the Lord. All mahatmas agree on this point. Not only does the person who serves the Supreme Lord serve his relatives, but he also serves the entire world of moving and nonmoving living beings. Thus service to Lord Krsna is the prime cause of world peace and harmony.

The mahatmas are always ready to render such service to the Lord with great determination. In this regard His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura once made this comment in a lecture:

 

The neophyte Vaisnava devotees' ringing the bell even once during worship of the Deity of the Supreme Lord is a million times more valuable, spiritually and otherwise, than the charitable fruitive workers building many hospitals, feeding thousands of the poor, or building homes, or even the empirical philosophers' Vedic studies, meditation, austerities, and penances.

 

The mahatmas have shown the perfect path of charity: devotional service to the Lord. If anyone ignores this path and instead builds hospitals, his effort to help humanity is a mere pretense. Humanity can never reap any permanent advantage from such activities. Indeed, the number of patients only increases along with the number of hospitals. And as for feeding the poor, this will never eradicate poverty, but encourage it. Frankly speaking, we are not against opening hospitals or feeding the poor, or any other such humanitarian service. But what we have learned from our beloved spiritual master is that when devotional service to the Lord is neglected, every other activity is illusory and futile. Without genuine devotional service, even opening hospitals and feeding the poor in the name of Lord Krsna is futile. Spiritual groups that do not strictly follow in Lord Caitanya's line cannot comprehend this because they do not wish to abide by the instructions of the mahatmas. They do not follow Lord Caitanya's injunction to be "more humble than a blade of grass." If they were that humble, they would give up their pride in being the doer of good deeds, the wisest person, the most devoted, and so on.

Those who strive to emulate the mahatmas never fall prey to passivity and regression. Their eagerness and determination to serve the Lord steadily increase. Such followers observe spiritual occasions like Janmastami is the appearance festival of Lord Krsna Janmastami and Ekadasi--literally the eleventh day. In the lunar month it is the eleventh day of the waxing and waning moon. Vaisnavas abstain from grains on this day.Ekadasi for the pleasure of the Lord, in the way that the previous acaryas and mahatmas have recommended. This is devotional service proper. Because the mahatmas are more humble than a blade of grass, they worship Lord Krsna and everything in relation to Him. Atheists, however, exhibit a different mentality altogether: they want to flaunt their abilities and charitable disposition. They may pretend to serve Lord Krsna, but their aim is "to sit on the Lord's head" once they attain perfection. In other words, they want to usurp His position. Therefore they do not really serve Lord Krsna, nor is He their real object of worship. The mahatmas never associate with these demoniac people. They are fixed in their resolve to serve the Lord, and thus they always remain connected to Him through devotional service.

 

[greeneagle3000]

skitzopherenia has nothing to do with religion. it has somethingto do with western science. this happens becasue the people have seen, heard, experienced or learn something that has been forbidden by the mainstream and considerd wired that's why. it's not fate. then, when admitted to the hospital or given treatment, do you realise that they become worser? you can find out more about this or watch a beautiful mind.

[Narayanidd]

My dear spirit souls,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember reading somewhere Srila Prabhupada said mental illnesses are a pretty heavy karmic reaction for past sinful activities. The calming vibrations of the HARE KRSNA mantra and Krsna prasadam help.

 

When Srila Prabhupada was preaching on 26 2nd ave. the Hippies would go to morning kirtan to come down from LSD trips. Many said the chanting had a calming effect that allowed a smooth transition back into "reality."

 

Your servant,

Narayani d.d.

[Somesh Kumar]

I am very impressed by your addressing of

My dear spirit souls

 

 

Thanks for addressing like this and reminding everyone about their REAL identity!

 

 

[Guest guest]

my father suffered from Schizhrenia most of his life .I have seen the illness at close range for long peroids of time while growing up.

Pop as we called my father was placed into hosptial 5 times durning his life for this and it drove our family insane as well.

I left my fathers home when I was 17 years old which I felt greatly conservative in doing as I had made plans to leave at, at least 12 years old.

 

My father was a very religious person but it wasnt a balanced understanding to say the least .

It was good to see him as a boy kneeling before his bed each night praying before he took rest

My father was allways anxiuos to understand what kind of profession I planned to proceed in when I grew up and one day on one of his many drillings on this point I told him that what was most important to me was to prusue a profession that brought me peace of mind.

At once he told me that peace of mind was a myth and that he had never had it for a moment.

Then I understood what the nature of his illiness was constant and extremly hard to over come for him.

I really felt sorry for him,he was intoleratable and my mothers tho took care of him his whole life with his struggle.

Basically a main part of his illiness was he was unable to forgive those who hurt him speically his mother.

When I left his house I hated him so much but as I began to chant the Holy Name of Krishna after 7 yrs of intense chanting I one day understood that my father loved me with all his heart and was doing the best he could under his cirumstances .

In 1977 I have a very in depth horscope done my my dear god brother Patita Udairan Prabhu.

In that horscope it said that my father was pocessed by a ghost for at least 7 years .

And that was about the tim e it was most intense his illiness .

My father had a younger brother who killed himself when I was one month old sence that horscope reading I have allways understood that the ghost of my uncle pocessed him

As one sign of when my father was worse was when he would place my uncles portait in the living room .

I would see my handsome uncles face and understand that Pop was about to flip out again and he would sometimes haveing to go to hospital in straight jacket.

lierally being taken away put away and haveing his brains friend in shock treatments and then afew month returning to our family like a lamb with a labodami.

Life in this material world is intense filled with all kinds of dangers and suffering.

My father tho like that I eventually took to Krishna Consciousness and visited me at the Miami temple and took Krishna Prasada many times.

Pop even commented how he throught the form of Lord Satbuja Gouranga was wonderful, God as a King as a Cowheard boy and as a monk ,hes own words.

I have just awoken this morning after an intease dream in which my father was in we were alone in the house i grew up in and my father was on the phone to someone and then a lady devottee Garlanded came and met him and took him away.

So I am thinking that Krishna may of told me of what his finally distanation was now under the emblem of Srila Prabhupada finally Pop has gone home .

[Guest guest]

 

skitzopherenia has nothing to do with religion. it has somethingto do with western science. this happens becasue the people have seen, heard, experienced or learn something that has been forbidden by the mainstream and considerd wired that's why. it's not fate. then, when admitted to the hospital or given treatment, do you realise that they become worser? you can find out more about this or watch a beautiful mind.

 

 

The movie, "A Beautiful Mind" shows the HALLUCINATIONS of a schizophrenic, and does not indicate the cause of being something seen, heard, experienced or learned from something forbidden. While this may happen once in a while, it is not the main reason for the onset of Schizophrenia. I will agrree Schizophrenia is not about religion and is a medical condition, though all medical conditions, even the flu, are karmic. Karma can be overcome or dealt with in various ways, but let's not think it has nothing to do with karma. The perspective that it is caused by western taboo would also be a form of karma for that matter.

 

What I am most surprised at on this form is no one finds medication important. I do not like the medications available. Researchers have not studied it very much, not funded for it, and therefore have not made much advancment in medications. I agree to that. But most who have taken no medication "think" they are fine, but just ask their families. They are suffering and so is the schizophrenic. Like it or not, when on the meds, the suffering decreases drastically. I know many on this thread are not going to like what I am saying here about the importance of taking medication in most cases (there may be exceptions but everyone things they are the exception), but most who are diagnosed with this disease do not have a normal life (and I know I will hear "what is normal anyway?"), they do not stay in relationships, have a hard time raising children and usually don't, have a hard time holding down jobs what to speak of a career, think they have achieved full bhagavan realization or that the voices in their head are spiritual, move around too often, and have unsteady minds. (I realize this is not always the case.) If this can be treated and life can bring happiness with the addition of medication, that should be taken into consideration. Some recent news has, finally, come up with some new medications, by the way. Its new. Needs to be looked into.

 

I will probably get a lot of slack for this post, but the suffering I have seen from those who don't take their meds tells me I have to bring up this point that is being ignored.

[Guest guest]

Some schizophrenics can hold down a good career and other such things, because there is such a thing as a partially functional schizphrenic. This doesn't mean they don't need medication to take it the extra mile. The man in a Beautiful Mind is a rare soul. We shouldn't think we are all like him. He also had an incredible support system.

 

My understanding about the reason patients become worse in the hospital is because their surroundings, people/nurses/professionals and the hosptial/medical building itself, is set up to force a patient out of denial and causes them to see their hallucinations for what they really are: hallucinations! If something else is additionally going on, I would not be surprised, but need proof. However, it would not negate that hospitalization takes schizophrenic's out of denial. (I am not promoting hospitalization. Taking meds keeps schizophrenics OUT of hospitals.)

 

[Guest guest]

 

 

 

 

When I was in the mental hospital I always suggested to the doctors that they convert the hospital into a temple for Krishna and help people get to the root cause of thier suffering instead of pumping people full of medication. Needless to say they thought I was crazy and kept pumping me full of medication. I realize that I was probably just creating a social disturbance but I still for the life of me can't understand why all these people think they are thier physical bodies.

[Tirisilex]

I haven't mentioned on this forum why of have my interest in this subject. I am a Diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic. Buddhist philosophy has greatly improved my condition and my research has shown me that the techniques that I have learned can benefit other schizophrenics. I've been looking at ways to see how to apply the same methods within the context of other peoples beliefs. Since Hinduism and Buddhism are closely related the philosphical idea's that I have acquired appear interchangeable within the Yogic philosophy which involves dealing with illusions (Maya).

One needs a balanced outlook. The mind and body our connected and you cannot neglect both of them. Medication is part of that balance. For the schizophrenic things can look like great realizations and it can seem that everything is under control. However as I have learned from my own experience medication shouldn't be looked at as an enemy. The enemy is the mind. A Schizophrenic is suffering from past karmic actions which is difficult to identify. It's obvious that the SZ mind can't handle itself on it's own and needs to be worked with on both mental and physical levels. It's unfortunate that the therapies that I have attended have been inadequate. Correct spiritual therapy has benefited me much more than tradtional therapy. I have found that the instability of the continual flux of conceptual idea's need to be regulated with compassion and the understanding of the illusions of the mind. Developing these two things for me was paramount in the therapeutical sense. For the Schizophrenic compassionate understanding cannot be thrown away simply because they can reason that what they do is ok. One must respect life of self and others. And have an understanding of Karmic consequences. This is to establish a safe enviroment for both the Suffering SZ and those around them. Developing the understanding of illusions takes more time than developing compassion. The sufferer needs to examine the experiences alot and try not to find hidden meanings in what they experience. Grasping onto experiences as if they have special meaning or significance will make it hard to discern truth from illusion. SZ should learn from the experiences and the proper way to react to them. This is a lengthy subject and I am only trying to summarize here. Hope, Honesty, Trust and Sharing what one experiences and discussing that needs to be integrated as well.

 

I am considered a success story for recovery among the Mental health organizations that I am a part of and have been asked to teach coping skills as well as to represent that recovery and regaining control of life is possible.

 

 

[Guest guest]

 

 

 

I respect your approach and don't get me wrong they diagnosed me as a manic-depressive and the medications never did squat for me. I am not trying to discourage anyone from taking medication but I am very happy to not be on any medications and hope to never be on them again. I trust Lord Krishna to spiritualize my body and that is why I constantly chant Hare Krishna day and night.

[Purnadas]

I dont know about anyone else but it seems to me as though i had some hefty problems at the same time as entering into Krishna activity but this was mostly to do with over attachment to prohibited things esp. my girlfriend. When Krsna helped me conquer these i seem to have started having a completely normal Krishna time. What i mean is ever since then my experiences have been completely in line with scripture. Its not that before they were so contrary to scripture but they were accompanied by intense anxiety and i was performing austerities not recommended in scripture. But it seems to me that i am now being judged schizophrenic for things such as ecstatic symptoms just because i had those problems in the beginning. Medication helped me then but now i feel it is just keeping me down. Not too down though

[Guest guest]

 

 

the devotee who is aware of how god is controlling

everything ,all the time, is then in a position

that allows god to reveal that control ,

Jung called this experience synchronicity,

for the devotee this can be a powerfull

experience if god wants to display control

to you.

 

To think that temporary feelings of excitement

or self enhancing bliss, is in fact indicative

of being advance like say a paramahansa,

it isn't.

 

the advanced devotee not only is aware of gods control,

but is engaged in reciprocal dialogue, this is

not available until the devotee becomes profocient i n understanbding rasa.

 

[Gauracandra]

I don’t have much to contribute to this thread. Though I am reminded of a story told by Bhargava Prabhu from the “Memories” series. Bhargava asked Srila Prabhupada what he thought of psychologists. Apparently Srila Prabhupada had a child who had developmental problems (a special needs child). Srila Prabhupada explained this and how he took this child to a psychologist, and how it seemed to help for some time, but it wasn’t permanent. One day this son wandered off into the city, and disappeared forever. Bhargava was explaining how we often put Srila Prabhupada in a position where we assume he never felt the brunt of the world but in fact he did. Personally, I think psychologists and medication is fine if it is needed. There shouldn’t be a taboo in this regard.

[greeneagle3000]

yes, the movie shows that but that's just a clue.

if you guys need any help you can also ask me.

btw, no one's crazy. they just say it becasue you know something that you're not supposed to. don't trust the doctors. its worser if you do.

[Tirisilex]

*** don't trust the doctors. its worser if you do.

 

Not ALL Doctors are bad. I find this remark ignorant.

 

*** they just say it becasue you know something that

*** you're not supposed to.

 

This kind of remark in the world of Schizophrenics will drive them deeper into their delusions. I believe you really need to rethink your understanding.

 

Scenario: Roger (Schizophrenic) as he walks down the street he hears voices telling him that the Aliens are watching him. He believes the government is keeping a close eye on him. So he always watches his back and thinking he is always being followed because the Aliens are communicating with him. Now if Roger found someone writing or saying such remarks would it help him in any way??

[Guest guest]

 

 

 

 

Yeah I know what it is like to perform austerities not recommended in scripture. I think Krishna almost killed me for doing some of those austerities. I just blindly jumped into meditation without any guidance and that is how I ended up in a mental hospital in the first place. Krishna showed me his special mercy by stripping me of all my friends so that I would become completely dependent on Him. That is the only thing that has saved me from being killed. Luckily Krishna guided me to the right books and now I realize the only thing to do in the Kali-yuga is chant Hare Krishna mantra. Otherwise I would be in the womb of some other mother right now or who knows where.

[Guest guest]

 

.....we often put Srila Prabhupada in a position where we assume he never felt the brunt of the world but in fact he did.

 

 

I can't agree that we put Prabhuada in such a posiition, he actually is in that position. To think he experienced anything materially is a mistake. Because he had love for his son, the soul Krishna put him in charge of, is not material and does not mean he expereinced the loss of this son materially. All he had to do was ask Krishna what happened to him, if he wanted to. We can't speculate on the mind of Srila Prabhupada and should not assume he felt the burn of this world. We don't know what he felt or how he felt it.

[Guest guest]

Schizophrenia is an (in)curable disease,i.e. the cure is ( in)side you.The curi is inside your heart;go deeper on a more subtle level.It will be revealed. Chant HARE KRSNA.

[rohit007]

According to ayurveda schizophrenia is due to vata disorder.