11/01/11

by Jan
(Dumfries, Scotland, UK)

drawing of release freeing creativity

I had a breakdown, breakthrough, kundalini awakening or a manic episode over a roughly three/four day period in early January. The spiritual peak of this experience took place on the date above. I have read many accounts of Kundalini and these descriptions of bliss being utterly linked with life force energy and healing energy fits my experience. (I did not know much about Kundalini before my experience but was using medititation).

However being rather ignorant of these things my husband called out the mental health team who sectioned me and put me in a mental hospital where they filled me full of drugs. My husband attempted to explain that I am an artist and my meditative state was probably the way my mind was dealing with some intense emotional dilemmas i had been contemplating, the psychiatrists did not listen at all.

After I came out of hospital three weeks later I slowly weened myself off the drugs and started going to see a healer. I am fully recovered. The hospital wont give me my driving license back because I am not on the drugs and they do not acknowledge the healing process at all. The psychiatrist is fixed in her idea that drugs is the answer and will not consider other options.

I drew throughout my experience and I think the drawings give an insight into the process and what I was experiencing but the psychiatrist was not interested in even looking at them. I feel her closed mind attitude is holding back progress in the treatment of mental health and I fear that this may be common in western psychiatry.

Please tell me I am wrong and I would love to hear of other people who have had similar experiences.

Ben's Answer:

Believe in your Self. Nobody else has the authority to tell you what is "normal." If you are not harming others or being a threat, nobody has the right to limit your freedom or coerce you to accept drugs or medical treatment against your will.

One brief "manic" episode (if that's even what it was) should not warrant a life-long diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Kundalini experiences (Spiritual Emergence) can look remarkably like a manic or psychotic episode, and in a different environment, handled in a non-medical manner, might naturally resolve and never occur again in that way (or lead to a psychiatric diagnosis and a lifetime of medication that disrupt the normal functioning of your brain chemistry).


Best Wishes,
Ben