a vision from God followed by a visit from the devil
by moodswinger
(U.K)
I experienced a very vivid vision from God of Jesus holding out his arm to me, the waters parting and everything for me to join him..... then the devil came and told me horrible things, i could actually hear him and he told me outrageous things.
The doctors told me i was having a manic episode.
Ben's Answer:
Even when visions or hallucinations are experienced because of a psychotic or manic state, it doesn't necessarily mean that all the symbols are random or meaningless. Just as a dream can offer us deep insight and meaning for our life, it is sometimes possible to find something of value in a manic experience, once things have come back into balance. We could say that all appearances in this world are a mirage or a dream - subject to our interpretation, and all transitory. When doctors disregard meaning and symbolism and only define an experience as a symptom of mental illness, they rob us of the opportunity to find meaning and purpose.
Mania is a real experiential phenomenon, and can be a dangerous state to be in. But the subconscious mind, and the collective unconscious is "real" too.