To be blunt, theres a big part of me that says thats not really it. I feel like to achieve spiritual clarity it best comes from mental clarity. Im not saying you cant have spiritual clarity if you feel muddied, but ideally that is what works best.

Sometimes people say things to make excuses to embrace their mental illness. I never really think it helps.

But thats just me.

The comparison is understandable but totally wrong.
Psychosis has been described in writing for the last 5,000 years. Psychosis is not a religious experience, it's an illness that is treatable and preventable.

I honestly believe that there is a definite distinction between psychosis and the spiritual.

If these voices or other experiences are telling someone to harm themselves or others, or it is just random noises in your head than it is most likely a psychotic episode and you need to seek medical attention, but if they are offering guidance and support or comfort and knowledge, than it could very well be a spiritual experience. The trouble is modern medicine has no way of making that distinction.

In ancient times, people who heard voices were revered and considered to be blessed by the gods. They were often teachers, and spiritual leaders in their communities. This is true of almost every culture in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXk8nykS3yk&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL44133F4650F0CBD1

Hard question to answer. IMO it could be either. Not much help there I know. I believe in spiritualism. I believe in psychosis. I have experienced both.

Many scientific studies have shown that dreams have no meaning. They are random abstract visions created by the brain. So Could be something, may not be. I suggest you keep a dream journal and see if there are patterns,

Everytime someone has passed who I know I have had a psychotic episode. In the psychosis I thought they were talking to me etc. However I think that spiritual experiences are totally different to psychosis. You are doing them because you want to rather than been forced to by your psychosis. I hope it eventually makes sense to you.

i'm sorry you lost your brother. :(

when you are in a dream with your brother, try to focus on one single thing. a chair, your hands in your lap, a picture on the wall, etc, etc.

once you can achieve this, you'll be able to ask and interpret lucidly.

it is a huge mistake to think dreaming is meaningless. in most ways, it is far more meaningful than waking life.

I agree with much of what Wiccanwolf said.

I have had both psychosis and Spiritual experiences

I can tell when something is generated from my brain....psychosis

And if something is external....from the Spirit .

I have had these Spiritual experiences all my life , from early childhood, and I've mentioned this to my Pdoc.

And unless I have been psychotic since childhood , which Pdoc says is very unlikely ...I believe that some things do cross over to this realm

One of the problems is that certain mental health professionals will interpret anything that smacks of hallucination and hearing the voice of God as being psychotic.

Is there a difference? Yes I believe that it is. But then again I like to say that if you think you hear the voice of God, and it does not drive you insane, then you did not hear the voice of God.

I like those dreams..no harm in that x

gmason, profound.

mojo, very well.

pancho, understood.

olenka, impressive.

wizz, party on.

wiccan, i liked reading yours.

dancing, understood.

very interesting and invigorating topic.
thank you R.

i have had prophetic dreams, one example is 9/11.
i had a dream the night before that our country was being attacked, but it was on our own soil, and it was unclear weather it was by or as a result of what our own gov. was doing here in the u.s.
in my dream it seemed somehow like there were men coming by boat to our soil dressed in black arabic garb.
they were running around on foot, but then there was also the odd suspicion that our gov. was somehow involved...they were running around too.
it was very odd and abstract.
then i woke up to the news and the billows of smoke surrounding the towers, and had to go to school.

in my dream the "attack" happened at night....


but the feeling behind the whole thing was that in some way our government had known or was involved.


i hope they don't show up knocking on my doorstep now.

I consider myself an open-minded skeptic but I have always been highly impressed when someone or a pet dies and then I have a very vivid dream in which they visit me. And they always seem younger and vibrant than when they died. Just sayin'....maybe something to it, maybe just your mind processing the loss still. If I hear voices, it's usually because I am not sleeping well or am overly stressed.

I have had a miracle and it was very clear to me what I was receiving..

If it's God you're talking about I think the voice or message would be very clear... Nothing muddied about it..
I'm so sorry you lost your brother Regina... Big hug for you ..

Mother Theresa heard the voice of Jesus telling her what he wanted her to do... From what she accomplished and her goodness.. I don't doubt for a moment that it's true.. that's my personal take on it..

Psychosis is a break with reality that brings no goodness or peace to a person..

I hope the dreams of your brother are bringing you some peace..x

so comforting & meaningful when you dream of someone you lost or think you feel their presence one last time. Like near death experiences when people experience something that seems to them like an afterlife. Don't think all this is crazy at all. *shrug*