Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
don't go crazy
lobster
Crusty Veteran
As we know monkey mind, many religious types AND the undisciplined are more prone to being or acting crazy. Hopefully this is temporary.
Mental hygiene Buddhist Style is our Middle Way.
Here are some tips. Do you have any?
- Only believe the calmed, spacious emptying ...
- Normal mind is abnormal
- Sanity is favourable
1
Comments
Well first of all. one needs to know that one is already crazy...It's smooth sailing from here on...
@lobster Thanks, just what I needed.
@Shoshin, As a Schizophrenia sufferer ther is crazy and there is CRAZY!
I've recently had a change in meds which has co-incided with the Covid-19 outbreak and it's caused my Sakkaya-ditthi no-end of bother. Luckily they finally kicked in properly yesterday but I haven't been able to formally sit in a couple of months
I have been spending a lot of time on mental health sites, trying to calm some of the really agitated and there are crazy people, trolls and forces seeking to further de-stabilise things spouting and causing further division and just stirring crap up generally. And no that isn't my paranoid ego, I showed some to my Community Psychiatric Nurse and she - a very calm and level headed nurse agreed with me. I got caught up in my own ego's crap the same way they are doing (we all do it unless we're very mindful all the time) and started to get angry, which would have caused further agitation and division so had to take a break. A good nights sleep and I'm ready to re-enter the fight.
I came back to newbuddhist and it's a sea of calm in the storm that is some of the internet at the moment. A refuge, thank you folks. I saw @lobster's post and my immediate thought was get your arse on the Zafu, could only sit for twenty minutes because my mindfulness has atrophied in the recent weeks but it was enough, that and new meds have calmed and re-focused me. Thank you all my wonderful brothers and sisters.
.
Many hugs and much love @Zenshin ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks Zenshin
Well done on getting to a cushion. Bravo. Inspiring. 👍🏼
I will dedicate my formal practice to you today. I am glad your meds are kicking in. 🙏🏽
I liked your post. It reminded me of my anger issues (bad, broken cructacean)🤬🤦🏼♀️🤗
Thanks folks, I appreciate your support, truly. This virus stuff is turning into a wild ride. There has been a big influx of people whose mental health was in re-mission who stressing over the situation has exacerbated there problems and the incoming isolation is causing more paranoid people to fly off into wilder conspiracy theories and some and pleaseexcuse me @federica right f**kers seeding chaos. Overworked volunteer mods with mental health problems who really only moderate what's flagged. Luckily I have a few allies, a stoner gangsta rap fan whose bi-polar who works in a supermarket, a quite realised advaita practitioner whose a student lecturer with anxiety and a few left wing political types with various issues from the US, Oz AND NZ. I began to think some of the comments were deliberately aimed at me, which they may have been, due to poor sleep making my ego get a bit out of control. I found sleeping, some basic mindfulness and disengaging for a while sorted that out. Pointless speculating about peoples motivations won't help me stay calm to help other people stay calm. And as my RAF vet dad would tell me you can't win a battle without a full belly and sleep.
When I was a teenage Sci FI I used to imagine myself as a cyberspace warrior in a dystopian future (j/k well slightly). Be careful what you wish for! Lol. What's the ancient Chinese curse - May you live in intersting times?
To cap it all off I've been showing some very mild fever a bit since last week so following NHS advice from last week I had to cut off all contact for 7 days. My CPNhad to come in some Bio-hazard gear to bring me my meds but she was discrete as not to agitate some of my elderly neighbours, she didn't put it on until she was in the hallway of my block. NHS are concerned I may be one of the people who is a bit asymptomatic because I haven't had to see a GP about my physical health in 30 years. I'm on prepay electricity which is running low and I'm low on food and lost my bank cards last week on a trip back from the sorting office to collect a parcel so I can't shop online and isolating I can't go to the bank to get cash with ID! Crazy times lol. Luckily my Xbox doesn't use anywhere near the wattage of my gaming PC so I hope it will last. I'll phone British Gas (energy supplier) they do top-up meters for vulnerable people when low.
I'm in generally good spirits though and nowhere near as low as the winter I spent homeless in London. Being stripped down to basics like that really gives you perspective. Love y'all.
To sound like one of my old Rasta mates from back in the day - All must move by Jah Jah love or What would Shakyamuni do from my perspective. Catch you all in a bit.
.
Well done @zenshin
The other forums I sporadically visit seem to be calm to the point of somnolescence. It’s very quiet out there, and I hear that travel on public transport is down 85% at the moment.
@Kerome - even on the mental health sites things do seem to have droped off, I noticed that when I woke up. I spoke to a friend on the phone yesterday and she saw a peak time bus that's usually packed with workers with a couple of people on it. There was a big influx of new players in one of my online games yesterday when I decided to distract myself a bit.
I got so angry I even started to do some Zen trolling (is that a term, it is now!) now of people advocating Satanism when there are people on some of those sites who say they are survivors of Satanic Ritual Abuse. Getting angry wasn't helping and is not ahimsa but we all get caught up in the Sakkaya-ditthi's crap unless we're very realised.
Take it easy @Zenshin , maybe try and avoid some of those sites that bring up the negative emotions.....
@Bunks, you have a point mate, yeah your right, maybe I should just chill but I do feel more capable of dealing with those emotions, but then again I have my own health to deal with and be concerned about. I said to my CPN yesterday I'd try not to bother her too much because she's got patients who are much less able to cope and didn't want to cause her any additional stress, her reply - let me worry about that. I was advising people to unplug if things were getting too much, maybe I should follow my own advice.
. Cheers mate, I owe you.
I realise my Sakkaya-ditthi doesn't like backing down from a brawl and I am the sort of person despite my Schizophrenia who likes to go at things full on. @Bunks, your right, some humility is more the middle way and even Shakyamuni advised against damaging oneself in the nae of compassion or enlightenment. Just the teaching I needed.
.
You're a fine one to ask...!
On another Buddhist forums I brought up that we should be more compassionate towards the virus, because after all it is a life form too and it is merely doing what is in its nature. Doesn’t it have a right to exist too?
It was meant in a humorous kind of way, but it spawned a whole serious discussion. Maybe people really are going slightly crazy, from being cooped up.
The only other Buddhist forum I can think of that would take that kind of comment seriously - because if I can be brutally honest, they seriously need a SOH implant - is Dhammawheel.
There.
I said it.
@federica, I think we all knew which one, I thought it was DW.
I'm appreciating the pharmacy and blood lab staff/office staff because they took care of business on my meds today. I have to get a blood test each month for my med and sometimes it gets screwed up but I'm relieved to have my medicines for this month and my therapist sent me a suggestion to do a phone appointment today. I'm holding up as well as anyone I suppose.
We are witnessing major changes to our life style and for many these changes cause great disruptions...Their world turned upside down...
I guess the three important things to bear in mind are ...
Anicca Dukkha Anatta
Things are constantly changing, our desire for things to stay as they are, brings unsatisfactoriness we must learn to recognise the empty nature of all things....
*Change is inevitable....Suffering optional....*
I guess we are all working towards this....
Take refuge in the Buddha Dharma Sangha ...
Zen trolling. Tee Hee.
Know your limits. Certain patterns of choice effect our well being. It is those who are gentlest with us that promote our care, well being and are considered 'mother beings' in Tantric Buddhism. Those who abuse or do not care are not able to be surrogate mothers to trolls (as you mention a high calling).
Jah Jah Love and Ideal Shakyamuni move to the same rhythm/pattern/stream.
Gently does it.
https://newbuddhist.com/discussion/2409/rastafari
I an’ I. One Love.
@lobster, well Zen trolling consisted of hitting them with some non-dualist philosophy, thought it might plant a seed, had a slightly increased dose of meds which has seemed to have hit the spot.
@Jeffey, the blood test thing makes me think your on Clozapine, be extra careful matie, we both know it can alter your immune system.
A nice discussion about the rastafari faith, thanks @lobster
I believe in this time we should try not to focus too much on the negatives, like the media are doing. The simple bare facts of the news are depressing enough, without further comment. I found on Twitter there were a number of initiatives to maintain the calm, perhaps you wouldn’t expect this but that’s how it was.
How crazy is this then? Genuine comment on my Fb feed from a member of a Group I belong to. I mean, genuine (I despair)...
"What with all this virus everywhere can anyone tell me if its ok to post on facebook or should we stop. i don't know if their is a risk of catching something here if we post about it all the time."
That got a lot of LOLs. But then the poster told us she was seriously - genuinely - worried. Because all the comments were so close together, and sometimes you don't know if you've got it. The OP later took own the whole post....
I’m two weeks into a three week health quarantine. At this stage I don’t have COVID-19 but my husband MAY have been exposed to it, we’ll find out when his friend’s test comes back. If it’s positive then we have our kids, our parents and others to worry about having inadvertently exposed to it.
I’ve been meditating almost 24/7 and am managing to stay relatively calm. Since people have gone almost batshit insane with hoarding here, I’ve managed to have ingredients procured so I can make bread, soups and have other canned goods to last us should this go on for a while.
Be well everyone...
Be well @FeistyGibblets - I hope the test comes back negative.
Not sure about SA but in Victoria the government has put packs together for people that have to self isolate with all the food, toiletries etc they might need.
Hopefully they’ll do the same over there just in case.
You’re in my thoughts 🙏🙏🙏
That’s weird @federica - I am surprised that someone could be that naive
Step 1: Read a post by @lobster.
Step 2: Feel comparatively sane.
Step 3: Read again and discover the wisdom behind the wit.
Step 4: Learn something.
@adamcrossley,
@lobsters wisdom works on a few levels you sometimes have to read them a few times to get all the subleties and much needed humour. Things have slowed down over the past couple of days for me and the new meds seem to be working well.
@federica's facebook virus story doesn't suprise me, I don't think some people ever went to school.__
An article on the BBC about maintaining one’s mental health in the time of coronavirus.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51873799
Good article @Kerome, thank you 🙏
Sensible advice. It makes me smile when I see the Dharma in plain clothes...
Yes, sadly, the cockwomble quotient seems to be rising...
Yes I take Clozapine. It's an unusual side effect to reduce some white blood cells in a persons immune system. The blood test is the complete blood count or CBC. From my understanding I don't have a reduced immune system and my blood counts are in the normal range but the reason I have the blood test each month is to make sure those blood counts are normal. So hopefully I won't get so unlucky as to have the blood counts go off during this time as I really would not want to change off of this drug because it's really good for dealing with my psychotic symptoms.
We really do 'live in interesting times' ...
I am grateful for the increased mindfulness. People are more aware. Making way for people, especially the elderly, has become a much needed norm around here ...
People are enjoying working from home. People have become unglued from their phone and have started a new fad; socialising face to mask.
Be kind. It improves immunity ...
Just re-reading this excellent post yesterday from. @Shoshin.
I think I’ll print it off and stick it on me wall...... 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️
Our minds are fragile and are easily lead, and if left unguarded can succumb to the charms of its own unruly thoughts...
A combination of fear,anxiety & panic can send the mind into an irrational spin ....
I speak from experience...in the past mine has been there & done that
Lots of dhamma centres and monasteries seem to have started broadcasting online to avoid social gatherings.
A good way to get a little dhamma each day if we are stuck at home.
Two that I’ve been following a bit in case anyone is interested:
If anyone else would like to share online classes or meditation sessions please feel free 🙏🙏🙏
@Jeffrey, Yeah I know about Clozapine, I was on it for a while, got every side effect in the book except the immune system one, didn't work for me but for some people it's awesome. On a 37.5 mg Risperdal depot injection atm and it works like a charm, for some reason injections work far better on me than tablets.
I realised that I started showing mild flu like symptoms around 5 AM last Thursday and have completely shrugged them off this morning so I don't think I had the virus and it means my week in solitary is up. I hear people from the city have been coming out into the suburbs to buy out the smaller stores so I hope the Co-op on the corner still has some stuff left. New bank cards have come. I'll head out at 6.
The need to be an internet warrior has stopped the crazy posts and trolls seem to peak around the same time as virus hysteria in the UK and there haven't been any in the last couple of days. My sleep has improved no end since my last jab and my ability to deal with any residual paranoid thoughts with mindfulness has come back strongly. I was able to formally sit for 45 minutes tonight so the mindfulness muscles have built back up quickly. I'll return to sitting 3 - 4 times a day for that period now.
The amount of Wifi traffic in my block has built up I've noticed while my Xbox is fine and my PC is on a wired connection the interference of conflicting signals won't let me stream either to my tablet when they worked fine last week. I think it's the cheapy router I bought and programmed myself a while back to replace the ISP's one that bust, ordered a decent dual band one from Argos for delivery.
Stay safe and stay sane folks except for @lobster who should definitely stay crazy, lobbie, I wouldn't have you any other way! All this Rasta made me chill the other night with a good bit of Roots and Culture Reggae.
As some of you know I am an avid and mostly heretical pastafarian
https://www.spaghettimonster.org/
Never mind being crazy. @Shoshin said it well. Accept and embrace ... and move onward and upward ...
I would go on a dark retreat but it is not advanced enough ...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_retreat
... maybe a rainbow retreat with my little pony ...
Too late. But it is fun.
Hail to the flying spaghetti monster, may he touch you with his noodley appendage and anoint you with his motza sauce!
You know... anyone doing a Google search....
Well the crazed panic buying hordes came out of the city and into the suburbs and stripped the Co-op last night despite the main road closing at 7 PM for maintenance, it was virtually empty of stock this morning. Got enough to last me a week, I don't think Covid-19 will hit it's peak here in the UK for a bit yet and all this frenzied supermarket shopping is going to just spread exposure faster. I don't think i can face the Zombie shopper cohort even with click and collect, there were fights in the Co-op last night and they don't have security guards, where i live is not that kind of place. I think I'm going to pick up a few things gradually over the next few days from independents and the money stays in the local economy more.
A Bi-polar friend on a MH site who cares for his gran was having trouble sleeping and asked me about meditation so I linked him a couple of vids and basic instructions and it relaxed him enough to get some sleep for the first time in a while.
@federica, I may be misinterpreting this because I have been up all night but are you saying I'm talking s**t? Well google away, a couple of the sites are locked but some are open, you'll find corroboration. And ban me if you want to, you treat this forum like your fiefdom anyway. I like this site but I don't need it. There are a couple of members here with MH who aren't open about it that i gave the URL too, Isolate a Schizophrenic further. I'm gone. @lobster, have a good one.
I spent a good part of yesterday trying to calm an agitated Schizophrenic single mum and reassure her that her delusions were delusions and that the Virus wasn't a plot to kill her, in the end she thanked me and said I had gave her hope. It's pretty easy to find and if you know some of my old users names and some of my past you can find me. Ban away honey, you've banned many positive, constructive and wise posters over the almost 10 years I've been here for "offences" that would have rated as petty infractions on other forums both Buddhist and Non-Buddhist and trust me, you couldn't keep me out if I wanted to come back. What did you do yesterday to help an ill and isolated person during this crisis?
Hey I think she just joking if someone does google search and finds us talking about the great spaghetti sauce pasta being?
No, I'm not saying that at all... I'm just in awe at the huge range of discussions we're having at the moment.
As a Moderator, let me assure you that I would never disrespect anyone in that way, either privately, or more importantly on forum, in public. I most certainly do NOT roll that way.
Exactly!
@Zenshin , honestly, i'm a little surprised you've taken such offence. I don't normally allow Moderator criticism to remain on Forum* (that's a Policy handed down by Admin, not me. I just toe the line) but your obvious irritation is really completely unfounded, and your criticisms a little unfair.
I'm sorry I didn't make myself clearer, but to clarify, if ever I need to speak as a Moderator, I make sure everyone knows that. Otherwise, I run on forum pretty much the same way everyone else does.
Yes, I wear two hats.
But never at the same time, and never in disguise, or through deceit.
ETA: *(If ever you (or anyone else) have a criticism to make regarding Moderator action, please use the PM facility. I always respond, and copy Admin in to advise them of the Member's displeasure. Sometimes I'm right, occasionally, I ain't, but I always reply if you need me to.
)
Good question ... which I will answer as a special treat.
Nothing!
Send me your crisis, madness, demons, conspiracies, illness. Demons to feed on my next trip to the hell realms. (us wer-lobsters have to be let out occasionally) ...
At that time, light rays shone in the great Avīci hell. Having shone there, they came to the Jetavana Monastery, where they became adornments for the monastery.
From within the assembly, Bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin arose from his seat, bared one shoulder, and kneeling on his right knee and facing the Bhagavat, placed his palms together and inquired of the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I have perceived a great, wonderful marvel. Bhagavat, where did these great light rays come from? Who has this power?”
The Bhagavat replied, “Noble son, the Lobster Bodhisattva entered the great Avīci hell. When he had completely liberated the beings there, he went to the city of the pretas. It was he who emanated these light rays.”
Then Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, as the great Avīci hell is without respite, how did the Lobster Bodhisattva enter it? In the great Avīci hell a wall encloses a ground made of burning iron, which has become one raging flame in the shape of a reed basket. Within this Avīci hell there is a pot from which comes the sound of wailing. Many hundreds of thousands of tens of millions of hundreds of millions of beings have been thrown into that pot. Bhagavat, how did the Lobster Bodhisattva enter the great Avīci hell?”
The Bhagavat answered him, “Noble son, the Lobster Bodhisattva entered the great Avīci hell just as a cakravartin king enters a grove made of divine jewels. Noble son, it had no effect upon his body. As he approached the Avīci hell, it cooled. Yama’s guards were in a state of agitation and extremely terrified. They wondered, ‘Why has an inauspicious sign appeared in this Avīci hell?’ When the Lobster Bodhisattva entered the Avīci hell, lotus flowers the size of cartwheels appeared, the pot burst open, and the inferno of fire transformed into a pool. On seeing this, Yama’s guardians became dismayed."