Catherine G Lucas
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Return from the Wilderness

15/6/2015

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PictureHope Hospital, Mundesley, Norfolk
I’m just back from the wilds of Mundesley, with its beautiful unspoilt Norfolk coast. You’re going to be hearing a lot about Mundesley. The aptly named new Hope Hospital there has quite literally been born out of one person’s experience of spiritual emergency. The aim is to help people move through crises with the kind of support the founder would have liked for himself. And there are other developments linked to the hospital too, which are still being birthed.

I’m also back from the wilderness in the sense that my trip has resulted in a massive inner shift for me. I was speaking at a landmark conference, the first ever to be held at the new Hope Hospital and, as Mark Wentworth, the director, said when he welcomed us all: 'How fitting that the Spiritual Crisis Network conference should be the first.'

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Although I’ve been working on a new book I’ve had a sense of feeling a bit lost and confused as to my direction, something of an inner struggle going on, not to mention how that has impacted on my physical energy levels. 

Now, after the conference, that feels more like treading water, that I was waiting for something to happen and that something was the conference. It was a powerful coming together of people from all over the world; the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Bosnia, Poland, Hungary and, of course, the UK. The director of the newly formed Grof Foundation, Kenneth Sloan was there, as was Ted Esser, the director of the re-birthed American Spiritual Emergence Network (SEN) – re-birthed in that the new Grof Foundation has taken it under its wing and is now actively supporting it. And that was just the audience! You can see the line up of speakers here. 

I confess I was slightly dreading speaking simply because I was last on, at the end of a very packed and tight day’s schedule. Somehow I had to keep my energy levels up and look after myself well enough all day long to give a potentially flagging and tired audience my best. The reality, though, was that everyone was so inspired by the whole day that it couldn’t have been easier. My personal triumph was that I did a really good job of looking after myself, going off to lie on the grass in the sun whenever I needed a break. 

It’s too soon to say how the impact of the day will unfold for us all, the other speakers, the participants, the conference organiser, the wonderful Katie Mottram, and the hospital team. All I know at this stage is that it will be huge. For us all. And when I land, you’ll be hearing more from me...

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Heroes Needed: Apply Within

25/11/2012

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Emma Bragdon, acclaimed author, reivews 'In Case of Spiritual Emergency' in the current issue of Caduceus.

It’s hard to cope with the news of the crises we are facing on every front--environmental, political, financial, and social.  Epidemic numbers of people are turning to psychiatric medications to stop feeling anxious and/or depressed.  We need more heroes, people of vision, who are not afraid to go into the wild and scary places, confront the powerful issues that are threatening us, and bring back the wisdom we need to rebuild our world on a foundation that sustains life.

Catherine G Lucas, author of “In Case of Spiritual Emergency,” (Findhorn Press, 2011) believes we are in a global spiritual emergency, similar to a dark night of the soul.  She says more individuals are being called to face inner demons, and align with the Higher Self in a different kind of life.   Those that complete the journey have a greater connection to their soul purpose, and greater ability to live a life motivated by compassionate action.

Lucas’ book describes her own and others spiritual crises, and how each first wondered if he/she was crazy and then came through it.  The bulk of the book revolves around the concept of “spiritual emergency,” an evolutionary crisis that can appear similar to symptoms of mental illness: with disorientation, dramatic mood swings, inability to concentrate, identification with perceptions that are not apparent to others.  However, in spiritual emergency, the individual is following the trail through the dark underworld that leads to the Higher Self.  They need encouragement and support.

Between 1994 and 2003 there was a 4000% increase in the diagnosis of bipolar disorder for people under age 21.  Are we perhaps using the diagnosis too loosely—maybe applying it to those who are trying to make the hero’s journey?  Are we putting them on a lifelong course of debilitating drug therapy that numbs feelings instead of providing more appropriate support?  Lucas reflects on such questions.

Since Dr. Stan and Christina Grof’s seminal work describing spiritual emergency in the 1970s, others have followed with further research that Lucas documents.  She also advises the experiencers how to care for themselves and whom to trust to give appropriate support. Lucas suggests learning and practicing mindfulness training and techniques for grounding, finding creative expression, and allowing caring people to create a safe environment, as needed.

It could be that ‘mental illness’ occurs when someone resists doing the inner work of facing his/her feelings,  inner demons and aligning with the Higher Self.   Lucas’ book is for those who are willing and able to do that work with some guidance.  The message of this book will not be of use to those unable to commit to increasing self-awareness.

If you give the book to someone who is lost in a ‘dark night’ and looking for reference points this read could make the difference between that person being “mentally ill” or completing the most significant journey of life, the hero’s journey. 

Fortunately, Lucas, based in the UK, has joined with others who are creating networks of support for those on the journey.  Her book offers up to date references for further reading, websites, DVDs and CDs –all tools that shed light on the path, including contact information for support people in every English-speaking country. 

Bio of reviewer: Emma Bragdon, PhD (psychology) is based in the USA.  She is the author of two previous books on Spiritual Emergency as well as 4 books that bridge spirituality and health, following models developed in Brazil.  www.EmmaBragdon.com


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Following up on Book Launch Webinar

10/1/2012

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Guest Kimberley Jones
Originally posted Monday, 10 October 2011

I’d just like to expand a little on some of the topics covered in  today’s Book Launch Webinar. Ted Esser, Operations Manager for the American Spiritual Emergence Network (SEN) mentioned Kundalini awakening as one of the key issues raised by those contacting SEN. Just to explain, if you’ve not come across the term before, in Indian teaching Kundalini life-force energy resides at the base of the spine and when released moves up through seven energy centers located along the spine. This can cause a range of difficult symptoms, including sensations of intense heat or burning in parts or all of the body.

Ted also mentioned ‘possession’ when discussing the slides in his presentation. Perhaps a less loaded term is ‘spirit attachment’. In response to Norma’s question asking for advice on spirit attachment, I would recommend the Spirit Release Foundation in the UK. Kimberley mentioned that when she was in crisis meditation was recommended to her. This will depend on the individual, but on the whole we need to be very careful about meditating when we’re going through spiritual emergency. It has a tendency to open us up even further, to potentially speed the process up, when what we need is to slow it down.


A few questions we didn’t have time to answer:

Will asked: Is a person undergoing spiritual emergency and having hallucinations typically able to read the symbology/meaning of their visions and any messages within them, or does it rather seem a chaotic process with no clear meaning?

My response is that it will depend, varying from one experience to another and from one person to another. It may be only much later, when making sense of the experience and integrating it that the meaning becomes clear.

Dinesh
asked: Do you have any sense of how common a problem this is? What research has there been? Ted Esser talked a little about research, as does Kaia Nightingale, whose contribution we’ll be adding to the Webinar over the next couple of days. Many of us are feeling that the incidence of spiritual emergency is rising with the global shift in consciousness that is taking place. The evidence for that is mainly anecdotal.

Richard
asked: At the point of spiritual emergency or crisis, I believe we are very vulnerable to people with their own agendas  for acquiring ‘converts’, any comment on that? He also sent his very best wishes for a successful event. Thanks for that, Richard. I agree that we are very vulnerable at such times, in many ways. The best we can do maybe is trust our intuition and instincts, which are usually quite strong at these times, and listen to any warnings we may be sensing. This is also why we need the support of family, friends and professionals to help us stay safe.

Do you have any questions you'd like answered? Did you find the webinar helpful? Just use the comment box below.

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    Author of four books on the holistic, spiritual approach to mental health, Mindfulness Trainer, Founder, UK Spiritual Crisis Network.

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Banner photo: Alex Caminada • Website tuition: Graham Boston
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