Q: What is mental illness? My friend’s son has bipolar disorder with schizoid tendencies. How can I help?
Everything in our life, inner and outer–except for the witnessing consciousness which our true Self–is a product of karma. Just as physical ills come from negative karma, so do mental ills. Also, those ills are symptoms, not the real cause: negative thoughts, words and deeds from the past.
There is only one “cure” for karma: purification. The entire life, inner and outer, must be purified. Obviously this can only be done by the individual. If for some reason they cannot or will not purify themselves then no one can do anything for them.
What we can and should do is sincerely and overtly love and care for them and express kindness at all times for them and their family. Certainly we should pray for them–especially that they will awaken to their condition and its causes. But no one can do it for them. Speaking of the “prison” of karma Jesus said:
“Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing” (Matthew 5:26).
The purification I have mentioned is the necessary payment. It is not a sentence of condemnation, but the process of evolution necessary to all sentient beings as they journey toward perfection.
Further reading:
- The Mind as the Source of Suffering and Happiness
- Meditation as Training for Living
- Soham Yoga: An Introduction
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