MANAGING OUR WAY THROUGH THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.

TEXT IN GREEN ARE LINKS - CLICK ON THEM

What we are experiencing today is not a single event. This is a paradigm "shift" contained within a convergence of multiple factors sequentially and simultaneously occurring.
In June of 2018 we wrote a post titled - 2020 Conditions Convergence and Consciousness. On October of 2019 we wrote a post titled - U.S.A. Using & Suckering in Americans. On November 1st 2019 we penned Chicken Little - Noah and the art of ark building. Now in April of 2020 we are tackling a series of emerging issues ushering in a new era of accountability. The general public has a short memory, and we all tend to forget things over time. So let's sound the alarm again while our minds are open and sensitive to the issue of this current crisis. Mental health is one environmental issue mostly overlooked by society. Environmental issues address more then just wind, water, plants and animals. The environment like our air, atmosphere and community is a part of our daily surroundings. The core characteristic of our environment is composed of our relationships with nature and one another. How we fund and care for both nature, and people with both physical and mental maladies will be as important as how we deal with poverty. Mental health awareness month is coming once again in May. This is sure to be just in time to restore and revive many of the values we've abandoned in our pursuit of capitalism. It is time to normalize mental illness in the same manner as we regard multiple types of physical illnesses. People perceive physical illnesses, even deformities as something that the individual could not help. They see it as something out of the control of the person afflicted by it. With mental illness there is a stigma attached to the disease. Our society either turns a blind eye or tends to hold the individual culpable and responsible for their condition or state of mind. This environment must be addressed now to change the way we see and deal with mental health. This must be regarded just as important as any other environmental issue. The "spirit of depression" specifically works through an environment of isolation and separatism. The new "catch phrase" of social distancing has dangerous connotations. What we need to practice is physical distancing while simultaneously establishing social closeness. If there is anything that we can learn from this pandemic it is that we are all connected. Maybe nature is trying to show us that we are so dynamically connected that no borders, governments or policies can separate us. ​It is more important for us to stay connected socially and spiritually than ever before. The demands for and shortages of toilet paper, food, hand sanitizer, surgical masks, firearms and ammunition are creating new anxieties. The "spirit of anxiety" increases the propensity for accidents, arguments, fights, incidents and suicides. The word "society" is defined as an aggregate of people abiding together in an ordered community. That makes community a society of people connected together socially.

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IF TEARS CAN BE SOLD WE'LL ALL BE VERY RICH SOON!

Mental Health is already a quiet crisis. As a society we have survived by responding to the changes and alterations in our environment. The neural plasticity of our brains suggests that we can adapt to almost anything. The problem we're facing is that most of society is not as flexible or resilient as we would like them to be. Managing stress is a skill set. Anxiety is depression's first cousin. We have to take care of ourselves first in order to take care of others. The act of advocating for self is not necessarily selfish. Depression lives in the past, anxiety lives in the future but peace encompasses all of time. It is important that we prepare for and deal with the overwhelming amount of "P.T.S.D." we are about to face. Society tends to look at life though many lenses. The physical, psychological and economic perspectives tend to dominate how we view things. But only by addressing the spiritual side of life can we find lasting PEACE in the midst of turmoil. The spiritual aspects of life are generally overlooked or ignored by most people. This is a big part of the reason why we are in the situation that is occurring now. Spirituality in and of itself does not solve problems, but looking at things spiritually enables us to see through the problems more clearly. This is why we are obligated to consistently examine all topics from a spiritual perspective. "Spirit" is all about attitude and behavior. Our attitude towards and behavior with our feelings and corresponding emotions depict the "spirit" of our response. One of Victor Frankl's notable quotes says that “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” We should prepare ourselves to encounter a number of transitions that will be coming our way. These changes should be used as opportunities to correct our past oversights. We can take this opportunity to balance our planet rather then going back to the old or normal statuesque. Let's prepare ourselves to adjust and maneuver. Just because we've learned to live with a situation doesn't mean we have to. Sometimes we can lay down in one place for so long that we get comfortable with it and FEEL as if we belong there. We need a unified response that addresses our total environment, including mental, physical, spiritual, natural and animal kingdoms.

IF WE PRESENT, PREPARE & PREVENT WE CAN PREVAIL AND PROSPER!

We may be heading towards a scenario where "herd immunity" can be considered a very useful concept. Being mindful that we are all in this together helps. Medical interventions must be balanced against the mental maladies they may unintentionally present. "Mindfulness," although not a new idea can be newly applied. Mindfulness consists of maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. The non-judgmental aspect of mindfulness allows our thoughts to tune into what we're sensing in the present rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.  We cannot look for the worse or the best case scenarios to prove a point or to be right so that others can be wrong. Being mindful of mental health now, will keep us from going from prevention to mitigation as we've done with this covid-19 virus. Our early planning can addresses the invisible wave of mental maladies to come and allow humanity to take precedence over economy. Will-to-power determines the spirit/consciousness of the future not politics. The tears we shed today are not in mourning exclusively for the victims of our present plight. They are for those who feel powerless to effectively change their own future. The tears are for the apathy, unbelief and hardness of heart that so many will succumb to when the "spirits of wealth and greed" re-emerges to take us back to familiar circumstances. Even Jesus wept! We have raped nature and it is reacting. Even as we suffer, we dread that our response to this crisis may create a new one. Our economic recovery might have the similar aftereffects of our economic boom. The quicker and more intensely we pillage the planet of its natural resources once again, the faster we will come towards getting back to the old normal. Relaxing rather then tightening environmental protection standards and concentrating on wealth rather then health is frightening. There is no limit to what the desire to profit can do. An oil-based economy making up for lost time and revenue can usher in the next level of devastation if the E.P.A. relaxes its standards. Telling the truth and making accurate predictions comes along with a fear of heralding them. Although the handwriting on the wall is compelling there is a chance and hope that WE will do what's in the best interest of ALL humanity. Animals, plants, air and water cannot speak for themselves. We are the only voice they have, if we raise them. The culmination of our new mental health crisis will appear as mass frustration shared among us all. Regardless of whether we believe in God or not, meditation and spirituality will help. Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey have a great free 21 day on line course. Our intent is not to be alarmist. We write these posts to offer practical practices and herald warnings. As a bellwether, these posts may not be popular as they promote idealism; but they are genuine, heartfelt and spiritually inspired. Once again rather than envisioning ourselves as givers of truth we prefer to see ourselves as pointers towards truth. We take no credit for the source only the synthesis.

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When our greed
exceeds our needs 
we count the cost
​ in lives we've lost.

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