Mental Disabilities and Enlightenment

[SageOnTheHill]

Is there any research on this topic at all? I was just reading a book about crazy wise gurus, and it seems to me that certain "holy fools" could probably have been classified as having some kind of mental disorder. So my question is can someone with a genetic disability, such as Down Syndrome, for example, become Enlightened? Would it be easier for them? More difficult? I'm sure there might be disabled monks somewhere in the world, but I have never heard of any. 

[Leo Gura]

6 hours ago, SageOnTheHill said:

So my question is can someone with a genetic disability, such as Down Syndrome, for example, become Enlightened?

It's all gonna depends on the specific condition and person.

Generally speaking, such disabilities will make it harder.

Mental sharpness is an important foundation for this work. The people who awaken are usually high-functioning people, not people who can barely tie their own shoelaces.

[remember]

10 hours ago, Maximus said:

Honestly, have you ever considered that they are already enlightened and society is the madhouse.

this!

i believe some people we call crazy or mad carry some skills within them no ordinary lemming could ever achieve. it is all a matter of learning to live with the condition and learning to handle whatever arises. sometimes people need help for that from people with other skills, of course there are difficulties but also special skills to every manifestation of being. to nurish the special and bright in your nature and somehow trying to minimize the space for the uncontrollable in your nature, so not suppressing it completely but also setting rules and boundaries that minimize the unleashing of uncontrollable energies. there is a difference between enlightenment and suffering - it doesn`t mean an enlightened being doesn`t still suffer, an enlightened being will overcome it though. usually you can only see the light fully when you are also shedding some, or the other person is bright enough themselfs.

@Hoyeon Lee even if it looks so easy when we see those who we think have achieved it - enlightenment is not easy for anyone. there is no enlightened being without at least noticing suffering.

Edited November 23, 2019 by remember

[mandyjw]

We really need to reframe how we (society) look at mental illness and disability. We're living in a dark age. 

We all praise God in different ways, we all came here to experience reality in a uniquely limited way. The better a person is at thinking usually means the more they suffer, because unconscious negative thinking is the cause of suffering. Negative thinking also commonly resonates as the "truth" to intelligent people. When the mind's grasp on truth is surrendered, that person experiences a full circle glimpse/becoming of infinite intelligence. Enlightenment as we speak of it here is a journey, but the illusion/intention of the journey may not apply to everyone. 

[SageOnTheHill]

@Maximus Sure, that's the whole premise of the holy fool. Crossing/ignoring boundaries to live more consciously and happily, and also to shock those around them into higher consciousness

 

@Leo Gura Right, I was thinking that mental sharpness/focus would be lacking and make it very hard. But also their radically different brain structures could help them cut through cultural illusion (like what @Maximus  was saying, I think) and possibly into enlightened states. 

 

@remember Lot of deep stuff there, I will have to ponder this, thanks

@mandyjw I completely agree

[SageOnTheHill]

There's a really, really interesting Shinzen video where he talks about people with an extremely rare brain disorder which essentially depersonalizes them (not DP/DR, something even more rare). He discusses future plans to undergo a "simulated lesion" (some safe medical procedure about which I know nothing) so he can experience this disorder and maybe use that as a tool to teach. 

I feel like it's pretty related to this discussion. I haven't been able to find the video again, but when I do I will post it here as well as on the high consciousness resources page (or someone else can)

[Leo Gura]

10 hours ago, SageOnTheHill said:

he talks about people with an extremely rare brain disorder which essentially depersonalizes them (not DP/DR, something even more rare).

This is such a fluke condition that you cannot apply it other mental disorders.

Mental disorders are legion, and most of them will slow down your path to awakening.

Of course there are also some "disorders" which are called disorders but really are not. Don't forget that "disorder" is relative notion.

Many a foolish doctor would call enlightenment a "disorder", without realizing that being a doctor is the real disorder here.

Isn't it funny how considering oneself to be a human is not considered a disorder? Talk about self-bias! Lol

[DivineSoda]

7 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

This is such a fluke condition that you cannot apply it other mental disorders.

Mental disorders are legion, and most of them will slow down your path to awakening.

Of course there are also some "disorders" which are called disorders but really are not. Don't forget that "disorder" is relative notion.

Many a foolish doctor would call enlightenment a "disorder", without realizing that being a doctor is the real disorder here.

Isn't it funny how considering oneself to be a human is not considered a disorder? Talk about self-bias! Lol

Being a doctor is a disorder to you? All of them?