Alternative Realities and "Crazy" People?

Summary: I've had my own personal experiences with time slips/alternative realities/parallel timelines (however one would describe it) and my younger brother has personal experience of being a "crazy" person (delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, etc.). In one of our conversations regarding his perspective of what happens when he is in one of his episodes, he is not able to tell the difference between the reality the rest of us are experiencing and the multiple realities he is encountering (more or less).

More Detail: In the thread Had a confirmed "Time Slip", I was recounting one of my time slip experiences. Essentially, I temporarily experienced an alternative life that would have occurred for me (and did indeed seem to happen for another version of me) if I had made the choice to not marry my 1st husband. What scared the living daylights out of me, is that I also remembered my "real" life (this one) and my son. Except in this "new" life, he never existed. In the new/alternative life I was married and had a daughter (which neither of these people exist in my current life).

While it was happening, I had no idea that I would ever get to leave. So I was immediately faced with mourning a son that never existed there. And who would believe me? Who on earth do you confide in about this? And how many other people in the world had this happened to? I really did feel my sanity slipping when I thought I was stuck there for good.

Now, regarding my brother. He has spent some time in psych wards at hospitals. In the discussion in the above linked thread, a couple of responses got me thinking about some of the things my brother would say that sounded crazy at the time. But maybe not so crazy if there are other realities that we potentially have access to. One time he called me from the hospital and asked me if I remembered the year 1715 and how fun it was. Sometimes he would start his sentences with, "Back when I was fighting in the Civil War...". Another time, my mom called me and told me I needed to go visit my brother as soon as I could. When I asked why, she said because he thinks you're dead. I asked why he would think I was dead, and she said that he thinks I committed suicide because of him. But he also thought a lot of people walking around him in the hospital were dead and they didn't realize it.

He's done amazingly well and almost never has these severe episodes anymore and has pretty much a normal life (and is quickly approaching 30). When he's tried to explain to me what he is experiencing when it happens, he has difficulty because he's trying to explain something abstract to another person who has little reference for what he's experienced. Kind of like a person who is completely color blind (which he is). They don't necessarily know how what we see is different from what they see (and vice versa). But the best understanding I have so far of what he experiences, is that he is aware of more than *just* our agreed upon reality. That's probably a poor interpretation on my part, as well as over-simplified.

Despite my personal experiences and my brother's, I don't have a firm conclusion of the nature of our reality (not by a long shot!!!). I know my experiences are real, but it doesn't mean my interpretation is correct. In fact, there's no way that I have the whole picture, so I can't come to a conclusion. But the questions that come to mind when thinking about what this might suggest is just too interesting for me to ignore. I don't think it explains all craziness or even all of the experiences of an individual, but does it influence any of it?

PS - My 1st thread at ATS. I apologize in advance if I did a no no and will gladly correct.

I really enjoyed reading your thread, however I'm not too fond of the way you titled it by saying "crazy people." It doesn't help the stigma of sufferers of mental illness.
Definitely an interesting read though

That is a very astute observation and I don't believe that many of us have the necessary vocabulary skills or actual understanding of dimensional/reality glitches to properly describe such occurances. This is analagous of a person from ancient times being plopped in the middle of Times Square for a brief period and swiftly returning to his time only being told to describe what he saw. His descriptions of what he saw would be very difficult to put into words. This could be why many of us can sense or witness the fabric of time/reality glitches (to varying degrees) without understanding what just happened. Our current understanding of physics and viel of concrete perception limits verbal discourse on such matters and we throw many people into looney bins because of it. Very brazen first post and attempt to get a discussion going.

One day we will look back in disgust at the way we treated people who were able to
percieve multiple realities/dimensions.

In the future,
They will be looked up to and sought after for their knowledge, wisdom, and insight but, for now, we institutionalize them and call them "crazy"!

I don't dare speak of half of the stuff I have floating around in my head for fear of
never seeing my family again, .....except on visitation days!

Crazy and Mentally Ill are ways for normal people with normal intelligence to explain things that they either cannot wrap their minds around, or do not know anything about at all. I have clear memory of the War of Northern Aggression. Every time I smell woodsmoke, I am there. Every time I hear a gunshot, I am there. And the funny this is, there are a great many of us that remember. Most will not join a public forum and talk about it, but go up to Gettysburg and talk to some of the Park Rangers. Speak with a few reinactors. You think they dress up like that and fight each other because it's fun?

First off, congrats on being mostly sane

I have only had a couple little slips or bumps and only way back when I was a kid, and I still have moments where I question my sanity, and have to ask myself if I really am awake now? (worst bumps happened while wakeing).

Still not sure if the accepted reality is the right one to this day. Glad to hear your bro has gotton a bit of a handle on it, I cant imagine being subjected to that all the time, like rideing a roler coaster for a lifetime.

Peace

reply to post by matrixportal


Thank you.

And I sincerely apologize regarding the crazy people wording. I edited the title to put crazy into quotes. Hopefully that helps.

Crazy - as it is seen by society - is a part of my everyday life involving dearly loved family members. Over the years, as we kid each other about "the crazy" it's taken on a more affectionate tone when in conversation with us. I forgot how it comes across to the public at large because I don't generally speak of it outside of family. I guess I've become a little comfortable here at ATS and forgot myself.

reply to post by Goldcurrent


I think your description regarding the difficulty an ancient person would have trying to describe a quick jaunt to Times Square better explains what I was trying to describe.

When I don't understand things just in everyday life, such as a complex mathamatical equation that I have no interest in, I immediately forget about it. I may even forget the conversation even took place. So it makes sense to me that the more "out there" the concept is to the individual, the more difficult it would be to even be aware of it happening, let alone understand it. How much is the inability of the brain to even process it?

reply to post by Screwed


I really do hope it's better understood in the future. I always love hearing my brother's perspective on life. It's fresh, unique, and frequently a non-conditioned (is that a word?) response. Whenever I'm shocked at his reply, I ask why he thinks that. It almost always gives me a way to look at an old situation with new eyes. While it's usually not something practical that could be applied to "real" life, it has made me question why I believe what I do and if it still holds true for me.

Not only that, but I feel completely comfortable discussing things I would never dream of bringing up with any other human in the world. Because I know he won't judge it. He'll tell me if he has no idea what I'm talking about (& tease me about it later), but I don't have to worry about him thinking that I'm crazy. It's kind of nice to be accepted no matter what silly things come out of your mouth. I try hard to do the same for him.

We could really benefit from understanding them better and what they have to offer. Their suffering is so unnecessary.

My take on this is that your bother had a flashback due to Samsara (the continually re-birth until we reach Nirvana), and you had a very rare glimpse into an alternative life in a multi-universe.

You did live the life you saw, but just not in this existence. It is very, very rare to be able to cross the threshold, but, somehow you managed to do it. There are hundred's or realities that exist out there in a multi-universe, and you crossed into another one.

I would say this is a rare gift and vision that you were lucky to have. Your brother has an insight into previous life's and hopefully can circle up in the next life to a higher level and eventually reach Nirvana.

reply to post by autowrench


This is so interesting!! I've discussed in great lengths reincarnation, time slips, and what a person who is supposedly crazy might really be experiencing, but not necessarily how they may all be talking about the same thing. I mean they all usually come up in the same conversation, but I guess I'm starting to actually think of it as different windows to the same thing instead of separate things with connections. I know the difference is subtle but it makes more sense in my head than in words.

How much understanding of the nature of our reality are we squelching by not allowing people to voice their experiences and feelings of these things?

reply to post by treespeaker


Regarding accepted reality....many brain cells have been burned wondering about this. Who decides what the accepted reality is? Do we all define it as a collective? If so, is it subject to change as we grow and mature as a group? What's the reasoning behind having an accepted reality? If something does change within it, do we remember it ever being otherwise? What does each person contribute to the structure of reality and how far are we *really* able to influence it? Is it a condition in small print in an agreement we must accept in order to get to be born here?

You said you still have moments where you have to ask whether you are dreaming - how often do you ask that when you really are dreaming vs really are awake?

reply to post by Ultraman2011


I have very limited understanding of Samsara - What is your perspective of how that plays a part regarding people who experience things relating to it, but are considered mentally ill? Do you think it has an intended role to play, or is it a fluke, or...?

Originally posted by onthelookout
reply to post by Ultraman2011

 

I have very limited understanding of Samsara - What is your perspective of how that plays a part regarding people who experience things relating to it, but are considered mentally ill? Do you think it has an intended role to play, or is it a fluke, or...?

Every rebirth brings with it challenges. Their are six realms of being. Every time we are reborn we enter an existence characterized by duhkha (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness). The cycle of rebirth will continue indefinitely until we attain awaking, and a liberation from samsara. Your destiny will be determined by your accumulation of positive and negative Karma (a word that literally means 'actions').

In the case of people reborn with mental illnesses, I think that their action, deeds, and thoughts are taken into account based on their ability to understand and interpret. If you were to come back as an animal for instance, you have to try and accumulate positive Karma while trying to eat, survive and procreate...it is not easy.

Being a human is considered lucky (often described at a "precious human rebirth). So, I think your brother's actions and conditions would be taken into account. An intended role? Maybe? Karma can accumulate through several lifetimes. This is why good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. Eventually, the universe will balance things out. Your brother can only control what he can control right now.

Originally posted by Ultraman2011

Being a human is considered lucky (often described at a "precious human rebirth). So, I think your brother's actions and conditions would be taken into account. An intended role? Maybe? Karma can accumulate through several lifetimes. This is why good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. Eventually, the universe will balance things out. Your brother can only control what he can control right now.

I can't imagine what my brother has been through. But I will always hope that his suffering and struggle isn't in vain. What he's done with the hand he was dealt is nothing short of spectacular. After months of being hospitalized and testing, etc. the doctors told my mom to apply for social security for him, because he would have to live in someone's care permanently. He was given a dire diagnosis. But, as I mentioned earlier, he's going to university in another state and living on his own and he did it by himself.

Maybe him and others like him, will be the ones who help bring the reality of what they do know and experience out in the light and we *will* be able to understand reality better and their role in it.

I hope things do get balanced out in the universe eventually, because people who overcome the impossible really do deserve greatness.

reply to post by onthelookout


I often ask myself that question on a day to day basis, and when I think long on the moment of the first bump I feel almost close to it...but unable to grab hold. Its a wierd feeling not one I mention often to people, not sure why most people are uncomfortable with the subject?

As far as accepted reality, I have a clear memory from very young till now, and I remember a time when I had no connection to concience, it believe it was from 3- 18 years of age. By this I mean to say that now I have an understanding that I had a view of reality that would more closely resemble that of an inquisitive animal, there was no guilt just experience, although also no definition to boundaries just action.

Within that reality I had differing understandings to the "underpinning to how it all works" and thus differing motives.

A change in conciousness can trigger a change in percieved reality.

Cause and effect, it seems that weather you can swin in the tub or the lake, the effect of the water on the skin remains the same, changed only by the purity of the water.

Peace, and great thread BTW.

reply to post by onthelookout

How much understanding of the nature of our reality are we squelching by not allowing people to voice their experiences and feelings of these things?

Much more than any of us could possibly every know, friend. I guess the thing that made humanity drift away from things not of the norm is the Church teaching, no forcing people to look "out there" for everything of a supernatural nature. Then the Church began to label everything they didn't like, or didn't wish the people to know as "Satan," "Demons," and "Anti-Christ." They never, ever teach that what you are looking for is "In Here." I looked inside a long time ago, and I mean a really hard, discerning look, with a completely open mind to all possibilities. Deep inside I found my Divine Father and Mother, and I also found who and what I really am, and it is not like most people think at all.

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WOOW you see other parallel realities! Of course you are considered "crazy" to this awful society.

Have anybody watched the tv series FRINGE?It is the same thing!

I remember someone else saying that "mentally ill" people are actually simply people choosing to experience a reality that is different from the reality humans have chosen as a group consciousness to experience. Whether they do it consciously or unconsciously, i don't know, but is there really a difference?

Originally posted by vunkster
I remember someone else saying that "mentally ill" people are actually simply people choosing to experience a reality that is different from the reality humans have chosen as a group consciousness to experience. Whether they do it consciously or unconsciously, i don't know, but is there really a difference?

Not in reality it isn't. Both are common labels applied to that which people do not understand. We each create our own little world, our reality, but they are so inter-meshed with the rest it is un-noticeable. A hermit will have a completely different reality than a factory worker, and so on. Labels are carelessly thrown about by the human race, and we all seem to have a few.