How to deal with psychosis?

Thay answers questions on 21 June 2014. Question 11

(Bell)

Dear Thay, dear Sangha,

our son has been with us in

the Summer Opening in Plum Village
over the last 8 years,

since he was 11 years old.
He's 19 now.

He is very intelligent, creative,
peaceful and loving.

He is a child of the Sangha.

Half a year ago
he had his first psychotic episode.

After some recovery from
the traditional psychiatric treatment,

we came for the 21 day retreat.

He found himself again
in the practice of mindfulness.

He was feeling secure and stable.

Feeling his practice solid,
he decided to drop the medicine

and to look into his mind
directly without hindrances.

At a point, he wasn't able
to control his mind.

He slipped off into another episode.

We were afraid for his sanity
and decided to help the brothers

to take him to the hospital of Bergerac.

Doctors say he has a disorder.

Nobody really know where it comes from
and how to treat it,

other than making him sleepy
and dull with drugs.

We feel very touched and thankful.

We don't trust much in the team
that is taking care of him,

nor in the way of oppressing
his mind with drugs.

We are searching for a return
to a way of truth in his problems,

more loving and respectful
with regards to his spiritual growth.

Can you help us get some spiritual
insight and understanding?

I think we need more mindfulness.

We need to pay more attention,

because mindfulness helps us to be there,

to be more concentrated and

we have a better chance to understand

the cause of the illness.

The cause might have come from
very far away in time and in space.

And with the Sangha, especially
those who are close to us,

we should look together
in order to find out.

We should be in the process of learning,

because...

because we have not understood, we do
not know exactly what has been happening

So with members of the Sangha,
young and less young,

and with members of the medical corps,

we have to look together and try our best

to understand and to be open

in order to look for better ways
to deal with the situation.

The fact is that in our society
every one of us is a little bit too busy.

We are preoccupied with so many things.

We don't have enough time
to be with ourselves

and to be with our beloved ones.

We may underestimate the situation.

So let us as a Sangha become aware of that

and produce that collective energy
of mindfulness and compassion,

to help embrace him and
send him that energy,

so that he can recover more quickly.

This morning we also sent energy
to a monastic member of the Upper Hamlet,

who was hospitalised in
Bordeaux last night

and went through a surgery.

During the time of chanting this morning
Thay and the Sangha focused our attention.

We sent the collective energy to him
who is now in the hospital.

We hope that the collective energy of
compassion and mindfulness

and peace can help him recover
quickly from the accident.

His name is Phap Nhac,
the Music of the Dharma.

He just came from Vietnam two days ago.

We accept the situation.

We should accept the situation
and try our best from there.

And we shall do it as a Sangha.

(Bell)