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Does brain fog reduce the spiritual sense?

Gestalt

Senior Member
Messages
251
Location
Canada
One technique I've been using on myself when experiencing physical unpleasantness is to first focus on the affected area, then find a part of my body that feels neutral, and focus on that for a while. The nervous system seems to reset when I do this, as the mind is aware not of the painful part, but of the neutral part. I can then test it by focussing back on the painful part, which is usually not so painful anymore. Try it! You can even try focussing on a part of your body that is feeling pleasant, if you can find one of those.
That's a pretty good technique. Using positive/neutral points to anchor sensations or feelings is a good way to help retrain the nervous system.
I asked some therapist friends who have studied somatic trauma therapies such as Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and did a little research myself about using these methods to treat the nervous system symptoms of chronic pain/illness, and could fine no one out there doing/researching/writing about this. Gestalt, I would be very interested to hear your experiences with Self-Regulation Therapy. Did I understand you correctly in mentioning training the mind to become more aware of the body "after" recovery? Have you recovered somewhat, and do you think what you are doing would be effective at relieving nervous system symptoms during a full-blown crash?
I am going to be taking the Psych Anatomy training course from the CFTRE this winter. Two of my family members have already taken it. The course facilitators have had success with clients that had chronic/pain illness.

However I do believe there are some limitations. Any physical casual factors need to be addressed first before long term relief can be gained. I have recovered quite a bit, but what the SRT therapy made me realize most of all, was that I am not even close to 100%. You see, I had convinced myself that I was fully healed, and had accepted the pain & brain fog I felt in my body as normal by dissociating from my body. That is what I call a false psychological coping cure, and SRT helped me realize the lie I had been living. So now I am more determined than ever to resolve the underlying causal factors.(see my genetic results thread) With greater body awareness, though I can track my progress better, and it helps me figure out what's working and what is not.

What do you mean by full-blown crash?
 

Mr. Cat

Senior Member
Messages
156
Location
Nothern California
Gestalt,

By "Full-blown crash," I just meant bad symptoms, but those look different to different people. I guess what I really wanted to know was if the techniques worked if you had bad brain fog. I would be very interested to know how the continuing work with SRT works; please keep us informed.
 

Gestalt

Senior Member
Messages
251
Location
Canada
By "Full-blown crash," I just meant bad symptoms, but those look different to different people. I guess what I really wanted to know was if the techniques worked if you had bad brain fog. I would be very interested to know how the continuing work with SRT works; please keep us informed.
SRT still works even with Brain Fog, although it isn't nearly as effective because it's more difficult to sense into the body. The consistent muscle achiness I often feel also makes it difficult. Just to be clear, for me SRT does not eliminate brain fog.

SRT has helped me the most in terms of clearing emotional blockages, becoming aware of certain blind spots in my observations of myself and others and as well as uncovering negative limiting beliefs I wasn't aware of. Reading the Seth book "The Nature of Personal Reality" was a tremendous asset to SRT.
 

SilverbladeTE

Senior Member
Messages
3,043
Location
Somewhere near Glasgow, Scotland
I used to have precognitive dreams all the time, so much in fact it got difficult for me now and then, as the "Now and then" got so blurred.
most such are purely mudane like getting milk form a fridge etc, and always about what I literally saw/did, but at times there was no way it was mere delusion a I'd tell folk of international events etc before they'd occur, as I'd seen them in dreams as "I" was say watching TV news, or a newspaper or such.
But they are soooo hard to comprehend, they are out of the normal cause and effect, they are very unpleasant in odd way, such dreams are like they are "cubes" covered in spikey stuff that you try to juggle in your mind to avoid the painful bits and slot into normal pattern of events.
Even mundane things don't make sense without framework of normal events to give it meaning.

Since getting this damn illess, which also screwed my sleep up terribly, I rarely have such dreams, or rather perhaps, I rarely remember them. Another reason to loathe this awful illness :(
 

hurtingallthetimet

Senior Member
Messages
612
ive recently posted about guilt of not being able to go to church...not sure if thats what you are talking about also...i do still pray alot...but feel guilty about asking God for help when i cant even make it to church...theese illness take so much away and some are alot worse than others...thankfullly i can still force myself to do things i have no choice to do...and i know some cant and are bedridden one of my biggest fears...
 

Mr. Cat

Senior Member
Messages
156
Location
Nothern California
Hi, just thought I'd leave an update about my experience taking Hip's supplements. I tried Creatine, Cat's Claw, and L-Theanine, one at a time, for at least a week each, on two different occasions each. I didn't notice much effect from the Creatine and Theanine, other than getting really huge from taking the Creatine ;). The Cat's Claw seemed to have a positive effect on my brain clarity, as does Gotu Kola, which I also started about a month ago.

Different strokes for different folks. I can't say taking either the Cat's Claw or the Gotu Kola had the effect of quickly allowing me to access the spiritual sense, but I have had more "spiritual" experiences in the last month or so, due, I believe, to me being more open to them because I have less brain fog, due to these supplements, as well as some Chinese herbs I am taking. I notice I can drop into meditation easier, and am meditating for a little bit pretty much every day, which is nice. I was a longtime meditator, but for a period of 2 years or so up to fairly recently, meditation just wasn't worth the hassle because of the brain fog.
 
Messages
51
Location
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, UK
When in amidst the 'fog', try to feel deep for the inner light, it will still still be there, waiting patiently for the right time to shine brightly again. Wrap your feelings around your inner light, love it, nurture it, hold it, keep it safe and it will grow stronger and brighter.
As you try this, the energies you need will come to you, both in spiritual ways and physical ways.
 

Wifi123

Senior Member
Messages
159
ive recently posted about guilt of not being able to go to church...not sure if thats what you are talking about also...i do still pray alot...but feel guilty about asking God for help when i cant even make it to church...theese illness take so much away and some are alot worse than others...thankfullly i can still force myself to do things i have no choice to do...and i know some cant and are bedridden one of my biggest fears...

Hi Hurting,

You shouldn't feel guilty for not going to church. If you believe in our Lord, then that is all He wants from you. Many don't realise that He allows us to leave church so that we rely on Him, and if we keep praying, we need to realise that when we are praying we are not on our own. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with insight that we don't possess at that moment. He will guide us in times of uncertainty and confusion to pray according to His Will: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray fo, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with graons that words cannot express" (Rom. 8:26); and "when we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviours Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen!" (2 Pet. 3:18).

Blessings.
 

Wifi123

Senior Member
Messages
159
I used to have precognitive dreams all the time, so much in fact it got difficult for me now and then, as the "Now and then" got so blurred.
most such are purely mudane like getting milk form a fridge etc, and always about what I literally saw/did, but at times there was no way it was mere delusion a I'd tell folk of international events etc before they'd occur, as I'd seen them in dreams as "I" was say watching TV news, or a newspaper or such.
But they are soooo hard to comprehend, they are out of the normal cause and effect, they are very unpleasant in odd way, such dreams are like they are "cubes" covered in spikey stuff that you try to juggle in your mind to avoid the painful bits and slot into normal pattern of events.
Even mundane things don't make sense without framework of normal events to give it meaning.

Since getting this damn illess, which also screwed my sleep up terribly, I rarely have such dreams, or rather perhaps, I rarely remember them. Another reason to loathe this awful illness :(

Hi Silver Blade

The many well-known precognitive dreams was seen by Mark Twain of his brother’s death and funeral; Abraham Lincoln’s of his own death; and the Titanic disaster was seen by many people.

I’ve always believe that when we continually have future predicting dreams we need to be aware, beware, and don’t be unaware as there is always a good and bad side, or that is, the light or the dark side of such dreams. We do need to discern and moderate our thinking, as these dreams can also destroy a person.

Those people who have confirmed precognitive dreams are referred to as prophets in my spiritual walk.

The cubes with spiky bits on them can be of the dark/bad side and not the light/good side.

It’s very important not to crucify oneself for the lack of dreams as God may have decided it was time to give us a rest.

It’s hard to, as you say: “to juggle such things”. I just don’t try to work them out anymore and just put them up on the shelf and let them be, and if the are for real then in time they will be proven. Many go out of their way to make them happen, which is very dangerous.

Yes, I’ve found that this debilitating illness does affect our sleep and dream time, and that is another reason why I don’t go to church anymore because my symptoms are further aggravated by the cell phones left ON during the service, and all the new Wi Fi technology communications system within the church, and there are two large cell towers directly outside of the church, and I suffer intensely.

I find that I don’t loathe it, but it hurts me when those who are suppose to love you don’t believe my suffering, because as they say: “You look so well!” Then you have the other people who look at you as if you are being condemned or judged for your suffering by God. Shucks, forgive them Lord they know not what they do, think, or say!

Silver Blade we just keep fighting a good fight of faith, whatever faith we have, and pray that we come out the other end in the good books of our belief.

Blessings.
 

SilverbladeTE

Senior Member
Messages
3,043
Location
Somewhere near Glasgow, Scotland
Oh the "spikey bits" aren't "evil", it's as I've tried, poorly to explain, in both a logical science and spiritual way
-we exist in a causality of time, cause and effect
so things flow in a path we understand
I buy a newspaper, I read the newspaper, I comprehend the writing
but if the newspaper suddenly, from nowhere, appears for a split second, it's grossly confusing/unpleasant, it's completely abnormal and out of our frame of "cause and effect"
it's like why for instance, if you nealry get run down by a dark coloured car at night, it's so shocking, not merely the danger, but being caught os terribly unawares.
See what I mean? :)

from this and other things I comprehend that we have not simple memeorie sbut complex mental constructs
a "car" in my mind is not merely an image or dispersed bits of data
it;s more like oh, imagine the shape/construct of a virus, that is spherical body with dense information, and many spikey attachments that "Plug in and connect" to associated items of memory/thought

so if you picture this spikey sphere, with a picture of a car in the middle
the spikey connections could be:
petrol; metal, speed; combustion engine; comfort; smell of seat; pleasurable experiences and many many other things, not merely simple things but whole complex events
so "car"is a complex association with many ways ot link it to other things

now, thse dreams, because they lack "cause and effect" do not have any connections, the "spikes" on the end of the virus shape are sharp tehy are not capped by "links"
I cannot "Link" it up, it "hurts" like juggling a spikey ball

best way I can explain it

"EviL" is something else.


have you tried creating a "faraday cage" for yourself? maybe even one woven into your clothing or worn as as say, a sort of waistcoat?
simplest method of course would be a chaimail shirt or breastplate of armour, long as i's' steel and not laquered it should block some EMF?
I do NOT say this in jest or mockery.
worth a try? :)
 

Jarod

Senior Member
Messages
784
Location
planet earth
I've been sick so long it is hard to tell what I have lost. I have defintely lost some intelligence from being sick, but other attributes of my spirituality may have intensified.

I was told I had an Indigo Aura about a year ago by somebody who I met about 5 minutes earlier. I had no idea what an Aura was at the time.

After reading the description it seemed to fit almost perfectly. It kind of explains why I see things so much differently now that I know the definition and why I may have been put here. :eek:
 

Wifi123

Senior Member
Messages
159
Has anyone else noticed a slow, year-by-year decline in their spiritual awareness / consciousness since getting ME/CFS?

I have found that year after year, my spiritual sense get less. Before getting ME/CFS, I tended to have a natural mystical / spiritual disposition, and very much identified and organized my self around this trait (I loved meditation, yoga, etc, as well as reading good spiritual literature; I had a sort of "seeker" personality).

I know the brain fog of ME/CFS brings difficulties in concentration, memory, slow and confused thinking, but it seems that a decrease of spiritual awareness / consciousness also occurs in ME/CFS, at least in my case.

This decrease in spiritual awareness upsets me more than the bad memory or confused thinking. It feels like I have lost that mystical connection to a higher power. This is odd really, because when you face an illness like ME/CFS, you'd hope that your spiritual energies would increase, in order to give comfort and help you deal with everything.


During one period, when I was experiencing constant extremely high states of anxiety (extreme generalized anxiety disorder), I assumed that the loss of spiritual awareness was due to my mind being too intensely anxious and "wired", thereby preventing me from getting deep into the calm, meditative states of mind associated with spiritual consciousness awareness.

However, since I have now managed to completely fix my anxiety, so that I am now calm again, I still find that my normal spiritual awareness has not really returned. So I don't think the anxiety caused my loss of spiritual sense.

This lack of spiritual consciousness feels like I have become a bit of a zombie: a person with reduced "inner light", as if consciousness itself has become dimmer.

I am just wondering if any of these descriptions resonate with others here?


This dimming of spiritual awareness likely has its roots in the biochemical upheavals that ME/CFS brings to the brain, and I hope that perhaps the right medications might help return this spiritual faculty.

Indeed, every time I take a supplement that, as a "side effect", seems to boost my spiritual feelings, I make a note of it. So far, I have found the following supplements noticeably increase spiritual awareness: creatine monohydrate 4 grams, frankincense essential oil 5 drops, L-theanine 200 mg, reishi mushroom (though reishi takes a week or so to work), holy basil herb 3 grams, cat's claw 2000 mg, colloidal gold 10 drops. Creatine monohydrate, for some unknown reason, provides by far the most potent support for the spiritual sense, and it always works every time I try it. Frankincense, L-theanine and cat's claw are also reliable boosters of spiritual consciousness, I have found. The others are a little less reliable; I have experienced some powerful spiritual effects from holy basil and colloidal gold, but the experience is not always repeated when you take them again.

By the way, except for creatine monohydrate, all of these supplements are renowned for their spiritual properties, and have been used as meditative aids for centuries.

If anyone else can suggest any unusual ways to bolster the spiritual sense, I'd love to hear about it.

Hi Hip,

Two decades ago I always beleived that ME/CFS was a spiritual disorder, because I discovered that it was prevalent within the churches, and found many were healed through the Prayer of Faith. I found that to be so in part, but over the past decade I have found that since my symptoms have become worse, I have now discovered that wireless technology has made my symptoms worse.
 

Wifi123

Senior Member
Messages
159
I've been sick so long it is hard to tell what I have lost. I have defintely lost some intelligence from being sick, but other attributes of my spirituality may have intensified.

I was told I had an Indigo Aura about a year ago by somebody who I met about 5 minutes earlier. I had no idea what an Aura was at the time.

After reading the description it seemed to fit almost perfectly. It kind of explains why I see things so much differently now that I know the definition and why I may have been put here. :eek:
It has been shown that many people have very sensitive spirit, and if you have such then you will be extremely sensitive to the spiritual realm, which is part and parcel of the frequency spectrum. The protective shield around a human is also referred to as their "Rainbow", the "Alpha and Omega". And if there is any weak part of the protective shield/aura/rainbow then we can be affected by those invisible forces we are not aware of of.
 

Jarod

Senior Member
Messages
784
Location
planet earth
It has been shown that many people have very sensitive spirit, and if you have such then you will be extremely sensitive to the spiritual realm, which is part and parcel of the frequency spectrum. The protective shield around a human is also referred to as their "Rainbow", the "Alpha and Omega". And if there is any weak part of the protective shield/aura/rainbow then we can be affected by those invisible forces we are not aware of of.

Hey Wifi.

Sensitive to the spiritual realm?

What kind of invisible forces you talking about?

You seem vague, if you can't say openly feel free to PM me or not.

I'm open to discuss anything.
 
Messages
1,082
Location
UK
I think i've found in the last few weeks why my meditation has been mostly unproductive since having ME and its definitely because of the brain fog. On a clear brain day (as clear as it gets these days) i can meditate well in that i'm consciously rising 'above' thoughts and i become conscious of being the awareness.
But on a brain fog day, even though i will do the same process, and watch my breath. I'm not remotely conscious, i'm basically in an unproductive trance, no different to when i'm not meditating, a foggy trance doesn't allow me to properly meditate.
I was reading the other day, the things that are counterproductive to meditation such as alcohol and tv and they both produce a meditative state and can stop the flow of random thoughts, but in this state we're unconscious and sinking 'below' thoughts towards the vegetative state. And for me this is exactly what brain fog does too. It may look like meditating in theory but i'm in reality just unconsciously going through the motions.
I can now tell the difference between consciously rising above thought and unconsciously sinking beneath them and unfortunately with severe brain fog there is no way out of the vegetative state for me, and i've concluded that this is why my connection to the spiritual is now often stunted since the ME. Although i do still try to meditate during thick brain fog, i think its a waste of time and i'm better off just waiting for a day when i'm functioning somewhat.
I find it slightly irritating that when no other activity is possible, even meditating, the art of 'doing' precisely nothing is even impeded and disabled. I simply don't have enough consciousness or awareness when my brain is shut down to be spiritually conscious.
 

Wifi123

Senior Member
Messages
159
Brain fog is caused by many things, and one such thing that most ignore or fob off is the effect of wireless technology on CFs and ME sufferers. Since the proliferation of the airways with microwave non-ionised radiation in a form of electrosmog soup the increase of illnesses and syndromes are noted. If you are in such an environment, then you are possibly electro hyper sensitive (EHS) to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and electromagnetic fields that are emitted from mobile phones and towers, Wi Fi, DECT phones, and wireless computer/modem/router.

These are some of the symptoms of EHS:
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep disorders
  • Digestive Problems
  • Brain fog and memory loss
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Dizziness
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
On a clear brain day (as clear as it gets these days) i can meditate well in that i'm consciously rising 'above' thoughts and i become conscious of being the awareness.

But on a brain fog day, even though i will do the same process, and watch my breath. I'm not remotely conscious,

I can now tell the difference between consciously rising above thought and unconsciously sinking beneath them and unfortunately with severe brain fog there is no way out of the vegetative state for me, and i've concluded that this is why my connection to the spiritual is now often stunted since the ME

I have found exactly the same thing. On a brain fog day, there just isn't any conscious awareness there at all to work with. No amount of effort in meditation seem sto being more consciousness forth.

As you say, it is best to wait for a better day with lower brain fog, as then you will be able to achieve some level of mindfulness during meditation. Although even on my very best days now, the depth of meditation I achieve is much still less that the meditation level I used to get even on my very worst days when I was healthy.

Incidentally, I have a theory that what is causing this loss of conscious awareness (and thus the reducing in the spiritual state) is dysfunction in the reticular activating system (RAS) part of the brain. The RAS begins in the brainstem (an area known to be affected in ME/CFS), but branches out to areas all over the brain. The RAS is responsible for controlling waking consciousness, and any problems with the RAS can affect consciousness attention. RAS damage can even leave an individual in a coma — the ultimate state of non consciousness.
 

Mr. Cat

Senior Member
Messages
156
Location
Nothern California
I think i've found in the last few weeks why my meditation has been mostly unproductive since having ME and its definitely because of the brain fog. On a clear brain day (as clear as it gets these days) i can meditate well in that i'm consciously rising 'above' thoughts and i become conscious of being the awareness.
But on a brain fog day, even though i will do the same process, and watch my breath. I'm not remotely conscious, i'm basically in an unproductive trance, no different to when i'm not meditating, a foggy trance doesn't allow me to properly meditate.
I was reading the other day, the things that are counterproductive to meditation such as alcohol and tv and they both produce a meditative state and can stop the flow of random thoughts, but in this state we're unconscious and sinking 'below' thoughts towards the vegetative state. And for me this is exactly what brain fog does too. It may look like meditating in theory but i'm in reality just unconsciously going through the motions.
I can now tell the difference between consciously rising above thought and unconsciously sinking beneath them and unfortunately with severe brain fog there is no way out of the vegetative state for me, and i've concluded that this is why my connection to the spiritual is now often stunted since the ME. Although i do still try to meditate during thick brain fog, i think its a waste of time and i'm better off just waiting for a day when i'm functioning somewhat.
I find it slightly irritating that when no other activity is possible, even meditating, the art of 'doing' precisely nothing is even impeded and disabled. I simply don't have enough consciousness or awareness when my brain is shut down to be spiritually conscious.

HHNF,

I liked the way you described "above" and "below" thoughts - this is the first time I have heard it described like this, and it mirrors my experience. I no longer do "concentration"-type meditation, such as watching the breath, because as we know, concentrating on anything can be a strain to a CFS brain. As I get healthier, though, I find myself more able to do "awareness"-type meditation, where I'm basically just being, watching my experience, without trying to control any aspect of it.

When I was really sick and brain-foggy, and couldn't do much else, even sleep, I would lie in bed and just observe my body/mind. What else was I gonna do? At least while doing this I wasn't fighting the experience in any way, which would be counterproductive.

I remember having an interesting insight one day, when symptoms were pretty much at their worst. I remember noticing that I was really not functioning well, that I couldn't even think clearly. I then realized that there was something else, some witness consciousness, that could see that I couldn't think clearly, and that this realization was not coming from the CFS-adled faulty-thinking brain, but from the witness. From then on, I've remembered that I always have this witness consciousness, no matter how foggy the brain gets, and now often dwell in it as a default when symptoms are bad, rather than getting all neurotic and feeling like I shouldn't be having the experience I am having.
 

Wifi123

Senior Member
Messages
159
Seeing that this posting is covering the spiritual sense of awareness, which is the supernatural of the "above (heavenly things)" and "below (earthly things)" of the power of thought, whether they are “dark” or “light”, then when you rise above “thought” and unconsciously sinking beneath it you need to be very aware what “powers” you are conversing with.

To experience severe brain fog causing a vegetative state where there isn't any conscious awareness there at all to work with, and no amount of effort in meditation seem to bring more consciousness forth means that something is controlling such. If you are no aware of the limits of the supernatural realm, then you can overstep the bounds of the supernatural realm.

When you speak of “above” and “below”, you are speaking of the “heavenly and earthly things” of the supernatural. The frequency of the supernatural realm of darkness borders on the human body resonant frequency, and will deceive that person of the “light”. You need to be aware of the entities that govern these realms, between natural and supernatural experiences.

Brain fog is caused by our human resonant frequency being captured by a deceiving frequency from the powers of darkness or wireless technology. The frequencies of these realms are much the same as the natural frequency of a human body, and the same frequency used by non-ionised radiation from wireless technology can intrude into the human body through harmonics causing illness or deception.

When you get into the vegetative state you need to sort out definitely whether you are dabbling in supernatural realm of darkness or light (evil or good).
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
When you speak of “above” and “below”, you are speaking of the “heavenly and earthly things” of the supernatural.

I think you may be misinterpreting (or over-ornamenting) what Hell...Hath...No...Fury said.

Anyone who has reasonable experience of mindfulness-type meditation learns that consciousness tends to get attached to, and usurped by, our own thoughts. When this happens, you have no "free consciousness" left, because all your consciousness energies have been pulled below, so to speak, sucked into your own thoughts. This is the daily condition of most people in the world; too preoccupied by the minutiae of their own thoughts to attain a higher or broader conscious perspective.

The practice of mindfulness-type meditation slowly pulls your consciousness away from its attachment to these thoughts, and when this happens, you free up consciousness. Meditation has often been equated to freedom, as meditation liberates consciousness from its enslavement to our thoughts, thereby making us free conscious beings.

This freeing up of consciousness, when you achieve it through doing a bit of mindfulness meditation, feels like you are surveying your own mind from above; it feels like you now have a bird's eye perspective over your own mind and your circumstances, and often in this elevated state, you have much greater clarity to see and resolve any problems or obstacles in your mind, or in your life. This is what makes mindfulness meditation so much better than any therapist, in my view.

Brain fog is caused by our human resonant frequency being captured by a deceiving frequency from the powers of darkness or wireless technology.

Not the same sci-fi plot again!