i have been trying to write an essay called AFTERLIFE about the intersection of politics, mysticism, and mental health as a schizotypal person, but my drafts keep running into "maybe i am actually too psychotic to relate to mortals anymore" so i'm going to try and put these ideas in a thread to at least get them out there
AFTERLIFE
the reason i want to write this essay is that i find secularist societies can't talk about mysticism in a useful way. that is, they cannot make mysticism useful in daily life, even as spirituality has always been a key part of how humans live alongside a chaotic and challenging reality. i've come across many essayists tackling the same topic lately, which only highlights the relevance of these ideas. example:
# TikTok and Taboo: Mysticism in the Information Age
https://bluelabyrinths.com/2024/10/08/tiktok-and-taboo-mysticism-in-the-information-age/
AFTERLIFE
one of the main identifiers of schizophrenia is a complex system of delusions. of course they're called delusions by rationalist medicine, and believe me, they usually are, but i think this word evades or even buries *why* we invent these delusions. the most productive way i can relate to my weird experiences, is to analyze them like dreams. why would i think this will happen? why do i rationalize this spirit in this way? this approach puts my atheist therapist at ease.
AFTERLIFE
@garbados the discourse it opens up about the relationship between the micro-effects of experiences and so-called delusions is so useful imo and seems so apt for what youre describing above
AFTERLIFE
@exiliaex oh i have. that shit is amazing and impenetrable