[Knillagrarp]

Hello Zack,

I don't have any of the wonderful insights that some of the posters above, but I can only state as someone diagnosed with a mental illness (schizophrenia) that Buddhist practice has been of great benefit to me, the stilling and calming of internal chatter and becoming more focused in time have aided me a lot and have definitely reduced any symptoms I have. I have certain thoughts about western psychiatry and the psychotic break, but they are a bit irrelevant to what I'm posting.

I can, however, relate an anecdote, I had been reading a book about how a guy studying zen had wanted to use the time he spent on crowded Japanese trains to practice, I thought I'd try it myself so while on a tram I kept my eyes open and focused on breathing, I didn't notice the guy in front of me at first but when I looked up I noticed he was a big scary bloke with a snake tattoo on his neck, immediately my brain wanted to go into paranoid fantasy mode, maybe he's involved with those crooks I had trouble with when I was using drugs, maybe they have sent him to give me a beating! I should get off the tram and run! Instead I just returned my focus to my breath and my mind stilled and I carried on calmly with my journey.

All I can say is stick at it, eventually we will find the peace we seek.

Namaste.

L_T.