Dissociation

[Ashrend]

Hello all, something I wanted to ask is if any of you have issue with disassociation, as in disconnected from reality. This is an issue if had for years and have tried things in the past such as trying to focus on specific things in reality taking in the detail to connect me more to this world without much success. I wanted to know if anyone had any ideas of how to better feel like this is reality as I feel this is having a knock on affect on my pagan life making it harder to feel things around me

[Corbin]

I know a lot about dissociation.

Its a long, personal and complex subject; we dissociate for deep-seated reasons we can rarely truely fathom without personal delving .. but personal delving can be fraught and painful in itself (and indeed not always beneficial or necessary unless you are driven).

So if you are asking how to be in the "now" as a dissociative as a "quick fix"? I would say practice meditation to the point where you can totally cut out mind chatter and get out in the outdoors somewhere wild - alone; without people) where you can just observe and do so without overthinking.

Take that clarity back into your day-to-day life and repeat regularly like it was doctors orders. But among other people ... a lot trickier ... eventually you can get swept back up in old habits ... so take lots of breaks and be kind to yourself.

Dissociation from reality is more common then you may think (in a limited scope) - its a defensive technique and a coping mechanism but long-term can become maladaptive, it outlives its usefulness.

[barker]

Is it emotional or mental at it's root? Fix thoughts or fix feelings which ever is off... these two aspects consciousness can be reduced to.

[Corbin]

"General" dissociation however ...

(And sorry, I should have mentioned this first)

... is not exotic at all nor necessarily maladaptive and indeed whenever you "space out" you are dissociating.

When you enter an altered state of mind - when you become engrossed in a film, a book, engrossing music you dissociate from everyday reality to a degree; it still exists but your experience is vastly different. So it is both emotional and mental. It is an Art.

But an example as a "survival mechanism"? - I once helped the emergency services with a fall victim. I can recall every detail of what went on around me with a surreal clarity but as I held the torch up to her mangled head so the paramedics could get her into a fit shape to move her to hospital I can't recall a single detail of her face, condition or what they did (she fell 40 feet headfirst on a steel rail).

I dissociated to emotionally protect myself then - when it was required to function usefully ... but its still up there somewhere in a "sealed room". It subconsciously changes you in little - not always negative - ways.

But to "fix" it would be to experience the trauma I "passed over" first hand. If it was bad enough to look away you need to realise the mind is protecting you - you can process that fact without succumbing to the trauma itself.

Now PTSD and maladaptive dissociation from childhood trauma are different things entirely ... they can literally wreak your life and sometimes need to be rooted out and understood to enact a healing.

[Ashrend]

Thanks Corbin I defo will try and meditate more I know I have a LOT of mind chatter, it's definably something that's developed as a coping mechanism. I don't if it could be called emotional childhood trauma but for me it was difficult enough that I wanted out of this world and so the dissociation started. I find myself just on auto pilot alotnor the time, like I'm playing a game and I'm just moving the character about to walk from point a to point b.

[Shekinah]

Dissociation from mundane reality may not be entirely problematic. Heck, Cosmologists and Theoretical Physicists aren't sure what reality is. We may be part of a vast hologram according to one theory. We Witches are "walkers between worlds" which means in Circle we open portals to other worlds and meander about other dimensions and we establish a presence in the realm of Spirit. Sooo exactly in what reality do we hang our hat? Remember "All who wander are not lost". Enjoy horizons without boarders.

[Corbin]

Lets not also forget that if you become able to harness the power to wilfully dissociate its a powerful tool for magic, especially glamour - belief can be compartmentalised and belief is an essencial corner of the magical triangle.

[Ethereal Moon Rose]

Oh man, I used to suffer from dissociation when my anxiety was at its worst a few years ago. It was terrifying.

Maybe talking to a professional will help with the trauma?

[Ashrend]

Hhmm I hadn't thought it could be useful, I felt like it was stopping me from focusing and better establishing my abilities. Il try meditating to reduce the chatter but I'll also try and see if I can use that disassociation. I have talked to professionals before about it but their only help was to try and focus on a single thing and notice all its details which didn't help

[Corbin]

Zen and a mindfulness conundrum. Some thoughts.

The problem with the advice such as of focusing on a single thing and noticing everything about it is that its do'ing not be'ing - it is conscious effort and ergo is not occuring naturally, has energy expenditure and can be fatiquing in the long term. This is an observation and the long term issue I developed with mindfulness (which remains a wonderful tool for life examination). There may just be a lot of bad advice out there from people who don't practice what they preach?

It also focuses on thinking rather then feeling = activity rather then receptivity.

If you meditate and take time out to cut out the chatter and distraction and take time out just to be an awareness (observe without judgement), you can slowly integrate this into day-to-day life being - become more present in the world.

In many ways I come to feel that the ego mind is almost a dissociation from the self? But that's entirely another rabbit hole.

[barker]

I wonder if "Witness state," meditative practices would help to prove detachment where disassociation lies, instead of trauma...

[Ashrend]

Thank you all this have been very helpful