Are You Getting Enlightened or Losing Your Mind?: How to Master Everyday and Extraordinary Spiritual Experiences - Softcover

Gersten, Dennis

4.05

20 ratings by Goodreads

9780609802007: Are You Getting Enlightened or Losing Your Mind?: How to Master Everyday and Extraordinary Spiritual Experiences

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0609802003 ISBN 13: 9780609802007

Publisher: Crown Publications, 1998

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An expert on mental imagery, a psychiatrist uses his patients' and his own extraordinary spiritual experiences to tender reassuring, useful guidance to readers dealing with the stress and anxiety that often follow such events. Reprint. 10,000 first printing.

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From the Publisher:

Gersten sheds new light on sometimes murky inner states
"Dr. Dennis Gersten courageously incorporates spirituality into the practice of medicine, bringing alive the essence of true healing." --JUDITH ORLOFF, M.D., author of SECOND SIGHT

from NEW AGE JOURNAL, June 1997--

"A ‘spiritual psychiatrist’ offers reassurance for those who’ve experienced disruptive states of mind, from paranormal experiences to mystical visions."

from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, 5/26/98--

"A practicing psychiatrist for nearly 20 years, Gersten, in his first book, examines the subtle differences between spiritual states of consciousness and schizophrenic, manic or borderline personality disorders, stating that "we should not...treat the mystic with Thorazine. And we should not treat the schizophrenic with a strong dose of yoga and meditation." Gersten delineates the differences between mental illness and spiritual experiences, discussing near-death and out-of-body experiences, spontaneous healings, visions, angels, ghosts, auras and ESP, and providing "Mental Fitness Techniques"--imagery exercises for self-examination and clarification of such states as depression, anxiety and neurosis. For Gersten, "spiritual emergencies" do not signal mental illness, but, rather, opportunities for spiritual growth and transformation. From the altered state of consciousness that athletes call being "in the zone" to visits from the Virgin Mary, Gersten sheds new light on sometimes murky inner states. AUTHOR TOUR

From the Author:

Dr. Gersten on Getting Enlightened
The author, Dennis Gersten, MD dgersten@imagerynet.com , 02/12/98: This book has accomplished so much more than I had imagined. I wrote this book to help people sort out their miracles form their madness, to give them mental fitness techniques to help deal with normal, abnormal, paranormal, and supernomral experiences. I also wanted to begin to reshape the face of psychiatry and medicine, showing the power and importance of hope, faith, God, and spirituality. The letters I have received are gratifying, humbling, and bring true reason to rejoice. Because this book is so multi-dimensional, so have been the letters. Here are some of the responses: A 60 year old woman from LA set up an appointment to see me and said, "My entire life would have been different if I had read your book 30 years ago. I never understood what was going on in mmy life. I finally understand my depression...finally!" "I read your book 2 weeks ago and it has completely changed my life. I have found my spiritual path. I believe this book will go down in history." (author's note: I'm not making this up). "After reading your book, I began to incorporate spirituality into my practice of acupucnture and chiropractic for the first time. You have changed my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart." "Please put me in touch with Sister Sarita, the Curandera you write about." "Where can I find Shama, the incredible psychic you write about? Can she help me get in touch with my deceased father?" "I've read a lot of psychology and self-help books, but this is the first one in 10 years that has really caught my attention. After the radio interview, would you mind privately consulting with me about a personal problem?" (from a radio talk show host who was interviewing me). There are so many more. I have truly been shocked to have people calling and flying to San Diego from Vermont, Oregon and around the country in order for me to treat them. Some of them have said, "I just can't believe that a spiritual psychiatrist actually exists." And finally, "I can hardly believe that an actualy Christlike being is on the planet right now. I can never thank you enough for showing me the way to this Divine being.

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