The Gallery

The Ar t o f Mental I l lness - Ar t Gal lery Magazine

June 2011

The MetamorphosisOf Danny Noyes

T.A..M.I CreatesNew Support

Group

The Art of Mental Illness

New Home and Gallery

AVATAR 300 PROJECT

Chester UniversityExhibition- an invited artist

NEWComments

Letters

Feedback

Latest News

The Art of Mental Illness

SL8 Birthday Exhibitor

You are not Alone

Cover picture: Self Portrait-TheMetamorphosis of Danny Noyes.

Artist: Danny Noyes.

Last month I had a littlecosmetic surgery, hence the different picture... Thiswas a Second Life changing experience that had itsbeginning in RL.The last few weeks have seen a change inmedication for me and a clarity of purpose I haven'tfelt for a long time. The significance of the twodiffering avatars is the metamorphosis in RL meinto someone who is beginning to see the good insome parts of the condition I have.I have not had suicidal thoughts for a few weeksnow, and believe me that is a milestone in its self,but it has given way to a self analysis of my pastand how influences, if any, bought me to thisplace. So over the next few issues I will bedivulging some of my past that may help othersto look at where they have travelled from andwhere it may lead them. It helped me see thatperhaps I can change things ....albeit with a littlemed help. So this month begins TheMetamorphosis of Danny Noyes.

I saw an exhibition last week of an artist whosuffered schizophrenia.Just that statement in and of itself rubs my fleece the wrong way.The curator saw fit to remark that, “the artist had sometimes lessmentally ill moments and at times more sane ones” due to, in heropinion, “ the use of certain elements in the work”. Why did shehave to point out that the artist was mentally ill. And what's with the“sometimes less mentally Ill.”This is a reason I have found, and indeed, it has stopped me in thepast from exhibiting, why a lot of sufferers wont show their works.They not only are ‘outed’ if you like but, stigmatised and stereotypedto boot. Don’t you think its time in this day and age that we look atthe work for what it is not whether it came from a well person or ill.How many times do you see an exhibition where the curator says...oh yes well the artist had a cold that day and you can tell by theuse of some elements of cough mixture in the texture of the paint..OoooH it boils my potatoes, it does. The work should beappreciated for its imagination and innovation not how itsproduced. One of the things we are working on in the RL T.A.M.Iis,anonymity. The gallery name The Art of Mental Illness should sayit all. It’s the reason I choose that name.

Thank you to all of you who have donated this last month. Wemade our operating costs again. If I could hug you all I would.. Butits probably against the TOS anyway...

WELL

The Art of Mental Illness art gallery has

moved parcels to a new, bigger and

brighter home parcel.

The site is more than 8000 square meters,

with ample room for the gallery and a new

beautiful relaxation area where folks can

enjoy a plantation hut in tropical surrounds

caressed by the sounds of the eight

waterfalls. The gallery is a modern stylish

building that is more in keeping with what

we are doing in first life. I’m sure, if I haven’t

reported to you previously Danny Noyes

has, that we use the second life project as

a prototype to our real life venture in

establishing T.A.M.I. The gallery at the time

of writing is still being fitted out but the

majority of the work is completed and we

have been getting a few visitors along the

way.

All genres will again be represented in this

newer version and all artists are

encouraged to exhibit here. The gallery

was purchased from Pre-Fabulous an

award winning Architecture Company in

second life. The retreat and gallery can be

found at

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lo

ngwood/63/36/22

Pass the Parcelby Kate Hudson

Students from the University of Chester, UKare staging an extraordinary exhibitionwhere space and costs have no limits andthe only restriction is their imagination. Itsounds like an artist’s dream come true,but for 12 Art and Design studentsinvolved in a work-based learningplacement at the University’sKingsway Campus this event isa reality – even if it is analternative one.

At 7pm UK time (11am SL) onThursday, June 9, two teams ofstudents specialising in a rangeof creative disciplines, will begoing global with their firstmajor art exhibition, thanks tothe Second Life network.

The exhibition, set to happenonline in real time, willshowcase digital replicas of thestudents’ actual artwork, ranging fromphotography and painting to film andsculpture. Invited guests from all corners ofthe globe will even be entertained by ‘live’bands.

The placement forms part of a researchproject devised by the University’s Fine ArtTechnical Demonstrator Chris Millwardwho is leading the Second Life Experiential

Learning (SLEL) project as part of his MAdissertation.

The project, which was launched last year,explores three main concepts – workingsuccessfully in groups, using virtual spaceto explore artistic ideas and ambitions andthe notion of professional practice.

Chris explained: “This placement aims toteach second year students some keycomponents relating to organising,designing and curating visual exhibitions.

“Whilst the teaching and learning occurs invirtual space, each phase will beexperienced for real during their finalexhibition in their last year of study.

Art Students to Host Exhibi t ion

University of Chester

“The project also offers the opportunity forthe students to explore scale, space andeven attempt other media, with which theyare not usually accustomed – all in a riskfree environment.”

Chris has created The Department of Artand Design within Second Life on a virtualisland that consists of two large studentgalleries, four public galleries, a largeDepartment building with meeting rooms,general areas and a gallery and plenty ofoutdoor space for larger sculptures.

Educationally, students can attendtutorials, seminars and exhibitions throughtheir Second Life and arrange groupmeetings and activities from the comfort oftheir own, real home.

Only authorised staff and students cancreate work and display in the buildingand galleries and members of the general(virtual) public must be invited as guests toexplore the creations and join theexhibition group.

The Second Life Exhibition will feature thework of two teams of students, TeamOptimum (Carl Jones, Laura Chamberlain,Kerry McEvoy, Kimberley Greene, EbonyTorrance, Joe Benjamin) and

Team Win (Chris Cockerill, Alex Nelson,Aimee Gosden, Ela Mueller, Louise Whiteand Lucy Taylor).

Danny Noyes a second Life resident, hasbeen invited by Team Win to exhibit someof his work.Laura Chamberlain, originally fromStaffordshire and aged 20, said: “SecondLife will give us excellent experience inprofessional practice and will effectivelyact as a preliminary run for our final yeardegree show exhibition. Through thisprocess we will learn negotiation anddecision-making skills, experience withcommunicating outside contacts,marketing and promoting.”Kimberley Greene, originally from Runcornand aged 20, said: “I feel the Second Lifeproject is beneficial to any blossoming

Team Win Chris Cockerill, Alex Nelson, AimeeGosden, Ela Mueller, Louise White and Lucy Taylor.

Danny Noyes’ exhibition at Chester University

photography or art student, as it allows usto work with real artists as and learn aboutadvertising and publicity, which is not onlygreat practice for our third year final projectbut also for in years to come when we’reout in the real world, trying to exhibit andsell our work.

“The networking skills we learn in thesefew weeks will be essential to us as weprogress in our careers. From this project Ihope to gain more confidence inpromoting my own work.”

Carl Jones, originally from Stevenage andaged 20, added: “Because I play videogames a lot, the concept of Second Lifefeels a bit more natural to me as I’m sodesensitized to the virtual world. It’sinteresting trying to describe and show thisconcept to people who have never

experienced Second Life. They become

completely blown away by the idea of

showing real life work in a digital world.

“For a young artists such as myself

Second Life presents a fantastic

opportunity not only to gain exposure and

feedback on our work from an outsiders’

perspective, but it also gives us the

necessary skills to work as a team and

how to run a real life exhibition ourselves.”

To attend the exhibition as a guest, email

c.millward@chester.ac.uk, and to find out

more about the Second Life Exhibition visit

www.slel.co.uk which has been designed

and built by the

students to promote

the event. I would also

suggest to IM

ChrisC(1990) in

secondlife for an invite.

Random Viollita is a transgender andmulti-personality in real life and lives hersecond life in much the same way. Shehas three personalities in second Life:Random Villota, Random Demina andMidnight Fenwitch. A sufferer ofdepression and suicidal ideation sincechildhood she still has the time andcompassion to bring attention totransgender suicide and transgender hatecrimes. Her alter Random Demina and afriend created the Transgender Suicideand Hate Crimes Memorial, here inSecond Life. A poet and sometimespainter, I sat down with Random for a oneon one.

DN: So tell me about the memorial.

RV: The transgender suicide and hatecrimes memorial was first built inNovember of 2007. It was a collaborativeeffort of Gwen Collins, and RandomDemina. It was moved in January of 2010,to the Aloha Dreams sim, where it stayedfor a short time before moving to itspermanent home in Hejira. The purpose ofthe memorial is to honour Transgenderpeople who have died as a result of anti-Transgender violence, or who have takentheir own lives, unable to cope with the

societal pressures, all transgender peopleface today.DN: How has the second life publicresponded to the memorial has it beenpositive?RV: It’s a mixed response. We hear a lot ofpositive feedback, thank you notes, andinstant messages.DN: And the negative? Is it as it is in RLwithout the physical though?RV: Well, each year we hold a memorialservice, in conjunction with theTransgender Day of Remembrance vigilsthat take place on every November 20th.We often have griefer attacks andoccasionally people show up at the site,and make disparaging remarks abouttransfolk. Two I remember specifically,showed up, and said it was an alter toSatan. Although, I can’t say anyone hasdied leaving a vigil in SL.DN: So you are a pre-op transgender, whatis that like emotionally for you?RV: Emotionally, it can be very rough.DN: In what way?RV: Well, especially when I’m interested insomeone romantically. It’s not often I find apartner who is able to handle a womanwith extra bits. Aside from that, I’m treated

Random Vi l lo ta One on Onewith Danny Noyes

fairly well- not many people can tell I’mtransgender in RL. I just look like a very tallwoman.DN: Depression I would imagine plays apart too as it does with most peoplewaiting on an extraordinary event?RV: Depression can get serious. I battlesuicidal thoughts on a near constant basis.DN: Are you being treated for this?RV: No. I live in the States, medical care isvery expensive, and the majority of peoplein the transgender community live wellbelow the poverty line.DN: So again another stigma forcespeople to live third world existences. Howhave you coped with employmentRV: I do what I can. Small jobs here andthere, cleaning, and I work on computers .Itis definitely a third world existence.DN: So what was the main reason youdecided to launch the memorial?RV: Personal experience, mainly. Yearsago, I was at the Asago suicide memorial.It’s a memorial here in SL, for suicide

victims. I realized something needed to bedone for the transgender community andthe 9th annual day of remembrance wasapproaching, so Gwen and I decided toopen in conjunction with that. We shiftedthe main focus from suicide to hatecrimes. Again, it needed to be done. Nosimilar memorial exists in the real world, orSL

DN: Can we move to the otherpersonalities. Are they only for SL or dothey exist in RL?

RV: Both.

DN: So how does that effect things?

RV: Things get a bit hectic.

DN: Are they happy with the operationpending?

RV: The male personas have faded intothe background. My early traumas aredirectly linked to a feminine identity. Theyexisted more to shield us from the outsideworld, than anything else. Basically, theyhid us. When they were no longer needed,they stepped aside.

I've plenty of tears.. But I'm all Out offears..Can't wait to see the other side..I'm holding on to all I have..When only my heart remains..and standing at the end of the road..I'd give you the world.. If I had it togive..but only my heart remains..I have a little piece to spare...and if you need me... I'll be there..You'll find me at the end of the road..

DN: I see. So do you create or are youartistic in any form?

RV: I like to think so. I write poetry andwhen I can, I paint.

DN: So how has your experience in SLbeen in relation to your RL conditions andlife in general?

RV: SL vs RL? Real life is a lot harsher. Ibelieve people in SL tend to find meenjoyable, attractive, and intelligent whilepeople in the real world tended to avoidme earlier in transition. So, I wasostracized, considerably.

DN: Do u use SL as a treatment tool fordepression?

RV: I do find support for depression here inSL, as well as what I can provide to it. It’salso a great outlet for my Alters.

DN: Yes so it is beneficial. You know I askthat question of everyone and they allcome back with similar positive answer.

RV: Primarily, I use SL as a tool forcommunity outreach.

DN: And it is good for that?

RV: We have an outreach centreconnected to the memorial, for peoplewho seek help or information.

DN: Who is that aimed at?

RV: Honestly, anyone interested in thetransgender experience. Whether it issomeone who has a family member whois transgender, a partner, a friend, or if theyare coping with transition themselves.

DN: Well, you know I have to ask thisbecause I’m also curious, do you get a lotof guys wanting to know intimate detailsabout you?

RV: OMG, yes lol. Is it still there? Does itwork? What was your name before youstarted living as a woman?

DN: lol so I see you take it all in your stride.

RV: My answer is generally, that my realname is Rhionnan Elizabeth Walters and ifyou need to know the state of my genitals,I suggest you buy me dinner first.

DN: It’s been a real delight Random.Thanks for talking with me.

RV: You’re Welcome, Danny.

The Avatar 300 Project is moving alongnicely thanks to the support of JaymeCarolina who published an article on thegallery, in Pure Magazine.Thanks to some first life contacts we are ina position to announce that negotiationsare underway with a Sydney University toauction the finished canvas at a fund

raiser to raise

funds for a

Psychology or

Psychiatric

student to

further his or

her study into

mental illness.

So please get

out there and

pass along the

information to your friends and any groups

you belong to.

Please note this is not a modelling

competition as someone enquired , and

thanks to that person who decided not to

participate after being told it wasn’t...

anyhow just to refresh everyone’s memory

here is the previous article about the

project.

The avatar Project is a collaborative effort

between TAMI Second Life and the

founders of TAMI Real Life. The project

involves painting the images of 300

The Avatar 300 Project

avatars from second life and producing

them on a large canvas that can be

exhibited in the real world.

“The idea behind this project is to highlight

two things. Firstly to shine another

spotlight on Bipolar and mental health in

general and secondly, to espouse the

virtues of a virtual life.

The project requires 300 images of avatars

to be painted in real life and produced for

exhibition and auctioned to raise funds for

further education into mental illness. If you

would like to be involved please leave an

image of yourself on a notecard and

deliver it to Longwood /63/36/22

Please ensure the following is on the

card.

Your name

a head and shoulders shot

No couple shots.

No props, including hats jewellery etc

Plain background

All participants will receive a free copy of

the finished painting for second life and a

copy of their original picture for second life.

When mental illness strikes, it is usuallysurrounded by confusion and isolation.Support groups can provide anopportunity to talk with other people whohave “been there” and who understandwhat you are facing. In a support group, members provideeach other with various types of help,usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial,for a particular shared, usuallyburdensome, characteristic. The help maytake the form of providing and evaluatingrelevant information, relating personalexperiences, listening to and acceptingothers' experiences, providing sympatheticunderstanding and establishing socialnetworks. A support group may also workto inform or engage in advocacy. After much deliberation we decided toform a new group that would have a more

significant and relevant presence insecond life. The SL Group for mentalillness is a support group consisting ofindividuals who deal with mentalillness,family members of people who livewith mental illness, friends, andprofessionals. A group of people withcommon experiences and concerns whoprovide emotional and moral support forone another .The group does not offerprofessional advise and meets in apleasant surrounding each week todiscuss all sorts of topics that may or maynot relate to mental illness. The aim of thegroup is to engage in dialogue that willpromote communication skills to peoplewho have found that t those skills havebeen diminished through thoughts ofshame and hopelessness bought aboutby the illness. Search under Groups to join.

New Support Group For T.A .M. Iby Danny Noyes

A young real life researcher asked aquestion about Psychological Support inSL in the SL Forums. The response wasquite astounding and most of theresponses were from people who didn’tsuffer any mental illnesses at all. I hadparticipated in this young personsresearch and found it helpful and frankly, ifI can help in the further research into anyof these illnesses I will. I was quite pissedat the ill informed replies to the post fromthese people that I responded. Followingis my response:

I have been involved with SL since 2005,periodically leaving and returning, as mostdo. I have been diagnosed with bipolaraffective disorder with suicidal ideation.That basically means that in mydepressed episodes I constantly thinkabout and plan the taking of my own life.Whilst in this state I fool myself intowaiting “just one more hour, if you still feelthe same then do it”, until finally thefeeling passes. It can take days for thefeeling to subside and after this I amtotally drained of energy. As hard as I trythough, sleep does not come easy.Another thing I do when the dark thoughtscome is to paint. I use digital art to ridethe feelings out and when I start to paint I

seem to paint as fast and as detailed as Ican. The feelings pass after concentratingon small areas for considerable lengths oftime. So how did I get to this point....? Iwas diagnosed with this despicableillness in September 2010 at the ripe oldage of 52. But wait there's more.Apparently I have had this illness for thepast 14 years or so, and have gonethrough that part of my life with nomedication no guidance no support andno knowledge. I just thought I was thecause of everything that was going wrongin my life, my marriage, my work, mykids..........etc etc.

Psychological Support inSecond L i fe

Understanding. That is the key. But mostdon’t. I have a relative who had enquiredof my doctor after I was diagnosed withbipolar affective disorder with suicidalideation, ‘so... does that mean he has amental illness? ”. I kid you not.

I hate being a conversation starter atladies craft groups or being offered ‘nonprofessional’ opinions on how to ‘beat it’or my favourite, ‘pull yourself out of it’.

Adding a diagnosis or prognosis, or acause or a presumption of how thishappened is the underpinning of all thatis misunderstood or not understood aboutmental illness. What I’ve found is peoplethink they know all about your condition,in fact, all mental health issues. How?.....Bylistening to other people with the sameassumptions with no factual knowledge atall.

Everything that people say in their lunchrooms or dinner parties, out and about ineveryday conversation about so and so’smental condition, effects all parts of aperson with these conditions life.

Whatever you discuss, whatever youropinion is, will be disseminated tosomeone else, have their spin on it andthen passed on again. Pretty soon whatstarted as conjecture and assumptionbecomes fact, in the eyes of those withlittle understanding.

These ‘facts’, affect our employmentprospects, our social interactions, ourrelationships, and our ability to see thelight at the end of the tunnel. Instead, a lotof us only see that bright light at the endof the tunnel, calling our name. ‘Facts’ thatare being perpetuated until those solesafflicted and exhausted of will, believethose ‘facts’ themselves.

So I re-entered SL not to fall deeper into afantasy world that I could easily letconsume me but to seek others like me.And I found them. Hundreds of them, ofus. We all use this platform as a treatmenttool as our own research tool not fordiagnosis. Crickey, my own 3 doctorshave even asked me to prepare a paperfor them so they can look at commendingSL to their other patients, such has beenthe improvement in me.

I have found that unlike real life I can helppeople like me in SL. However, I have lostmost of my skill sets that you all take forgranted in your every day lives.Conversations, humour even feelings ofintimacy can be rediscovered in a safeenvironment like second life. That is how Ihave progressed, through learning again,those skills in SL and slowly introducingthem to real life. So for those of you whopoo poo the idea of researchers askingquestions about SL/RL remember, nopersonal information is given out. They

have only known me as Danny Noyes. Ihave participated in many over the lastfew months including Agnepolder’s. Andbesides I don’t care who knows about me.If I stay hidden the disease wins again,and I’ve had enough of loosing. I want toshow myself so that others may want tojoin me.

I’ve read in the forums yet again todaycomplaints about Lindens doing so andso to the viewer and causing lag etc etc.Hardly a day goes by when someone elsedoesn’t complain. Lindens should becongratulated and thanked for providing

this type of environment for people likeme to try and gain their lives back. I bet inthat warehouse on Linden Alley whereLinden World began, they never though itcould be used in such a positive,beneficial way for people suffering mentalhealth issues, an opinion that has beenexpressed to me more often in the pastfew weeks.

I am by no means cured. I am on the roadto a better life style thanks, in part to thesupport and encouragement of kindredsouls in here. That's what I’m grateful for.

A poor young Psychology student startedthis thread. Why because he wants tohelp. He has chosen to spend his adultworking life helping others cope.

And in asking for help to begin thatjourney, what does he get...

Read all of the above posts in this forum.

Understanding is the key, that's why Istarted the Art of Mental Illness art gallery.

We are launching a new section nextmonth Comments, Letters and Feedback.So we encourage you to email, notecardor IM any comments and feedback youmay have about the gallery, the retreat orthe magazine. Here are some of thecomments we have received over thepast few weeks.

Your work is amazing!! I am fasicanated bythe project you have mentioned....it hasbeen a pleasure working on this piece forT.A.M.I. Warmest Regards, Jayme CarolinaCo Owner and Editor in Chief - PureMagazine

Gina Broono : Thank you , I cannot believehow fast you did this, it is wonderful andthank you so much, so very much .Please letme know how I could be of ANY help at all

Suella Ember: Hi Danny :) Thanks for mypainting - it's wonderful. I think the wholeidea, and the art of mental illness galleryitself, is great. Keep up the good work :)

New Sect ions .

Anzac Day, for friends overseas, is a national day of remembrance in Australia and NewZealand, and is commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honourmembers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli inTurkey during World War I.

Anzac day in the year I was turning 15. I had been taken to my mother’s cousin’s work forthe day. He had to drive a truck somewhere and one of his colleagues’ drove a Ute behindus to return him to where we picked the truck up. After we delivered the truck we stopped offat a pub. Of course, it’s Anzac Day, a public holiday, beer with the vets, two-up, it’s what youdo. Being 15, I was left in the Ute to amuse myself with the radio, blaring out its a.m. midseventies glam rock, fiddling with the two way radio that obviously didn’t work. The day wasa typical autumn day. Clear, crisp, fresh.I saw him coming in the side view mirror but I didn’t take much notice. He looked a frail oldman with a chest full of medals a big bunch of rosemary clamped to his jacket lapel. Ileaned forward to change the channel on the radio and then ...he was there ....just there, atthe window. “Come and have a drink with an old Rat from Tobruk” he said.  “No, no I’mnot”....and before I could get anything else out he grabbed me. He placed his hand in mycrotch and started to grope whilst pinning me down against the back of the seat with hiselbow. I was pushing as hard as I could because he was blocking off my airway. I managedto get a scream out and with that he let go and ran off. I don’t know why but I grabbed themicrophone of the two-way and started screaming for help into it ....I locked all the doors andwound the window up and sat there until they came outof the pub. It was a while.......I don’t know why but I havenever told anyone that episode until recently. That’s why,to this day, I hate Anzac Day. It reminds me of thatbastard. I can still smell him and hear him. It’s lookingback on episodes like this in my life I realized I needed todeal with them for me to move on through this conditionand find a place on the other side of the darkness. Therearen’t many of these in my life but they would turn out tobe significant. Most of my artwork reflects these momentsin my life.

The Metamorphosis

of Danny Noyes (par t 1)

a r t s h o w c a s e

This section is for any artist to publicise their work.It does not have to be shown at The Art of MentalIllness art gallery or be produced by artists with mentalhealth issues.

Suella Ember Midnight Fenwitch

To submit your artwork, please contact Danny Noyes.

dannynoyes@theartofmentalillness.com.au

More artwork from the

Avatar 300 Project.

Jinx

Angelika Adagio

Ipkiss Igaly Gamp Lane

Caffinelover Selona

Aisza Seranno

exhibitions & events

Meditation

O u r r e g u l a r l i s t i n g o f f o r t h c o m i n g e v e n t s

June 11th Yoga 4am - 5am

SLT

The SL Group for Mental

Illness - Retreat.

Longwood (57, 5, 21)

June 11th Mental Illness

Support

Group

5am - 6am

SLT

The SL Group for Mental

Illness - Retreat.

Longwood (57, 5, 21)

June 18th Meditation 4am - 5am

SLT

The SL Group for Mental

Illness - Retreat.

Longwood (57, 5, 21)

June 18th Mental Illness

Support

Group

5am - 6am

SLT

The SL Group for Mental

Illness - Retreat.

Longwood (57, 5, 21)

June 24th Yoga 4am - 5am

SLT

The SL Group for Mental

Illness - Retreat.

Longwood (57, 5, 21)

June 25th Mental Illness

Support

Group

5am - 6am

SLT

The SL Group for Mental

Illness - Retreat.

Longwood (57, 5, 21)

Meditation is generally presented in three broadcategories, they are concentration, mindfulness,and contemplation and all are forms of mindtraining. Meditation is about making friends withyourself, learning to see what is just as it is, freeingyourself from reactive conditioning. This liberatingaspect of meditation is recognized in a varied ofways, from purely psychological and secular todeeply spiritual and religious.

Meditation is not an active process of thinking, it isreducing the waves of thought until the surface ofthe mind is calm and purusha, or pureconsciousness is able to shine through.Everything an individual does in the course offollowing the principles from the “eight limbs” hasa greater purpose, which is to set the conditionsfor us to transcend the limitations imposed by ourmind and our senses, and allow us to dissolve theboundaries that serve to separate us from our truenature.

One of the key differences between meditation

and relaxation is that the first requires physical

stillness and alertness to create mental focus and

access our unconscious mind. The latter is a way

of ‘switching off’, of withdrawing from the world

and releasing tension of the body and mind. Both

practices can induce an alpha brainwave pattern,

but meditation is able to place the mind in a more

subdued theta state (normally experienced in

sleep). Much of the sense of relaxation comes

from conscious release of all physical tension – a

pleasurable sensation for most of us. This requires

little focus after the initial phase, whereas in

meditation the preferred upright posture aids

mental focus. There is often a focus on sense

withdrawal (pratyahara) in relaxation practices, and

this is a skill needed for meditation too.

ADVERT HEREContact us by email to have your

group listed here. Any group may

be listed here. Some conditions

apply. It is free to list your group

with us.

Eventually the magazine will

devote a section to groups and

will highlight a particular group

each month.

List Your Group Here

contacts

T o s u b s c r i b e t o T h e G a l l e r y , p l e a s e u s e t h es u b s c r i p t i o n k i o s k a t

T h e A r t o f M e n t a l I l l n e s s a r t g a l l e r y a thttp://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Longwood/63/36/22

T h e G a l l e r y37 Van Gogh Drive

Longwood 63 36 22

All Enquires, can be made through

Danny Noyes at

dannynoyes@theartofmentalillness.com.au