Author Topic: Touched by Fire  (Read 8969 times)

paulm

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Touched by Fire
« on: November 20, 2014, 09:40:57 am »
Hello Everyone. The Touched by Fire art show(an MDAO initiative) is coming up on Dec3rd. I don't think I'm going to be able to make it, but it is usually a good show. for more details http://www.touchedbyfire.co/   

 Entrance is free, but they do ask for a donation http://www.touchedbyfire.co/attend-the-show/ 
  Take Care. paul m

Dragonfly

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Re: Touched by Fire
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2014, 04:09:13 pm »
Thanks for the info Paul. Unfortunately I hardly drive so I wouldn't be able to attend. Looks interesting though.

I was wondering if you could clear something up for me Paul. I don't know how the term "Touched by Fire" applies to mentally ill people. Does that refer to the mania part of mental illness. I don't get it.

Dragonfly

paulm

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Re: Touched by Fire
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2014, 12:46:40 am »
Hello Dragonfly. To be honest I don't really know. I do know that for many years people with a mental illness who have a creative side to them have been said to have been touched by fire.

 Although it has often came to mean someone with bipolar because of  Kay Redfield Jamison's book Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament. However the term originated long before that and certainly can be attributed to any mental illness.
 
 In the case of the art show Touched by Fire, it was started by John Burghardt  whose daughter had the potential to be a brilliant artist and who suffered from bipolar.

 John talks about his daughter and at one point says " Gradually, the demons in her life overcame the happy times and the creative moments. In July 2005, Rebecca chose to end the battle by taking her own life.  see  http://www.touchedbyfire.co/1607-2/ 

 I have often heard of demons of hell touching those of us with a mental illness. Is this how the term touched with fire got started? I don't know, I can find no specific reference to it.

 For more about John's and Rebecca's story, please also see http://mymentalhealthmap.com/MDAO/Stories.aspx#Story_2    Take Care. paul m p.s if you click on the last link and then scroll down the page some you will find an interesting guy LOL.

LuckyLou

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Re: Touched by Fire
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2014, 08:03:11 am »
thanks for sharing Paul! And I found your story uplifting!
Love is the reason!

Dragonfly

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Re: Touched by Fire
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2014, 12:04:23 pm »
Paul your story is very inspiring. You are  always a great help to us on the forum.

Dragonfly  :-*

paulm

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Re: Touched by Fire
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2014, 10:23:09 pm »
Thx Dragonfly and LuckyLou. Everyon on here has helped me a lot too, so thx for being here for me as well. Take Care. paul m