Hearing Voices Network

Have you ever heard a voice when no one was there? Do you see things, sense presences or energies that others don't seem to notice?

This new group is just getting established. It will be more than just another group about mental health. It is for those who wish to travel and explore beyond usual everyday experiences in search of that elusive quality sometimes called purpose and meaning of life. This is something desperately needed in todays increasingly impoverished and fragmented world. This group is for writers, artists, musicians, mystics, curious minds and everyday explorers of consciousness. You don’t have to be mad to join us but a little bit probably helps.

For centuries, these kinds of experiences have inspired spiritual inquiry, philosophy, artistic creation and scientific exploration. They are experiences to be explored, not evidence of a brain disease or defects to be silenced or cured.

These experiences can sometimes cause considerable distress, often through fear, stigma, ridicule or being misunderstood. With understanding, guidance and practice, however, people can learn to manage their experiences and explore their potential for spirituality, personal insight, creative expression and the exploration of consciousness.

History is full of people who have described their inspiration in terms of voices, visions, muses or unusual experiences. Examples include musicians and songwriters John Lennon, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; scientists Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr; writers and filmmakers J.K. Rowling and George Lucas; and figures such as Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Socrates, Descartes, Nietzsche and Rudolf Steiner.

Some people experience voices as part of their religious or spiritual lives, finding comfort, inspiration or guidance in them. Others explore unusual experiences through art, music, philosophy, writing or other creative pursuits. There is no single interpretation that everyone needs to adopt.

THE HEARING VOICES MOVEMENT
The international Hearing Voices Network (HVN) has supported people who hear voices and experience other unusual phenomena for nearly 40 years. The movement has spread across more than 30 countries, providing spaces where people can share experiences, explore their meaning and learn from one another.
Our group follows the principles and values of Intervoice and the International Hearing Voices Movement.
These include:

• Self-definition: Everyone has the right to interpret and understand their experiences in their own way, without having a psychiatric label imposed on them.
• Meaning over illness: Voices and visions can have personal meaning and may be understood in psychological, spiritual, cultural or other ways.
• Relationship and coping: The focus is on exploring our relationship with these experiences and developing ways of managing them, rather than assuming they must be eliminated.
• Lived experience first: Peer connection, mutual respect, empathy and shared exploration are central.

I am a voice hearer myself. Over time, I have learned to manage my voices and now regard them as a valuable gift rather than a liability.

A SPACE FOR EXPLORATION
We are creating an independent, self-determined space outside the medical or any other authoritarian framework. We are not here to diagnose, treat or cure one another. We are here to share stories, explore experiences, exchange ideas and find meaning in the extraordinary.

Writers, artists, musicians, mystics, curious minds and everyday explorers of consciousness are welcome. If your experiences are distressing or difficult to manage, you are equally welcome.

You don't need to share anyone else's beliefs or have a ready-made explanation for your experiences. Curiosity, mutual respect and a willingness to explore are enough.

MELBOURNE OUTER EAST — ONLINE AND IN PERSON
We meet every Wednesday evening, both online using Zoom and in person at:
Nunawading Community Hub — Meeting Room 1
96–106 Springvale Road, Nunawading, Victoria 3131
Time: Wednesdays, 7:30 pm – 9:15 pm
Our local group serves Blackburn, Box Hill, Doncaster, Donvale, Nunawading, Park Orchards, Ringwood, Vermont, Warrandyte and surrounding suburbs. The online meeting is open to people elsewhere in Australia and beyond.
You are welcome to join us online via Zoom or in person.

For further information
Phone: Tim (03) 9812 2728
email: PinkPantherMovement@gmail.com.
Website: https://pinkpantheractivists.au/wp/hearing-voices-network/