The Joyful Schizophrenic: A Sunday at The Wheel

On a warm and luminous Sunday afternoon, April 12th, 2026, I had the privilege of speaking at The Wheel, an in‑person gathering created and lovingly stewarded by Betty Guadagno—a dynamic YouTuber, a woman in long‑term recovery, and a guide for many who walk the path of spiritual seeking. The room held nearly thirty people: mystics, meditators, healers, and the simply curious. It was a space humming with anticipation, openness, and the quiet hope that something meaningful might unfold.

I began with a simple question: “By a show of hands, who is feeling anxious right now?”
A surprising number of hands rose. Before diving into anything as vulnerable as psychosis, I wanted us grounded—together—in calm. So we engaged in a playful but powerful visualization: imagining ropes or dark, inky strands of anxiety being pulled out of our bodies and tossed aside. For two minutes, the room moved in unison, releasing tension through imagination and shared intention. Then we breathed together: in through the nose, hold for five, slow exhale through the mouth. Four rounds. The energy shifted palpably. Shoulders dropped. Eyes softened. We were ready.

With the room settled, I introduced the topic of psychosis—hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking—and asked how many had ever experienced something like it. Several hands went up. What struck me was how few had ever encountered psychiatric care. Two people had psychiatrists. One woman, who openly identified as having schizophrenia, is just one month away from earning her medical degree—already holding a PhD. Another man described hearing frightening, demeaning voices and taking an antipsychotic, yet he had never been given a formal diagnosis. Others were simply spiritual explorers who had brushed up against unusual states of consciousness.

After the talk, a woman approached me and admitted she hadn’t expected to enjoy a presentation about mental illness. She had come for stories of spiritual awakening and near‑death experiences. But she told me she found the talk down‑to‑earth, engaging, and unexpectedly illuminating. She even expressed interest in visiting Fountain House to meet more people living with mental health diagnoses. That is how stigma dissolves—not through argument, but through contact, curiosity, and shared humanity.

The afternoon continued with generosity and connection. One attendee offered me a free chiropractic‑spiritual adjustment. Another volunteered to teach meditation and healing practices to Fountain House members. A widower spoke about the loneliness of losing his best friend—his wife—and I invited him into our community. And one man was nearly overwhelmed by the synchronicities he experienced after I mentioned Yogananda and Autobiography of a Yogi, a book that famously influenced The Beatles’ spiritual journey.

If you’re drawn to spiritual growth, community, or simply hearing the real stories of everyday people navigating extraordinary experiences—psychic gifts, meditation, mystical states—I would be glad to connect you with Betty and The Wheel, as well as our weekly Zoom spirituality group.

You can reach me at daniel.frey@fountainhouse.org or by text at 929‑884‑3564.

Life is a mystery. The human experience is a gift meant to be explored. And it is always richer when explored together.