The Chapel Perilous

Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome to the Theatre of Madness, the Long Dark Night of the Soul, the Gorge of Eternal Peril, where nothing is what it seems and one false step could lead to you losing your soul or your mind!!! (theatrical organ music and maniacal laughter)

Strictly speaking, of course, and ideally you will have lost your mind already if you are here. A full blown psychotic episode or a really good case of paranoid schizophrenia will really enhance your appreciation of this site and make you feel at home.

"This is the way, step inside"
Joy Division, 'Isolation'

"Theatre For Madmen Only. Price of admission, your mind"
Herman Hesse, 'Steppenwolf'

"The only path to Heaven is via Hell"
The The, 'Good Morning, Beautiful'

The Chapel Perilous is the mythical home of the Holy Grail, sought by the knights of 14th century Arturian romance but it is also a state of mind. It is the state of confusion that occurs when your rational view of the world is broken; broken by drugs, by various aesthetic practices or by so-called mental illness. The degree of confusion depends on the individual's previous training or experience and his surprise at finding themselves in this state.

Carl Jung and R. D. Laing both believed that this condition, often described as psychosis in today's terms and depending on its degree, was not necessarily a sign of illness to be surpressed but could be an enormously positive experience for the individual that could lead to break throughs of emotional and spritual healing or insight.

So what's the purpose of this little folly? Perhaps to rescue you or perhaps to push you over the brink. Or merely to entertain you, make some connections and share other's stories of their journey on the path...

"Playing the game of reality with no real cards in one's hand"
R. D. Laing. Bird of Paradise

Sources:

	The Quantity Theory of Insanity Will Self amazon.co.uk amazon.com		Great Apes Will Self amazon.co.uk amazon.com
	Diary of a Madman Nikolai Gogol amazon.co.uk amazon.com		Steppenwolf Herman Hesse amazon.co.uk amazon.com
	12 Monkeys Terry Gilliam amazon.co.uk amazon.com		The Fisher King Terry Gilliam amazon.co.uk amazon.com
	Isolation Joy Division amazon.co.uk amazon.com		The Holy Grail Monty Python amazon.co.uk amazon.com
	One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Ken Kesey amazon.co.uk amazon.com		Bird of Paradise R. D. Laing amazon.co.uk amazon.com
	Good Morning Beautiful The The amazon.co.uk amazon.com