Psitarron

Well said and excellently articulated.

Materialism is a form of philosophical monism that holds that matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. --- Now that we have the definition, I'll establish some of my personal parameters to contextualize my reply. - I am an anti-theist. - I find organized religion repellant in every way. Nothing inherent within them requires invocation of mythology. Truth does not require belief, it proves its validity via evidence. To invoke the concept of mythology stops inquiry into the unknown. This is the primary reason that I find religions utterly repellant. "oh look that' just happened? what is it??" - then some zealot comes along and says "oh that's god's will or god did this or that, or whatever." - it's a narrative fiction to shut down inquiry and establish an authoritarian regime built on lies and pain. Now - as to the concept of a higher power, there are many higher powers. To the fish, the fisherman is a higher power. To the fisherman, the police are a higher power. To the police the mayor is a higher power. To the mayor, the senator is a higher power. etc. etc. I prefer to expolore the world in which I find myself without the colored lens of propaganda or mythology. The beauty of psychadelic mushrooms is that you have an opportunity to experience heightened states of being and spirituality directly. There is no snake oil peddler standing between you and that experience. The only one standing between you and what is possible is yourself. I prefer the mystery, the unknown and the majesty of exploration. For example, I started using mushrooms to heal myself. I took a weekly slightly increasing dose over the course of two months. During this time, I was able to correct the depression I was grappling with, become aware of discord and imbalances in my state of being and make corrective actions to improve my live, my mind, and my existence. Near the end of that healing phase, I took a larger dose and encountered what I refer to as the voice of the mushroom. - Those of a mythological bent would not see this as a hyperdimensional being but would shut down inquiry and label the unknown into the known with three appalling little letters. They would not inquire, experiment, converse, learn or be open to a dialogue. I don't blame them, for they are following their nature, which has been shaped by the indoctrination and environment in which they grew up. I however, chose a different path. I prefer evidence, experimentation and experience. If the experience is valid, experimentation will yeild evidence. If not, then the experiment was flawed or the experience is invalid. The mushroom is a sacred plant that is more than a plant. It is connected to a sentient mind that exists outside of normal three dimensional space. When one ingests mushrooms, the perceptions and holographic world our brain presents to us is pealed back. For a brief moment we are able to sense ourselves in a higher dimensional plane. It is quite reasonable to assert that the core of ourselves exists also in this higher dimensional state and it's shadow into three dimensional space is what we percieve as our physical bodies. Suppose for a moment that a fish sees a fly just above the water, and then rushes up to the surface to catch it, leaping out of the water. Now let's say, that the fish lands into a rowboat with a fisherman that happend to be there. It would be incorrect for the fish to call the fisherman god simply because the fish is ignorant of the world above the one he knows. - Yet some fish are curious. Some fish evolve the capacity to expolre above the water and eventually make that world thier own. Metaphorically speaking, there are parallels to our own history here. Be careful when you ask others for "truth." it is often subjective and will stop the inquiry process. If you want to find the truth, find your own truth. The mushroom is always willing to commune with those seeking a relationship and there's a reason they are referred to as teachers. *oh and as for the other comment in the thread - I have never felt better, happier, or filled with more purpose than I currently am.

I have looked into getting drums to extend the psychadelic meditation state. I'll be giving that a try quite soon.

After reading about the Yaqui way of knowledge - A book I was turned onto while listenting to a Terence McKenna lecture. He referred to this first book as brilliant and that Castaneda was a geinus. - He also gave the caveat, that after the first book, the guy had to make a living so the context and quality of the following books diminishes. - I found this to be true after reading them. If you or any other decides to read the book, or listen via youtube Audiobook, you will see the difference for yourself. There are descriptions that suggest access to entities and places that exist outside of classical space as we know it. Doorways that lead to other worlds, hyperdimensional entities that exist outside of our perceptual reality. The use of spiritual tendrils to extend the form and ability of humans to interact with non ordinary reality. There is description of shamans in the past having regular access to these higher dimensions and that one, if so inclined can walk between these worlds. There is also a wide variety of beings described by the teachings of the Yaqui that go beyond, just "ancestor spirits". There are descriptions of guardians that stand between this realm and tunnels that lead to other worlds. Guardians that the shaman must pass before access and travel into these areas can be obtained. Having encountered one such hyperdimensional entity during a meditation session. The entity I refer to as the voice of the mushroom. It lends possibility and credence to the notion that there may be more out there. As for techniques, the Yaqui had a primitive method of defense and offense, which was used to assert intent against entities or other shamans that intended to harm the practitioner. In the end, intent and resolve solidify in non ordinary reality as they sort of become the hands we use to interact with that level. I will of course be discussing this in detail with the voice of the mushroom as even these early shamans from generations past must have learned the techniques from somewhere. I just thought it might be useful to see if anyone else had methods to solidify their spiritual intent for the purposes of interacting with hyperdimensional entities. Taking additional psychadelics, is not what I meant. - The ally I use to attain access is the mushroom. The Yaqui use various substances, but there are many paths, and the important thing is only, to choose a path with heart as one proceeds forward as a warrior on the Yaqui way of knowledge. -- On shamanism in general, there are very few tribes left in existence that practice psychadelic shamanism and each varies slightly. my interest was one born from a spirit of adventure and curiosity. If there is validity to the practice, I will find out for myself.

- How much? enough to have an effect, but not enough to induce madness or death. - If that's the case, I'd say overall chaos of the system would increase. One cannot force enlightenment or personal development upon others simply with the addition of psychadelic substances. Many in the world are trapped within self constructed bubbles and contact with psychadelics is not a sure way to have them increase awareness of the world or their personal place in it. I think likely, it would induce greater fear and so, induce deeper entrenchment into already preheld beliefs. In my opinion - It's those preheld beliefs that already cause suffering and death for many in the world and that would be amplified proprotionally as a result of such an occurrence.

Is anyone here working on their own shamanic techniques and practices? - I've used mushrooms to great efficacy in healing my body and mind of depresson as well as my personal addictions to food and tobacco. I'm currently working on improving my psysical health so that my mental health and physical health are in a state of balance. During my mushroom sessions which are almost exclusivelyl held in solitiude and with ritualized ceremony and intent, I have grown an interest in developing my own shamanic practices. I realize this will be an ongoing process, but I am curious to know if anyone else is trying to develop thier own relationship with the mushrooms to explore the furthest edges of our reality. My personal experiences while developing my relationship with the mushroom have been life changing and quite profound. It can also at times, be terrifying and quite challenging. Many of the challenges stem from ignornace and feeling my way along in the dark. Each mushroom experience I have is used to improve my life. To bring my state of being into balance and harmony with the world around me. It feels like I am consolidating the essence of my being and shedding that which runs counter to the balance. Purifying and condensing my awareness and resolve. During this process, I have cleaned out my psychologial plumbing and feel quite centered; more like myself than I have in quite some time. I have an interest in developing psychic tools and practices to aid the expoloration of deeper waters. I've read most recently a book describing the Yaqui way of knowledge. A book that describes some accounts of Yaqui shamanism. Before my current state of being, I would have dismissed some of the accounts as being purely fictional or delusional. However, my personal experiences with the mushroom have shattered that self imposed fiction. I am interested to know if anyone else has made progress developing thier own shamanc techniques and what the events or circumstances were regarding implementation of those techniques. #Mushlove