Spiritual enlightenment

[Rhizomorph13]

I'll spare the forum my drug induced fantasies. Jed's last name makes me think of Terrance McKenna who wrote a cool book on modern shamanism. In it he gave a very practical guide on how to make ayahuasca (also known as yage) with extract from syrian rue (source of harmaline a monoamine oxidase inhibitor) mixed with extract from canary reed grass (source of dimethyltryptamine). I never got around to making the stuff but both plants are readily available in Oregon. Terrance is a self styled shaman who is both a mystic and a skeptic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_McKenna

http://www.stariq.com/Main/Articles/P0001038.htm

I've given up my pursuit of enlightenment in favor of my pursuit of money.

Rhizo

[theVOID]

Whenever someone associates Enlightenment with drugs i have to think they're fucking nuts. I have some friends in the psychedelic scene here who get swamped with Acid, Shrooms and Ketamine who take that approach, they seem to have completely forgotten that they just overloaded their senses with chemicals and instead act as though they have uncovered some truth during a period of time in which they were flopping around on a dancefloor with 300 other acid-head zombies...

Personally i just take psychedelics because they're fun, i make sure all intellectual pursuits are done in the confines of sobriety.


Been thinking a lot about this topic as of late, thanks to purple rabbit, and i have come to the conclusion that:

Spirituality = Mental/Emotional wellbeing + Mysticism

In the sense that their achievements in the area are no more than wellbeing but their perception of why they achieved their wellbeing borders on fantasy. Would anyone agree with that statement?

[fr0d0]

Terrance is a self styled shaman who is both a mystic and a skeptic.

A mystic skeptic huh.

---

I think it is a kind of claim that is even harder to get rid of than traditional religion involving one or more gods. When all the cartoon religions with hells, heavens, angels, virgin, snakes and apples have dwindled into oblivion, this may be the kind of religion we will still be left with.

I think this is your 'religion' Rabbit. I think true skepticism goes deeper than this. Scraping away the bullshit is good.

[Purple Rabbit]

Tell us about true skepticism frød. We're all ears.

[fr0d0]

Mah - said it before... basically atheism is stripping away the bullshit to reveal the real shit goin down inside us - our real needs. It's a search for truth outside this sham we call faith.

[Purple Rabbit]

Yes, that was about atheism and the sham of faith. And now true skepticism frød, give it a try. This is your chance to shed light on it once and forever.

[fr0d0]

What is 'true skepticism' then? ...I was using the term 'Atheism' in an effort to generously encompass that.

[Purple Rabbit]

Is your memory is failing you frød. You haven't been drinking tonight, have you?

You said: "I think true skepticism goes deeper than this."

Well, it suggests to me you have some DEEP knowledge of true skepticism here. Please do enlighten us.

[fr0d0]

None more than I've already imparted Rab. Well, not that I'm telling anyway

[Purple Rabbit]

Well, I think your coming out as a true skeptic will have to wait a little longer than.

Take your time dear chap.