(2023-03-01, 05:17 PM)Sciborg_S_Patel Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah ultimately I think it is very hard, based on personal experience, to capture that proof for one's self.
It happens or doesn't happen based on factors we don't seem to understand. That said, pursuit of this proof seems more worthwhile than hoping the next paper will convince you.
OTOH I am wary of, say, taking psychedelics in desperation. My experience with drugs like weed are quite limited, but it was more than enough to convince me that pursuing that path was quite dangerous for the layperson compared to those who grow up in a shamanic culture.
OTH some people who meditate a lot can get pushed into deep depression. Even just using websites such as this can leave one wondering if reality exists, and that can be disorienting! I'm not sure there is a completely safe way to explore these questions.
Like you, I have only done weed (by mouth because I don't smoke). Oral cannabis seemed potentially interesting because it stays in the body longer, but I only did it about 3 times.
I'd like to try psilocybin mushrooms, but I probably never will!
Clearly there is the set and setting issue, so taking anything while desperate would be a terrible option.
I tend to feel that there is plenty of evidence that certain anomalous things happen which cannot validly be explained away.
I often wonder why these drugs are illegal for personal use. Could it be that in some combination these drugs give people access to the Akashic records? I can think of many reasons why the authorities might wish to prevent us doing that!
David
(2023-03-01, 06:21 PM)David001 Wrote: [ -> ]I often wonder why these drugs are illegal for personal use. Could it be that in some combination these drugs give people access to the Akashic records? I can think of many reasons why the authorities might wish to prevent us doing that!
David
The drugs are very, very dangerous. I had a college roommate take LSD and run wild in the neighborhood after forcing the door open despite me blocking it. (He was twice my size, glad he didn't punch me in the face!)
It took several policemen to hold him down and cuff him to the stretcher that took him to the hospital. He said he thought he had gone to Hell, and the more he tried to escape his damnation the deeper into the Pit he went...
That said, I do think that in certain therapeutic settings there is potential value for psychedelics. But just as it is foolish to "mess around" with the occult if one genuinely thinks there are spirits, cultures with actual shamanic practices seem to provide a natural training course for the mind to deal with potential "bad trips".
I still post a decent amount [about] psychedelics on here because the science is not going away and is important to the study of consciousness. But I do not advocate for careless layperson use, especially since drug dealers are not one's friends and procuring drugs from them leaves you vulnerable to whatever they cut the drugs with to save money. Just look up the people who thought they were buying ecstasy but instead got "bath salts".
Also as always recommend What's in My Baggie? ->
Quote:In 2013, five friends with no documentary experience embarked on a journey to expose the rise of dangerous substance adulteration, and provide a well-rounded critique of ineffective drug policy.
“Whats In My Baggie” Documentary Shows Us Why We Need Drug Testing Kits
Quote:The Bunk Police operate in this clandestine manner since the festival promoters can’t allow them to be there even though they are not bringing in anything that is illegal. They also have to hide their identities because of the backlash from drug dealers. Just imagine trying to help people and not be able to have any protection from law enforcement. They use test kits similar to the ones that Ankors uses at the Shambahla Music Festival in Canada.
The documentary paints a picture of the unregulated black market drug scene and the dangers that exist because of it. The absolute terror of watching these kids unwittingly buying drugs and finding out that the drugs were in fact research chemicals, PMMA, Methlydone, or bath salts would make anyone take a step back.
(2023-03-01, 04:16 PM)Sciborg_S_Patel Wrote: [ -> ]My sights are set on trying to figure out, to the extent that I can, the nature of this reality...
As
says, that's the important point... when you find it, you'll know it.
(2023-03-01, 06:25 PM)Sciborg_S_Patel Wrote: [ -> ]The drugs are very, very dangerous. I had a college roommate take LSD and run wild in the neighborhood after forcing the door open despite me blocking it. (He was twice my size, glad he didn't punch me in the face!)
This reminds me of an incident from my undergraduate days. I discovered a pill taped to the inside of my desk draw - presumably by the previous occupant. Several of us were drinking coffee, and we discussed what it was. Inevitably someone said they would like to try it. I agreed rather uncertainly, and he very solemnly swallowed the thing at the sink with a glass of water (or so I thought). We also agreed to restrain him if necessary for his own safety.
He did a brilliant act of slowly getting high, and then he shot out of my room. I started searching the college grounds looking for the guy. The others seemed much less concerned and went back to their rooms. When I finally found him, he laughed, and told me he threw the pill down the sink!
Obviously, I felt greatly relieved and we all had a good laugh.
David
(2023-03-01, 06:25 PM)Sciborg_S_Patel Wrote: [ -> ]The drugs are very, very dangerous.
Thank you. Was a rather obvious answer to the question posed.
(2023-03-01, 11:49 PM)Silence Wrote: [ -> ]Thank you. Was a rather obvious answer to the question posed.
To be fair to David, I do think there is some truth to why some drugs are regulated and some aren't...and it partly does have to do with consciousness alteration/expansion vs compliance to certain authority.
My concern is it's easy to paint drug dealers as rebels fighting "the Man" and while in isolated cases there could be some truth to this...in my experience + research it's not the case. Drug dealers are predators preying on their own community as well as deceiving the buyers, and even buyers can be quite dangerous no matter how "New Age" or "hippy" they may seem.
Even therapists are potentially dangerous (I believe this story was posted before but from a different site):
Psychedelic therapy has a sexual abuse problem
(2023-03-02, 12:14 AM)Sciborg_S_Patel Wrote: [ -> ]and it partly does have to do with consciousness alteration/expansion
I'm open to this. Any evidence?
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/5/1968
This study is pretty recent. They had a negative OBE which according to them vindicates the view that consciousness is a product of the brain, but at the same time make the philosophical statement about being unable to prove definitively this.
Edit: It seems as if the experience happened post CA, with a low Greyson score. Could it not be a "True" NDE/RED?
(2023-03-07, 04:34 PM)quirkybrainmeat Wrote: [ -> ]https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/5/1968
This study is pretty recent. They had a negative OBE which according to them vindicates the view that consciousness is a product of the brain, but at the same time make the philosophical statement about being unable to prove definitively this.
Edit: It seems as if the experience happened post CA, with a low Greyson score. Could it not be a "True" NDE/RED?
From the paper's supplementary interview materials s4 -
https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/jcm12051968/s1
Quote:Due to difficulties in breathing, case K (№ 83), a female 79 years old when the CA occurred, was
originally entered as pulmonology patient at the general hospital. The CA happened during her first
night there. She was successfully resuscitated and transferred to the emergency unit for further
treatment. During the interview 83 d later at home, she surprised her husband (who participated)
with the revelation that after losing consciousness she had the agreeable impression of a beautiful
meadow with wonderful flowers. The flowers were pink and reminded her of water lilies. Was it a
dream? No, she prefers the term ‘impression’; she was “pleased that the clinical staff was able to
produce it for her”. She likes this memory: “Now I knew: I will come back.” (See Fig. 2) Greyson point:
1 (6).
This interview for Case K (the lady who saw the flowers) provides zero evidence that this lady had any out of body experience at the hospital.
I have absolutely no idea why the authors decided to place such focus on this cases failure to recall the hidden secret target in their paper. The authors write about Case K...
Quote: For the first (and only) time, we had the suspicion that a patient made reference to one of our hidden images. The study design required our patience. Years later, after the closing of the study, we read out the presentation history. The image shown during the acute period (CA and post CA, Figure 2) had not the slightest resemblance to the scenery described by the patient. This may be seen as a negative result, but in fact it vindicated the generally accepted view that consciousness depends solely upon brain function.
The mind boggles just thinking about what goes on in the heads of the ‘researchers’ who write such fallacies.