Johns Hopkins is a pretty famous place for research. And apparently the researchers at Johns Hopkins wanted to have some fun.So they did a very rigorous study with “sacred mushrooms,” which can induce mystical or spiritual experiences, such as the ones people have reported for centuries.
The mushroom, called psilocybin, mimics the effect of serotonin (also impacted by antidepressants) on brain receptors.
In the study, more than 60 percent of the subjects described the effects of eating the mushroom in ways that met criteria for a “full mystical experience” as measured by established psychological scales.
One third said the experience was the single most spiritually significant of their lifetimes; and more than two-thirds rated it among their five most meaningful and spiritually significant.
The lead researcher said subjects liken it to the importance of the birth of their first child or the death of a parent.
Two months later, 79 percent of subjects reported moderately or greatly increased well-being or life satisfaction compared with those given a placebo at the same test session. A majority said their mood, attitudes and behaviors had changed for the better. Structured interviews with family members, friends and co-workers generally confirmed the subjects’ remarks. Results of a year-long followup are being readied for publication.
Now, don't get me wrong here. Dope is not good for you, and I don't recommend you eating hallucinogenic mushrooms.
The long-term effects of this mushroom remains to be seen. Clearly they cause your brain to go gazonkas and be happier than you should be.
But this is an interesting study which increases our understanding of the human brain.
Long periods of fasting and solitude also increases the possibility for "mystical" experiences. This is something that has been practiced since biblical times. No mushrooms needed, just starvation, to reach nirvana.
4 comments:
Nirvana, or something leading up to peacefulness. Another, and much safer, method is to simply follow a religious method of being, or a path, such as buddhism, which I do not do, or judaism, which I do. The latter is mostly an intellectual, as well as a spiritual path. Involves reasoning, understanding, incorporating certain behaviors, diet, and much more. People stop at the "stories" and then get into a fruitless "debate" on whether or not this happened or not. It is better to understand what the story is about, what you can understand from it, what it does say, and does not say. Similar to analyzing a piece of literature in College, at the beginning level. Isolation and abstaining from food stop other processes and help one concentrate on the intellectual/mystical teaching. It is about teaching, rather than experience. Experience is a personal matter, and one can not discuss it or argue about it, since only one person knows the "story". If all of the people experience a certain event, or all of the people involved know a certain "story", they can discuss it, argue about it, and try to understand it together.
Studies have also shown that people using isolation tanks have had the same experiences without the side effects of either mushrooms or fasting.
(Flotation, Sensory Deprivation)
Using both mushrooms and isolation tanks will deepen the effects according to the research of John C. Lilly M.D.
John C. Lilly
Also there are forms of Yoga that will produce the same experiences as mushrooms with more controllable and lasting effects but none of the toxicity issues.
Tantric Yoga
There has been whole lot more research in this area in the last 30 years but it's not getting the attention in the media it deserves.
An Angel's Destiny
Argon's Awareness
Actually what they need to do is combine video games with isolation tanks to give the fully immersive virtual reality experience. That'll give them something to keep their attention while they work on the skills and disciplines required for enlightenment.
It takes care of the impatience problem and makes it more popular by giving the techniques more entertainment value.
Psilocybin is a good introduction to those kind of states of consciousness but it also can be a kind of crutch if you think you can't achieve them without it.
There has been a start made in this kind of technology, where you control a video through biofeedback sensors (breathing, heartrate and sweat glands) attached to your fingers that gives you practice in controlling your mind/body connection.
Wild Divine
They just need to expand it to include other sensors and tasks to develope more skills
Well, if ANYONE doubted that the "antichrist" is hard at work, they just have to come to this comment site????;)....!
Middle East? Time running out?
Post a Comment