Altered States - How to get there?

[seattlegal]

"Mindfulness" is precisely what Taoist, Buddhist philosophies aim for in most interpreations. It is that that might be measured by theta or gamma activity. There is a very, very high correlation. It may be "newagey" in the West, it is rock solid tradition in the East.

Mindfulness is about knowing that your are eating when you are eating, knowing that you are walking when you are walking, and knowing that you are dreaming when you are dreaming, aka lucid dreaming.

 

[Sam Albion]

checked and read the links... cheers for that, seattle.

I am now, though.... perplexed. With Mu waves.

As I read it... there appears to be a ... way the mind reboots itself. This is a constant, and subconscious process, a way of the brain assimilating and processing visual stimuli/movement based stimuli. Like... a sorting of the neural sock drawer. Periodically, the brain put the odd socks into pairs and darns the ones that have holes.

(kinda)...

Normal people, however, differ from the monks, insofar as the monks have more obvious Mu waves, and seem to be able to consciously produce these Mu waves via practising meditation.

My problem is... what's so good about sorting socks? How does sock sorting make a person holier than you or I?

I don't get it.

Yes, without a regular pairing of socks, you struggle in the mornings to dress quickly, but beyond that..?

Mindfulness, then, as far as I read it, is... nothing special really. Yes, if you're the type of person who's forever thinking, contemplating, formulating, then mindfulness is... working meditation, and maybe useful to the average thinker.

Yet:

Is that it?

All that... struggling, and working, just to... see what's already there?

Am I missing the point?

 

[Etu Malku]

By the term consciousness Gurdjieff understood something far more than mental awareness and functioning. According to him, the capacity for consciousness requires a harmonious blending of the distinctive energies of mind, feeling, and body, and it is this alone that can allow the action within man of those higher influences associated with such traditional notions as nous, buddhi, or atman. From this perspective, man as we find him is actually an unfinished being unconsciously led by his automatic conditioning under the sway of external stimuli. The wide variety of Gurdjieff’s methods may all be understood as instrumental toward realizing self-consciousness and the spiritual attributes of “real man”—that is, will, individuality, and objective knowledge. These methods and his teaching about the evolution of man are implicated in a vast network of cosmological ideas that are spelled out in his own writings and in P. D. Ouspensky’s In Search of the Miraculous (New York, 1949).

According to Gurdjieff, there are four levels of consciousness, sleep, waking sleep, self-consciousness, and objective consciousness.

 

[Hermes]

the Alpha Countdown
Close your eyes and clear your mental screen.
Then create the following numbers one by one in its respective color on your screen.
7 - red
6 - orange
5 - yellow
4 - green
3 - blue
2 - indigo
1 - purple/orchid.
Keep the numbers on the screen for as long as you like, but keep focused on the number and how you sink deeper and deeper for every step/number.
Once you have reached alpha, I suggest you do some kind of cleansing before you continue your meditation, such as saying "I am now in alpha and I am giving myself a complete cleansing", or washing yourself with white light, or pulling all negativity out of your body and throwing it into a well/toilet/river beneath a bridge.
If you want to put a more advanced touch to this, you can make these numbers appear on the steps of a spiral staircase going down. Then each step will really take you deeper down into alpha! When I do this, for every step I take on my murky stone staricase I say "deepest psychic and magical level". When you get to the bottom you reach your meditational kingdom and only you can tell what you'll find there...

My question is how do I get to the theta? Would I need to go deeper and meditate on zero (0) and white light to achieve theta state?

 

[radarmark]

The Gurdjieffian metaphor (which really is merely a recaptiulation of what Taoism, Buddhism and zen mean by "mindfulness") is a good way. "All of you" must be present, this is not a mental or physical or spiritual trick. I do not know how you specifically "get there", might as well as how one "goes beyond". Read the Great Mystics and look for clues in your tradition and your culture (East vs West cultures pretty well limit your ability to follow the Theravada monks whose theta states are the only ones I know of written up. On the other hand, look back at SG's comments in this thread... she has it down.

 

[seattlegal]

the Alpha Countdown
Close your eyes and clear your mental screen.
Then create the following numbers one by one in its respective color on your screen.
7 - red
6 - orange
5 - yellow
4 - green
3 - blue
2 - indigo
1 - purple/orchid.
Keep the numbers on the screen for as long as you like, but keep focused on the number and how you sink deeper and deeper for every step/number.
Once you have reached alpha, I suggest you do some kind of cleansing before you continue your meditation, such as saying "I am now in alpha and I am giving myself a complete cleansing", or washing yourself with white light, or pulling all negativity out of your body and throwing it into a well/toilet/river beneath a bridge.
If you want to put a more advanced touch to this, you can make these numbers appear on the steps of a spiral staircase going down. Then each step will really take you deeper down into alpha! When I do this, for every step I take on my murky stone staricase I say "deepest psychic and magical level". When you get to the bottom you reach your meditational kingdom and only you can tell what you'll find there...

My question is how do I get to the theta? Would I need to go deeper and meditate on zero (0) and white light to achieve theta state?

You end the visualization, and pay attention to your breath and body. This is where spontaneity and creativity resides. Give her a break from monitoring your body/breath for a bit, and see what happens.

 

[Aupmanyav]

How the heck do these guys get away with smoking ganja like chimneys over there where there such tough drug laws?

These people are exempt from laws. They can get money just by asking from the shopkeepers, travel in bus and rail without ticket. If you deboard them, there is always the next bus or rail. Somebody or the other will feed them. Well, you see, they are no people. At initiation, their last rights have already been performed. So whom does the police prosecute?

However, all people here will not agree that there is a 'real' man (or woman).

 

[Aupmanyav]

Would I need to go deeper and meditate on zero (0) and white light to achieve theta state?

If you keep counting numbers, you might never reach it. Give your mind a little rest.

 

[Etu Malku]

These people are exempt from laws.

And why is that?

 

[Bhaktajan II]

What a bunch of squares, man.

"Trekkies"

The pathos of the "Trekkies" generation.

An Exercise to experience an alter state for approx two hours:

Set a future date for a friday before your week's end . . . to see a movie alone ... loaded with fave snacks ... choose best seat in the cinema ... allow your attention to become engrossed in the story ... and allow your "suspension of dis-belief" to dissolve ... be a voyuer and overseer of a universe to envelope your imagination . . .

The coolest part is WHEN YOU EXIT THE THEATRE ---and phase through the "return entry flight re-acclimation to normal human atmospheric pressure" sets in upon exiting the theatre's dark confines ---pushing yourself out to the lobby as the din of the street traffic comes into focus.

Welcome Nerd. Welcome home where all nerds are happy and enlivened afresh.

Would you like to meet Kurt Vonnegut?
Harry Potter? Capt Kirk? Hal? Rod Sterling? Poe?

Any thing other than the daily TV novelas, such as, 'As the world turns' or 'Days of our Lifes'?


As SG said, isn't what one should seek out be: Altered States - How to avoid them?

As the NAACP stated as their catch phrase:
"A Mind is a terrible thing to waste"

Now it should read updated: "An altered mind is a terrible thing to waste"

Zen mindfulness is what got every school Jock their fame and glory.


BTW, we need a payote ---Carlos Castanada aficinado to bring us up to date ---even SW USA Native shaman stuff.

PS: Avoid SOYLENT GREENE ...by reading the labels carefully.

 

[Aupmanyav]

And why is that?

Practically impossible. Perhaps there are a million of these and we have a million criminals as well. For these people jail is as good as any place else. They get food at regular times. Police will provide cigarettes, drugs, and other things clandestinely that the prisoners will demand for a bribe. We do not have as many jails, and would like to use the money for the upkeep of these people for better things. At least, these people are not harming others. So, they are warned (which has no effect on them) and let off.

 

[seattlegal]

BTW, we need a payote ---Carlos Castanada aficinado to bring us up to date ---even SW USA Native shaman stuff.

If you have questions about entheogens and their use, you can try sending a PM to aged hippy and see if he responds. (It's been a while since I've corresponded with him--it would be nice if he did respond.)

Otherwise, if a nothing less than SW Indian shaman type will do, I do know of one I can ask to stop by here. (His reading and writing skills aren't that great, though, so I'll only ask him if you are very serious.)

 

[NiceCupOfTea]

How the heck do these guys get away with smoking ganja like chimneys over there where there such tough drug laws?

Sadhu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sadhus occupy a unique and important place in Hindu society, particularly in villages and small towns more closely tied to tradition. In addition to bestowing religious instruction and blessings to lay people, sadhus are often called upon to adjudicate disputes between individuals or to intervene in conflicts within families. Sadhus are also living embodiments of the divine, images of what human life, in the Hindu view, is truly about — religious illumination and liberation from the cycle of birth and death

 

[radarmark]

I doubt a real sadhu or roadman (NAC priest) would really respond. It is just my opinion that all hallucinogins just "get in the way" with Westerners and are not needed by the Eastern Tradition (see Neem Karoli Baba's reaction in "Be Here Now").

 

[Etu Malku]

DMT is an endogenous entheogen, it is present in everything. Through the use of DMT, one is able to see a being that is more powerful than something that has ever been met in one's life.

[FONT=arial,]"DMT in the pineal glands of Biblical prophets gave God to humanity and let ordinary humans perceive parallel universes."[/FONT]
DMT, Moses, and the Quest for Transcendence

 

[Aupmanyav]

I doubt a real sadhu or roadman (NAC priest) would really respond. It is just my opinion that all hallucinogins just "get in the way" with Westerners and are not needed by the Eastern Tradition (see Neem Karoli Baba's reaction in "Be Here Now").

Well, there are traditions who use it and traditions who do not use it. Nay-sayers are the majority. Naga Sadhus, tantrics and aghoras would not mind. Among sikhs, nihangs use it.

 

[Bhaktajan II]

The 'Babaji' is smoking ganja ---he is immitating a pastime of Lord Shiva.

NOTE: the ascetic shivite is wearing Vaishnav 'tilak' markings ---that's the interesting trivia in the above picture ---the Shivite pot smoking shamans of India are actually Vaishnav just as Lord Shiva is too.

AHHH! Did you know/notice that obvious bit?

BTW, less calories than Belgium Beer; and, no 'yeast molds' neither to blame blind-drunken acts on.

 

[Bhaktajan II]

If you have questions about entheogens and their use, you can try sending a PM to aged hippy and see if he responds. (It's been a while since I've corresponded with him--it would be nice if he did respond.)

Otherwise, if a nothing less than SW Indian shaman type will do, I do know of one I can ask to stop by here. (His reading and writing skills aren't that great, though, so I'll only ask him if you are very serious.)

There's Timothy Leary and LSD ---and then there is the advent of LSD by the CIA etc etc etc

There were the first artists [and the sci-fi cover artists] to be featured in HEAVY METAL COMICS ---who must have made the greatest strides in lucid art production whilst high [stoned].

Where is the artist Moebius these days?

Were Graphic-Novels around during the debut of the art comic "HEAVY METAL"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_Metal_(magazine)

 

[seattlegal]

Actually we fall into tiny trances all day long, and Gurdjieff addresses this in his theory of being Awake and Conscious and not a robotic, semi-conscious person going through life. Maintaining this wakefulness is a lot harder than one suspects . . . I bet there are parallels in Eastern thought (which you know a great deal about)!

Alright, I tried being aware of and taking note of all the times I fell into "mini-trances during the day today. It's a wonder that I can even function! Just doing this made the mini trances more pronounced.

Now I feel like I'm trapped in a Jethro Tull video!

 

[Aupmanyav]

The 'Babaji' is smoking ganja ---he is immitating a pastime of Lord Shiva.

NOTE: the ascetic shivite is wearing Vaishnav 'tilak' markings ---that's the interesting trivia in the above picture ---the Shivite pot smoking shamans of India are actually Vaishnav just as Lord Shiva is too.

A 'sadhu' (renunciate) is not a shaman. Shamans are termed as 'Ojhas'. During the Banasura episode*, Shiva and Krishna finally revealed that they are one. That form is known as 'Harihara'. The vaishnava sadhu (if he is one, i.e., initiated in a particular tradition) should not have been smoking ganja.

* Banasura episode: Demon Banasura's (many say Asur Benipal) daughter Usha became infatuated on seeing the image of Krishna's grandson, Aniruddha, who was as handsome as Krishna. Usha had him abducted, married him. Krishna wanted him back and declared war on Banasura. But Banasura was a devotee of Shiva. So, when Banasura was loosing the war, Shiva came to fight for him. The war continued for months and months for no winner. Finally Gods and sages intervened and requested Krishna and Shiva to end the fight. The 'Harihara' (Vishnu-Shiva) form was revealed at that time. Aniruddha returned with his pregnant wife to Krishna's city, Dwarika.