Compilation of various ideas on mysticism and science.
Category: zen (Page 1 of 3)
The Adventure of Self-Discovery by Stanislav Grof is a fascinating book which introduces readers to the inner healing potential of their sub-conscious. The first half of the book builds on themes from Realms of the Human Unconscious. In the second half of the book, Grof explains the rather profound, yet simple, exercise of holotropic breathing. Holotropic breathing allows people access to the ancient tradition of entering non-ordinary states of consciousness without any recourse to the ingestion or smoking of plant material. Please read the entire book if you are interested in performing the breathing without the aid of an experienced holotropic guide. Do not attempt without a sitter.
I put together a music playlist based on Grof’s recommendations for your benefit. The songs are in random order. Let me know if I should add/remove any:
Holotropic Breathing – Beginning
Also, informative interview with Grof:
Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson describes the human mind with the eight-circuit model of Leary. Wilson explains how tunnel-realities are formed:
“Whatever the Thinker thinks, the Prover proves”
And he makes it clear that his book is itself a tunnel-reality written in English to appeal to the third circuit semantic logic of the reader. It is a book to help the reader escape tunnel-realities which is itself a tunnel-reality. That is meta! Meta-programming the reader’s own mental software to become aware of infinity is the subject of chapter 14. Topics include everything from physics to strange loops to Leary to UFOs to evolution to yoga.
Attempting to elevate the reader’s awareness to a higher state with verbal or written language is like trying to “fit a camel through the eye of a needle.” Hence the studying of Koans by students of Zen, religious fasting to deprive the mind, etc… Read Alan Watt’s The Way of Zen for more on that. This book was written by Wilson, who, in his terminology might be a thinker on a higher circuit, trying to communicate to the vast mass of humanity living on the 1st – 3rd circuits. Once a critical mass of humanity becomes aware, society will under-go a quantum leap in development. With that being said, the book is only an introduction, a starting point for a new perspective to grasp human psychology and human existence as “domesticated primates” on Earth. What is left is for the reader to explore the exercises at the end of each chapter and spread the word.
But some may argue that Wilson is himself subject to the same principals he outlines in his book; yes indeed, perhaps the entire book is the ramblings of a man attempting to brainwash his readers into having thoughts of freedom and liberty…
Paul Feyerabend’s autobiography, Killing Time, is a nice summary of the life of a very interesting person. Very brief snapshot:
Growing up in Austria he eventually participated (drafted) in World War II and became a Nazi officer. Shot in the spine and disabled for life he went back to university where he studied music, theatre, and science. He became an important intellectual in the philosophy of science. After the war he participated and became a key member of the yearly meetings in Alpbach. His ideas were influenced by Karl Popper (initially), Ludwig Wittgenstein, and Felix Ehrenhaft. He eventually found his way to Berkeley, California where he became a professor. He taught mostly at Berkeley and ETH Zürich.
His life and ideas were intimately connected with many great thinkers of the 20th century: including Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, and Imre Lakatos. The autobiography is a good introduction to Feyerabend. Getting to know the background and personal experiences of the great thinker helps gain perspective while reading his philosophical works.
I wonder what, if anything, Feyerabend had to say about Alan Watts? In some ways I feel that Feyerabend has helped to add elements of Eastern Philosophy to Western Philosophy. For instance, Feyerabend’s principal that anything goes and his scientific anarchy seem to have a Zen or Taoist connection. His continual insistence that reality fails to be objectively expressed by language also suggests a connection, but I believe this was also expressed by Wittgenstein?
TianChi is a good herbal supplement for overall health and to maintain the energy centers of the body, i.e. the adrenal glands. I have had a really pleasant experience and a noticeable improvement in wellness and mental clarity. I didn’t try it because I was having any difficulties or problems with my health. Rather, I find herbs and their influence on human chemistry to be worth experiencing. Even if you are not interested in it, I would research any of the herbs it contains and perhaps add some of them to your diet. Roger Drummer is the formulator of the blend.
Here is the list of herbs which are contained in TianChi:
- Albizzia (Albizzia julibrissin)
- Anemerrhna
- Ashwagandha (Sensoril)
- Astragalus
- Cistanche
- Clubmoss (Huperzia serrata)
- Cocoa
- Ecklonia Bicyclis (Arame)
- Eluthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
- Epimedium
- Eucommia
- Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
- Green Tea (Soy Lecithin)
- He Shou Wu (Fallopia multiflora)
- Licorice Root
- Lycium
- Polygala Root
- Reishi (Lingzhi mushroom)
- Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)
- Schizandra (Schisandra chinensis)
- Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
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