Blog 3: The Cosmic Egg

On page xxi: "we lost so much when we chose machines". I agree with this, although, while machines have almost certainly dulled the edge of our senses, the real loss is what we suffer at the hands of our own overriding of natural selection, the very process that promised to allow humans to reach their maximum potential. We have traded a world where only the strong, healthy and capable survive and reproduce for a world in which anyone, regardless of defects, health problems and genetic disorders can procreate and pass along all the wrong kinds of genes. The result is a human species so watered down, so riddled with problems, that in terms of our abilities both physical and mental, we get further from our ancestors with every passing generation.

On page xiii: Pearce talks about the "reality shaping function of the mind". Of course everyone interprets reality differently and I would agree that there are many examples of people subconsciously creating circumstances, situations or realities that they would not consciously take credit for, I am not as sure about the author's suggestion that a person who is afraid of getting cancer would develop cancer because the power of the mind is so powerful that it would bring about the very reality imagined by that person. Furthermore, I would be more then opposed to forgo considering that there was some explanation other than "a total brainwash" (page 7, paragraph 3) for the remission of the author's wife's cancer. Pearce declares that anyone unwilling to consider such possibilities is narrow minded when he says "Holding to [these ideas] today are the "tough-minded", whose boastful posturing of a "realistic, no-nonsense objectivity" cloaks a narrow and pedantic selective-blindness...". Newsflash: If you touch a lit cigarette, it burns your skin. Any other outcome is a parlor trick.

Green Eggs and Ham

First, I love how in the introduction Pearce admits that he just flat-out ignores arguments that don't help his purpose and  then justifies it by stating how science, religion, and politics all use this method. Already I can tell he's a very smart man and I look forward to studying what he has to say. 

In the introduction, Pearce also says he wrote this book for that person "who cannot stand where he is and has no place to go." And in a sense, I think that statement  describes most people. Isn't it human nature to never be satisfied and constantly looking for the next level? So for those who have no religion to work their way through, where else is there to go?

The concept Pearce explains through his wife's cancer relating to her family's battle with history is not new to me. The idea that thoughts control us by attracting positive or negative energy recently captivated my mother when she read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, which she then attempted to shove down my family's throats. While neither my father, my brother, nor I read The Secret or watched the movie she bought us for Christmas, we all have a grasp on the concept of how our thoughts relate to energy. My mother, a cognitive therapist (fitting, isn't it?), finds a way to work this concept into daily conversation. For example, if she finds a good parking spot at the mall, she will declare, "See, I have The Secret! Alli, maybe if you had The Secret, you would *insert improvement of my life here*." So now I can tell my mom that I do have The Secret; I just don't call it that because "The Secret" is an ancient theory that Rhonda Byrne has recycled to make money off of people like my mother, whom I love dearly.

I also really like Pearce's way of using images to explain himself. For example when he speaks of the proverbial clearing in the forest, I can picture it and a vague, foreign concept becomes clearer. I also believe the clearing in the forest is an effective metaphor, with the clearing being what we know and are comfortable with, or what we define as reality (which is all relative, right?), and the rest of the forest being a place yet undiscovered. And really, who would stay in the safe, but known and sometimes boring clearing when there is a whole forest of adventures out there to explore?

Pearce explains autistic creative thinking as the link that connects the clearing and the forest. This thinking is not what we think of when we think of our normal thought process, but  rather something that happens to us. It is an experience or an "illumination".  This happening has happened to me before as a writer. For a few days or weeks I'll be starting a poem or story and I'll be unable to continue. Then out of nowhere, I feel the urge to pull out my notebook and continue, but it's odd, because I feel disconnected. Almost like someone or something was controlling me. So often when writing I feel as though I'm not in control of the words spilling out of my fingertips (when typing--Obviously words aren't flowing out of my fingertips if I'm using pencil and paper. That sounds like that would  be a mess.). I'm excited to get more in depth into this subject and learn what goes on in those types of situations.

Blog number three

Thoughts are energy. Thoughts are energy. THOUGHTS ARE ENERGY!
The first paragraph of the first page of the first chapter is brilliant.
There is a relationship between what we think is out there in the world and what we experience as being out there. It’s all subjective, all of it. We shape our reality through what we see, know, and experience and even our culture.

The fourth paragraph on page five is a perspective I can relate to. I agree that reality is not fixed and we play an integral part of every event. We attract the things that happen to us, even the things we don’t want to happen.

The more the women in Pearce’s family feared breast cancer, the more they attracted it. It sounds crazy, but the fear of what the women didn’t want to happen, more or less attracted it. Whether or not it’s a good or a bad thing, if it’s on your mind all the time, it’s probably going to happen. When your day starts bad, then you think to yourself, “today is going to totally suck.” And it generally does, right?
Generally = most of the time (for clarification). Whatever we think about, we bring about.

Pearce’s definition of “converted” scares me. To be converted is to, “be seized by an idea that orients us around a single focal point of possibility.” Not cool. With so many possible focal points, why convert to anything? I’m going to quit before I sound anymore like a “heathen.”

Autistic thinking is interesting. It sounds like the description of being “in the zone.” The word autistic takes on a more interesting connotation in Pearce’s description. I like what it is to be an autistic thinker. “Autistic thinking, then, refers to an autonomous, self-contained kind of thinking that makes no adjustment to the world of other things or thinkers, but it must have its materials from this other source.”

When it comes to alternate ways of thinking or perceptions of reality and other things, I’m always amused by the psychological perspective. There is always this tone of skepticism from psychologists, maybe because, “this is the cosmic egg’s fear of being cracked.”

Also, sensory deprivation is very interesting. The mind creates its own reality and begins hallucinating after a certain period of time. Even to the point where the person feels part of what is going on, and the mind adjusts accordingly to what the mind’s reality has going on.

I love it, I love it, I love it, “When we have finally persuaded and/or badgered our children into ‘looking objectively’ at their situation, taking into consideration those things other to themselves, we relax since they are being realistic. What we mean is that they have finally begun to mirror our commitments, verify our life investments, and strengthen and preserve the cosmic egg of our culture.”
The quote in bold speaks for itself.

It is true that we are socialized from a young age to consciously and unconsciously selectively ignore certain phenomena and look for and nourish other phenomena.

For instance: We think ghosts, hallucinations, or people speaking to the dead to be pretty ridiculous, partially because science can’t explain it, and we’re just told not to believe in that kind of stuff. Where as we regard religious phenomena as acceptable, such as: religious miracles (healings, accomplishments, e.tc.); Jesus magically appearing on someone’s toast, garage, or building; and the statues that bleed or cry blood.

One more thing… in chapter three… the notion of cultural agreement back in the day from one of the “awesome” theorists of the time… is also stupid. Yes, it’s stupid, because it requires no thought, and it makes it too easy for people not to think. Though, if we have a nation of non-thinkers… How easy is it to control the masses?
Indeed.

the Pearce reading

Pearce's notion that our culture and language limit our percepts and thinking by constantly exerting influence on our ability to achieve Eurkea! illumination or inhibit the process of metanoia is fairly interesting. Moreover, his discussion on the dynamic nature of A-thinking is one of the best examples yet presented to illustrate altered states of consciousness. It also exemplifies one of the many ways in which this alleged crack in the cosmic egg can form, eventually break and subsequently generate a new shell with similar processes waiting to take place. He states on page 22 that autistic thinking is an unambiguous, uncontrollable frame of mind which demonstrates that "There is a catalytic quality in A-thinking that gives more than the sum of the parts suggesting and bringing about the new possibility." In the preface Pearce notes that this new prospect "is an open ended possibility that can take us beyond the broad, statistical way of the world (xiv)." I can appreciate that the human mind can acquire and synthesize new, legitimate concepts and notions that stand in oppoistion to scientific protocal or cultural tolerance. This notion does seem to present a dilemma for those persons who cling to the empirical "certainty" of science or the confines of religous doma to explain exery facet of their perceptions of reality. However, I do not wholly share Pearce's disdain for all of the "biogenetically indoctrinated" approaches used to explain our mental processes. Indeed, some of these "approaches" speak volumes, and only after studying and comprehending them can one have a soid foundation from which to hypothesize about the knowledge that we do not know, not the other way around.


While the coherency of his discourse begs the question as to whether or not Pearce really has transended his previous autistic state, and his recurring tendancy to mention parables of Jesus can still apprehension for furhter reading, his discussion of how cracks can form in the cosmic egg is somewhat informative and intersting.

Pearce

Has anyone ever seen the movie, The Jewel of the Nile? I know this might seem very random and fiction movies are rarely held to hold much truth value, but as I was reading the selection for this week, I couldn't help but think of a scene with Danny Devito walking across a pit of glowing coals. In the movie, the group he is with challenge him to let go of his thoughts and to walk across, but he refuses and is convinced he'll get burned. One of the other characters starts talking to him and takes Danny Devito's mind off the pit, which is when he realizes he is standing in the middle of the coals. This may not seem relevant, but it made me wonder what sort of suspension of belief is necessary to attain a state of consciousness where the physical environment no longer has an impact on us.
Pearce made many references to the Hindus who walk across those pits of charcoal, claiming that their suspension of an "average" state of mind allows them to contact these extreme heats without suffering. He also alluded his own experience with a suspension of consciousness, when he would repeatedly press cigarettes to his skin with no side effects. There were numerous references to many cultures that could use their minds to envision something so powerfully that the results were real, and even better and more real than the "real thing."
From what I could understand from the reading, these cracks in our cosmic eggs are good things that allow us to access autistic thinking, which Pearce seems to find ideal. I gathered from the reading that he finds the autistic thinking to be among the most pure, where one one can see things more clearly because one's mind is not clouded with the other mundane thoughts of life. It is in this state of mind that, he feels, one can experience physically demanding circumstances and not suffer for them.
He makes a few remarks about drug use (p 33) that state the drugs in question (such as LSD) may bring about a similar state of mind, but are it is artificial. According to Pearce, one's state of mind may be similar to autistic thinking, but they physical outcomes, if the body were put in a stressful situation, would be different.
I'm not sure how I feel about Pearce and his thoughts about cracks and cosmic eggs. He seems to believe that creativity is only by chance, that only someone experiencing autistic thinking can produce a successful idea and run with it. Indeed, he states that it was in one of these periods that he was first able to compile this scattered thoughts for this book; however, I do not believe that creativity is limited to those states of mind. There are moments when one, quite aware and in complete consciousness of every movement and physical surrounding, will successfully come up with a brilliant idea and continue to put it into action or into being.
I do agree that the autistic thinking does exist. In the little I know about autistic children, they usually display a high amount of intelligence or creativity, even if they do not have the ability to express it easily. As such, it seems to follow that if one were able to obtain this state of mind without being truly autistic, then one may also communicate one's conclusions effectively when no longer in that state of mind. But, as I stated above, it seems a little grandiose to believe that true creativity comes primarily in that state of mind.

Pearce (Foreword, Preface, and Chapter 1-3)

The Crack in the Cosmic Egg is definitely my kind of book! Right away in the foreword, Tom Hartman eloquently explains what Pearce means by the Crack in the Cosmic Egg.
"The crack in the egg is a mode of thinking and action through which creative imagination can escape through this mundane shell and open us to, and create within us, a new cosmic egg" (Pearce, Preface, pg xiv)

In the first chapter, Pearce describes his self-injury with cigarettes during a trance like state as a youngster. I have to admit this section turned me off a bit. Unlike his colleagues, I believe his accounts (because I've had friends who have done the same kind of things), but geez, that is terrible.

In the group discussions, just about everyone in the group, is skeptical when it comes to the idea of the power of the mind, in relationship to healing or blocking pain. I enjoyed reading Pearce's account of his wife's story. Also, I was happy that he mentioned the doctors who perform surgery with no anesthesia. These are real documented cases, that demonstrate just a little bit of the minds power.

I also like how he stated, "Our imaginations cannot set out to find the cracks in the cosmic egg until someone lays the egg". It's almost like saying, you cant solve the problem until you first recognize the problem.

In Chapter 2, Pearce mentions A-thinking. He also claims that maturing is a modifying procedure that represses and largely eliminates. This illumination (in a larger sense enlightenment) that Pearce mentions is truly the essence of the altered state. It enables one to see clearly, even when he or she returns to a "normal" state.

I love how Pearce had his AHA moment in the tree, like so many other great thinkers. He was in the tree with his children, when all of his fragmented parts suddenly fused. He was one step closer toward enlightment. Even more impressively, he endeavored (and succeeded) to put his realizations into words, which ultimately culminated into this text.

I was intrigued with his claim that psychedelics fracture the structure of the world view. He writes that under LSD, colors literally dissolve (reality breaks down). Literally, they merge and flow together. Even faces might run across the floor.

The account of the two trapped miners seeing the stair case was rather fascinating. I do remember reading about that, but I never thought about them as hallucinating. I'd like to agree with Mckellars claim that all mental experiences are related to and originate in learned or subliminal information gained from experience.

In Chapter 3, Pearce makes mention of the molding of our children to be conditioned and prepped for the common human experience. When that process does not take place, strange things happens, as in the case of feral children. I have seen many documentaries on feral children, and the whole subject really fascinates me. In particular, I recall the heart wrenching story of Oxana Malaya, the Ukrainian girl who lived with dogs since she was a very young girl. She barked, and walked on all fours. It was very similar to the story of the child who was found in the Irish chicken house described in this chapter. I thought it was pretty messed up that he referred to him as "chicken-child". It was also pretty deep to refer to Kamala's rescue as "captivity— or rescue". This guy seems pretty wild.

I was also intrigued by the hypothetical peeling of the unconscious, all the way down to the psychology of the amoeba.

I've given it a lot of thought over the years and I can see why humans only perceive this reality. We are trained to see the things that are "real"— the things that can actually cause us harm. It would do an archaic man very little good to see his food, his enemy, his mate, and then EVERYTHING else that existed outside his plane of existence. I think humans naturally evolved into narrow minded beings, because that was the safest thing to do. It was also a side-effect of mans need to find order in a chaotic world.

Cracked eggs....

I have to say that I was absolutely overwhelmed with reading this week, between this and my Amer. Lit. class, that I really couldn't fully absorb the reading. It's too bad, too; this book seems like it's going to be interesting. I will definitely have to go back and re-read most/all of this.

When I first saw the title, I thought we might be getting into some sort of discussion about which came first - the chicken or the egg. We are getting into something just as good, though. As Hartman puts it in the foreward, our "egg" is the reality in which we live. Using such an analogy, I fancy myself, then, to be the unhatched chicken. Do I have to break out of my shell, break out of my own reality, in order to truly live? Is that too much of a jump here? That warrants some additional thinking on my part, for sure. Pearce goes on to say, in the Preface, that, "The crack in this egg is a mode of thinking and action through which creative imagination can escape this mundane shell and open us to, and create within us, a new cosmic egg." This further intensifies my curiosity. Interesting.

Pearce discusses reality, and what it is. He talks of how we can view the world one way, but experience it in another. By simply being a part of life, even just simply observing, we alter it. I remember taking high school physics and discussing that very point. We always had to list factors that could have affected the outcome of our experiments, and simply our own observation was always on top of the list. He goes on to state that we all experience our own version of this reality, since we all have our own point of view, and bring with us our own experiences. That is a tough concept to grasp. The 20 or so of us in the class each experience the "reality" of our class differently. If reality is different for each of us, how then can we define an altered state of consciousness as an experience of a different reality? We must, in my mind, state that it is truly an individualized concept (an altered state). What may be completely normal for me, my everyday reality, might be perceived by others to be an altered state. Maybe that's why people look at me funny at work???

I thought that the most interesting idea Pearce introduced was the idea of A (autistic) thinking. He defines it as: "an unstructured, non-logical (but not necessarily illogical), whimsical thinking that is the key to creativity. It involves "unconscious processes" but is not necessarily unconscious. Autistic thinking is indulged in, or in some cases, happens to one, in ordinary conscious states." Such a statement begs one to consider autistic children. We consider them to be disadvantaged in life. And for the most part, I think we can all agree that there are considerable obstacles for such individuals to overcome, making it difficult for them to experience what we would consider a "normal" life. However, most of us probably don't think about them as being creative, as Pearce states. I have never been around any autistic children, but I have heard about how tremendously gifted they can be in certain arenas. They are so creative, so gifted even, yet they do it all in an ordinary state of consciousness. For many of us to produce the same results, we'd likely need to experience an altered state, or have our egg cracked.

The Crack in the Cosmic Egg

This was definitely interesting to read. I found the part about Robert Frost to be somewhat fun to read. Pearce related Robert Frost's poem to reality adjusted-thinking. I think that civilization is like a small clearing a a large forest, because they only focus on the clear path in front of them. A lot of people just look at what they have to do to survive in this world and are ignorant of all the potential that the unknown world might provide. I really think our minds are trained to be that way. Little kids listen to their parents, because they think they have all of the answers. However, maybe the parents are more ignorant then the kids when it comes to the mystery of the world.

I think Pearce does an amazing job at trying to write about the unexplainable. I'm sure that must be extremely difficult, without sounding like a babbling idiot. "It has been claimed that our minds screen out far more than we accept, else we would live in a world of chaos." (13) Our minds do block out a lot of information. Maybe we would all go crazy if he had too many things to think about. I know I can only focus on so many things at one time, and if my mind wasn't trained to do that I would probably go mad. Yet, how does one change their thinking or filtering process. Second, would we really want to do that? Don't we already have enough to think about? Kids don't have to think about reality, and I think that is why their minds' dwell on some of the mystery. Unfortuneately, adults have to focus on reality or they won't survive all of the competition in the world. If there was a way to raise a child outside of what is considered reality I wonder what would become of them?

Organization (It Has Been Four Weeks and I've Already Forgotten My Blogger Password)

Thom Hartmann's writing metaphor is spot on; carrying around his writing ideas as if he were pregnant with something. I'll have to steal this metaphor, and use it on my friends while we're sitting on my porch getting mouthy with wine. Joshua Ferris, a new fiction writer, who wrote Then We Came to the End, spoke about his frustrations with trying to write this book. He tried many approaches until he opted to carry the idea around with him for a few years. Suddenly, one day he decided to write the book in first person-plural (using "we" instead of "I"), and he claims that upon submitting his book to publishers, his book required very little editing. He's the new man of the literary world grabbing every book award available. If you don't like reading, just wait for the movie.

Thom Hartmann also mentions that reading The Crack in the Cosmic Egg requires time, and we're burning through books in this class. This will be on my holiday reading list at the semester's conclusion.

The most captivating characteristic of this book to me is that Pearce writes with a poetic voice. There is just as much emotion to his writing as there is science. Perhaps the success of this book depends on this emotion.

Not only were the first few chapters engrossing, but I found certain concepts in the text were a bit frustrating. Pearce mentions frequently that new ideas or completely different realms are hard (impossible?) to achieve because our senses and language act as barriers. How can we describe the unseen without the language with which to describe it? I don't know, and just trying to think of something completely new to my senses makes me feel like there is a small person who panics inside my chest, pulling its hair, and throwing its body into my sternum.

To further drive my "senses and language barrier" thought, I'll mention this fun word, guaranteed to make the small person inside of you run around screaming. "Asymptotic." From what I recall its a math term that explains a concept of moving forward one-half the distance between two points with patient tenacity over and over until you never quite span the divide. This concept of continuous movement forward without ever reaching the destination best describes part of my frustration with Pearce was explaining.

"... potential is always limited to the sum total of the images that can be conjured up by the mind, and this ties us down immediately to syntheses of things already realized..."

This book was published in 1971, and mentions the word autistic throughout.

"Infant thinking is probably autistic, gradually structuring into reality thinking, but even autistic thinking cannot gradually arise from a vacuum."

Pearce's thoughts on autistic thinking were years ahead of time, and he really shines with intellect on this topic. Just recently, doctors found evidence to Pearce's words when they discovered that certain strands of DNA in children diagnosed with autism were (are) simply not turned on.

The last think I would like to mention that loosely regards this material is the years of suffering I went through in school listening to my peers question if what they were learning in any given subject was necessary for real life. Our teachers would shrug their shoulders and say something like, "Sorry guys, I'm required to cover this." What I wish the teachers would have said was,

"Who are you to say what you learn may or may not be necessary in the future? If we only spent our time concerning ourselves with what we think we should know we'd be a bunch of intellectually lazy jerks. Now stop complaining.?"

I really wish I had a quote from the text to back up this last little rant because many times I kept finding myself thinking this. I guess it's in regards to people's creative thought and sensory deprivation. I guess by having senses we're still deprived. We rely on them heavily, taking a lot of things within us for granted, especially our brains.

Eggs being served in the Village?

I couldn't help but thinking of M.Night Shyamalan's movie, "The Village" as I was reading Pearce. In particular, Pearce makes references to "the clearing" and the "dark forest" both which characterize the setting of the film, but symbolically portray what we are told, believe, and know (or hold) to be true, and that which is uncertain or yet explored. On page 17 Pearce states, "But the nature of the dark forest is the real problem. For our attitude toward the forest influences sharply the way we look upon our clearing, and affects the kind of new clearing we can make." In regards to the movie, "our clearing" is similar to the community the elders created for their new society - what they wished to teach and instill upon the children. The elders perceived the outside world- that land past their clearing, or the dark forest if you will, as a destructive, corrupt and demoralized society. It was in this place the elders warned the younger members to stay away for this is where "things we do not speak of" dwell. Almost as if what Pearce is trying to portray is that which we as children are kept from learning, or even as adults deem taboo, are ignorant to, or just simply unaware of. In the movie, this society's shell acquires a "crack" as well (and in efforts not to spoil the movie ending for those who have not seen it), and one of the individuals has a revelation about her community's "egg", a Eureka! moment as Pearce describes it, and must decide whether to use this new information to abolish or preserve those which whom she resides with. On page 19 Pearce states, "there is available to us a crack in this egg. For there are times when the shell no longer protects but suffocates and destroys. The crack must be approached with care, however, lest the egg itself be destroyed". I just couldn't help correlating this first chapter with the symbolism of the movie.


In Chapter two I enjoyed Pearce's descriptions of A-thinking. Having a few friends who have autistic children and watching their idiosyncrasies, I naively assumed that those children must be missing some type of component that would otherwise make them behave as other children diagnosed as "normal". However, Pearce sheds light on this autistic mode that it "adds something not in the given context. There is a catalystic quality in A-thinking that gives more than the sum of the parts suggesting and bringing about the new possibility". So according to Pearce, perhaps it is not those with autistic tendencies missing something, it is "us normal folk".

Home cooked eggs...

I enjoyed reading the forward and the preface by Thom Hartman. I thought it was very clever that Hartman wanted to give you a view of his own describtion of, "The Crack in the Cosmic Egg" in the preface. Hartman described, " I discovered in this book that the way I write and the way others create is simlar, that we become aware of the egg, and then a small crack in it, and then - by serendipity or magic or the grace of God- the crack suddenly opens enough that the light of understanding flows in and it's all just so clear and easy to express."

Pierce-
I really liked the words of Pierce when he said, " Our world view is a cultural pattern that shapes our mind from birth. It happens to us as fate." That is true because the world that we live in we become accustomed to it at birth and it is hard to move and adapt to another countries customs later on in life because the one's we were born with have been plantented in us by God. I also like Pierce's stories that involve the ones he loves, like his wife's and how he coped with her dying from cancer and how his next door neighbor found a key to the wonders of the egg, that inspired Pierce to go into further investigation of the egg. I also liked how he told of philosophers and anthropologist.
I enjoy and was amazed that he gave the story of his friends muscial peformance and how it captivated him in the moment and the thought for once he was Mozart. When Pierce climbed up in the tree with his children he seen something more than tree leaves, and green grass, he seen the truth of existance. I was surprised to see that he made reference to the hypnagogic state when he tatlked about juicy red strawberries and how he ties it into the climbing a tree story with his children. Also one thing that captured my attention is when he talked about drugs, LSD, hallucinogens, psychedelics and how they form over time as a mental disease and thats how people can for one form a hard to break habbit. I aggreed with his quote, " The universe, like nature, is a conceptual framework that changes from culture to culture and age to age." That is owe so true everyday something is reflected as NEW and the next day it can be old, different techniques of cooking, worshiping, technology are vastly changing to. But we learned the way we are from ancient times and those are the times that will never change.
In the third chapter of the reading I was captured by the stories of the little boy who was raised with chickens and how he not knowing he was different looking acted as chickens did and survivied as they did. Another intersting story was of the two children who were raised by a pack of wolves, and how the one only survived and she would walk on heind legs and growl at the moon at sevelral hours of the night. It was a very interseting story cause I would of never known that if taken out of your norm at a young age you can adapt to an animal environment. This chapter was also learning because it taught you how childrens minds develope and how language and culture relfect who we are.

I like Eggs

Wow i hope i was not the only person to look at this title and think this book was some how related to Science Fiction or something along those lines. The most fascinating theory in this book is the mirroring of self-image. What i got from the notion of mirroring, is for every action we have there is a reaction by something else, whether its is our world, universe, or ourselves. Pearce goes onto say that our world is not how we perceive it, in fact its our brains that take random images and gives it color and meaning. She also says that from the time we are "born" everybody possesses a "cosmic egg" that is whole, but as humans encounter problems cracks begin to form on our egg. As the crack gets bigger the "light" or truth will shine through and in an essence an answer to the problem will reveal itself. The example Pearce gives is fire, the problem with fire is it burns you if touched. Yet through meditation and yoga one can overcome the pain of fire, she would reproduce this "trick" at different gatherings and people would stand around amazed at what they just saw. A human being would hold a lit cigarette to her hand for minutes at a time and the skin would remain unharmed and no pain would ensue. Her theory behind this "fire trick" was mind over matter. She then tapped into the knowledge of a fellow colleague (David Bohm) and he said since matter is made up of 99.9% air there really was nothing to fear. Her colleague went onto say that he harnessed 10^38 ergs in a cubic centimeter of space. "10^38 ergs is about as much energy as ten billion tons of uranium, that is a lot of fireworks that comes from nothing at all" (Pearce 11). Pearce also contradicts my belief of seeing is believing, she states that humans are taught to believe that the only "out there" is the only truth. She states that the "inner conflict" is directed outwardly, and the world happens to us is fate. I do not believe in fate or another interchangeable word would be luck, I believe a person makes there own fate or luck. I believe if something happens you brought it on your self if it is bad and if a good thing happens one has put himself in the correct position to make it happen. In conclusion this was a very well thought out section, the reading flowed nicely but at times and even now the reading was somewhat confusing. There were so many theories and ideas in these first two chapters it was hard to talk about them all but these were the most interesting to me and i feel i explained them to the best of my knowledge. If you go back to the forward Thom Hartman states that it took him months to read and digest this information and i tend to agree. Overall i feel this book will be a very good read with alot of vital information and i cant wait to see what Pearce has in store for me as a reader as we push deeper into her book.

Week 3..who wants an omlette?

I will admit, prior to reading the assigned chapters I was hesitant. I figured it would delve into what a cosmic egg was, and I didn't know if I was ready for that. After reading the forward by Thom Hartmann, I was given a little boost. His story of looking into mirrors and seeing to infinity was touching. He wanted to use the mirrors to see her ghost. However, he discoved a difference between the reality we percieve and what actually is.

I like the idea that our egg is the reality we live in. It is our little universe.

I like how Pearce says, when describing mirroring, that we we ARE the process, to an unknowable extent. Also, I like the mention of William Blake. 'that perception was the universal, the percieved object was the particular.'

Interesting how Pearce called himself autistic because he couldn't feel pain or injury. Him burning himself with cigarettes and having no marks to show, shows how he suspended his ordinary thoughts. He compared this to Hindu firewalking.

Metanoia-a fundamental transformation of mind. Formerly connected to religion, now is associated with education, and shapes the mind. is the principle key to reality.
I noticed, while reading these chapters that the author uses terms like "from conception", birth, infant, child. This is because Pearce specializes in child development.
What i got from the reading is that we learn by how we are raised. Whatever our parents(or guardians) teach us, is what we know. We could be missing out on a bigger picture.

Week Two Blogs

Thanks again for another week of insightful blogging. You all bring interesting perspectives and information to our online discussion.
Josh states that he's more interested in reaching ASCs through through meditation or yoga, and asks, "Is it because I've been taught that taking drugs is bad?" Is it? Good question? And if the answer is yes, then why is our culture so different to the cultures who welcome the use of entheogens in their society?
Mr. Lance also questions the use of drugs by the Shamans, asking why they are considered special by their group if its only through drugs that they can reach an ASC. Another good question, and we'll watch a documentary next week that might help to answer that question. In the meantime, though, Jenna suggests that perhaps not everyone can do what they do, even with drugs.
Suset also brings up the issue of drug use with Shamans, and while there a justifications for their use of drugs, let's also not forget that not all Shamans use drugs. Various forms of deprivation and long training on focus are also used to induce journeys into other worlds.
On a final note, Suset also mentions the legacy of the people who created the cave drawings, and asks what legacy we are leaving behind with the technology we have today. An interesting question. 20,000 years from now what will are descendents make of the DVDs and CDs they find buried in our landfills? A piece of jewelry, perhaps, or maybe a tool for stripping twigs off a thin branch? They could imagine any number of things if they think of us as primitive, and if they don't have any functioning CD players.

Blog number 2

I have heard of shamans before but never had an understanding of what they did. I always had is associated with Indian healers but they are so much more than that. On example of what made me come up with that identification is the healer from Pocahontas. When the man she is supposed to marry is shot the healer of the village comes and performs spells over him to heal him and spirits of animals come out (I believe this is what happens, I know it is something like that I just haven’t seen the movie in a while). I always thought that it would be pretty cool to be able to communicate with animal spirits and I never would have considered circus trainers or musicians as types of shamans until Hughes mentioned them.

I could see why this type of research would cause a certain amount of controversy. It would be hard for an academic to successfully describe what it would be like for a shaman without actually attempting to become one. As Hughes and Walsh both stated, it is difficult to become one. Not everyone has a near death experience that can vault them into that type of consciousness. Plus the amount of 'mushrooms' and other types of drugs they take in order to reach their ability to communicate with spirits and healing power would be more than likely frowened upon in academia.

Being a shaman has a power over everyone else but it also carries a great responsibility. Walsh mentions a shaman that cut his animal skins head off and he lost his power. The animal was never to come to him again because he violated it and as a shaman you are supposed to respect your animal. Not all people are cut out for this type of responsibility like this particular shaman.

Shaman

I remember when I picked up this book prior to my class. I looked at the title and was a bit confused. Shamanism? I'll admit that I knew very little of Shamanism prior to opening this book. Admittedly, all I knew for sure was that Shamans are a class of character in some RPGs. Therefore, I went into this book believing that I would be fairly confused.

I was quite wrong.

A shaman is a practitioner of various arts that are designed to heal, rejuvinate, and bring peace to souls. I had no idea just how old the practice of Shamanism is, and how much I could relate to it. As I mentioned before, I am a former Psychology major, and this book seems to take a less...enthusiastic approach to psychology. However, after reading a few pages, I recognized some of the aspects of said field in the roots of Shamanism. For example, one of the tasks in the credo of shamanism is transforming emotions, which involves removing the negative emotion (i.e. fear), bringing in a positive emotion (i.e. love), and creating a balance between the two, very much like the id, ego, and superego, respectively.

I can also relate to some of the aspects of Shamanism, including Altruism. I look forward to learning about this field.

(Note: I am currently awaiting my order of Altered States)

When I say “Sha!,” you say “Man!” “Sha!” “Man!” “Sha!” “Man!”…let’s break it down…..

I think the main focus here is the actual woman or man, and their relationship to people, or at least the community in which they coexist. I really see it going two ways. On one side, the shaman is someone so ingrained in a transformative state of mind and so in tune with their surroundings, they can’t help but influence and affect those around them. As we discussed in class, sometimes what can be most powerful is that which we surrender our state of mind to, and likewise those who are seeking deliverance should look no further than the all seeing eye of the shaman.

On the other hand, I feel the idea and personification of a shaman not only delves into the religious aspect but takes it one step further by saying “You want a savior, then reach out and touch him!” The break from Western ideals seems to take a step back by placing the focus on an outer being instead of the inner being. When Walsh references yoga and meditation as “non-Western healing and spiritual practices,” he fails to show a correlation that connects them to shamanism. If yoga and meditation are so powerful, why would we even need a shaman? Furthermore, he doesn’t present dissimilarity between shamanism and your average Christian evangelist.

As far as altered states are concerned, I am bothered by the need for psychedelic drugs in shamanistic culture. If these beings are so in tune with another world, the need for mind altering drugs should seem palpable in comparison to “the ability to use supernatural powers inherent in nature.” Hughes also states that the shaman “receives special knowledge, as well as powers of healing, prediction and dream interpretation, and may acquire the power of magical flight.” Now for me, this seems like superhero material, but why then does the shaman still need to pop those magic mushrooms to take off??? Any person can take magic mushrooms and experience intense trips. You may write about it on your blog (shout out!) or tell people how you drank from a golden toilet filled with champagne. What that does not qualify you to be, however, is a plumber, or a shaman for that matter. I know Hughes stated that experience is the prime determinant; however, experience does not always bring about nuance, but repetition in most cases. People for centuries could be stunted by the same tired doctrines, as they are in the West. Just because something is non-Western does not mean it is pro-Power -to-the People. What I am trying to get across is that it is very precarious and outright dangerous to put your faith in the one person, knowing full well as a human being that everyone has their own agenda.

On another note, I just wanted to say I am appalled by Joseph Beuys actions regarding the coyote and the exhibition he undertook. Anyone who calls themselves a shaman would not contain a wild animal for a week, nor would they exploit that animal for the purpose of “art.” I am not saying the animal was mistreated (I have no way of knowing either way) but I feel it is fundamental as human beings to respect animals as equal inhabitants of the Earth and not impose our ideological whims at their expense.

"All art is magic" Picasso (Hughes 2/ Walsh I & II)

Hughes 2-

In reading Hughes's material I was astonished in "The power of nature and human power over nature...." (15). I enjoyed reading about the cave secrets and how these are portrayed by animals such as bears, rhinoceros, lions, owls, etc.. and how this art is transformed into the spirit world of animals and nature and transmitted through rituals and trance.

Generation before ours have allowed us to take part in such findings do to the vast cave paintings found all over the world. We all started in one place and have contributed along the way to what we have today..."modern technology". As I was reading over the material I thought, " If we had paintings left by those before us, telling of their ways, spiritual rituals and gods, What legacy ARE WE leaving behind? Most of our information an transformation is printed on books and new technology. But when these come to extinct what do we have to show for OUR TIME?

When I think of a Shaman I think of a spiritual healer, someone "who is of both worlds" (by that I mean someone who had the ability to speak to spirits and unnatural by means of dreams or ritual experience.) It is said that a shaman has suffered a near death experience and he then, in a dream is stripped of all his flesh and bones and comes back as a community priest, magician and healer.
Another interesting point I saw in the reading was that some kind of hallucinate plant or herb is almost always being used to transport to that other state of consciousness. One quote I really liked and think is true, " ...a divine daimon' resided in every human being, the irrefutable and inescapable witness who could intervene through a dream or a sign, or even appear personally to 'direct what is favourable towards us and to compensate what is evil'. " (31)
I would love to know what kind of daimon I have? (Gunnar I'm there with you)

Walsh I & II

The anthropologists who have studies shamanism have "braved" all from weather conditions to observe the native shamans at work. How exilirating it must be to be a part of these observations and contributions. I wonder, since almost every scholar form their opinions about what is shamanism, what has captured them in individualitc way when observing the native shamans.

Out of The Seven Central Practices:

1. Living ethically
2. Transforming emotions
3. Redirecting mtivation
4. Training attention
5. Refining awareness
6. Cultivating wisdom
7. Serving others.

Which one would you say you would have most difficulty achieving? and Why?

Hughes, Ch. 2; Walsh Parts I & II

These readings were definitely a breath of fresh air compared to last week's. We are now presented with this totally new idea (as far as a Westerner is concerned) about a person who can actually travel to this altered state and bring something back to benefit his fellow man: a Shaman. I've definitely heard this term many times in my life prior to this course but I am certainly very thankful for being able to dive in deeper. I felt a strong connection to this word. I enjoyed how both authors not only brought up the ancient meanings of the word but how they put a modern spin on it (such as the section about rock music and the raver scene). I immediately had a vision of Jim Morrison standing there with his then girlfriend Pam, as he seemed to levitate her in the air. We seem to give rock stars (even as broad as simply saying a celebrity) shamanistic qualities unknowingly. We listen to their songs or watch their movies for comfort or 'healing' if you will. We gain inspiration from them to continue our pointless lives. It is not out of the question to say that past Shamans - the original Shaman - was inspiration. Perhaps if one came down with a certain illness or sickness they could look to that Shaman for guidance. Even if the explanation was so vague as to say "a spirit is upset with you", the person could use that to look within themselves to find out what was wrong.

I definitely loved the part in the readings when psychedelics came up - especially the pscilocybin mushrooms. Is it any wonder that the Aztecs referred to them as "God's Flesh"? Upon entering a magic mushroom trip, one is overcome with a "buzz" if you will. It completely consumes you. If you try to go against it, you're only in for a bad time. I can easily compare this to life and a sort of "going with the flow" vibe. Perhaps that is what a Shaman would say. Perhaps they would tell us to stop, look and listen. I recall the Indian talking about his peace pipe. It is simply taking the time to appreciate EVERYTHING. The positive, the negative - it is all a part of you. I think a Shaman is someone who recognizes this fact of life and uses it to his advantage and to help those around him. The problem is, there are those around you that will not and can not accept this idea. These are the people that need the Shaman's help.

The Claims of the Shamans

I am a follower of Jesus Christ and right or wrong I tend to be skeptical of concepts that I believe are not based on biblical principles. Not wanting to have a closed mind, I began to read the chapters on Shamanism and I found them to be absolutely intriguing!
On the first day of class Dr. Kearney gave us the freedom to explore the questions that we may have about the course subject matter. So, when I read about shamanic ecstasy and the souls’ ability to experience flight and journey to other realms, I thought to myself – come on this is ridiculous! I believe Walsh to be correct when he says that belief in this phenomenon depends on one’s own worldview.

The claims of Shamans meeting and interacting with animals and the sprits that inhabit them, again is a new concept for me. I do question that these individual can see the cause and cure of patients’. If this was truly the case why are thousand of people struck with disease and other maladies on daily basis? I am interested to read Walshes’ answer to some of these philosophical questions…

The concepts illustrated in the chapter titled Central Principles and Practice of Spiritual Life helped me identify the spiritual qualities of different philosophies. Many of the seven central practices echo concepts seen in Christianity and are essential to many spiritual traditions. I especially enjoyed the section on wisdom and redirecting motivation, these are concepts that are being lost in society. Wisdom is more than knowledge it is understanding and that is what I hope to attain during this course as we explore enlightenment and altered states of consciousness in its many forms.

Blog number two

Hughes, Chapter Two:
Cave art, though, seemingly underdeveloped could be considered “good” by standards back in that day. The art found in caves definitely is a way of communication (isn’t all art?). These are the people’s interpretations of the life and their surroundings from during that specific time. We may have our theories behind cave art, but I believe to know the true meaning is to live during that time.
Shamans … Holy fascinating… Maybe the shamans tapped into how to use their brain? According to various sources, we only use 10 percent of our brain. Perhaps through rituals they tapped into something most simply cannot.
Anyone can eat mushrooms, chant, drum, and dance. That does not mean they can tap into their interworld journeys. I know I can’t lucid dream, and perhaps through practice I may achieve that but even so, I’m no shaman. I can’t reach an altered state of consciousness through dreams. It’s all very interesting.
“The shaman not only lives at the edge of reality but also at the edge of his or her society,”
which for starters, makes me think if anyone in America were to publicly declare him or herself a shaman he or she would be in 5P. This is an unfortunate result of one nation “under god”.
I believe anything and everything is possible, so for a Shaman to serve as a bridge between reality and other realms is totally feasible. Why not?
It’s also interesting to read about how Shamans work with spirits. We never hear people talking about spirits, or their spirits or whatever. We may mention souls, but never spirits. Another little thing that caught my eye on page 26 was how sexual ambiguity is a characteristic of traditional shamanism, and some shamans were commanded by spirits during their initiation to assume a feminine personality which was often against their own will.

Walsh, Chapter One:
“The world of shamanism is an awakening,” which I believe to be a major understatement. It’s more than an awakening from what is described. I also believe since it’s very difficult to actually understand, it’s easy to dismiss it. Anything that cannot be scientifically explained seems to be taken for granted and ignored. It’s that western way of thought. Pfffft. For some reason, I wonder what the “straight edge” kids would say about Shamanism and the use of psychedelics (perhaps because I despise them so).
I also wonder if an anthropologist crosses the line and delves into the world of experience if that would make their studies biased. Then again, the only way to know, is to experience it. I wonder if the growing popularity of Shamanism is just another trend like the Kaballah (thanks Madonna). We have Westerners going to workshops called “shamanic training.” Luckily there is debate on that one.

Walsh, Chapter Two:
The fact that psychology got involved with Shamanism is bad. I believe the study of this should remain with the anthropologists. For Western psychiatry to foster a negative view of shamanism is ethnocentric in itself. We’re talking about another culture; therefore we should study these things in the context of the culture it comes from. We should be fostering unbiased opinions about these things. Psychology interfering with shamanism just means psychologists will try to apply their silly theories to these shamans and totally disregard and discredit them. Because there’s illogical and bizarre behavior involved, yeah they’re going to “diagnose” them as schizophrenic or just crazy. Trying to psychoanalyze this just takes away from the meaning. Psychologists don’t get it. One thing for certain is to keep an open mind when reading this material.

Shamanism

Hughes, Chapter 2:

The first thing in the reading that stood out to me was how it mentioned the cave art as “an early understanding of the interfusion of spirit and nature,” which is related to religion. I guess it just surprised me how true this statement was, because I was raised as a Christian and the supernatural is often perceived as evil, except for the Holy Trinity, of course. 

I also thought it was interesting that the book called shamanism “universal” and “the old Earth religion”. I think that often in our culture we forget to look outside our culture and put things in the world’s perspective. These statements about shamanism just reminded me that the first real religion was probably shamanism.

Another point that I noted was that cave art was still being practiced some 20,000 years after the original art began. I suppose it’s noteworthy because so many things we take for granted are so young in comparison (Christianity is only 2,000 years old.) and probably will change greatly in the near future due to societal influences. But something about the cave drawings and engravings had such a deep resonance with the artists that it remained nearly unchanged in 20,000 years, which I think is an amazing feat.

When the text discussed magic images versus representative art, I immediately thought of abstract art. Can’t abstract art “affect the onlookers’ consciousness, prompting them to see it in the vision of the object”? Whereas representative art, in most cases, is less subject to interpretation. Take one of my favorite photographs, for example. In Bad Boys of the Arctic by Thomas Mangelson (http://www.art.com/asp/sp-asp/_/pd--10044894/Bad_Boys_of_the_Arctic_Polar_Bears.htm), there are many ways to interpret the image, but most people will simply see three polar bears lounging around. However, in Salvador Dali’s surrealist painting The Persistence of Memory, it is open to more interpretations than Mangelson’s photo, simply because of the style in which it was executed. I think that the more a viewer studies Dali’s painting and the more he or she applies their own life to their interpretation, the closer to an altered state he or she gets.

Another point that caught my attention was that most potential shamans have near-death experiences, because so often in our society, people have these experiences and are unable to find the words to describe them. But shamans utilize these experiences to help their community. 

I also thought it ironic that our culture perceives certain drugs as dangerous and harmful whereas in other cultures, shamans use the same drugs to heal.

Also for shamans, I think the book emphasized the importance of communication in creativity.

I really enjoyed reading the section in Hughes about rock and roll. I realized that most rock legends are so much more than just pop culture icons. As far as the hippie stereotypes of the fans of John Lennon and Jerry Garcia, I think many people stumbled upon altered states of consciousness because their music was popular, as well as the drugs that are associated with their music. So hippies may not just be tree-loving druggies, but actually the thinkers who impacted their generation and the rest to come. I also realized that like creativity and altered states, shamanism and any significant resemblance to it (like rock and roll) is very often controversial in our society.

Shamanism:

I think there is something to the whole shamanism concept or theory or state of being because after having dwindled in many parts of the world and having never really been present in its original form in our culture, interest in shamanism has been widespread and sudden. The book attributes this spike in interest partially to the common use of psychedelics in the 1960s. It makes me deduce that shamanism must be natural to human beings, further confirmed by it’s age and scattered locations. 

Carlos Castaneda interested me because he simultaneously spiked interest in shamanism and falsely portrayed it. 

Why we are studying shamanism, other than its involvement with creativity and altered states, immediately became clear when I read that when defining a shaman, “there is remarkably little agreement and ‘practically every scholar forms his own opinion of what constitutes shamanism.’”

When reading about how shamans’ ecstatic experiences like journeying, I decided that being a shaman could be a lot of fun, but at the same time it seems like the whole leading part of it would be a lot of responsibility. I guess I’d be a more stereotypical hippie who is selfish when in comes to altered states rather than a shaman who is selfless. 

I can also see how shamanism is kind of the blueprint for religions. In shamanism, there is three worlds: upper, middle, and lower. We live in the middle. In Christianity and Judaism, the upper world would be Heaven; the middle world, our life on Earth; and the lower world, Hell. It almost correlates too nicely to be coincidence. 

Shamans states of consciousness can actually suggest an underlying neural basis, according to Walsh. This development only confirms my initial reaction that although shamanism is often seen as supernatural or unnatural, it actually seems quite natural since altered states can be provoked by common experiences like isolation, fatigue, hunger, and rhythmic sound. 

When reading about mediums, I suppose I rid myself of some doubt, but I definitely still doubt mediums like John Edwards who exploit their gifts or “gifts” to make a substandard TV show to achieve their own fame and celebrity under the guise of helping others.

Hughes Ch.2

Hughes opens this chapter with remarks concerning the consciousness of our stone age ancestors. He notes that they too could have actively pursued attainment of altered states of consciousness and presents abstract shapes of Paleolithic cave paintings as being indicative of such a situation. I would not be surprised if Paleolithic humans did engage in ritualistic ceremonies which involved various different approaches to obtaining an altered state of consciousness before or during painting on cave walls. Nor would I be wholly surprised if some of their artwork was just the byproduct of an inexperienced artist using a relatively poor quality apparatus for painting images that depict he/her perception of the chaotic world he/she lived in. The majority of the most commonly cited examples of Paleolithic cave paintings, such as those at sites like Chauvet, Consquer and Lascaux, predominantly depicts fauna and not abstract symbols. These paintings do illustrate early mans adulation for the animals which provided his sustenance and demonstrates his ever-present focus and dependence on those animals.

If I remember correctly, the section discussing the shamans healing trance in ceremonial practices was described by on person as "part seance, part spectacle, and wholly performance." The majority of shamanistic practices could be portrayed in a similar light, while some could be better understood in a socio-political context. When studying certain Amerindian cultures one finds that shamans wielded the largest degree of political clout in their community. The peoples of California such as the Maidu, Yokut, Wiyot, Yurok, etc. both revered and feared their shaman. He was second in power only to the political leader, whose arbitrary role was more closely related to his mastery of ceremonial practices rather than to his military prowess. Shamans in this culture (as in many) were feareed for their knowledge of the future, control over the weather and perceived ability to both cure and cause illnesses. The religous leaders were at the apex of communal authority in the societies of the Pueblo peopels in the southwest as well. The strongest political authority rested in the hands of the religous clans such as the Kacina Cult, and not the village or tribe. The chiefdoms of the Southeast didn't have a shaman per se, but their relgious leader also happened to be the chief. It is this close relationship that shamans and religous leaders have to social and poltical organization and their access to the unknowable that makes their vocation easyily contextualized. At any rate, I wonder if Walsh will present any evidence that rituals and practices of the shaman positively affected the human mind and body. I'm more interested in the actual trance-like state of mind which results from meditation, yoga, or any other mental and physical activity, than considering the actual shamanistic practices as having any legitamate substantive aspects.

Walsh Ch.1 & 2

I was unaware that there has been a recent explosion of interest in shamanism. Unfortuantely I do not share Walsh's enthusiasm for the topic of shamans and their practices; however, I plan to remain indifferent toward the matters he will present throughout his book. Walsh proposed to "carefully examine" the criticism typically posed at shamanism, such it being a totally neurotic, entirely corrupt or the notion that it potentially pocesses superhuman qualities. Ultimately, Walsh dubs his perspective toward shamanism "assumptive minimalism," which he claims involves a combination of not being presumputous and retreating to agnosticism when all else fails. Given Walsh's scientific background and his professed moderate, objective approach to studying the topic at hand, I will be interested to see what evidence, findings and arguements he'll present in the future chapters of the text.

Hughes(1) &(3)and Tart(6)

Creativity has many meanings to everyone. In my opinion it is one's ability to be able to think out of the box and out of this hemisphe of conventional thinking and to create something that is theirs. Whether it is in an altered or regular state of consciousness or if it is of an artistic, or philosophical sentiment, I think everybody has a bit of creativity in them. In this chapter I think the high points for me were of the paranomal, transpersonal psychology and creativity. I have always been interested in the spiritual aspects of our conscious well being. I wonder if the spiritual experiences are "illusions and delusions" and how the whole aspect of religion, spirituality, and the paronomal connect. Somehow I find my self drawn to the possiblity of phenomenons like precognition. After reading this chapter, I can get a clearer view of the subject matter.

Hughes(3)
I tend to perceive consciousness as evidence that we are alive. It is evidence that we are aware of our well being, surroundings, and our awareness of the whole world in general. One of the high points in this chapter for me is the concept of one of our sensory organs which is our sense of smell. I wonder why animals have such a keen and unique sense of smell and also what the concept of pheromones has to do with puberty and sexuality. I liked section of our consciousness on the topic of guessing. The author talks baout it been percieved as a " sixth sense" in which our consciousness is not awareof in this realm. I wonder if I had that ability whether I would have struck the lottery.

Tart(6)
To be honest I really don't understand where tart was going with the D-soc.

Chapters 2 (Hughes) and Chapter 1& 2 (Walsh)

Chapter 2 of Altered States was really fascinating. I believe that most of the things that we (humans) do, revolves around our deep desire to make sense of our surroundings... to gain power over nature. It's easy to understand why our early ancestors called upon their recently deceased and no longer knowable ancestors to make sense of the unknown and the unforeseeable. Through an awakening of the senses, the Shamans were able to harness the "spirit force" for the benefit of the community. I believe in the ability of the Shamans (or specialist of the soul), because I believe in the power of the mind. According to Hughes, there is extensive ethnographic documentation of the powers that shamans possessed (including lucid dreaming, out-of-body experiences and more).

In the beginning of Walsh's first chapter, he mentions the Western Cultures recent affinity toward non-western healing. In particular he mentions Jewish Kaballah (which I briefly mentioned in my last blog), Hindu and Taoist Yoga. Recently, I came across something in a text that focused on Mysticism and Yogic Meditation. Like Shamanism, Yoga is an ancient system of healing and living that has its own theories on altered states... which I think is worth mentioning. Yoga teaches that humans have a "third eye", which is the seat of human consciousness. Further, it is believed by many occult circles that it is the contact point between the mind and the spirit. The location of this third eye is believed to be in the pineal gland found at the base of the brain. This is interesting because modern science has concluded that there is indeed a relationship between this gland and human consciousness. Interestingly enough, this gland produces serotonin and melatonin. When an individual takes a hallucinogen such as LSD the natural flow of serotonin into the bloodstream is impeded, resulting in an altered state of consciousness. Indeed, the manipulation of this gland results in an awakening of the senses... an unveiling of the other side. Perhaps this omnipresent reality is within each of us, rather than outside of us. It's the piece of us that connects us to a greater consciousness. The collective consciousness, perhaps.

Hughes claims that Lennon (and many other musicians) was for all intents and purposes a shaman. I find this rather interesting. Though, I think it is kind of strange to compare musicians like Lennon to Shamans... but... I guess music heals, right?

Walsh completes the introduction on Shamanism with his comprehensive take on the topic. Walsh makes an interesting point— many studies on the topic of Shamanism have been "flawed by superficial interpretations". He also chided the Freudian Western School of thought that placed negative connotations on the practice. One of Walsh's most profound lines (in Chapter 2) is..."And I say this as a person who was a confirmed skeptic of all things spiritual, until I tried the practices myself."

We cannot forget this point in this class. In my life, I have believed that so many things were impossible... and then I come across a vetted text or individual or experience that proves me wrong. Before we dismiss things as fanciful or impossible, we might first listen....open our minds to these things that exist beyond our perception.

I am pumped to learn more about psychosomatic medicine (placebos perhaps), meditation and comparative religion, as it pertains to Shamanism of course. Happy Reading.

"You've Got the Touch" (Insert eighties keyboard riff) "You've Got the Power"

Thoughts on Cave Art (My Baby's a Caveman?)

"... a magic image embodies the subject rather than represents it. A magic image need not, perhaps cannot, represent an object that has its being in the spirit world, but it can affect the onlookers conciousness, prompting them to see in it the vision of the object."

Often, when we study prehistoric man and history, in general, we laugh condescendingly at their lack of advancement. However, each human being in thier time made huge advancements and contributions that were built upon by future human beings. What I find most fascinating about this quote and the passage that contains it, is its parallels to early childhood.

It is as if every child, from birth until death, represents the history of man at rapid speed. One can compare the cave drawings and rituals mentioned in the text to a two or three year old, and find that children find magic in animals just as cave dwellers did. Children draw animals (sometimes on walls) and pretend to be them up until their parents say, "Enough, already! Why don't you learn to read, kid?"

Shamans

This portion of Hughes' book brings back weird childhood memories of my father that I thought had vanished. I do not say this negatively, but as I recall my early upbringing, many of the events my father would drag us to, and a lot of his lifestyle reflected that of shamanism. Now, I was young and ignorant and would pull yoga books off the shelf and search the pages for pictures of someone in the book stuffing yarn up his nose and pulling it through his mouth. I would then find my dad and ask him, while laughing uncontrollably, if he could do such things. He used to insist that I join him in sleeping under the stars. These camp outs ended after one summer when I got up sleepily from the lawn and peed all over his sleeping bag. He yelled, and I ran back into the house. Most children interrupt their fathers when stepping in front of a televised football game. I interrupted my father by stepping in front of nature.

Okay, okay! Enough with the Thurber-esque memories.

Now, I'm writing on a subject I feel I have no experience in which to speak, but I will bring up some points of interest. In order to be a shaman, one must have at one point faced a near death experience in early childhood or young adulthood. Their skeletons face dismemberment and reduction while they lie motionless. Meanwhile, they travel to the underworld and meet spirits. I would also be curious to know what sort of daimon I have.


I agree with a previous post (I forget who wrote it) about mentioning certain musicians as being shaman's. Perhaps they can be interpretted in such a way, but... and I'm a fan of many of the artists mentioned, but... how I can I say this... let's not contribute to their already pretentious personalities by giving them more other worldly traits. For instance, Bob Dylan's motorcycle accident was a traumatic experience for him, mainly, because he couldn't play an instrument. Certainly, he went through a Christian phase at one point in his career, but shamanism? Maybe someone in class can explain Hughes' logic behind this one.

Maybe the circus at one point may have been shamanistic, but today, I'm not so sure. The last time I went, I was apalled by the way the animals were treated, and how yellow the clowns's teeth were when their white makeup was applied. I learned this term called anthropomorphism which means "to give human like characteristics to animals." This style of thinking is rejected by the scientific community.

Walsh's book begins to delve into this topic, stating that "its be demonized by clergy, diagnosed by psychiatrists, and dismissed by academics."

I'm going to reference what I said earlier about my not knowing much on the topic because I have very little experience in it. Walsh mentions a number of anthropologists and psychologists, who stopped observing shamanism from a safe distance, and began practicing it themselves. I'm not sure there can be any better way of learning such a practice.

Hughes 2 and Walsh 1 & 2

Hughes:
I can't help but wonder why I'm interested in the parts about reaching an ASOC through meditation or yoga but not through using drugs. Is it because I've been taught that using drugs is bad? I'm guessing it is. This all sounds so interesting to me except for the part about taking hallucinigens. I would like to have this sort of "power" except, of course, for my desire to avoid the near-death-experience part. I commented last week about trying yoga for a few times and hoping to gain the health benefits and the spiritual ones as well. I didn't stick with it long enough though. I thought the connection made between football games and rave parties was interesting. I've never been to a "rave" but I have heard about them and I have attended many football games. I can understand why he is saying it's a "merging of the individual into the collective" at mass gatherings. This explains all of the terrible things that sometimes happen when there's a mob of people (like riots). I also like the quote from Plato that a divine daimon resides in us all that "could intervene through a dream or a sign, or even appear personally to direct what is favourable towards us and to compensate what is evil"---I believe this is true. Kind of like, everything happens for a reason. Of course, you have to sometimes look for what the reason is and try to find the 'good' in the 'bad'. Sorry to keep quoting but I love this one too (no comment on it other than it's a great quote) "But inspiration requires interpretation."


Walsh:
I enjoyed this reading more than Hughes. It mentions how some anthropologists started appreciating shamanism much more after learning and practicing first-hand rather than just observing. Again, the reading discussed meditation and yoga---both of which I'm interested in learning/practicing and how these can be used to reach a different state of consciousness. However, it does say that they can take weeks or months to produce effects whereas shamanism can work within minutes. Obvious question is: Where do I sign up? I like the fact that it states how this book "aims to examine shamanism from a larger perspective, a perspective that is historical, cross-cultural, and inter-religious." I think this is incredibly important because I've always wondered how differnet I would be had I been born/grown up in a different part of the world where, for instance, Christianity isn't the dominant religion. My beliefs would be different than what they are now and all of that was affected/determined by where I was born. I wish I had the time and inclination to study every single religion and all the history of the world to come up with some answers on my own---until then, I guess I'll have to go on wondering. One last time--I have to use this quote. This one actually reflects on my comments last week about the power of positive thinking. "Those who can control attention can therefore cultivate specific emotions and motives."

Shamanism, Week 2

I wish that I would have read Walsh's text prior to reading that of Hughes. I learned some things from Walsh that helped me to better understand what was in Hughes's text, but I guess that's okay!

I find the whole idea of shamanism interesting, and hard to grasp. Hughes cites work by Eliade, who shows that shamanism is basically as old as time, and is widespread throughout all of humanity. Walsh says that while shamanism is practiced far and wide, it is most prevalent amongst hunter-gatherers, with little formal social or political organization. It seems that they agree on this, and that makes sense to me. In societies where there is little security in day-to-day life, people don't have time to devote to much else aside from survival. It's the perfect environment for a sort of "jack of all trades" to spring up. No matter what ails you, he's got the cure! Few would question his methods or the results, I would assume. As socity progressed, though, and civilizations developed, people had leisure time, and could themselves investigate such things. As Walsh said, "Though shamans as such largely disappear from complex societies, most of their roles and skills are retained by various speciailists. However, there is one exception: journeying." (p.19) We now have doctors, priests, mediums and yes, even witches (to an extent). Journeying, though..........that is one that no one could figure out, I'd say, which is why (perhaps) it died out. Until the prominence of hallucinogens, in the more recent centuries. Now people can trip and "journey" to another state. They can go places and experience things in a hallucinogenic state. I'm not saying this is new, but that it is much more popular. I don't think that we can necessarily calls people doing this "shamans". I also don't know that I would ever place such a label on John Lennon, Bob Dylan or any other rock star. Just because they achieved some level of creativity, doesn't grant them such a title, in my book. At the same time, I think that the idea of going to a workshop for 4 or 8 hours isn't going to allow one to be a shaman. That seems like a total slap in the face to the "true" shamans of old. They're turning in their grave for sure!!! One of them should appear to one of the workshop goers in one of their "trances" and tell them what's what!!!

All of that aside, there were a few really interesting things within both texts that I found myself highlighting:

1. A quote by Joseph Beuys (Hughes, p 22): "The concept of sculpting can be extended to the invisible materials used by everyone: thinking forms....spoken forms....social sculpture.....Sculpture is an evolutionary process, everyone is an artist."

How cool is that? I'm a sculptor. hehehe

2. The comparison by Hughes of the shaman to the circus.

3. Hughes states that, "A degree of possession is implicit in the creative act, however reasonable....To become creative, the human mind needs to be touched by a certin Otherness...." This definitely is an interesting point, one which I will have to visit in my definition paper, I think.

Shamanism

Week Two

These two readings seemed to go very well hand-in-hand; in fact, there was a lot of repetition of information from one book to the other. they both had unique valid points, though, and I would like to start by mentioning Hughes.
One of the most interesting things in Hughes discussion of shamanism was his comparison of the shaman with the modern-day artist (p 20). In most representation of shaman (or medicine men or witch doctors or sorcerers), whether it be in a book or a movie, there seems to be a consistent fear and respect displayed by onlookers. Shaman are seen as having special powers or unique abilities, and it seems to be commonplace for ordinary people to fear what they do not understand. As such, while one may in part be impressed by a shaman's talents or abilities, without proper insight to said abilities, it can easily be conjectured why this onlooker would fear the shaman's powers, especially if the presentation of such powers progressed too far beyond a common person's comprehension.
A modern-day artist can likewise be feared. For all intents and purpose, an artist is individual who has a unique way of viewing the world, different than most people or at the very least seeing it that way for the first time, and when his view is brought to the attention of others, it can be met with fear or even hostility. Sometimes the public is not ready to admit that the world can be seen like that; sometimes they flat-out disagree. I think the real correlation between shamans and artists is their way of viewing the world, though by different means and for different purposes.

Most of the first two sections of Walsh seemed to be concentrating on finding an appropriate definition or description of what is a shaman, which was useful to read prior to continuing with the Hughes. If one of the main purposes of a shaman is to seek cures or answers as a public service, then it brings to mind discussion from past class discussions, where we wondered if altered states of consciousness really can lead to actual answers, as they have been sometimes claimed to. If artists find inspiration in an altered states and musicians find song, is it so hard to believe that someone seeking a less artistic but still necessary answer would be able to find it in a similar state?
We view the world as we know it, the plane on which we exist, as the logical place to be, which is why it seems like an altered state would not be the place to seek a logical answer. Nine times out of ten when I'm looking for a solution, it is often the easiest answer I overlook that turns out to work the best. If an altered state of consciousness is the ability to diffuse the white noise and eliminate any unnecessary distractions, wouldn't it follow that the logical, simple, straightforward answer would be the one we discover?

Hughes and Walsh

Hughes 2

I found it very interesting that shamans are able to work with dreams and have the ability to be conscious and in control while dreaming. Personally, I do not see how that is possible. I'm not sure how a person can be dreaming, but still be in control. If a shaman is still in control, then has he or she really entered an altered state of consciousness? I found it fascinating that most potential shamans have suffered a near-death experience. They must enter some kind of trance when they are about to die. I'm assuming it is in that crucial moment that some overlying force just takes over. So many people seemed to have had crazy and out there experiences, so there must be some truth to it all. To me, it sounds crazy, probably because I have never had a creative escape to another world. I thought the readings were very interesting, but some of it is hard for me to believe. I think I need to meet a shaman in person.

Walsh I.

I am surprised that shamanism has survived so long, and still nothing can be proven or really understood by most scholars. I feel that some anthropologists have been smart by actually attempting to practice shamanism. How could a person understand shamanism, without actually doing it? It seems like there are a lot of different types of shamanism. Neoshaminism does not appear to be as serious or as involved as traditional forms of shamanism. I think most shamanism is a matter of the mind. People start doing shamanism with thoughts that something imaginative might occur, and then it does. I feel like it is just a matter of mind over body.

Walsh II.

I can definitely relate to this chapter, because a lot of the myths that are associated with shamanism I believed. I used to be a psychology major, so I think that is why I had the perceptions that I had. I am now trying to be more open minded towards the practice. Obviously, I don't know enough about shamanism to make any kind of fair judgement. However, I hope this book allows me to develop some rational understanding of the practice. So far, I am very skeptical and undecided about how I feel towards the whole idea of shamanism.

Hughes and Walsh

What struck me first in this second chapter was the description on the sequence of events of how shamans come to be. What is described as the "world tree" by which shamans-to-be ascend reminded me of what is referred to in mythology as the "axis mundi". In many myths, this axis mundi is some form of tree or pillar that also ascends and descends into other worlds; typically an underworld that is less civilized and a higher, upper world which symbolizes progress, advancement, and a deep spirituality. Like the world tree which shamans use to reach certain animals and spirits to connect with, the axis mundi is a significant link to various animals and creatures that represent important ideals and beliefs to the society to which that particular myth is derived from. I suppose the difference here is that in mythology, the character's passage to and from these worlds is supposed to teach the character, and ultimately, the audience a lesson. In Shamanism, this journey not only teaches the proposed shaman his required lessons, enlightened wisdom and knowledge, but also shares with his "audience" (the community) what he has learned by providing his services to benefit, heal and bless the community. In this respect, the lesson is not simply read but experienced.

Upon beginning chapter one of Walsh, I was a little skeptical about the reference to acquiring shamanic experience through brief workshops. "Some people with no prior training can walk into a workshop and, within minutes of listening to shamanic drumming, experience meaningful visions and insights". From the readings thus far, it has been proposed that such experiences (ASC) generally require much training to achieve. Are these "visions and insights" truly something derived from a hidden consciousness that was just suddenly aroused and opened, or are these claimed participants simply so eager to experience the slightest paranormal activity that they construct their own insights based on what they want to see and deem them to be true and received from a deeper consciousness? Surely there are cases where ASC is reached spontaneously- I assumed these were mainly attributed to drug-induced occurrences, not simply from listening to a few minutes of drumming.
Another interesting point to note was that the text claims, " These people [societies where shamanism is practiced] have little agriculture and almost no social classes or political organization". The first two, ag and class system, I get. It's the last reference I have trouble with. Certainly such societies might not have an elaborate, formal governing system with an appointed head to lead and several committees underneath to establish and execute decisions. However, I'm led to believe that these shamans are a form of politicians themselves. They are deemed the all-knowing, community-serving official who people can go to for insight, wisdom, healing, counseling and so on. If the community accepts what the shaman does or says as truth, isn't that a form of control in itself? And isn't that basically what a political organization strives for...control over its people? The text states, "only shamans claimed to have some degree of control over them [spirits] and to be able to command, commune, and intercede with them for the benefits of the tribe". Hopefully this doesn't come across that I advocate anarchy, just thought I'd address something I felt could be taken as contradictory.

Shamanism

Hughes-2
I find it valuable to include in the beginning of Hughes Chapter 2 "The Power," the cave paintings of early North Americans because, we can learn their stages of life and how it shapes us today. I was very interested in learning about the Shamans, one thing that drew my attention to their way of life was that their not by any means hurting people they are their to help them and help their community. In today's society it's very hard to find someone who is willing to help the poor or help anyone in need. I'm a firm believer in God, and I do believe you as an individual have the right to practice any belief you so desire to, I would never pin point or make statements about a persons life because I would not want them to make it about mine. I like to learn about other peoples culture and I do believe that is what we are doing as a class. Their are some things that I find hard for a human to do unto another human in a Shamanism like fashion, magical flight, controlling over the elements, superhuman strength and endurance, powers over animals, and power to heal humans that are sick, those are just a few that Hughes mentions. One thing that I have a question for is that Hughes mentions that Shamans like to subject themselves in their unconscious state to animals for health and they talk to them and give them references to heal others, but in other ways like Indians for example they worship the animal, so why don't the Shamans worship the animal they seek if the animal the seek tells the truth?

Shamanism Part I and II-
I will be honest I felt I learned more about the Shamans way of life in this book than the brief de scriptive view of Hughes Chapter 2. I learned that in order to perform powerful results from meditation or yoga you must rehearse the ritual for weeks or even months. Also what I found interesting was that the study of Shamanism contributes much to Psychology and I see that in forms of going into deep thought and preserving a hidden message in your thoughts. I was baffled that Walsh made the statement, " It is henceforth one of the accepted anthropological truths that Socrates was the last shaman and the first philosopher." What does he mean? Would the people who you see on TV that claim they can move objects with their eyes be called a Shaman, because Walsh states that Shamans are people who are classified as a "medicine man, witch doctor, sorcerers, wizards magicians, or seers." I find that the drug Ecstasy should not be taken because it can have great effects and can be additive, but Shamans use it so they can "soul flight" why can't they "soul flight" by means of meditation or beating of drums? In the second half of this reading some things I seen as Philosophical like the seven central practices. Living life to the fullest is a phrase I mention to alot of people and in terms means 1. living ethically 2. transforming emotions 3. redirecting motivation 4. training attention 5. refining awareness 6. cultivating wisdom 7. serving others. I find my self doing all seven 1.living a normal state of life with the resources I have before me 2. showing that I care about certain topics 3. directing a positive approach to a negative state 4. being alert to my surroundings 5. be aware of others feelings 6. show others my mistakes and help them not to make the same 7. do unto others as you have done unto yourself. The keys to emotional transformation can be helpful in situations such as breaking up with a boyfriend and learning to cope. Training attention can help me to revise a conflict with someone I strongly dislike and help me focus on the person who is best suited to be my friend. I learned that the mind games can be played and can hurt you too. Everyone can relate in some way to mind games for example young teenage love. You jump into something so far fetched and you realize it only broke your heart. I really enjoyed this reading cause it helped me learn how to deal with certain circumstances that I might face later down in life.