From: GeoffCobb@aol.com
Date: Tue Apr 08 1997 - 11:00:33 MDT
In a message dated 97-04-06 14:49:39 EDT, you write:
>
> I reckon there's a lot of room for a modern, scientific, rational form of
> mysticism that gets the experiences without the hypno-hype and extra
> cosmological baggage.
>
> Dennett's work makes a great foundation for this, IMHO. Seeing the
> self as a 'virtual captain of the crew' is almost half way there!
>
Oops! sorry to give you the wrong impression.The exact opposite of what I
meant, mysticism.
I was talking about a form of thinking that explans "spiritualism" in human's
mind. A sustained low focus type, often mistaken for mysticism, exploited by
religions of the world, but nothing mysterious, just under-researched.
I suggested it was a part of our natural cognitive state.
> (Why bother? Believe me, there is *nothing* like that experience; even
> psychedelics give merely a weedy little echo of the 'cosmicness' of it.
> And I think that sentient beings who *lived* from that perspective could
> be immensely powerful and joyful creatures. Easily able to re-program
> themselves, to morph, etc. - in fact, Transhuman!)
>
Drug experiences may have some effect on this process by shutting down high
focus thought ( sometimes permanently ; - ), but your so called 'mystics'
have found meditation does it also. Also exercise seems to help and mindless
simple things like shaving... driving....
This process helps with creativity also.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:44:20 MST