4 ms·

It sounds like some wires got crossed up on the way back down; it might be fixable, though probably not through conventional means. (Stuff like tantra or proper

by hosh 9y ago

It sounds like some wires got crossed up on the way back down; it might be fixable, though probably not through conventional means. (Stuff like tantra or properly taking part in Ayahuasca with a trained shaman comes to mind). But then again, when I hear about those God-drunken yogis wandering around in India, sometimes with followers, I wonder too if this was her destiny. Blasting out on a whim without preparation is like getting launched into outer space without a spacesuit. (And the things we think we are preparing for are usually the very things that create a lot of turbulence in the journey). Lots of people are lucky, have guides watching over them, the way little kids gets watched over by parents on the playground. ("Ok, come away from the busy street -- oh look, would you like to play with this?") Sometimes, people are not so lucky. There is a vast knowledge and wisdom in the old traditions about this, and scientific knowledge is ill-equipped to understand or even handle the misadventures. I wouldn't say never though. DMT is an endogenous neurotransmitter produced by the pineal gland, so under rare circumstances, dosages of DMT can be released naturally and directly into your brain.

loceng 9y ago
Re: wires getting crossed - If our energy systems aren't flowing properly then our own magnetic field and energetic defences are prone, weak. Part of how Ayahuasca/DMT functions is breaking down/limiting the ego mind's control, so if someone's maintaining normal appearances using ego mind's control - then who knows what's underneath once ego has lost its grasp. This is in part why yoga styles like Kundalini and Laughter Yoga are contraindicated for people with schizophrenia, as these practices purpose is to let go/challenge the ego, and therefore it seems that a person prone to a schizophrenic state uses ego control to gain function.
- loceng 9y ago
  How I despise quantitative commentary via downvotes instead of qualitative conversation. Edit: It's been a wild ride so far watching the votes go from the initial 1 down to -2, back up to 0, back down to -3, back up to 0, back down to -1 and so on.. Looks like this comment got zinged now too with a downvote. Thanks for the entertainment all. And yes, I'm aware it's in the HN rules to not make comments like this - consider it as peaceful protest for change.
  - todd8 9y ago
    Okay, I’ll comment quantitatively. You lost me on your first sentence: > If our energy systems aren't flowing properly then our own magnetic field and energetic defences are prone, weak. This is nonsense. I didn’t downvote you simply because that had already happened.
    - loceng 9y ago
      One example to support this point - are you familiar with or have experience with acupuncture? Edit: Thank you by the way.
      - ghostbrainalpha 9y ago
        The problem with discussion around any "woo woo" topics is that they don't get anywhere, which is probably the reason for the downvotes. Yes, there are studies that show acupuncture could help someone give up smoking. But when you try to parse the reasons why, you end up saying things like "energy work", and "contemplative healing methodologies", which don't mean anything... or more precisely, they mean something to you, but every Alternative Medicine practitioner can redefine. So the words and language lose all meaning, its impossible to transfer knowledge or have a meaningful conversation without shared understanding of agreement on terms. I might only be saying this because my aura is blocked, and my Chi isn't flowing correctly. But should I fix that with the Kundali method, Ayahusca, a copper bracelet, healing crystals, aromatherapy, or traditional cognitive therapy?
        hosh 9y ago
        That really depends. Some of those methods work well for some people and not for others. Since we're laying it out on the table, I'll comment on here about those different methods. You won't be using the "Kundali" method (which I take it to mean "Kundalini"). That is a phenomena that is initiates a drastic transformation on the person's body and mind, and has its own way with the person. It may be induced and people can spontaneously have it kicked off. People usually come for treatments for side-effects from that sort of spiritual emergence, and those side-effects are often knots of resistance in the mind or body. Aura usually refers to a layer of subtle energy closer to the surface, and as such, something that as deeply transformative as Kundalini is overkill. I can say the same about Ayahuasca. She is going to have her way with you. Now, let's look at "chi isn't flowing correctly" and "it appears in the aura" -- which in the TCM modality would be the wei-qi, the guardian qi. The modern TCM practitioners will look at different physical symptoms and try to adjust things through acupuncture, acupressure, etc. However, there is a smaller subset of TCM practitioners who can directly sense the flows of the qi. For those people, Metal qi feels like Metal, and it is distinct from Earth qi or Fire qi. Meridians for these people can be directly sensed within one's body and in others, and they more or less follow the pathways already documented. Through a combination of learned knowledge and intuition, there are some adjustments that can be made there. That's not the only way. Specific qigong movements can affect specific meridians, and a specific set of qigong can be prescribed for someone to bring that person back to health. Copper bracelet and healing crystals can have some effect. For people who can sense how those energies flow, they can tell what kind of effects that might have. (Note that not everyone is going to be able to sense in the same "spectrum"). It isn't just copper -- metal in general will change flows, and different types of metal will change them in different ways. The same with crystals. Someone who can sense these things and extract information can note the different "flavor" or "personality" of individual crystals of the same material, and that can affect someone. I have not experimented much with aromatherapy. Traditional cognitive therapy is interesting, and they can have an effect on people at the subtle energy level as well. That shouldn't be surprising as memory and cognition will take place in the subtle as well as the physical. It is possible that experiencing an insight in cognitive therapy will also unlock a knot in the subtle -- but it could happen the other way as well, where the loosening of the the subtle and physical body loosens up the mind enough for an insight (and attitude and behavioral changes) to emerge.
filoeleven 9y ago
> DMT is an endogenous neurotransmitter produced by the pineal gland Has this actually been proven? I’ve heard it repeated often but never seen any evidence to back it up.
- hosh 9y ago
  Rick Strassman, MD wrote about it in his book back when he was conducting research on the effects of DMT. I could not find a paper that did a targeted study, but did find this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5048497/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5048497/
  - filoeleven 9y ago
    Strassman is certainly more trustworthy than McKenna =) I should have been more targeted in my question. I was wondering more about the pineal gland as the source of production than if endogenous DMT exists. According to the link below, they have Rick on their podcast saying that DMT is produced by the lungs and then transported to the brain, maybe stored in the pineal gland? I’m gonna have to give this a listen. https://www.naturalstacks.com/blogs/news/rick-strassman-pineal-gland-dmt-and-consciousness https://www.naturalstacks.com/blogs/news/rick-strassman-pine...
    - hosh 9y ago
      Cool! I did a search on "DMT produced in lungs" and found this one: http://q4lt.com/qa-with-dr-steven-barker http://q4lt.com/qa-with-dr-steven-barker "Dr. Barker: The only studies conducted on lung tissue were not specific to lung anatomy. My comments were based on an assumption that, if DMT is primarily produced in the lung (where, at that time, the highest enzyme activity had been described) and DMT played any role in schizophrenia, it would, thus, be considered a lung disease. However, I think DMT may primarily be synthesized in the lung during specific physiological states; controlled breathing, such as occurs in many meditative practices, extreme physical exertion, hyperventilation, near-death changes in respiration rates, hypoxia, etc. DMT synthesized in the lung would go directly to the brain, by-passing the metabolic destruction that would occur from liver metabolism. There is some evidence that DMT is neuroprotective and may play a role in neuronal survival in extreme physiological states (either intentional of unintentional) that also alter lung function. Similarly, DMT can have a dissociative quality (OBE) that is also protective in extreme events (trauma, etc.). While DMT produced in the lung may have many other “normal” biochemical functions, it may be one of the hormones that responds to extreme stress (physical and mental) and the role of the lung in such events is well understood."

by hosh 9y ago

loceng 9y ago

Re: wires getting crossed - If our energy systems aren't flowing properly then our own magnetic field and energetic defences are prone, weak. Part of how Ayahuasca/DMT functions is breaking down/limiting the ego mind's control, so if someone's maintaining normal appearances using ego mind's control - then who knows what's underneath once ego has lost its grasp. This is in part why yoga styles like Kundalini and Laughter Yoga are contraindicated for people with schizophrenia, as these practices purpose is to let go/challenge the ego, and therefore it seems that a person prone to a schizophrenic state uses ego control to gain function.

loceng 9y ago
How I despise quantitative commentary via downvotes instead of qualitative conversation. Edit: It's been a wild ride so far watching the votes go from the initial 1 down to -2, back up to 0, back down to -3, back up to 0, back down to -1 and so on.. Looks like this comment got zinged now too with a downvote. Thanks for the entertainment all. And yes, I'm aware it's in the HN rules to not make comments like this - consider it as peaceful protest for change.
- todd8 9y ago
  Okay, I’ll comment quantitatively. You lost me on your first sentence: > If our energy systems aren't flowing properly then our own magnetic field and energetic defences are prone, weak. This is nonsense. I didn’t downvote you simply because that had already happened.
  - loceng 9y ago
    One example to support this point - are you familiar with or have experience with acupuncture? Edit: Thank you by the way.
    - ghostbrainalpha 9y ago
      The problem with discussion around any "woo woo" topics is that they don't get anywhere, which is probably the reason for the downvotes. Yes, there are studies that show acupuncture could help someone give up smoking. But when you try to parse the reasons why, you end up saying things like "energy work", and "contemplative healing methodologies", which don't mean anything... or more precisely, they mean something to you, but every Alternative Medicine practitioner can redefine. So the words and language lose all meaning, its impossible to transfer knowledge or have a meaningful conversation without shared understanding of agreement on terms. I might only be saying this because my aura is blocked, and my Chi isn't flowing correctly. But should I fix that with the Kundali method, Ayahusca, a copper bracelet, healing crystals, aromatherapy, or traditional cognitive therapy?
      - hosh 9y ago
        That really depends. Some of those methods work well for some people and not for others. Since we're laying it out on the table, I'll comment on here about those different methods. You won't be using the "Kundali" method (which I take it to mean "Kundalini"). That is a phenomena that is initiates a drastic transformation on the person's body and mind, and has its own way with the person. It may be induced and people can spontaneously have it kicked off. People usually come for treatments for side-effects from that sort of spiritual emergence, and those side-effects are often knots of resistance in the mind or body. Aura usually refers to a layer of subtle energy closer to the surface, and as such, something that as deeply transformative as Kundalini is overkill. I can say the same about Ayahuasca. She is going to have her way with you. Now, let's look at "chi isn't flowing correctly" and "it appears in the aura" -- which in the TCM modality would be the wei-qi, the guardian qi. The modern TCM practitioners will look at different physical symptoms and try to adjust things through acupuncture, acupressure, etc. However, there is a smaller subset of TCM practitioners who can directly sense the flows of the qi. For those people, Metal qi feels like Metal, and it is distinct from Earth qi or Fire qi. Meridians for these people can be directly sensed within one's body and in others, and they more or less follow the pathways already documented. Through a combination of learned knowledge and intuition, there are some adjustments that can be made there. That's not the only way. Specific qigong movements can affect specific meridians, and a specific set of qigong can be prescribed for someone to bring that person back to health. Copper bracelet and healing crystals can have some effect. For people who can sense how those energies flow, they can tell what kind of effects that might have. (Note that not everyone is going to be able to sense in the same "spectrum"). It isn't just copper -- metal in general will change flows, and different types of metal will change them in different ways. The same with crystals. Someone who can sense these things and extract information can note the different "flavor" or "personality" of individual crystals of the same material, and that can affect someone. I have not experimented much with aromatherapy. Traditional cognitive therapy is interesting, and they can have an effect on people at the subtle energy level as well. That shouldn't be surprising as memory and cognition will take place in the subtle as well as the physical. It is possible that experiencing an insight in cognitive therapy will also unlock a knot in the subtle -- but it could happen the other way as well, where the loosening of the the subtle and physical body loosens up the mind enough for an insight (and attitude and behavioral changes) to emerge.

filoeleven 9y ago

> DMT is an endogenous neurotransmitter produced by the pineal gland Has this actually been proven? I’ve heard it repeated often but never seen any evidence to back it up.

hosh 9y ago
Rick Strassman, MD wrote about it in his book back when he was conducting research on the effects of DMT. I could not find a paper that did a targeted study, but did find this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5048497/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5048497/
- filoeleven 9y ago
  Strassman is certainly more trustworthy than McKenna =) I should have been more targeted in my question. I was wondering more about the pineal gland as the source of production than if endogenous DMT exists. According to the link below, they have Rick on their podcast saying that DMT is produced by the lungs and then transported to the brain, maybe stored in the pineal gland? I’m gonna have to give this a listen. https://www.naturalstacks.com/blogs/news/rick-strassman-pineal-gland-dmt-and-consciousness https://www.naturalstacks.com/blogs/news/rick-strassman-pine...
  - hosh 9y ago
    Cool! I did a search on "DMT produced in lungs" and found this one: http://q4lt.com/qa-with-dr-steven-barker http://q4lt.com/qa-with-dr-steven-barker "Dr. Barker: The only studies conducted on lung tissue were not specific to lung anatomy. My comments were based on an assumption that, if DMT is primarily produced in the lung (where, at that time, the highest enzyme activity had been described) and DMT played any role in schizophrenia, it would, thus, be considered a lung disease. However, I think DMT may primarily be synthesized in the lung during specific physiological states; controlled breathing, such as occurs in many meditative practices, extreme physical exertion, hyperventilation, near-death changes in respiration rates, hypoxia, etc. DMT synthesized in the lung would go directly to the brain, by-passing the metabolic destruction that would occur from liver metabolism. There is some evidence that DMT is neuroprotective and may play a role in neuronal survival in extreme physiological states (either intentional of unintentional) that also alter lung function. Similarly, DMT can have a dissociative quality (OBE) that is also protective in extreme events (trauma, etc.). While DMT produced in the lung may have many other “normal” biochemical functions, it may be one of the hormones that responds to extreme stress (physical and mental) and the role of the lung in such events is well understood."