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I have used drugs extensively-- good ones and bad. I'd be happy to answer any questions, but you're on the right track here except for the ineffable. Drugs dis

I have used drugs extensively-- good ones and bad. I'd be happy to answer any questions, but you're on the right track here except for the ineffable. Drugs distort the pattern matching systems in your brain. You see patterns that are there, patterns that aren't, patterns of patterns, patterns of patterns of patterns. You make connections that you should and shouldn't. If I could describe my phsycelidc experinces--of which I've had dozens--It would be--"psychadelics break your brain intro a thousand pieces, hand you thebroken shard and say, "have fun putting this back together." Genericaly, amphetmainish things tie you to the real world. Disscocitiaves the spiritual world. Psychadelics-- the self reflective at moderate doses and at high doses the "other side" (if that makes any sense at all). I would not trade my expereinces for ANYTHING, but I wouldn't recommend it either. The spiritual experiences I've had on drugs have been profound enough to change me from an stone cold atheist to, well a guy who believes in what he's seen himself. I've floated through space and time, I've received vissions, advice, knowledge of the future. I've been shown some of the secrets of the universe... but the most improtant message of all was simply "learn as much as you can and be as kind as you can to others." There are some things that are indescribable-- ineffiable. Any description of the religious experneices ive had would be, inadequate. You've either had one, or they're complete fucking nonsense. What im saying is--the world of faith is beyond that of experience. It may, or may not be real, but it sure as hell feels like it is.

fsloth 8y ago
"Any description of the religious experneices ive had would be, inadequate. You've either had one, or they're complete fucking nonsense." I've never used drugs, but based on my experience I totally understand the statement that the purely analytic mode of thought does not encompass the whole of human experience. I had a deeply profound sense of being one with the universe as a teenager after a regular session of meditation. I would not say it did anything for my atheism. I believe humans are complex and deep creatures with enormous hidden potential, and these mystical experiences just bring it to the surface. Drugs are not the only way to access mystical experiences, but I certainly don't begrudge their use.
- gerbilly 8y ago
  >I've never used drugs, but based on my experience I totally understand the statement that the purely analytic mode of thought does not encompass the whole of human experience. That's for sure. It's impossible to explain to someone something as mundane how you know how to ride a bike using analytical thought.[1] [1] Witness the endless counter-steering threads on HN.
  - chillwaves 8y ago
    I want to understand counter steering so badly... I think I do on an intuitive level, as I have ridden a motorcycle for years but I just can't wrap my head around the concept.
- oceanghost 8y ago
  For sure. I think there's a lot of evidence that certain meditative states overlap with some psychedelic states. But, have you ever had a fully immersive meditative state? Is that possible?
  - fsloth 8y ago
    I have no idea. I've never had anything 'mystical' happen to me after that.
SanityIsRare 8y ago
Most HNer are actually dumb enough (or "scientific" as they like to call it) to believe that material universe exists in some vacuum with all its unbreakable laws, that it came into existence from nothingness, and believe that their lack of ability to explain what consciousness is is just a mere case of not-enough-science-yet. I'm not saying be religious but being staunch atheist and materialist is really no better than being bigoted God-worshipper. Don't block yourself from playing with your own hypothesis-space just because it's full of "unscientific" things.
- ericb 8y ago
  > that it came into existence from nothingness You assume the default is "nothingness" but what if the default is "everythingness?"
- wilsonnb 8y ago
  There's nothing wrong with "playing with your own hypothesis-space" as you put it, but it's stupid to believe in something without any proof that it might be true. It's fine to think "what if god created the universe" or "what if we're living inside a giant space beaver" or "what if there is another fundamental force responsible for consciousness that we can't measure" but unless you actually have some evidence or reasoning that points in that direction, they are all stupid theories compared to materialism which actually fits into the current scientific world view pretty well.

fsloth 8y ago

"Any description of the religious experneices ive had would be, inadequate. You've either had one, or they're complete fucking nonsense." I've never used drugs, but based on my experience I totally understand the statement that the purely analytic mode of thought does not encompass the whole of human experience. I had a deeply profound sense of being one with the universe as a teenager after a regular session of meditation. I would not say it did anything for my atheism. I believe humans are complex and deep creatures with enormous hidden potential, and these mystical experiences just bring it to the surface. Drugs are not the only way to access mystical experiences, but I certainly don't begrudge their use.

gerbilly 8y ago
>I've never used drugs, but based on my experience I totally understand the statement that the purely analytic mode of thought does not encompass the whole of human experience. That's for sure. It's impossible to explain to someone something as mundane how you know how to ride a bike using analytical thought.[1] [1] Witness the endless counter-steering threads on HN.
- chillwaves 8y ago
  I want to understand counter steering so badly... I think I do on an intuitive level, as I have ridden a motorcycle for years but I just can't wrap my head around the concept.
oceanghost 8y ago
For sure. I think there's a lot of evidence that certain meditative states overlap with some psychedelic states. But, have you ever had a fully immersive meditative state? Is that possible?
- fsloth 8y ago
  I have no idea. I've never had anything 'mystical' happen to me after that.

SanityIsRare 8y ago

Most HNer are actually dumb enough (or "scientific" as they like to call it) to believe that material universe exists in some vacuum with all its unbreakable laws, that it came into existence from nothingness, and believe that their lack of ability to explain what consciousness is is just a mere case of not-enough-science-yet. I'm not saying be religious but being staunch atheist and materialist is really no better than being bigoted God-worshipper. Don't block yourself from playing with your own hypothesis-space just because it's full of "unscientific" things.

ericb 8y ago
> that it came into existence from nothingness You assume the default is "nothingness" but what if the default is "everythingness?"
wilsonnb 8y ago
There's nothing wrong with "playing with your own hypothesis-space" as you put it, but it's stupid to believe in something without any proof that it might be true. It's fine to think "what if god created the universe" or "what if we're living inside a giant space beaver" or "what if there is another fundamental force responsible for consciousness that we can't measure" but unless you actually have some evidence or reasoning that points in that direction, they are all stupid theories compared to materialism which actually fits into the current scientific world view pretty well.