Comments on: The Biological Basis of Mysticism? | A review of DMT: The Spirit Molecule by Rick Strassman http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/ a blog exploring lucid dreaming, entheogens, metaphysics, & the conscious experience Sat, 17 May 2008 02:24:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Mad Hatter http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-41 Mad Hatter Fri, 16 Mar 2007 03:39:12 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-41 That is very interesting. This is probably the closest I've seen science come to nailing the cause of OBE's etc. A breakthrough for sure -Hatter That is very interesting. This is probably the closest I’ve seen science come to nailing the cause of OBE’s etc.

A breakthrough for sure

-Hatter

]]> By: Jon http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-160 Jon Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:26:10 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-160 Hi, I have a book that I think you might be interested in reading, but couldn't find a way to contact you directly. Please email me if you're interested! -Jon Hi,

I have a book that I think you might be interested in reading, but couldn’t find a way to contact you directly. Please email me if you’re interested!

-Jon

]]> By: David http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-449 David Mon, 30 Apr 2007 01:55:38 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-449 This is interesting because a while back i came across something the guy called his Chemical Eternity Theory. Which is Basically a scientific explanation of the heaven phenomena. He explained it as; the moment death comes upon a person the brain sends out inordinate amounts of chemicals (DMT is likely included) that could put the person into a "dream" state. And in conjunction with the idea that time is relative in dreams and it can "seem" to last for a long time, why couldn't this last final dream last for and eternity...at least in our own minds. let me know what you think of this..or if you have heard of this kind of theory. This is interesting because a while back i came across something the guy called his Chemical Eternity Theory. Which is Basically a scientific explanation of the heaven phenomena. He explained it as; the moment death comes upon a person the brain sends out inordinate amounts of chemicals (DMT is likely included) that could put the person into a “dream” state. And in conjunction with the idea that time is relative in dreams and it can “seem” to last for a long time, why couldn’t this last final dream last for and eternity…at least in our own minds. let me know what you think of this..or if you have heard of this kind of theory.

]]> By: Ben http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-474 Ben Sun, 06 May 2007 16:05:48 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-474 "Chemical Eternity Theory" - never heard of it but what a kickass name. Pretty interesting yet even if true, I don't know - does this sound comforting? Sounds almost creepy...an illusion of eternity, like heaven's just a bad joke. I think I'd rather hold on to nothing. “Chemical Eternity Theory” - never heard of it but what a kickass name. Pretty interesting yet even if true, I don’t know - does this sound comforting? Sounds almost creepy…an illusion of eternity, like heaven’s just a bad joke. I think I’d rather hold on to nothing.

]]> By: paul http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-3261 paul Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:34:08 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-3261 You asked: "How can it be that an experience in the “imaginal realm” of dreams and DMT feels more real than, well, real?" I didn't used psychedelics (so I cannot comment about DMT experiences, but I can tell about my "more real" than real experiences during sleep). I had (non-lucid) dreams which I experienced them (or some part of them) as being more "real" than reality. Of course, I asked myself: "How the imagination can be felt more 'real' than reality?" I think that the answer could be the "bottleneck" of our real senses. For example, the sight: We see clearly at a time only a very small part of our vision (foveal vision), the rest (peripheral vision) is very blurred. Try to concentrate on some object situated at the periphery of your vision. It very, very blurred because the construction of the eye (it has few light receptors for peripheral vision). But, in the imagination (dreams,etc.), because everything is generated inside the brain, the "dream vision" can go beyond the real vision. So even the peripheral vision can be very sharp and clear. You can have 360 degrees panoramic sharp and clear vision or (like I experienced during a dream) to see than 3 spatial dimensions. In the last case, my brain just extended the model of 3d space and imaginated (somehow) another space with more dimension (it's very strange thing, hard to describe into words and even remember clearly :) ). Also, I experienced in my (non-lucid) dreams, other senses which doesn't exist in real life. I didn't sensed some dream object only with the 5 senses, but I even felt their presence in more intimate way than it's possible when awake with real objects. They was felt as being "more real" than real objects. But, even so, I know that it's only my imagination (a very vivid one, but still something from inside of my mind) :) Paul You asked: “How can it be that an experience in the “imaginal realm” of dreams and DMT feels more real than, well, real?”

I didn’t used psychedelics (so I cannot comment about DMT experiences, but I can tell about my “more real” than real experiences during sleep).
I had (non-lucid) dreams which I experienced them (or some part of them) as being more “real” than reality.
Of course, I asked myself: “How the imagination can be felt more ‘real’ than reality?” I think that the answer could be the “bottleneck” of our real senses.
For example, the sight: We see clearly at a time only a very small part of our vision (foveal vision), the rest (peripheral vision) is very blurred. Try to concentrate on some object situated at the periphery of your vision. It very, very blurred because the construction of the eye (it has few light receptors for peripheral vision).
But, in the imagination (dreams,etc.), because everything is generated inside the brain, the “dream vision” can go beyond the real vision. So even the peripheral vision can be very sharp and clear. You can have 360 degrees panoramic sharp and clear vision or (like I experienced during a dream) to see than 3 spatial dimensions. In the last case, my brain just extended the model of 3d space and imaginated (somehow) another space with more dimension (it’s very strange thing, hard to describe into words and even remember clearly :) ).
Also, I experienced in my (non-lucid) dreams, other senses which doesn’t exist in real life. I didn’t sensed some dream object only with the 5 senses, but I even felt their presence in more intimate way than it’s possible when awake with real objects. They was felt as being “more real” than real objects.
But, even so, I know that it’s only my imagination (a very vivid one, but still something from inside of my mind) :)
Paul

]]> By: Ben http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-3262 Ben Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:01:37 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-3262 Paul, Wow, that's a really interesting point. This idea that experiences within our imagination feel more "real" than reality due to a kind of bottleneck of our senses that can be removed in the imagination is fascinating. I've never heard this explanation before. Would love to hear more about dreaming beyond the 3 spatial dimensions; if only it could be put into words, right? :) Ben Paul,
Wow, that’s a really interesting point. This idea that experiences within our imagination feel more “real” than reality due to a kind of bottleneck of our senses that can be removed in the imagination is fascinating. I’ve never heard this explanation before.
Would love to hear more about dreaming beyond the 3 spatial dimensions; if only it could be put into words, right? :)
Ben

]]> By: paul http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-3265 paul Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:32:05 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-3265 "Would love to hear more about dreaming beyond the 3 spatial dimensions; if only it could be put into words, right?" This dream I had last year, in october. In it I saw at the TV a rotation of someone, who in the same time was me (I saw myself at the first from the 3rd person, and after that at the first person). I perceived another kind of depth which was different than the known 3 axes. I don't remeber if there was one or more additional depths, because I wasn't lucid in that dream and I didn't payed attention about this during the dream and, after I was awake, the memory started to fade very fast (a possible hypothesis of why it fade faster than usual is given below). I was rotated, and the result made me to become mirror-like me (my left would became my right and vice versa). It wasn't a 3d rotation (as you can do if you turn around), but another kind of rotation which flips the 3d objects. Like, for example (by an analogy), if you have a 2d letter like "p", you may rotate it around 3rd axis and you'll get "q" (it's mirror image). You cannot do this only in 2d: you need an additional dimension to do it. I guess, that these kind of dreams are not uncommon for everybody, but they are very easily forgotten, because they are too different than the real world (they are more "forgetable" than "regular" or lucid dreams). It's like trying to remember chinese phrase if you don't know chinese. For you it sound's like gibberish and there are great chance to rapidly forget it. Paul “Would love to hear more about dreaming beyond the 3 spatial dimensions; if only it could be put into words, right?”
This dream I had last year, in october. In it I saw at the TV a rotation of someone, who in the same time was me (I saw myself at the first from the 3rd person, and after that at the first person). I perceived another kind of depth which was different than the known 3 axes. I don’t remeber if there was one or more additional depths, because I wasn’t lucid in that dream and I didn’t payed attention about this during the dream and, after I was awake, the memory started to fade very fast (a possible hypothesis of why it fade faster than usual is given below).
I was rotated, and the result made me to become mirror-like me (my left would became my right and vice versa). It wasn’t a 3d rotation (as you can do if you turn around), but another kind of rotation which flips the 3d objects.
Like, for example (by an analogy), if you have a 2d letter like “p”, you may rotate it around 3rd axis and you’ll get “q” (it’s mirror image). You cannot do this only in 2d: you need an additional dimension to do it.
I guess, that these kind of dreams are not uncommon for everybody, but they are very easily forgotten, because they are too different than the real world (they are more “forgetable” than “regular” or lucid dreams). It’s like trying to remember chinese phrase if you don’t know chinese. For you it sound’s like gibberish and there are great chance to rapidly forget it.
Paul

]]> By: Liara Covert http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-25048 Liara Covert Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:58:51 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-25048 It makes sense that such research may confirm and substantiate lucid experiences you may have already had without drugs. Science is often perceived as a stable and believable authority yet its useful and meaningful to evolve to also trust yourself. This book does sound like it brings forth scientific revelations. The author deserves respect for his ability to pursue reseach interests on the fringes of the status quo. It makes sense that such research may confirm and substantiate lucid experiences you may have already had without drugs. Science is often perceived as a stable and believable authority yet its useful and meaningful to evolve to also trust yourself.

This book does sound like it brings forth scientific revelations. The author deserves respect for his ability to pursue reseach interests on the fringes of the status quo.

]]> By: Adam McPhee http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-39506 Adam McPhee Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:52:18 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-39506 The “Chemical Eternity Theory”,is whats known as the "Seven Minute"theory,where after you die there is still brain activity for approx. seven minutes... These seven minutes are not ordinary minutes to the deceased,the are dream minutes,flooded with every molecule of DMT,Seretonin,etc.thus creating a dream state flooded with every emotion causing chemical. Now everyone has had that dream where it seems like you've been asleep for hours when really its only been a minute,well imagine that times infinity,the results are endless! The “Chemical Eternity Theory”,is whats known as the “Seven Minute”theory,where after you die there is still brain activity for approx. seven minutes…
These seven minutes are not ordinary minutes to the deceased,the are dream minutes,flooded with every molecule of DMT,Seretonin,etc.thus creating a dream state flooded with every emotion causing chemical.
Now everyone has had that dream where it seems like you’ve been asleep for hours when really its only been a minute,well imagine that times infinity,the results are endless!

]]> By: Dante http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-53324 Dante Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:25:00 +0000 http://dreaminglife.org/2007/03/12/the-biological-basis-of-mysticism-a-review-of-dmt-the-spirit-molecule-by-rick-strassman/#comment-53324 Hey some thoughts of mine are that dmt takes you on a journey to understand the truth of who we really are...I suggest that we are considered higher-level beings to many alien life forms because of our'emotions' which is very important to help you realise that aliens understand the laws of the universe far better than we do but i beleive that emotions create the universe so actually we create everything into existance by having an emotional reaction to it.Think about it an emotion brings something into existance/awareness..reality it directs action/motivation / ..emotions are the basis of the world around you and im not talking about my world... emotions are chemicals that are activated inside our brain it makes sense to me to suggest that dmt makes our emotions run wild a state of egolessness where no emotion is judged and everything just is.. im gonna go abit further and say that the world today is designed to manipulate your emotions to make you say/feel/think things to conform to whats normally acceptable.With this sheep mentality we have lost touch with what we really want and what we are really here for...to experience EMOTIONS to live in unconcious bliss ..we walk around like zombies now operationg from our head instead of our gut..well people the good news is i found a way out and i made a decision to myself that changed my life/future.. Hey some thoughts of mine are that dmt takes you on a journey to understand the truth of who we really are…I suggest that we are considered higher-level beings to many alien life forms because of our’emotions’ which is very important to help you realise that aliens understand the laws of the universe far better than we do but i beleive that emotions create the universe so actually we create everything into existance by having an emotional reaction to it.Think about it an emotion brings something into existance/awareness..reality it directs action/motivation / ..emotions are the basis of the world around you and im not talking about my world…

emotions are chemicals that are activated inside our brain it makes sense to me to suggest that dmt makes our emotions run wild a state of egolessness where no emotion is judged and everything just is.. im gonna go abit further and say that the world today is designed to manipulate your emotions to make you say/feel/think things to conform to whats normally acceptable.With this sheep mentality we have lost touch with what we really want and what we are really here for…to experience EMOTIONS to live in unconcious bliss ..we walk around like zombies now operationg from our head instead of our gut..well people the good news is i found a way out and i made a decision to myself that changed my life/future..

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