(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best spiritual self help books

Here we go:

First, the first language of God is silence. I wish it were different, but silence seems to be the case. To speak in that language, you will have to cultivate silence yourself.

Second, knowledge of God is not something to be achieved, gotten, or acquired. It is something given to you by God... a "grace" if you will. The best and only thing you can do is make yourself available... in silence... for this grace to manifest within you if and when He grants it. It could be a very long wait. The idea of "faith" is tied in there somewhere I'm thinking...

Third... although God is there within you... you are not God and he is not you. But you are within him and he is within you.

See? There's no logic to it... indeed, it defies logic.

So, there's a method of Christian prayer called "contemplation". Its an ancient form of Christian prayer, and while there are parallels in other faith traditions, they differ from this approach in some significant ways.

Here's how to do it:

Sit quietly for a while... 20 to 30 mins. Pick a simple word like "rest" (there is NO significance to this word, that is just the one I use), and when a thought comes to you (it will...don't stop it), just quietly introduce the word into your mind to bring you back to quiet. If you find yourself "investing" in a thought, don't get angry at yourself, just gently go back to your word. The idea here is to let the thoughts come and go... remain "detached" from them by using your word. Set a gentle timer to go off at the end of the prayer period... nothing too jarring.

This is a form of contemplative prayer, and if it strikes a chord with you, its something you can do twice a day for 20-30 mins at a time. The fruit of this prayer is NOT found DURING the prayer, but at other times. You may find that you become practiced at detaching yourself from thoughts and open yourself to something better.

There is a lot more to this than there is space to lay out for you here, so I'm going to suggest a couple books that might interest you:

Open Mind, Open Heart, by Thomas Keating

Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation, by Martin Laird

So, many people have discovered over the centuries (and to their surprise), that God is already there within them... all of us as it turns out. I'm going to suggest to you that you take this on as an experiment... a serious one. This is work, and I'm suggesting you do this for a YEAR... at the end, I think you will have... I'm betting on it... a fresh perspective.

Perhaps then, you might find yourself wanting to dive into the Bible a little. It really IS a remarkable, and fractal, library. I'm an engineer, and I have an appreciation for complexity (as well as an appreciation for silence)....

Ok – some thoughts and ideas about meditation from me.

First and foremost when wanting to start meditation I think it is helpful to think of the essence of meditation as sitting down with your eyes closed for a period of time. There is a million ways to do meditation and a million (at least) different opinions about how NOT to do meditation, so it is very very easy to get lost in the discussion about how it should be done. So as a start just think at any activity that involves sitting with eyes closed for a period of time as meditation (actually some meditate with open eyes or partially open eyes – and some meditate while eating or walking – but as you see we are already getting swamped by different ways to do it :)).

Second – think of meditation as a form of exercise in the way that it can be really great to do some kind of exercise once but that the real benefits only starts showing when you do it regularly. So if you start trying a couple of meditation sessions and think that you might keep doing that, seriously consider trying to make it a daily habit. I meditate 30 minutes every morning just after getting up from bed (actually I have started doing some yoga when I get up, so right now it is after my yoga routine). It can very much feel like a waste of time (“I am just sitting here doing nothing!”) and so it can be hard to make it a daily thing – but my experience is that it is so much worth it, so I have chosen to make it a daily priority. And please be aware that 30 minutes is just the amount of time that works for me – if you can only do 5 minutes every day that is perfectly fine!

Thirdly – how to sit and what to do when you sit there.
As I said earlier there is a million opinions about how to do meditation. One of the often-said things is that you have to sit with an erect back/spine when you meditate. But I believe that the most important thing is to get a rutine going and if that is easier sitting more comfortable with a slouching back, then one should just do so! I am myself sitting in a very comfy chair without any kind of erect spine. Could my meditation be “better” if I sat up straight. Maybe so and maybe I will change it one day, but until now it has been fine for me.
So what about what to do when you sit there. Well… Again there is a lot of different ways to do it. Some count the number of breaths, some have a so called mantra they silently repeat. I actually started counting my breaths (1+ for every breathing out) and have changed it many times since. There is also the discussion about what to do when finding yourself lost in thought – because you very very very often will find yourself lost in thought. Some say “imagine that you are brushing your thoughts aside”. I have done different things – in the beginning when I found that I have drifted into thoughts, I silently “labelled” them (as in “oh… thoughts about working”) them and returned to counting.

Anyway… My post is getting out of hand :) I would like to recommend Deep Meditation by Yogani (http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Meditation-Pathway-Personal-Freedom/dp/097646554X) It is a very easy introduction to meditation and is very pragmatic. Hope you can use some of it :)

If you want to learn fairly thoroughly about it, but still in a relatively condensed manner, I'd recommend this book. It is super cheap as an ebook and I think it was worth the read.

Another one I like is this. The nice part about that one is its free and really short/simple.

You can probably find videos not only on how to meditate on youtube, but guided meditations as well. Guided meditation can be really helpful for beginners, of which I am one. Having someone to listen to helps keep the chatter in my own mind down. Alan Watts will guide you through in this one..

Sit comfortably, with back straight (but not tensed), eyes either closed or with eyelids relaxed and gaze unfocused. Another tip that he gives in another lecture is to relax the tongue; let it drop into the lower jaw, rather than touching the roof of your mouth like it might usually sit. This tends to help reduce chatter in the mind, because talk in the mind (thinking) usually comes along with some tension in the tongue. It's kind of like how you smile when you're happy but even if you smile when not happy your mood will lift. Now try that guided meditation if you're available to do so. ;)

Hopefully this isn't a jumble of words. I'm kinda hungry so I'm just throwing things out there that I hope would be helpful to you.

My assertions are axiomatic, and quite obviously so, at that. This is not a wise battle for you to pursue, unless you wish to descend into colonial European notions of manifest destiny and the white man's burden.

>>Those people are just as advanced as any other
>
>No, they're not.

Tell me, then: in a contest of using indigenous medicinal plants, who would prove "more advanced" - you, or these tribespeople? In determining who has superior herding techniques, which party would be the victor? In a comparison of familial kinship and relations? Spearcraft? Long-distance hiking? Animal husbandry?

There simply does not exist any way to declare any of these criteria "unimportant" without making a subjective assertion of your own personal values. And the people we're talking about would most certainly have a different class of values about those things. Why would your values be "more objective" than theirs - or anyone's? The answer is that they cannot be. It is your own opinion, and with any degree of humility, all genuinely reasonable people recoginze that, as I hope that you will, too.

>>Civilization and technology are specific types of advancements, but they are not objectively superior to any others
>
>Yes, they are.

Funny - there sure seem to be a great many very well-reasoned arguments against civilization and technology, even from those who have experienced the very height of their "advancement".

I certainly see no evidence for an objective declaration, even just by examing the meta-issue of the debate itself, which is undeniably still open.

>>to add "culture" in there is frankly just plain racist.
>
>No, it isn't.

Yes, it is. You have virtualy no notions of these people's culture. The very definition of "culture" practically prohibits the very idea of it being declared "advanced" or otherwise. It is simply the collection of common and traditional practices of a given group. I would even go so far as to say that if one were to make judgments of "advancement," surely a culture that has been largely uninterrupted and un-usurped for a period of thousands of years has matured and "advanced" far more than a culture which is ever-shifting and highly dependent on technological advances that didn't even exist a generation prior. But even to make an assertion such as that is meaningless, because the criterion "advancement" simply does not make sense when applied to culture - any culture. The only role that such a declaration can fulfill is to demean and devalue another group of people completely arbitrarily, as to support a racist or otherwise xenophobic worldview.

>By what standard are modern Western civilization, technology, and culture objectively superior to barefoot African tribesmen? By the only objective standard of value: their success at meeting the requirements of human life.

And just what are those "requirements of human life?" These tribespeople might tell you some very different things than what you would tell them. Would either of you be "right?" Absolutely not.

As for the rest of your points, they are all similarly obvious - and highly subjective, though largely incontroversial in our demographic - subjective and personal value judgments. Adding the word "objectively" to your statements does not make it so. Even such criteria as you have mentioned - lifespan, "individualism," property rights (lol), etc., are not objectively "advanced." After all, what are the "objective" benefits of a long lifespan if it is filled with ennui, alienation and oppression? What is the value of "individualism" to a person who cherishes deep bonds and shared struggle with others? How can one declare "property rights" to be an objective good when the very concept of such has only existed for a few hundred years, and has arguably led to the greatest ongoing extinction of species in millions of years?

You see? Value judgments, all of it. And for someone who might call themself a "libertarian," you certainly seem not to understand the true spirit of the credo, "live and let live."

Asking God to do what you want is a good way to find out if what you want is what he wants.

Also, I have experienced God changing his mind due to insistent prayer. Unfortunately in my case it was praying for something I knew was bad for me, that God was protecting me from, but once I said "I accept the consequences" suddenly all roadblocks were gone. I learned one of my greatest lessons after that: God loves me so much he'll let me fall if it means I'll learn something.

Finally, God set up ask asking as the means to receiving. If God just gave us everything without us asking for it, we would never depend on him or grow closer to him. It's like living in a house with your parents and never speaking to them, just taking their money and food and shelter; you know they're the source of everything you have, but it's pretty selfish and stupid not to build a relationship with the people who love you most and care for your needs. When you ask God for things, and he gives them to you, there can be no doubt where they came from, which brings you closer to him. When he says no or wait, it's an opportunity to examine your request to see if it's misguided, and examine yourself to see if there is something in your life that is hindering your prayers.

I highly recommend Too Busy Not To Pray by Bill Hybels for more on the subject.

NOTE: I fervently believe that prayer is about worshiping God, confessing sin, and giving thanks, as much as it is about asking. If all you ever do is ask for things you have a pretty shallow understanding of what it is to pray.

Cool hypothesis, thanks for sharing. I have a few items that align with this and may give you a broader scope or simply other interesting rabbit holes to explore:

Heart Math Institute:

• I'm curious if you're familiar with the work of the Heart Math Institute, regarding their discoveries of the neurotransmittor concentrations in the heart: https://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/heart-brain-communication/
  
• If it calls you, I imagine you'd enjoy poking around their info, they've done research that detected the EM field of hearts 5 feet apart can interact with each other resonantly (like tuning forks), and also have posited the heart being the center of our 'energy' field, ala the torsion field concept.
  
  Mandelbrot:
  
  
• I see your macro mandelbrot, and raise you a micro 'buddhabrot' version/idea: https://imgur.com/csL2Mgn
  
• I've hypothesized that the 'layers'/areas/what-have-you of the universe in which the mandelbrot forms are the places where 'human-like' life is capable of developing.
  
  Consciousness and water:
  
  
• Have you heard of the work done my Dr. Masuro Emoto on water crystals? He hypothesized that water had a conscious/storage-type mechanism, and through thoughts, music, pictures and light he was able to show evidence that the water's frozen crystalline structure was impacted by the environment offered to it.
  
• Emoto wrote a book where he discussed other experiments he did, such as bringing 300 people to a lake and healing the water from recurring fungus growth.
  
• His rice experiment and personal/human consciusness is also fascinating.
  
• Considering water is the basis for human cellular structure, much of this information could be extrapolated into the importance of 'positive thinking'/intentions and how they impact our own cellular water.
  
  IN-joy!

Alright, this is going to sound a bit strange but I think you should look into Buddhist philosophy. The beautiful thing about all of it is that you don't have to believe in reincarnation or any of the other stuff in order to reap the benefits. Basically, the idea of the philosophy is to acknowledge that life consists of suffering. Suffering is caused by attachment (whether that be to materialistic things, emotions etc.)

This is a great podcast to start off with. It really goes over the basics of Buddhist teachings. I have listened to one of these podcasts nearly every day for about a month now and I've noticed a hell of a lot of improvement.

How long have you tried meditation for? It takes a while to in order to reap the benefits. I've found this guided meditation to be extremely helpful.

I've been reading this for a little bit and so far I've found it pretty helpful.

Anxiety coaches podcast has some good content as well.

While I haven't gotten rid of my anxiety completely, I have noticed a huge difference within myself. The only reason that I've noticed such improvement within a short amount of time is because I have fully immersed myself in all of the things I mentioned above. I tried to dabble in all of the above for about a year with little results. I only started to notice a major change once I made all of it a daily routine.

I hope that some of this may be able to help you. If you aren't already, you should also consider getting on medication. I wouldn't have found any relief at all had I not gone to the doctor.

• "Windows of the Soul: Physiognomy in European Culture 1470-1780" by Martin Porter
  https://global.oup.com/academic/product/windows-of-the-soul-9780199276578?cc=us&lang=en&
  
  
• "Esotericism and the Academy: Rejected Knowledge in Western Culture" by Wouter J. Hanegraaff
  http://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/religion/religion-general-interest/esotericism-and-academy-rejected-knowledge-western-culture?format=HB&isbn=9780521196215#RPgRv3Wdp7EWoiFr.97
  
  
• "The Duke and the Stars: Astrology and Politics in Renaissance Milan" by Monica Azzolini
  http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674066632&content=reviews
  
  
• "Alchemy: Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul" by Titus Burckhardt
  https://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Science-Cosmos-Soul/dp/1887752110
  
  
  To answer your question: Yes, I would consider hermetics a historic philosophical science. While hermetics isn't a reputable modern scientific field of study, its history and principles are worth studying within the social and political contexts of the time period you're interested in. We see throughout history, especially in the Renaissance, that occult sciences and hermetic principles made their way into the studies of many 'scientists' or "natural philosophers" in that era. Occult practices and philosophies sometimes neither were prominent in the overt studies of such scholars, nor heavily publicized by these scholars, because of the 'mystical'/secretive nature of possessing such occult knowledge (emphasis on the Latin origin of "occult" which means "to conceal/hide"). Despite them being hidden away from public eye, these philosophies were recorded, and sometimes even encrypted by their creators (like Hermes Trismegistus), giving historians who discover the writings a better idea of the development of scientific inquiry and how it progressed to the science we know today. It is definitely fascinating to study such a topic that has been discounted in modern scientific communities, since its sheds light on the fact that many of these occult philosophies were perceived by scholars of antiquity as valid methods of studying the natural world and universe. It can also be interesting to trace the lineage of what was considered 'taboo' natural philosophy and what was 'sound' natural philosophy back then, and then discovering where the branching of modern scientific method occurred.
  
  Best wishes & I hope you enjoy! The books above are great reads from I course I once took called "The Philosophy and History of Occult Science."

1. I chose Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is a bone-growth disorder that leads to the most common form of dwarfism. There are so many beautiful things about achondroplasia! First of all, it's been an integral part of famous works of art. Second of all, the joy in the faces of people with Achondroplasia when they overcome their disorder and their stature is one of the most beautiful things I have ever, ever seen. Third, if two parents with achondroplasia have a child, there is a 1 in 25,000 chance that that baby will live past the first few months of its life. Which means that this picture just made me cry (happy tears, of course!)
   
   
2. This will sound really, really strange but I have scars from self-harm that I think are absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. I'm not trying to glorify it in any way--my scars are a reminder of all that I've been through and the addiction that I have overcome. They keep me strong.
   
   
3. I would really love to have this book as I'm really interested in theology and different viewpoints on Christianity right now.
   
   
4. Beauty is everywhere. Thanks so much for such a lovely contest!

This might not be what you're looking for but you need to take this in steps. The first step is just to study. Once you learn all the facts you're probably going to need a lot of support leaving the church. It's not easy but we've all been through it. Luckily, this sub is full of some of the kindest and wisest people I've met. You're in good company. It's a difficult but rewarding journey. I'm going to try to save you some time as I and many others here have spent hundreds or thousands of hours studying.

After (or before) you read the CES Letter and the FairMormon response, read the back-and-forth between Jeremy and FairMormon here. It's pretty damning stuff, IMO. Also, check out this. Once you realize how provably false the Book of Abraham is and the Kinderhook plates, it's not super confidence inspiring. Then you learn about all of the anachronisms and issues in the Book of Mormon and how no translation theory can actually explain the Book of Mormon while allowing it to be true.

But really, the quickest and most damning path to showing that Mormonism is false is just science showing Christianity is false. Keep in mind that the entire need for a Christ is based on the original sin of Adam & Eve. For that to happen, Adam & Eve would have to exist. However, at least three independent branches of science prove that they did not. Genetics shows that we did not come from single parentage and that our species DNA is orders of magnitude older than 6,000 years (or 7,000 according to D&C 77:7). Archeology again shows us that our species has been around for a couple hundred thousand years (and that America wasn't populated by transoceanic migration). And evolution contradicts pretty much all religion in some significant ways I've covered here (if you haven't studied evolution it's quite fascinating and despite what many Christians who haven't studied it seem to argue it's incredibly well established science).

And that's it! No original sin means no Christ (plus all the contradictions and outright falsities in the Bible). No Christ means no Mormonism. Hope this shortens your journey!

---

So, with all that said just enjoy the sex, live a good life and stick around here for a while. This place was my lifeline when I went through it all. Oh, and read this book! It's awesome. It'll help you with talking to family and friends about your disbelief and with boundaries which it sounds like you really need to set. You're a grown man and they have no business worrying about what you do in the bedroom. That's just creepy.

God is real, the Bible is real, Jesus is real, the Holy Spirit is real, salvation is real. Some are blessed with amazing experiences that convict them of this and are never shaken. Some can see this truth in other Christians around them and accept it without deeply questioning it or understanding. Some need to touch the wounds in Jesus' flesh.

It's not wrong to ask God to reveal himself. It's not wrong to ask him to cure your doubts. It's not wrong to question the things other Christians are saying if they go against your personal understanding and relationship of God. The important thing is you don't try to do these things behind his back. Lift them up to him in prayer.

Are you aware of the Marsh Chapel Experiment? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsh_Chapel_Experiment)
A good read with some information on it is The Harvard Psychedelic Club (https://www.amazon.com/Harvard-Psychedelic-Club-Timothy-Fifties/dp/0061655945)
Another great read for you is: Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics and Religious Experiences (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0175P7PP0).

Another writer/researcher/professor/Christian who might interest you is Amos Yong. He writes about how much Christians can learn from other faiths and their practices and how they fit within a broader scheme of Pentecostal theology. All of his books are interesting reads (though fairly dense).

I'm not really connected to any other buddhists, but this is what I did:

1. Read How to Practice by the Dalai Lama. (I also enjoyed Buddhism plain and simple by Steve Hagan
   
   
2. Bought some nice cushions for meditating at DharmaCrafts
   
   
3. Downloaded some free timers from (ZenCast.org)[http://www.zencast.org/2005/05] (also a great podcast)
   
   then meditate daily. I like to write it on my calendar to keep track.
   
   best of luck!

I found out this weekned that Jeff Bridges actually published a book called The Dude and the Zen Master

Synopsis from Amazon:

Zen master Bernie Glassman compares Jeff Bridges’s iconic role in The Big Lebowski to a Lamed-Vavnik: one of the men in Jewish mysticism who “are simple and unassuming, and so good that, on account of them, God lets the world go on.” His buddy Jeff puts it another way. The wonderful thing about the Dude, he says, is that he’d always rather hug it out than slug it out.
For more than a decade, Academy Award–winning actor Jeff Bridges and his buddhist teacher, renowned Roshi Bernie Glassman, have been close friends. Inspiring and often hilarious, The Dude and the Zen Master captures their freewheeling dialogue about life, laughter, and the movies with a charm and bonhomie that never fail to enlighten and entertain. Throughout, their remarkable humanism reminds us of the importance of doing good in a difficult world.

>I started to see the Bible as a repository of empirical psycho-social truths captured in the form of myth in a sense similar to what Joseph Campbell describes.

You have GOT to read a book called Ego and Archetype. I agree with you, the bible is richly full of all kinds of incredibly profound psychological meaning, metaphors for psychological development that reflects the inner reality of humanity. I don't believe that the bible has much by way of literal reality in it, but that doesn't diminish the meaning which is there. And it is this book that totally transformed my views of the bible. This book talks about the psychological meaning and metaphors found in bible stories, in greek mythology, and in dreams reported by clients in therapy. It also has some new and unique views on the suicidal (and homicidal) impulse and where it comes from. It is a psychology textbook written from the Jungian school of thought (archetypes, etc) and it explains how these stories are metaphors for stages of development we all go through. Their explanation of Adam and Eve will blow your mind - its so clear and so simple and yet so different from how you've ever thought about it. It also has a lot of really great stuff about Job in it, which you mentioned. And it doesn't take a position either way on whether or not there is a God - both atheists and (somewhat openminded) churchgoing Christians will find lots to love in this book. From what you've written here, I think you would completely love this book. I know its a lot to suggest you should buy a book just based on some random redditor's recommendation, but I am so confident that you will be very glad you did.

Start with: How to Change Your Mind (start with this detailed annotated summary). The pop culture starting point these days. The summary is all you need to read to understand the entire book but the book is well worth the time.

After that you'll have more ideas where to do. Below is a lot of stuff. I've watched/read all of them, so happy to answer any questions/give more guidance.

​

Study the "classics" by taking a look at these (skim the long ones to start):

Seeking the Magic Mushroom (first western trip report on mushrooms)

My 12 Hours As A Madman (another historically important trip report)

The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based On The TIbetan Book of the Dead (classic book on guided trips)

LSD My Problem Child by Albert Hoffman

Al Hubbard: The Original Captian Trips

​

Docs to Watch:

The Sunshine Makers (documentary)

Orange Sunshine (documentary)

Aya: Awakenings (documentary)

Dirty Pictures (documentary)

A New Understanding: The Science of Psilocybin (documentary)

Hoffmans Potion (documentary): r/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFfblVjCwOU"

​

And a whole lot of others:

​

Books

The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide – James Fadiman
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction – Gabor Mate
Storming Heaven: LSD and the American Dream – Jay Stevens
Psychedelic Psychiatry: LSD from clinic to campus – Erika Dyck
The Natural Mind: A Revolutionary Approach to the Drug Problem – Andrew Weil
Acid Hype: American News Media and the Psychedelic Experience – Stephen Siff
Acid Dreams: The complete social history of LSD – Martin A. Lee and Bruce Shlain
Drugs: Without the Hot Air – David Nutt
A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life – Ayelet Waldman
Neuropsychedelia: The Revival of Hallucinogen Research Since the Decade of the Brain – Nicolas Langlitz
The Harvard Psychedelic Club: How Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, Huston Smith, and Andrew Weil Killed the Fifties and Ushered in a New Age for America – Don Lattin

Videos

Terence McKenna discusses the stoned ape theory

A Conversation on LSD – In a video from the late 1970s, Al Hubbard, Timothy Leary, Humphry Osmond, Sidney Cohen and others reflect on LSD’s heyday

Alison Gopnik and Robin Carhart-Harris at the 2016 Science of Consciousness Conference

The Future of Psychedelic Psychiatry – a discussion between Thomas Insel and Paul Summergrad

Documents, Articles & Artifacts

Al Hubbard’s FBI file

Remembrances of LSD Therapy Past – Betty Grover Eisner’s unpublished memoir about her role in developing psychedelic therapy

LSD, Insight or Insanity – Transcript of excerpts from hearings of the Subcommittee
on the Executive Reorganization of the Senate Committee on Government Operations [concerning federal research and regulation of LSD-25] May 24, 1966

The Brutal Mirror: What an ayahuasca retreat showed me about my life —A Vox writer’s first-person account

​

Forums

Ayahuasca.com: Includes experience reports, discussion of spirituality, ecology, healing, and recovery by means of the vine are collected here. A place to learn from members of ayahuasca churches, as well as a few foreign language channels.

Bluelight: A 20 year old online harm reduction forum that fosters open and factual discussion of drugs and provides support for those seeking recovery from addiction.

DMT Nexus: A hub for underground psychedelic research on botanical sources of tryptamines and other psychedelic compounds.

5Hive: A newer forum devoted specifically to 5-MeO-DMT — synthetic, botanical or toad-derived.

Mycotopia: All things mycological — discussions of edible, wild, and psychoactive fungi.

The Shroomery: A forum  devoted to cultivating psilocybin-containing mushrooms and sharing trip reports.

TRIPSIT: A 24/7 online harm reduction resource.  Users can chat instantly with someone about their drug experience, or questions they may have about about the safe(r) use of a wide variety of controlled substances.

Note: This is all in the public domain, I'm not doxxing any one. This and many other pizzagate posts have been deleted recently.

Majestic Apes/Heavy Breathing; Comet Ping Pong

Summary

The Apes' strange webpage and biographical history indicate that they are either a part of or are advertising a Crowley-inspired cult known for creating "Visionaries" through trauma and abuse. The Apes who are now formally Heavy Breathing whose singer Amanda Kleinman has her own act called Majestic Ape are directly and indirectly related to James Alefantis and Comet Ping Pong. The band Heavy Breathing played gigs at Comet Ping Pong and the singer, Kleinman also performed her Majestic Ape stand up where she references children being euthenized as well as jokes about pedophilia and having a preference towards children!! The band and Kleinman also filmed several music videos depicting fast imagery of torture and pedophilia. This is a women who was formally a special needs aid as well as an employee at James Alefantis Transformer Art Gallary.

Body

The Apes are an interesting part of the Comet Ping Pong investigation because they can easily hide any insinuation of pedophilia behind the plausible deniability of being hipster/punk. But it's worth noting that their whole narrative doesn't exist in a vacuum. Rather, they seem to be following the tenets of a loose, Crowley-inspired cult called The Visionaries, who are inspired by Thelemic ideas (such as the "Do as thou wilt") and Jungian Psychiatry (using trauma and horror to "release oneself", to steal the "numen" of others).

For all intents and purposes, satanic abuse victim Kim Noble was likely a victim of these practices, as the goal was not simply to abuse her, but to literally split her personality and showcase the potential of creativity-through-sexual-abuse.

Now to the Apes. If you remember the Baba's Mountain portion of their website, they reference a 'visionary' called Jackie Magik, the name a likely reference to Crowley. http://www.theapes.com/babas1.html http://www.theapes.com/misc/prologue.html

Jackie Magik, the maniacally focused visionary, guides the vessel with his heavily-effected voice modulations. His body shakes violently as gale forces and riverspray sweep through the mainmast, into his bass held against it, and are transmitted out again as flashing torrents of lightsound and booming triggers, signals for Ronald Wolf's rhythm track and Majestic Ape's piano incantations.

The visionary movement is inspired by occultists like Crowley and psychiatrists like CG Jung and Otto Gross, and believe that mental health mainly illusory and that most mental issues derive from repressing one's savage tendencies. That's why they are called "The Apes"--they deliberately release their madness, their transgressions and their urges for sinning as a way to heal themselves. Otto Gross is a lesser-known psychiatrist who was famous for hosting orgies and coining the term 'sexual revolution' in the late 1910s.

The Babas' Mountain page on their site talks about something called Captain 20's Children. You have seen the graffiti on the walls. Captain 20's Children. Mount of the Child Generals. APES. Imp Ahh.

This, of course, leads to Alefantis' Transformer Gallery, and this image,

http://www.transformerdc.org/exhibitions/images/captain-20s-children-c20c

which is creepy in itself but implies that the gallery name is deliberate and relates to whatever the Apes and Alefantis do in secret. And this pattern of "transformative" galleries is GLOBAL -- be it Creative Growth in Oakland, Intuit in Chicago and the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore. So, I ask, what are these galleries really showcasing?

Back to the Apes

"Baba's Mountain" has been one of creepier and elusive parts of the investigation simply because no one really knows what it is. What we do know is that the Visionary Cult (as outlined in this book)

https://www.amazon.ca/Spiritual-Gift-Madness-Psychiatry-Movement/dp/159477448X

>sees Baba Ram Dass aka Richard Alpert as a pseudo-messianic figure. As one of the pioneers of LSD research, it's not surprising that he became spiritual, but what may be more important is that he started several Ashrams and retreats in New Mexico and Maui.

>The mysterious Count 101 -- once, a traveller-orphan hustling Chinese checkers in Lincoln Town; then, his eyes opened in the Apes' workshop, soul liberated by the discovery of the world that works through the night while the masses of the other world sleep, the final quarter of the Apes' circle -- consults those invisible confidants beneath his cloak: His Voices.

Brian Baker from Bad Religion also appears on the site - He is in the "Visionary Leaders Circle" with Alefantis, Folger and Webre that forms after their annual Transformer auction. It's worth noting that Arrington de Dionysio, another Comet PP confidant, lead a band called "Old Time Relijun" and has been associated with two galleries who have the same schtick at Comet--One of Us Gallery in Los Angeles and True Measure in Portland. One of Us burns baby effigies and is obsessed with Pizza; True Measure showcases trauma-based art, like Alefantis' Transformer Gallery. http://www.theapes.com/pics/05-april/pics5.html

http://oneofus-la.tumblr.com/post/107869032463/miles-robertson-performing-god-needs-money

http://oneofus-la.tumblr.com/post/102945351358/more-photos-from-audrey-marilyn-jacobs-for-the

http://truemeasuregallery.com/

http://www.transformerdc.org/give/visionary-friends

Hints of Pedophilia Band member 'Breck' solemnly posing with dolls

http://www.theapes.com/pics/06-fall/pics.html?photo=15

This is very telling

>You have heard rumors of those gone missing: Adolescents, leaving their homes, wandering into the night and never being seen again. The melting of children into feed for the woodland animals. Please ignore these rumors - rumors created by your teachers, the local media, parental figures. Ignore the ignorant teens-in-heat "blogs". Spurred by myth, inspired by whispers, many have written us from all over the world, wanting to know more about our mountain retreat. Why not come see for yourself? http://www.theapes.com/babas1.html

http://www.theapes.com/pics/07-sxsw/pics.html?photo=3 "I'm not sure we want to know what the 6'6" gentleman in the bulky coat is doing hunched over in Moto's Kiddy Kamp."

http://www.theapes.com/04_10_euro/pics12.html

I think some of the answers are missing the mark here. Try this book if you have the time.

I found it best illustrated the balance between unconscious and conscious. From my memory it might be easier to understand the other extremes away from individuation. On one extreme you have someone consumed by the unconscious. Impulsive people controlled by emotions and ruled by superstition, completely ruled by their animal impulses and archetypical motivations. At the other extreme you have entirely logical and completely detached people. These types are likely to be sociopaths, very calculating and often confused by why others let emotion get the better of them, they see no need for legends, myth, and story.

The other comments are not wrong in that Intuition, feeling, sensing, and thinking need to be balanced. That is just a smaller facet of the bigger picture. By balancing these four attributes one can better search within ones self to see the separation between mind and spirit, unconscious and conscious. Once you can do that you can further yourself down the path of individuation and achieve a balance and self actualized state.

I find a great litmus for where someone stands is looking at what desires define them. Do they obsess about something? Do they follow some cult or ideology, perhaps even a TV show or novel? If so they are being consumed by unconscious desire. Is the subject more inclined to rational thought? Do they scoff at tradition and are more focused on some material needs/gains? Then they are probably dissociative from their unconscious desires.

By balancing between these two states of mind the binary self becomes whole. Only then can someone individuate.

13 Powerful Ways to Pray

You can also get it for free here

Edit: This book was really amazing to read even as a cradle Catholic. I liked that Fr. Tobin included a lot of Scripture references throughout. And the book starts off describing what prayer is and why we need it. I felt it helped me to go deeper.

Also, Consoling the Heart of Jesus totally changed my relationship with Jesus for the better after over a decade of keeping him at arm's length.

There is nothing else which is similar to "the ultimate" in Dzogchen except Mahamudra.

Unfortunately, it's really difficult to explain. Even the term "the ultimate" is misleading, so it was a bad choice of words on my part.

I remember when I first read about Dzogchen, I couldn't help but compare it to the Tree of Life, mostly the supernal triad and Ain, Ain Soph, and Ain Soph Aur, but also the whole notion of how phenomena came to be made so much sense to according to the YHVH formula and and the ray of creation, that I simply saw it in everything I read if something sounded similar. It seems to make so much sense, although in a vague and mysterious way, that it is easy to get stuck on, especially if you have used the YHVH formula to apparently manifest reality or perhaps "spoken" with the numinous in one way or another to confirm the validity of Qabalah. Once I had some experience with pathworking, it was difficult to shake the idea that Qabalah was not the absolute truth. What else could possibly manifest such perfectly verifiable experiences? But, I had trouble with the origins of the whole thing, since I am repulsed by the Bible and pretty much all forms of Judeo-Christian religions. It didn't satisfy me to think one was "exoteric" for the profane and one was "esoteric" for the enlightened, particularly because so many different schools had such different ideas about God, the gods, where the world was headed, what aeon we were in, what is "good" and "bad," etc. etc.

So, now that I've given some backstory on that, I will defer you to this link, which might make some sense to you, but frankly I doubt it... http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/2009/10/dzogchen-rigpa-and-dependent.html

It is not something you can read about and understand, really. I learned that firsthand. The Western Mystery Tradition involves a lot of reading and thinking and I was just determined to try to understand Dzogchen intellectually for several years before I realized it just wasn't going to work... and then I finally started listening to all the Dzogchen teachers who had always said this. A little reading is okay, but practice is most important. And then, when you get some idea of what it's all about, reading may be more productive rather than just a complete waste of time trying to make sense of things that seem impenetrable.

I would also recommend some book for you if you're interested on a good introduction to Dzogchen:

The Crystal and the Way of Light

Dzogchen The Self-Perfected State

The Mirror

I recommend them in that order.

E: Also, this might be useful. It is 7 pages, notice the "next >" button at the bottom.
http://vajranatha.com/articles/dzogchen-and-meditation.html

You can do-it-yourself. Fr. Michael Gaitley wrote a book that guides you through a 3 day retreat Consoling the Heart of Jesus

It's not an easy book. I think I read most of it 3 times before I tried to do it as a retreat over a long weekend. Towards the end it touches on things like Consecration to Mary, and outlines how a busy person can sustain a minimalist prayer life. It has definitely shaped my spiritual life, and I review it every year.

...and if this isn't your "thing" keep trying. Introduction to the Devout Life, Practicing the Presence of God, True Devotion to Mary, The Little Way, etc.

Here is my list, they are mostly books which have helped me to live a better life, so not so much suited for a bucket-list as books which should be read early in life:

• Wisdom of the Desert (http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Desert-New-Directions-ebook/dp/B0099JRE3O/)
  
  
• Native American Wisdom (http://www.amazon.com/Native-American-Wisdom-Classic-Collections/dp/0931432782)
  
  
• The Five Love Languages (http://www.amazon.com/Love-Languages-Secret-That-Lasts/dp/0802473156/)
  
  
• The Four Agreements (http://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319/)
  
  
• Dali Lama, The Way to a Meaningful Life (http://www.amazon.com/How-Practice-The-Meaningful-Life/dp/0743427084/)
  
  
• Dave Ramsey, The Total Money Makeover (http://www.amazon.com/Total-Money-Makeover-Classic-Financial/dp/1595555277/)
  

To believe that everyone who literally hears God talking to them should be locked in a psychiatric ward is insane! Seriously. Please please please read the book Rethinking Madness by Dr. Paris Williams. Your mode of thinking about hearing voices is outdated by psychological standards and actually dangerous to people.

After that you might want to check out The Spiritual Gift of Madness and Soteria.

Millions of people with things as simple as insomnia hear voices sometimes and yes some of the more religious of those ascribe it to God. Heck 7% of people diagnosed as schizophrenic are misdiagnosed because the psychiatrist didn't didn't do a simple one night sleep study or even a genetic study to identify that the patient actually has narcolepsy. As a result they get the opposite medications and often end up hospitalized all because psychiatry doesn't believe in doing tests before making a diagnosis.

Some people absolutely are speaking metaphorically and many are speaking about a sort of imperceptible 'voice' that is communicating more in concepts that they are ascribing to something outside of themselves but literally millions of people hear voices every day that they ascribe to things like God, Satan, angels, demons, aliens, and all other manner of thing. It does not mean they should be locked in a psych ward though.

For many people that hear voices more distress comes from society and loves ones telling them that they have a problem or a disease than comes from what the voices themselves are saying. More often than not its not the voices that are the problem - its the family and friends of the person hearing the voices and the old-school psychiatrists that are convinced its something that has to be medicated away.

You might also want to check out The Hearing Voices Network for more information.

Obviously, this is a cause I'm passionate about ;-)

If paying shipping doesn't bother you, check out used books on Amazon. Lots of people would rather pass a book along to the next reader than throw it away, and some people sell books just for the tiny profit they can make on Amazon's shipping fee, so there are a lot of used books that go for basically free + shipping. Here are some good deals:

• An Introduction to Zen Buddhism by D.T. Suzuki, $0.32 plus shipping
  
• The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha, $0.01 plus shipping
  
• What the Buddha Taught, $0.91 plus shipping
  
• How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life, by H.H. the Dalai Lama, $0.18 plus shipping

I, like many others, started out as what Chapman calls a Concensus Buddhist. Batchelor never really appealed to me, although I did used to adamantly deny reincarnation when I started all of this. Tantric Buddhism is Vajrayana, btw. David Chapman was (is still?) a practitioner of Nyingma Dzogchen. It's a really interesting school with quite a profound view that you won't find anywhere else. Their masters claim to achieve a "rainbow body" and can perform all kinds of spectacular wizardry like flying, producing emanations, etc. I'd recommend you dig further into it if Chapman piqued your interested. I'd recommend The Crystal and the Way of Light as a wonderful Dzogchen primer.

Used to work at a home and office water delivery company. We sent tap water through a "10 step process" and in all honesty it tasted amazing afterwards.

One day the founder finds and reads this book by this Japanese scientist, Masaru Emoto. The book lays out experiments where water was exposed to classical music and affirming positive words and "consequently" created more perfect water crystals.

As soon as he finished, he had us install speakers all over the filtering and bottling area and it became our "11th step".

The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto

We're all water & this book demonstrates the deep connection we have with the substance we all share. The photos are glorious, and the theory is profound. It's almost like "the Secret" but based in reality - WATER!

It really impacted my life & is one of those books I constantly buy & give to others. It's a quick read - as in a day or so, with so much to learn! Did I mention the gorgeous pics?

I have snowflake tattoos on my shoulders, so I'm partial to ice crystals. Honestly, this book will change your life!

Titus Burckhardt - Alchemy: Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul

Jung - Psychology and Alchemy

Jung - Alchemical Studies

Samael Aun Weor - The Perfect Matrimony: The Door to Enter into Initiation, Tantra and Sexual Alchemy Unveiled (don't take this guy too seriously because he's a bit of a nutter, but he is certainly worth a read)

Though it's not a book, also check out this album of images, particularly this image and this one

As for all the symbols, I highly recommend getting a dictionary of symbols and reading it straight through, from A to Z. My favorites are The Herder Dictionary of Symbols and The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols.

The Words of My Perfect Teacher is a great book on the preliminary practices in the Nyingma tradition. The preliminaries aren't much different from tradition to tradition, so it's pretty applicable regardless of the school. This book will give you a crystal clear idea of what your practice would be like for the first X,XXX hours of practice if you happen to begin a Vajrayana practice.

If you're keen on Dzogchen, you could also check out The Crystal and the Way of Light.

I also liked the dude and the zen master. Probably wasn’t taken seriously but the “dude” character is my spirt animal 😂

I recently got zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance . I haven’t started it yet but I love Zen and motorcycles so should go over well with me

> in order to pray undisturbed it is possible to choose a particular place in one’s house, if practicable, as a kind of hallowed spot, and to pray there

I agree! Having a prayer spot and prayer time can make a big difference in one's walk with God. I finally got around to reading Too Busy Not To Pray which recommends this as well.

I'll have to try kneeling. A church I attended a long time ago in the Rocky Mountains would stretch their hands up in the air, like spiritual antennas. It was interesting.

I think it has gone pretty good considering how little I market it. I'm sure if I spent more time getting the word out or even some paid advertising, it would have even more success. It has sold a couple hundred copies on Kindle I estimate, with a few copies still selling every month by no effort of my own. 11 online reviews is a good start too. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D31BNFY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00D31BNFY&linkCode=as2&tag=lifeaftemorm-20

If you're interested in how different religions relate together, and specifically how Hinduism and Christianity relate together, you might be interested in the works of Paramahansa Yogananda.

His work focuses on the idea that there is one "inner highway" of nerve centers in the spine that allows people to have higher mystical experiences and that Hindu Yoga and Christianity are very similar once you get past the outer differences of language, culture, etc.

He describes his own experiences with mystical consciousness in Autobiography of a Yogi and he explains the Hinduism / Christianity connection in The Yoga of Jesus and The Second Coming of Christ.

Paramahansa's main work was in bringing practical spiritual techniques to the West that allowed people to have their own direct experience so that spirituality is made practical and scientific (in that everything becomes personally testable and easily understood). His personal experience with these higher states then allows him to explain the correlations between religions in a very easy to understand manner.

He died in 1952, but his books have remained popular enough that you can find them in pretty much any bookstore.

'Religion' is the answer for most people. But this didn't work for me because being scientific minded I rejected religion at a young age. Recently I've read more about Buddhism, and seen that it has a minimum of mythology and I think what mythology is attached to Buddhism can be rejected without losing the rest of the philosophy.

I think this book is a good, short, cheap intro to buddhism: http://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Religion-No-Religion-Watts-Wisdom/dp/080483203X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296157180&sr=8-1

And this is a good book on mortality. It's ostensibly for kids, but I think it fits in well with Buddhist thoughts, and it helps calm me when I read it: http://www.amazon.com/Lifetimes-Bryan-Mellonie/dp/0553344021/ref=cm_lmf_tit_8_rsrssi2

Finally, this book says it is for mothers, but I am not a mother and I found it a good introduction to the most practical aspects of buddhism: http://www.amazon.com/Buddhism-Mothers-Approach-Yourself-Children/dp/1741140102/ref=tmm_pap_title_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296157315&sr=8-1

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Anything by Thomas Merton is excellent. Contemplative Prayer and New Seeds of Contemplation can be good starts.

Richard Rohr, Henri Nouwen and Thomas Keating will also be good readings.

Plants of the Gods by R.E.Schultes AND Albert Hoffmann is a great reference.

Mycotopia also has a forum devoted to this exact type of gardening.

On a side note, read up on Richard Evans Schultes if you don't know about him. Very interesting dude.

Here is a book that is probably the best place to start with this:

The yoga of Jesus by Paramahansa Yogananda:

>In this remarkable book, Paramahansa Yogananda reveals the hidden yoga of the Gospels and confirms that Jesus, like the ancient sages and masters of the East, not only knew yoga but taught this universal science of God-realization to his closest disciples. Compiled from the author's highly praised two-volume set The Second Coming of Christ


Basically Paramahansa wrote a massive two volume set that fully sets out the relationship between Jesus and meditation and yoga, and the book "The Yoga of Jesus" is a condensed version that touches on the major points.

Most of the stuff I mentioned should be in there.

Also this. Never read it, I'm not that into pop religious books, but some of the guy's earlier stuff was pretty legit. His urban retreats are interesting.

ah Individuation huh! I was able to always understand this term, through CGJs writings, intellectually but never really practically. I haven't found any of his writings yet where he really delves into the practical way to accomplish individuation. I do know that his personal process relied heavily on active imagination and this would seem to be his recommendation (for much of his life he did not want his process revealed because much of his writings come from his personal interaction with his own psyche and he feared this would not be considered scientific (also the reason he did not want Liber Novus (The Red Book) published)) because he saw it as a more focused way to access ones unconscious as opposed to dreaming. But often, as i believe is the case with Marie LVF, other of his followers were better able to describe his method. I just got this book by the then Chairman of the New York Institute of the C.G. Jung Foundation ,which takes the process of individuation as one of its main topics, for that reason.

I have an older version of this https://www.amazon.com/Plants-Gods-Sacred-Healing-Hallucinogenic/dp/0892819790 which is quite good. I'd love to see the newer edition with color photos.

My Utmost for His Highest is one of my favorites. its a classic daily devotional book that is written well and can really make you think. i've known people who read this year after year because of its ability to shine new light each time.

Yeah, totally.

Alan Watts, Buddhism: The Religion of No Religion, audio dl

Steve Hagen, Buddhism Plain and Simple (haven't read it, but it's highly recommended)

Also, you can check out the FAQ.

Start with Watts. He's a great writer and the book is really short.

Not exactly what you are looking for but you may find this interesting-

https://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Jesus-Understanding-Self-Realization-Fellowship/dp/0876125569

I've never read the book but I met Christians who were inspired by it.

The yogi Paramahansa Yogananda taught a blend of Hinduism and Christianity. I don't agree with him on some things but he was a very advanced yogi. I think you'd find his writings right up your alley.

i recommend this book as a follow-up to ishmael. takes the ideas a bit deeper.

here's an excellent excerpt, highly relevant to the OP.

more excerpts, and the book's premises here.

That reminds me I bought this book on Amazon a few weeks ago and I can't wait to get it in the mail :)

The Dude and the Zen Master

http://www.amazon.com/The-Dude-Master-Jeff-Bridges/dp/0142180521/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407956804&sr=8-1&keywords=the+dude+and+zen+master

I've always liked Jeff Bridges. In the Big Lebowski the one scene that always makes me laugh is when the Dude is all happy listening to Creedence on his 8-track, sipping on his beer and he tries to throw his roach out the window (not realizing that it's still rolled up) and it bounces back and starts to burn his crotch. It's something about that shreek that he lets out while trying to put it out with his beer. End result...TOTALLY NAILS THE DUMPSTER with his poor abused car.

About The Dude, Jeff Bridges and Bernie Glassman (a real zen master) co-authored The Dude and the Zen Master, pretty interesting read.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Dude-Master-Jeff-Bridges/dp/0399161643

Your quest is a very noble one. This is an interesting book on that subject, written by a very interesting person, Paramahansa Yogananda.

You seem to be on the path to knowledge. What I think your father is referring to is Jesus saying to be wary of false prophets. But Jesus said to be wary of false prophets "who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matt. 7:15). I think that it is clear that the wisdom found in Siddhartha Gautama and the Vedas are neither ravenous nor lupine.

Saying that it will lead you away from the right path is foolish. But you need to determine for yourself if Eastern religions have any part in your own right path.

Nigglereddit is right that it won't be too much of a danger to your faith. Exposure to other ways of thinking (especially ones that have been used by many to attain higher wisdom) can only improve you. So I suggest that (if you have the time), you at least expose yourself to the Dhammapada/Pali Canon/Writings of the Dalai Lama, the Bhagavad Gita/Vedas/Upanishads, and/or the Tao Te Ching. Or any well-written books on Eastern Religions.

And to answer your question, it is unknown if Jesus learned anything about Eastern religions when he was on Earth. There are his "lost years," but then again, they are called his "lost years." However, if you believe Jesus to be God, then there is no limit to what Jesus is exposed to.

Endgame by Derrick Jensen
It's probably a little hardcore for most people, including myself, but it definitely makes you think.

If you enjoy praying, then you might consider Centering Prayer which is a form of Christian meditation. The full manual for it is Open Mind, Open Heart by Thomas Keating.

As for the nausea, etc, you could be trying too hard. Relax. If it is too much just stop the meditation (or ignore it) and breath/lie down and let the feelings do their thing. When you can get up, get up and go about your day.

Have you thought about reading and doing Consoling the Heart of Jesus.

It's a do it yourself retreat that you can do over a weekend. It's based off of the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. The schedule in the book starts Friday night and goes into Sunday, and it's an all day thing, but you can go at your own pace.

To give a short answer. Yes.

This is from a book about psychoactive plants i have. Because there are a lot of non factual answers here, I thought i post this. I had to write it all so there might be some spelling errors.

.
.
.

Plants of the gods, By Richard Evans Schultes, Albert Hofmann &Christian Rätsch.
>

The chemistry of Fly Agaric

> The active principle of Amanita muscaria was thought once, a century ago, to have been muscarine when Schiedeberg and kope isolated this substance. this belief has been proven erroneous. Recently Eugster in Switzerland and Takemo in Japan isolated ibotenic acid and the alkaloid muscimole as being responsible for the Fly Agaric's psychotropic effects. The mushroom is taken usually dried. The drying process induces the chemical transformation ibotenic acid to muscimole, the most active constituent.

...Amanita muscaria may be the oldest of the hallucinogens and perhaps was once the most used...

A little background summary from me:


It's been used by many different cultures in the past and has been associated with many different gods, There is evidence suggesting it's been used in India, Siberia and The America's, (From Mesoamerica to the north of Canada.


If you're interested in these kind of things, i suggest you try to find some literature about it. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications, Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers, Psychedelics Encyclopedia. It's amazon link's but you can find them anywhere.

This is a good atlas if you can find it. https://www.amazon.com/Plants-Gods-Sacred-Healing-Hallucinogenic/dp/0892819790

Also check out the book The Hidden Messages in Water if you are interested in exploring it further. https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Messages-Water-Masaru-Emoto/dp/0743289803/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519433113&sr=8-1&keywords=masaru+emoto

If you are interested in more information on the plants and some of their practices you should read Plants of Gods. It also has information about other cultures and plants uses around the world.

There is a book with the same title detailing the adventures of Ram Das, Tim Leary , Andrew Weil and another fella whose name I forgot : https://www.amazon.com/Harvard-Psychedelic-Club-Timothy-Fifties/dp/0061655945

http://www.highexistence.com/water-experiment/

here's the book as well, not that you would read it as your mind is already made up:

http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Messages-Water-Masaru-Emoto/dp/0743289803

Have you read The Spiritual Gift of Madness or are you aware of the "mad pride" movement?

I found the most accessible book on this subject to be Deep Meditation. It is the first in a series and I liked them all, but this is a staging forward approach to get started.

Terrence McKenna spoke about it, as did Schults, Hofman, and Ratsch in Plants of the Gods.

Soma is an entirely different matter, and my guess is that it is Amanita muscaria or possibly cubensis.

• In Sinu Jesu by A Benedictine Monk
  
• He and I by Gabrielle Bossis
  
• Consoling the Heart of Jesus by Fr. Michael Gaitley
  
• Be Healed by Dr. Bob Schuchts
  
• Be Transformed by Dr. Bob Schuchts
  
• Loved as I Am by Sr. Miriam James Heidland
  
• Unbound by Neal Lozano
  
  Currently reading Unwanted by Jay Stringer, who though not Catholic not only comes highly recommended by Catholics I trust (including Dr. Schuchts) but addresses in perhaps the most useful way I've seen so far the common struggles around sexual sin.
  
  [Edited multiple times to include links and generally get the Reddit markup just right]

You can add "The Dude and the Zen Master" to your list.

Jeff Bridges has himself been called a zen master, and he co-authored a book on the subject of his experiences with zen master Bernie Glassman.

Essa idéia de que a alquimia foi uma versão trial da química é pura balela. Refutada por um acadêmico de respeito nessa obra aqui

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-Meditation-Pathway-Personal-Freedom/dp/097646554X/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418941465&sr=1-13&keywords=meditation

this is how I learnt

http://www.amazon.com/The-Dude-Master-Jeff-Bridges/dp/0142180521

Don't know similar, but I'd suggest:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Practice-The-Meaningful-Life/dp/0743427084

And this:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Mahasiddha-His-Idiot-Servant/dp/0975383604

Why not read his book?

Plants of the Gods

http://www.amazon.com/Plants-Gods-Sacred-Healing-Hallucinogenic/dp/0892819790

It's academic without being dry, really digs into the cultural context of the plant rather than being just stories of people talking about their "trips".

Taoism? Not nearly as Dude-ist as, say, Zen Buddhism. The Dude was totally Zen (book link, not youtube).

Hmm, I don't have any specific advice. It sounds to me like a depression - Google that shit and see if fits and if there is any good standard stuff you can do about it. It certainly doesn't help that it's November (assuming you are in USA/Can/EU).

Last time I was in a similar place I got the fuck out of dodge - it didn't 'solve' my issues, but it gave me enough new energy that I could refocus and deal with my shit from a better place.

Another time I was depressed (middle of winter and no money, so travelling was out of the question), I just hermited it up with some good books:

1. http://www.amazon.com/Ego-Archetype-Edward-Edinger/dp/087773576X
   
2. http://www.amazon.com/G%C3%B6del-Escher-Bach-Eternal-Golden/dp/0465026567
   
   and went for a lot of late night walks by myself in the cold all bundled up. Did a lot of thinking - didn't even try to socialize. It was cathartic and I processed a lot. When spring came I was in a much better place.
   
   Just my experience, take what you can from it.
   
   
   

Alan Watts - The Book (on the taboo against knowing who you are)

..and Buddhism - The Religion of No Religion

If you have both the time and the inclination, I'd point you to the book Endgame, by Derrick Jensen

There's a lot of examples of ways the planet's ecosystems would benefit from our disappearance (or from a massive hit to our population). We fuck a lot of shit up without even trying (or knowing about it).

Anyhow, it's worth a read.

Read Endgame.

Humans are fucked any way you choose to look at it.

The route for human beings should be peace and consensual interactions. Anything else is violence, and that includes using 3rd parties to "seize" property that you decide is exorbitant.

Why Buddhism is True

Feeling Good

Things I have lying around that I intend to read real soon, roughly in this order:

Streams of Living Water

Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail

Eckhart

Open Mind, Open Heart

Accidental Saints

This dude is worried that any trauma an animal experiences will be passed down to whoever eats that animal, but he also wants to see pictures of all the kids that were murdered at Sandy Hook.

As for talking to water, this is some straight Food Babe shit. She wrote a whole article on how you shouldn't microwave your food and one of her reasons was because water reacts to being microwaved in the same way that it reacts to hearing the word "Satan". I'm not making this up. She pulled the article after being relentlessly mocked for it.

The claim originally comes from Dr. Masaru Emoto, who wrote a booked called "Hidden Messages in Water". Unsurprisingly, Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan.