Interpenetrating Universes

In 1888 Blavatsky described the the cosmos as a 'playground of numberless Universes incessantly manifesting and disappearing'.

In this way she - and the ancient esoteric tradition she was giving expression to - anticipated modern scientific and philosophical theories of infinite parallel  and possible universes.

I'm not taking a cheap shot at science, saying the idea was nicked from a source most scientists would  profess to despise. Clearly when this set of ideas is transferred from a spiritual sphere to a scientific one it undergoes a real transformation.

What I am saying is that there are other ways of knowing. More especially altered states of consciousness give rise to to other ways of knowing.

Comments

[Al]

A few people know about Francis Crick and his use of LSD to determine the double helix of DNA, but is it easier or harder to reach an altered state without substance assistance?

[Nick]

Hello Al, Nick here. There was a BBC documentary on a few years ago about LSD, and spirituality. I'm sure it's available on YouTube, and Albert Hoffman was talking about the spiritual profoundness people feel on "Trips", connection to nature.

One clip I remember showed former MP and current house of Lords' member Christopher Mayhew taking a mescaline dose, and describing how although his body was still "Here", he was in another reality, and what may be minutes here are months where he was. He still to this day believes that the psychiatrists couldn't possibly understand because they didn't experience it like he did. Unfortunately, it was never aired.

One of the critics so to speak was Aldous Hexley, who said that while LSD / Mescaline may give you the same spiritual enlightenment, it isn't the same as the years of dedication to getting there yourself; unaided. He likened it to driving up the mountain instead of climbing it, the view was the same at the top however you get there, but it's the journey that makes it.

Nick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnUsawVbRvo

[Al]

Thanks for the link Nick, and I agree, the actual journey to the top of the mountain is as important as the view at the top. It explains to me why some heavy drug users are only a little conscious compared to someone actually seeking to be more awake and dabbled in LSD or the like infrequently but are a lot more awake.