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c0sm0nautt

Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 10,303
Loc: The Astral Realm
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: Silversoul]
#14067274 - 03/04/11 04:54 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Silversoul said: If you were to do a brain-scan of me typing this reply, you'd see certain parts of my brain active that wouldn't be active while, say, taking a nap. Does that mean that this experience of typing is an illusion caused by stimulating that part of my brain? No. It means that it's a part of my brain that is used in interacting with the world. All perception involves certain parts of the brain. That in itself tells us nothing about the reality of the things perceived. I tend to agree with the bishop quoted in the article. If there is a God or some sort of divine reality, wouldn't it make sense that our brains would be equipped to perceive such a reality?
IMO, it's all intimately connected. People who try and separate the physical from the mystical seem to always be trying to discredit the other. I use certain sound frequencies to attain different altered states of consciousness. There are people who can attain these states of consciousness using the mind only. I see the brain as a tool the mind uses to operate and experience within physical reality - to use our physical avatars.
Just curious, what are the "enlightened states" this scientist is able to produce manipulating the brain? Mere sense pleasure?
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deCypher



Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: c0sm0nautt]
#14067280 - 03/04/11 04:55 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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I've read of temporal lobe stimulation producing religious visions, samadhi a la the observer merging with the observed, and feeling a Oneness with God.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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c0sm0nautt

Registered: 05/19/08
Posts: 10,303
Loc: The Astral Realm
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: deCypher] 1
#14067301 - 03/04/11 05:00 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Oh wow that's pretty awesome. I'd be the first to sign up for the next study. I'm sure highly advanced ETs have similar technology.
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Poid
Shroomery's #1 Spellir




Registered: 02/04/08
Posts: 40,372
Loc: SF Bay Area
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: c0sm0nautt]
#14067308 - 03/04/11 05:02 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
c0sm0nautt said:
Quote:
Silversoul said: If you were to do a brain-scan of me typing this reply, you'd see certain parts of my brain active that wouldn't be active while, say, taking a nap. Does that mean that this experience of typing is an illusion caused by stimulating that part of my brain? No. It means that it's a part of my brain that is used in interacting with the world. All perception involves certain parts of the brain. That in itself tells us nothing about the reality of the things perceived. I tend to agree with the bishop quoted in the article. If there is a God or some sort of divine reality, wouldn't it make sense that our brains would be equipped to perceive such a reality?
IMO, it's all intimately connected. People who try and separate the physical from the mystical seem to always be trying to discredit the other.
The scientific method operates by attempting to disprove (i.e. discredit) hypotheses.
-------------------- Well I try my best to be just like I am, but everybody wants you to be just like them. -- Bob Dylan  fireworks_god said:It's one thing to simply enjoy a style of life that one enjoys, but it's another thing altogether to refer to another person's choice as "wrong" or to rationalize their behavior as being pathological or resulting from some sort of inadequacy or failing so as to create a sense of superiority or separation as yet another projection of a personal fear or control issue.
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Silversoul
Rhizome


Registered: 01/01/05
Posts: 23,576
Loc: The Barricades
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: deCypher]
#14067354 - 03/04/11 05:14 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
deCypher said: I've read of temporal lobe stimulation producing religious visions, samadhi a la the observer merging with the observed, and feeling a Oneness with God. 
There is a so-called "God helmet" which has been used for that purpose. However, what those experiments failed to do was control for the placebo effect.
Also, Richard Dawkins tried the God helmet and said he felt nothing.
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deCypher



Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: Silversoul]
#14067379 - 03/04/11 05:18 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Silversoul said: Also, Richard Dawkins tried the God helmet and said he felt nothing.
Yeah, I read that. Pretty ironic. 
I still need to get around to building a transcranial magnetic stimulation device...
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery



Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 95,368
Loc: underbelly
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: Poid]
#14067421 - 03/04/11 05:27 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Poid said: So you're personally experiencing Nirvana? 
I've personally experienced it on XTC. My first trip which was solo in something like an isolation chamber went into this perfect state for six hours or so. The aftereffects lasted maybe six months.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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Poid
Shroomery's #1 Spellir




Registered: 02/04/08
Posts: 40,372
Loc: SF Bay Area
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: Icelander]
#14067991 - 03/04/11 07:47 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Well according to Mr. Middle, that's not Nirvana, that's just a Samadhi.
-------------------- Well I try my best to be just like I am, but everybody wants you to be just like them. -- Bob Dylan  fireworks_god said:It's one thing to simply enjoy a style of life that one enjoys, but it's another thing altogether to refer to another person's choice as "wrong" or to rationalize their behavior as being pathological or resulting from some sort of inadequacy or failing so as to create a sense of superiority or separation as yet another projection of a personal fear or control issue.
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dustinthewind13
Fool



Registered: 11/05/10
Posts: 5,219
Loc: Being a burden
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: c0sm0nautt]
#14068030 - 03/04/11 07:56 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
c0sm0nautt said: Oh wow that's pretty awesome. I'd be the first to sign up for the next study. I'm sure highly advanced ETs have similar technology.
-------------------- "It is the peculiar quality of a fool to perceive the faults of others and forget his own." - Marcus Tullius Cicero "A room without books is like a body without a soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero "Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it." -Thomas Jefferson
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p4kSouL
Animals Are Cool
Registered: 01/13/05
Posts: 3,666
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: Poid] 1
#14068092 - 03/04/11 08:09 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Poid said: Well according to Mr. Middle, that's not Nirvana, that's just a Samadhi.
Nirvana is a band.
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Silversoul
Rhizome


Registered: 01/01/05
Posts: 23,576
Loc: The Barricades
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: p4kSouL]
#14068106 - 03/04/11 08:12 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
p4kSouL said:
Quote:
Poid said: Well according to Mr. Middle, that's not Nirvana, that's just a Samadhi.
Nirvana is a band.
Two bands, actually.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery



Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 95,368
Loc: underbelly
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: Poid] 1
#14068132 - 03/04/11 08:17 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Poid said: Well according to Mr. Middle, that's not Nirvana, that's just a Samadhi.
The word literally means "blowing out" — referring, in the Hindu context, to the supreme state free of suffering and individual existence[citation needed], and in the Buddhist context, to the blowing out of the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion
Maybe somewhere in between; the only part of the above I didn't experience was being free of individual existence.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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p4kSouL
Animals Are Cool
Registered: 01/13/05
Posts: 3,666
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Re: The God Spot: implications for the validity of the mystical experience [Re: Silversoul]
#14068136 - 03/04/11 08:19 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Silversoul said:
Quote:
p4kSouL said:
Quote:
Poid said: Well according to Mr. Middle, that's not Nirvana, that's just a Samadhi.
Nirvana is a band.
Two bands, actually.
Reaaallly?? Copy cats.
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