A Reinterpretation of “The 5 Aggregates”

Perhaps can be seen as a blasphemous effort, if you are a strict Buddhist.   

But then again, I am a self-designated Heretic…  

Reading this quarter’s Tricycle, Winter 2022, page 47, on Annatta. 

There is a Hindu concept of Atman, “the essential part of the self” that “is immaterial and indestructible.”  Buddhism, rejects this concept, “and posits instead a foundational concept of anatman” (in Pali annatta) or non-self.   That “The functions associated with a self, such as thoughts and emotions, “exist” in the sense that they happen, but it is a projection of our language and imagination to say further that a solid entity, a spiritual essence, an unchanging substance or a transcendent energy therefore “exists” as something beyond these occurences.”  

No augment there, I’m a big fan of that concept that there is no clear existence of a “small s self,” i.e., my interpretation is there is only a “Big S Self,” as in “All-That-Is” and “All-That-Is-Not.”  

So, what are the 5 Aggregates?  

According to this article, and I have not read widely in the Buddhist literature about these Aggregates, relying on this article alone… 

1-Bodies unfold, as a transient material configuration, within a changing material environment.  

2-Feelings, of pleasure and pain, arise and fall away, due to circumstances (whatever they mean by “circumstances”).  

3-Mind, perceptually interprets the information flowing in on the senses, to create stories. 

4-Emotional responses take place at every moment, resulting in volitional actions.  

5-Awareness of this unfolds in a stream of conscious moments.  

I agree in general, however, seems a bit too complicated and redundant.  

As I am a fan of parsing concepts down to three’s, let see what I came up with…

I won’t change number 1, much, I like that in general, will just change the wording:   

1-Bodies Change.  They are a constantly changing material configuration, within a changing material environment.  

We will refrain for defining what is this “material.”   We can talk about scientific observations that support the existence of concepts such as “molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles,” but we and everything may actually just be a holograph:

https://www.vox.com/2015/6/29/8847863/holographic-principle-universe-theory-physics

https://www.quantamagazine.org/symmetries-reveal-clues-about-the-holographic-universe-20220112/

2-Mind Interprets.   Sensations arise in the body, from internal and external stimuli, which are then interpreted in the mind as feelings and emotions.  The mind then makes up stories, and the body performs actions based on these stories.  

Many studies support this concept.  The simplest example is the clinical use of propranolol, a beta blocker, to relieve anxiety, such as before public speaking.  Propranolol only blocks the increases in heart rate and peripheral shaking which occurs when people are fearful, by stopping the body reactivity, the mind feels it is less anxious.   

3-Awareness Occurs.  

There is only Pure Awareness.   

Everything else, are just made-up concepts, such as “The Witness,” or that we think we have a “self” that has awareness of felt sensations in the body and awareness of emotions and feelings in the mind.  These are just the flow of Pure Consciousness, “All-That-Is” and “All-That-Is-Not,” as is interpreted by this animal brain-body.  

So let us summarize:  

1-Bodies Change.  

2-Mind Interprets.   

3-Awareness Occurs.  

Now isn’t that simpler….

Time to meditate further 

        washing away all concepts 

                                basking in 

Pure Awareness…  

Namaste  

The Three Levels of Psychedelic Experience

Those who have read my past Bloggins’ know I love threes…  

Masters and Houston, in their book “The Varieties of Psychedelic Experience” (p.110) outline these 3 levels. 

Level 1 – Is the “Sensory Realm” where images appear, often geometric and colorful, there may be sensory distortions of time and of any of the senses, including synesthesia’s.  These also fall into so called dissociative experiences, at least as measured by the CADSS. 

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2022/05/proposal-labeling-psychedelic-medicine.html

Level 2 – Is the “Recollective – Analytical Stage” where unconscious information may arise up into conscious information.  They write that this stage can also be a place where people can also get into “mind loops.”  And, more positively, can sometimes see their life as a myth or legend.  This is the stage where I believe psychedelics act as “Integratives” (see link above).  

Level 3 – Is the “Integral Level” where people may have a feeling of “Oneness with the Universe,” where they may have a feeling of “Total Understanding.”  They also write that this level may be more likely with preparation such as meditation or yoga practices.  This is what then Mystical Experience Questionnaire attempts to identify.  

They also write (p 141) that perhaps the “Recollective – Analytical Stage” is where “Instant Psychotherapy” may occur, where long standing neuroses seem to resolve spontaneously.  

What is interesting is that in meditation all three of these levels may occur.  The flashes of color may not be a vivid or a geometric, but they do occur.  The “Recollective – Analytical Stage” is a very important part of how meditation can be helpful.  And the “Integral Level” is often what people try to achieve in meditation, and, interestingly, "trying to achieve" this feeling of oneness, just chases it away.  

These 3 levels seem to be most associated with the classical psychedelics, mescaline, psilocybin, LSD, DMT.  Each of these psychedelics can have perhaps a different flavor of experience in general, and can also vary for each individual, and can vary for each session.  Always keeping in mind proper Set and Setting.  

Ketamine is interesting in that it tends to be less colorful, and there may be a feeling of descending into the so called “K Hole.”  

MDMA, is not a psychedelic, often labeled and empathogen, often prominently allowing unconscious information to arise, perhaps more “Recollective – Analytical Stage,” less experiences of Levels 1 and 3.  

So, what are the purposes of these levels?  

Level 3, the so-called Mystical Experience, seems to be highly correlated with “good outcomes.”  Particularly, lessening of depression and anxiety.  

Level 2, where unconscious information may arise up into conscious information, seems to be central to the healing process as well.  

But, what is the importance of Level 1?  Is it simply a stage that shows us that the mind is unwiring, and/or rewiring?  

Is it just telling us that “We are not in Kansas anymore?”  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMhrpapLTZM

We really do need to further explore these levels, there are a lot of PhD theses that need to get written!  

I am hoping that we can get psychedelic therapy legalized, sooner rather than later, there is such need for these therapies.  

These are not for everyone, but there is much suffering that could be relieved…  

Namaste

Human Domestication

On weekend mornings we usually take our dog, Zev, an almost 2-year-old standard poodle, to the dog park.  Gets him running around, good socialization, and tired for most of the rest of the day.  

It is an interesting place to watch, both dogs and people.  

Dogs are so tuned to each other’s body language…  

Sometimes there is growling, usually in play, occasionally a vocal warning to keep away…  

There is sometimes whining, particularly to encourage a human to throw a ball…    

People watching is fascinating as well.  

Some people love and try to pet all the dogs, some small children too.  

Some people have small dogs, and some, seem to be fearful of the larger dogs.  

Zev has to greet every dog and every human, but he is not one to jump up on adults or children.  

But he is pretty tall, and does weigh almost 70 pounds. 

He does not have fancy poodle cut, he gets a “sport cut,” some mistake him for a doodle…  

I recently was reading an article about a guy in Russia who was domesticating foxes, they seem cute, however, apparently, their urine really stinks, and they can be very difficult.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_silver_fox

http://crittercamp.weebly.com/pet-foxes--the-truth.html

Apparently, foxes may be becoming semi-domesticated naturally as well: 

https://www.science.org/content/article/urban-foxes-may-be-self-domesticating-our-midst

Watching our domesticated dog and his canine companions, I wondered about us humans…  

What a different life we lead from our early ancestors.  

Hunters and gatherers… perhaps that has morphed into shopping…  

Some do still hunt, and not only for sport, for food as well… 

Many garden, some farm, sometimes for subsistence…  

And there was early art and music, perhaps, grown more complex over the ages..  

So, have we humans been domesticated? 

There seems to be social and genetic evidence to this possibility…    

https://www.science.org/content/article/early-humans-domesticated-themselves-new-genetic-evidence-suggests:  

“When humans started to tame dogs, cats, sheep, and cattle, they may have continued a tradition that started with a completely different animal: us. A new study—citing genetic evidence from a disorder that in some ways mirrors elements of domestication—suggests modern humans domesticated themselves after they split from their extinct relatives, Neanderthals and Denisovans, approximately 600,000 years ago.

Domestication encompasses a whole suite of genetic changes that arise as a species is bred to be friendlier and less aggressive. In dogs and domesticated foxes, for example, many changes are physical: smaller teeth and skulls, floppy ears, and shorter, curlier tails. Those physical changes have all been linked to the fact that domesticated animals have fewer of a certain type of stem cell, called neural crest stem cells.

Modern humans are also less aggressive and more cooperative than many of our ancestors. And we, too, exhibit a significant physical change: Though our brains are big, our skulls are smaller, and our brow ridges are less pronounced. So, did we domesticate ourselves?

As for why humans might have become domesticated in the first place, hypotheses abound. Wrangham favors the idea that as early people formed cooperative societies, evolutionary pressures favored mates whose features were less "alpha," or aggressive. "There was active selection, for the very first time, against the bullies and the genes that favored their aggression," he adds.”   

A more in-depth analysis here:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00134/full

“In summary, we regard the social, gene-cultural evolution of humans as more similar to the social evolution of other highly social mammals that display enhanced cognitive and affective plasticity and sophisticated social structures, than to the evolution of socially impoverished domesticates. These similarities however, pale in comparison to the unique features of human social evolution, which has been guided by cumulative cultural changes that led to increased cognitive and affective plasticity, allowing feats of saintly cooperation and sadistic cruelty that go far beyond those of any other animal.”  

Speaks to the evolution of multiple intelligences…  

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/02/just-stranger-in-strange-land-part-1.html

Perhaps some of our failures are related to living in groups that might be too large.  

Perhaps, so large that people get lost, do not feel seen, valued, loved…  

As for me, I am most interested in how we could evolve further… 

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/02/just-stranger-in-strange-land-part-2.html

Perhaps some methods here:  

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/enlightenment-part-5-final-secret.html

and here:

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2015/06/so-you-want-to-become-integralist.html

Seems that we, as a species, still have a long way to go…  

Namaste  

 

The Balkanization of America?

 I have spent time in thought…  

After this Roe v Wade debacle…

The potential for the slow dismantling of our constitution…  

It does feel like These United States, are less and less acting as United…  

I blame all sides…  

Therefore, I must be at fault as well…  

I read a few articles, some of these linked below, some will piss off both liberals and conservatives…  

I think that is a good thing…  

We all should be thinking more deeply,

More widely, 

With more compassion…  

https://www.nationalwriterssyndicate.com/balkanization-of-america-accelerating-faster-than-expected/

https://medium.com/politically-speaking/the-balkanization-of-america-1b794e9c309a

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/03/stop_the_balkanization_of_america.html

https://www.fpri.org/article/2018/11/rhetoric-violence-and-civil-war-the-balkanization-of-america/

https://www.thedailybeast.com/he-saw-americas-crackup-coming-in-2011he-says-its-worse-now?ref=scroll

As these maps show, these is no easy separation of areas that so differ in political leanings into separate states, much less into some sort of connected states…  

Map of the 2016 Election Results by County

 This is interesting as well:  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaregions_of_the_United_States

Mostly liberal smaller heavily populated areas are surrounded by largely conservative larger rural areas…  

Maybe this is a good thing…  

There is no easy way to Balkanize into individual separate states or regions…  

Perhaps, we might have to work together…  

However,  

I am reading that people are steadily moving into politically like-minded areas…  

Maybe Balkanization will arrive with a slow migration…  

We shall see what will unfold…  

Namaste

I Drank Too Much Wine Last Night

Well, not so much that I had a headache this morning…  

3 small glasses is a lot for my never very alcohol tolerant genetics…

Stress drinking…  

WTF…

How did We, as in “we the United States of America,” get to a point of de-evolution towards the 1950s?  

What is clear is that the Republicans have been doing an excellent job of political maneuvering, working together, while the Democrats have been squabbling amongst themselves, overall losing at almost every turn…  

Now We, as in “we liberal-type thinkers,” will be paying the price…  

Between legal changes toward voter suppression, packing the Supreme Court, and The Electoral College, minority rule is likely to prevail, likely for the rest of my lifetime, if not my kids’ and grandkids’ lifetimes…  

Of course, me and my wife, and my kids, financially at least, will be pretty much OK…  

It is the poor who will suffer the most…  

Roe v Wade decreased abortions, made abortions safer, and allowed people the choice to decrease untenable financial burden, when another child was not in the plans…  

Not to mention the, in my opinion, the clear moral choice of letting women control their own bodies… 

According to Clarence Thomas, contraception should be the next to go…  

WTF!!!!

So, how do I reconcile, my oft repeated statement that, “Whatever happens, is exactly what needs to occur…”  

I guess I can only come up with what I’ve written before:

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2022/02/economic-inequality.html

Figure out an economically feasible plan to “Provide everyone with basic living conditions, eliminate homelessness, dire poverty, fear for personal and family safety, opportunity for education and economic advancement.”  

The Democrats have to capture the minds and hearts of the everyday person, not just the most downtrodden…  

Then the Democrats can get the votes to overcome this radically conservative agenda at the heart of the Republican agenda...  

I am usually an optimist…  

These days I do not feel so optimistic…  

Namaste

 

Now “THEY” Can See What You Are Thinking!

I am a fan of Ken Wilber’s 4 Quadrant model, I won’t get into the details right now, lots of introductions online.  

As cited here:  “The Upper-Left (UL) quadrant is called the Individual-Interior quadrant. It’s also known as the “I” quadrant and uses “I language”, as Wilber would say.  This includes all subjective experience. For humans, this means emotions, thoughts, body sensations, meditative states, dream states, and so on – the phenomena that you alone experience.”

https://thegreatupdraft.com/ken-wilber-fundamentals-the-four-quadrants-for-newbies/

When I would teach about this model, I would say that the upper left quadrant is the place where you have to ask someone what they are thinking or feeling, and they can lie.  I would actually use the example of asking a person if they were a Democrat or a Republican, and they could lie.  

Apparently, that is no longer true.  

From the June 6th Ironic Times, page 2, (my favorite Monday morning read!)

Study: Brain Scans Can

Reveal Person's Political

Party Affiliation

https://www.ironictimes.com/1131-p2.html

I often find things I’ve not heard about elsewhere in this 3-page satire…  

So, I searched the above title in Google and found the following:  

“Functional Connectivity Signatures of Political Ideology,” 2022

https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac066/6590843?login=false

Then following further links found these:  

“Political Orientations Are Correlated with Brain Structure in Young Adults,” 2011

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3092984/

“Conservative and Liberal Brains Might Have Some Real Differences,” Scientific American, 2020: 

On the whole, the research shows, conservatives desire security, predictability and authority more than liberals do, and liberals are more comfortable with novelty, nuance and complexity. If you had put Buckley and Vidal in a magnetic resonance imaging machine and presented them with identical images, you would likely have seen differences in their brain, especially in the areas that process social and emotional information. The volume of gray matter, or neural cell bodies, making up the anterior cingulate cortex, an area that helps detect errors and resolve conflicts, tends to be larger in liberals. And the amygdala, which is important for regulating emotions and evaluating threats, is larger in conservatives.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/conservative-and-liberal-brains-might-have-some-real-differences/

Now in that 2022 study, they did need to use a current supercomputer to analyze the fMRI data.  

But then again, we now pretty much all carry what was a former supercomputer in our pockets, we call it our “phone.”  

So, who knows how long it might take to be able scan people with a pocket device and get some idea of what they are thinking, technology accelerates, often, exponentially…  

Maybe not in my, or my kid’s, or grandkids, lifetimes, but, if it can be done, someone will try to do this…  

Perhaps very scary…  

Namaste

Proposal: Labeling Psychedelic Medicine Therapy as “Integratives”

Another interesting conversation with my wife this morning.

We are preparing to teach a weekend about psychedelic therapy, we use high dose psilocybin role play scenarios as central to teaching how to use these medicines. 

We were contrasting the various drugs used in so called psychedelic therapies, MDMA, which is not a true psychedelic, perhaps better labeled as an empathogen, ketamine which has been labeled a dissociative anesthetic, compared to the classic psychedelics, psilocybin, LSD, mescaline, DMT.  

Ketamine is being used with exponential growth as a therapy, as it is not in a schedule 1 category.  

Ketamine can be given orally, intramuscularly, and by intravenous routes.  

Ketamine differs from all the other drugs mentioned above by also having an anesthetic quality, at certain doses the body can feel wooden.  

My argument here is that ketamine is no more dissociative than MDMA, or any of the classic psychedelics. 

What is dissociation? 

“Psychiatry Separation of some aspects of mental functioning from conscious awareness, leading to a degree of mental dysfunction or to mental conditions including dissociative identity disorder.”

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/dissociation

Dissociation is central to what we are treating with psychedelic therapy.  

In PTSD, as well as in “normal neurosis,” parts of our experiences become unconscious, repressed, hidden away from our conscious day to day living.  We then “project” these hidden parts of ourselves onto others.  

“The term psychedelic, from the Greek for “mind-manifesting”, was coined by Humphry Osmond, a British psychiatrist working in Canada in the 1950s.”

https://www.newscientist.com/definition/psychedelic/

These medications seem to function to help make unconscious thoughts, feelings, experiences, accessible to the conscious mind, resulting in healing the dissociation.  

MDMA, seems to act through enhancing feelings of empathy and bonding to decrease the emotional flooding that originally prevented the unconscious from being accessed by the conscious mind.  

Ketamine may act in different ways, depending on route and dose.  However, at certain doses ketamine clearly can act in a similar manner to classic psychedelics.  

The CADSS looks at dissociative symptoms such as:

• Feeling like things are in slow motion or seem unreal.

• Feeling separated from reality.

• Feeling as if looking at things from outside the body.

• Feeling like you are a spectator or like you are observed.

• Objects looking different.

• Colors seeming duller or brighter than usual.

• Time speeding up or slowing down.

• Seeing things through a fog or having tunnel vision.

• Losing track of time or what is happening in the environment.

• Feeling as though your body has changed.

These are all effects that can be seen with the classic psychedelics…  

This article discusses that the dissociative effects, as measured by the CADSS, may not relate to the anti-depressant effects of ketamine:  

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20190-4

So, the dissociation, as measured by the CADSS, is clearly a different experience than the dissociation as defined by psychiatry.  

My argument here is that the dissociation, as defined in psychiatry, is what we are trying to break through, using these therapies.  

The dissociation that is defined by the CADSS is very different and is a reflection of the softening of the ego defenses, which prevent accessing the unconscious information needed for healing. 

http://enlightenedmdphd.blogspot.com/2015/10/psychedelics-meditation-and-death.html

Therefore, these medications, when used in the proper set and setting, are actually “integrative.”  

These methods lead to the integration of repressed unconscious information back into the conscious mind.  Resulting in healing.  

Hence, my proposal to designate these medications as “Integratives.”  

Namaste