Neurological consequences of various occult practices.
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I am curious as to the proven (if any) consequences that a person has experienced in terms of their neural circuitry. Does the western Mystery tradition cause a visible difference? If I got a brain scan, would the doctor be like, "how strange" If I performed Liber samekh repeatedly to obtain the HGA, could you tell?
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I'm not aware of any studies in this regard.
But all learning (of facts or acquisition of skills) causes physical changes in the brain. Occult "facts" or skills wouldn't be any different.
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There was a study published a few months ago to the effect that practitioners of a certain kind of meditation had measurable differences in brain structure from the control group who did not meditate. I'll see if I can dig up the story.
I'm interested in this, too, primarily because people like P.F. Case state (or broadly hint) that spiritual development is accompanied by, or even identical with, changes in the body. (For example, Eckartshausen in Cloud upon the Sanctuary talks about a substance in the blood that is responsible for the ordinary person's unenlightened state.) Of all the claims occultists make, this one should be empirically verifiable.
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There's some research posted on the IAM site (Sufi Esoteric School) here:
www.appliedmeditation.org/Heart_Rhythm_Practice/research.shtml
Much of it deals with Heart Rhythm Meditation but most applies to Yoga in general and the page lists quite a few yoga related studies worth checking out.
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@Law said
"I figured as much. But what I am mainly concerned with is whether or not certain areas not normally asscociated with certain stimuli would light up during a magic ritual or after, or whenever if you were a practicing magician.
that would be cool."Im coming out with a short book called Naturalistic Occultism soon that deals with this question.
IAO131
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Dear Law
I'm not sure if this addresses your query, but this is an extract from a recent article of mine concerning the use of koans (or, specifically, "hua tou"s), citing the work of an eminent authority in the field.
*James Austin, Professor Emeritus of Neurology at the University of Colorado and experienced Zen practitioner, describes in his popular text, Zen and the Brain, the process of Neuroplasticity that the brain undergoes during focused mental effort or meditation. The brain rewires itself, he explains from his research, forming new neuronal connections between different parts of the brain that were previously largely disconnected. Austin coins the term 'emergent properties' to describe the development of new neural pathways and mental capacities that Zen practice can produce. He writes "… at its higher physiological levels of emergent processing, our brain also develops remarkable new causal properties." He proposes that "…mystical experiences arise when normal functions reassemble in novel conjunctions." *
Ta Mo
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@RifRaf said
"I've had the chance to read it, and it is one of the most sane, concise and lucid texts I have read in awhile. It is definitely worth waiting for."
93,
Thanks - I cant remember at what stage I showed you the typescript but its pretty much done now. I am just looking for idiotic spelling/grammar errors and then it will be published (probably around 85 pages). Im working on an even bigger project (about 300 pages) and an Anthology for the Journal as well...
IAO131
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Hey Okbish, i just saw this post, and wondered about your knowledge if any, of K. Grants works, mainly Gamaliel, or outside the circles of time, etc, and if you could elaborate on any of them in any way? It seems at least to be partially related to this topic, in a far off sense.
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@Law said
"Hey Okbish, i just saw this post, and wondered about your knowledge if any, of K. Grants works, mainly Gamaliel, or outside the circles of time, etc, and if you could elaborate on any of them in any way? It seems at least to be partially related to this topic, in a far off sense."
I'm not really qualified to comment on those topics. Michael Staley, who posts here under his own name, would be better person to ask.
As for my handle, I chose it because:
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I like Grant's work, though I've only just begun to seriously study it.
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I have this weird affinity with spiders. They love to come out of hiding, stand a couple of feet away, and just stay there, facing in my direction. This has happened in a variety of places, indoors and out. And yes, other people have seen them!
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"But all learning (of facts or acquisition of skills) causes physical changes in the brain. Occult "facts" or skills wouldn't be any different."
I hate to mention this yet again, and im not asumeing that you have any interest in the band, but TOOL (the metal band) who is quite open about their interest and practice of various forms of occultism are known to have made the use of anatomy in quite a few of their videos, especially from lateralus on, and I am curious since I know that they are far more advanced in the realm of esotericism than I may ever be, what exactly the significance of the various layers of occult anatomy they have displayed on their album cover to Lateralus have to offer in terms of symbolism.
"I'm not really qualified to comment on those topics. Michael Staley, who posts here under his own name, would be better person to ask. "
Some how I dont think he would be completely forthcoming. I asked once what was the meaning of the one eyed star with the flaming point at the top and I know I didnt get an "esoteric" answer.
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@Law said
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"But all learning (of facts or acquisition of skills) causes physical changes in the brain. Occult "facts" or skills wouldn't be any different."I hate to mention this yet again, and im not asumeing that you have any interest in the band, but TOOL (the metal band) who is quite open about their interest and practice of various forms of occultism are known to have made the use of anatomy in quite a few of their videos, especially from lateralus on, and I am curious since I know that they are far more advanced in the realm of esotericism than I may ever be, what exactly the significance of the various layers of occult anatomy they have displayed on their album cover to Lateralus have to offer in terms of symbolism.
"I'm not really qualified to comment on those topics. Michael Staley, who posts here under his own name, would be better person to ask. "
Some how I dont think he would be completely forthcoming. I asked once what was the meaning of the one eyed star with the flaming point at the top and I know I didnt get an "esoteric" answer."
Perhaps the answer isnt so esoteric, i.e. it represents God(head)
IAO131
. In any case, I hope it comes soon/