This episode is sponsored by The Psychedelic Society, as we continue a series of conversations on meditation, consciousness & enlightenment. For upcoming events with Psychedelic Society check out https://psychedelicsociety.org.uk/events

https://www.adventuresinawareness.com



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Podcast #4: Richard Lang - Headless Way Community & Culture  



Headless Way is not only a unique form of self enquiry, but a community that has successfully maintained an open, non-hierarchical and non-dogmatic culture which many spiritual communities could take inspiration from. Richard Lang discusses what makes this approach unique amongst the many ways humans have sought to discover answers to life's most fundamental questions.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adventuresinawareness.substack.com

In collaboration with The Psychedelic Society, Amir Giles is hosting a series of conversations on Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment. For upcoming events find us at https://psychedelicsociety.org.uk/events https://www.adventuresinawareness.com



Listening is free, but your support is appreciated!

If you would like to contribute this initiative, donations are gratefully accepted. You can support via Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/adventuresinawareness

or make one off PayPal donations here:  https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/adventuresin



Podcast #3: Dr James Cooke   



Oxford trained Neuro-scientist, James Cooke shares his early life awakening experiences, his healing and embodiment journey through psychedelics, and his recently published theory on how consciousness and life are two co-emergent properties of the universe and what that means for living an enlightened life.   

00:52 - Necker Cube

3:00 - Religious crisis to awakening to the present moment

8:20 - Tibetan Dzogchen  

10:00 - Unintegrated enlightenment, and choosing academia over the monastery

14:00 - Experimental psychology at Oxford and choosing science over philosophy

17:00 -  Science, nonduality and democratisation of psychedelics

19:00 - The collapse of all thought into the present moment

20:00 -  Psychedelic experiences as genuine mystical experience  

22:00 - James Cook’s understanding of Enlightenment                    

 Consciousness as a co-emergent property with life - and to exist is to strive

29:00 -  Different from idealism  

30:00 -  Enlightenment as being close to death, enlightenment not the goal

35.30 -  Balancing enlightenment with life

41:40 -  Many centres of experience

49:23 -  Nondual states including being and striving

56:55 - The value of science as a gateway and grounding to the mystical

1:07:40 - Views on metaphysical idealism  

1:16:30 - Islands don’t exist

1:21:00 - Distinction with pan-psychism

1:23:00 - Organisms made out of many organisms  1:30:00 - All life is conscious  

1:34:00 - Psychedelics, mysticism, embodiment and healing

1:40:00 - The power of redemptive love and psychedelics as party of healthy human culture

1:49:50 - The distraction of visuals in psychedelics, and the healing power of different substances  

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adventuresinawareness.substack.com

In collaboration with The Psychedelic Society, Amir Giles is hosting a series of conversations on Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment. For upcoming events find us here.

Listening is free, but your support is appreciated! If you would like to contribute this initiative, donations are gratefully accepted. You can support via Patreon or make one off PayPal donations here.

Podcast #2: Stephen Reid  



Stephen Reid discusses his personal journey and mystical insights through the intersection between quantum field theory, complexity science, meditation and psychedelics.   Stephen is  a cultural change maker, co-operative technologist and founder of the Psychedelic Society. He completed a Masters in Complexity Science at the University of Bristol as well as a Masters in Physics specialising quantum field theory at the University Oxford University.   



He was also the youngest ever board member of Greenpeace UK, and selected as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Totnes. As well as quantum field theory and Complexity Science, Stephen has training in software development, meditation, plant medicine, and political activism.



Discussion points include:

0:40 Mystical Experiences and Quantum Field Theory at Oxford University

4:00 David Bohm - Physics may be infinite

7.30 Physics, metaphysics and mystical experience - the limits of understanding

9:30 Complexity sciences - self organisation & emergence as a bridge to psychedelics

8:30 Science as a platform and context for useful psychedelic experiences

14:00 From Bohm to Krishnamurti - from physics to meditation

15:30 Tao Te Ching as a resonance with complexity sciences

16:20 Zig Zag zen and vipassana

20:00 The value of skepticism around psychedelic trips

22:30 Meditation on Tao te Ching, Seeing that Frees, Reger Rey

24:30 The value of meditation as a support for psychedelic trips, a buffer against bad trips

26:50 The motivations to meditate and to take psychedelics: there is only enlightened action           

            Balancing insight & compassion

https://stephenreid.net

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adventuresinawareness.substack.com

In collaboration with The Psychedelic Society, Amir Giles is hosting a series of conversations on Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment. For upcoming events with Psychedelic Society click here.



Listening is free, but your support is appreciated! https://www.patreon.com/adventuresinawareness

Podcast #1: Dr Daniel Ingram

Daniel Ingram discusses to what extent psychedelics can either help or hinder in persistent shifts in consciousness and spiritual type awakenings, and is it possible to access the kind of perceptual shifts common on psychedelics in other contexts, and in day to day life? 

Daniel is an emergency room physician, author of ‘Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha,’ founder of Dharma Overground and holds an M.D., M.S.P.H. in Epidemiology, and B.A. in English Literature all from UNC Chapel Hill.

TOPICS



1:13    Background to Daniel Ingram’s experience

4:31   On the lack of formal research on psychedelics and spiritual awakening

7:13    Formal approaches and maps leading to awakening

8:38  What do psychedelics do; gateways, mystical experiences, damaging and very occasionally permanent transformative awakenings.

13:33 Distinction between spiritual experience and permanent awakening. DMT, psilocyn, salvia, ketamine.

14:50  Psychedelic experiences don’t last long enough for new brain structures to form



MAPS AND STAGES OF AWAKENING



17.03  Maps and stages of awakening; Arising and passing away, Dark night, Equanimity, Formal awakening

21:45 The unitive experiences of equanimity

21:30 Psychedelics vs meditation retreats

22:20 Research comparing psychedelics and meditation

22:46 Formal awakening and stream entry vrs temporary experiences

PSYCHEDELICS AS PART OF THE PATH

27:30 Psychedelics as part of the path; the parameters of the debate

   As a gateway and a motivator

   Difficult to integrate & sometimes damaging

    As a clarifier

33:30 Micro-dosing; potential for habituation

35:13 Opportunity costs and risks of meditation

39:26 Awakening in indigenous, shamanic and magical traditions

44:30 To trip or not? You have to do your research, know your options.

47:13  Fire Kasina & non substance psychedelic experiences

50:43 The risk, speed and cleanliness; meditation vrs psychedelics  

53:30 Handling the weird - psychedelics as the meditation retreat audition

54:43  Is the hero's journey required for the end of suffering?

FUTURE RESEARCH AND DIRECTIONS

59:00 Other voices to follow

1:01:13 Taking your wider life into consideration; responsible spirituality

1:05:03 Prospects for future research: Emergent Phenomenology Research Consortium - categorizing the experiences that people have, clearer diagnostics and practise recommendations.

Daniel Ingram’s website  

Erowid

Manual of Psychedelic Support

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adventuresinawareness.substack.com