John Steele - with Terence Mckenna - Memory - Part 2
Nov 9, 2023
auto_awesome
Terence McKenna, renowned ethnobotanist and psychedelic advocate, discusses topics such as cross-state perception, the proliferation of technology and conscious money, the importance of attention in a fast-paced world, and the power of visualization and intention in shaping reality. He also explores the aesthetics of different cultures, the variety of pea plants, and the pursuit of novelty in art.
Going back to source, to emptiness itself, is crucial for a deeper understanding and connection in cross-state retention.
Rituals and transitions play a significant role in triggering cross-state retention, and the loss of such rituals in modern society hinders our ability to move between states.
An extended mind paradigm in education, promoting cross-disciplinary thinking and imprinting intentions in the moment of recognition, is essential for enhancing cross-state retention.
Deep dives
Cross-State Retention and Source Connection as Key Concepts
The podcast explores the concept of cross-state retention and the importance of connecting back to source. It emphasizes that going back to source, to emptiness itself, is crucial for a deeper understanding and connection. It is highlighted that the final aim of cross-state retention is to go back to source, be it emptiness, God, or the overself. The speaker explains that the process of going to depth and breadth triggers each other off, leading to an oscillation between extension and collapse into the primordial moment. This dance between extension and collapse is seen as essential for a mystical framework and a sense of interrelatedness.
The Importance of Rituals and Transitions
The podcast discusses the significance of rituals and transitions in triggering cross-state retention. It highlights the role of rights of passage in facilitating the movement from one state to another and the loss of such rituals in modern society. The solstices and equinoxes are mentioned as ideal times for planting suggestions for integration into the environment and making it conscious. The speaker suggests that humans need to become 'psychic amphibians' in order to traverse different states and retain memory across those states. The idea of transitions and cross-connections is also connected to divination and the use of symbolic objects to bridge the gap between the unconscious and the conscious.
The Potential of Education and Attention
The podcast emphasizes the need for an extended mind paradigm in education and suggests a shift towards cross-state thinking. It advocates for teaching children the interconnectedness of different subjects, promoting cross-disciplinary thinking and extending the mind beyond conventional boundaries. The speaker emphasizes the role of attention in developing cross-state retention, highlighting the importance of imprinting intentions in the moment of recognition. The podcast also discusses the overwhelming variety of objects and the challenge of choosing what to pay attention to. It proposes that the highest impact ideas for cross-state retention are those that have the potential for extensive communication and possess ultimate generalization, simplicity, and power.
The relationship between solid objects and the habit view
The speaker discusses the idea that solid objects, such as rocks, steel, and aluminum, endure for long periods of time and have a fixed set of habits. This solid state of matter serves as the basic paradigm for mechanistic zones and affects how we perceive reality. In contrast, the biological model of reality emphasizes the transient nature of living things, which come into being, develop, and eventually pass away.
Object proliferation and the desire to approximate the transcendental object
The speaker suggests that the increasing proliferation of objects is an attempt to approximate the presence of a transcendental object. They propose that every object created is an effort to capture the essence of this transcendental object. As technology advances, objects become more multi-purpose, potentially leading to a future with fewer physical objects. The speaker speculates that the ultimate object may be the collective mind of the species, and that the desire for objects is linked to the longing for a complete manifestation of mind.
Terence McKenna was born on November 16, 1946, in Paonia, Colorado, and passed away on April 3, 2000. He was an American ethnobotanist, philosopher, author, and advocate for the responsible use of psychedelic substances. McKenna's intellectual pursuits led him to explore the intersections of consciousness, shamanism, and the impact of psychedelics on human evolution.
He gained prominence for his "Stoned Ape Theory," proposing that the use of psychedelic mushrooms played a role in the evolution of human cognition. McKenna's engaging speaking style and prolific writing, including books like "Food of the Gods" and "The Archaic Revival," made him a prominent figure in the psychedelic and countercultural movements.
His advocacy for the exploration of altered states of consciousness and his theories about time and novelty, such as the Timewave Zero hypothesis, have left a lasting impact on discussions surrounding consciousness and the human experience. Terence McKenna's legacy endures through his thought-provoking ideas and his contributions to the dialogue on the nature of reality and the potential of psychedelic experiences.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
