There are currents of perspective that establish themselves in cultures, defining those cultures over time.
Sometimes those currents exist simultaneously to contradictory currents of perspective that produce a form of cognitive dissonance that rests inside the minds of each person but lives most fully in the shifting tides of the culture as a whole.
One such example of this within the psychedelic culture is the phenomenological reality of sentient intelligence, entities, aliens, etc. The dissonant currents around this example might be represented by these two lines:
Psychedelics open the mind to itself and all that arises is simply manifestations of your personal consciousness
Psychedelics open the mind to a larger ecology of beings and can include manifestations of your personal consciousness but also various entities and transpersonal forces
Now, this bifurcation may not be accurate to the subtle nuances of the broader discourse, but it paints a general outline of something happening within the culture that deserves a more in-depth investigation. It deserves investigation because despite what side of this quasi-accurate divide you may stand on, the phenomenon of entities is a still a present one to grapple with. That said, the present discourse on the world-psychedelic scene seems to be increasingly favouring the model of personal-mind manifestation over any consideration of transpersonal realities. This is an understandable approach as the path of psychedelic legitimization through medicalization contends with a history of deep stigma and a cultural worldview deeply nested in secular rationalism. In turn, thorough and thoughtful input from the ‘ecology of entities’ angle is given little representation.
In my position as a podcast host, researcher, and general participant in psychedelic culture, deepening this investigation means bringing people onto this show to represent and explain perspective that represent different currents so as to support, in the process of investigating those different vantage points, further triangulating ourselves towards truth, whatever they may turn out to be.
This is why I have invited Bernhard Guenther to the show.
Bernhard Guenther has had a lifelong interest in exploring the mysteries and hidden knowledge surrounding our planet and humanity’s origins, questioning the roots of what constitutes “reality”, and how social (and spiritual) conditioning impacts upon our collective search for the truth in all aspects of life. His blog “Piercing The Veil Of Reality” is a wide-ranging collection of essays, films and interviews, ranging from spirituality, shamanism, psychology, self-work, esotericism, history, to the paranormal and hyperdimensional realities. Bernhard lives in Topanga Canyon, California, working with individuals from all walks of life, helping them in their path of healing and wellness via Integrative Bodywork And Holistic Coaching. [source]
Bernhard joins us to talk about the ‘topic of all topics’, the hyperdimensional ecology of entities that influence human life. Furthermore, he takes a deep look at the actual legitimacy of psychedelic ‘healing’, and its potential dangers insofar as false dawn syndrome, spiritual bypassing, and entity attachment or possession. Despite how far out these topics may seem, I don’t doubt you will find some deeply grounded and practical perspective in this interview, especially in regards to the modern ayahuasca-healing movements.
This is Bernhard Guenther’s website. It is a wide-ranging collection of essays, films and interviews, ranging from spirituality, shamanism, psychology, self-work, esotericism, history, to the paranormal and hyperdimensional realities. See here for his healing work.
*** Big thanks to my patrons on Pateron for helping keep this podcast alive! Especially, Thomas & Melanie H., Clean S., Steven B., Greg A., Dean H., Joe A., Andy D., Angela & James J., Ian C., Gibson V., Harry P., Don J., Robbie G., & Yvett F.C.
Bernhard Guenther has had a lifelong interest in exploring the mysteries and hidden knowledge surrounding our planet and humanity’s origins, questioning the roots of what constitutes “reality”, and how social (and spiritual) conditioning impacts upon our collective search for the truth in all aspects of life. His blog “Piercing The Veil Of Reality” is a wide-ranging collection of essays, films and interviews, ranging from spirituality, shamanism, psychology, self-work, esotericism, history, to the paranormal and hyperdimensional realities. Bernhard lives in Topanga Canyon, California, working with individuals from all walks of life, helping them in their path of healing and wellness via Integrative Bodywork And Holistic Coaching. [source]
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The 2018 Psychedelic Psychotherapy Forum is now up on Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ppf2018/299763466