This is part five of a six-part series between Jason McBride, author & illustrator for Weirdo Poetry, and myself. I have written letters 1, 3, and 5, and Jason is responsible for letters 2, 4, and 6. Links to the letters will be updated as we go: Letter 1, Letter 2, Letter 3, Letter 4, Letter 5, and Letter 6.
Dear Jason,
I think we can both agree that there are a wide variety of methods to open the doors of perception within our mind. Whether it is a more natural/self induced route or a method assisted by external stimuli, the goal is to achieve clarity - reduce the distracting noise, turn off our overworked minds and become aware of our place in the cosmic environment in which we live. The flow state allows us to naturally gain insight into concepts like what our life is about, what our purpose is, how we can best use the precious time that we have here - I wonder if this is the state where people claim to communicate with god or listen to god. When I play guitar or write, it’s much like what many artists say, that we are simply receivers of energy from the universe expressing the message in a way that feels good to us.
Either way, the more we practice tuning into the Flow state of consciousness (I love that you called it flow state, because I vibe with that), the easier it becomes. That’s what I really love above Ram Dass’s lecture “The path of the heart” - he describes that when two people are “in love” they are two individuals connecting within the space of love; When people fall in love with someone and that person falls in love back, it’s like two people holding keys that fits each other’s lock within themselves to open and tune into the cosmic door of love. It’s fireworks if you’ve ever felt it - butterfly sensations.
The feeling of love is so powerful, it moves people to be the best version of themselves regardless of the darkness around them. But what happens if that person doesn’t love you anymore, or they move away, or they die? How will you achieve this feeling of love that they provided for you? If you believe that love comes from other people and that you receive it from them, then yeah, that’s a messed up predicament. However, I and Ram Dass feel that in these situations the person becomes a method or vehicle that brings you to the place of love which exists within yourself - - wait for it - - within you and without you ((~_~)) It’s always there.
Really, it’s not that the person is providing love for you, it’s that this individual has helped you unlock the key within yourself to experience/elevate to the heightened state of love and share the space of energy together. If people realize that they’ve had this ability to be in the space of love this whole time, and figure out how to continually - independently access and exist in love, then they become love and no longer rely on the vehicle that got them there.
I think we could use this logic in our discussion of accessing the flow state of consciousness. Some people just get it more naturally, and some do not. I believe a lot of it has to do with various levels of trauma experienced in life.
I could go into my beliefs on how we are a species with amnesia of the past and dive into the research by the likes of Graham Hancock and Randall Carlson or site minds like M.I.A., but I want to focus more individually right now.
Some, perhaps many people have had deep trauma in their life and have mental barriers that prevent them from accessing love and/or flow state consciousness easily; Compounded with all of the insanity happening in the culture around us, I can understand why some folks may never experience the frequent state of clarity that you and I share. At least, not without help.
I like how you simplified the concept of universal connectedness, and how we all have an innate ability to access this shared field of (name) consciousness…call it what you will. As I have said a few, it’s within you and without you.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t believe in a higher mental state, I just don’t think something so hard to access is useful or helpful to the mass of humanity.
The holiest experiences I’ve ever had, times when I lost my sense of myself and was carried away into something that felt like an electric ocean, are almost all connected to the flow state I often enter while writing or drawing.
However, I’ve also found myself in this state when hiking in the wilderness, walking along the ocean, and doing dishes.
Anyone can tap into something greater, and perhaps that something is a universal consciousness, by focusing the mind in a way that puts you in a flow state. No psychotropics required.”
Beautiful words by the way Mr. Jason. - I encourage everyone to aim towards feeling an electric ocean while doing dishes :)
I have a couple responses to this:
“Anyone can tap into something greater, and perhaps that something is a universal consciousness, by focusing the mind in a way that puts you in a flow state. No psychotropics required”. I agree with you in that I believe we, humans, are capable of so much more than we currently know. But that’s the point, is that a lot of people don’t know, or do know that these flow states of consciousness exist, and that anyone can connect, but for some reason they can’t.
I’ll go to an extreme - For example, take a US soldier who went to Afghanistan and fought in the war. The pain and evils of war torn regions—the sights, smells, sounds, extremely traumatic experiences they endured and somehow survived, while many of their friends did not— this soldier comes back to the US and is a complete mess. The psychiatrists, therapists, family, friends, ocean, mountains, sky, music - none of it prevents this soldier from wanting to end it all in the parking lot of a VA clinic so that their family doesn’t have to clean up the mess. This is the dark reality of too many of our fellow humans.
However, there are countless reports, both anecdotal and in controlled studies*, that if an individual which fits said description goes through a therapy session which involves the use of a therapist, a comfortable environment and Psilocybin mushrooms, for example, their entire reality and perception of the world dramatically changes; The process of elevating to an extraordinary level of consciousness allows their mind and soul to heal in a way that has saved a lot of lives. Followed with counseling, this type of therapy works for those that do not have it in them to make it work on their own. *Listen to Rick Doblin from MAPS do a TED Talk HERE or listen to Paul Stamets reference a multitude of evidence supporting various mushrooms HERE, HERE, or HERE
So, for this extreme case - yeah, the traumatized soldier’s human capabilities are technically the same as mine and yours, but something within them has been so damaged that they are not able to connect with this flow state willingly, or at least not in time… This is where the use of higher mental states are necessary to initiate the healing process. Again, Paul Stamets has some amazing lectures where he lays out the details of how mushrooms like psilocybin and lions mane work in the brain by specifically targeting areas of trauma and helping to grow and connect new neural pathways so that the individual can start to access and use those areas. It’s like the experience brings all of the pain of the past to the surface, giving them the opportunity to face it head on, forgive it, and move on. That’s why having a trained professional to walk the patient through the experience is key.
A soldier with PTSD from war is a gnarly example, but I could come up with many more. I think the point is: humans that experience trauma and are not strong enough to work through the damage, need help externally. They need assistance in reaching these clear states of flow that you and I can engage with on a more consistent basis. Does it have to be mushrooms? Of course not, but ice water works too lol. Listen to Wim Hof HERE
Another really important point is that no matter what method is used, the person has to want to heal and believe in the process. Trying something new is always a good first step in achieving a brighter reality full of love and cosmic light. Can we call this the first step in manifesting your own reality? Maybe, why not?
Manifestation = believing in yourself enough to take a chance and work towards changing your reality into what you desire. To turn dreams into reality - which is attainable by accomplishing goals.
So, with that I encourage you all to take a step back from the grind. Assess your internal and external environment, and ask yourself: Are you centered in love? Do you take actions that are reactive to the environment around you, or are your actions centered and sourced from your heart and soul? Given the foundations laid out here by Jason and myself, I hope that you all gain at least a fresh perspective on what is possible in your own reality - simulated or not, I truly believe you have control over your internal well being. From personal experience, I don’t know how to change the clouds in the sky to see the sunlight, but I can change the weather inside of myself.
Be well my friends. Jason, thank you brother. The floor is yours.
Nathan Davila
Thanks Nathan! I look forward to digging into this as I write the conclusion to the series. It's been a lot of fun and has helped me think more deeply about a lot of my foundational beliefs