Episode 66: Cultivating Spiritual C

[KMO]

Episode 66: Cultivating Spiritual C (http://c-realmpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2007-11-28T13_28_56-08_00)

http://c-realmpodcast.podomatic.com/2007-11-28T13_28_56-08_00.jpg (http://c-realmpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2007-11-28T13_28_56-08_00)

In this week's episode of the C-Realm Podcast, KMO concludes his conversation with RadiOrbit's Mike Hagan (http://www.mikehagan.com/main.htm) and author Martin Ball (http://www.martinball.net/) about the big change on the horizon and on the ways in which the spirit works with, around, and in spite of our rationalistic belief systems to effect the necessary transformation.

Show notes: http://kmo.livejournal.com/324599.html

[Greenking]

All are gnarly. Mike Hagan caught my attention with his choice of words, nicely done. I couldn’t agree less! Thanks again KMO for all the research & time you spend on this. I don’t know how you do it, you still work right? Anyway I’m definitely going to tune into Radio orbit now. As I do with Viking Youth!

Peace:D

[Samwise Ganja]

Hey KMO, in episode 66 you mentioned something along the lines of not knowing or having much of a spiritual life.

Unless you are atheist or agnostic, which I think you´ve mentioned you are, so this point may be pointless, but I´ll go ahead and say it anyway.

To wonder if we have a spirit is one thing, you either believe through experience or upbringing or not. Perhaps your rational scientific background (which is similar to mine mind you) cannot accept that you have a spiritual self (and origin) even if the medicine plants have shown you something non-rational?

A spiritual life is something of a way of doing things. A discipline almost. It´s the way one would think, feel, imagine, act, speak, etc. It can be yoga, meditation, psychedelics, sex, dance, organised religion, or even, dare I say, podcasting and the exploring passion you put into the show?

In some traditions, such as the Kabbalah, studying the holy texts is a form of spirituality or devotion to God. Even though we may not think of the books we read, the websites we surf, and the podcasts we download as holy "texts", I think we could almost consider them worthy of being called a spiritual practice, because they can lead to truth, enlightenment, etc.

It has taken me a while to understand my spirituality and to believe we all have a spiritual origin. Occasionally I forget I have one, slipping into a rational materialistic focus on life. Perhaps you need to look into Robert Anton Wilson´s books, and re-program your belief system, if you think rationality has too much of a hold on you. Just for fun of course.

Also. Perhaps more meditation with or without plants or other practices and experiences will assist your search? My suggestion to you, is what others have given to me, take your time, do some quiet sitting, and this has worked rather wonderfully. Hope this is of help. :)

[KMO]

Perhaps you need to look into Robert Anton Wilson´s books, and re-program your belief system, if you think rationality has too much of a hold on you. Just for fun of course.

Also. Perhaps more meditation with or without plants or other practices and experiences will assist your search? My suggestion to you, is what others have given to me, take your time, do some quiet sitting, and this has worked rather wonderfully. Hope this is of help. :)

Hey Samwise,

Thank you for your thoughts on the topic of spirituality. I went through an RAW phase a few years back where I read as much of his non-fiction as I could get my hands on, and I've assimilated those messages on a fairly deep level by now. I'm not bothered by my seeming spiritual numbness, nor am I worried about it or interested in "fixing" it. My experience is what it is.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this on C-Realm and on Psychonautica, but I do not have a place for active entheogenic exploration in my life right now. My only such experiences in recent years occured in Peru this last July, and I doubt I will be consulting any plant teachers prior to my next expedition to South America. I'm not ruling it out, but I just don't see it happening.

I do practice yoga, but mainly with the aim of keeping my lower back limber. I've had a lot of trouble with my lower back since an automobile accident a few years back. I do notice that my state of mind improves when I make my practice a consistent daily one.

The point I'm working around to is this: I'm not worried about my current lack of spiritual feeling and experience. I'm not worried about much of anything, and, given my financial circumstances, that causes people close to me to fear that I might have some diagnosable neurological disorder; a sort of chronic dissociative state that keeps me from engaging in the emotional roller coaster of the struggle that is early 21st century life for economic agents in the so-called first world.

I can see myself from their point of view and appreciate their concerns, but I'm not worried about that either. I try to keep that under my hat out of consideration of their feelings.

[Samwise Ganja]

...people close to me to fear that I might have some diagnosable neurological disorder; a sort of chronic dissociative state that keeps me from engaging in the emotional roller coaster of the struggle that is early 21st century life for economic agents in the so-called first world.

I hear you brother. Let´s take Lorenzo´s advice which he mentions in CRealm67 "remain calm."

Really enjoyed 67 btw. Refreshing to hear someone like Nate Hagen. Refreshing because here´s a guy who says it like it is (regarding energy consumption) and what each person can do: be selfish, because we would be happier using with less energy consumption, and focusing on social capital and healthy bodies/minds.

Also like the idea of creating communities and working with what we already have, rather than running away to a off-grid sustainable permaculture property (which like many, I cannot afford atm anyway). So it looks like most of us will be forced to participate in their local communities once again.

Again I agree with Lorenzo about staying in the present and increasing enjoyment now rather than being so focused on having enjoyment in the future. This has been a big issue for myself all my life. I too was brought up to worship little other than material (monetary) acquisition.

Also, my girlfriend and I were having a chat while listening to the show today. We admitted how addicted we are, not only to energy use, but sugar and fat in foods. Just this morning I had a wake up moment where started reading the ingredients on the packaging of the food I was eating. Most of it was sugar and fat. I made a decision to make changes. I´m going to start eating more McDonalds!

The winds are a changing over my way...

Take care man.