Quote:


Coyote you started this thread what is your view on the debate?




Faune,

My view on reality is that when research turned from alchemy, kabbalah, esoteric Christianity to Newton, Descartes, et al in the late 1600s and 1700s, (using the scientific method), and education of the masses became more widespread, we generated this world-wide consensus of reality where miracles are not possible because they do not happen in the lab. I believe miracles have been done. I believe people have become enlightened. I think this was more common in the past because people were less educated, hence the matrix of consensus reality was not so strong, not so difficult to break out of.

Shamanism has resurfaced from it's Central and South Amercian roots due to people like Carlos Canstaneda and others. A core part of this school, is changing one's perception of reality. Drugs can even tear open the doors of our perception, but drugs have the drawback of damaging the machinery of the brain that one needs to continue down the path to enlightenment.

The Eastern mind seems more able to achieve these states of enlightenment. Perhaps it is a benefit of the different way they have of thinking.

I no longer think enlightenment is possible from reading a book (or even 10,000 books). The only path that may work is to find a teacher that is enlightened and learn from that teacher. The path will likely include meditation, studying one's own perceptions, studying one's own thought processes, and pursuit of paranormal powers (the sixth sense).