altered consciousness and religion

[furny]

Hello, as the final part of my undergraduate study I have been looking at altered states of consciousness within religion and I want to post a few questions to you guys about the topic;

I'm looking for people who would say they have entered into an altered-state of consciousness as a part of their faith or personal choice.

If you consider yourself religious then how would you say that being in altered states of consciousness is a part of your faith? Would you for example believe that prayer and meditation is a conscious experience or a sub conscious one?

If you have ever induced an altered state of consciousness (i.e. meditation, state-altering drugs/consumptions) would you see such experience as spiritual or religious? Would you tie in such experiences with a social significance and/or as part of a global, cultural, social or individual routine?

Most importantly, if you do choose to enter into an altered state of consiousness, either for religious, personal, spiritual or cultural reasons, then exactly why do you choose to do this? How would you describes its purpose and significance for you as an individual or as a member of a society/community?

Any response will be helpful, thanks a lot

[DarkSociologist]

I think you have just unleased the floodgates.

Without getting into too much depth, I think it is important that you first define "standard consciousness." Is it simply the state of being awake? Is it the way the masses perceive truth? If I am constantly on my own plane of thought, would that be an altered state of consciousness or standard consciousness?

I'll let you think about some of these questions.

[sourceofmiracles]

This is a very interesting topic.

I have been studying religions and mystical experiences for years. Always seeking "truth".

The pinnacle of what come across is Ken Wilber's Integral Spirituality. Although I don't yet full "grok" his stuff on metaphysics, his ideas on religions, science and states of consciousness are GROUND BREAKING!

For one thing he has what is known as the Wilber-Combs Lattice which is a matrix that maps states of consciousness with types of religious belief.

I've written a little blurb about this:
Source of Miracles » Blog Archive » Mystical Experience and Interpretation (the W-C Lattice at a glance)

I have been in several religions, faiths and/or societies (but currently hold no allegiance to any one in particular). I have had experiences with almost all. Each of these experiences has been colored by the culture, beliefs, dogma of the organization I was in at the time.

For examples of experiences interpreted by cultural beliefs:

Christian - as a penecostal I was worshiping God surrounded by some of the praising, shouting congregation and I had an experience that felt like energy bolt going through my body. A penecostal might call this the holy ghost (aka Holy Spirit)

Eckankar - I was in a state of great peace and saw/felt a blue light shine down on me. Eckist call this the Light and Sound of God (aka Holy Spirit)

Integral Spirituality - After a session with a Zen Buddhist (genpo roshi) conducting what is called a "Big Mind" excersise I felt a profound (overwhelming) oneness with anything I looked at.

Each experience I've had has been shaped and interpreted by the culture/religion/faith I was apart of at the time. This in NO WAY INVALIDATES the phenomenon. They were very real and in some cases have changed the course of my life. But the religion/culture/society gives us the language to explain what has happened and shapes the experience.

Language/Semantics/culture/religion and their contextual meaning shape not only altered states of consciousness but "normal" states as well. Like in a dream, we construct the meaning as well as the happenings of the experience consciously, subconsciously and/or unconsciously.

I suspect that our perspective is completely relative to our constantly shifting meaning. Ego, state of consciousness, experiences do have some level of reality and so they do deserve our attetion and management but the only *absolute is Being, Here, NOW. All else is real ONLY relative to something else.


*The only absolute is being, here now (nowness, the suchness of this single moment - or perhaps the only absolute is NO-absolute or as wilber says the combination of Form & Emptiness - nondual).

[Subscreet]

Have you ever heard of the Marsh Chapel Experiment? Several volunteers who were graduate students of theology participated in an experiment where half were given a placebo, niacinamide, and the other half were given psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms. It provides some good insight on the nature of the psychedelic experience in a religious context.