For those who use psychedelics often

[MTR]

"If you get the message, hang up the phone. For psychedelic drugs are simply instruments, like microscopes, telescopes, and telephones. The biologist does not sit with eye permanently glued to the microscope, he goes away and works on what he has seen."

 

Alan Watts

 

Just wanted to share because it does make sense.

[ajasatya]

@MTR i agree. although, some topics require several investigations from several different perspectives. that's how you master a subject.

[Nahm]

@MTR What’s your understanding of that quote? What is the message? What is the work, in “works on what he has seen”?

[MTR]

3 minutes ago, Nahm said:

@MTR What’s your understanding of that quote? What is the message? What is the work, in “works on what he has seen”?

my understanding is just the old boring that you just shouldn't use that often

and that the experience you had can be sharpened without the need of the drugs, because you never have an end in sight... you could go on and on with psychedelics forever and ever, and never get what you want because there's no "what you want". 

[PsiloPutty]

I always get the answering machine.

[Nahm]

@MTR

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” - Matthew 7:13-14

[SgtPepper]

we still use/have microscopes in biology classes and telescopes in physics classes tho.

I don't use that often, but I sure wish I did. I feel like psychedelics hyper-evolve us.

[FractalFlux]

"It's not an answering machine, it is a teacher! You have an ongoing dialogue with this thing. It's not like it's one big download; you get the message and you hang up the phone. You continue the conversation, because you still have a lot to learn!" --Dennis McKenna

 

[outlandish]

5 hours ago, PsiloPutty said:

I always get the answering machine.

Lol love it.

6 hours ago, MTR said:

"If you get the message, hang up the phone. For psychedelic drugs are simply instruments, like microscopes, telescopes, and telephones. The biologist does not sit with eye permanently glued to the microscope, he goes away and works on what he has seen."

Alan Watts

It does make some sense, and I have a lot of love for Alan Watts' words, but in this case I can't agree that one must completely put psychedelics down after learning something from them.

It's true that the biologist doesn't sit permanently glued, he does go to work on what he has seen. But once he's completed this work, he returns to the microscope for further insights.

You shouldn't go tripping all the time seeking and seeking. You have to take time to integrate, change fold the insights in. And then when you've completed this work, and have the calling to dive in again, it can be really useful to pick up the phone once again.

It can also be fun to chit chat once in a while. 

[Forestluv]

On 1/14/2019 at 8:43 AM, MTR said:

"If you get the message, hang up the phone. For psychedelic drugs are simply instruments, like microscopes, telescopes, and telephones. The biologist does not sit with eye permanently glued to the microscope, he goes away and works on what he has seen."

Alan Watts

I've spent many hours observing biological cells through a microscope and I have barely scratched the surface. I continually return with new curiosities, questions and ideas. I can look at dividing neuroblasts over and over and observe new things each time. My awareness and understanding expands each time. I never know what the microscope will reveal to me. Many times, new pieces of the puzzle are revealed and I return to learn more about how to integrate observations and connect dots.

A suggestion that a cellular biologist looks through a microscope a few times and then moves on without return is inaccurate. When I gaze through the microscope, I observe intensely - sometimes hours straight.  It takes experience, wisdom and intuition to know when the message has been revealed to you. At that point, only a fool would sit with their eye permanently glued to the microscope. The wise biologist goes away and works on what he has observed. What is this "work"? The work is contextualizing the observations and integrating the new observations with previous observations to form a more holistic model. As well, the data may open new avenues of research or suggest a change of direction. Then, the biologist returns to the microscope to perform the cycle again. Over and over and over. Hundreds or thousands of times. Over time, there is more expansion and more clarity toward a deeper and more holistic understanding.

My experience with psychedelics is similar. When an insight is revealed during a trip, I don't stay permanently tripping on that insight. I go away and get to work. What is this work? The work is contextualizing the observations and integrating the new observations with previous observations to form a more holistic perspective. This contextualization and integration process involves hours of meditation, contemplation, yoga etc. As well, the trip may open new avenues of exploration or suggest a change in direction. Then, the explorer returns to trip to perform the cycle again. Over and over. Experimenting with different psychedelics, doses and settings. Each time, there is a bit more expansion and a bit more clarity toward a deeper and more holistic understanding.

I often see a misconception on the forum that psychedelics are a stand-alone tool for a spiritual seeker. That is like saying a carpenter only uses a screwdriver. It's complete nonsense. Just as a carpenter uses a variety of tools to master his craft, psychedelics are ONE tool that is combined with several other tools such as meditation, yoga, self inquiry, listening to nonduality speakers, reading spiritual literature etc. Together, this can lead to mastery.