Showing posts with label Ayahuasca. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ayahuasca. Show all posts

Michael Peter Langevin, The Echo World, Castaneda enigma - the stories still resonate


“There are lots of things a warrior can do at a certain time which he couldn’t do years before. Those things themselves did not change; what changed was his idea of himself.” - Carlos Castaneda -Britannica Bio, Tales of Power Quote, Goodreads.


OddnEnds - 

Carlos Castaneda is an enigma. Still relevant, the source behind his stories remains fogged and the stories continue to have an impact. Castaneda is featured in the August edition of The Echo World magazine - representing Male Archetypes. 

Synchronicity. The author of a new [2019] book I have been sent for possible review says she read Castaneda's books to help her sort out the unexplained encounters in her life.

1998, I had an anomalous encounter and then read an exact reference about it in a Castaneda book - when I had written him off as non-essential. I bought the book and several more. No matter his checkered personal history, his stories strike a chord.

Lots to cover with Michael Peter Langevin. He met Castaneda. He's been a Tarot reader for 50 years and he's had some fascinating experiences referenced in his book, The Secrets of the Amazon Shamans.

Wendy's Coffeehouse Interview with Michael Peter Langevin

Another topic - Psychotropic drugs and the shift toward recognizing the validity for treating certain disorders. A 40 minute interview is just enough time as a teaser to suggest further study of the extra- ordinary in the event mainstream is ready to explore beyond the cover.   

The Echo World
- also linked on the side bar.
Michael Peter Langevin and his wife Sofia Karin Axelsson Co-Publish and Co-Edit The Echo World Magazine, an Alternative Newspaper for Cultural Creatives.

Having been a long time fan of the former Magical Blend Magazine, I liked the wide metaphysical scope of that publication and was glad to see those elements resurface.

Another draw was an excerpt I read years ago from his [2003] book, The Secrets of the Amazon Shamans.

From the Amazon summary: "Michael tells what it is like to see life from the eyes of someone else in a healing ceremony; about a Calling the Dead Ritual where he could actually see their spirits with his physical eyes; what it is like to experience the intensity of Ayahuasca ritual, and having your life revisited; but also about the strain of traveling with your children being far away from so-called civilization when they fall ill."

This link is to the updated [2008] version. Reviews are excellent.

The Echo World Magazine is on line and available in print form. I have dropped copies off at several area locations, including in Crescent Springs - Overland Park, Floating KC, Centered Spirit, One More Cup (closing 9/1/19) - Waldo, Cumulus Media - Mission and Whirled Hair - Topeka. Connect if you are interested in the print version of the Magazine.

###

Featured in the online content is a two part interview with Whitley Strieber, who has changed tremendously since the publication of the book that cemented his role as Alien/ET Experiencer (whether he liked it or not - and he didn't) and jettisoned his career into an entirely unanticipated direction - Communion

Worth checking in to see that evolution in the Echo World Magazine interview. Eternal Love Part One and Part Two. In describing the ongoing bond he feels with his (deceased) wife Anne, he says he used to believe in death til we part but it is now "as we abide" because his connection with Anne is very much alive. 

Their undying bond is the subject of his newest book, The Afterlife Revolution.

More than four decades of marriage. From the Amazon summary: The two had an agreement: "The first one to die would not contact the other directly at first, but through friends. Not two hours after she died, Anne contacted a friend, Belle Fuller. And that was just the beginning of this wonderful story. It is so convincing that famed afterlife researcher Dr. Gary Schwartz wrote a foreword for the book, calling it one of the best cases of afterlife communication in history."

Whitley Strieber's Home Page. Unknown Country/Dreamland.



Related Links - 
Michael Peter Langevin - Blog (Castaneda)
Conscious Living Interview: Norse Goddesses and Runes 

Victoria Alexander, Shamanic and PSI explorer, Ayahuasca vision guide

"All things are possible until proven otherwise." - Stephen Hawking's family is offering funeral tickets to the public. Up to one thousand are available. Independent [The ballot for tickets to his memorial service closes at midnight on 15 May.]

Wendy's Coffeehouse interview with Victoria Alexander link

Oddsnends - 
  • Study: Coffee, Alcohol, bit overweight in your 70's = Longevity Factors. Mirror
  • Memory assist. According to Dr. Robert Hampson, a professor at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the lead author of the study, the method they used to artificially boost the short-term memory performance of study participants is something that has never been done before. “This is the first time scientists have been able to identify a patient’s own brain cell code or pattern for memory and, in essence, ‘write in’ that code to make existing memory work better,” he explained, “an important first step in potentially restoring memory loss.” Science Daily
  • Conference coming up: "A prophecy that has been long awaited by the Origine' people... it is the end of the darkness and a "return" of the spirit of the Dreaming. This epoch-long prophecy is being spoken of now, because it is expected to happen in just under two years time."
    Presentations include: Stella Wheildon (with Allan Euston Williams). Starlore, ETs and Origins. UFOs and ETs of many shapes and sizes have been seen, and interacted with, by many Australian Aboriginal people over tens of thousands of years. But the relationships and Star lore are more interesting and intimate than you might think. - Nexus - Secret History of Australia Conference
  • Best Chicken Coop - UFO now boarding .. Backyard Chickens

Another Jeffrey Mishlove interview with John Alexander. In this interview, John details a personal encounter with a UFO and an instance where his wife Victoria was possessed by an entity during a shamanic ceremony in Brazil.

Bigfoot, UFOs, PSI, Near-Death Experiences, Remote Viewing and more. I interviewed John about his book, Reality Denied


When you visit John's website, you'll see photos of some of the exotic locations John and Victoria have visited. While John is there to document the happenings and report the science that might be part of the equation, Victoria's intuitive and empathic skills allow her to surrender to the flow of the scene and engage as an experiencer.

She doesn't usually do interviews and I am very glad she chose to do this one. In addition to having access to places not usually visited by or open to Western tourists, her unique perspective provides an important context for anyone interested in the behind the scenes of an authentic, indigenous shamanic ceremony. On occasion, she has even been invited to return as an honored guest and participant.

An interesting encounter we touch on briefly in our interview is a visit to the Ark of the Covenant. John had already gone ahead but Victoria, being curious, was lingering when - right place, right time - she was asked if she wanted to meet one of the Monks responsible for guarding the Ark, a rare encounter. To understand how truly special that encounter was, read: Smithsonian. The monks are usually inaccessible to the general public.

Also, extremely familiar with the Ayahuasca culture, Victoria helps facilitate meetings with Ron Wheelock. Interviewed 5/6  She counsels neophytes who are interested in or planning on experiencing the Ayahuasca ritual. Ayahuasceros regard the plant as a sentient, intelligent being, that connects them to the natural world and imparts ancient wisdom, through ceremony, the consciousness of plants.

Ron said a visit to the Amazon turned into "love at first sight". That was two decades ago. Now "The Gringo Shaman", Ron is featured in "This is Life with Lisa Ling" ... Previous post

Booming Ayahuasca Tourism has created competition and fanned the numbers of Shaman offering Ayahuasca encounters. A serious mistake is to not research in advance to understand exactly what is involved in an Ayahuasca experience and how to prepare. Ron Wheelock's retreat is named El Purguero for a reason. For information about Ron's retreats, contact Victoria: victoria.alexander.lv @gmail.com

Another interest we don't have time to explore, Victoria is an avid film buff. Her reviews are on Rotten Tomatoes and at Films in Review.

Victoria and John will be at the upcoming SSE and IRVA joint conference in June. Check out the list of presenters for excellent resources and material for further study. Information.

*Note: Bigelow Aerospace Tour SOLD OUT. View the 60 Minute Interview with Robert Bigelow.

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Stay Curious. 

Gringo Shaman Ron Wheelock - conscious plants, Ayahuasca's wisdom for humanity

"You have to take seriously the notion that understanding the universe is your responsibility, because the only understanding of the universe that will be useful to you is your own understanding. ...
If the words ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ don’t include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of Independence isn’t worth the hemp it was written on." - The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss - My Life with Terence McKenna by Dennis McKenna



Wendys Coffeehouse Interview with Ayahuascero Ron Wheelock 



OddsnEnds -
  • Local News 8  - No explanation for activity uptick in Yellowstone's Steamboat Geyser.
  • Last time it was active. 2014. Reuters - Said not to be connected to Volcano activity in Hawaii.
  • Sasquatch Connection Ontario Parks - Yes, it was posted April 1.
  • UFO over China - multiple, colored lights. UFO Sightings Hotspot
  • The New Science of Psychedelics - "Recent trials of psilocybin, a close pharmacological cousin to LSD, have demonstrated that a single guided psychedelic session can alleviate depression when drugs like Prozac have failed; can help alcoholics and smokers to break the grip of a lifelong habit; and can help cancer patients deal with their “existential distress” at the prospect of dying." WSJ
  • Plant Consciousness is suggested, regarding reaction to sedation. "They’re living organisms which have their own problems, maybe something like with humans feeling pain or joy. In order to navigate this complex life, they must have some compass." Frantisek Baluska, plant cell biologist at the University of Bonn in Germany and co-author of the study. NYTimes
  • Stream The Plant Teacher. - "The more we expand our consciousness, the more we realize how little we really know about nature, the universe and ourselves. The Plant Teacher challenges us to open our minds, learn how to truly see, and endeavor to understand the universal interconnectedness that binds us all." 
    Music featured in the background = Icaros. Icaros represent a system of communication between Shaman, Spirit and the participants in the ceremony. PuraVidya.

Ayahuasceros regard the plant as a sentient, intelligent being, that connects them to the natural world, and imparts ancient wisdom through ceremony the consciousness of plants. Ron Wheelock, based in Peru, is from Independence Kansas.

A visit to the Amazon turned into "love at first sight" ... As the Gringo Shaman, Ron has embodied his healing role for two decades. Featured in "This is Life with Lisa Ling" ...



Ron's Ayahuasca Healing Center is 23 km from the jungle city of Iquitos, Peru. Link: El Purguero
This is a sample info sheet from an upcoming session: Link
Frequently asked questions: Link
About Ron: Bio

We talk about how Ron ended up in Peru. Carlos Castaneda's influence played a part. But it might have been the heart-centered sense of connection with the Amazon that factored even more.

The Castaneda influence - no matter what controversy might exist around Castaneda - also resonates for me. I had a [paranormal] wake-up call in connection with his material.

Ayahuasca is said to be (studies underway) effective in helping PTSD patients. Ron talks about being a contributor to that research as well. The hope is that science will validate the use of Ayahuasca in treating PTSD (and possibly depression and anxiety). QZ

Rethinking our view of plants. Intelligence - not better, lesser or worse, simply different and quite possibly, wildly misunderstood and undervalued. Michael Pollan.

Taking a giant leap forward toward research and understanding of psychedelic compounds: Tim Ferriss commits a significant dollar figure to the study. Link includes podcast interview with Michael Pollan.

Related -
International Forum on Consciousness: Link
DMT: The Spirit Molecule,  Rick Strassman
The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss, Dennis McKenna
Cottonwood Research Foundation
Paititi Institute

Another Approach to plant engagement -
Music of the Plants
Indiegogo - for Bamboo - instrument giving voice to plants.

KCMO Talk Radio 710
Thank you for listening!
Stay Curious. 

Altered states and the Ayahuasca journey of a Gringo Shaman

“The key to all of your behaviors is hidden in a box that you can’t open using normal tools, your subconscious needs a different recipe than the one you’ve been using.” - Gerard Armond Powell

Ayahuasca Icaro de Guardians - Translation, Icaro = medicine songs - translation.

Oddsnends -
  • Simple and beautifully complex Multiverse. Stephen Hawking's final paper. The Guardian.
  • Still haunted, but toning it down a tad to promote starry nights and horizon views. Apparently tourists were scared off by the ghost aspect death count. ABC.net Note to ghosts. Lay low. Spooky don't play here.
  • Whole lotta quake activity. Hawaii MSN
  • Yellowstone Steamboat geyser uptick. USA Today. Future uncertain. IFLscience
  • Do Dogs like being therapy pets? Study says YES. Treehugger
  • Miracle recovery from Alzheimer's. It was the Diet. Treehugger Worth a read. Blog
  • The source of Human consciousness found? Futurism
  • Follow Todd Standing, Discovering Sasquatch, and his effort to prove the existence of Sasquatch: Video. A California woman who has the same goal (Gizmodo) withdrew her case (status update unavailable). Link includes the video her daughter filmed.
Previous guest John Alexander included fascinating details about his encounters with Shamans from around the world. John and his wife Victoria connected with The Gringo Shaman - Ron Wheelock. Through Victoria, I spoke with Ron to arrange our upcoming interview.

Here's a preview of Ron.


Referencing Reality Denied, John covers numerous encounters that defy explanation. One visit with a medium, well-known for her practice of table tipping (levitation), made a lasting impression. While the medium was unforgettable, details of the session faded. He says he wishes he had taken notes.

Life is like that. It happens in the details. Sometimes there are notes.

In prepping for the interview with Ron and to help integrate some of the crystal energy I started working with after our trip to Board Camp Crystal Mine, I scheduled an isolation float. (Floating KC)

About halfway into the session, there was an auditory cue, a short, staccato whistle. By that time I had slipped into an extremely relaxed state, almost to the point of dozing off. Improbable as it might seem, that sound was right next to me.

Alert and anticipating a follow up, the tapping started, a steady, rhythmic flow. As I counted the taps, I tried to rationalize that I could be hearing water dripping somewhere then opted to simply allow the process and stop putting energy into denial. 

The sound lead me into deeper trance state. That is when the visions started. Beautiful images of eyes. They morphed and changed colors. Yellows, greens, dark and deep hues of raspberry and vivid reds. The eyes blinked. Each was a reptile of some sort. Turtle, lizard, frog, snake. The snake was representational and carried the message. Interactive and engaging, information was given. The visions stopped and the tapping sound ended. I left exhilarated, grounded and refreshed.

Working with Spirit Animals and Symbols - sample references -
Ted Andrews - Animal Speak.
Symbolism Animal Totem.
Example of working with Snake Medicine.
Shamanic Journeys with Nicki Scully.

Since my STE in 1997, I have had extraordinary visions and dreams. Some are spontaneous. Others accompany the regular practice of meditating to access insight. I haven't required a psychotropic assist. However, I have spoken with others who affirm they could never have realized a liberating mind state without it. Each travels his own path.

Ron Wheelock, based in Peru, is from Independence Kansas. Thus the name, The Gringo Shaman. Taking a circuitous route, he has embodied his healing role for 25 years. In this interview, Ron describes some of the unique aspects of various Ayahuasca sessions.

After my float session, I discovered another video with Ron that I hadn't seen. DMT and the Spirit of Plants. He mentions, frogs, lizards and snakes. I believe in dots connecting. The purpose is self-revealing - and the symbolism with animal messengers is personal. Fascinating.

Related: We Plants are Happy Plants: Music and Terrence McKenna/YouTube
Ayahuasca Visions: The Religious Iconography of a Peruvian Shaman

KCMO Talk Radio 710
Thank you for listening!
Stay Curious.

SciXFriday - Color, AI, Ghosts and PSI challenge with Uri Geller

“You are a divine being. You matter, you count. You come from realms of unimaginable power and light, and you will return to those realms.”  - Terence McKenna


Michael Peter Langevin (counted Terence McKenna among his friends) was my guest this week on Conscious Living. Interview is here. We covered a lot of material: Magic, Chaos, Ayahuasca (now being considered as a possible treatment for alcoholism and depression), Shamanism. [Michael Peter Langevin was the publisher/editor of Magical Blend Magazine. He has authored three books: Spiritual Business, Secrets of the Ancient Incas, and Secrets of the Amazon Shamans.]


OddsNEnds -
  • Good News AI: Ultrasound on your phone. Wired
  • Not so good news AI: experts sound the alarm on Killer Robots. Independent
  • Game Changer: Robots can experience Consciousness. Raw Story
  • "Your luck is about the change." Lottery winner + Fortune Cookie#1: $125,000. UPI
  • Lottery winner + Fortune Cookie#2: 390,000. UPI
  • Apples = Ears - Medical marvel, growing body parts. TED
  • Show and tell Uri. Practice your PSI by turning off a street lamp. Watch his two video demos. Give it a try and let him know your results. Uri Geller
  • Ghost activity continues at the school in Cork, Ireland. Very active. Today

In living color. PRISM: Dan Warner is a desaturator, tasked with sapping beauty from the world in a future where color is used as energy.



Subscribe: Jackson Miller
OFFICIAL SITE: jacksonmillerfilms.com/Prism


Wendy's Coffeehouse - Coming up -

11/12 - Curtis Rivers, The Fearless Path "carefully written to enhance your life; it subtly shifts any fear based programming that is sub-consciously holding you back." Hollywood Stuntman Hall of Fame, Guinness World Record holder. Empowering insight from an accomplished, motivated and dynamic Stuntman - The Stunts

11/19 - Nauman Naeem, Dr. Naeem is a critical care specialist, pulmonologist and palliative care specialist, whose unique insights into healing stem from caring for tens of thousands of critically and chronically ill patients for more than a decade in two countries. Healing from the Inside Out. Amazon 9/17 Link between negative emotions and disease? Blog

11/26 - Dr. Scott Kolbaba, Physicians' Untold Stories: Miraculous experiences doctors are hesitant to share with their patients, or ANYONE!


Join me for the live show or catch the podcast download 24/7
Wendy's Coffeehouse Archives
Thank you for listening and sharing!

SciXFriday - Eclectic Links and a Teaser Chapter from Russell Brinegar's 'Overlords of the Singularity' 1/3

“Mathematical truth is not determined arbitrarily by the rules of some 'man-made' formal system, but has an absolute nature, and lies beyond any such system of specifiable rules.” - Roger Penrose, Shadows of the Mind: A Search for the Missing Science of Consciousness 


Quantum Streaming Math and Theories -

Issue 47. Nautilus. - Quantum Consciousness Theorist, "Penrose believes we must go beyond Neuroscience and into the mysterious world of Quantum Mechanics to explain our rich mental life." View his presentation, The Quantum Nature of Consciousness/YouTube. Of Roger Penrose, Physicist Lee Smolin/Time Reborn says, he's "one of the very few people I've met in my life who, without reservation, I call a genius." Smolin in Scientific American - Physics Must Evolve. 

Eclectic and otherwise, Interesting Links -

Russell Brinegar spoke with me about his Near Death Experience, one in which he found himself in contact with a transcended version of himself. A deep transformation followed and the book Overlords of the Singularity is part of that life redirect.

Interview with Russell Brinegar on Wendy's Coffeehouse and we continue our talk in a 2nd interview on Conscious Living on Empower Radio.

As the introduction states, "Following a near-death experience that prompted a personal awakening to the underlying, interdimensional nature of reality, the author shares insights into the realm of the paranormal."

Russell has given me permission to share some of that book here on the blog. Too long to post all at once, I'll post in segments. The book is available on Amazon.

**Please NOTE: Links have been added by me (Wendy) for context and support. There are no links in the original copy.


[Chapter 4]

UFOs and the Technological Singularity
Russell Brinegar, 'Overlords of the Singularity: The Manipulation of Humankind by Hidden UFO Intelligences and the Quest for Transcendence'-  CreateSpace


“I believe there is a machinery of mass manipulation behind the UFO phenomenon.” – Dr. Jacques Vallee

In recent years, the science of quantum mechanics and theoretical physics have merged with the science of consciousness itself. Concepts such as quantum entanglement have changed the way we look at the universe and our place in it. *Scientific Breakthrough, reported 7/2017, The Independent

Quantum entanglement poses that, prior to the moment of the Big Bang, all particles that are now spread out across the Cosmos were once unified as a cohesive whole, and as such all subatomic particles in the universe remain connected to one another on a fundamental level, regardless of the distance they have grown apart by the expansion of the Universe.

Add to that the observer effect, in which the act of observation itself is the factor that converts a pure energy wave into a particle of matter, introducing an element of subjectivity into our concept of the universe that we once thought of as immutable, objective reality. 

The presumed solidity of the universe that we once took for granted has now melted into a chaos of
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pure energy and quantum potentiality, the solidity revealing itself scientifically as a mere illusion.  One of the physicists on the forefront of this fascinating and complex field is theoretical physicist Michio Kaku. With his many books, Kaku has done an excellent job translating the mechanics and implications of modern theoretical physics into language that anyone of reasonable intelligence can understand, regardless of scientific background.

One such book is Parallel Worlds. In this work, Kaku speaks of the mathematician, John von Neumann, who was the first person to use the term, Singularity. 

Popularized by science fiction writer Vernor Vinge, the Singularity now commonly refers to an approaching state of humankind, when, following a long history of slow, painstaking progress, technological advancements accelerate exponentially into the realm of advanced, self-aware, artificial intelligence that vastly exceeds the computing capability and storage capacity of the human mind and takes us into completely unknown territory. *Astronomers report evidence of the Multiverse. Reported 5/2017, The Guardian

Suddenly, and soon, we will be confronted by machines of our own creation that are possibly billions of times smarter than we are. As far as we know, an event such as the Singularity has never happened in all of human history, and the implications of this inevitable event that is soon upon us are completely unknown. 
 
The Singularity is currently a hot subject among futurists, physicists, and AI (artificial intelligence) experts, generating much debate and theorizing. Some individuals who take the time to examine the subject and discover the quagmire of complicated issues that self-aware AI inevitably thrusts upon us become overwhelmed, frightened, or even repulsed. Some even decide to reject technology altogether to save humankind before we create a monster that destroys us. 

Others who share a more optimistic outlook, like Michio Kaku and futurist Ray Kurzweil, have decided that, despite the daunting possibilities of disaster for the human race, embracing the coming Singularity and trying to make it work for us is the correct route to take. The concept of the Singularity has spawned an entire subculture with quasi-religious overtones, and produced individuals who call themselves Singularitarians.

These technical optimists express idealistic ambitions of merging human consciousness with the machines we are about to create. The Singularity is expected to produce a hybrid version of humanity, part biological, and part machine, with a very real possibility for the achievement of human immortality, having transcended the biological format we have been using thus far, and transferring our consciousness into a silicon substrate with indefinitely expanded lifespans.

This is the gist of the Transhumanist movement. These new visionaries imagine electronically-augmented humans in our near future who possess expanded thought and perceptual abilities, possibly even superhuman powers, taking us into a post-human, post-biological world. The optimists view the coming Singularity as the next stage in human evolution, and look forward to a form of transcendence from our current biological limitations. 

In its most extreme version, the Singularity might even allow humanity to finally escape the confines of three-dimensional reality altogether, and possibly merge with other entities that may exist throughout the universe who have also achieved a post-physical form of cosmic transcendence. 

In Kaku’s, The Future of the Mind, and Ray Kurzweil’s, The Singularity is Near, the possibilities of downloading the memories and personalities of human beings into machines to create conscious, artificial intelligences that were once completely human but now exist as computer-enhanced or augmented cyborgs are explored. 

Such a person, who was once completely biological, is now transformed into an immortal synthetic human being with an indefinite lifespan. The Holy Grail of human technological ambition, immortality, is projected to exit the realm of science fiction and enter the realm of reality with the approaching Singularity, which futurists like Kurzweil predict will occur sometime around the year 2045. *Immortality Project Underway. Reported 3/2017, The Guardian

The problem is, because the coming Singularity will propel us into completely unknown territory, there is really no way to predict the outcome. Some fear that, once machines are suddenly billions of times smarter than humans and self-aware, they might just decide to destroy humanity like a mere nuisance and take over the planet. 

James Barrat, author of Our Final Invention:Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era, states (chapter 1 audible): If the ASI [artificial superintelligence] doesn’t care about us, and there’s little reason to think that it should, it will experience no compunction about treating us unethically, even taking our lives after promising to help us.

Chapter 4, Part One. Continued in following posts. Previous post/Russell Brinegar - Link

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