What I never really understood (despite being "British") is "how" we dialectically arrived (historically) at our common culture in the UK. Yes - the "Six Wives of Henry VIII" reduces it all to the marital-bed and how the nasty Pope prevented everyone pursuing a good-time - but having just finished Peter Marshal's tour de force about the Reformation - I am now on to James Clark's equally impressive "The Dissolution of the Monasteries - A New History". This magnifies the central aspect of the "Break with Rome". To achieve this, Clark recaps the history of monasticism in the UK (and Eire). As well as this, I am also reading "Celtic Spiritually - Ancient Heritage and Living Legacy" by Father Richard Woods (OP) PhD - and have "Medieval Christianity - A New History" by Kevin Madigan all wired-up and ready to go. Furthermore, as leisure study, I am reading J Porter's wonderful "The Lost Bible" (J Porter was a member of the General Synod and an Oxford Don) - and Dom Paul Lematte's "Rule of St Benedict" (1917) and translated from the original French (there is no requirement for Benedictine Monasteries to conform to any one interpretation of the Rule). All this is happening in parallel to my reading of the New Jerusalem Bible and a Study Qur'an (the latter is slow-going due to my relative naivety of the subject). My post-doctorate study was "Philosophy of Mind" at Oxford - so this represents something of a re-engagement with the meat of Spiritual Metaphysics. Today, I acquired "The Stripping of the Altars" by Eamon Duffy - with an updated Introduction - which takes into account new historical data which has become available since its first publishing in 1992. I find this cerebral engagement far more productive than physical interaction - not being a Christian. My experiences interfaces with the Christian establishment has occasionally been positive - but more often it soon diminishes into an attempted subordination. Oddly, and perhaps paradoxically, I find Protestantism an entirely cerebral affair - like moving chess-pieces around on the board - attempting to acquire and keep the strategic upper-hand (the historical legacy of avoiding the wrath of Henry VIII, no doubt). Very different to the earlier monastic systems found in the "Celtic", "Catholic" and "Eastern Orthodox" traditions. Of course, as a Buddhist, I tend to see all Buddhists as being "Hermetical" practitioners. When a Buddhist-Hermit "sits" correctly - mind, body and environment are transformed "here and now" without exception and regardless of wherever a practitioner happens to be. Certainly, the outer world may not actually change - but the inner conditions to facilitate these (external) changes could well be generated.
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Author’s Note: I encountered the article referenced below – not in its original ‘English’ rendering – but in fact in a Russian-language translation featured as an informative post uploaded onto the ‘Грибник Илюша Chat’ (Ilyusha Hrybnyk Chat) Telegram Channel. When I translated the Russian-language text back into English (before I located the original English-language version) – I found that the Russian author had arranged the data from the research into a more efficient representation of the findings – and had achieved this by ‘tidying-up’ the original presentation. It is the English translation of the Russian interpretation that I have referenced below*, as I feel it possesses a greater insight and clarity into the findings of the research with regards to ‘expansive awareness’. Essentially, different parts of the brain are simultaneously ‘enhanced’ or ‘reduced’ in their functionality (disrupting the genetic blueprint of ‘balance’ provided through natural selection) when subjected to the ingesting of mind-altering drugs. This process generates a perceivable ‘distance’ or ‘dissonance’ (often described as a ‘three-dimensional’ and ‘all-embracing space’ within which all things seem to ‘manifest’ and ‘appear’) in the manner through which the human subject experiences the inner (subjective) and outer (objective) world. Indeed, such designations as ‘subject’ and ‘object’ appear to dissolve into insignificance as all things seem to be ‘unified’ whilst maintaining their inherent ‘diversity’. As the brain is striving to ‘balance’ the chemical processes to enhance the (evolutionary) chances of survival for the subject concerned – the ‘creative’ impulses are dramatically enhanced! This explains why ‘inspired’ and ‘unique’ artistic creations are often the result of this type of transformational experience. The point I make below, is that certain spiritual and religious ‘rituals’ replicate (overtime) the dramatic (existential) effects of entheogen chemicals – but that these ‘rituals’ achieve this transformation through psychological discipline and radical behaviour modification - having no reliance upon an external chemical agency. Finally, science is proving that genuine spiritual or religious experience is ‘real’ but that it is NOT the product of an external theological entity ‘protecting’ the transformation process into the individual concerned, as a ‘reward’ for devotional or faithful living! Such an experience, although unusual, is entirely natural and is subject to explanation through scientific investigation. ACW (7.7.2022) Although when human subjects living within modern (‘individualistic’) societies (as opposed to ‘collectivised’ primitive, traditional or tribal societies) ingest mind-altering drugs - there is little or no preparation for the resulting transformative experience. Therefore, the experienced ‘event’ is perceived as being ‘peak’, highly ‘unusual’ and sometimes even ‘traumatic’ as it separates the perception of the subject from the ordinary world that is ‘familiar’ to the senses. This is because the sensual experiences have not been anticipated and prepared for through the agency of spiritual, religious or communal ‘ritual’ that educates, acculturates and prepares the experiencing mind and body for this shift in awareness. This ritual can vary in length, but when linked to established religious practice (such as that found within the many and various ‘monastic’ or ‘meditative’ traditions of the world), it can take numerous years of training involving extensive study, discussion and guidance before a ‘breakthrough’ occurs that is accomplished not through an ingestion of a chemical agent – but rather through the application of a ‘spiritual’ technique designed specifically for this purpose. This can be contrasted with the reality found within modern societies wedded to ‘secularism’ and ‘individualism’ - where a person simply decides to ingest a mind-altering drug with no preparation and sits back to observe the consequences! The 2014 research paper published by Dr Robin Carhart-Harris of King's College London (and his colleagues) referenced below, observed the effects of ‘psilocybin’ (‘Magic Mushrooms’) on the chemical functioning of the brains of fifteen volunteers and concluded in-part: *“It was found that under the influence of a hallucinogen, the same parts of the brain are activated as during sleep - the hippocampus, which is involved in the formation of emotions, and the anterior cingulate cortex, which is responsible for the decision-making process, sympathy and emotional state. At the same time, the processes related to higher nervous activity, for example, to self-awareness, were not coordinated with each other. All this together, according to the researchers, gives the effect of ‘expansion of consciousness’." Those interested in this research should read and study the full findings of this study referenced below. As with any study of the chemical functioning of the ‘brain’ (and how this might relate to the ‘mind’) - the field of study is fluid, changeable and always subject to radical reinterpretation as more evidence becomes available. In other words, it is a continuously developing area of study, clarification and breaking new ground. I suspect that the ‘preparation’ involved with Buddhist meditative study orientates the practitioner to ‘integrate’ each new and unique subjective experience into his or her objective existence without the usual ‘dissonance’ reported by those who ingest mind-altering chemical substances merely as an exercise of the agency of momentary ‘individual’ choice. Although the Buddhist practitioner often reports ‘momentary’ breakthroughs in enhanced awareness – these are seldom traumatic and generally serve as an incentive toward further study. What the successful Buddhist practitioner does achieve is the eventual ‘permanent’ breakthrough in the expansion of awareness that reconciles entirely with the existential circumstances of the objective world! Perception is radically altered through the scientific process described above – but without the accompanying ‘alienation’ of the individual from a) the experience itself, and b) the objective world they inhabit. This spiritualised process represents the difference between decades of preparation through rigorous psychological and physical self-discipline – and the ‘momentary’ whim inspired through superficial social interaction and the wish to momentarily ‘escape’ sensory perception as experienced during everyday experience. English Language Research:
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/152867/new-study-discovers-biological-basis-magic/ Russian Language Source: https://t.me/c/1624019600/1505 The proposition is that both Marx and religion are correct within certain boundaries of definition. I suspect that what Marx is criticising is not genuine ‘religion’ per se, but rather what I identify as ‘pseudo-religion’ - or that which passes as religion within the capitalist system. Marx has no choice but to do this as pseudo-religion is a construct designed entirely to support capitalism and draw the spiritual aspect of humanity away from non-greed and firmly into the camp of pro-greed! There is no way that Marx could construct his theory if the structures of pseudo-religion were allowed to stand! This would mean the workers would over-throw the capitalist system only to have it continuously re-established everywhere that pseudo-religion influences! Marx has nothing to say about ‘genuine’ religion as it manifests exactly the same theoretical essence as does the completed historical mission that culminates in ‘Communism’. Obviously, Marx seeks to change the inner world of humanity by transforming the outer (material) world of habitation and activity, although he does recognise that if the workers are to change the outer world they must first wilfully change (or ‘alter’) their inner (conscious) world! This is nothing less than the ‘quest’ adventures found in many (if not all) genuine religious paths. Communism is not religion, however, and must be understood as an ideology entirely outside of religion – but genuine religion does possess the inherent ability to over-lap in places with the Communist quest without contradiction or paradox. A genuine religious path, therefore, can lead a dedicated practitioner to the state of ‘Communism’ within which ALL religiosity is transcended and left behind. In this model, religion becomes a launching pad that is left behind by the rocket of Communism that blasts-off into the space beyond! This suggests that Marxism and Marxist-Leninism must re-negotiate the place of genuine religion in the quest to establish Socialism and then Communism in the material world, as this transformation of humanity will have profound implications for the conscious development of humanity and the means through which humanity pursues existence and seeks-out challenges for the next step that stimulates human evolution!
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AuthorAdrian Chan-Wyles PhD - Political Commissar and BMA (UK) Historian & Researcher. Archives
May 2024
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