It is clear that altered states of consciousness have played a major role in the development of the human species and must play a pivotal role in our future.  The merging of a technological-material society with the study of altered states truly began with the study of eastern philosophy by Europeans in the later 1800s and early 1900s.  This led to parallels drawn between these ideas, the ancient and modern western occult practices, and experiences with psychoactive drugs.  Europe was a hotbed for eclectic mystics including Crowley and Gurdjieff.  Once mescaline was introduced in the study of abnormal psychology the interest in altered states exploded.  This soon led to the discovery of new psychoactive ethno botanicals, synthetic chemicals, and native American shamanism.  Soon all these seemingly disseperate ideas coalesced into an understanding that altered states were critical to humanity.  But what role do altered states play besides the scientific study of the schizophrenic and the mystic?
Altered states of consciousness allow the exploration of five things, which often link together and overlap:

1. Human psychology:  Transpersonal psychology has opened the door for the use of altered states of consciousness to explore and integrate the subconscious mind.
2. Spirituality:  altered states of consciousness allow for the dissolution or near dissolution of the ego and an experience of divine ecstacy across all cultures and spiritual traditions
3. Creativity: altered states of consciousness open up new pathways and new perspectives for thinking allowing ideas to flow forth.  Examples include the discovery of DNA by Francis Crick, the admitted applied use by programmers in silicon valley, and of course, this book.
4. Exploration of reality: beyond the realm of divine ecstacy, altered states of consciousness allow for the exploration of inner space that eerily parallel our knowledge of outer space.  Contact with entities and visions reminiscent of deep space are conjured up in these spaces.
5. Hedonism:  sometimes the altered state can just be an experience of pure bliss and fun.

The next subject for consideration is how altered states operate.  To understand this, one must look at the various ways altered states are induced.  Here is a basic breakdown:

• Mind/Body Control:
  • Kundalini yoga
  • Holotropic Breathwork
  • Tantric Sex/Sex Magick
• Drugs:
  • Hallucinogens
  • Deleriants
• Stress:
  • Fasting
  • Sweat Lodge
  • Sleep deprivation
• Spontaneous:
  • Mystical experience
  • Out of Body Experience
  • Near Death Experience
  • Sleep States
• Technology:
  • Drum and Dance
  • Magick/Ritual
  • Brain Machines

Clearly there is a plethora of ways to achieve an altered state.  The states themselves are varied and some are better suited for specific purposes (of the five listed earlier) than others.  There is an alchemical action at work, as a material action and a material change causes an experience of the non material.   The nature of this alchemical process, however, remains a mystery.  While endogenous DMT release has been posited as one of the possibilities, I do not think that this is the critical factor.  Nor do I believe an altered EEG pattern is solely responsible.  Rather, I think that somehow, endogenous chemical processes or altered brain wave states (which may cause endogenous processes to occur) cause a flow of kundalini energy.  Thus, it is my belief that pranic/chi energy is solely responsible for altered states of consciousness.  While many will argue that traditional shamanism does not employ the technology or paradigm of kundalini yoga, and will be correct in that argument, I will suggest that shamanic practices activate the energy.  Now if all these methods use kundalini energy, why then do they derive different altered states and why, if kundalini yoga has complete mastery of bio-energy, do kundalini yogis not report similar experiences to practitioners of the other methods of altered states?

I see kundalini yoga as basically a shortcut to divine ecstacy, creativity and the exploration of reality.  Drug induced shamanic states on the other hand unleash kundalini in an uncontrolled manner, which is why many followers of yoga and other natural more control oriented states suggest that use of such drugs is dangerous.  Of course, if one is adept at navigating altered states, drugs can open pathways far easier and faster than using just kundalini yoga.  I see the varied techniques as the difference between taking the highway, the scenic route, or skipping the drive and hopping on a jet.  You are traveling and the destination is the same, but what you see along the way is going to be very different.  Kundalini yoga takes some planning, maps, and you have to pay tolls.  The shamanic path allows you to see all the sights along the country road but you could get lost and may never arrive at the final destination.  Of course full mastery and full exploration of kundalini yoga is likely to allow the full exploration of all the possibilities of kundalini energy.

But how did these ideas originate?  How were the technologies discovered? No doubt drugs and sex magick were discovered naturally.  Yogic postures and breathing may very well have developed out of sex magick or fitness regimes.  Or perhaps through spontaneous movements on drugs to help the flow of energy, which is a commonly reported symptom of kundalini awakening.  The shamans’ development of rituals and symbols to work within the spirit world clearly led to the development of Magick as a separate technology.  But what about drum and dance?  Far more perplexing is the complexity and scientific understanding found in yoga.  Questions like this are perhaps better left to ponder in the altered states themselves.

Where does this leave us?  In our society we have neither the time no the patience for the rigorous training of yoga, we do not have the faith required in magick, nor the mythic framework for shamanism.  The neoshaman of today is at once at a great advantage and a great disadvantage.  Where once the secrecy of these arts ensured at the least that the knowledge was not diluted, now much of what passes for occult reality is nothing but new age trash.  An ambiguous topic is whether the neoshaman is at a loss with the lack of a mythological framework.   Without a mythological framework, it is difficult to traverse the realms of the altered state.  Of course, the myths also limit the experience and the response to the said experience.  The rational materialist framework has at once destroyed the myths but allowed for globalization and a profusion of new ideas and frameworks.  While rationality can only bring us as far as we have objective data (which is lacking in the world of the Other) it has allowed the seeker to pick and choose from the vast spiritual database of all surviving cultures.

At times it seems as if the exploration of altered states was some type of networked project.  Different scripts for the software of the soul were developed across the globe only now can finally be integrated into a cohesive methodology.  Indeed, the idea of a networked software project reminds us that the future holds many possibilities for further exploration of altered states.

What will the future of mystic states feel like?  Imagine getting high on information.  Imagine comprehending the entirety of wikipedia in one glorious eternal moment of bliss when one merges with the spirit of the wiki.  Such experiences are not far off.  However, plugging into data sources will not provide us with the other aspects of the altered state, that is, self awareness and integration of the subconscious.  Already we have mind machines and binaural beat brain wave entrainment technology.  As we are better able to measure and map the processes of the mind, we shall dig deeper and deeper into the mysteries of consciousness.  Nanobots, targeted drugs, advanced vibratory and audio entrainment, and the further study of the human nervous system will no doubt coalesce to create as of now unimaginable technologies that can trigger a variety of mystical states of consciousness.

Everyone will soon be able to experience states in which the past present and future is realized as only now.  Everyone will be able to experience those brief, yet eternal moments of complete understanding where social programming dissolves and the underlying structure is exposed - where the links between concepts are seen and ideas flow faster than the speed of light.  The archetypical structure that created certain ideas will be seen in relation to the ideas of the past.  Soon, all imaginative people can speculate as to the future while the enlightened pioneers shall see the future.

Dear Readers,

On behalf of Lonewolf and myself, please accept our sincere apologies for the lack of content lately.  We have both  been extremely busy with other projects and events in our professional and personal lives.  Rest assured, however, that the remainder of December will be full of our insights on a range of mind expanding topics.

Best,

Ubermensch

“Political language… is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” - George Orwell

The results from the election are in. All major networks carried it: a live action drama with running commentary – as the blue team and the red team did their best to fill in a large graphic which represented states, and indirectly, millions of people.

This election was like a carnival, complete with side shows, opening acts, and rowdy crowds being entertained by dancing animals. It was also part pro-wrestling, with almost no substance to speak of.

Ultimately, this election has been a contest of sound bytes and images. It was not about politics at all. There were debates on which candidate LOOKED like a presidents. Since when is one’s appearance a deciding factor in making rational decisions and governing a nation?

Indeed, one can argue that elections have rarely been about issues for the better part of the past century. Throughout this campaign, McCain and Obama have gone to lengths to avoid issues and principles. They talk about Patriotism and Honor and Equality and Opportunity and Change - as if they are positions one can take and not facets of an image that is crafted and propagated.

Ultimately, these winds of change people think they are feeling will likely be exposed as just that – moving air that will dissipate into stagnation.

The next four years will change history, to be sure, but I doubt it will be for the better. I hope that Atlas shrugs, and the John Galts, Dagny Taggarts, and Hank Reardens will retreat to the gulch. Socialism shows that their contributions of innovation, their hard work, and their businesses are no longer looked upon as virtues but as resources that can be exploited by taxation and legislation.

What we need is a drastic retooling of our democratic system. We need more liberty and less democracy. We should not be voting on bailing out failed businesses. We should not be voting on restricting firearms. These fall outside the authority of government. They should not be left to the whims of a majority. Particularly since the majority supports government handouts and looks to images - and not principles.

The two party system panders to the uneducated and only supports its own power. Unethical ballot access laws and propaganda [oh, I’m sorry – I mean “media coverage”] have replaced freedom of choice and sound information to base voting decisions.

All politicians make great promises and give good speeches. There’s a change in party and a change in name, but will there be a change on a fundamental level? Will there be a shift towards returning powers to the individual?

That, in my mind, is the crux of the matter – the outcome of the election is irrelevant if the outcome is simply more government, more spending, and more control from above.

With a democratic majority in congress, Obama can do serious damage if he actually implements his policies to redistribute wealth ["simple fairness", of course]. In an age of speedball lawmaking and 400 pages of pork masquerading as a financial solution, failure will continue to be bailed out and opportunity will be replaced with superficial equality and precedents that will limit both economic growth and individual liberties.

The founders of this country would never believe that we would ultimately be thanking the federal government for handouts. Freedom is losing to soft fascism and the landslide, by nature, consumes both believers and dissidents alike. Such is the tyranny of the majority.

This is how the world ends. December 21^st. Ragnarok. Revelation. End Times. Karmic Retribution. Kali Yuga. Fuck it all. Call it whatever you want, from whatever bullshit faith stole the seers words.  Yes, it was going to end.

“these are the times that try mens souls…the summer patriot…”  That was the word of the government. Those fucking assholes. What the fuck do they know about patriotism? What gave them the right to use Tommy Paine’s words - those socio-fascist sons of bitches. I remember the days before the war, before the alliances, before the unions, the blocs, before the crash. Hell, I was alive before the stoner selling weed from his parent’s basement was legally considered a “terrorist” - before the small business owners, journalists, and artists started “disappearing.”  I remember when I could, had I wanted to, ignore the future that stared us directly in our face. It yelled at us from its perch atop the mountains of Wisdom. There were few who heard the screams.

“..the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph” - that was my response to their bastardization of Tommy Paine.  That was my response as the NAU came to be - my very same response when our “leaders” took us to war against the EU.

I remember the day I lost hope. I was live-blogging from Washington Square Park.  They had already taken the city at that point. The EU soldier was walking over, no doubt to do a scan of my computer contents and inevitably and futily take down one of the many wireless access points that were tripling in number daily….though I had heard the conquerors planned on destroying the google offices in chelsea. No doubt that would take down more than half of the networks.  Obviously we couldn’t fight back. The NAU had taken the guns of all the citizens, but the governments that came before had already stripped the men and women of Manhattan of any ability to defend themselves.

I lost hope in one single explosion of a moment.  I watched it, as if in slow motion. The scene is burned into my third eye now - a grotesque tatoo on my soul. The masked soldier turned, alerted by the delirious banter of Military Man, the crackhead who was always seen wearing military fatigues and a bluetooth headset that was connected only to his imagination. “Wael how yha doin thare cracka? You wann some wee-” Before he could finish propositioning the soldier for a gram of some heinous schwag, the soldier raised his rifle and squeezed a three round burst of hollow point into Military Man’s headset crowned skull.

There was a bloody mess. It took me a moment to process what I had seen, but there was no shock as I turned away. There was only revelation. That resounding cry from the future resonated through every cell in my body. The cry of dear future’s painful death. This is how the world ends.

“Did you really think we want those laws observed?” said Dr. Ferris. “We want them to be broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against… We’re after power and we mean it… There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that’s the system, Mr. Reardon, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.” (Ayn Rand, ‘Atlas Shrugged’ 1957)

The current American election is not going to be a success for the cause of liberty. Indeed, in a country that claims to be a champion of “Freedom,” we are not free to alter our physiology through certain substances. We are not free to augment our self-defense capabilities. We are not free to pay only for services we use.

Both McCain and Obama are compared and contrasted endlessly. Their policies and statements analyzed and interpreted and misconstrued.

In the end, neither stands on any principles. They are professionals. They are in the business. The two party system creates a perfect circle – black versus white, endlessly spewing talking points and sound bytes, creating a fictional world in which the two sides are engaged in an endless struggle, with a media engine that encourages people to take one side or the other.

How can the prospective leader of an alleged free nation consider continuing an illegal war halfway around the world, or tout redistribution of wealth as a positive change? Whats worse is that people buy it. And they sell it.

Democracy is NOT freedom. Democracy is a rule by majority. Democracy invites socialism. Politicians buy votes by promising tax credits and rebates. They play on fears – doppelgangers like terrorism and the economy. We do not need democracy. We need liberty. We do not need bailouts. We need free markets. We do not need tax rebates. We need a government that obeys the constitution, and delegates power first to individuals, then to states. It is states and the federal governments that should respect the individual. Our checks and balances system should protect this. The two party system shatters this model by allowing branches to collude with each other.

The Real ID act, the PATRIOT act, restrictions on personal firearms, and taxes on income are pieces of legislation that should never have made it into the capital. When government begins to invade the lives of citizens, some welcome it. The bars of the cage become familiar and comforting. The tyranny of the majority outstrips the sanctity of the individual and his or her liberties. Democracy allows the government, through the majority, to select which minorities are acceptable, and which need to be restricted. It is a hegemony that incinerates the vision of a Jeffersonian Democracy, and erects a worldview of structure without foundation and belief without principle. The majority has been programmed to be incapable of rational and principled introspection. They gaze into the screen and vote for the candidate that looks more like a president. It has become a circus. It is entertainment. It even has commercial breaks.

On November 4th, I implore you to reject the System. Write in a principle rather than a person. Write in yourself. Write in Ron Paul. Or do not vote.

On November 4th, we have the opportunities to participate in the great charade – going into a booth to cast a vote – a sign of approval for means of governance that has eroded the liberties of the individual and refuse to give up power. We should have a “None of the above” ticket – a vote of no-confidence in democracy.

Any vote for John McCain or Barack Obama is a wasted vote. Don’t let them tell you otherwise. Tonight, watch 5 minutes of a news channel with the sound turned off.

In previous posts I have covered my personal experiences with nootropics and other cognitive enhancement drugs.  You may find them here:

http://hardcoredynamic.com/blog/2008/04/29/nootropics-and-cognition-retrospective-and-commentary/

While my experiences can serve as a valuable resource, what I hope to create is a comprehensive guide to personal upgrades.  Technological upgrades to the human body are limited at this time, therefore this guide will exclusively focus on biochemical means.  Remember, I am not a doctor and you should consult with a physician and/or psychiatrist before trying some of these stacks. Also please note that this guide is primarily targeted at men. That doesn’t mean that women can not make use of this guide, but please note that certain vitamins and supplements that may affect testosterone, sexual performance, and/or body mass will not be desirable. I will try my best to point this out, where necessary.

General Stacks: While there are some supplements that target specific types of human improvement, for example mood or cognition, some supplements create general improvements in human health and capabilities. These are supplements that will help increase general health, energy, and mood - with little or no side effects. I would recommend that anyone looking to improve their health, regardless of specific enhancement or improvement goals, should take the following:

• Daily Multi-Vitamin

  A daily vitamin supplement is not necessary, but is often helpful, especially when your diet is not perfect (and whose really is?). Still, you want to be sure you are getting bang for the buck - and if you find you are pissing yellow, it may be time to switch brands or stop and adjust your diet.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids

  Apparently these fatty acids promote good cholesterol, reduce abdominal fats, and may even help with depression and mood disorders. The science definitely backs the cholesterol arguments and that alone is reason enough to take this supplement.

• Whey Protein

  Whey protein is a great source of high quality protein that will supplement your diet (which should be full of legumes and white meat if you are serious about upgrading). Often these supplements have plenty of extra amino acids and vitamins that they may eliminate the need for a multi-vitamin.

  I avoid soy products because they diminish testosterone, but ladies should keep in mind that compared to soy protein, Whey protein does not increase testosterone, is healthier, and is more absorable - therefore I recommend Whey protein for everyone.

• Creatine

  Often meats and protein supplements contain creatine, but if you really want the effects you should supplement. This is not just for bodybuilders - creatine treats and prevents a number of neurological and muscular disorders. For the healthy, creatine will improve energy levels and performance in short burst activities. Because of the increased overall energy levels, creatine also increases mental acuity. See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3145223.stm

  A side effect will be increased water retention in the muscles, - leading to larger, fuller musculature, and therefore Creatine may not be desired for most women and some men.

  Note that this supplement must by cycled. Most cycles consist of a 1 week loading of 20 grams a day, followed by maintenance at 10g for 2-3 weeks, and then a creatine free period for 2-3 weeks. Rinse and repeat.

Future installments will cover mood, energy, anxiety, sexual performance, and several other exciting avenues to upgrade your potential.

Webster’s Dictionary defines hardcore as:

1: a central or fundamental and usu. enduring group or part: as a: a relatively small enduring core of society marked by apparent resistance to change or inability to escape a persistent wretched condition (as poverty or chronic unemployment) b: a militant or fiercely loyal faction.

Dynamic, on the other hand, is defined as:

2 a: marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change

So what do we make of this seeming contradiction?  At once, “hardcore dynamic” suggests both a state of unswerving dedication that resists all change, while dynamic suggests a state of constant change.  In fact, there is no contradiction here at all.  Change is the only constant in the universe.  Hardcore Dynamic represents an unswerving uncompromising dedication to living with change, leveraging change, and being an agent of change.  No, this is not some Barack Obama hyperbole - but its no coincidence that “change we can believe in” has become a marketing slogan for a presidential candidate who really did beat many odds.  Change is the power of chaos inherent in the universe.  It is a power that can be futile resisted, or it can be embraced and utilized.  This unswerving dedication to change is actually the power of chaos magick.

Magickal power is found in the seeming contradiction between loyal, unswerving dedication and continuous change.  The power in “contradiction” comes from manifesting The Tao - uniting the duality inherent in the universe, a duality that exists in everything and is free of judgment.  In the same way there must be balance in all parts of nature, from good and evil, man and woman, light and dark, there is a balance between hardcore and dynamic.  Two powerful means that when united are capable of transforming the world.

Spiritual people are often caught up in a “search for truth.”  But in reality, the lie is just as important, if not more so.  The lie, the illusion, the deception - these have been tools all too often used for evil, but they can be used for good as well.  Lies are a powerful agent for personal change.  What is hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds but a calculated self deception?  What is an entertaining magic trick but a deception of the senses?  What is faith in that which we have never experienced or personally known but an illusion?

Finding balance between two poles through unity is the basis of what is currently known as magick and it is really a way to break out of social programming, to overcome the mold we have been cast in and to achieve what we want.  We value this balance, but often set these “positive” activities apart from what they truly are - contemplating and wrestling with the polar opposite of what we label as “good” in the world.  My commitment to the left hand path (and perhaps to libertarian politics) recently caused an intimate friend to call me a “darkworker” - she, of course, was fully in the “light” as she cast judgment upon me.  In reality, we are both on the same spiritual path - which is why we found each other.  We simply have different socio-political and aesthetic sensibilities.  The spiritual path I speak of is to unite the poles within our souls and without in the universe, to embrace the world and commit to the present, despite the light and the dark, the good and the bad, the change and the stasis - to transform ourselves and ultimately transform the world.

The magick tradition has techniques that allow one to do this.  Magick, especially chaos magick, is not really an occult art but a set of methods for profound personal change through the use of symbols.  Interestingly enough, we see magick fused with chaos.  Crowley defined magick as causing “change to occur in conformity of the will,” or to put it simply to control ones personal reality - and this magick is set against chaos, by definition a force over which we have no control.

Returning to the truth vs. illusion metaphor, in many chaos magick rituals, the practitioner creates an illusion of change in the mind, and then represents this illusion in a symbol, or sigil, therefore forcing the illusion out of the mind by creating a tangible  symbol for it.  Thus the intangible becomes the tangible, and ultimately the conscious illusion turned unconscious symbol ultimately manifests as reality.  Is it not alchemy?  To turn iron to gold was simply another metaphor for the profound effects of merging  opposites to manifest the Tao.  Illusions and darkness seem to be everywhere these days, but it is up to us to leverage these powers, to merge our conscious and unconscious, illusions and truth, chaos and control - to create The Tao.  This is the Hardcore Dynamic.

“But what started out as a liberating stream has turned into a deluge of chaos […] It come indiscriminately, directed at no one in particular, disconnected from usefulness; we are glutted with information, drowning in information, have no control over it, don’t know what to do with it.” - Neil Postman (Speech: Informing Ourselves to Death, October 11, 1990)

Watching a news channel with the sound turned off is an exercise in observing the dissonant, repetitious, and yet ever changing visual effects of television. Disconnected from any audio cues, the visuals play like a flickering bulb – a distraction that makes it hard to see things clearly. We see images of people, conflict, disaster; talking heads and hurricanes vying for attention. It gives the impression that the world is in flames, but  information is the fix. Stay tuned.

It is all too easy to become transfixed on television – to become informed without understanding the issues. Many people I know claim to understand the world because they watch the news. They can recite trivia about the Japanese Prime Minister, Britain’s Labor Party, and the United State presidential election. Yet all these things are known in a vacuum. There is neither a contextual scaffold to frame the issues nor is there ever hard analysis about the implications of world events. The news is a cacophonous amalgamation of entertainment, trivia, and the happenings of nations, all occurring all the time, simultaneously. The march of events as seen through the lens of relevance has become an uncoordinated, disorganized gallop, and reporting on events and issues has become a race to disgorge and propagate opinions as well as facts, and often the two have become interchangeable.

The analysis of presidential debates occurs immediately after broadcast, and it seems clear that the talking points were drafted long before the candidates were having their hair done and makeup fixed and practicing in front of a mirror to look the part for the big audition. Becoming someone else is the key to acting. Likewise, critiques of the candidate’s character has become a series of impressions through a splitscreen. Ideas whither after the rhetoric, and we are no longer electing a leader who has a vision, but rather an actor who auditions well for the lead. The news forbids itself for looking too deep, and proclaims understanding and depth for its audience. The commentary of television is a glass ceiling for understanding - at the end of it all, we are still in the fish tank, the outside world obscured by reflections of graphics and stock tickers and news flashes.

How long can this be kept up? How long can attractive news anchors sitting behind desks and staring out with sparkling eyes behind a mask of cosmetics continue to speak the sweet nothings of irrelevance? In doing so, the machine of the news insulates people from the grim realities outside their homes the way a wall keeps a flock of sheep penned in and the wolves out. The wolves are discouraged by the wall, but the sheep are still its’ prisoner. The fear of the wolf deifies the wall as a protector. Such is the credence given to the mass media in the United States. It has become a wall used to align viewpoints of the viewing public – to put the fear of the wolves into the sheep and to keep the wolves at bay through insulation.

We have moved beyond being informed or being misinformed by false information. The television news is no longer about information, it is about worldbuilding; reconstructing a  reality in its own image. An image viewed through bright lights, and talking points, with a new enlightenment coming up after every commercial break. Always after. Do not touch the dial.

Spin me round and round, into your world
Spin me, hold me down, this is my world
Grind me, shake me down, who’s in control?

Seeing your aura but my eyes are clamped shut
Blinded by darkness but the lights are on
Black hole vaccum centered in my eyes

It’s a short little trip to the center of the real world
It’s a short little trip through the jaws of chaos
Dance with the goddess in her field of awe

”[F]or it is a certainty that radical technologies create new definitions of old terms, and that this process takes place without our being fully conscious of it. Thus, it is insidious and dangerous, quite different from the process whereby technologies introduce new terms to the language. […] [T]echnology imperiously commandeers our most important terminology. It redefines “freedom,” “truth,” “intelligence,” “fact,” “wisdom,” “memory,” “history,” – all the words we live by. And it does not pause to tell us. And we do not pause to ask.”

 –Neil Postman, Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology