Though I take the usual precautions to avoid dying, there are times when I feel trapped in my body and would like to get out. Maybe what I’m looking for is a vacation from myself, but I think it’s more than that. I imagine there’s a door hidden deep in my mind, which, if opened, will allow me to enter parallel worlds. It’s a bizarre notion, but I suspect others may share my feeling, otherwise why experiment with psychedelic drugs or meditation?
Dreams are also an avenue of escape. People court lucid dreams to explore some dimension within themselves that they hope will provide enlightenment.
Using a flotation chamber is similar approach. It deprives the body of sensory experiences so that the mind may appear to us more clearly. The practice fell into disfavor during the Aids scare but is now making a comeback. In the fall of this year, a conference for enthusiasts and neophytes alike is scheduled in Portland, Oregon. (“Embracing the Void,” by Seth Stevenson, Slate.com, May 15, 2013 pg 41) Anyone interested might prepare for the event by reading John C. Lilly’s popular books: The Center of the Cyclone, and The Deep Self; Conscious Exploration in the Isolation Tank.
A Buddhist monk spends years training his or her mind to be free of external distractions. Devices like drugs or floatation tanks don’t require that sort of discipline and may, to some, appear artificial. Take away the props and we are our old selves again. Still, these methods may hint at some of the mind’s secrets. I’m not sure I’m adventurous to take drugs or close myself in a dark tank filled with water. I shall have to meditate on that.
(Courtesy of Facebook.com)
