To: alt.zen
From: "!" (tyagI@houseofkaos.Abyss.coM)
Subject: Re: ACID (acidzen.!)
Date: 49940901

|Perhaps one should consider this, if say, on is accustomed to drinking,
|say, a case of Schlitz a day, one pops a tab of 'cid, and proclaims,
|"no big woop".  One should consider the degree one's consciousness
|is ALREADY being altered...

this is what I've been studying - what is it about 'being moved to another
state of consciousness' (i.e. through ally/chem tool/food) that is so
pleasurable?  'getting there' is no big thrill, especially when one does
this on a continual basis.  'going there', however, especially when the
experience is from a base-line sobriety to a rocket-launching meteor, is
very pleasurable (though this pleasure does not last and is different
than 'Nirvana').

sitting meditation is a gradual means of entering silence.  part of the
important difference between sitting meditation and psychoactive substances
is the 'impression' and where the impression is left.  with psychoactives
the immediate impression is left upon a deeper level of consciousness, and 
this does not necessarily mean that one will be able to get back to that 
program when one wishes to access it.  

sitting meditation, however, allows the program of silence to penetrate the 
surface mind (since we must quiet this in order to engage the practice at 
all) but also the deep mind, if one sits long and firmly enough, past the 
levels of boredom, past the demons of emotion, past the disorientation of 
random thought-generation, past the bodily sensations, etc., etc.

there is entirely too much emphasis placed upon the sitting part of the
sitting meditation for most Westerners to approach without anxiety.  the
practice of 'mindfulness', which must be bolstered by at least initial
experience with sitting meditation, can be integrated into everyday life
with very profound results.

try integrating psychoactives into everyday life and see where this gets
you.  my guess is that it will mostly lead to a dissonance and dependence.
the tools are valuable, but not for arriving.