If we dissect the collective consciousness we will find a collection of many single consciousnesses. Each single consciousness can be further dissected into many single thoughts. It is known that thoughts can be measured in terms of their energetic frequency. This shows that the makeup of the collective consciousness is a collection of energies emanating from every thought of each individual consciousness.
A macro view of the current level of our collective consciousness shows a great disharmony with life. Emanations of greed and selfishness push out the awareness of compassion necessary to treat all life well and avert annihilation.
To change the collective consciousness we must first understand that we are each a microcosm in the macrocosm and then decide to change our own thoughts. Dr. John Lilly said, “What is believed to be true is true or becomes true….. of the mind there are no limits.” [1] As we change our thoughts it has a subtle effect on those with whom we come into contact and when enough people start thinking a certain way all of a sudden those micro-consciousnesses pass through a type of cosmic membrane in a process of energetic osmosis and the whole collective consciousness changes. This is the philosophy behind The Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon. When enough individuals of one specie start to think or act a certain way there is a sudden shift and their whole collective consciousness changes at once.
Until recent time in our evolution the change in consciousness has been primarily one individual at a time. The question we now face is how can we accelerate change in these critical times. Is there another method to accomplish this necessary increase of consciousness in a timely and effective manner?
Human beings are subject to entropy. We are dissapative beings that take in and let out energy. We are also conscious beings able to develop our awareness and exercise willful intention through thought. Applying this energetic intention in a pure, positively focused manner is what I shall call Energetic Thought Capacity, or ETC. It is the volume button of our thought transmissions.
This conscious direction of willful intention has a long history. It is documented in both hermetic and magic literatures. It is what Aliester Crowley (the so called “evil genius”) synthesized in his book, Magick in Theory and Practice:
“Magick is the science and art of causing Change to occur in conformity with the Will. Any required Change may be effected by the application of the proper kind and degree of Force in the proper manner through the proper medium to the proper object. Every intentional act is a Magical act.” [2]
A perfect example of this is the skilled martial artist who has learned to direct all conscious force with pure intent and focus into one single point to break one or many bricks. This feat appears impossible for most people or may even appear as magic.
The terms of Force and magic that I will use are specifically related to the pure, positive thoughts of unconditional love. I say unconditional love because I believe unconditional love to be the positive manifestation of energetic eminence and that it is the degree of this thought force that makes the magic more or less powerful and effective. Meditation, ritual magic, and energetic healing are a few of the practices and techniques that employ ETC. However, these modalities require years of discipline and learning before they can be used effectively by individuals to uplift the collective consciousness. As worthy as these practices are, will they alone be effective enough to implement the dramatic changes necessary in this critical moment of global time? We may need to turn to other options and methods. Most of the other methods that I am aware of, with the exception of entheogens, are not as powerful as some of the advanced meditation, healing or “magickal” techniques but still increase the ETC on some level. I will talk about this for a moment before I get into the discussion on using the entheogens to increase the ETC.
To utilize ETC to our maximum potential we must first learn to recognize and modulate the full range of ETC frequencies. There are many ways to do this, to stimulate and turn up the volume. In Michael Hutchison’s book, The Mega Brain, he states:
“… the studies of Rosenzweig, Diamond, and their colleges are staggering. Those studies clearly indicate that environmental enrichment, that is stimulation, or sensory experience, leads to enlargement and other structural changes in the cortex. Since the cortex is the seat of intelligence, then it makes sense to conclude that environmental enrichment, stimulation, or sensory experience leads to increased intelligence.” [3]
Some of the more obvious and profound methods for stimulating and enriching our sensory experience are through extreme physical exertions such as jogging, rock climbing, dance, yoga asanas, parachuting, and skiing. Travel to new and foreign places is another way to awaken our senses. These are all what I would class as extrasensory extreme experiences. These methods do activate ETC and do have the potential to turn up the volume enough to maximize pure, positive energetic focus that can be utilized to cause change.
Another way to increase ETC is through sensory stimulation or deprivation. Limiting or stimulating the senses can confuse the normal neural reflex response of the brain.Techniques such as photic drive, cranial electro-stimulation, electro-magnetism, Hemi-sync and sensory deprivation tanks are some of the methods for doing this. With pure, focused intent the effects of such practices can also lift collective consciousness. However, as good and as reliable as all of the above modalities are, I do not think they are sufficient in themselves to meet the demands now before us.
This is why I believe that one of the most post powerful amplifiers of ETC is the ancient and accessible entheogenics. Not only do I agree with Terence McKenna and other researchers in this field that entheogens, especially the Tryptamine related psychotropics, may act as evolutionary agents but I also think they can increase ETC to levels comparable with any and all of the most advanced established practices of meditation, ritual magic, and psychic healing. For this reason I believe they were put here on this planet by The Source to be utilized as one of the primary mediums or catalysts to help us achieve a higher state of awareness and understanding of compassion and magical manifestations.
All shamanic methods are methods of magic. Some shamans use psychotropic plants to access realms where it is possible to perform tasks that are otherwise impossible. They use these plants to empower themselves. They then focus this power with pure intent into the object they want to change. When done with unconditional love, with the intent to help or heal, the results can be profound. I believe this is because the ETC is increased to a higher level under the influence of entheogens, especially the Tryptamine psychotropics. It is for this reason the Tryptamine psychotropics and their entheogenic indole related cousins can be utilized to effect the vibrational resonance of the collective consciousness. The methods for using these medicines require some learning and procedure but not as much or many as more involved techniques such as meditation and ritual magic.
The arbitrary and recreational use of many of these medicinal plants is already widespread. And since the techniques of shamanic application of entheogenics are not that complicated, I see a great potential for imparting the guidelines needed to turn casual exploration into a more empowered and constructive level for the collective consciousness. People can be taught to apply these medicines in ways that help evolve a higher vibrational level.
Most people who use entheogens have never been given any guidelines or instruction, and for this reason have little or no idea how to apply them towards positive change. Most people use entheogenics in a frivolous unprescribed manner. Random procedure in the form of recreation and self gratification not only leaves open the possibility of unpredictable experience but can also be a dangerous waste of precious energy .With guidelines and instruction these powerful tools can be prescribed as a medium for effecting a positive change in the collective consciousness. This is what I feel needs to be done and may be one of our only hopes of attaining a rapid evolution of consciousness before it is too late.
The most important aspect in the use of etheogenics as a powerful magical tool is the intent of the persons using them. With all the current and potential users of these substances it makes for a very powerful force of consciousness if and when the intent of these individuals was focused on positive change through unconditional love. It is the combined application of all these techniques that increase our thought capacities that I feel will be the catalyst for the evolution of the human specie to a higher consciousness.
It is up to us as individuals to be a part of the evolution of the consciousness of the human race. If you are an aware individual you will recognize the peril of the situation in general consciousness as it stands right now. If you are an intelligent aware individual then your energy is needed at this crucial point in history to help make positive change happen faster. If you are an intelligent and aware enough individual you will realize that you have the potential to not only help make change happen but that you have the ability to increase your Energetic Thought Capacity and contribute to that change in a much more powerful way.
Entheogenics have the power to implement an immediate increase in our capacity as individuals to beneficially effect the delicate balance of the collective consciousness by increasing our ETC almost immediately. If used in the proper manner I’m convinced that they are the most powerful method available to the average person at this time.
To summarize the most important points of this presentation I would like to close by saying that taking a shamanic journey on Tryptamine psychotropics such as ayahuasca, Psilocybe or other forms of Dimethyltryptamine might be the fastest most powerful and profound way to accomplish the conscious rise of ETC within each individual and throughout the world. This is because I feel by using these methods and techniques our energy becomes much more omnipotent. If we utilize those moments of omnipotentcy for constructive change we will have the capacity to help better ourselves, help better others, and help better the world all through the rise of our own levels of consciousness. As we increase the energy of our thoughts as distinct individuals we become micro-projections of the same omnipotent consciousness of the macrocosmic whole. If this is our intent when using entheogenics or any of the other techniques and methods then we can call ourselves White Magicians. If we remain complacent or direct our energy in frivolous and self gratifying ways then we start to fall into the yellow, gray, or black magic areas. It’s up to us as individuals at any given moment to decide where we direct our energy. Will we use the magic powers of entheogenics for self gratification or will we use them for self healing? Will we use them for frivolous means or will we use them to promptly take action in a needed situation? It is very important that we remain aware of our intent if we are going to use these medicines. They are extremely powerful mediums in causing change. This is why I feel they were put here and now is the time to utilize that power for the benefit of all the life on this planet.
2003 Kenneth Berman
[1] John Lilly, M.D. and John Cunningham Lilly, “Preface,” The Center Of The Cyclone: An Autobiography of Inner Space, (New York: Random House, 1985).
[2] Aliester Crowley, Magick In Theory And Practice, (New York: Dover Publications, 1976), 12-13.
[3] Michael Hutchison, Mega Brain, (New York: Ballantine, 1986), 31.