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Antero Alli alerts us to an interesting new DVD, which encapsulates a talk he delivered at last year's EsoZone conference on the subject of the 8 circuit model of consciousness. The venerable (if highly allegorical) model was first posited by Timothy Leary, later developed by Robert Anton Wilson, and with perhaps less fanfare, saw even greater evolution under Alli's more practical, paratheatrical approach. Indeed, although I cut my teeth as a psychonaut with RAW's texts at the ready, I wasn't exposed to Alli's Angel Tech until later in my early adulthood, and the practicality of Alli's approach is hard to underestimate.
My love/hate relationship with the 8 circuit model remains a blazing part of my psyche, but I always perk up when Antero points out a new project of his; this was no exception. I checked out one of the YouTube excerpts from this DVD with typical cynicism, only to be drawn in by his understated yet quietly authoritative exploration of the model. Here's a clip, which mostly compares 4th circuit dynamics to the promise of 8th circuit rewards:
If this type of thing is your bag, be sure to check out the DVD.
Of course, I can hardly revisit this topic without wandering all the way back to my earliest years as a head (when I was 20 years old, I believe), when I wrote an essay directly comparing each circuit in the 8th circuit model to a character on Gilligan's Island. This, of course, is not Antero's fault; I didn't read Angel Tech until many years later...
"Don't trust everything you read on Amazon or anywhere else, I guess. I've met & hung with Antero; I met RAW at a conference once; they are definitely different people.""
Cool. What about Christopher Hyatt? From what I can tell he and RAW were separate entities (insofar as any of us are), but persistent rumors exist that they were the same person. Any insight into this one?
Evan. : 2009-02-02 00:52:12
Yo! JamesK/... You expressed that really concisely. Have you discussed matters such as circuits and philosophy elsewhere online?
Scotto : 2009-02-01 00:51:24
Don't trust everything you read on Amazon or anywhere else, I guess. I've met & hung with Antero; I met">[link] RAW at a conference once; they are definitely different people.
dreamdust. : 2009-01-31 23:50:32
Also, according to my research and comments posted on Amazon.com, Antero Alli is a pen-name for Robert Anton Wilson.
dreamdust. : 2009-01-31 23:49:45
The map is not the territory. The menu is not the meal. Individual mileage may vary.
Emu. : 2009-01-31 21:06:12
Oh 'no.'s that was a burn if I've ever seen one. Jesus. :P
no. : 2009-01-31 19:25:54
Its only a model.
It creates context for people to think about thinks they may not always consider, its today's version of the 7 virtues and sins rolled into one.
This ordered introspection will be useful for most anyone who is drawn to it, but essentially it is auto-hypnotic programming which quite easily finds itself at wank peddling conventions along with other so-called fringe material.
jamesk : 2009-01-30 20:38:37
I have my own take on the 8 circuit model in that these levels do not apply to neural circuits but to the quantum levels of complexity of matter in our universe. The levels go unity, electromagnetic, quantum, molecular, organic, neural, engineered, atemporal/hyperdimensional. The order of complexity starts at singularity (0) and tops at anything above lightspeed (8). We are level 5 beings (organic) using level 6 networks (neural) to manipulate level 7 technology (engineered). Using our neural networks we can conceive of complexity at any one of these orders of magnitude, thus allowing 8 quanta or "circuits" of consciousness.
Educated by Leary. : 2009-01-30 16:17:31
I cut my teeth on Leary 100%, and my books were full of highlights and notes, and I too went on to develop my own model of the 8 circuits that can be related to the planetary collective conscious, and how we can use the model to have a map for solving our current and future dilemmas.
The 8 circuit model is my favorite! I can't wait to check out this guys take on it. In my opinion Leary was ahead of his time and himself, so I think in the process he didn't necessarily explain the 8 circuit model very well in his book-it really really takes a lot of effort to interpret for yourself.
guest : 2009-01-30 07:14:49
gilligan's fucking island! heh!
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The 8 circuit model is my favorite! I can't wait to check out this guys take on it. In my opinion Leary was ahead of his time and himself, so I think in the process he didn't necessarily explain the 8 circuit model very well in his book-it really really takes a lot of effort to interpret for yourself.
The comments posted here do not reflect the views of the owners of this site.