Altered States Research

[Machine Elf]

Hi,

New to this marvellous forum, don't know how I've missed it before now - I'm Belfy and from northwards of Cairns, glad to meet you.

I'm currently researching for a book on 'altered states of consciousness' - from NDE/OBE territory, through to Magick/Wicca, Shamanism and Entheogens. For the latter, I've got plenty of information on the theory side (publications from Wasson and Schultes through to modern papers). What I *am* lacking is more practical experience.

Be happy to hear from others who could inform me more about cultivation and legal details for entheogens in Australia, and what the options are for more 'practical' research (doesn't matter whether cacti, fungi etc). I certainly wouldn't *dream* of going against our most unrepressive laws here in Australia..there's so many more better things to dream about.

Anyhow, would like to hear from anyone who can Supply me with more details - on the forum or off. Hope to be a regular here if you don't mind too much ('cause, to paraphrase Jimi - "Have you ever been experienced...well I haven't much").

;O)

[Papa Somnia]

Hi !

It's nice to get new blood here. Weell, I myself preferred the old style better, but this also suits fine.

Fascinating, it's midnight and also day after where you write from...up here is 16:59 pm. and the day is 28 th. I don't usually tell this to anyone, but now when I looked at your information, I had this noticed.

Im Papa the sleepy, as you can see, and Im from a distant dark cold land called Finlandia.

Do you know Finlandia Vodka ? Better than russian such..

That (book name) sounds familiar. Try "Products" and then "Objects". There you will find some interesting books. I looked a while ago, to have a profound answer to your shy inquiry I did not find it, but Im sure you'l find it that's for sure. I was some years ago looking a book about lasers. I think you know how hard it was to find out the ISBN code. I really think you do.

I too have more theory information than practical, mostly because of my country's remote location and long distances to prosperous places. Like this SAB. It was like finding a treasure when I accidentally collided with this site A happy collition.

I've done a thesis on Kava, Piper Methysticum. Ever herd aboout it ? Most of the parts are ready to combine to a HTML document. It would be readable in somewhere here I suppose. But that is up to our moderator. He is very busy, so I quess we'll have to waite for the release of that document for some time. Also my computer's HDD crashed down, just as I got finished another book on herbs.

Many cake prettyer from surface

(Moni kakku päältä kaunis -we say it here, I hope my translation makes some sence)

Don't worry my friend. It's not so easy to get locked up just because of one's thoughts these days. But I must admit, you have the right attitude.

Im afraid others can be more helpfull to you as most of them are more experienced than I am, and because the melt down of my HDD. But here is a nice link where you can find the book (in finnish) that I had translated with hard work. Just to loose it in second

http://apoteekki.org/kirjasto/soma.html

That is an awesome book.

Papa

[nabraxas]

hi geezer- hope you have fun. i guess you've already heard ov this guy, but dr. john lilly is the guy who wrote the book on which the film "altered states" is based. he 'invented' the isolation tank & used it w/ketamine to explore mind. check this link out

http://www.disinfo.com/pages/dossier/id68/pg1/

[Machine Elf]

Hi Nabraxas,

Thanks for the welcome. Yes, I've read plenty about John Lilly, one of the pioneers (this time around at least) in the ASC field. He has a book, "The Eye of the Cyclone" which is quite interesting.

Been searching around the forum, because a gnome I gnow would like to do some study on Cube spores with his microscope - do you know how one goes about doing this sort of research (and if the headmaster doesn't like that sort of thing happening)? Cheers.

;O)

[nabraxas]

pretty sure the head wont mind

try doing a search ov the mycology forum

i think spores are peeriodically available from the on-line seed catalogues on the main page.

[nabraxas]

http://www.erowid.org/entheogens/writings/..._writing1.shtml

check this link out for a more contemporary view.

[Machine Elf]

Thanks for the link Nabraxas - that's the sort of stuff I'm involved with...it was a good read.

On the spores: is the AFSR running? This gnome I gnow doesn't have anything to trade, but is willing to purchase spores because he's so keen to study them...

[RonnySimulacrum]

There are many of us working on interesting projects in this area, good to see. Some people doing very privet work others of us trying to get more text out there for people to see. I think we all hope that more people will take what we do more seriously and will stop thinking of these substances as DRUGS. Good luck with your work, hope it will be readily available.

[Machine Elf]

Hi Ronny,

Thanks for the message. What area are you working in? I've been researching ASC's for a few years now, and I'm surprised there isn't more public interest (guess that's due to the authorities). Humans have been using techniques (entheogens, ritual, trance etc) of exploring other states of mind (some might say other realities) for thousands of years...and now nearly all varieties of this experience are considered pathological and illegal.

The so-called 'rational' mind is winning, god help us all. Choking our intuition and creative mind.

(

[RonnySimulacrum]

I am doing very different kind of work to what you sited. I am trying to nut out in a doco why people how use substances like Psilocybin are considered oppositional. What ideas and concepts hold cultural meaning for these people? As well as all the other stuff like what mushrooms they are taking, how many and in what contexts and the LAW :mad: . Also we are very interested in exploring the connections between art and psychedelics, we are looking for works by local artists and musicians to help get there art out there and ad a visual fleer to the doco :D . This is all being done with a particular focuses on Vic/OZ. We have been working for about a year on the project and will be starting editing any time now. But we are still doing interviews and collecting art works till the end of mushroom season in Vic. If you are interested in finding out more you can look under the Mycology section on this site, and then click on ‘Australian Mushroom Doco’ or some more info at www.ethnobotany-australia.net/phpBB2/ under simular prompts. We have a web sit coming soon, but the lovely gent has gone awol of late.

All the best with your book, I look forward to seeing it in print.

Kind regards

Jonathan

[Rev]

As the co-ordinator for the AFSR - which by the way is not runng at the moment tho' there will be a permanent PO box address to contact us via by early next week

Im sure i could help you on the cultivation side of things as i do plenty of searching myself and i get letters coming in with seed telling me of peolples discoveries and experiences

I can certainly tell you about what grow in the west , and give some historical details on how long theyve been there

WA has some interesting paragraphs on Phalaris, Catha, Pachycereus and Trichocereus to be written.

as well as the shennanigans that go on in balingup

Theres also issues surrounding Poppy seed imports worth covering as well as some info on the existence of escaped populations of P somniferum and P setigerum on the east coast

[Andrew]

Hi Rev

I,ll send you the p.setigerum seeds

as soon as you have an address to send

to.(afsr not operating right now.)

[Machine Elf]

Your documentary sounds cool Jonathon - what sort of gear are you using? I'm assembling bits and pieces so that eventually I can muck around with documentary production...low budget though, just DV and computer editing.

[RonnySimulacrum]

We use MINI DV/DVCAM camcorder. That produce true 16:9 on 4:3 ratio CCDs. WE use the Sony PD100/150 3CCD MINI DV with a 16:9 Anamorphic adapter converter lens. Minumum broadcast.

Then just edit at home on the comp-premere 6.

What doco stuff you got in mind?

God only knows how the mushroom doco will come out, it is a hard topic to work on. It is going to be a mother of a task to edit.

[ 01. February 2003, 16:23: Message edited by: RonnySimulacrum ]

[Machine Elf]

Hi Jonathon,

Do you use a separate mic, or just the built-in on the DV? At the moment I've just got a JVC DV, and I have Premiere on the computer.

I just like documentaries, doesn't matter what topic really...enjoy exploring topics through sound and vision.

[RonnySimulacrum]

Belfegor

Maybe we should re-name this topic to;

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES IN DOCUMENTARY FILM MAKING----ha-ha

We tend to use a shotgun mic on the top of the camera and a mini disc recorder. You need both-for insurance. There have been times where one will fail and hopefully one will paravaile. They both have there advantages. Also when we have enough help we may use booms and that kind of thing, but this is very rear. It is hard to find unpaid help in this field.

It is very odd, because I have never been the hugest documentary fan, I do enjoy them but tend not to seek them out that often. I studied a course at uni about alternative documentaries and that is when I got a bit more interested. However the last film I worked on which showed at the Melbourne fringe festival for two was a short documentary too, Odd.

I am trying to do more research in the area, especially when it comes to editing documentaries about Drugs/sacraments. So I am trying to get my hands on good doco’s in this area. If you have any suggestions let me know.

Sound and Vision---------------have you seen ‘MAN WITH A MOVE CAMARA’?