This is an unofficial archive of PsychonautWiki as of 2025-08-11T15:14:44Z. Content on this page may be outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate. Please refer to the original page for the most up-to-date information.
Unity and interconnectedness: Difference between revisions
>PJosepherum mNo edit summary |
>Josikins No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
<onlyinclude> | __NOTOC__ <onlyinclude> | ||
[[File:Tumblr_inline_mmi698051Y1qz4rgp.gif|thumb|right|upright|238px| This symbol depicts the universe as a "self-excited" circuit. It was originally created by the late theoretical physicist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Archibald_Wheeler John Archibald Wheeler] in his 1983 paper [http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/wheeler_law_without_law.pdf law withoutlaw]. The eye represents the self and the line directly opposite represents that which it is perceiving within the "external" environment. The two sections are connected into each other via arrows to demonstrate that it is a singular and unified system.]] | [[File:Tumblr_inline_mmi698051Y1qz4rgp.gif|thumb|right|upright|238px| This symbol depicts the universe as a "self-excited" circuit. It was originally created by the late theoretical physicist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Archibald_Wheeler John Archibald Wheeler] in his 1983 paper [http://what-buddha-said.net/library/pdfs/wheeler_law_without_law.pdf law withoutlaw]. The eye represents the self and the line directly opposite represents that which it is perceiving within the "external" environment. The two sections are connected into each other via arrows to demonstrate that it is a singular and unified system.]]'''States of unity and interconnectedness''' can be described as an alteration in the cognitive rules which define both what one's sense of self or identity is attributed to and what it is felt as separate from. For example, most people feel that the self is inherently separate from their external environment and could not possibly extend into it. On top of this, many people feel that the self is specifically limited to not even the physical body as a whole, but exclusively a person’s internal narrative or thought stream and the image of their own personality as built up through social interactions with other people. | ||
'''States of unity and interconnectedness''' can be described as an alteration in the | |||
When experienced, this subjective effect alters directly changes that which one's self is currently attributed to so that it becomes capable of including systems which were previously perceived as seperate to one's identity or being. The experience of this alteration results in feelings of intense and inextricable unity or interconnectedness between oneself and specific or multiple external systems. | |||
Many people who undergo this experience consistently interpret it as the removal of a deeply embedded illusion, the destruction of which is often described as some sort of profound “awakening” or “enlightenment”. | Many people who undergo this experience consistently interpret it as the removal of a deeply embedded illusion, the destruction of which is often described as some sort of profound “awakening” or “enlightenment”. Depending on the degree to which this supposed illusion has been lifted, it can lead onto five possible levels of differing intensity and degrees of interconnectedness. | ||
These are listed and described below: | |||
====Unity between specific external systems==== | ====1. Unity between specific external systems==== | ||
The lowest and least complex level can be referred to as a state of “''unity between specific external systems''”. This is the only level of intensity in which the subjective experience of unity does not involve a state of interconnectedness between the self and the external. Instead, it can be described as a perceived sense of unity between two or more systems within the external environment which in every day life, are usually perceived as separate from both the self and each other. | The lowest and least complex level can be referred to as a state of “''unity between specific external systems''”. This is the only level of intensity in which the subjective experience of unity does not involve a state of interconnectedness between the self and the external. Instead, it can be described as a perceived sense of unity between two or more systems within the external environment which in every day life, are usually perceived as separate from both the self and each other. | ||
| Line 20: | Line 19: | ||
*A sense of unity between literally any combination of perceivable external systems and concepts. | *A sense of unity between literally any combination of perceivable external systems and concepts. | ||
====Unity between the self and specific external systems==== | ====2. Unity between the self and specific external systems==== | ||
The second of these two levels can be referred to as a state of “''unity between the self and specific external systems''”. It can be defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s sense of self and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently comprising their central point of cognitive focus. | The second of these two levels can be referred to as a state of “''unity between the self and specific external systems''”. It can be defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s sense of self and the specific physical systems or concepts within the perceivable external environment which are currently comprising their central point of cognitive focus. | ||
| Line 33: | Line 32: | ||
This creates a sensation which is often described by people as the experience of becoming inextricably connected to, one with, the same as, or unified with whatever the perceived external system happens to be. | This creates a sensation which is often described by people as the experience of becoming inextricably connected to, one with, the same as, or unified with whatever the perceived external system happens to be. | ||
====Unity between the self and all perceivable external systems==== | ====3. Unity between the self and all perceivable external systems==== | ||
The third of these five differing levels of intensity can be referred to as "''a state of unity between the self and all perceivable external systems''". It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s sense of self and the entirety of the currently perceivable external environment. The experience as a whole is generally described by people as “becoming one with my surroundings”. | The third of these five differing levels of intensity can be referred to as "''a state of unity between the self and all perceivable external systems''". It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person’s sense of self and the entirety of the currently perceivable external environment. The experience as a whole is generally described by people as “becoming one with my surroundings”. | ||
| Line 41: | Line 40: | ||
It's at this level that a key component of the unity experience becomes an extremely noticeable factor. Once a person's sense of self has become attributed to the entirety of their surroundings, this new perspective completely changes how it feels to physically interact with what was previously felt to be an external environment. For example, when physically interacting with an object in everyday life it feels very simply that you are a central agent organizing the world around itself. However, whilst undergoing a state of unity with the currently perceivable environment, interacting with an external object consistently feel as if the system as a whole is autonomously organizing itself and that you are no longer a central agent operating the process of interaction. Instead the process suddenly feels as if it has become completely decentralized and mutual across itself as the environment begins to autonomously, mechanically and harmoniously respond to itself to perform the predetermined function of the particular interaction. | It's at this level that a key component of the unity experience becomes an extremely noticeable factor. Once a person's sense of self has become attributed to the entirety of their surroundings, this new perspective completely changes how it feels to physically interact with what was previously felt to be an external environment. For example, when physically interacting with an object in everyday life it feels very simply that you are a central agent organizing the world around itself. However, whilst undergoing a state of unity with the currently perceivable environment, interacting with an external object consistently feel as if the system as a whole is autonomously organizing itself and that you are no longer a central agent operating the process of interaction. Instead the process suddenly feels as if it has become completely decentralized and mutual across itself as the environment begins to autonomously, mechanically and harmoniously respond to itself to perform the predetermined function of the particular interaction. | ||
====Unity between the self and all presently occurring external systems==== | ====4. Unity between the self and all presently occurring external systems==== | ||
The fourth of these five differing levels of intensity can be referred to as a "''state of unity between the self and all presently occurring external systems''". It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person's sense of self, the perceivable external environment, and all which they know to currently exist outside of this through their internally stored model of reality. This feels as if one's sense of self has become attributed to not just the external environment but all of humanity, nature, and the universe as it presently stands in its complete entirety. The experience of this is commonly interpreted by people as “''becoming one with the universe''”. | The fourth of these five differing levels of intensity can be referred to as a "''state of unity between the self and all presently occurring external systems''". It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person's sense of self, the perceivable external environment, and all which they know to currently exist outside of this through their internally stored model of reality. This feels as if one's sense of self has become attributed to not just the external environment but all of humanity, nature, and the universe as it presently stands in its complete entirety. The experience of this is commonly interpreted by people as “''becoming one with the universe''”. | ||
When experienced, this effect creates the sudden perspective that one is quite literally the entire universe experiencing itself, exploring itself, and performing actions onto itself through the very specific point of space and time which this body and conscious perception happens to currently reside in. When experienced, this feeling is often immediately understood to be an innate and undeniable truth by those who undergoes it. | When experienced, this effect creates the sudden perspective that one is quite literally the entire universe experiencing itself, exploring itself, and performing actions onto itself through the very specific point of space and time which this body and conscious perception happens to currently reside in. When experienced, this feeling is often immediately understood to be an innate and undeniable truth by those who undergoes it. | ||
====Unity between the self and all external systems==== | ====5. Unity between the self and all external systems==== | ||
The fifth and most profound of these five differing levels of intensity can be referred to as a "''state of unity between the self and the creation of all external systems''". It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person's sense of self and all external systems of behaviour. This includes not just the systems as they currently stand within the present moment but at each known point of their existence throughout all time lines past, present, and future as dictated by the person's internally stored model of reality. | The fifth and most profound of these five differing levels of intensity can be referred to as a "''state of unity between the self and the creation of all external systems''". It is defined as the experience of a loss of perceived boundaries between a person's sense of self and all external systems of behaviour. This includes not just the systems as they currently stand within the present moment but at each known point of their existence throughout all time lines past, present, and future as dictated by the person's internally stored model of reality. | ||
| Line 57: | Line 56: | ||
*The religious or spiritual realization that the person's preconceived notions behind their concept of “god” or “god-hood” can now be felt through a forced change in perspective as identical to the nature of existence and to one's true self. This realization is generally reached through the subconscious conclusion that the usually differing concepts of god-hood, existence and self are now identically defined as that which is the all-knowing, all-encompassing, all-powerful creator, and sustainer of this existence. | *The religious or spiritual realization that the person's preconceived notions behind their concept of “god” or “god-hood” can now be felt through a forced change in perspective as identical to the nature of existence and to one's true self. This realization is generally reached through the subconscious conclusion that the usually differing concepts of god-hood, existence and self are now identically defined as that which is the all-knowing, all-encompassing, all-powerful creator, and sustainer of this existence. | ||
==Analysis== | |||
===Examples of unity throughout history and culture=== | ===Examples of unity throughout history and culture=== | ||
If one performs research into similar states or ideas of unity and how it relates to the supposedly illusory nature of our current concept of one's self, it quickly becomes evident that others have been reaching consistent conclusions throughout many points within humanity's historical and modern literature. These similar or even identical accounts can be found across a surprisingly large variety of religious, philosophical, and psychological sources. These have been collected and listed as a set of documented examples below: | If one performs research into similar states or ideas of unity and how it relates to the supposedly illusory nature of our current concept of one's self, it quickly becomes evident that others have been reaching consistent conclusions throughout many points within humanity's historical and modern literature. These similar or even identical accounts can be found across a surprisingly large variety of religious, philosophical, and psychological sources. These have been collected and listed as a set of documented examples below: | ||
| Line 90: | Line 90: | ||
Although such accounts do not necessarily support the validity of the metaphysical realizations found within these states, they still provide a wealth of evidence regarding the legitimate existence of this experience as a real and physical neurological process that is worthy of formal study and recognition. | Although such accounts do not necessarily support the validity of the metaphysical realizations found within these states, they still provide a wealth of evidence regarding the legitimate existence of this experience as a real and physical neurological process that is worthy of formal study and recognition. | ||
=== | ===Speculation=== | ||
Although [[PsychonautWiki|PW]] is not asserting inherent truth behind any particular metaphysical idea, it's worth noting that claims which the universe by its very definition is comprised of a single unified substance of which we are all a part of is a very basic and logically coherent point of view. This can be argued based on the reasoning that at every level of any system of behaviours complexity, it is inextricably woven into its surrounding systems ad infinitum through mutual interdependent interactions which cannot be defined separately from each other on any basis beyond our subjective experiences of perceivable visual differences. This is an idea which holds true throughout all aspects of physical existence and logically indicates that no individual system or concept such as the self or any other can ever truly be considered as separate from the singular whole. | Although [[PsychonautWiki|PW]] is not asserting inherent truth behind any particular metaphysical idea, it's worth noting that claims which the universe by its very definition is comprised of a single unified substance of which we are all a part of is a very basic and logically coherent point of view. This can be argued based on the reasoning that at every level of any system of behaviours complexity, it is inextricably woven into its surrounding systems ad infinitum through mutual interdependent interactions which cannot be defined separately from each other on any basis beyond our subjective experiences of perceivable visual differences. This is an idea which holds true throughout all aspects of physical existence and logically indicates that no individual system or concept such as the self or any other can ever truly be considered as separate from the singular whole. | ||