Memory suppression: Difference between revisions

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At level 4, the most profound aspect of all-encompassing long-term memory suppression is the way in which it obliterates one's ability to recall or even feel a general sense of their own name, identity, me-ness or selfhood. The experience of this is colloquially known as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death ego death]. Rhetoric around "ego death" suggests that people are capable of "experiencing" ego death, as though it were possible to experience raw sensory input without any concept of self or reference point. Since experiences must be experienced by a subject, it is not possible to experience anything without subjectivity (i.e. without a concept of one's self).

"Ego death" often refers to such a radical change in one's concept of self that their old self has "died," in a sense. For example, on high doses of dissociative drugs, users have described losing all familiar subjective reference points, such as forgetting their name, when they were born or even their species.

"Ego death" often refers to such a radical change in one's concept of self that their old self has "died" in a metaphorical sense. For example, on high doses of dissociative drugs, users have described losing all familiar subjective reference points, such as forgetting their name, when they were born or even their species.

~~However, it~~ is not possible to experience complete ego loss because it is ~~not possible to have experiences without any subjectivity~~ (experiences have to happen to something - experiences don't float around waiting to be collected as though they are things in an of themselves). It is possible to have experiences through a radically altered, minimal concept of self but the idea of being able to experience without subjectivity is a contradiction and thus impossible.

It is not possible to experience complete ego loss because the ego is a functional necessity of experience (experiences have to happen to something - experiences don't float around waiting to be collected as though they are things in an of themselves). It is possible to have experiences through a radically altered, minimal concept of self but the idea of being able to experience without subjectivity is a contradiction and thus impossible.

Merkur clarifies:

On p.225 Merkur (2014) clarifies:

"Accurately described, the mystical state involves a disappearance not of the ego, but rather of the self-representation, the idea of oneself. The ego, defined as the capacity to sense, perceive and to think, continues to function as the seath of experience, even when what is experienced is cosmic."<ref>Merkur, D (2014). The Formation of Hippie Spirituality: 1. Union with God. in Ellens, JH (ed). Seeking The Sacred With Psychoactive Substances (Volume I). Praeger, Santa Barbara: 2014.</ref> </onlyinclude>

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 At level 4, the most profound aspect of all-encompassing long-term memory suppression is the way in which it obliterates one's ability to recall or even feel a general sense of their own name, identity, me-ness or selfhood. The experience of this is colloquially known as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death ego death]. Rhetoric around "ego death" suggests that people are capable of "experiencing" ego death, as though it were possible to experience raw sensory input without any concept of self or reference point.  Since experiences must be experienced by a subject, it is not possible to experience anything without subjectivity (i.e. without a concept of one's self).
-"Ego death" often refers to such a radical change in one's concept of self that their old self has "died," in a sense.  For example, on high doses of dissociative drugs, users have described losing all familiar subjective reference points, such as forgetting their name, when they were born or even their species.
+"Ego death" often refers to such a radical change in one's concept of self that their old self has "died" in a metaphorical sense.  For example, on high doses of dissociative drugs, users have described losing all familiar subjective reference points, such as forgetting their name, when they were born or even their species.
-However, it is not possible to experience complete ego loss because it is not possible to have experiences without any subjectivity (experiences have to happen <i>to</i> something - experiences don't float around waiting to be collected as though they are things in an of themselves).  It is possible to have experiences through a radically altered, minimal concept of self but the idea of being able to experience without subjectivity is a contradiction and thus impossible.
+It is not possible to experience complete ego loss because the ego is a functional necessity of experience (experiences have to happen <i>to</i> something - experiences don't float around waiting to be collected as though they are things in an of themselves).  It is possible to have experiences through a radically altered, minimal concept of self but the idea of being able to experience without subjectivity is a contradiction and thus impossible.
-Merkur clarifies:
+On p.225 Merkur (2014) clarifies:
 "Accurately described, the mystical state involves a disappearance not of the <i>ego</i>, but rather of the <i>self-representation</i>, the idea of oneself.  The <i>ego</i>, defined as the capacity to sense, perceive and to think, continues to function as the seath of experience, even when what is experienced is cosmic."<ref>Merkur, D (2014). <u>The Formation of Hippie Spirituality: 1. Union with God</u>. in Ellens, JH (ed). <u>Seeking The Sacred With Psychoactive Substances</u> (Volume I).  Praeger, Santa Barbara: 2014.</ref> </onlyinclude>