John Lilly: psychedelic scientist

John Lilly: psychedelic scientist: In the province of the mind what one believes to be true, either is true or becomes true within certain limits. These limits are to be found experimentally and experientially. When so found these limits turn out to be further beliefs to be transcended. In the province of the mind there are no limits. However, in the province of the body there are definite limits not to be transcended

Fellow Creatures at Christmas: a Ranter's Yuletide Fable: there is something about Christmas. We set it aside. It has a resonance, a quality, that imbues it with special meaning. We dress up for it. We eat a special meal. We associate it with profound things, like “peace on earth” and “good will to all men”. It has emotional power, spiritual significance. It has its roots deep in history. From the Christmas dinner table, indeed, we send out messages of hope and reconciliation throughout the world.

Manufacturing Consent for an Attack upon Iran

Manufacturing Consent for an Attack upon Iran: It’s at this point that I’d like to remind you of the dodgy dossier - information gleaned from a disaffected taxi driver, and cut and pasted from the internet - which made up the bulk of evidence in the run-up to the war on Iraq.

This is what Herman and Chomsky are referring to when they talk of “the manufacture of consent”. This kind of information doesn’t have to be true, it merely has to be repeated often enough and loud enough for people to start to believe that it is true.

Manufacturing Consent for an Attack upon Iran: The phrase “the manufacture of consent” was originally used by Walter Lipmann in his 1922 book Public Opinion. In fact the term “public opinion” when used by Lipmann is a euphemism for propaganda, since the book is about the control and manipulation of public opinion, not about attempting to follow it.

In the Temple of the Heart: Amanae Receiving Workshop, Brussels, June 3rd - 5th 2011

In the Temple of the Heart: Amanae Receiving Workshop, Brussels, June 3rd - 5th 2011: I could feel the breath like an arrow piercing my sternum and entering my heart. It was like a column of light going directly to my heart. I was brimming with light. All around me in the room I could hear the sounds of other people whose hearts were opening. There was like a shiver of ecstasy passing around the room.

Semi-Skimmed Democracy: Tony Blair, responding to questions about leaked reports that he had had to refrain George Bush from bombarding the al-Jazeera TV station, said, “but honestly, I mean, conspiracy theories...”

Yes, we know what he means.

He means that using the phrase “conspiracy theory” in a disparaging tone suggests that it can be ignored.

Tam Lin, Halloween and the Ritual of Transformation

Tam Lin, Halloween and the Ritual of Transformation: Then would I never tire, Janet,
In Elfish land to dwell,
But aye, at every seven years,
They pay the tithe to hell;
And I am so fat and fair of flesh,
I fear 'twill be mysell.