Post by Frater G on May 22, 2008 8:17:47 GMT -5
Towards a naturalistic account of occultism
In chapter XVIII of Magick in Theory & Practice, Aleister Crowley writes of the astral body, "which is called by various authors the Astral double, body of Light, body of fire, body of desire, fine body, scin-laeca and numberless other names."[1] If we are to adopt the motto of Scientific Illuminism - "the method of science, the aim of religion" - we must certainly adapt to modern methods of science.
Consequently, the astral body, body of light, etc. may now be understood in physiological, or biological terms, largely because of recent developments in the understanding of the human nervous system. It is known that there exists a representation of the body created by the brain called the "body image." Recent research has implicated the parietal cortex as the area of the brain largely responsible for generating one's own view of one's body.[2] Many experiments revolve around the fact that the body image is highly malleable and changeable.
The first hypothesis put forward is that the astral body is actually the brain's self-representation of the body.
Further, much research has also been done on out-of-body experiences by Olaf Blanke and Henrik Ehrsson, among others. The assumption that self is the body by most people is challenged by the fact that people experience themselves in "extrapersonal space" (the space outside of one's body).[3] The fact is that one's "visuo-spatial perspective" is not necessarily confined to being within one's physical body. Blanke writes, "[Out-of-body experiences] are culturally invariant brain phenomena that can be investigated using neuroscience." Biologically it is dependent on "an interaction between lower-level vestibular and multisensory processing and higher-level self-processing such as egocentric visuo-spatial perspective taking, agency, and self-location.
"[3] The astral plane with all of its "astral phantoms" is actually the "extrapersonal space" experienced in out-of-body experiences.
Concerning the "astral body" Crowley writes, "Now this interior body of the Magician, of which we spoke at the beginning of this chapter, does exist, and can exert certain powers which his natural body cannot do. It can, for example, pass through "matter", and it can move freely in every direction through space. But this is because "matter", in the sense in which we commonly use the word, is on another plane." The difference is most likely that "matter" is external stimuli interpreted by the senses and the brain, while "astral phantoms" in the "astral plane" - or "extrapersonal space" - are internal stimuli (specifically the self-representations that constitute the brain-generated "body image") being re-interpreted by the brain.
Therefore, "matter" (physical plane) is sensory stimuli from the environment interpreted by the brain, and the various "objects" and "phantoms" of "extrapersonal space" (astral plane) are reactions among the body's own self-representations.
As for the method of "astral projection" or volition (intentional) out-of-body experiences... a past article detailed the basic theory & practice of this method. It is thought that changes in visual attention could potentially create out-of-body experiences. [4] In addition to this, imagined visual stimuli are treated as similar to actual stimuli by the brain.
[5][6] Therefore it may be possible for enough volitional attention to be directed towards imagining certain visual stimuli to potentially induce an out-of-body experience.
It is of note that the method for volitional out-of-body experiences, or “projection,” used by the infamous occultist Aleister Crowley involves, “transfer[ing] the seat of his consciousness to [an] imagined figure; so that it may seem to him that he is seeing with its eyes, and hearing with its ears.”[7] This method may potentially work because one is supplying oneself with imaginary visual, tactile, and auditory signals - specifically the sight of oneself from an extrapersonal perspective - which are treated as real afferent signals by the brain.[5][6] This conflicting information supplied by the body’s own imagination would essentially mimic the effects of supplying the brain with actual manipulated visual signals, like from video headsets, which generated out-of-body experiences for Blanke and Ehrsson.
[8][9]
Summary
*The astral body is actually the brain's self-representation of the body, or the "body image.
"
*The astral plane with all of its "astral phantoms" is actually the "extrapersonal space" experienced in out-of-body experiences.
*"Matter" (physical plane) is sensory stimuli from the environment interpreted by the brain, and the various "objects" and "phantoms" of "extrapersonal space" (astral plane) are reactions among the body's own self-representations.
*Astral projection is possible because changes in visual attention could potentially create out-of-body experiences and imagined visual stimuli are treated similarly to actual stimuli by the brain.
*Astral projection may therefore be understood naturalistically as volitional attention being directed towards imagining certain visual stimuli to potentially induce an out-of-body experience.
References
1) Crowley, Aleister.
Magick in Theory & Practice; http://hermetic. com/crowley/aba/chap18. html
2) Ravilious, Kate.
"How the brain builds its image of the body," The Guardian (11/29/2005)
3) Blanke, Olaf & Arzy, Shahar.
"The Out-of-Body Experience: Disturbed Self-Processing at the Temporo-Parietal Junction," (2005);
4) Blanke, O., Ortigue, S., Landis, T., & Seeck, M. (2002). "Stimulating illusory own-body perceptions." Nature, Vol.419, p.
269-270;
5) Le Bihan, D., Turner, R., Zeffiro, T., Cuenod, C., Jezzard, P., & Bonnerot, V. (1993). "Activation of Human Primary Visual Cortex During Visual Recall: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol.90 No.24, p.
11802-11805;
6) Marzi, C., Mancini, F., Metitieri, T., & Savazzi, S. (2006). "Retinal eccentricity effects on reaction time to imagined stimuli." Neuropsychologia, Vol.44 No.8, p.
1489-1495;
7) Crowley, Aleister. (1909). "Liber O vel Manus et Sagittae." The Equinox Vol.I No.2, p.
26; http://www. sacred-texts. com/oto/libero. htm
8) Blanke, O., Lenggenhager, B., & Tadi, T. (2007). "Video Ergo Sum: Manipulating Bodily Self-Consciousness." Science, Vol.317, p.
1096-1099; http://www. sciencemag. org/cgi/content/abstract/317/5841/1096
9) Ehrsson, H. (2007). "The Experimental Induction of Out-of-Body Experiences." Science, Vol.317, p.
1048; http://www. sciencemag. org/cgi/content/abstract/317/5841/1048 (see also http://www. slate. com/id/2172694/ )
iao131.livejournal.com/23473.html
In chapter XVIII of Magick in Theory & Practice, Aleister Crowley writes of the astral body, "which is called by various authors the Astral double, body of Light, body of fire, body of desire, fine body, scin-laeca and numberless other names."[1] If we are to adopt the motto of Scientific Illuminism - "the method of science, the aim of religion" - we must certainly adapt to modern methods of science.
Consequently, the astral body, body of light, etc. may now be understood in physiological, or biological terms, largely because of recent developments in the understanding of the human nervous system. It is known that there exists a representation of the body created by the brain called the "body image." Recent research has implicated the parietal cortex as the area of the brain largely responsible for generating one's own view of one's body.[2] Many experiments revolve around the fact that the body image is highly malleable and changeable.
The first hypothesis put forward is that the astral body is actually the brain's self-representation of the body.
Further, much research has also been done on out-of-body experiences by Olaf Blanke and Henrik Ehrsson, among others. The assumption that self is the body by most people is challenged by the fact that people experience themselves in "extrapersonal space" (the space outside of one's body).[3] The fact is that one's "visuo-spatial perspective" is not necessarily confined to being within one's physical body. Blanke writes, "[Out-of-body experiences] are culturally invariant brain phenomena that can be investigated using neuroscience." Biologically it is dependent on "an interaction between lower-level vestibular and multisensory processing and higher-level self-processing such as egocentric visuo-spatial perspective taking, agency, and self-location.
"[3] The astral plane with all of its "astral phantoms" is actually the "extrapersonal space" experienced in out-of-body experiences.
Concerning the "astral body" Crowley writes, "Now this interior body of the Magician, of which we spoke at the beginning of this chapter, does exist, and can exert certain powers which his natural body cannot do. It can, for example, pass through "matter", and it can move freely in every direction through space. But this is because "matter", in the sense in which we commonly use the word, is on another plane." The difference is most likely that "matter" is external stimuli interpreted by the senses and the brain, while "astral phantoms" in the "astral plane" - or "extrapersonal space" - are internal stimuli (specifically the self-representations that constitute the brain-generated "body image") being re-interpreted by the brain.
Therefore, "matter" (physical plane) is sensory stimuli from the environment interpreted by the brain, and the various "objects" and "phantoms" of "extrapersonal space" (astral plane) are reactions among the body's own self-representations.
As for the method of "astral projection" or volition (intentional) out-of-body experiences... a past article detailed the basic theory & practice of this method. It is thought that changes in visual attention could potentially create out-of-body experiences. [4] In addition to this, imagined visual stimuli are treated as similar to actual stimuli by the brain.
[5][6] Therefore it may be possible for enough volitional attention to be directed towards imagining certain visual stimuli to potentially induce an out-of-body experience.
It is of note that the method for volitional out-of-body experiences, or “projection,” used by the infamous occultist Aleister Crowley involves, “transfer[ing] the seat of his consciousness to [an] imagined figure; so that it may seem to him that he is seeing with its eyes, and hearing with its ears.”[7] This method may potentially work because one is supplying oneself with imaginary visual, tactile, and auditory signals - specifically the sight of oneself from an extrapersonal perspective - which are treated as real afferent signals by the brain.[5][6] This conflicting information supplied by the body’s own imagination would essentially mimic the effects of supplying the brain with actual manipulated visual signals, like from video headsets, which generated out-of-body experiences for Blanke and Ehrsson.
[8][9]
Summary
*The astral body is actually the brain's self-representation of the body, or the "body image.
"
*The astral plane with all of its "astral phantoms" is actually the "extrapersonal space" experienced in out-of-body experiences.
*"Matter" (physical plane) is sensory stimuli from the environment interpreted by the brain, and the various "objects" and "phantoms" of "extrapersonal space" (astral plane) are reactions among the body's own self-representations.
*Astral projection is possible because changes in visual attention could potentially create out-of-body experiences and imagined visual stimuli are treated similarly to actual stimuli by the brain.
*Astral projection may therefore be understood naturalistically as volitional attention being directed towards imagining certain visual stimuli to potentially induce an out-of-body experience.
References
1) Crowley, Aleister.
Magick in Theory & Practice; http://hermetic. com/crowley/aba/chap18. html
2) Ravilious, Kate.
"How the brain builds its image of the body," The Guardian (11/29/2005)
3) Blanke, Olaf & Arzy, Shahar.
"The Out-of-Body Experience: Disturbed Self-Processing at the Temporo-Parietal Junction," (2005);
4) Blanke, O., Ortigue, S., Landis, T., & Seeck, M. (2002). "Stimulating illusory own-body perceptions." Nature, Vol.419, p.
269-270;
5) Le Bihan, D., Turner, R., Zeffiro, T., Cuenod, C., Jezzard, P., & Bonnerot, V. (1993). "Activation of Human Primary Visual Cortex During Visual Recall: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol.90 No.24, p.
11802-11805;
6) Marzi, C., Mancini, F., Metitieri, T., & Savazzi, S. (2006). "Retinal eccentricity effects on reaction time to imagined stimuli." Neuropsychologia, Vol.44 No.8, p.
1489-1495;
7) Crowley, Aleister. (1909). "Liber O vel Manus et Sagittae." The Equinox Vol.I No.2, p.
26; http://www. sacred-texts. com/oto/libero. htm
8) Blanke, O., Lenggenhager, B., & Tadi, T. (2007). "Video Ergo Sum: Manipulating Bodily Self-Consciousness." Science, Vol.317, p.
1096-1099; http://www. sciencemag. org/cgi/content/abstract/317/5841/1096
9) Ehrsson, H. (2007). "The Experimental Induction of Out-of-Body Experiences." Science, Vol.317, p.
1048; http://www. sciencemag. org/cgi/content/abstract/317/5841/1048 (see also http://www. slate. com/id/2172694/ )
iao131.livejournal.com/23473.html
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