Breaking Convention 2017. Independent DMT Research

[What a substance]

I spoke about my unsanctioned DMT research programme at Breaking Convention - 4th International Conference on Psychedelic Consciousness, this weekend.

Breaking Convention

My abstract was:

Dick Khan
Independent DMT Research
Saturday 01 July 2017, 17:00 - 17:30
Investigation of Occult Realities using the Spirit Molecule
A three year long independent research programme was conducted between 2013 – 2016 employing DMT in the vaporous state with the intention of forming a rational understanding of the causal nature behind the oftentimes bizarre DMT experiences. Working with a mindset long influenced by western esoteric philosophies, I will argue the case for the reality of spiritual agencies and for a progressively initiatory aspect to such research. I will outline my main findings and further argue that traditional science cannot ignore this field of research if it wishes to be true to its roots.

I am linking my script presentation and would love to hear the views and opinions of those Nexians who, like me, are pursuing the truth and the new science behind this still developing research:

https://www.academia.edu/33737644/BREAKING_CONVENTION_2017_-_Presentation_Script

 

[null24]

I took the time to read the text of your presentation. Youve been putting a lot of material out there, and putting it here for review, and I'm not so sure you are liking the results of that 'peer review'. I'm not so sure that this will help. All I see is a lot of woo and subjective experience masquerading as science. Perhaps you can clarify some of these points:

:“DMT-amplified human consciousness serves as a signal that is of great interest to conscious and intelligent lifeforms; beings that are otherwise unseen and presently outside the cataloguing of life as we know it. We can choose to call these spiritual beings; conscious energies; intelligent discarnate entities; or even aliens”
…Amplified human consciousness exhibits an uncommon high density, and unusual perceptive qualities that are at once sensible within and without the researcher. The field of consciousness of the manifesting spiritual entity can exhibit extreme density, and has the capacity to temporarily meld its mind into the amplified consciousness of the researcher…”

These points of conjecture are just that. This is not even presented as hypothesis, or as a subject of personal inquiry but rather stated as out and out fact. Furthermore the ideas presented are pure mumbo jumbo and make absolutely no sense. What exactly is an uncommonly high density applied to consciousness? Are you saying that because the mind tends to be overwhelmed by the light and sound of a trip that it is somehow "high density" and that is some kind of beacon for aliens? And this is science? It's not even 'the occult', as you apply no esoteric teaching to your model either, its all you!

on the basis of that incredible capacity to impose unimaginable power with
in one’s research setting that one can appear to be raised off the ground by some small distance, and thereby experience states of illusory movement, as the being subtly manipulates its body-of-mind beneath one’s recumbent physical body to convincingly create that perception. By and large, depending upon the experience, one usually only becomes aware of this as the experience draws to a close

Really? So you had a somatic perception that wasn't cohesive with your reality on drugs? That means...you were on a hallucinogen... :? (my other response was "pics or it didn't happen")

The uncommon high density of amplified human consciousness, and the extreme density of manifested discarnate entities, both display a capacity to transmit sound pressure waves far more readily than air alone. This accounts for apparent increases in the quality of sounds and the volume of sound…In certain circumstances it also enables direct visual observation of compression and rarefaction phases in low frequency sounds emitted from speaker cones. Conversely, I suggest the capacity of these beings to suddenly create an improbable environmental silence a complete shutting out of all ambient noise derives from their ability to form an acoustic barrier; one exhibiting the relevant properties of density, rigidity, and imperforation”

F@@K!!! REALLY!?!? Where is the pulling the last hair outta my head emoji?

he characteristics of DMT-induced amplified human consciousness seem to proportionally relate to the intensity and the frequency of the energetic reaction that takes place at what feels like the pineal site of the brain. Obviously dose and factors relating to inhalation are relevant. When indoors, with a sufficient dose, amplified human consciousness appears as a visually very obvious field or volume of energy. One which rapidly becomes very turbulent. Here, I would argue the Beer-Lambert law is applicable. This law states that when radiant energy impinges upon a surface it is either transmitted, reflected, or absorbed. It took me a great many indoor experiments to work that out, because it was usually within seconds, if not apparently instantaneously, that something else had arrived and imposed its own power of mind”

Here, an appeal to authority is used by citing an obscure law of physics, so damn, the audience is thinking, he's gotta be sincere right? That said, what the hell does it mean, again applied to your visual hallucinations?

” other invasive machination involved sealing up my lips from within, using that strange quasi-physical substance. On numerous occasions I suspected my lips were being tightly sealed shut from within. But my mesmeric state precluded the capacity or the courage to test the integrity of that seal. Implicit trust is paramount in these encounters. But as we have just heard, that trust can be severely tested. When I did eventually find the capacity to test that seal, by trying to

Here, you basically contradict yourself regarding the power held over you as a 'puppet' for these discarnate entities...


DMT and psychedelics are poised under the spot on the world stage, and all the world is paying attention. Spots are open for speakers to fill at conferences and people are hungry for information. It is dismaying that a subject with so much potential is so often the bedfellow of UFO aficionados rather than critical thinkers.

 

[Cognitive Heart]

A concern I have is how much of this claimed released information ( "new science..?" ) somehow foretells of an underlying 'secret truth to be had' within certain, subjective experiences that only the author now knows about. How tantalizingly attractive! :roll: Indicating a lot of problematic scrutiny. It's fun writing to read and all but not scientific published material, imho. From what I can make out, at least.

 

[SnozzleBerry]

I'll leave the BC talk alone for the moment...at least until you engage with dreamer042's post over here, as he makes a number of significant points.

That said, as you've been less than shy about thrusting your body of work in the face of the community, I'd like to highlight some lines from your essay entitled, "Taking the Pseudo out of Science," which (perhaps unsurprisingly) doesn't really seem to address the topic presented in the title. Instead you state:

After three years of intensive practical research I am able to say that my theoretical belief in the existence of unseen spiritual entities has been overwhelmingly confirmed to me.

So, in other words, after three years of smoking DMT, you confirmed your biases to yourself. You then go on to say that, because your biases were confirmed to you through your psychedelic use (which you deem "research" despite not appearing to adhere to an actual protocol or attempting to control even the most rudimentary variables...) that:

it seems that credit and credence must be given to those esoteric and occult doctrines that have always expounded such realties. And it is on that basis and on that reasoning that a new question arises: Can esoteric and occult literature help to shape our knowledge and our understanding of those mysterious matters that have often being deemed as pseudoscience, only because verifiable evidence was lacking?

So because your biases were confirmed, we must give credit and credence to the doctrines that are in-line with your confirmed biases...and then you go on to insinuate that these doctrines should no longer be classified as pseudoscience (despite their lack of verifiable supporting evidence) because they had merit to you in confirming your biases.

So how, exactly, have you taken the pseudo out of science?

 

[Panpsychic]

DMT and psychedelics are poised under the spot on the world stage, and all the world is paying attention. Spots are open for speakers to fill at conferences and people are hungry for information. It is dismaying that a subject with so much potential is so often the bedfellow of UFO aficionados rather than critical thinkers.

While I agree that his self explorations, 'independent research' and conjectures are just that and should not be seen as anything more or less than this, I don't really get the rest of the criticism. His attempt to use some kind of terminology of 'densities of consciousness' is a novel theory and I dont think anyone out there would be taking it as some kind of scientific declaration of an established fact which it clearly isn't.

Yes, DMT is getting attention now. So who should people be paying attention to? Big pharma as they try to fund research into DMT as a commodity to treat psychiatric defined illnesses? Academics who struggle to define and comprehend experiences that leave their psychological frameworks behind? Some western trained shamans running retreats in Peru?

You say you want to promote critical thinking which is fine but guess what, these are indeed "occult realities", the transcendent and mystical states that go beyond rationality.

I dont particularly subscribe to his proposed model and his experiences dont generally match mine, but he is in the vein of explorers like Mckenna (without the fame or acclaim) and these types of people deserve as much a spot as anyone else.

I see his work as esentially a collection of trip reports done with uncommon frequency, and an attempt to create a framework around understanding them drawing on occult literature, and this approach is as valid as any other when it comes to DMT.