WisdomTooth
Rising Star
Found this article earlier and it profoundly resonated with my philosophical understanding of spirituality and psychedelics ect.. It wouldn't let me rest unless i shared it 
The Eight-Circuit Model of Consciousness is a hypothesis proposed by Timothy Leary, and later expanded on by Robert Anton Wilson and Antero Alli. The model describes eight circuits of information (eight "brains") that operate within the human nervous system, each corresponding to its own layer of the direct experience of reality.
Four of these, called the "larval circuits" and the "lower" set, deal with normal psychology. The other four are proposed as being "higher", and called the "stellar circuits". This latter group deal with altered states of consciousness, such as enlightenment, mystical experiences, psychedelic states of mind, and psychic abilities. The hypothesis proposes that these altered states of consciousness are recently evolved, but not widely utilized. Leary describes the four "larval circuits" as necessary for surviving and functioning in a terrestrial human society. Leary proposed that the "stellar circuits" will be useful for future humans who might someday migrate to outer space and live extra-terrestrially. Leary, Alli and Wilson have written about the model in depth and how each circuit operates, both in the lives of individual people and in societies.
The term "circuits" came from the first wave of cybernetics research and development in the United States in the 1970s. (Others have proposed that the term "systems" should be substituted for "circuits" to reflect both a systems theory approach and also the changing anatomy of an entity as it goes through a neurological change).
The model is claimed to apply equally to the personal "evolution" of an individual organism and the biological evolution of the whole tree of life.
The eight circuits
1. The oral bio-survival circuit
This circuit is concerned with nourishment, physical safety, comfort and survival, suckling, cuddling etc.
This circuit is activated in adults by opioids such as morphine and heroin. This circuit begins with 1 spatial dimension, forward/back.
This circuit is imprinted early in infancy. The imprint will normally last for life unless it is re-imprinted by a powerful experience. Depending on the nature of the imprint, the organism will tend towards one of two basic attitudes:
A positive imprint sets up a basic attitude of trust. The organism generally considers the environment benign and accepts and approaches. This is equivalent to a default life position of "you're ok" in the 'life positions' model of Transactional analysis.
A negative imprint sets up a basic attitude of suspicion. The organism generally regards the environment as hostile and flees and avoids. This is equivalent to a default life position of "you're not ok" in the 'life positions' model of Transactional analysis.
This circuit is said to have appeared in the earliest evolution of the invertebrate brain and corresponds to the reptilian brain of triune brain theory. This circuit operates in essentially the same way across mammals, reptiles, fish, primates and humans.
Robert Anton Wilson equated this circuit with the oral stage in the Freudian theory of psychosexual development.
2. The emotional–territorial circuit
The emotional-territorial circuit is imprinted in the toddler stage. It is concerned with domination and submission, territoriality etc.
The imprint on this circuit will trigger one of two states:
Dominant, aggressive behavior. This imprint creates an 'alpha' social attitude. Equivalent to the 'top dog' position in the model of Fritz Perls, to 'I'm OK' in the 'life positions' model of Transactional analysis, and to master morality in the model of Friedrich Nietzsche.
Submissive, co-operative behavior. Equivalent to the 'bottom dog' position in the model of Fritz Perls, to 'I'm not OK' in the life positions model and to Nietzsche-an 'slave morality'.
This circuit is activated by depressant drugs such as alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines. This circuit appeared first in territorial vertebrate animals and is preserved across all mammals. It corresponds to the mammalian brain of triune brain theory. Robert Anton Wilson equated this circuit with the anal stage in the Freudian theory of psycho-sexual development. This circuit introduces a 2nd spatial dimension; up/down.
The first and second circuits both imprint in a binary fashion: trust/suspicion and dominance/submission. Thus there are four possible ways of imprinting the first two circuits:
Trusting 1st circuit and dominant 2nd circuit. I'm OK; you're OK. Friendly strength in the Interpersonal Circumplex. Fire in the four elements model. Choleric in the four humors model.
Trusting 1st circuit and submissive 2nd circuit. I'm not OK; you're OK. Friendly weakness. Water in the four elements model. Phlegmatic humor.
Suspicious 1st circuit and dominant 2nd circuit. I'm OK; you're not OK. Unfriendly strength. Air in the four elements model. Sanguine humor.
Suspicious 1st circuit and submissive 2nd circuit. I'm not OK; you're not OK. Unfriendly weakness. Earth in the four elements model. Melancholic humor.
3. The symbolic or neurosemantic–dexterity circuit
This circuit is imprinted by human symbol systems. It is concerned with language, handling the environment, invention, calculation, prediction, building a mental "map" of the universe, physical dexterity, etc.
This circuit is activated by stimulant drugs such as amphetamines, cathinones, cocaine, and caffeine. This circuit supposedly appeared first when hominids started differentiating from the rest of the primates.
Robert Anton Wilson, being heavily influenced by General Semantics, writes of this circuit as the 'time-binding circuit'. This means that this circuit's contents – including human know-how, technology, science etc. - are preserved memetically and passed on from generation to generation, constantly mutating and increasing in sophistication.
4. The domestic or socio-sexual circuit
This fourth circuit is imprinted by the first orgasm-mating experiences and tribal "morals". It is concerned with sexual pleasure (instead of sexual reproduction), local definitions of "moral" and "immoral", reproduction, rearing of the young, etc. The fourth circuit concerns itself with cultural values and operating within social networks. This circuit is said to have first appeared with the development of tribes. Leary never associated a drug with it, but some have pointed out that entactogens such as MDMA seem to meet some of the requirements needed to activate this circuit.
5. The neurosomatic circuit
This is concerned with neurological-somatic feedbacks, feeling high and blissful, somatic reprogramming, etc. It may be called the rapture circuit.
When this circuit is activated, a non-conceptual feeling of well-being arises. This has a beneficial effect on the health of the physical body.
The fifth circuit is consciousness of the body. There is a marked shift from linear visual space to an all-encompassing aesthetic sensory space. Perceptions are judged not so much for their meaning and utility, but for their aesthetic qualities. Experience of this circuit often accompanies an hedonistic turn-on, a rapturous amusement, a detachment from the previously compulsive mechanism of the first four circuits.
This circuit is activated by ecstatic experiences via physiological effects of cannabis, Hatha Yoga, tantra and Zen meditation. Robert Anton Wilson writes, "Tantra yoga is concerned with shifting consciousness entirely into this circuit"[8] and that "Prolonged sexual play without orgasm always triggers some Circuit V consciousness".
Leary describes that this circuit first appeared in the upper classes, with the development of leisure-class civilizations around 2000 BC.
6. The neuroelectric or metaprogramming circuit
Note: Timothy Leary lists this circuit as the sixth, and the neurogenetic circuit as the seventh. in "Prometheus Rising", Robert Anton Wilson reversed the order of these two circuits, describing the neurogenetic circuit as the sixth circuit, and the metaprogramming circuit as the seventh. In the subsequently published "Quantum Psychology", he reverted this back to the order proposed by Leary.
This circuit is concerned with re-imprinting and re-programming all earlier circuits and the relativity of “realities” perceived. The sixth circuit consists of the nervous system becoming aware of itself. Leary says this circuit enables telepathic communication and is activated by low-to-moderate doses of LSD (50-150 µg), moderate doses of peyote, psilocybin mushrooms and meditation/chanting especially when used in a group or ritual setting. This circuit is traced by Leary back to 500 BC.
7. The neurogenetic or morphogenetic circuit
This circuit is the connection of the individual's mind to the whole sweep of evolution and life as a whole. It is the part of consciousness that echoes the experiences of the previous generations that have brought the individual's brain-mind to its present level.
It deals with ancestral, societal and scientific DNA-RNA-brain feedbacks. Those who achieve this mutation may speak of past lives, reincarnation, immortality etc. It corresponds to the collective unconscious in the models of Carl Jung where archetypes reside.
Activation of this circuit may be equated with consciousness of the Great God Pan in his aspect as Life as a whole, or with consciousness of Gaia, the biosphere considered as a single organism.
This circuit is activated by moderate doses of LSD (200-500 µg), higher doses of peyote, higher doses of psilocybin mushrooms, yoga and meditation.
The circuit first appeared among the Hindus in the early first millennium and later reappeared among the Sufi sects.
8. The psychoatomic or quantum non-local circuit (Overmind)
The eighth circuit is concerned with quantum consciousness, non-local awareness (information from beyond ordinary space-time awareness which is limited by the speed of light), illumination. Some of the ways this circuit can get activated are: the awakening of kundalini, shock, a near-death experience, etc. This circuit has even been compared to the Buddhist concept of Indra's net from the Avatamsaka Sutra. Leary felt this circuit could be activated by DMT, high doses of LSD (1,000+ µg), and high but sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine.
If previously activated in a powerful experience that remains imprinted in an individual's memories, this circuit can retain the activity that allows for an awareness beyond that of the lower 4 circuits without the need for drugs.
Full Link: Eight-circuit model of consciousness - Wikipedia
The Eight-Circuit Model of Consciousness is a hypothesis proposed by Timothy Leary, and later expanded on by Robert Anton Wilson and Antero Alli. The model describes eight circuits of information (eight "brains") that operate within the human nervous system, each corresponding to its own layer of the direct experience of reality.
Four of these, called the "larval circuits" and the "lower" set, deal with normal psychology. The other four are proposed as being "higher", and called the "stellar circuits". This latter group deal with altered states of consciousness, such as enlightenment, mystical experiences, psychedelic states of mind, and psychic abilities. The hypothesis proposes that these altered states of consciousness are recently evolved, but not widely utilized. Leary describes the four "larval circuits" as necessary for surviving and functioning in a terrestrial human society. Leary proposed that the "stellar circuits" will be useful for future humans who might someday migrate to outer space and live extra-terrestrially. Leary, Alli and Wilson have written about the model in depth and how each circuit operates, both in the lives of individual people and in societies.
The term "circuits" came from the first wave of cybernetics research and development in the United States in the 1970s. (Others have proposed that the term "systems" should be substituted for "circuits" to reflect both a systems theory approach and also the changing anatomy of an entity as it goes through a neurological change).
The model is claimed to apply equally to the personal "evolution" of an individual organism and the biological evolution of the whole tree of life.
The eight circuits
1. The oral bio-survival circuit
This circuit is concerned with nourishment, physical safety, comfort and survival, suckling, cuddling etc.
This circuit is activated in adults by opioids such as morphine and heroin. This circuit begins with 1 spatial dimension, forward/back.
This circuit is imprinted early in infancy. The imprint will normally last for life unless it is re-imprinted by a powerful experience. Depending on the nature of the imprint, the organism will tend towards one of two basic attitudes:
A positive imprint sets up a basic attitude of trust. The organism generally considers the environment benign and accepts and approaches. This is equivalent to a default life position of "you're ok" in the 'life positions' model of Transactional analysis.
A negative imprint sets up a basic attitude of suspicion. The organism generally regards the environment as hostile and flees and avoids. This is equivalent to a default life position of "you're not ok" in the 'life positions' model of Transactional analysis.
This circuit is said to have appeared in the earliest evolution of the invertebrate brain and corresponds to the reptilian brain of triune brain theory. This circuit operates in essentially the same way across mammals, reptiles, fish, primates and humans.
Robert Anton Wilson equated this circuit with the oral stage in the Freudian theory of psychosexual development.
2. The emotional–territorial circuit
The emotional-territorial circuit is imprinted in the toddler stage. It is concerned with domination and submission, territoriality etc.
The imprint on this circuit will trigger one of two states:
Dominant, aggressive behavior. This imprint creates an 'alpha' social attitude. Equivalent to the 'top dog' position in the model of Fritz Perls, to 'I'm OK' in the 'life positions' model of Transactional analysis, and to master morality in the model of Friedrich Nietzsche.
Submissive, co-operative behavior. Equivalent to the 'bottom dog' position in the model of Fritz Perls, to 'I'm not OK' in the life positions model and to Nietzsche-an 'slave morality'.
This circuit is activated by depressant drugs such as alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines. This circuit appeared first in territorial vertebrate animals and is preserved across all mammals. It corresponds to the mammalian brain of triune brain theory. Robert Anton Wilson equated this circuit with the anal stage in the Freudian theory of psycho-sexual development. This circuit introduces a 2nd spatial dimension; up/down.
The first and second circuits both imprint in a binary fashion: trust/suspicion and dominance/submission. Thus there are four possible ways of imprinting the first two circuits:
Trusting 1st circuit and dominant 2nd circuit. I'm OK; you're OK. Friendly strength in the Interpersonal Circumplex. Fire in the four elements model. Choleric in the four humors model.
Trusting 1st circuit and submissive 2nd circuit. I'm not OK; you're OK. Friendly weakness. Water in the four elements model. Phlegmatic humor.
Suspicious 1st circuit and dominant 2nd circuit. I'm OK; you're not OK. Unfriendly strength. Air in the four elements model. Sanguine humor.
Suspicious 1st circuit and submissive 2nd circuit. I'm not OK; you're not OK. Unfriendly weakness. Earth in the four elements model. Melancholic humor.
3. The symbolic or neurosemantic–dexterity circuit
This circuit is imprinted by human symbol systems. It is concerned with language, handling the environment, invention, calculation, prediction, building a mental "map" of the universe, physical dexterity, etc.
This circuit is activated by stimulant drugs such as amphetamines, cathinones, cocaine, and caffeine. This circuit supposedly appeared first when hominids started differentiating from the rest of the primates.
Robert Anton Wilson, being heavily influenced by General Semantics, writes of this circuit as the 'time-binding circuit'. This means that this circuit's contents – including human know-how, technology, science etc. - are preserved memetically and passed on from generation to generation, constantly mutating and increasing in sophistication.
4. The domestic or socio-sexual circuit
This fourth circuit is imprinted by the first orgasm-mating experiences and tribal "morals". It is concerned with sexual pleasure (instead of sexual reproduction), local definitions of "moral" and "immoral", reproduction, rearing of the young, etc. The fourth circuit concerns itself with cultural values and operating within social networks. This circuit is said to have first appeared with the development of tribes. Leary never associated a drug with it, but some have pointed out that entactogens such as MDMA seem to meet some of the requirements needed to activate this circuit.
5. The neurosomatic circuit
This is concerned with neurological-somatic feedbacks, feeling high and blissful, somatic reprogramming, etc. It may be called the rapture circuit.
When this circuit is activated, a non-conceptual feeling of well-being arises. This has a beneficial effect on the health of the physical body.
The fifth circuit is consciousness of the body. There is a marked shift from linear visual space to an all-encompassing aesthetic sensory space. Perceptions are judged not so much for their meaning and utility, but for their aesthetic qualities. Experience of this circuit often accompanies an hedonistic turn-on, a rapturous amusement, a detachment from the previously compulsive mechanism of the first four circuits.
This circuit is activated by ecstatic experiences via physiological effects of cannabis, Hatha Yoga, tantra and Zen meditation. Robert Anton Wilson writes, "Tantra yoga is concerned with shifting consciousness entirely into this circuit"[8] and that "Prolonged sexual play without orgasm always triggers some Circuit V consciousness".
Leary describes that this circuit first appeared in the upper classes, with the development of leisure-class civilizations around 2000 BC.
6. The neuroelectric or metaprogramming circuit
Note: Timothy Leary lists this circuit as the sixth, and the neurogenetic circuit as the seventh. in "Prometheus Rising", Robert Anton Wilson reversed the order of these two circuits, describing the neurogenetic circuit as the sixth circuit, and the metaprogramming circuit as the seventh. In the subsequently published "Quantum Psychology", he reverted this back to the order proposed by Leary.
This circuit is concerned with re-imprinting and re-programming all earlier circuits and the relativity of “realities” perceived. The sixth circuit consists of the nervous system becoming aware of itself. Leary says this circuit enables telepathic communication and is activated by low-to-moderate doses of LSD (50-150 µg), moderate doses of peyote, psilocybin mushrooms and meditation/chanting especially when used in a group or ritual setting. This circuit is traced by Leary back to 500 BC.
7. The neurogenetic or morphogenetic circuit
This circuit is the connection of the individual's mind to the whole sweep of evolution and life as a whole. It is the part of consciousness that echoes the experiences of the previous generations that have brought the individual's brain-mind to its present level.
It deals with ancestral, societal and scientific DNA-RNA-brain feedbacks. Those who achieve this mutation may speak of past lives, reincarnation, immortality etc. It corresponds to the collective unconscious in the models of Carl Jung where archetypes reside.
Activation of this circuit may be equated with consciousness of the Great God Pan in his aspect as Life as a whole, or with consciousness of Gaia, the biosphere considered as a single organism.
This circuit is activated by moderate doses of LSD (200-500 µg), higher doses of peyote, higher doses of psilocybin mushrooms, yoga and meditation.
The circuit first appeared among the Hindus in the early first millennium and later reappeared among the Sufi sects.
8. The psychoatomic or quantum non-local circuit (Overmind)
The eighth circuit is concerned with quantum consciousness, non-local awareness (information from beyond ordinary space-time awareness which is limited by the speed of light), illumination. Some of the ways this circuit can get activated are: the awakening of kundalini, shock, a near-death experience, etc. This circuit has even been compared to the Buddhist concept of Indra's net from the Avatamsaka Sutra. Leary felt this circuit could be activated by DMT, high doses of LSD (1,000+ µg), and high but sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine.
If previously activated in a powerful experience that remains imprinted in an individual's memories, this circuit can retain the activity that allows for an awareness beyond that of the lower 4 circuits without the need for drugs.
Full Link: Eight-circuit model of consciousness - Wikipedia
