@ryanhurd make sure to tell us...

@ryanhurd make sure to tell us how it goes! :)

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Cool Movie and Bad Teacher

Well I spent a few dollars and ended up watching this pretty interesting documentary about a guy named Jonas Elrod who an see spirits, energy, and a few other things. What makes this interesting is that he didn't practice meditation or have any history of drug use, and has nothing wrong with is brain as far as science can tell.  It was a pretty inspirational video because its about him trying to find answers. He does some pretty nutty things on his journey and also meets some pretty amazing people, but in the end finds what he is looking for. I highly recommend his movie located here.

Now about a bad teacher. So I have been taking college classes and normally don't rant on this site but it just sickens me what is going on at my college. I have a physics teacher who is Russian and is maybe the worst teacher that I have ever met. Shes not rude, dumb, or unable to teach, she just cant explain anything to anyone and expects too much from her impossibly uneducated students who cant learn due to her being so horrible. So I go to the physics department and meet with the chairman of the department. He explains to me that shes the only teacher they have and that I should maybe take a semester off in order to get a different teacher during the summer semesters. This idea wouldn't be completely bazaar besides the fact that I personally don't have any more time, and the other fact (putting my own personal wants and needs aside) this college is supposedly one of the best engineering schools in the state. Now whats still wrong with this? Everyone who wants to be an engineer is required to take this physics class. I care less about doing well in the class because I am not going in that direction for my degree, but for reasons I don't want to get into, still have to take the class and pass. I honestly cant believe that a college of this status only has one physics teacher for a class that is required such as this, and we are advised to learn on our own because the chairman understands the teacher is horrible... More than half the kids in my class were asleep today and as I was fighting off my normal head nods, I looked around and just laughed to myself.

Well in my end of rant, the myzeo work is still going great. I should be done in 4 days! I am excited because 5-htp is just bothersome trying to take it with no real results. I know I keep badmouthing the supplement but after the initial "belief the supplement is working" and reality coming into check, nothing is really happening. I would like to move onto stuff that people report having major effects on dreams and sleep. I also want to start some tests on Niacin (flush based) and see how it works and then move on to the non flush stuff. It would be exciting to see the differences between the two if there is any. I have heard both ways and am not sure what is correct. I also meet with another professor next week to look at the data and give me some direction, as in making sure the data is worth something statistically. It looks like it is but that doesn't mean its the best it can be.

Until next week and my myzeo test one is done, have fun dreaming!

5-HTP Study

I am still working away every night on the 5-HTP study. I have about 6 more nights before I am satisfied with the results and can move on to other interesting supplements. Even though I don't want to show the results just yet, I can honestly say that 5-HTP shows little to no effect on sleep, even when its most active in the system. Everyone may be different and that's why we also have two other individuals doing the study. Once their information is collected and all the data analyzed we will most likely release the information.

I am also going to change my study page because its not really showing much with all the information I have posted on there. You can see my nightly sleep record and it shows I am a crappy person as I am unable to good nights rest, pretty much due to my current situation (college and all) but that's about it. I'll change it up later so that the information that we get from the studies can be viewed there.

Man sorry about that spelling before.  I need more sleep :-(

Evolver Intensives

R and I have recently signed up for the Evolver intensive workshop online and it starts today. We are very excited about it and hope to share some information to all of you about the topics discussed.  Here is what the first sessions about:

AWAKENING THE COSMIC SERPENT: SHAMANISM AND PLANT TEACHERS IN THIS TRANSFORMATIVE TIME

Host: Jeremy Narby

Indigenous wisdom about plant medicine can open the path to deep personal healing and a profound understanding of the universe, and for many people this ancient knowledge is transforming modern life.

6 calls, starts January 23

Throughout the Western World, people increasingly participate in indigenous shamanic ceremonies using psychedelic plants to open a path to deep personal insights and high spiritual truths. These plants -- including mushrooms, peyote, ayahuasca, and salvia divinorum -- are revered by ancient tribal societies as potent teachers capable of healing the body, expanding the mind, and strengthening community.

• What can modern people can learn from indigenous cultures about the use of psychoactive plants and the modification of consciousness?


• What can be learned directly from these plants -- which can be powerful and tricky teachers -- and how can we incorporate these lessons into our daily lives?


• In what ways do indigenous people benefit from the Western interest in shamanism, and what new cultural bridges are being built through the spread of indigenous spiritual practices?

The renowned anthropologist Jeremy Narby has explored these questions for over two decades. In his much-admired books, including The Cosmic Serpant and Shamans Through Time, Jeremy has shared his wisdom and insights. For the first time, in this special video teleseminar series, he will pursue these questions through two exclusive online lectures, and one-on-one discussions with four of the world's leading experts on the shamanic use of mind-altering plants: Stanislav Grof, Wade Davis, Kat Harrison and Luis Eduardo Luna.

New Podcast

I recently stumbled upon a cool podcast that is called I Am Ubermensch. I have heard quite a few podcast in my time and though they only have two podcast so far, it seems like a promising show. I think everyone should check it out when they get a chance.

Here is a little about them:

Ubermensch is primarily a podcast created by a group of individuals where the focus of the show is the interviewees and not the interviewer. Personal information, personal advertisement, or egocentric intervention is minimized on the show so to spend more time on the important subjects. Each interviewer brings their own special understanding and ability to the interviews they conduct. Ubermensch is essentially a collective of all who contribute to the show.

check out their site at www.iamubermensch.com

Crazy Dreams

I have been trying to get back into the swing of school and such and have started to get back into the flow of things. It normally takes a few days to do that. Over all I should be able to start back up my myzeo studies tonight.

I have been trying a new diet to lose some weight before the end of school. I have been reading about cutting most sugars out of your system by consuming as little carbohydrates as possible and as well refined sugars. You replace the sugars with oils (such as fish) and fats from meats. I know many of you may be vegetarian and not agree with killing pigs and cows, but its what our ancestors ate and I figured I would try it out.  So far I feel great and its been a bit over a week now and though I have some cravings for sugars and breads, I still haven't had too many problems.

One thing that I have noticed however is how much my dreams have changed. They have become a lot more crazy in the sense of complexity and of very smart like dream characters. I dreamed last night of a strange complex linking between events and people, where if you become involved by accident, then strange events would start to occur to you. It was almost like bad luck, but very intentional much like shaman practice believes.  Over all the dream is not really that important in my opinion but the reason for the dream is. I believe its because my brain isn't constantly "high" on sugar and is able to maybe think a little bit more clearly.

Anyways as I continue the diet I will have to see where the dreams take me and if any incite is found in them over time.

Neuroscience of Lucid Dreaming

Ryan Hurd over at dreamstudies.org has posted another great update about the current research being done on lucid dreaming along with a look into the neuroscience involved. Here is some of what he has to say:

Lucid dreaming research is growing up. At least, that is Allan Hobson’s take on the recent burst of scientific studies published on conscious dreaming. Once a myth of Carlos Castaneda, and then a topic guaranteed to instantly transport researchers to the margins of academia, lucid dreaming has become a hot topic for neuroscience and cognitive psychology because it promises to isolate one of the hardest-to-pin-down objects of all time: consciousness itself.

You can read more here

Holidays

I wanted to wish everyone a late happy holidays and since the holidays are almost over. Also I have been very busy with family and haven't really had any time to post anything. I have reading a great book over the last week for relaxing and finished "Singing to the plants" last week.  I also received another myzeo data file and posted it on the site. I will be continuing my myzeo data gathering when I get back net week as well as working on some other projects.