Do you have any good reference materials (or know where to find them) regarding the Egyptian Book of the Dead?

Honestly, I have not researched this literary classic beyond what I had read in the late 1970's. The copy I was lent by a friend, was written/translated by Wallis Budge. http://www.amazon.com/Eg...d=1324006919&sr=1-20

I must insist, however, that it requires quite a bit of speculative interpretation (a tough row to hoe in the 21st century), to cull the conceptual content, originally written in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. We do glean much by way of deduction... but I suspect we may never have the total picture, as the original text was in Egyptian hieroglyphs. We may think we understand this ancient language but there is much which seems to fall into the realm of collective assumption.

After all, we do not live in the Egyptian Dynastic Period and our comprehension of the nitty-gritty, the specifics of this old culture, is a guessing game and a tremendous leap of faith. I feel that I somehow KNOW there is more in this text, than described by this fine gentleman... and it is left for each of us to give it significant meaning and practical value, in our own present, sentient paradigm.

I think it's quite the understatement that through the process of translation, linguistic compromise often leads to the challenge of finding the original meaning, if at all possible. Ancient semantics are rare birds to hunt. And how is this accomplished? Reason, intuition or sheer kismet? At best, we gather enough of the original knowledge to apply our rationale and instincts, to find NEW meaning in our own personal vantage point, cosmology and individual life journey.

IMO, the Tibetan Book of the Dead is easier for the 21st century psychonaut to fathom the meaning and interrelate with. Or is it just me and our Tibetan family members who feel this way?

..thanks for your download Rising Spirit..a great read ..you wrote:

..that we can have even a semblance of memory of these transpersonal perspectives suggests to me that there is also cosmic or universal memory..such states are experienced by the 'whole'..the 'awakening' is always happening, and already happened..the act of creation is completely in the now..
to me the One is your self from two opposite points of view - infinte and limited - the mirror of self-observation..the unifying principle which allows the system to function as a coherent whole reality, yet also appear to be made of separate things..

this excellent talk Jeff Hawkins on Artificial Intelligence is 30mins but is on very recent advances in neurophysiology and A.I. describes how brains appear to have a hierarchical architecture..from the many small details of the bottom level, through to single-concept 'reciever/transmitters' at the top..i highly recommend this talk, even for the more esoterically inclined as it is very up-to-date (thanks bluntmuffin BTW, i know where else you lurk! )

of course, neuroscientists don't have a lot to say about the 'top level'..'above'..awareness..'the operator'..but from below we gan grasp the totality..

i have experienced the clear light of the void

why it was 'brighter than a thousand suns' yet drew me 'into' it as a drop returns to the ocean is beyond me..

ps. the Tibetan Book of the Dead (or of Living and Dying) is a great hyer-astronaut training manual

respect, and namaste..
.

Awesome post rising spirit! seeing oneness in everything as it is, is completely liberating, lookin forward to future trips

Wow thank you for posting this. I believe I have experienced this feeling, as of recently, only a few days ago. I feel aware of the oneness, the awareness of experiencing it is divine. I have witnessed this shift, something is happening, an understanding is given to those who have the pure intent and the courage to leave it all behind and be humble to what is. With these things I feel there is almost something to be found, not created, and it is up to us to manifest it. I am so grateful.

Loved the read, you where able to convey this state better with words than I could. I have been there a few times and once was with out drugs but with deep meditation. I think psychedelics just help increase not only our awareness but our senses and our consciousness. I find it interesting that one can reach these states sober through meditation but than again maybe its just DMT in our pineal glands after all.

Hello

I know this thread is rather old but the original post was just so beautiful that I had to comment.

This piece brought up some very poweful thoughts and emotions. It coincides with some of the revelations that these substances have imparted on me, especially my high-dose Pharma experiences and my single breakthrough mushroom experience. in this report and the follow-up . These white-light experiences, the first time I had actually gotten close to "ego-death" - or the overthrow of the deep mammal brain. The basal yet social brain which invites the Whole Being to certain tasks based on how it will positively affect the material or social status of the Being. That part of the brain that all human religion has sought to supersede by either a "Moral Code" of some sort or by diligent practice whether through psychedelics or not - or some combination of the two. But it is only these psychedelics that can so cleanly eradicate the Ego. Perhaps the Dissociatives can do it as well, but as they seem to inhibit memory-coding in long-term memory it is harder to glean useful information.

My pharma experiences were difficult for me to integrate, but when I started reading the Islamic and Sufi traditions again something clicked and it was integrated. As I state in those threads I came to the conclusion that "ALL IS LOVE", or as you put it "ONE-LOVE". When I understood this it released so much tension that was built up within me, and I purged out some kind of spiritual sickness that I had been afflicted with for over a year via crying my eyes out. It was an amazing experience and it helped my wife and I work out some relationship issues we were having. I was crying the tears of the earth mother then and the tears of all living things - mourning the impermanence of life but rejoicing in the eternity of existence.

The next day I felt compelled to read this collection of Sufi traditions that I have; something just called from within me and said Read this Book, in a feeling.

Here are the sayings that helped me to understand this white-light and Cosmic Consciousness quite a bit so I'll stop blathering and quote! I feel they relate strongly to your experience:


Another from Jami

Last one by Jami -

This one especially captures the sentiment of my experience, and from what I got of RisingSpirits his too.

Ok I love Jami so here is another of his:

This from Rumi helped me to deal with my fear at being absorbed into the Clear Light of the Void:



Ok that's enough but Thank you so much for this piece, RisingSpirit

Thank you for your kindness! There has been nothing so profound nor shattering, than my spiritual immersions within the Great White Light. I too, have been infatuated with the Sufi tradition. And I LOVE Sufi poetry, especially Rumi and Hafiz!

I used to hang out with Pir Vilayat Khan, back in the early 1980's. I just love the way he used to describe God's seemingly hidden energy as "effulgence". I really like the idea that the transcendental spirit is present in the material, that the insubstantial is the in-dweller of all that is substantial.

Psychedelics always bring this home for me. It has been a Godsend, which has allowed me to SEE for the first time, over and over again. Deep meditation is my personal religious practice and the practical method for attuning my awareness to my unborn soul-frequency. My salvation is this pathless path... but entheogens expand this way of life to another level, altogether!

Hey, I never read this thread until today...

I really resonate....as you know I'm all about receiving the light.

I googled "Clear light of the void" today and this was the first hit.

Rising Spirit it was a pleasure to reread this report and what a worthy number one google hit for "Clear light of the void" it actually is. Instead of some ancient text it's a living breathing report about the actual experience of it.

Now this is really quite surreal.

And it does kind of make me a little bit sad that the traditional Tibetan Buddhist sources for this beautifully descriptive term don't take president over this little thread on the Nexus. Why when I was a mere youngster, the Tibetan Book of The Dead was blowing the minds of an entire generation of psychonauts, as were the Upanishads, Native American shamanism, Rumi's poetry and the provocative ideas gleaned from Taoist and Zen Buddhist schools of thought.

I'm pretty certain that these enigmatic teachings are still quite vital, studied with rapt enthusiasm and are equally valid in this 21st century. But that being said, I am deeply honored that anyone would value my trip report enough to even take notice of it (in the first place).

I shared it because it was only here that I could lay it all out, as honestly and as objectively as I was able to do with the fragility human words. Thanks for listening to my tale of a peak experience I witnessed. And I sincerely do thank you all for that.

And I'd like to add that this is just an example of how far-reaching our words may indeed be, on the web. I honestly hope that I have only brought a favorable resonance to this site and it's community's values, ideals and deepest aspirations.

Namaste to you, one and all!

..namaste Rising Spirit..
sincerely thank you for your valuable words and ponderings here at the nexus..


an afterthought, & opportunity to share a personal spiritual perspective, based on many years of both meditation and the seeking of plant teachers:

..one of the keys, to me, to the term 'Clear Light' (of the Void)
is this..>

it is clear..not white, or gold, or black..

transparent, completely transparent..

it's always there (here)

whatever else one might be seeing (or not)


peace
@

wow.. what a read. god i love your posts Rising Spirit.. such a respectful, poetic and coherent way of writing. so easy to flow with