...a fool's errand indeed.


It is tremendously hard to understand a book when it hasn't been read.
To those I've angered: I am very sorry.

Very few people read pdfs.
No one want's to stare at a cpu screen for 380 pages, also, it is oh so tempting to do as House did, and merely skip to the parts regarding her, and find them absurd without understanding the greater argument-arc of the book...
House i am sorry you hated your sections, I have removed them. But i had NO IDEA you had changed your view on DMT so radically.


The book is still a work in process, this is why i am sharing it with you all.
It is so very hard to communicate DMT honestly, and even harder to interpret what someone else has said. This understanding may only be reached by the individual's reading the whole thing... and with a book, that is a lot of work.



This book is tremendously new--everything, it's ideas, content--everything is new.
Please do not blow it off because it is not understood. It is a "science fiction book" that has 18 pages of references.
This is not a bullshit book.




Below is a pdf of the whole book.
PLEASE DO NOT SKIP THROUGH IT. Please read it beginning to end.
key: thenexus



much love and loss,

a


oh such a funny irony:
"He too had been brought to the ground by a stone; Sancho stripped, trembling with fear; and Don Quixote fuming to find himself so served by the very persons for whom he had done so much."
--don Quixote after getting beaten by a chain-gang of criminals he had freed

thank you

I will read it. Might take some time I have a few books im reading but I will slowly read it..

Thanks Acolyte, I have started this and will make sure I read it all and pass any suggestions, for what they are worth, back to you. I think this is a great thing to do, and I'm sory you have gotten a lot of negative comments, as you seem to mean well to me. This must have been a lot of work and I thank you for it in advance. Hopefully those who have contributed will feel similarly having read it.

opened - searched for my name - found it
im chuffed - i think its kewl
thanks man.

Acolyte

Thank you so very much for sharing your book with us, i find what you have created to be a really beautiful thing and i commend you brother. Ill definitely give it a read... I really appreciate what you are trying to do and i feel honoured to be apart of it.


Much Peace and Compassion

thank you kindly for sharing the book Acolyte... I'm looking forward to reading it, only thing is the key "thenexus" dosent open the file? anyone else having trouble with it?

still not working for me

Hm, try updating Adobe Reader?
More failure? do please PM me!



Thanks friends! I do think it will be worth your time.

Thanks for giving us access to the book! I’ll read it cover to cover and let you know what I think.

edit: OK, here’s something strange – I just started looking at the PDF. I read the first few pages, then scanned the next 20 or so. I wanted to look ahead, so I moved the scroll bar down a bit, and landed exactly on the section by… gibran2. Coincidence?

Acolyte,

I can't say as I've read cover to cover, but I gave it a lengthy skim last night and I think I need to ask that my quotes be removed. I'm just not at all in alignment with the overall direction of your book - and even if I were, what you're presenting as quotes just aren't quotes at all - they're liberally paraphrased and taken out of context to support your own ideas.

I'm also not crazy about your presenting the entire thing as a community endeavor. You've clearly gone your own way here, yet throughout the book your implication is that these are the thoughts of the Nexus. They're really not, but you repeatedly refer to "our" book, the risks "we" are taking in disseminating this information, etc. I don't really understand how the CEL project morphed into what you have here - but regardless, I respectfully request that my quotes be taken out of it.

I'm sorry to give you feedback now after you've already gone to print, but like most of the people here, I wasn't thrilled to be offered a choice to either pay $15 to review the text or give you my name and address.

Just one Idea:

What about removing ALL original DMT Nexus nicknames? This way, it can be said that this book is just inspired by the community and it doesn't look like we as a group are really going into the direction acolyte pictured.

The "Community endeavor" is leftover phrasing that indeed can be changed. When reading the book later, it becomes clear that the perspectives are indeed those weaved together by a lonely, schizophrenic kid. One of your quotes was mistakenly gibran2's, this has been changed. And the other one I felt was in a fairly skeptical frame, though this too can be removed.

It's still a draft, nothing is set to stone. And the price is not $15, the discount code is 50% off. I spend too much time on a CPU as it is, and certainly have no desire to do so for 380 pages! Indeed, as you said yourself, you've given it a lengthy skim.

Art, I know you're a smart guy. I'd love to hear your specific arguments about the ideas in the book whenever you get the time.




This could be an option. However, we need to be careful how we define "group". Some members are happy as a calm with this book and are shy to go against the general negative tone; others certainly want their excerpts removed. I think both these attitudes are fine. Yet how to deal with this "image of the community", is indeed a greater discussion worth having.



::much love and fool's dedication::

Smart move to let us read it. And the right one too.
Good luck with it. I have 2-3 books on my night table before I can dive into this one. But I'll read it for sure.

My problem with the book is that it forces upon the reader the repeated conclusion, which is stated near the beginning of the book.



There it is. Before the reader even has a chance to read about the actual users, or decide any conclusion for themselves, the conclusion of the book is presented at the beginning. Thus, the reader will naturally assume that all reports within that book are based on, and support, the conclusion of the author. That is far from the truth. Any discussion of the book will revolve around the conclusion which has been presented. Why would you narrow down the whole discussion to a single conclusion? Not only is that the conclusion presented, but Acolyte even say, “we MUST arrive at a few EXTREME conclusions”. Why must we?

The book also sets up an adversarial tone of us vs them. Near the beginning of the book,


I don’t know why you would say that the ideas presented in the book are a national security threat. How do you expect people to respond to that, if they actually took it seriously?


The book doesn’t seem to be about entheogenic liberty, so much as our right to talk to aliens.

I enjoyed reading the reports because they stand alone with their own merit. The commentary on them kind of ruins the reports. I found one of my quotes in the book and here it is,



Notice the writing goes to great lengths to not define the experience, and that is of course on purpose. I would never say, “Based on my experience, I am forced to come to the extreme conclusion that I contacted aliens, and this is a national security threat”, and I certainly wouldn't want someone else saying that for me. As I see it, a report that was clearly written to express the ineffable was twisted up in a book which concludes from the beginning that all reports within the book support the extreme conclusion that the people who wrote the reports talks to aliens, and this is a national security threat.

I know there are some people out there who believe they literally talk to aliens. But why present that conclusion when there are so many other points of view on this subject? The book just isn’t balanced, and makes conclusions for the reader. Why not present a more accurate picture of this community? And why not let the reader decide for themselves what conclusions to make? If you really believe in this alien stuff, why not present it to the reader as a possibility instead of an extreme conclusion?
The whole idea of talking to will turn many people off, as it has me. Somewhere in the book, it is written,




If you’re talking about spice use, instead of saying, “They teach us a curriculum of lessons”, why not say, “psychedelics are potentially a useful learning tool”? and then outline what people have learned. Why impose the idea that what is learned comes from an alien?
I wanted the book to portray the people involved as “real” people. We are ordinary folk like everyone else who have jobs and lives. I just don’t see it as constructive to be portrayed as someone who believes he literally talks to aliens, which I don’t.

I like the parts of the second book that spoke against prohibition. That kind of thing is potentially useful. The whole thing about aliens is confusing, unintelligible to the average person. If the goal of this book is to communicate with the average person, why not try to write in terms they can relate to. Talking to aliens? Who is going to take that seriously?


So, Acolyte, when you say things like, I really don't know what you're talking about. You literally and clearly say in the book what your extreme conclusions are from the beginning. What aren't we understanding? What is the greater argument of the book that we aren't seeing? And keep in mind that we here are nexus members. We are the ones who are interested in this stuff, and provided the material for a lot of the book. If nexus members don't understand the book, and don't agree with it, how do you think outside readers will interpret it? Keep that in mind. If there is some greater argument to the book, focus on that, and please curb the enthusiasm for the whole talking to aliens thing.

Apoc, thank you for the time to write your post! I feel our conversation is reaching the limits of what a forum system can host. I’m excited that one day digital community technology may catch up with our dialogue needs, but until then, I’ll try my best to respond.






Yep, this is the thesis of the book! It is a "non-fiction science-fiction."






As the first few pages declare, the book is indeed about talking with aliens. ...Yet interestingly, the arguments required to talk to aliens, are nearly the same as those of Entheogenic liberty! I don't know why it's taking so long for everyone to jump on this potential? That new readers may wonder: “Gosh, what if this book is true? But I can’t verify its contents because everything is illegal...” [and boom, the thought strikes] “Why is this illegal, and how can I change the situation to verify these crazy theories with science?”






Fair point, perhaps the language could be softened, yet it still sits in the introduction. Certainly, more sections in the book could tie directly to the thesis--this is still a work in progress. Furthermore, how much analysis does a reader really want to read? Especially when there are so many new things to introduce. A person who is tremendously skeptical, tremendously anti-alien, and tremendously sure of what they already believe, will have no interest in reading this book regardless of how much justification and analysis it holds.


The book isn’t about being right. It is about picking a bold, interesting narrative and sharing it with curious readers. This isn’t a scientific study of DMT. I would love to see one any day (and the author has dreams of supporting this in the future). I highly recommend Dr. Benny Shanon’s The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience, I think you will really enjoy it—-as have I—-it is a sober and scientific study of Ayahuasca in line with what your expectations might have been?






Other views are always great--yet the author of this odd book doesn’t know what these other views exactly are! And would certainly not be expert enough to write on their behalf. Indeed, the book is not the work representing the whole community, merely a section of it. The older wording that alludes to speaking for “all Entheogenic travelers,” can (and ought to) change.

One reason why I suspect CEL caved was because there was never an agreement as what exactly “the views of the community specifically were.”
All new organizations roughly follow this process: Storm --> Norm --> Form. The BBB raid and its ensuing worry, was a catalyzing “Storm” for this community. The Traveler’s creation of the CEL.org website was an attempt to “Form.” Yet none of the projects ever hatched because members views could never distill past the “Norm” phase, as web forum technology often handles conflict very poorly... which is no one’s direct fault, merely the use of a technology in ways it can’t handle.






The goal of a narrative is to present a position. The "decide for yourself" part must always be internal to the reader--although a good book should help this process. In the narrative, Sancho thinks the whole thing is bullshit and just want's to go home to plow his fields and his wife. Sancho's criticisms always have room for improvement and strengthening, as said before, the book is a work in progress.

I don't think the book is that extreme on its rational conclusions--merely extreme and very challenging to prior social and psychological conclusions. All or your excellent comments relate to the books thesis and tone, though they do not directly relate to the arguments subtly made within the book. I think the rational evidence is there for those who can listen. I rationally and honestly believe that all this is true: that Aliens exist, that DMT helps you connect with Them (in some form), and that this position has no lower “probability” than the common truths of everyday perception--like walking across the street--only it is a “truth” that is tremendously subtle, and outside of human control.






I’m unsure how people will respond if they agree--there could be a whole range of reactions. I take this thesis very seriously. That the greatest threat, beyond everyone freaking out and perhaps the stock market crashing, may be an addiction to “Alien memes.” That people will detach themselves from normal society to run into alien worlds, which may or may not allow them to enter--and live their human life in an unlived ruin. This is the greater moral of the book: how important human love is, and how important learning to stay within your means despite an access to tremendous knowledge and wealth.

I believe the ideas are also a significant threat because IF the thesis is true, then that would mean serious legitimacy problems for Western Governments who have lied about some pretty damn important stuff. That perhaps even in this lying, they have fueled an unnecessary drug war to hide DMT and its potential gateways to other worlds... obviously this is a wild idea, and I have no interest stepping past Travelers anti-conspiracy values any more than I already have. One's "Faith in government" shouldn't be taken lightly though, we all need to understand that Money isn't real, it is a shared faith we hold in our government. "Money" holds no value on its own (like gold, or cotton)...






The author also wanted the reports to stand on their own; originally there was no narrative. Just abstract philosophy, cosmology, and the reports “as they were” in a pure non-fiction. Sancho and the Knight birthed into existence after many virgin readers on the subject said the Report Section alone was unreadable!






This is exactly why your quote is so excellent. There is no real, honest, way to talk about DMT. And your quote states this important fact. Yet the delusions of the Knight are critical to tell the story to a slightly broader audience; a narrative is necessary so they might learn that DMT even exists! That it’s not meth, sniffing glue, or some other damaging type of plague.







I don’t think the book portrays any Entheogen travelers looking crazy—I think it shows that they are normal people struggling in the face of something tremendously intense and unknown. The author told me that his editors were amazed that “drug users” and “internet chat rooms” could even produce such elegant content the reports illustrated! The book, although it is flawed, does regularly present a positive view of Entheogen travelers to an open-minded public. Exactly the type of press CEL once sought.

An average person has no interest in reading about “drugs” just for fun. If no one even knows what DMT is, why would they care what it’s users have to say? People interested in science-fiction, aliens, and UFOs may like this book; an “average population” is impossible to reach with this subject (at least in the near future). Reaching 20% of the population is better than ~0% of the population. And to reach 70% of society, we must first go through 5% and 20%, before 70%...







I’m not sure what is not understood. I can’t read minds, only respond to those who quote passages like you (thank you!).

We simply have no philosophical choice but to trust our sensations, regardless of their ability to error. This philosophical argument presents a tremendously awkward debate when confronted with the “hallucinations” explored in the book—-be they either “UFOs” or “god buildings.” Frog9 said this very well: “I took Salvia looking to hallucinate, and discovered my whole life was the hallucination!” Merely because some knowledge and ideas exist outside of science, does not mean they aren’t worth exploring. In fact, it is vital to our daily survival we step outside of science to walk a path of assumptions--this is simply how life works.


No single book can satisfy everyone. Nor do I think a book should try. Apoc, I would love to read—-and support—-a book you write that focuses on the “sober side” of the Nexus. Yet often, to write a book, an author must have a tremendous amount of motivation to work alone and unpaid. Thus an author must proceed along his own passions; else all other words will merely slide to the recycle bin...





much love and thank you again for your time!

Also I find that very confusing. The mix between non fiction and science fiction, I mean. Even the non fiction reports, it can sometimes be hard to tell if a person is speaking literally, or speaking in metaphor. The addition of a science fiction aspect to the book, for me, makes it impossible to tell which parts are intended to be science fiction, and which parts are to be taken as non fiction. It confuses the whole message of the book. Of course, you can say only the reader can take what message they'll take from the book, I'm tellin ya, the mix of science fiction with "non fiction" makes it confusing.

Imagine you watch Star Wars. You know it's completely science fiction. Therefore, you're not going to actually go out there and do anything for the Jedi cause. You won't protest against the empire. But what if there was a work of art created that was some kind of weird mix of Star Wars with non fiction? What if an author presented something in which it is suggested that Jedi's really do exist in some other galaxy and we can contact them, learn from them, and somehow interact in a cosmic connection? It's extremely confusing. What is a person supposed to do with that? Maybe you'd reach a few people.... but what I'm saying is, what kind of people are you more likely to attract, and what kind of message are they going to take? Are they really going to take away something good? Or will people walk away with a bizarre mix of fiction and non fiction? Will they really be able to tell the difference between the two? Will they speak of the fictitious parts as if they were real?



Yes, if it were illegal to talk to aliens, there would be similarities between alien communication laws, and psychedelic use, but why confuse things? There is literally a church devoted to the ritual use of Ayahuasca. I bet I could ask 100 random people what Santo Daime, or UDV is and not a single one would know. I would hope that people are more interested in their current individual rights and freedoms, their right to explore their own consciousness, their right to their own body, their own life.

I'm not sure if people really are all that interested in talking with aliens. Stephen Hawking has recently spoke of the importance of not contacting aliens because he believes if we contact aliens, they'll probably invade our planet and wipe us out. I would think that self discovery, and freedom of religion hit closer to home for most. I think there's more people reading self help than conspiracy people looking for aliens.




Come on man. You know there are other views. The whole spirituality thing? The group of people who got in to this seeking inner reflection, self improvement, connection with unknowable, omniscient loving forces. And you did write on others behalf, a good chunk of the book is written by others.




What? The sticky threads on the CEL section of this site seem clear to me, no?



I think people just aren't sure what to do, and don't want to make wrong moves either. What's wrong with forum communication? Everything is documented, everyone in the world can read it, people can say anything they want anonymously, and respond whenever they want.



I would think that if someone takes national security seriously, and someone else comes forward and says they know of a national security threat, then those involved in national security would do everything they can to quash the threat. The point I was making was your comment about national security can be seen as a red flag. Like you're putting a bulls eye on yourself, "look at me, I am a threat. I'm an enemy so take me out". I think it would be better to not present ones self as an enemy to anyone. Are you really an enemy? NO! Are you a national security threat? NO! Are the ideas in your book a national security threat? NO!!!! So why even suggest it? I realize that your national security comment was only to make the point that it is the current system that potentially labels your way of thinking as threatening. But I'm telling you, people will read that security threat comment and take it literally and say, "this guy is admitting the information is a national security threat... let's treat it as such then". And that's when you get the Richard Nixon's of the world declaring a war on drugs / citizens.

Instead of presenting you / your type of person as a threat, I would like to see the psychedelic community reach out to the world, in a spirit of common understanding. We're normal people who want peace. We are NOT any kind of security threat for God's sake!




Well, that's an assumption, and you wouldn't have to set the book up as if it's talking about "drugs". Self discovery, personal liberty, personal freedom, religious freedom, freedom of expression, spirituality, self help, transcendence, the mystery of death..... and sci fi, all things people are interested in, I think. But anyway, you seem intent on targeting the book toward people interested in sci fi, you'll probably keep it that way. There are some things I don't like about the book, as I've expressed. Well..... I hope it all goes well.



I'll try.

I wanted to put in some notes of my own. I've not been around to be a part of the book but I am an avid reader and thought I'd give my 2 cents.

I don't read too many non-fiction books. The ones I do read tend to be interesting from the cover and a subject I'm already interested in or I won't even pick it up to flip the pages. Then (still haven't left the store with it) I usually will open the book a little bit. If I am not impressed by the first page or two I may never buy that book. If the author has a very strong point to make, I usually won't read it.

I honestly am not trying to be a grumpy guss on this, but readers tend to read what makes them feel good. Harry Potter didn't sell like it did because it cleansed our world of ignorance. Reading about a new spiritual technology that some internet nerds developed and talked about online, while interesting to the interested, sounds a tad spooky to the uninitiated.

Changing the tone a bit and adding an air of impartiality would help a lot. Perhaps asking someone with a different or even opposing view to co-write could provide the needed balance.

Is there a password for the file?

Literally, Jesus Christ.

I cannot believe you guys allowed this in this "book."

There aren't enough facepalms in the world for this:

"I was in some vortex of every color imaginable and it seemed like it was all coming out of my “third eye.” It felt like Jesus Christ himself was finger fucking me in my third eye! (Yah that’s fucked up I know, but this is the only way I can describe how I felt.) It seemed to last an eternity, it was the most intense time of my entire life.


380 pages is RIDICULOUS.

It should be half that, TOPS.

I am willing to help with this endeavor if someone will get back to me on how.

Cheers.