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: https://en.wikipedia.org...t_model_of_consciousness

The problem with the 8-Circuit model (and really, most models of consciousness) is that there's almost no direct evidence for it, and beyond that, very little way to test it.

If someone can design an experiment to empirically test the 8-circuit model, I'd be happy to be part of the team that did that study, but until then, it's impossible to make any statements about it's validity one way or another.

If you want a rigorous theory of consciousness, look of Tononi's theory of Integrated Information Theory. He, more than any other theorist I've found, has created a rigorous, testable theory of consciousness.

Blessings
~ND

Ive always seen the 8-circuit model more of a map to navigate different types of human experiences, and as a tool for just that, rather then an accurate description of the way/mechanism consciousness is built/brought into form.

Once you finish a bottle of Pfizers' Ketanest in a few days, you'll soon find out that the ECMC is an outdated hippie theory from the 80s. Also there's an upper limit to the effects of LSD @ ~ 300-400µg. Higher dosages are only necessary for the hard heads. Source: Grof, LSD-Psychotherapy.

Put it to the test and then carry on. Ketamine is fun, but underwhelming once you're used to it.

That's not what it claims to be though, and it makes a lot of testable claims that, as far as I can tell, have never stood up to scrutiny. Jungian psychology in general is, afaik, generally considered to be out of date and a little silly, having been superseded by modern cognitive sciences.

Blessings
~ND

Yeah which is primary why i thought it was a good share regardless of whether its accurate or not does not interest me it seems like a good tool/method to have an interesting perspective and view on things.

There is ultimately no right or wrongs in existence, its all a learning process

Besides..
I don't think we will ever be able to completely explain consciousness scientifically and even if we somehow managed i don't think the physical brain will be able to comprehend fully.

Its more of something we have to know within because no external source knows better that whats already within.

A nice quote i like to stick by is "Consciousness is the Universe Aware of itself"

I agree, the testable claims(ie Wilson talks about where those circuits reside in the brain) are mostly nonsense.
Id be interested though to what cognitive theories you are referring to.
Personaly the models I learned in basic modern-cognitive psychology didnt prove of much value in understanding the true nature of the psychedelic realms, and dont even touch on such phenomena. The notion that they are all subjective illusions made up from the brain basically is in the materialistic paradigma the new cognitive science evolved from. This might or might not be true in the end, but as far as navigating those realms, and understanding the nature and purpose of those experiences they prove of little help.

Not to lose focus from OP's post but, to what extent are Jungs views considered silly?

8 winner/loser scripts for this model.

The Eight Basic Scripts
by Robert Anton Wilson, The Illuminati Papers p.93

1. The biosurvival
Winner "I will live forever or die trying."
Loser "I don't know how to defend myself."

2. The emotional-territorial
Winner "I am free; you are free; we can have our separate trips or we can have the same trip."
Loser "They all intimidate me."

3. The semantic
Winner "I am learning more about everything, including how to learn more."
Loser "I can't solve my problems."

4. The sociosexual
Winner "Love, and do what thou wilt." (Anon. of Ibid)
Loser "Everything I like is illegal, immoral, or fattening."

5. The neurosomatic
Winner "How I feel depends on my neurological knowhow."
Loser "I can't help the way I feel."

6. The metaprogramming
Winner "I make my own coincidences, synchronicities, luck, and Destiny."
Loser "Why do I have such lousy luck?"

7. The neurogenetic
Winner "Future evolution depends on my decisions now."
Loser "Evolution is blind and impersonal."

8. The neuroatomic
Winner "In the province of the mind, what is believed to be true is true, or becomes true within certain limits to be learned by experience and experiment." (Dr.John Lilly)
Loser "I am not psychic, and I doubt anyone is."

I think that in some ways it is out dated but nevertheless some elements of it are indeed quite useful and very relevant no doubt.

Just give these a listen and combine the pieces for an updated version...

https://www.warrior.do/tony-wright/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr4ykm7n8w8

Does anyone else see the similarities between this theory and the Chakras... Also the organ/chemical systems of the body?
I think it's all attempting to describe the same core truth.

Yes, to me all these models of human functioning (f.e. leary, maslow, chakra, adaption neurosis, ..) root in the same idea, like every other model (f.e. religion, language, ..) does. To me it appears that there is no "new" information but it is all different poetry, created from humans in different social-cultural paradigms, about the same mystery, like different facets of the same godhead.

Models, their purpose is all about survival and maintenance, are really functional to explain, derive possibilities and draw conclusions and they all contain the possibility to get lost in them, by believing and holding on that "this" is "reality" (what ever that means).

Is the believe of I a model?

tseuq

I would also like to add that they appear to be not static, but changing over time.

Yes, depending on the current social-cultural paradigm we find ourselves in. F.e. Leary, Wilson and co were all about computer(-language), whereas the idea of chakras was born long before computerization.
And I guess it is all dynamic and interwoven, that changes in models occur from changes within and between paradigm-shifts.

tseuq

Chakras are energy centers, while circuits are states of consciousness. It is a heuristic model. Here you go: Chakras and Circuits


Funny thing, our language is not static and is changing overtime. So I guess like everything else. "46 & 2 are just ahead of me!"