Astral Projection?

[Ulysses]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtGG58g7I5s

Does anyone have any insight as to whether or not this actually exists? Part of me thinks that it would indeed be cool to do something like this and that humanity as a whole could greatly benefit from engaging in this activity, but the scientist in me is saying how asinine the belief that something immaterial within us can leave the material world and travel through dimensions we've not yet discovered is, and how it's nothing more than bronze-age Buddhist meditation bullshit. Now, if there are any believers in this who can actually do it, you should be able to explain how to do it in a clear, coherent manner, and how this does not contradict anything mankind already knows about the physical realm, so please do. And if this truly is bullshit, one should also be able to explain why that is, while saying more than simply how illogical it sounds to the ignorant general public.

By the way, this can also be a subforum to discuss out-of-body experinces as well, and if those are nothing more than a trick the human mind plays on us.

 

[e2iPi]

Good luck finding believers in astral projection here.

This isn't something I was going to mention, but I do travel outside my body - all the time! Either that, or I simply fall unconscious and hallucinate vividly for 6-8 hours ever night :lol:

Anyway, kidding aside, I can explain why astral projection is bullshit: There is not a single, solitary shred of evidence that any part of our consciousness can be disassociated from the biochemistry of the brain. To the contrary, there is a literal mountain of scientific research into human consciousness and behavior that indicates it is inextricably linked to the biochemistry of the brain. As an example, I was just reading an article earlier today which linked certain areas of the brain with "sins" (McGowan, "Seven Deadly Sins," Discover, Sept 2009) which was quite interesting and firmly reinforced the idea.

i^2

 

[Giliell]

I'll rephrase a sentence I'll usually give for other paranormal stuff:
All those who believe in astral projection please come and visit me metaphysically.
Would it be cool? Totally!
It would also be totally cool to be a wizard like Hary Potter, only we can't.

@e2iPi
What?
Since I do 6 out of 7 deadly sins on a good day, can you elaborate on that idea a bit?

 

[xchillx42]

Lucid dreaming is very real I don't know about that other shit. But lucid dreaming is.

If You need proof just try it yourself its fairly easy and a hell of a lot of fun. I have a video if anyone is interested;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgDBuI8cpp4

 

[e2iPi]

Since I do 6 out of 7 deadly sins on a good day, can you elaborate on that idea a bit?

Wow, you're my kinda girl

The central question which the article approaches is "Why does being bad feel so good?" The author draws upon many different studies, many involving functional MRI, in which various emotions are piqued in the test subjects. Interestingly enough, the "reward system" of the brain (dopamine and serotonin) is responsible in many cases. Lust was responsible lighting up the brain more than any of the other sins, which is not surprising considering the biological imperative to reproduce. Gluttony seems to be linked to the same dopamine desensitization which is common in drug addicts. Pride, I thought was particularly interesting, in that the same areas of the brain active during prideful boasting and self-deprecating humility. Seems they are both forms of one-upmanship. Greed and envy both activate the conflict-detection mechanism in the brain. Wrath, it seems, is quite interesting in that while contemplating revenge, the brains reward circuitry lights up like Christmas.

i^2

 

[ImprobableJoe]

And if this truly is bullshit, one should also be able to explain why that is, while saying more than simply how illogical it sounds to the ignorant general public.

I assume you actually sort of believe this bullshit, or at least want to?

It is bullshit because there's zero evidence for it. If you listen to the video, the words are all in English, but the guy isn't actually saying ANYTHING. He asserts all sorts of things for which there is no evidence, in order to explain something else for which there is no evidence. That's like saying that UFOs exist, because how else do you think Bigfoot gets around? It is using nonsense as a foundation for nonsense.

More bullshit? If astral projection exists, then it should be easy to show that it exists. If you can't show that something exists, then for all practical purpose it doesn't exist. Anyhoo, what practical good as astral projection done, as opposed to simple meditation? Unless someone can show access to information that can only be achieved by asshole projection, then I say that whatever they are experiencing is identical to just imagining things.

 

[e2iPi]

information that can only be achieved by asshole projection,

Oh, asshole projection is quite real. It's called the internet :lol:

 

[ImprobableJoe]

Oh, asshole projection is quite real. It's called the internet :lol:

You know, it started as a typo, and then I realized that it was plenty appropriate.

 

[13Heathens]

I've dealt with plenty that have claimed to be able to astral project, and I used to enjoy testing them. The results were always amusing. I'd ask them what was on the other side of the door on the left side of my room at my house. The friends I was with would start telling them how incredible their psychic abilities are, and after spending a good 20 minutes of building them up we'd let them in on the shocking truth - The correct answer would be that there was no door on that wall, only a window.

They'd feel angry and make up excuses for being wrong.. but they never seemed willing to accept the truth - they were deluding themselves. My current challenge to internet folks who think they can astral project is to ask them what's on top of my monitor.. naturally nobody's guessed correctly.

 

[ImprobableJoe]

They'd feel angry and make up excuses for being wrong.. but they never seemed willing to accept the truth - they were deluding themselves. My current challenge to internet folks who think they can astral project is to ask them what's on top of my monitor.. naturally nobody's guessed correctly.

I'm seeing a head... it is bobbing... it is yellow and balding... it is eating a doughnut...

 

[Giliell]

Wow, you're my kinda girl

The central question which the article approaches is "Why does being bad feel so good?"

i^2

Hmm, although I find that study highly interesting, why the heck would I call those things "wrong"? I know lust isn't and as long as I don't hurt anybody being angry, it can be a good thing.

 

[e2iPi]

Hmm, although I find that study highly interesting, why the heck would I call those things "wrong"? I know lust isn't and as long as I don't hurt anybody being angry, it can be a good thing.

I have not a clue. Each and every one of the seven sins has strong biological links to behaviors which would create an evolutionary advantage. It seems clear from the article that those who do take these behaviors to far have some type of neurological problem - either in impulse-control, conflict detection or dopamine insensitivity, among others. Of course, when taken to an extreme these same behaviors can be quite detrimental to the individual as well as the social group. so from a naive view that all behaviors are ultimately a personal choice it becomes clear how these behaviors came to be labeled as sins when taken to extremes.

 

[Ulysses]

I assume you actually sort of believe this bullshit, or at least want to?

No, I would never want to believe in falsities and delusions, which, as I thought, astral projection is. Be that as it may, if it did indeed exist, I thought it would be a rather interesting thing to engage in.

 

[Giliell]

I have not a clue. Each and every one of the seven sins has strong biological links to behaviors which would create an evolutionary advantage. It seems clear from the article that those who do take these behaviors to far have some type of neurological problem - either in impulse-control, conflict detection or dopamine insensitivity, among others. Of course, when taken to an extreme these same behaviors can be quite detrimental to the individual as well as the social group. so from a naive view that all behaviors are ultimately a personal choice it becomes clear how these behaviors came to be labeled as sins when taken to extremes.

Well, every behaviour is bad when taken to the extreme. Washing hands is. But I think the philosophical/religeous discussion about why especially those things became deadly sins belongs somewhere else.

No, I would never want to believe in falsities and delusions, which, as I thought, astral projection is. Be that as it may, if it did indeed exist, I thought it would be a rather interesting thing to engage in.

Yeah, it would be. But the CIA would have a patent on it ever since

 

[ImprobableJoe]

Be that as it may, if it did indeed exist, I thought it would be a rather interesting thing to engage in.

Yeah, and I think it would be interesting to shoot death rays out of my eyes. Find a hot redhead who can move things with her brain and an antisocial Canadian with claws, and we could be the X-Men. :lol: