Making Occult Studies more Accessible

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Ech you just broke my brain.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

Not only that, by why do people need to self-hypnotize to achieve results that can be achieved through cognizant effort?

I mean, if you have to trick yourself into a certain state of mind, it's probably a sign that you're not really ready to be in that state of mind.

Since when do we give a fuck about being "really ready" for something? By that logic, no one should drink ever because you're tricking your brain with chemicals to get yourself into a different state of mind. Stop peeing in everyone's cheerios.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Dude, you're getting way too worked up about this. You need to relax.

I hear meditation is good for that.

I need no tricks.  I just have rage, and hate, and I get full eating pills every night.

[East Coast Hustle]

Not only that, by why do people need to self-hypnotize to achieve results that can be achieved through cognizant effort?

I mean, if you have to trick yourself into a certain state of mind, it's probably a sign that you're not really ready to be in that state of mind.

Since when do we give a fuck about being "really ready" for something? By that logic, no one should drink ever because you're tricking your brain with chemicals to get yourself into a different state of mind. Stop peeing in everyone's cheerios.

bad analogy. It would be more like you're paying someone to teach you how to simulate being drunk rather than just going out and getting drunk until you can handle your liquor.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

A critical study of magic was an important part of me breaking free of the old system and expanding my understanding. I grew up being taught that demons were real and magic was demonism. Someone could have told me the science, but my brain hadn't been programmed with science... as I studied Farber, Carroll, Hine etc. I was able to understand a hell of a lot more about what was going on in my head, other peoples heads and it made dumping old superstitions easier.

Magic may be shit covered glasses, but even shit covered glasses help when you have no glasses.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Magic may be shit covered glasses, but even shit covered glasses help when you have no glasses.

That's disputable.  If your worldview is grossly flawed, you dump it.  Even if you don't have another one ready. 

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

Not only that, by why do people need to self-hypnotize to achieve results that can be achieved through cognizant effort?

I mean, if you have to trick yourself into a certain state of mind, it's probably a sign that you're not really ready to be in that state of mind.

Since when do we give a fuck about being "really ready" for something? By that logic, no one should drink ever because you're tricking your brain with chemicals to get yourself into a different state of mind. Stop peeing in everyone's cheerios.

bad analogy. It would be more like you're paying someone to teach you how to simulate being drunk rather than just going out and getting drunk until you can handle your liquor.

And what would the problem be with that? Hell, less health problems, you can turn it off whenever you want, and it's probably a lot less expensive in the long run. Sounds like a good investment to me.

Being fucked up is fun. Not all of us can flip a switch to get our brains there, so we have to learn stupid tricks to make it happen. Why do you hate fun?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Since when do we give a fuck about being "really ready" for something? By that logic, no one should drink ever because you're tricking your brain with chemicals to get yourself into a different state of mind.

Difference:  Drinking is for FUN, not for using as a means of dealing with the world.  Unless you're Horab.

Stop peeing in everyone's cheerios.

You have no idea where you are, do you?   

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Being fucked up is fun. Not all of us can flip a switch to get our brains there, so we have to learn stupid tricks to make it happen. Why do you hate fun?

I call bullshit, at least for this crowd.  Nobody here is Forrest Gump, or even Newt Gingrich.  You don't have to fool yourself.  You've been taught that you do, which is another story entirely.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Well that must be fucking nice if you can "just do" that, eh?

Tell me then, why am I taking yoga/meditation classes? Why then, am I after a refresher of three lessons (I've been doing this shit for years, it's just been a while this time) already capable of a deeper relaxation than I was in the year before that when I hadn't been practising, with a noticeable effect in my own stress levels.

And how does that not agree with what I said?

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

Being fucked up is fun. Not all of us can flip a switch to get our brains there, so we have to learn stupid tricks to make it happen. Why do you hate fun?

I call bullshit, at least for this crowd.  Nobody here is Forrest Gump, or even Newt Gingrich.  You don't have to fool yourself.  You've been taught that you do, which is another story entirely.

Are you kidding? I have to trick myself to get the dishwasher unloaded.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Being fucked up is fun. Not all of us can flip a switch to get our brains there, so we have to learn stupid tricks to make it happen. Why do you hate fun?

I call bullshit, at least for this crowd.  Nobody here is Forrest Gump, or even Newt Gingrich.  You don't have to fool yourself.  You've been taught that you do, which is another story entirely.

Are you kidding? I have to trick myself to get the dishwasher unloaded.

Sounds like your programming might have been done by the lowest bidder.  You should climb in there and see what's what.  Maybe redo the wiring some.  Don't get a guru to help you, though, those guys are nothing but trouble.  I can tell you about The Roger Way™, but you gotta do it yourself.

[East Coast Hustle]

I'd like to expound on the "learning the language versus reading the subtitles" analogy, because I feel it's applicable to this line of conversation as a whole. Sure, you can read the subtitles and sort of get the gist of what's going on, but if you want to UNDERSTAND what's going on you need to learn the language and all of the subtleties and nuance contained within it. And there's a whole lot more value in that than in taking some cheapshit shortcut.

What gives myself (and Roger, though I'm not speaking for him) some MAGICAL ability to just fucking RELAX and not sweat the small shit, or to be confident in the ability to favorably change a situation via application of will, isn't some innate ability or mutant superpower, it's the perspective brought on by being willing to not be satisfied with a life of complacency and security.

When's the last time you did something dangerous?

Not like "I rode my bike in traffic without a helmet" dangerous. Like "I found myself in some fucked-up doll factory in a Panamanian jungle" dangerous. "I realized I was in the middle of a drug deal with methed-out machine gun-toting Yakuza lackeys" dangerous. "I collect debts for a 'corrupt' judge" dangerous.

This isn't some internet tough guy screed. I'm just pointing out that once you get comfortable with the idea that THIS SHIT MIGHT KILL YOU, the fact that someone on the internet is condescending to you suddenly stops being a reason to lose your shit. It's easy to "just relax" and "just do it" when you live a life that forces you to savor the opportunity to relax and makes being able to just do it less a magical mental trick and more a necessity for survival. But if all you eve do is find a comfortable routine and stick to it because it gets you through the day, what the fuck do you expect to happen when something upsets your routine? And whose fault do you think it is? I'll tell you, it's not the fault of whatever bunged up your trip to the supermarket, it's fucking YOU for thinking your comfortable daily routine is actually IMPORTANT or NECESSARY.

And frankly, if you're trying to trick yourself into that relaxed and confident mental state by paying a yoga teacher or NLPing yourself all day, you're missing the fucking point. Get off of your comfortable suburban ass and go LIVE LIFE.

If this sounds condescending and assholish to you, that doesn't make it wrong it just means you're probably one of the people it pertains to. Or, y'know, alternately I'm some fucking SUPERIOR BEING and you can PM me for the address to which my monthly tribute can be sent. But that's bullshit and we all know it, so go fucking EARN your relaxation and stop paying for false slack.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

What gives myself (and Roger, though I'm not speaking for him) some MAGICAL ability to just fucking RELAX and not sweat the small shit, or to be confident in the ability to favorably change a situation via application of will, isn't some innate ability or mutant superpower, it's the perspective brought on by being willing to not be satisfied with a life of complacency and security.

This.  Imminent death or danger tends to focus the mind wonderfully.

But I'm gonna argue the Yoga thing, even though I don't know too much about it, simply because the people that stick with it seem to benefit from it.  Probably for the same reason that people who do other forms of exercise regularly benefit from it (though, again, that's a guess).

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

Sounds like your programming might have been done by the lowest bidder.  You should climb in there and see what's what.  Maybe redo the wiring some.  Don't get a guru to help you, though, those guys are nothing but trouble.  I can tell you about The Roger Way™, but you gotta do it yourself.

This is after several years of rewiring by qualified health professionals. It functions. It's not pretty or elegant or even terribly reliable, but it gets me from point A to point B with minimal housefires, so I think it works.

And frankly, even that is a lot better off than where a lot of folks are, so what's the big problem with letting people with normal human shitty wiring get their kicks where they can find them? It's all well and good to say "THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE IF NO ONE NEEDED A WHEELCHAIR" but the answer isn't to go out and steal everyone's wheelchairs in the night. Sure, some folks would have to walk instead of fucking around with their Hoverround, but that dude with no legs isn't any better off. And the lazy bastards who could walk if they just put years and years of effort into it? Probably not going to be able to make it to physical therapy now, so good luck ever getting better.

(yes, I know, I murder my metaphors, I don't care)