#3 Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment - Dr James Cooke

In collaboration with The Psychedelic Society, Amir Giles is hosting a series of conversations on Psychedelics, Meditation & Enlightenment. For upcoming events find us at https://psychedelicsociety.org.uk/events https://www.adventuresinawareness.com Listening is free, but your support is appreciated! If you would like to contribute this initiative, donations are gratefully accepted. You can support via Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/adventuresinawarenessor make one off PayPal donations here:  https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/adventuresin Podcast #3: Dr James Cooke   Oxford trained Neuro-scientist, James Cooke shares his early life awakening experiences, his healing and embodiment journey through psychedelics, and his recently published theory on how consciousness and life are two co-emergent properties of the universe and what that means for living an enlightened life.   00:52 - Necker Cube3:00 - Religious crisis to awakening to the present moment 8:20 - Tibetan Dzogchen  10:00 - Unintegrated enlightenment, and choosing academia over the monastery 14:00 - Experimental psychology at Oxford and choosing science over philosophy 17:00 -  Science, nonduality and democratisation of psychedelics 19:00 - The collapse of all thought into the present moment 20:00 -  Psychedelic experiences as genuine mystical experience  22:00 - James Cook’s understanding of Enlightenment                      Consciousness as a co-emergent property with life - and to exist is to strive 29:00 -  Different from idealism  30:00 -  Enlightenment as being close to death, enlightenment not the goal 35.30 -  Balancing enlightenment with life 41:40 -  Many centres of experience 49:23 -  Nondual states including being and striving 56:55 - The value of science as a gateway and grounding to the mystical 1:07:40 - Views on metaphysical idealism  1:16:30 - Islands don’t exist 1:21:00 - Distinction with pan-psychism 1:23:00 - Organisms made out of many organisms  1:30:00 - All life is conscious  1:34:00 - Psychedelics, mysticism, embodiment and healing 1:40:00 - The power of redemptive love and psychedelics as party of healthy human culture 1:49:50 - The distraction of visuals in psychedelics, and the healing power of different substances   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adventuresinawareness.substack.com