There are already signs that aya is being marketed as a party drug (someone is putting together an aya rave), so until the universe sends me a positive affirmation that this is where I need to be looking for my next steps forward, I will not be doing it. The universe, in fact, seems to be saying, “NO!”

We seem to be looking to someone outside ourselves to mediate for us in the world of the spirit. We can serve as our own shamans, after all. Yes, for deep work, we still may need a sitter. Do you know what I’m getting at, though? Although I’m sure that there are many people who’ve had wonderful, life-changing experiences on aya, it is not the only path. Drugs are not the only path. Maybe the search for ever more exotic medicines is just another manifestation of our collective illness.

For example, in response to “the films don’t really cover an alternative form of spirituality.”
I think this really depends on your definitions. The Zeitgeist movement has made the case that technological innovation (as applied to uniting the species) is “divinity in action”. Reasoning, on many levels, the goals of the movement & the positive aspects to many religions (which the movement embraces) are the same.

To say, if core of spirituality is recognizing & embracing the fact we are all one (another way of saying, we are all of the same materials & energy), then the Zeitgeist movement adopts many of the same tenets of any spiritual movement; only without the fancy dress and mystical rituals, which are reasonably not a requirement of living spiritually & embracing the global consciousness.

Not picking hairs here, but it’s easy to dismiss something as X when it doesn’t fit into your definitions of X; am writing here to offer information that may help widen your definition of X.

As for the whole RS retreat debacle; think it’s a shame that no one connected to that issue had the clarity of mind to see through it without resorting to bickering & blaming; doesn’t speak well of the overall effort. Don’t know enough about it to offer much else.

When you compare that to the mysticism of, say, people who are interested in entheogens or consciousness research, and that seems fairly far afield of what’s been covered by the Zeitgeist movement. So, yeah, I don’t think Zeitgeist is militantly atheist or anything, because it’s about opening your mind to new ideas, but the films don’t really cover an alternative form of spirituality.

I link to Cosmos and Psyche. I’m not saying I agree with this premise, but it’s basic tenet is that the movement of the planets corresponds to upheaval on this planet. I’m fairly certain Peter Joseph doesn’t subscribe to this sort of mysticism and sees the damages of globalization to be a human construct and not the result of a spiritual shadow world that influences people to do terrible things. This is where I think it would be interesting to meld Peter Joseph’s ideas about the destructive power of humans and Daniel Pinchbeck’s explorations into the far reaches of consciousness. As of now, the two movements are fairly separate – though I heard about Zeitgeist on http://www.realitysandwich.com

Neither of these statements are true. As an author, I would imagine you understand the importance of research.

Zeitgeist is simple pro-understanding; understanding how we got here. I know the AJ’s of the world cannot see past their own dogma, but the first Zeitgeist film was an art film; the movement didn’t exist then. Once the interest exploded, Addendum was made and it reflects the movement. On the subject of religion, Zeitgeist is neutral (up to the point that religious dogma is used to distort facts).

The focus is on understanding how we got here (all the lies we’re continually told), how it all works, and what we can do about it.

If you want to suggest that’s a bad thing, thing I wonder where your priorities are.

Thanks for considering this post. Nice site BTW