Different States Of Consciousness By Maharishi Vedic Science

(117) By following these ideals, one could hope to ‘break the cycle’ and escape the “never-ending cycle of rebirth and find nirvana”. (117)

A state of enlightenment is what many wish to acquire, yet many try to reach this higher level of consciousness through different means, i.e. religion, meditation, drugs, etc. Religion and meditation are the most widely accepted methods of transcendence- especially with the studies conducted on Transcendental Meditation™ which have revealed its ability to raise the brains coherence along with the myriad of other health benefits. Drugs, on the other hand, have been stigmatized against in America for its hold on adolescents and its influence on making rash and irresponsible decision making but could they be the key to spiritual growth?

Huston Smith, explores, the various processes in which man could transcend the austere and lucid form of being to a more enlightened one. Smith, explores this notion, in the context of religion, and mainly the various religious traditions and practices that attempt to enlighten and save one's soul from the allencompasing, worldly, goods and desires. Smith’s arguments, tremendously, revolve around the notion of ‘transcendence’ and the important role of religion in facilitating the enlightenment of the mind and soul. This notion of transcendence is evident in almost all religions (however, mainly South Asian) i.e. Hinduism (Moksha) and Buddhism (Nirvana) these form of transcendence do not only differ in terms of the linguistically, but most importantly, in the ways at which they can be achieved. I believe that Hinduism does in fact facilitated the move from imperfection to perfection, however I would like to emphasises the notion that various other forms religion may play a similar role in transforming one's soul for the better. Therefore, in this paper I will explore the inevitable and vital role of religion (hinduism) in transforming one's soul, whilst simultaneously providing that basis to other

In the recent past, the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs has been viewed as a disease in various scientific and medical circles. The shift in view of addiction is influenced by the current medicalization framework in which problems and behaviors have become described and treated as medical problems. Medicalization has shifted the consideration of drug use and abuse from being regarded as a choice to an understanding that the addict is suffering from a disease. Actually, the framework has in turn contributed to the development of biomedicalization concept that incorporates medicalization of bodily processes, behaviors and characteristics. This concept enhances the understanding of addiction as a disease because of its emphasis on how new technologies and drugs creates a new individual and combined technoscientific identities (Dingel, Karkazis & Koenig, 2011, p.1367). Therefore, the context of widespread biomedicalization is the basis for the emergence of the idea of addiction as a disease of the brain.

The term addiction as it relates to disease has been a controversial topic for generations. The general arguments for this controversial topic latch onto one of two differing ideas (Leshner, n.d.). The first believe is that addiction is a disease that needs intervention to overcome. The second is belief that addiction is simply the term people use because they lack the will power to quit on their own. However, as we advanced in medical technology so did are understanding of addiction. These advances led to the discovery that addiction is a brain disease. This brain disease is the direct consequence of a person’s illicit drug use. Addiction is the consequence of extended substance abuse. Long term drug abuse causes severe changes in the brain.

The term "addiction" is a compulsive physiological need for and use of a habit-forming substance based on www.merriamwebster.com, and how it is used has been the subject of controversy for decade. Whether we read it on the newspapers and magazines, heard about it on the radio, watched it on the television, and talked about it on social media, they emphasize often addictions related to substance used, for instance either drugs, alcohols, including prescription medicines and cigarettes. Evidently, what we do not see as often on the headlines are behavioral addictions that we may be ignoring, pay less attention or pay no attention at all.

An individual does not struggle with addiction because they are weak or lazy. In order for society to move past the common negative views of addiction it is important to understand how addiction is defined. In 2011 ASAM, the American Society of Addiction Medicine developed a new, broader definition of addiction. ASASM defined addiction as a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors such as eating, sex, shopping, and/or gambling (Smith, M.D., FASAM, FAACT, 2012). This definition provides information that can be highly valuable to Social

The addictive aspect of the drug comes when the “psychological need for drugs that surpasses the user’s ability to control the use

As a matter of fact, addiction is a much more complex disease to manage and possibly treat; quitting drug addiction takes the goodwill and intentions and more so a strong will. Lawrence and Melinda Smith’s article, “Drug Abuse and Addiction,” defines drug addiction as a chronic condition which usually results into relapse of the brain which can eventually lead to both compulsive drug seeking and use. The brain changes lead an addict to a lack of self-control and hamper his ability to resist drug use. This is in line with the consequences of drug use (Barker, 2008).

Addiction, is a disease and involves behavioral components such as bio-psycho-social and manifests itself in a unique way in each patient. It is a pathological relationship established between the person, the psychoactive substance or additive behavior in a particular psycho-social context. The individuals have difficulties of controlling consumption, even

In this paper I will be comparing and contrasting the Psychoanalytic formulations of addiction and the Cognitive models of addiction. According to Dennis L. Thombs, “people tend to get psychoanalysis and psychotherapy mixed up. Psychotherapy is a more general term describing professional services aimed at helping individuals or groups overcome emotional, behavioral or relationship problem” (119). According to Thombs and Osborn, “Cognitive refers to the covert mental process that are described by a number of diverse terms, including thinking, self-talk, internal dialogue, expectations , beliefs, schemas and so much more” (160). I believe these two factors play a major part in an individual’s life that has an addiction.

Once we feel that we have completely degraded ourselves, we are presented with two options; use self-determination to raise ourselves to become stronger and broader than we once were or use an artificial or substantial method to distract ourselves or lets us have ‘fun’. To forget about certain issues and simply focus on the “fun” parts of life. For 9 percent of us, we end up getting caught in all of this fun, to the point in which we start to get an obsession with it. Having beautiful thoughts and happy memories were the easiest and fastest escapes from reality and our downfalls. I had created my problems that have caused me to fall down the barrel of drug useless, the choices I made had forced me to fall so deep, that I create my own illusion believing I wasn't ever going to recover or I need it to stay stable. This all began when I started to get anxiety attacks, I felt alone and as if no one or anything would take this aching pain away from me except drugs. I wouldn't let anyone in as I knew they were going to be disappointed with the measures I had taken to feel calm. Newton’s third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Not in physics or in life is this law an exception, with only a week experiencing this downfall, all the actions I had taken had started to take effect, heavy consequences came with all of

Addiction begins with a choice, not necessarily a choice to become dependent upon a substance, rather a choice to take a walk through the land of oblivion at least once. A person does not simply wake up one morning addicted to heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine or any other substance. Perhaps a fleeting moment of despair, or the longing for acceptance brings this individual to the doorstep of addiction, prepared to move heaven and earth to find their next fix. Bruce Alexander himself writes, “I began to consider then that the current theories of substance abuse were wrong; that people used, not be they HAD to pharmacologically, but because the substance was one valid way of adapting to difficult circumstances” (Alexander 161). Just as the

Transcendental Meditation teachers would be provided to conduct the introductory lectures and teach the technique. These lectures could be expanded to (a) include a detailed review of those research studies which specifically address the use of Transcendental Meditation in the treatment of the abuse of alcohol and drugs and (b) to explain the role of the mantra within the technique together with describing the mechanics of how the mantra restores the pathways of the brain to normal functioning. It is essential for the mantra’s effect on the brain to be understood by counselors so that the effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation technique is clearly understood. As mentioned earlier many substance abuse counselors are addicts in recovery being the product of current treatment models. By engaging in Transcendental Meditation alcohol and substance abuse counselors would over time directly experience a change in the paradigm from being in recovery to that of being recovered. As these counselors provide services to clients the beneficial effects of Transcendental Meditation would be shared with their

How do your chosen texts represent altered states of consciousness (e.g. dreaming, drugged states, trances, madness)? What does the representation of these states explore that the representation of normative states does not?