altered states of consciousness charles t. tartstates+of... · altered states of consciousness in...

A l t e r e d S t a t e s of Consciousness

i n Western and Buddh i s t Psychology

C h a r l e s T. T a r t

I w i l l b e g i n t h i s paper w i t h a w e l l known s t a t e m e n t from Abraham

Maslow. ' ' 1 i t h e o n l y t o o l you have i s a hammer, you t end t o t r e a t eve ry -

t h i n g a s i f i t were a na i l1 ' - -keep t h i s i n mind th roughou t what f o l l o w s .

I am w r i t i n g from t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f a Western p s y c h o l o g i s t . My

s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t w i t h i n psychology has been human p o t e n t i a l s : how can w e be

more t h a n w e a r e , how can w e be h e a l t h i e r , h a p p i e r , more c r e a t i v e , more g iv -

i n g , more i n t e l l i g e n t ? I ' v e been p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t e d i n a l t e r e d s t a t e s

o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s and s o have s t u d i e d phenomena l i k e hypnos i s , d r u g e f f e c t s ,

m e d i t a t i o n , s l e e p , emot iona l s t a t e s , and s o f o r t h . I o f t e n e x p r e s s t h i s a s a n

i n t e r e s t i n d e v e l o p i n g a s c i e n t i f i c t r a n s p e r s o n a l psychology. From a l l t h e

s p i r i t u a l t r a d i t i o n s t h a t have come down t o u s , f i l l e d w i t h l o t s o f i d e a s ,

some o f which make marvelous s e n s e and some o f which a r e p r o b a b l y nonsense ,

how do w e s e p a r a t e o u t what i s r e a l l y a p p l i c a b l e and what works f o r us to -

day? How d o w e r e c o n c i l e i t w i t h modern s c i e n c e ?

C o n t r a s t i n g Western and Buddh i s t Psychology:

I n comparing Western and Buddh i s t i d e a s a b o u t c o n s c i o u s n e s s and a l t e r e d

s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , t h e s a l i e n t t h i n g t h a t s t r i k e s me, t o o v e r s i m p l i f y ,

i s t h a t t h e approaches t o c o n s c i o u s n e s s i n Buddhism and Western psychology

a r e a l m o s t o r t h o g o n a l t o e a c h o t h e r : t h e main f o c u s o f i n t e r e s t s has a l m o s t

no o v e r l a p . The f o c u s i n Buddhism is n o t p a r t i c u l a r l y on s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s

n e s s o r phenomena o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s p e r se, b u t on how t o use c o n s c i o u s n e s s .

Buddhism i s i n t e r e s t e d i n what t o do wi ' th c o n s c i o u s n e s s , and n o t o n l y how

w e u s e c o n s c i o u s n e s s b u t , even more s o , how w e misuse i t and s o end up l i v -

i n g a l i f e t h a t i s f u l l o f , ' s u f f e r i n g . I d e a s l i k e a t t a c h m e n t and m i n d f u l n e s s , 4

which have t o do wi,th t h e way you use and m i s u s e c o n s c i o u s n e s s , a r e c e n t r a l

T a r t - 2

c o n c e p t s i n Buddhism. I n c o n t r a s t , i f you t r y t o l o o k up a t t achment o r

mindfu lness i n t h e i n d e x o f Western psychology books, you w i l l r a r e l y f i n d

t h e words used. So Buddhism f o c u s e s on t h e use and misuse of c o n s c i o u s n e s s ,

how t h i n g s l i k e a t t a c h m e n t b r i n g s u f f e r i n g , and how non-at tachment c a n r e s u l t

i n freedom from s u f f e r i n g .

Western psychology, on t h e o t h e r hand, grows o u t of a c u l t u r a l con-

t e x t i n which t h e emphasis i s p l a c e d on d e a l i n g w i t h t h e e x t e r n a l world.

Consciousness t h u s becomes secondary i n Western c u l t u r e . Consciousness i s

o n l y s e c o n d a r i l y i n t e r e s t i n g , a s a n i n s t r u m e n t f o r d e a l i n g w i t h t h e e x t e r n a l

world . Happiness i s t o be found i n s u c c e s s f u l "adjus tment" t o t h e e x t e r n a l

world , i n s u c c e e d i n g i n t h e e x t e r n a l wor ld ; s o c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s p r e t t y much

t aken f o r g r a n t e d a s l o n g a s we a r e succeed ing . Our i n t e r e s t i n consc ious -

n e s s i n c r e a s e s when we a r e n o t d o i n g v e r y w e l l i n t h e e x t e r n a l wor ld , when

w e ' r e f a i l i n g , when we ' r e n o t a d j u s t e d . There a r e e x c e p t i o n s , such a s i n t e r -

e s t i n c o n s c i o u s n e s s p e r s e , b u t u t i l i t a r i a n i s m i s a p r imary emphasis w i t h i n

Western c u l t u r e .

Therapy o r o t h e r k i n d s o f me.nta1 t r a i n i n g can be looked upon a s r e s o c i a l i -

z a t i o n : i f a pe r son i s n o t f i t t i n g i n , t h a t means he has n o t a d j u s t e d v e r y

w e l l t o our f i n e s o c i a l world t h a t hand les t h e e x t e r n a l , p h y s i c a l wor ld . A

t h e r a p i s t i s someone who h e l p s t h a t pe r son deve lop b a s i c s o c i a l s k i l l s he

o r she shou ld have a c q u i r e d e a r l i e r , and e l i m i n a t e s i n t e r n a l c o n f l i c t s t h a t

b l o c k s u c c e s s f u l o u t e r , s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g .

I want t o i l l h s t r a t e t h i s d i f f e r e n c e i n focus by an analogy. The t r a -

d i t i o n a l ana logy I though t of u s i n g , t o honor Yoga and Buddhis t l i t e r a t u r e ,

would be t h a t of a c h a r i o t and how i t c a n be most p r o f i t a b l y used; b u t I

though t , 'What d o I know a b o u t c h a r i o t s ? " I ' m n o t s u r e I ' v e e v e r s e e n one!

Bes ides , we a r e i n C a l i f o r n i a , where t h e au tomobi le i s "worshipped." I am

t h e r e f o r e go ing t o u s e a n ana logy of au tomobi les and d r i v e r s .

T a r t -3

Western psychology i s i n t e r e s t e d i n c a r s . Happiness i s a b i g g e r and

b e t t e r c a r and more f reeways t o go wherever one wants t o go, more power,

more m a n e u v e r a b i l i t y . For some people i t i s more gas m i l e a g e , b u t f o r most

i t i s b i g g e r ; b e t t e r , more c o m f o r t a b l e c a r s , and more roads . We b e l i e v e we

d e s e r v e t h e s e t h i n g s , and e x p e c t t o g e t them. A s a consequence of t h i s

k ind o f , c u l t u r a l o r i e n t a t i o n , we have a n e x c e l l e n t s c i e n c e of c a r s . The

e x t e r n a l , p h y s i c a l s c i e n c e s a r e marve lous ly developed. We have a psycho-

l o g y ( p r i m i t i v e i n comparison t o t h e p h y s i c a l s c i e n c e s ) t h a t i s p r i m a r i l y

a psychology of poor d r i v e r s . We d o n ' t l i k e people t o misuse t h e i r c a r s ,

g e t i n our way, o r cause us t o have a c c i d e n t s . Psychopathology i s equ iva -

l e n t t o t h e f a i l u r e t o d r i v e s a f e l y . We have t o g e t poor d r i v e r s o f f t h e

road by i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z i n g them o r by g i v i n g them t h e r a p y t o make them b e t -

t e r d r i v e r s . O v e r a l l t h i s means t h a t t h e focus o f our Western psychology

i s q u i t e r e s t r i c t e d .

Buddhism, i n t h i s o v e r - s i m p l i f i e d ana logy , i s i n t e r e s t e d p r i m a r i l y

i n t h e psycho'logy o f t h e d r i v e r . The c u l t u r a l a t t i t u d e f r e q u e n t l y a s s o c i a t e d

w i t h i t i s e x p e c t a t i o n t h a t t h e c a r w i l l i n e v i t a b l y b r e a k down o r be s t o l e n .

There w i l l be gas s h o r t a g e s , and p o t h o l e s i n t h e road. There i s no a s s u r a n c e

t h a t c a r s and r o a d s a r e going t o improve. I f you t r y t o be happy by en joy-

i n g o r improving t h e c a r , you a r e go ing t o g e t i n t o t r o u b l e . Thus i t i s

t h e a t t i t u d e of t h e d r i v e r t h a t l e a d s t o s u f f e r i n g o r happ iness . Happiness

and s a t i s f a c t i o n come i n l e a r n i n g a k ind of non-at tachment . Then when a gas

s h o r t a g e o c c u r s , it d o e s n ' t a f f e c t o n e ' s i n n e r happ iness . T h i s focus l e a d s

t o a v e r y s o p h i s t i c a t e d psychology of d r i v e r s , b u t n o t t o a n e x p e r t know-

l e d g e of c a r s .

I t h i n k Western psychology i s narrow i n i t s emphasis . It i s c u l t u r a l l y

r e s t r i c t e d i n many ways. I s u s p e c t t h a t Buddhis t psychology is a l s o c u l -

t u r a l l y bound, e x c e l l e n t i n c e r t a i n a r e a s , r e s t r i c t e d i n o t h e r a r e a s . My

hope i s t h a t knowledge from Buddhism and knowledge from Western psychology

can be combined t o produce a n improvement i n bo th . Both t r a d i t i o n s have

something t o l e a r n from t h e o t h e r , and b o t h can end up b e i n g more e f f e c -

t i v e and having more v a l i d knowledge o f r e a l i t y by such a n i n t e r c h a n g e .

Now l e t us ex tend t h i s ana logy o f c a r s and d r i v e r s t o a l t e r e d s t a t e s

of c o n s c i o u s n e s s . Our o r d i n a r y s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s l i k e d r i v i n g

a c a r : a l t e r e d s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s have t o do w i t h d r i v i n g b o a t s ,

a i r p l a n e s , t r a c t o r s , s p a c e s h i p s , kamikaze p l a n e s ( t o r e p r e s e n t psycho-

p a t h o l o g y ) , and s o f o r t h . A l l o f t h e s e can be u s e f u l a c t i v i t i e s ; a l l

of t h e s e can be c o s t l y and dangerous a c t i v i t i e s . A l t e r e d s t a t e s o f con-

s c i o u s n e s s r e p r e s e n t d r a s t i c changes i n t h e way t h e mind ( i . e . , t h e c a r )

i s o r g a n i z e d , b u t t h e psychology o f t h e d r i v e r i s s t i l l a v i t a l c o n s i d e r -

a t i o n . The a t t i t u d e o f t h e d r i v e r , h i s psychology, i n t e r a c t s w i t h t h e

n a t u r e o f t h e v e h i c l e . I f i n s a i l i n g a b o a t a pe r son approaches a

mounta in a t t h e edge o f t h e l a k e , and t h e n becomes v e r y unhappy and k i c k s

t h e b o a t because i t w o n ' t f l y over t h e mounta in , he has a p s y c h o l o g i c a l

problem. He has c r e a t e d s u f f e r i n g . Tha t p e r s o n has t o l e a r n non-at tachment ,

and /o r s w i t c h t o t r a v e l i n g i n a n a i r p l a n e , depending on t h e s i t u a t i o n . A

complete psychology o f t h e f u t u r e would combine a knowledge o f v e h i c l e s ,

q u a l i t i e s , and s t a t e s of c o n s c i o u s n e s s , t h e Western approach t o psychology,

w i t h t h e s o p h i s t i c a t e d psychology a b o u t a t t i t u d e s , a t t a c h m e n t , m i n d f u l n e s s ,

and t h e l i k e , t h a t we g e t from Buddhism.

Ord ina ry Consciousness :

L e t me g e t more s p e c i f i c now and s h a r e t h e o u t l i n e s o f my unders tand-

i n g of what a l t e r e d s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s a r e . To do t h a t I w i l l have

t o p r e s e n t my u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e n a t u r e o f o r d i n a r y c o n s c i o u s n e s s and

t h e n touch on t h e c e n t r a l q u e s t i o n : what i s s a n i t y ? A g e n e r a l l y he ld

i d e a t h a t c o n f u s e s o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s what. p s y c h o l o g i s t s

T a r t -5

c a l l t h e n a i v e v iew o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s - - t h e i m p l i c i t a s s u m p t i o n t h a t o u r

o r d i n a r y c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s somehow " n a t u r a l " and "given." I have r e p r e -

s e n t e d t h a t w i t h a d i ag ram o f a n a i v e v iew o f p e r c e p t i o n i n F i g u r e 1.

< - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I n s e r t F i g u r e 1 a b o u t h e r e

I t i s a n i m p l i c i t work ing a s sumpt ion we make a l l t h e t ime t h a t

t h e r e a r e t h i n g s i n a r e a l wor ld o u t t h e r e and somehow, i n a v e r y s t r a i g h t -

fo rward , n a t u r a l , b i o l o g i c a l p r o c e s s , t h e r e a r e h i g h f i d e l i t y r e p r e s e n t a -

t i o n s o f r e a l i t y i n s i d e o u r heads , i n o u r c o n s c i o u s n e s s . We s i m p l y see

t h e w o r l d a s i t is . By a n a l o g y , t h e same k i n d o f a s sumpt ion a p p l i e s t o

o u r though t p r o c e s s e s - - t h a t t h e r e i s a n a t u r a l way o f t h i n k i n g , a n a t u r a l

l o g i c , and i n o u r o r d i n a r y s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h a t i s how o u r minds

work.

When t h e m a t t e r i s s p e l l e d o u t t h i s way, one b e g i n s t o s u s p e c t t h a t

t h i s i s f a r t o o s i m p l i f i e d a view. But i t i s seldom s p e l l e d o u t , and

t h i s n a i v e v iew i s t h e i m p l i c i t working a s sumpt ion t h a t we o p e r a t e on

most o f t h e t i m e .

F i g u r e 2 e x t e n d s t h i s a n a l o g y t o o u r i m p l i c i t a s sumpt ions a b o u t

s o c i a l r e a l i t y . The s o c i a l a p p l i c a t i o n i s t h a t t h e r e i s a s i m p l e , r e a l

p h y s i c a l wor ld o u t t h e r e . S i n c e eve rybody has t h i s h i g h f i d e l i t y , n a t u r a l

c o n t a c t w i t h i t , we a r e a l l i n c o n t a c t w i t h r e a l i t y and e a c h o t h e r , and

t h e r e f o r e comrnun?cate w e l l . We c a n e x t e n d t h a t a n a l o g y t o though t pro-

c e s s e s , s o t h a t we assume w e a l l t h i n k i n a l o g i c a l , " n a t u r a l , " r a t i o n a l

way. A major d i s c o v e r y t h a t my s t u d y o f a l t e r e d s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I n s e r t F i g u r e 2 a b o u t h e r e

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

T a r t -6

has brought me i s t h a t i t i s n o t a t a l l t h i s way. Ord inary consc iousness

i s n o t " n a t u r a l . " It i s n o t g iven. It is a c o n s t r u c t i o n , and i t i s a

c o n s t r u c t i o n t h a t , i n many ways, i s r a t h e r a r b i t r a r y . <

The C o n s t r u c t i o n of Consensus Consciousness :

Figure 3 i l l u s t r a t e s a concep t t h a t a n t h r o p o l o g i s t s came up w i t h

a long t ime ago c a l l e d the "spectrum o f human p o t e n t i a l s . " By v i r t u e

o f b e i n g born a human be ing , we have a m u l t i t u d e of p o t e n t i a l s t h a t

could be developed. We could deve lop t h e p o t e n t i a l s t o walk and run ,

t o e a t , t o speak: most people do t h a t . W e cou ld deve lop something v e r y

e x o t i c , l i k e the p o t e n t i a l t o go i n t o some a l t e r e d s t a t e s o f consc iousness

we would l o o s e l y term " t r a n c e , " where we would be "possessed" by a f r i e n d l y

"spir i tn who would t e a c h us songs and dances we cou ld l a t e r s h a r e w i t h

people . We cou ld l e a r n something r e a l l y e x o t i c i n some c u l t u r e s such a s ,

say , i n t e g r a l c a l c u l u s ! But, a p a r t i c u l a r c u l t u r e i s a group of people

who, through h i s t o r i c a l development p r o c e s s e s , do no t know about the en-

t i r e spectrum of t h i n g s one cou ld b e , b u t o n l y abou t c e r t a i n o f them,

which they then choose t o p i c k f o r development, t o r e i n f o r c e and b r i n g

o u t s t r o n g l y . Every c u l t u r e a l s o knows about c e r t a i n o t h e r p o t e n t i a l s

- - - - - - . . - - - - - - - - - - - -

I n s e r t F igure 3 about he re

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

which they do n o t l i k e , which they a c t i v e l y i n h i b i t . We could be t augh t

t o e a t on a l l f o u r s , f o r i n s t a n c e . , We cou ld have our food i n bowls and

g e t down on a l l f o u r s and s l o b b e r i t up. I do n o t s e e what i s wrong

w i t h t h a t on a cosmic s c a l e , b u t we s t r o n g l y d i s c o u r a g e people f r o m do ing

that . Another c u l t u r e , o f c o u r s e , i s a group o f s t r a n g e f o r e i g n e r s who

have made a d i f f e r e n t s e l e c t i o n o u t o f t h e t o t a l spectrum o f human p o t e n t i a l s .

T a r t -7

A c u l t u r e , then, knows about some,but n o t a l l , human p o t e n t i a l i t i e s .

Some o f t h o s e i t t r i e s t o a c t i v e l y deve lop and o t h e r s i t a c t i v e l y i n h i b i t s .

Our consc iousness deve lops , i s c o n s t r u c t e d , through a long, complex

s o c i a l i z a t i o n p r o c e s s , a p r o c e s s t h a t p robab ly s t a r t s b e f o r e b i r t h . We

now have ev idence t h a t t h e womb i s a g r e a t p l a c e t o hear t h i n g s . The

sounds you hear p robab ly make i t e a s i e r t o l e a r n one language than a n o t h e r ,

o r s e t a n emot iona l tone. But t h e n t h e r e a r e y e a r s and y e a r s o f condi-

t i o n i n g , i n s t r u c t i o n , e n c u l t u r a t i o n . F i g u r e 4 b r i e f l y s k e t c h s t h e pro-

c e s s o f e n c u l t u r a t i o n by which consc iousness i s c o n s t r u c t e d . Any c u l t u r e

makes c e r t a i n a r b i t r a r y assumptions abou t what i s good and what i s bad.

I emphasize s e m i - a r b i t r a r y - - a l l c u l t u r e s have t o m a s t e r c e r t a i n t h i n g s .

They cannot walk around on t h e i r s i d e s , f o r i n s t a n c e , because t h a t i s

a n i n e f f i c i e n t method o f locomotion. A s a n o t h e r example, a l l c u l t u r e s

have t o t e a c h peop le n o t t o walk over t h e edge o f c l i f f s . T h i s can be

done by t e l l i n g them about a m y s t e r i o u s , i n v i s i b l e f o r c e c a l l e d " g r a v i t y , "

o r by t e l l i n g them t h a t i n v i s i b l e demons l i v e a t t h e bottom o f c l i f f s ,

demons who grab you when you a r e d e c e l e r a t i n g r a p i d l y and wreck your bones.

E i t h e r way, i t keeps peop le from walk ing o f f c l i f f s !

A s F i g u r e 4 shows, e n c u l t u r a t i o n t a k e s p l a c e i n a number of s t a g e s .

I n s e r t F i g u r e 4 about h e r e

- - - - . . - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I n i n f a n c y p a r e n & a r e t h e pr imary a g e n t s o f s o c i a l i z a t i o n . A pe rson

p o s s e s s e s many p o t e n t i a l s a t t h i s t ime, b u t he i s r e l a t i v e l y d i s o r g a n i z e d .

P r e s s u r e s t a r t s b e i n g a p p l i e d . C e r t a i n sounds a r e r e i n f o r c e d , o t h e r sounds

a r e encouraged. Smi les a r e r e i n f o r c e d , h i t t i n g mother i s d i scouraged , and

s o f o r t h . A s he moves i n t o ch i ldhood , t e a c h e r s and p e e r s s t a r t t o become

i n f l u e n c e s f o r e n c u l t u r a t i o n . By t h i s time some p o t e n t i a l s a r e n o t r e a d i l y

T a r t -8

a v a i l a b l e and migh t even be permanent ly l o s t , and some have been w e l l developed

and f i x e d . By t h e t ime he i s f a i r l y w e l l a l o n g i n c h i l d h o o d , he has ach ieved

what i s c a l l e d a b a s i c membership 9 consensus r e a l i t y . The consensus o f

- t h e c u l t u r e a s t o what i s p r o p e r and improper , how t o s e e t h i n g s p r o p e r l y ,

how t h i n g s should n o t be s e e n , how a pe r son shou ld a c t and n o t a c t - - a l l

e x i s t a s a r e l a t i v e l y automated s t r u c t u r e w i t h i n h i s own mind. That p e r s o n

no l o n g e r f e e l s t h a t he i s making a n e f f o r t t o l e a r n and f o l l o w s o c i a l norms.

T h i s a c q u i r e d p a t t e r n seems l i k e t h e n a t u r a l way t o t h i n k , f e e l , and a c t .

Even though t h e r e was a l o t o f work i n development, i t i s now l a r g e l y a u t o -

mated. Humans a r e c r e a t u r e s o f h a b i t .

As t h e c h i l d goes i n t o a d o l e s c e n c e , s e x u a l i t y c r e a t e s many p r e s s u r e s

t h a t can throw most p e o p l e ' s b e l i e f sys tems o u t o f k i l t e r f o r a w h i l e . As

p a r e n t s and t e a c h e r s know, t h e y no l o n g e r have much e f f e c t i n shap ing t h e

pe r son , b u t p e e r p r e s s u r e i s v e r y i m p o r t a n t a t t h i s s t a g e . Some people may

change d r a s t i c a l l y i n a d o l e s c e n c e , b u t u s u a l l y a f t e r a few y e a r s they s e t t l e

down a g a i n and f i n a l l y r e a c h adu l thood . I was tempted t o draw t h e p o t e n t i a l s

i n F i g u r e 4 a s a s q u a r e i n adu l thood , t o show t h a t p o t e n t i a l s a r e l a r g e l y

f i x e d , b u t I do n o t want t o g e t t o o symbolic! Pee rs i n t h e c u l t u r e , r e -

f l e c t i n g c u l t u r a l b e l i e f s , a r e i n t e r n a l i z e d by t h i s t ime. One may have

some e f f e c t back on h i s c u l t u r e , r a t h e r than j u s t b e i n g a r e c i p i e n t . Then,

s o u n f o r t u n a t e l y i n o u r c u l t u r e , we have t h e i d e a t h a t o l d peop le a r e dumb

and s e n i l e , and t h e y b e l i e v e t h a t and l e t t h e i r p o t e n t i a l s d e t e r i o r a t e .

Thus t h e r e i s ' a long s o c i a l i z a t i o n p r o c e s s i n which a s t r u c t u r e , a

l a r g e l y h a b i t u a l , automated p r o c e s s i s b u i l t up i n t h e mind, a s t a t e t h a t

comes i n t ime t o be i d e n t i f i e d a s o r d i n a r y consc iousness . A more a p p r o p r i a t e

d e s c r i p t i v e term f o r o r d i n a r y c o n s c i o u s n e s s which I have i n t r o d u c e d i s

consensus c o n s c i o u s n e s s . Tha t i s , i f you have been s u c c e s s f u l l y s o c i a l i z e d ,

t h e day-to-day, moment-to-moment o p e r a t i o n s o f your mind s t r o n g l y r e f l e c t

T a r t -9

t h e consensus o f t h e c u l t u r e you were born i n t o . From the c u l t u r e ' s p o i n t

o f view, t h a t i s a v e r y e f f i c i e n t method o f e n c u l t u r a t i o n . I n s o f a r a s you

have i n t e r n a l i z e d s o c i a l norn-s, s o c i e t y needs v e r y few pol icemen, and we

can have peop le d o i n g l a r g e l y p r o d u c t i v e s o c i a l work i n s t e a d o f a c t i v e l y /

p o l i c i n g one a n o t h e r .

An i m p o r t a n t p o i n t I want t o emphasize i s t h e c o n c e p t o f c u l t u r a l

r e l a t i v i t y . There can be q u i t e d i f f e r e n t s e l e c t i o n s from the spect rum o f

human p o t e n t i a l s . Thus e v e r y c u l t u r e has c e r t a i n s t r e n g t h s and weaknesses ,

b i a s e s which may o r may n o t be t r a n s c e n d a b l e . Some o f them a r e s u r f a c e h a b i t s

and b i a s e s , o t h e r s a r e s o deep , s o i m p l i c i t , t h e y a r e v e r y hard t o t r a n s c e n d .

I emphasize a l s o t h a t t h i s development o f consensus c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s n o t

j u s t a n i n t e l l e c t u a l p r o c e s s . It i s a n e x t r e m e l y emot iona l p r o c e s s , e spec-

i a l l y i n t h e e a r l y s t a g e s . As a n i n f a n t you a r e h e l p l e s s , your s u r v i v a l

and happ iness depend on p l e a s i n g your p a r e n t s , who want you t o a c c e p t con-

s e n s u s r e a l i t y . There i s g r e a t p r e s s u r e on you t o conform. Your emot ions

a r e e x t r e m e l y s t r o n g and v a r i a b l e : bad i s t e r r i b l e , good i s e c s t a t i c . Most

o f t h e s t r u c t u r e b u i l t th rough e n c u l t u r a t i o n g e t s automated, and has s t r o n g

unconscious emot iona l c o n n e c t i o n s . Thus i t i s n o t j u s t a m a t t e r t h a t l a t e r

i n l i f e you can s imply i n t e l l e c t u a l l y examine your c u l t u r a l b i a s e s and de-

c i d e t o t r a n s c e n d them. Many o f them have v e r y powerful , l a r g e l y unconscious ,

emot iona l c o n n e c t i o n s . They can be worked w i t h th rough p s y c h o l o g i c a l growth

methods and p s y c h o t h e r a p e u t i c methods, b u t i t i s n o t a n e a s y k i n d o f t h i n g

t o do.

Another way o f s a y i n g t h i s is e a c h of us has , a s i t were , a c u l t u r a l

karma. By b e i n g members o f o u r c u l t u r e , we have i n h e r i t e d s e t s o f h a b i t p a t -

t e r n s and b i a s e s t h a t w i l l a f f e c t u s a l l our l i v e s . We have a n i n d i v i d u a l

f a m i l y karma, s i n c e t h e s o c i a l i z a t i o n p r o c e s s i s n o t comple te ly uniform i n a

c u l t u r e , and, of c o u r s e , t h e r e i s some i n d i v i d u a l v a r i a t i o n , g iven o u r g e n e t i c

T a r t - 1 0

u n i q u e n e s s . I d o n ' t wan t t o l e a v e you w i t h t h e i m p r e s s i o n t h a t we a r e

e n t i r e l y shaped b y o u r c u l t u r e : some o f i t i s o u r own " f a u l t , " and some o f

i t i s o u r o p p o r t u n i t y .

The r e s u l t o f e n c u l t u r a t i o n i s t h a t , i n many ways, we d o n o t l i v e " in"

t h e o r d i n a r y p h y s i c a l w o r l d . We a l l have a min ima l a c c e p t a b l e d e g r e e o f

c o n t a c t w i t h t h e o r d i n a r y p h y s i c a l w o r l d , o r we would n o t b e h e r e : we

would l o n g s i n c e have b e e n r u n down b y a t r u c k w h i l e c r o s s i n g t h e s t r e e t .

However, e x p e r i e n t i a l l y we l i v e m o s t l y i n a s o c i a l w o r l d , a w o r l d o f i n t e r -

a c t i o n s w i t h o t h e r p e o p l e , where r e a l i t i e s a r e n o t s o c l e a r - c u t a s t h e t r u c k

b e a r i n g down o n u s o r n o t h e a r i n g down on u s . Our r e a c t i o n s t o t h i s consen -

s u s r e a l i t y w o r l d t h a t we l i v e i n a r e much more complex t h a n t h e y would b e

t o s i m p l e p h y s i c a l r e a l i t y .

I showed you a model o f n a i v e p e r c e p t i o n e a r l i e r i n F i g u r e 1. F i g u r e

5 i s a s i m p l i f i e d model o f wha t we know now a b o u t wha t a c t u a l l y a f f e c t s

p e r c e p t i o n , s t a r t i n g i n t h e p h y s i c a l w o r l d w i t h t o t a l s t i m u l u s i n p u t on

t h e l e f t , e n d i n g up w i t h t h e p e r c e p t o f t h a t i n p u t on t h e r i g h t . Given t h e

n a t u r e o f t h e s e n s e o r g a n s , t h e r e a r e l i m i t a t i o n s and b i a s e s i n p e r c e p t i o n .

T h e r e are f u r t h e r n e u r o l o g i c a l l i m i t a t i o n s and b i a s e s b e c a u s e we come p r e -

w i r e d "from t h e f a c t o r y , " as i t were , t o p r o c e s s i n f o r m a t i o n i n c e r t a i n

ways. T h e r e i s c o n s i d e r a b l e e n c u l t u r a t e d p a t t e r n i n g , where we were t a u g h t

t o s e l e c t i v e l y p e r c e i v e . The f a c t t h a t we c a n l o o k a t a n a u t o m o b i l e and

i n s t a n t l y r e c o g n i z e i t a s a n a u t o m o b i l e , w i t h no a p p a r e n t m e n t a l e f f o r t , f o r

example , means t h a t we have b e e n t a u g h t v a r i o u s t h i n g s t h a t a r e now au toma ted

and wh ich , f o r t h a t r e a s o n , s i m p l y seems n a t u r a l . Bu t t h e r e i s a ' t remendous

amount o f b i a s e n g e n d e r e d c o n c e r n i n g t h i s m a t t e r . E n c u l t u r a t e d p a t t e r n i n g ,

i n p u t p r o c e s s i n , g , i n t e r a c t s w i t h momentary n e e d s o r s t a t e s o f t h e mind. I f

a p e r s o n i s hungry and w a l k i n g down t h e s t r e e t , f o r i n s t a n c e , he n o t i c e s

r e s t a u r a n t s more r e a d i l y t h a n ha rdware s t o r e s . He is n o t "s imply" p e r c e i v i n g

T a r t -11

t h e wor ld t h a t i s t h e r e .

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I n s e r t F i g u r e 5 a b o u t h e r e

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

These p r o c e s s e s which s h a p e p e r c e p t i o n a r e l a r g e l y u n c o n s c i o u s . They

c a n be made c o n s c i o u s t o some d e g r e e , b u t t h e y a r e o r d i n a r i l y u n c o n s c i o u s

and c a n o f t e n s e r i o u s l y d i s t o r t o n e ' s p e r c e p t i o n of t h e r e a l i t y which one

i n h a b i t s . The end r e s u l t o f t h i s c o n s t r u c t i o n p r o c e s s ( s k e t c h e d i n F i g u r e

6 ) i s t h a t c o n s c i o u s n e s s c o n s t i t u t e s a v e r y complex sys t em. C o n s c i o u s n e s s

c a n be a n a l y z e d a s a v a r i e t y o f p s y c h o l o g i c a l f a c u l t i e s i n t e r a c t i n g w i t h

e a c h o t h e r . I u s u a l l y u s e t h i s d i a g r a m t o e x p l a i n my s y s t e m s t h e o r y a p p r o a c h

1 t o a l t e r e d s t a t e s ( T a r t , 1975) , b u t h e r e I want t o i l l u s t r a t e t h e c o m p l e x i t y

o f c o n s e n s u s c o n s c i o u s n e s s . I want t o i l l u s t r a t e , f o r i n s t a n c e , t h a t when

i n f o r m a t i o n comes i n f rom t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d t h r o u g h e x t e r n a l r e c e p t o r s , i t

g o e s t h r o u g h a complex , h a b i t u a t e d s e r i e s o f p r o c e s s e s t h a t I lump t o g e t h e r

a s I n p u t P r o c e s s i n g - - t h e ways one h a s been t a u g h t t o p e r c e i v e . I t f i n a l l y

r e a c h e s a w a r e n e s s , b u t i t has b e e n m o d i f i e d , i t h a s b e e n changed. A l o t

o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n h a s been d ropped o u t , s o t h a t p o r t i o n s o f r e a l i t y a r e

i g n o r e d . A t t h i s p o i n t a l o t o f t h i n g s have b e e n d i s t o r t e d i n t h e p r o c e s s

I n s e r t F i g u r e 6 a b o u t h e r e

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

o f t r a n s f o r m i n g the-m i n t o s o c i a l l y a c c e p t a b l e forms. You draw from your

memory f o r t h i s , you r s u b c o n s c i o u s mind i s a f f e c t e d , e m o t i o n s g e t i n v o l v e d .

The re i s a v e r y i m p o r t a n t p r o c e s s t h a t I am c a l l i n g S e n s e o f I d e n t i t y

( 1 ) . T a r t , C. T. , S t a t e s -- of C o n s c i o u s n e ~ . (New York: D u t t o n , 1975a ) .

T a r t -12

on F igure 6 , b u t which might a l s o be c a l l e d " s e l f " o r " i d e n t i f i c a t i o n . "

I t is a p r o c e s s t h a t makes c e r t a i n menta l p r o c e s s e s "me," and thus espec-

i a l l y i m p o r t a n t . When something becomes s e l f , t h a t changes t h e way t h a t

i n f o r m a t i o n i s p rocessed . We become a t t a c h e d . I f you a r e l o o k i n g o u t o f

an apar tment window and s e e some k i d s v a n d a l i z i n g 2 c a r , you might have a n

i n t e l l e c t u a l d i s c u s s i o n w i t h o t h e r s abou t how r o t t e n t e e n a g e r s a r e , how

they have no r e s p e c t f o r a n y t h i n g . Then sudden ly you recogn ize t h a t i t

i s your c a r : t h a t l i t t l e s e n s e o f "me" g e t s added t o the same i n f o r m a t i o n

and i n s t a n t l y a l o t o f t h i n g s change!

I shou ld a l s o add t h a t a l t h o u g h consensus consc iousness i f s o f u l l y

automated, our o r d i n a r y consensus c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s n o t a s t a t i c t h i n g

t h a t ' s j u s t t h e r e . I t i s a complex sys tem, and you a r e working e v e r y moment

t o m a i n t a i n your o r d i n a r y s t a t e o f consc iousness ( o r any a l t e r e d s t a t e , f o r

t h a t m a t t e r ) . You a r e n o t o r d i n a r i l y aware o f the e f f o r t t h a t goes i n t o

m a i n t a i n i n g c o n s c i o u s n e s s .

. . Consciousness a s a S i m u l a t i o n :

A u s e f u l way o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g consc iousness i s t o t h i n k o f i t a s an

a c t i v e s i m u l a t i o n of t h e e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y s i t u a t i o n . The e a s i e s t way t o

s e e i t s s i m u l a t i o n a c t i v i t i e s i s t o t h i n k o f a n o c t u r n a l dream. During

such a dream, one i s e x p e r i e n t i a l l y i n a wor ld , do ing t h i n g s , e x p e r i e n c i n g

t h i n g s . The mind has s i m u l a t e d a world . I n a s i m i l a r way o u r minds simu-

l a t e a world when we a r e awake. From raw s e n s o r y i n p u t , o b j e c t s we know

a r e c r e a t e d and s e t i n a c o n t e x t of s p a c e and t ime. The world s i m u l a t e d

i n dreams does n o t r e c e i v e s e n s o r y i n p u t . So those wor lds can d e v i a t e

d r a s t i c a l l y from t h e o r d i n a r y world s i m u l a t i o n s . Thus we t a l k abou t the

" f a n t a s t i c " q u a l i t i e s o f dreams. But t h e same p r o c e s s s i m u l a t e s t h e o r d i n a r y ,

T a r t -13

waking world we l i v e i n ; i t i s c o n s t r a i n e d i n o r d e r t h a t t h e world c r e a t e d

can show a r e a s o n a b l e match t o s e n s o r y i n p u t . I n s o f a r a s we l i v e i n a s o c i a l

wor ld , a consensus r e a l i t y wor ld , t h e c r i t e r i a of what i s " r e a l " a r e much

more ambiguous; and c u l t u r a l l y s h a r e d b i a s e s a r e r e i n f o r c e d t o t h e e x t e n t

t h a t s i m u l a t i o n may be " r e a l i s t i c " by consensus r e a l i t y s t a n d a r d s even i f

i t i s v e r y poor i n comparison w i t h a c t u a l r e a l i t y .

F igure 2 i l l u s t r a t e d a n a i v e ( a l b e i t powerful ) view o f people i n t e r -

a c t i n g . F i g u r e 7 i s a more r e a l i s t i c i l l u s t r a t i o n . When two peop le i n t e r -

a c t two complex sys tems o f consensus c o n s c i o u s n e s s , each one of which i s

s i m u l a t i n g r e a l i t y , i n t e r a c t w i t h each o t h e r . The r e s u l t is t h a t i t i s n o t

s imply two people p e r c e i v i n g r e a l i t y , b u t a mutua l c o n s t r u c t i o n which cou ld

be d i s t o r t e d . There i s a mutua l r e - c r e a t i o n and r e i n f o r c e m e n t o f consensus

r e a l i t y . It i s l i k e i n d u c i n g a n h y p n o t i c s t a t e . Every t ime I a c t "normally"

f o r someone e l s e , I am i m p l i c i t l y reminding them o f t h e s t a n d a r d s t o which

t h e i r mind shou ld a d h e r e , and I am r e i n f o r c i n g them f o r d o i n g i t . A s they

respond a p p r o p r i a t e l y , t h e y r e i n f o r c e me f o r behaving/thinking/feeling i n

accordance w i t h consensus s t a n d a r d s . That i s what happens when two peop le

i n t e r a c t : you can imagine how s t r a n g e " r e a l i t y " migh t g e t when l o t s and

l o t s of peop le i n t e r a c t !

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I n s e r t F igure 7 a b o u t h e r e

Consciousness a s I l l u s i o n :

I mentioned t h a t c o n s c i o u s n e s s a s s i m u l a t i o n can be good o r bad, h igh

o r low f i d e l i t y . We r e c o g n i z e bad s i m u l a t i o n s o f r e a l i t y : we t a l k abou t

peop le who a r e t o t a l l y i n s a n e , and peop le who "march t o t h e b e a t o f a d i f -

f e r e n t drummer." They a r e w a l k i n g around t a l k i n g t o peop le who a r e no t

T a r t - 14

t h e r e , and pay ing no a t t e n t i o n t o what a l l t h e r e s t of us a g r e e i s r e a l i t y .

They a r e c l e a r l y l i v i n g i n a world of t h e i r own. There i s , however, a

continuum of d e g r e e s of a c c u r a c y i n s i m u l a t i o n . We cou ld c o n c e p t u a l i z e

t h e "high f i d e l i t y " end of s i m u l a t i o n and s a y t h a t a s i m u l a t i o n t h a t con-

t a i n s a l l t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t i s p r e s e n t v i a t h e s e n s e s a t any g i v e n t ime,

w i t h o u t d i s t o r t i n g any of i t , i s a maximum d e g r e e of r e a l i t y c o n t a c t . I t

i s a maximal way of b e i n g i n c o n t a c t w i t h t h e world around u s . I t h i n k

t h a t i s t h e "enl ightenment" end of t h e s i m u l a t i o n continuum. I ' m convinced

from my p s y c h o l o g i c a l s t u d i e s , however, t h a t most of us a r e somewhere i n

the midd le . We d i s t o r t r e a l i t y a good d e a l . Our consciousness/simulation

i s i n a c c u r a t e i n a l a r g e v a r i e t y of a s p e c t s , b u t because t h e y a r e ways i n

which everybody e l s e ' s s i m u l a t i o n i n o u r c u l t u r e i s o f f , we d o n ' t know we

a r e o u t o f touch, u n e n l i g h t e n e d , and we r e i n f o r c e e a c h o t h e r f o r b e l i e v i n g

those p a r t i c u l a r d i s t o r t i o n s . We s h a r e a k ind of c u l t u r a l i n s a n i t y , a

k ind of c u l t u r a l d i s t o r t i o n , and r e i n f o r c e each o t h e r f o r i t . The r e s u l t

is t h a t , t o a c e r t a i n d e g r e e , we l i v e i n a dream world .

Again, I emphasize t o a c e r t a i n d e g r e e . There must be some minimal

c o n t a c t w i t h t h e p h y s i c a l wor ld , s o t h a t peop le do n o t g e t run down by t r u c k s .

And i f you a r e go ing t o be a l lowed t o walk around l o o s e , you have t o have a

c e r t a i n minimal amount of c o n t a c t w i t h and s k i l l a t h a n d l i n g o t h e r p e o p l e ' s

s o c i a l i l l u s i o n s . Otherwise you make them t o o nervous and they l o c k you up.

But above those minimal r e q u i r e m e n t s , we can l i v e t o a c o n s i d e r a b l e degree

i n a dream wor ld , ' i n i l l u s i o n .

Now I b e l i e v e t h a t t h i s i s , a t l e a s t p a r t i a l l y , what i s meant by t h e

Buddhis t i d e a of samsara , o r t h e Hindu i d e a of maya. The world i s n o t un-

r e a l b u t because o f f l a w s i n our c o n s c i o u s n e s s , our degree o f c o n t a c t w i t h

the ' r e a l wor ld around us i s v e r y l i m i t e d . We l i v e i n i l l u s i o n . The con-

sequence of poor c o n t a c t w i t h t h e world around .us i s t h a t we g e t i n t r o u b l e .

I f my s i m u l a t i o n o f r e a l i t y i n s i s t s t h a t t h e r e i s a door i n t h e s o l i d w a l l

T a r t -15

behind me me, and I go t o walk through i t , I ' m go ing t o c r a s h i n t o the w a l l .

That i s s u f f e r i n g : I f your s i m u l a t i o n s of what o t h e r peop le a r e t h i n k i n g

and f e e l i n g a r e n o t good s i m u l a t i o n s , a r e n o t good r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s , you a r e

go ing t o c r e a t t r o u b l e . You a r e go ing t o do t h i n g s peop le d o n ' t l i k e , and

i t i s go ing t o add up.

Another way o f i l l u s t r a t i n g how we l i v e i n i l l u s i o n i s t o quo te

K o r z y b s k i ' s well-known s t a t e m e n t , "The map i s n o t t h e t e r r i t o r y . " The

aud ience a t t h e confe rence a t which t h i s paper was o r i g i n a l l y p r e s e n t e d had

a map showing which f u n c t i o n s of the confe rence were i n c e r t a i n b u i l d i n g s .

l t showed them how t o g e t around. The d i n i n g h a l l was a t a c e r t a i n l o c a t i o n

on t h e map. When I take a b i t e of t h a t s p o t on the map, however, i t d o e s n ' t

seem nour i sh ing! The map i s not t h e t e r r i t o r y . Korzybsk i , however, d i d

n o t go f a r enough. He f a i l e d t o emphasize t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l o b s e r v a t i o n

t h a t w h i l e the map may no t be t h e t e r r i t o r y , most peop le p r e f e r the map

t h e t e r r i t o r y . I found i t was f a r s i m p l e r t o g e t from the d o r m i t o r i e s - t o G a l i l e o Ha l l on t h i s map t h a n - i t was when I t r i e d i t i n p h y s i c a l r e a l i t y .

There was n o t h i n g i n t h e way on t h e map, b u t when I went o u t s i d e , t h e r e were

s e v e r a l i n c o n v e n i e n t b u i l d i n g s p laced i n t h e way!

The map i s n o t the t e r r i t o r y , b u t we have tremendous a t t a c h m e n t s t o

maps. One of our g r e a t b l e s s i n g s a s human b e i n g s , and one of our g r e a t c u r s e s ,

i s t h a t we can skmulate r e a l i t y . We can come up w i t h c o n c e p t s , w i t h i n t e r -

n a l maps, and we love i t . Some o f those maps a r e 92 s a t i s f y i n g . For s c i e n -

t i s t s t h e r e a r e mathematica1l .y e l e g a n t maps. For s c i e n t i s t s and o t h e r people

t h e r e a r e maps t h a t make us f e e l good e m o t i o n a l l y . So we d o n ' t l i k e t o r u n

a c r o s s t h e f a c t t h a t some maps d o n ' t f i t r e a l i t y . Many peop le , when t h e y

d i s c o v e r a l a c k o f f i t between t h e i r map and r e a l i t y , w i l l f u r t h e r b lock

o u t r e a l i t y i n o r d e r t o s a v e t h e i r beloved map. T h a t ' s what we c a l l psycho-

pathology. But, when t h i s psychopathology i s wide ly s h a r e d w i t h i n a c u l t u r e ,

T a r t - 16

no one may n o t i c e i t !

I have always thought o f the Buddha a s someone who advocated l i v i n g

i n the t e r r i t o r y i n s t e a d o f g e t t i n g a t t a c h e d t o t h e map--a v e r y s e n s i b l e

man. L e t me-apply t h i s same admoni t ion t o e v e r y t h i n g I have been s a y i n g

t o you. I have been g i v i n g you a map. I t i s f a l s e ! E v e r y t h i n g I have

s a i d t o you i s a c o n c e p t , a n i d e a . When pushed f a r enough, t h e map i s

wrong. Yet i t i s u s e f u l . L ike any map, i t can g e t you o r i e n t e d i n a c e r -

t a i n d i r e c t i o n : you can then walk over and a c t u a l l y look a t c e r t a i n k i n d s

o f t e r r i t o r y , d i s c o v e r something i n r e a l i t y . So, be warned t h a t e v e r y t h i n g

I have s a i d and e v e r y t h i n g I w i l l c o n t i n u e t o s a y i s o n l y p o i n t i n g : do n o t

t a k e i t t o o l i t e r a l l y . It i s a way o f t a k i n g some o f o u r s c i e n t i f i c know-

l edge of c o n s c i o u s n e s s and p u t t i n g i t i n a u s e f u l form, b u t t h e words can

never e q u a l the r e a l i t y .

What i s S a n i t y ?

T h i s paper i s concerned w i t h q u e s t i o n s o f s a n i t y . Given what I have

s a i d s o f a r , t h e r e a r e two d e f i n i t i o n s o f s a n i t y . One i s a c u l t u r a l l y r e l a -

t i v e d e f i n i t i o n i n which s a n i t y i s b e l i e v i n g and r e f l e c t i n g , v i a your a c t i o n s ,

t h e i l l u s i o n s t h a t everyone e l s e i n your c u l t u r e s h a r e s . You g e t s o c i a l

s u p p o r t f o r t h i s s o r t of s a n i t y : t h i s i s what most people a r e s a t i s f i e d

w i t h . When l i f e i s rocky , when you s u f f e r , i t i s n o t t h a t t h e r e i s a n y t h i n g

wrong w i t h your mind; i t i s somebody e l s e ' s f a u l t , i t i s those damn R e p u b l i c r a t s

i n Washington who have been mess ing up t h e c o u n t r y . You look f o r s o l u t i o n s

o u t s i d e y o u r s e l f . You p r o j e c t o n t o t h e world . You f u r t h e r d i s t o r t your

p e r c e p t i o n of t h i n g s . But you have l o t s o f company, l o t s o f s o c i a l r e i n -

forcement . S i n c e we a l l l i k e t o be long , t h i s k ind o f s a n i t y , u n f o r t u n a t e l y ,

goes a long way. A l t e r n a t i v e l y , you blame y o u r s e l f f o r n o t b e i n g normal,

even though, from a more r e a l i s t i c p o i n t o f v iew, the "normal" might be v e r y

s i c k .

T a r t -17

The re i s a more a b s o l u t e v i ew o f s a n i t y i m p l i c i t i n what I have s a i d ,

namely t h a t t h e more you min imize your d e g r e e o f d i s t o r t i o n o f what you a r e

a c t u a l l y p e r c e i v i n g o f t h e r e a l i t y a round you and o f you r own i n t e r n a l p r o -

c e s s e s , t h e f i o r e s a n e you a r e g e t t i n g . A t t h e h i g h end o f t h e s a n i t y con-

t inuum, t h e e n l i g h t e n m e n t end a s opposed t o t h e "endarkenment" e n d , you a r e

max ima l ly u s i n g t h e p o t e n t i a l s t h a t a human b e i n g c a n have. T h i s i s a t r a n s -

c u l t u r a l d e f i n i t i o n o f s a n i t y .

A l t e r e d S t a t e s :

L e t me s t a r t a p p l y i n g t h e s e i d e a s t o a l t e r e d s t a t e s . A l t e r e d s t a t e s ,

t o u s e t h e c a r a n a l o g y , a r e l i k e s w i t c h i n g from a c a r i n t o a n a i r p l a n e o r a

b o a t , o r some o t h e r v e h i c l e . A s a n o t h e r a n a l o g y , i t i s a s i f t h e c a r comes

w i t h a l o t o f e x t r a p a r t s , s o you t a k e away some o f t h e c u r r e n t l y u sed p a r t s

t h a t g i v e i t i t s " c a r n e s s , " add some o t h e r p a r t s , and t r a n s f o r m i t i n t o an-

o t h e r k i n d o f v e h i c l e . Now i t d o e s d i f f e r e n t k i n d s o f t h i n g s . I t has d i f f e r -

e n t p r o p e r t i e s .

T a l k i n g a b o u t a s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s r e f e r s t o t h e f a c t t h a t o u r minds

a r e o r g a n i z e d . The re a r e r e c o g n i z a b l e p a t t e r n s t o i t s f u n c t i o n i n g . L e t me

a s k t h i s q u e s t i o n : "Do you, d e a r r e a d e r , s e r i o u s l y b e l i e v e t h a t r i g h t now-

you a r e j u s t d r e a m i n g t h a t you a r e awake and r e a d i n g t h i s , and you a r e go-

i n g t o wake up i n bed i n a few m i n u t e s ? " When I a s k t h i s a t l e c t u r e s , no

one r a i s e s t h e i r hand. How do you know you a r e n o t d reaming? The way m o s t

p e o p l e know i s t h a t t h e y d o a q u i c k , G e s t a l t s c a n o f t h e p a t t e r n i n wh ich

t h e i r mind i s o p e r a t i n g and r e c o g n i z e t h a t t h i s i s t h e p a t t e r n c a l l e d waking .

Not t h a t c o n s c i o u s n e s s i s s t a t i c : t h e r e i s a n enormous r a n g e o f v a r i a t i o n ,

b u t i t i s a l l f o l l o w i n g a k i n d o f p a t t e r n t h a t i s c a l l e d t h e i r o r d i n a r y

s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , and i t d o e s n o t f e e l l i k e t h e p a t t e r n t h a t i s c a l l e d

d reaming . The re a r e o t h e r ways t o make t h i s t e s t t o o , b u t t h a t i s t h e b a s i c

w a y - - n o t i c i n g a c e r t a i n k i n d o f p a t t e r n . A f t e r a l l , what i s a c a r b u t a

T a r t -18

c e r t a i n f u n c t i o n a l p a t t e r n o f p a r t s , a s t a t e o f t h e p a r t s ? I f I p u t some

t i r e s i n one s p o t , and a hood i n a n o t h e r s p o t , and a n e n g i n e i n a n o t h e r

s p o t , and a s t e e r i n g whee l i n a f o u r t h s p o t , we do n o t have a car. The

p a r t s a r e noL r e l a t e d i n t h e way t h a t makes them a c a r . So when we t a l k

a b o u t a s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , we a r e t a l k i n g a b o u t c e r t a i n b a s i c human

a b i l i t i e s t h a t a r e o r g a n i z e d i n a c e r t a i n p a t t e r n , and we c a n g r a s p t h e

f e e l o f t h a t p a t t e r n . An a l t e r e d s t a t e c o n s i s t s o f c h a n g i n g t h e p a t t e r n .

I ' v e r e p r e s e n t e d t h i s i d e a d i a g r a m a t i c a l l y i n F i g u r e 8 . I f you l o o k a t

j u s t t h o s e heavy l i n e s i n t h e F i g u r e , n o t t h e l i t t l e l i g h t l i n e s , you w i l l

s e e I have p u t a l o t o f d i f f e r e n t s h a p e s h e r e t o r e p r e s e n t d i f f e r e n t k i n d s

o f human f u n c t i o n s t h a t a r e c o n n e c t e d i n a p a t t e r n . T h i s i s a k i n d o f vag-

u e l y r e c t a n g u l a r p a t t e r n , w i t h s t i m u l i coming i n a t one end. Now by look-

i n g a t t h e l i g h t l i n e s and i g n o r i n g the heavy l i n e s , you w i l l s e e a n o t h e r

p a t t e r n s t a n d s o u t , r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e f a c t t h a t t h e mind c a n be r e o r g a n i z e d

i n t o a d i f f e r e n t k i n d o f p a t t e r n . When a p e r s o n i s h a v i n g a n o c t u r n a l dream,

f o r example , he o r s h e i s n o t j u s t more o r l e s s awake- - the re i s a d i f f e r e n t

s t y l e ; t h e r e is. a d i f f e r e n t k i n d o f p a t t e r n t o m e n t a l f u n c t i o n i n g . So a n

a l t e r e d s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s r e p r e s e n t s a r e c o g n i z a b l e and i m p o r t a n t

change i n t h e p a t t e r n o f f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e mind.

Note t h a t I am u s i n g " s t a t e " i n a s p e c i a l i z e d s e n s e . The re i s a more

common u s e i n wh ich " s t a t e " s i m p l y means w h a t e v e r i s on your mind a t t h e

moment; b u t i f you u s e i t t h a t way, t h e number o f s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s

i s i n f i n i t e and t h e te rm has no d e s c r i p t i v e v a l u e , i t i s synonymous w i t h

wha t i s on your mind. When I u s e " s t a t e " and " a l t e r e d s t a t e " I am t a l k i n g

a b o u t t h e d r a s t i c k i n d s o f r e o r g a n i z a t i o n s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h a t migh t be

found i n d reaming , i n h y p n o s i s , a s a r e s u l t o f m e d i t a t i o n p r a c t i c e s , a s a

r e s u l t o f p s y c h e d e l i c d r u g s , and a s a r e s u l t o f ex t r eme e m o t i o n a l s t a t e s - -

d r a s t i c changes i n wh ich a l o t o f f u n c t i o n s change . I n some a l t e r e d s t a t e s

T a r t -19

one may, f o r example, p e r c e i v e i n a new k ind o f p a t t e r n ; one may s e e q u a l i -

t i e s of t h i n g s n o t o r d i n a r i l y s e e n ; one may t h i n k i n a d i f f e r e n t k ind o f

l o g i c ; one may a c t i n a d i f f e r e n t k ind o f way. New p o s s i b i l i t i e s open up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - a

I n s e r t F i g u r e 8 abou t he re

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Appeal o f A l t e r e d S t a t e s :

A l t e r e d s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s a r e e x t r e m e l y a p p e a l i n g t o many peop le

i n o u r c u l t u r e f o r many r e a s o n s . When a pe r son becomes unhappy i n o u r c u l -

t u r e , when t h e road o f l i f e i s f u l l o f bumps, t h e tendency i s t o blame o t h e r

peop le . Of c o u r s e i t i s p a r t i a l l y t r u e - - t h e r e a r e a l o t o f n a s t y peop le o u t

t h e r e who do make l i f e d i f f i c u l t . But , i f one r e a l l y r e f l e c t s , he b e g i n s t o

r e a l i z e t h a t a l o t of t h e unhappiness e a c h of us has i n l i f e comes o u t o f

our own c o n s c i o u s n e s s . One i s then faced w i t h t h e problem of how t o change

o n e ' s own psychology? One r o u t e i s t o b e g i n working on t h e o r d i n a r y s t a t e

of consc iousness and keep working, and working, and working, and working:

t h a t i s the way a l o t o f people do i t . It may t a k e f o r e v e r , and i t may

n o t even work. Now, a l o n g comes somebody who s a y s , "Look, you can go i n t o

a new s t a t e of c o n s c i o u s n e s s , Okoyogi Metatami ( o r something l i k e t h a t ) ,

and you can be e n l i g h t e n e d tomorrow." We s e e weekend e n l i g h t e n m e n t i n t e n -

s i v e s a d v e r t i s e d i n the paper! T h i s has a l o t o f a p p e a l f o r our c u l t u r e ,

where we a r e hooked on q u i c k r e s u l t s . So you g e t hypno t ized , you smoke

m a r i j u a n a , you go t o group growth p r o c e s s e s t h a t induce s t r o n g emot ional

s t a t e s ; and , a t f i r s t , i t looks a s i f i t i s s u c c e s s f u l . Suddenly you a r e

d i f f e r e n t . Your mind works i n a d i f f e r e n t k ind o f way. You s e e t r u t h s you

never saw b e f o r e . Some problems seem t o d i s a p p e a r .

Some o f t h i s e f f e c t i s due t o the changed n a t u r e o f t h e a l t e r e d s t a t e ,

some i s s imply a c o n t r a s t e f f e c t . A t l a s t you have g o t t e n away from the

T a r t -20

p l a c e , t h e s t a t e o f c o n s e n s u s c o n s c i o u s n e s s , t h a t a l l you r s u f f e r i n g i s

a s s o c i a t e d w i t h and i t i s l i k e t a k i n g a v a c a t i o n . The c o n t r a s t makes i t

l o o k v e r y good. I t h i n k t h i n g s a r e a l i t t l e more c o m p l i c a t e d t h a n t h a t , how-

e v e r . You m5y have n o t i c e d I have n o t used t h e t e rm " h i g h e r " s t a t e s o f con-

s c i o u s n e s s . One r e a s o n i s t h a t , a s a s c i e n t i s t , I d o n ' t l i k e t o mix my

v a l u e judgments w i t h my d e s c r i p t i v e s t a t e m e n t s . " A l t e r e d s t a t e s f l a r e i n -

tended t o be d e s c r i p t i v e t e r m s - - t h e y a r e d i f f e r e n t , t h e y a r e a l t e r e d . J u s t

a s i m p o r t a n t l y , t h e q u e s t i o n o f w h e t h e r some a l t e r e d s t a t e i s " h i g h e r " o r

" l o w e r , " w h e t h e r i t i s more o r l e s s v a l u a b l e , i s n o t a s i m p l e q u e s t i o n .

More o r l e s s v a l u a b l e -- f o r wha t? To i l l u s t r a t e , l e t ' s compare m a r i j u a n a

i n t o x i c a t i o n and o r d i n a r y c o n s e n s u s c o n s c i o u s n e s s . Which one i s s u p e r i o r

f o r b a l a n c i n g your checkbook? Which i s s u p e r i o r f o r v i s i t i n g a n a r t museum?

The h i g h n e s s o r v a l u e o f a n y s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , c o n s e n s u s o r a l t e r e d ,

depends on t h e c o n t e x t t h a t you want t o use i t i n , and on t h e i m p l i c i t and

e x p l i c i t v a l u e s you have a b o u t what you wan t . A p a r t i c u l a r s t a t e o f con-

s c i o u s n e s s may be h i g h e r f o r some p u r p o s e s , c l e a r l y lower f o r o t h e r p u r p o s e s .

L e t ' s l o o k a t some B u d d h i s t i d e a s a b o u t a l t e r e d s t a t e s t o f u r t h e r i l l u s - 2

t r a t e t h i s , by d r a w i n g f rom D a n i e l Goleman 's ( T a r t , 1975b, Pp. 203-229)

o r d e r i n g o f them. I f you l o o k a t t h e s t a g e s o f i n s i g h t m e d i t a t i o n o r t h e

J h a n a s t a g e s i n c o n c e n t r a t i v e m e d i t a t i o n , you f i n d a n o r d e r i n g based on a n

a n e x p l i c i t , l o n g t e r m g o a l - - t h e e l i m i n a t i o n o f s u f f e r i n g . I f you d i d n o t

have t h a t p a r t i c u l a r g o a l i n mind , would t h e o r d e r i n g o f t h o s e s t a t e s o f con-

s c i o u s n e s s ( a s t h o s e s t a g e s seem t o b e ) r ema in t h e same? Would one s t a t e

n e c e s s a r i l y be more v a l u a b l e t h a n a n o t h e r ? I c a n n o t answer t h o s e q u e s t i o n s ,

b u t I c a n r a i s e them a s i n t e r e s t i n g t h i n g s t o t h i n k a b o u t . A s I s a i d e a r l i e r ,

I am n o t a n e x p e r t on B u d d h i s t p sycho logy . But I wan t t o r e g i s t e r my

- - - - -

( 2 ) . T a r t , C . T. (Ed . ) , T r a n s p e r s o n a l P s y c h o l o g i e s . New York: Harper &

Row, 1975b, Pp. 203-229.

i m p r e s s i o n t h a t a B u d d h i s t u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f a l t e r e d s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s -

n e s s i s l i m i t e d . I t i s l i m i t e d b e c a u s e t h e r e i s a v e r y s t r o n g g o a l - o r i e n t a t i o n

toward a c h i e v i n g f reedom f rom s u f f e r i n g t h r o u g h a c e r t a i n r o u t e . T h i s means

a

t h a t sane a s p e c t s o f t h e whole s p e c t r u m o f human p o t e n t i a l s , some ways i n

which c o n s c i o u s n e s s c a n be o r g a n i z e d , have r e c e i v e d f a r more a t t e n t i o n be-

c a u s e t h e y a r e c o n s i d e r e d t o be i n s t r u m e n t a l and u s e f u l f o r a c h i e v i n g t h e

g o a l , b u t o t h e r s have n o t r e c e i v e d v e r y much a t t e n t i o n s i n c e t h e y a r e con-

s i d e r e d i r r e l e v a n t t o t h a t g o a l .

I n t e l l i g e n t Use o f C o n s c i o u s n e s s :

L e t u s c o n s i d e r a n a s p e c t o f a l t e r e d s t a t e s t o which I t h i n k Buddhism

has much t o c o n t r i b u t e , t h e q u e s t i o n o f i n t e l l i g e n t l y u s i n g a s t a t e o f con-

s c i o u s n e s s . R e t u r n i n g t o o u r a n a l o g y o f any s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , a l t e r e d

o r c o n s e n s u s , a s a v e h i c l e , we s t i l l must come b a c k t o t h e p s y c h o l o g y o f t h e

d r i v e r . I f you t a k e a w o n d e r f u l , p o w e r f u l v e h i c l e and p u t a l o u s y d r i v e r i n

i t , i t w i l l p r o b a b l y be wrecked i n no t ime a t a l l . I f you t a k e a n o l d c l u n k e r ,

p u t i t i n t h e hands o f a n e x c e l l e n t d r i v e r , you c a n g e t some p l a c e i n i t .

The fundamen ta l m o t i v a t i o n and a t t i t u d e o f t h e p e r s o n c r e a t e s r e s u l t s t h a t

a r e p a r t i a l l y i n d e p e n d e n t o f t h e s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h e p e r s o n i s i n .

You c a n be a t t a c h e d o r n o n - a t t a c h e d t o v a r i o u s d e g r e e s i n h y p n o s i s , o r i n

a n o r d i n a r y s t a t e , o r i n some e m o t i o n a l s t a t e , f o r i n s t a n c e . The d e g r e e o f

you r a t t a c h m e n t s t r o n g l y a f f e c t s what you c a n d o w i t h t h a t s t a t e , and what

t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f . you r a c t i o n s a r e .

C o n s i d e r t h e d i m e n s i o n o f m i n d f u l n e s s , s o i m p o r t a n t i n Buddhism, your

d e g r e e o f s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f what you a r e d o i n g . You c a n be l o s t i n t h e

p a r t i c u l a r t h i n g s happen ing , o r you c a n be v e r y aware o f e x a c t l y what you

a r e f e e l i n g and d,oing. I n v a r i o u s a l t e r e d s t a t e s you may be v e r y m i n d f u l ,

o r you may be v e r y m i n d l e s s . C o n s i d e r i n g how a t t a c h m e n t and m i n d f u l n e s s

T a r t -22

a f f e c t t h i n g s , t h e f a c t t h a t you a r e i n some a l t e r e d s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s

d o e s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y mean t h a t you have a c h i e v e d a n y t h i n g o r l o s t a n y t h i n g .

T h a t i s a s e p a r a t e q u e s t i o n , b u t I d o n o t t h i n k i t i s a t o t a l l y s e p a r a t e

q u e s t i o n . The i n h e r e n t q u a l i t i e s o f v a r i o u s s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s d o

i n t e r a c t w i t h t h e a t t i t u d e o f t h e " d r i v e r . " R a t h e r t h a n making b l a n k e t g e n e r -

a l i z a t i o n s a b o u t " h i g h e r ' and " lower" s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , we need a

s o p h i s t i c a t e d a p p r o a c h . The same a l t e r e d s t a t e c o u l d be l ower , i n d e e d d i s -

a s t r o u s , f o r a n u n i n t e l l i g e n t , unmindfu l , a t t a c h e d p e r s o n u s i n g i t i n u n s u i t -

a b l e o r i n a p p r o p r i a t e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , w h i l e a n i n t e l l i g e n t , m i n d f u l , u n a t t a c h e d

p e r s o n m i g h t u s e i t q u i t e s k i l l f u l l y t o a c c o m p l i s h c e r t a i n e n d s i n t h e r i g h t

c i r c u m s t a n c e .

Q u e s t i o n s f o r t h e F u t u r e :

L e t me c o n c l u d e by t a l k i n g a b o u t my l o n g t e r m g o a l s . I t h i n k t h e

a l l e v i a t i o n o f s u f f e r i n g i s a p r i m a r y g o a l , b u t I d o n o t t h i n k i t i s enough.

Most s u f f e r i n g i s p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y s e l f - i n d u c e d , and c a n b e e l i m i n a t e d . But

I am a l s o c u r i o u s . The human mind i s e x t r e m e l y i n t e r e s t i n g ! The re a r e a

l o t o f t h i n g s t o f i n d o u t and new human p o t e n t i a l s t o d e v e l o p . Given t h a t ,

I have a number o f l o n g t e rm g o a l s f o r t h e deve lopmen t o f a comple t e s c i e n c e

o f t h e human mind.

One o f t h e s e g o a l s i s a t h o r o u g h e x p l o r a t i o n o f what s t a t e s o f con-

s c i o u s n e s s a r e a c t u a l l y p o s s i b l e f o r p e o p l e . B u d d h i s t p s y c h o l o g y has con-

c e n t r a t e d on a few k i n d s o f s t a t e s and n o t l ooked a t many o t h e r s . The same

l i m i t a t i o n i s t r u e f o r W e s t e r n p sycho logy . We do n o t know t h e f u l l r a n g e o f

ways i n wh ich t h e mind c a n be r e o r g a n i z e d .

A s we g a i n knowledge and a n a l y z e i t , we a r e g o i n g t o come up w i t h t h e o r i e s ,

maps, and c o n c e p t s a b o u t t h e f u n d a m e n t a l n a t u r e o f t h e human mind. T h a t i s

g o i n g t o l e a d t o a v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g s c i e n t i f i c t a s k : we w i l l b e a b l e t o hy-

p o t h e s i z e s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h a t o u g h t t o be p o s s i b l e , and t h e n s e e

T a r t - 23

i f t h e y c a n happen. We w i l l f i n d t h a t human b e i n g s do n o t e x p e r i e n c e some

o f them e v e n though, i n t e l l e c t u a l l y , we c a n p u t t h i n g s t o g e t h e r t h a t way.

Those a r e g o i n g t o be some o f t h e , m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g r e s u l t s o f a l l , b e c a u s e

i t w i l l t e l l - u s wha t t h e n a t u r e o f b e i n g human i s . The f a c t t h a t we c a l l

o u r s e l v e s human means t h a t we have c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , we have l i m i t s , and

f i n d i n g o u t what t h o s e l i m i t s a r e i s g o i n g t o be v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g and impor-

t a n t . I am c e r t a i n t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s a r e much g r e a t e r t h a n we imagine .

Then I t h i n k we need a n enormous amount o f r e s e a r c h on what s t a t e s o f

' c o n s c i o u s n e s s a r e b e s t f o r c e r t a i n t a s k s , c e r t a i n l i f e s i t u a t i o n s , and wha t . s t a t e s a r e n o t good f o r t h o s e k i n d s o f t h i n g s . We may some d a y be a b l e t o

t e l l someone, "When you come f o r t h i s m e e t i n g be i n a l t e r e d s t a t e number

171, b u t f o r God ' s s a k e don1 t come i n a l t e r e d s t a t e number 27 , you w i l l be

d r i v e n p s y c h o t i c i n t h a t p a r t i c u l a r s t a t e ! " Then t h e r e a r e a l o t o f q u e s t i o n s

a b o u t t h e i n t e l l i g e n t , m i n d f u l u s e o f p a r t i c u l a r s t a t e s : n o t o n l y d o we need

t o d e t e r m i n e wha t s i t u a t i o n s v a r i o u s s t a t e s a r e good f o r , b u t a l s o how t h e

" d r i v e r " i s t o be t r a i n e d . How do you work on your a t t i t u d e , m o t i v a t i o n ,

s k i l l f u l n e s s , s o you c a n u s e any p a r t i c u l a r a l t e r e d s t a t e w i t h maximum

s k i l l and a minimum o f s t u p i d i t y ?

F i n a l l y , some q u e s t i o n s a r i s e from a l t e r e d s t a t e s t h e m s e l v e s , r a t h e r

t h a n from c o n s e n s u s c o n s c i o u s n e s s . I men t ioned e a r l i e r t h a t , i n some a l -

t e r e d s t a t e s , you seem t o have new ways o f p e r c e i v i n g r e a l i t y . Some o f

t h e s e ways may a c t u a l l y be more i l l u s o r y t h a n r e a l , b u t some o f them may

be more i n t u n e w i t h r e a l i t y t h a n o r d i n a r y , c o n s e n s u s c o u n s c i o u s n e s s p e r c e p -

t i o n . F u r t h e r , p e o p l e o f t e n r e p o r t what seem t o be new ways o f t h i n k i n g ,

new l o g i c s . Some o f t h o s e may be p s e u d o - l o g i c s : t h e r e i s n o t h i n g c o n s i s t e n t

o r s e n s i b l e a b o u t them. . It i s j u s t a n unfounded f e e l i n g o f meaning. But

some o f t h e s e may be new l o g i c s , where t h e a s s u m p t i o n s and r u l e s a r e d i f f e r -

e n t , which a l l o w new k i n d s o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g s o f t h i n g s t h a t a r e n o t p o s s i b l e

T a r t - 24

i n a n o r d i n a r y s t a t e o f c o n s e n s u s c o n s c i o u s n e s s . S e v e r a l y e a r s a g o I p ro -

posed t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f s t a t e - s p e c i f i c s c i e n c e s t o e x p l o r e t h e s e p o s s i -

3 b i l i t i e s ( T a r t , 1972) . Peop le would t r a i n t h e m s e l v e s t o e n t e r s p e c i f i e d

a l t e r e d s t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s and t h e n a p p l y b a s i c s c i e n t i f i c method

( o b s e r v a t i o n , t h e o r i z i n g , t e s t i n g , p r e d i c t i o n , and communica t ing w i t h e a c h

o t h e r ) t o d e v e l o p s t a t e - s p e c i f i c knowledge o f t h e s e s t a t e s . T h a t i s s t i l l

a dream. The i d e a i s s t i l l t o o f a r advanced f o r o u r c u l t u r e b e c a u s e t h e

p redominan t b i a s i n W e s t e r n c u l t u r e i s t h a t o u r o r d i n a r y s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u s -

n e s s i s t h e h i g h e s t : i t i s a r a t i o n a l and n a t u r a l s t a t e and a l l a l t e r e d

s t a t e s a r e p a t h o l o g i c a l . T h a t i s a v e r y p o w e r f u l b i a s . But we c a n e v o l v e

toward s t a t e - s p e c i f i c s c i e n c e , l e a r n i n g t h i n g s t h a t a r e s t a t e - s p e c i f i c .

There i s knowledge t h a t c a n o n l y be u n d e r s t o o d c e r t a i n s t a t e s of c o n s c i o u s - --

n e s s . It w i l l n o t t r a n s l a t e i n t o o r d i n a r y c o n s c i o u s n e s s . Everybody h e r e c a n

p r o b a b l y r i d e a b i c y c l e . Can anybody e x p l a i n a d e q u a t e l y how you r i d e a b i -

c y c l e ? Yet you know how. T h a t i s s t a t e - s p e c i f i c knowledge. It i s a k i n d

o f knowledge encoded i n a c e r t a i n k i n d o f b o d i l y s t a t e , b u t i t d o e s n o t t r a n s -

l a t e i n t o t h e v e r b a l predominance o f o u r o r d i n a r y s t a t e . Some o f t h e most

v a l u e d knowledge , l o o s e l y c a l l e d " s p i r i t u a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g , " is s t a t e - s p e c i f i c .

So t h e r e a r e some v e r y e x c i t i n g f u t u r e p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r us .

I want t o end up by t e l l i n g you a s t o r y . Once upon a t ime , i n a p l a c e

t h a t was n o t s o v e r y f a r away from h e r e , I was g i v i n g a l e c t u r e a t a c o l -

l e g e o n c o n s c i o u s n e s s . A t a c e r t a i n p o i n t I r e a c h e d i n my j a c k e t p o c k e t s

and h e l d up a s c r e C d r i v e r i n one hand and a n a d j u s t a b l e wrench i n t h e o t h e r .

Ho ld ing t h e s c r e w d r i v e r up h i g h e r , I a s k e d , "How many p e o p l e t h i n k t h e screw-

d r i v e r i s t h e s u p e r i o r t o o l ? " About h a l f t h e a u d i e n c e r a i s e d t h e i r h a n d s ; I

h e l d up t h e wrench and a s k e d , "Now how many p e o p l e t h i n k t h i s a d j u s t a b l e

( 3 ) T a r t , C. T., " S t a t e s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s and s t a t e - s p e c i f i c s c i e n c e s , "

S c i e n c e , 1972, 176, 1203- 1210.

T a r t -25

wrench i s t h e s u p e r i o r t o o l ? " The o t h e r h a l f o f t h e aud ience r a i s e d t h e i r

hands; b u t then hands s t a r t e d t o f a l t e r . People began t o g e t t h e l i g h t .

S u p e r i o r t o what? You c a n ' t s a y a wrench i s s u p e r i o r t o a s c r e w d r i v e r , o r

a s c r e w d r i v e r i s s u p e r i o r t o a wrench i n any k i n d o f a b s o l u t e s e n s e . It

depends on what you want t o do w i t h i t . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , we a r e t o o l wor-

s h i p e r s . We g e t a few t o o l s gfven t o us i n l i f e , i n t h e c o u r s e of e n c u l -

t u r a t i o n , and we become t remendously a t t a c h e d t o them. We worsh ip them.

Tha t i s a t t a c h m e n t , and t h a t i s a g r e a t l i m i t a t i o n . What i s a c r a f t s m a n ?

A c r a f t s m a n i s someone who comes i n w i t h a whole c h e s t f u l l o f t o o l s , p i c k s

up a n a p p r o p r i a t e t o o l a t one p a r t of t h e job and u s e s i t , then p u t s i t

down and p i c k s up the nex t a p p r o p r i a t e t o o l .

A m a s t e r c r a f t s m a n u s e s t h e t o o l a p p r o p r i a t e t o t h e job s k i l l f u l l y ,

w i t h m i n d f u l n e s s of t h e changing requ i rements o f t h e job, and w i t h o u t a t t a c h -

ment t o h i s p r e v i o u s t o o l s . For t h i s ana logy our minds a r e t o o l s * There

a r e a l o t more t o o l s our minds can become f o r d e a l i n g w i t h v a r i o u s a s p e c t s

of l i f e and r e a l i t y t h a n we o r d i n a r i l y imagine. I f we can l e a r n n o t t o

a t t a c h o u r s e l v e s t o p a r t i c u l a r t o o l s b u t t o f i n d a p p r o p r i a t e ones , t o p i c k

them up and p u t them down w i t h o u t a t t a c h m e n t , and t o p r a c t i c e s k i l l f u l u s e ,

our p o s s i b i l i t i e s a s human b e i n g s w i l l be v e r y g r e a t .

I began w i t h Maslow's s t a t e m e n t , " I f t h e o n l y t o o l you have i s a hammer,

you tend t o t r e a t e v e r y t h i n g a s i f i t were a n a i l . " We have l o t s of t o o l s ,

and r e a l i t y c o n t a i n s many o t h e r t h i n g s t h a n n a i l s . L e t us l e a r n how t o

use our t o o l s .

FIG. 1 - TART

NO COIINECTION

FIG. 3 - TART

B I R T H

-I C l I l l~L)l l I>OD

PHYSICAL Ll/.IUFIE I V ~ ~ I V O U S

R E A L I T Y ,-,,,,,; E!:,

Boo PUIFPITIACS 8 R l O S T LUST

s01.lL I'CIT~NTIIILS 00:00 DL\'EI.OPEOAEID

0 FIXED SOME LOST

PHYSICAL AOUl l llOOL1

PAREPITS. T E A C I I E R S t-- P E E R S

PHYSICAL

H t A L l T Y --) SFNC5CFNlt

FIG. 4 - TART

, . . , . . \

. . . . , a . .

t .

' < . , . . , . I.. .. . .

FIG. 6 - TART

PHYSICAL REALITY SELF.REINFORCEMENTIPAmERNING OF COGENSUS CONSCIOUSNESS d

.

U~TUTAL RE-CREATIONIREINFORCWEN-, OF CONSENSUS REALITY

EWECTED/OESIRED INPUT VAlTERNlNG STIMULI)

.. -- PHYSICAL

.- . -. ' I , BEHAVIORS APPROPRIATE TO

CONSENSUS CON!iCIOUSNESS

SELF-REINFORCEMENTPATTERNING OF CONSENSUS CONSCIOUSNESS

UNTAPPED POTENTIALS

#

/ I-.

\ / \\

/ \ ( A T T ~ N T I O N \

ENFrlGY I \ 1 \ \ / '.- /'

~ X T F R N A L S I , . J L I

FIG. 8 - TART