Timothy Leary’s 8 circuit model of Consciousness

Leary’s theory about human conscience, rejected by modern science, deals with human conscience having 8 circuits and obtaining each one is a step up on our path of evolution.

The first 4 circuits are in the left lobe of the brain and deal with our survival the last 4 circuits are in the right lobe and are related to our human evolution and are dormant in the majority of humans.

The 8 circuit model of Consciousness

The Bio-survival Circuit is concerned with the earliest modes of survival and the basic separation of objects into either harmful or safe. This circuit is said to have first appeared in the earliest evolution of the invertebrate brain. It is the first to be activated in an infant's mind. Leary says this circuit is stimulated by opioid drugs. This circuit introduces a one-dimensional perception: forward and backward (i.e., forward towards food, nourishment and that which is trusted as safe, and backwards -- away from danger and predators).

The Emotional Circuit is concerned with raw emotion and the separation of behavior into submissive and dominant. This circuit appeared first in vertebrate animals. In humans, it is activated when the child learns to walk. Leary associates this circuit with alcohol. This circuit introduces a second dimension, up-down, linked with territorial politics and tribal power games (up, as in swelling ones body in size to represent dominance, and down, as in the cowering, tail-between-the-legs submissive stance).

The Symbolic Circuit is concerned with logic and symbolic thought. Leary said this circuit first appeared when hominids started differentiating from the rest of the primates. Leary believed this circuit is stimulated by caffeine, coc aine, and other stimulants. This circuit introduces the third dimension, left and right, related to the development of dextrous movement and handling "artefacts". (Also called by Leary The Dexterity-Symbolism Circuit; called by Robert Anton Wilson the Semantic Circuit.)

The Domestic Circuit. This circuit is concerned with operating within social networks and the transmission of culture across time. This circuit is said to have first appeared with the development of tribes. Leary never associated a drug with it. [However Endorphins and other "drugs" produced by the body itself during social interaction can be connected to this circuit. The lack of knowledge about the cause and mechanism of these drugs, as well as lack of a method to stimulating their production, would explain their non-mention in his works.] This fourth circuit deals with moral-social/sexual tribal rules passed through generations and is the introduction to the fourth dimension -- time. (Also called by Leary and Wilson the Socio-Sexual Circuit).

The Neurosomatic Circuit is the first of the right-brain, "higher" circuits which are usually inactive in most humans. It allows one to see things in multi-dimensional space instead of the 4 dimensions of Euclidean space-time, and is there to aid in the future exploration of outer space. It is said to have first appeared with the development of leisure-class civilizations around 2000 BC. It is associated with hedonism and eroticism. Leary says this circuit is stimulated by cannabis and tantric yoga, or simply by experiencing the sensation of free fall at the right time.

The Neuroelectric Circuit is concerned with the mind becoming aware of itself independent of the patterns imprinted by the previous five circuits. It is also called "metaprogramming" or "consciousness of abstracting". Leary says this circuit enables telepathic communication, and that this circuit is impossible to explain to those who have only left-brain activity and is difficult to explain to those with active fifth circuits. It is said to have appeared in 500 BC, in connection with the Silk Road. Leary associates this circuit with peyote and psilocybin. (Robert Anton Wilson called this circuit The Metaprogramming Circuit.)

The Neurogenetic Circuit allows access to the genetic memory contained in DNA. It is connected to memories of past lives, the Akashic Records, and the collective unconscious, and allows for essential immortality in humans. This circuit first appeared among Hindu and Sufi sects in the early first millennium. This circuit is stimulated by '___', and Raja Yoga. (Robert Anton Wilson called this circuit The Morphogenetic Circuit.)

The Psycho-atomic Circuit allows access to the intergalactic consciousness that predates life in the universe (characterized as the Godhead, the Overmind or aliens), and lets humans operate outside of space-time and the constraints of relativity. It tunes the brain into the non-local quantum communication system suggested by physicists such as Bohm, Walker, Sarfatti, Bell, etc. Israel Regardie compared this to the Hindu concept of Indra's Net. This circuit is associated with Ketamine and '___' by Leary. While Wilson agreed Ketamine was associated with this circuit, he also believed very strong doses of '___' could unlock it. Because out-of-body experiences can be triggered through smoking extremely high doses of the strongest extracts of Salvia Divinorum, some associate this drug with this circuit as well (Called also by Leary The Neuro-Atomic Circuit or The Metaphysiological Circuit, Robert Anton Wilson called this circuit The Non-Local Quantum Circuit.)
Wikipedia

The Neurosomatic Circuit:
Just imagine if you could see in 4 dimensions there could be a whole new world right in front of our face and we seeing in only 3 dimensions cannot perceive in this world. There could be life forms, colors and structures all around us and we just can’t see them because of our limited 3 dimensional view.

The Neuroelectric Circuit:
I think we already use this one but only on a unconscious level, we are all connected by a human collective Conscience but to be able to use this ability at will would be unexplainably cool!

The Neurogenetic Circuit:
Imagine possessing the knowledge and wisdom of your ancestors and immortality to boot.

The Psycho-atomic Circuit:
To be connected at this level is almost uncomprehending.


[edit on 29-7-2008 by LDragonFire]

Honestly, this board is starting to freak me out. Less than an hour ago I noticed an old MP3 I had of a recording of Timothy Leary. I thought to myself, "what a shame that he kind of lost it at the end.... I wonder if it would be worth discussing on ATS?"

Now, bam... here you go posting about him.

This has happened probably 20 times in the last week or two. It is starting to get strange........

Sorry for being off topic, but I had to get it out there.

On topic, I wish that people were allowed to study the effects of psychadellics legally. Dr Leary really did some amazing things. It is a shame that the war on drugs is preventing us from learning about ourselves.


[edit] OK, it just happened again. I just finished "The Holographic Universe" and I was looking through the book review thread for something to read next. I randomly chose "Promethius Rising" by Robert Anton Wilson. I don't know why I chose it, I just clicked the link because it looked interesting. Low and behold the book is dedicated to Leary and based off of this very topic (8 circuit model). ..........I'm losing my mind....[/edit]

[edit on 29-7-2008 by Karlhungis]

The Neurogenetic Circuit allows access to the genetic memory contained in DNA. It is connected to memories of past lives, the Akashic Records, and the collective unconscious, and allows for essential immortality in humans. This circuit first appeared among Hindu and Sufi sects in the early first millennium. This circuit is stimulated by '___', and Raja Yoga. (Robert Anton Wilson called this circuit The Morphogenetic Circuit.)

Edgar Cacye did this when he went onto trace..

If you read up on him you will see what I mean..

Bold is my point.

Great, learning to utilise both sides of the brain is a good idea.

Turn on, tune in, drop out - Timothy Leary. From harvard professor to world renowned psychonaut. I mentioned this clip a few days ago in another thread, I thought I'd drop it in here for everyones viewing pleasure. Or viewing torment, it depends on your outlook. Quality is poor, adds to it in my opinion.


How to operate your brain


It's a bit of an interactive post, gives a good insight into Mr Leary's beliefs. Starred and flagged this thread. Best Wishes.

Good thread. Starred and flagged. Leary's Eight Circuit Model is covered quite extensively in Wilson's Prometheus Rising aswell. You could also check out Quantum Psychology (which I wrote a thread on here).

#ing synchronicity, I was going to post a thread on this very topic the other day.

when looking at reality through leary's model, who has accessed the 8th circuit? Am I alone in this one??

Reading Robert Anton Wilson's Quantum Psychology right now


90 percent of the time Im on the 6th circuit, the neuroelectric, but when I meditate or psychoactivate my mind, I travel to higher realms..

star and flag because of synchronicity

Originally posted by Cadbury
Good thread. Starred and flagged. Leary's Eight Circuit Model is covered quite extensively in Wilson's Prometheus Rising aswell. You could also check out Quantum Psychology (which I wrote a thread on here).

mind expanding books! after reading Prometheus Rising, and halfway thru quantum psychology, I am astounded at the changes in my life. Those books definitely clarified and enhanced my viewpoints on life and helped me expand my mental map of the universe..

Originally posted by iiinvision
mind expanding books! after reading Prometheus Rising, and halfway thru quantum psychology, I am astounded at the changes in my life. Those books definitely clarified and enhanced my viewpoints on life and helped me expand my mental map of the universe..

Couldn't agree with you more. I read them back in '05, or maybe early 2006, and I've never been the same since. Those books cracked my head open in an unexpected and but very welcome fashion. Usually having your head caved in should be avoided, if you can help it, but it is not to always be avoided.

Read, read, read!

In my opinion the 8 circuit model is the most accurate and elegant description of human conciousness we as a species have come up with to date... It's an excellent synthesis (both scientific and spiritual) of so many things - the I ching, the tree of life of the kabbalah, the tarot, the law of octaves and the chakkras of the human nervous system, but it also adheres to the framework of a scientific and psychological viewpoint...

One way of looking at it is that the 4 "extra-terrestrial" circuits are an extension (and the future evolution) of the 4 "terrestrial" circuits that keep perpetuating the cycle of life on our planet... Most of us are operating on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th circuits in our day to day life, but when we activate (by ingesting certain chemicals or undertaking "brain change" exercises and experiments like meditation or yoga for example) the 5th to 8th circuits then become extensions of our 4 terrestrial circuits.





[edit on 26-8-2008 by NeuronDivide]

I have just run across something that may be of possible interest to you, if you haven't seen it already:

www.realitysandwich.com...