I initially posted this to the subreddit’s Reddit chat but Dan suggested I create a post with a ChatGPT generated image.
This is a theory I conjured from different information Dan provided regarding magic and the brain-functioning of Schizophrenics. I’ll slowly edit it to reference the mentioned posts.
“Advantages schizophrenics might have with magic” (although they might have some disadvantages like not being able to hold a job to support their sorcery hobby).
One big problem with sorcery is that it is not possible to retain many of the memories related to what a person experiences in Darkroom (or magic in general). It is hard to remember sorcery. Dan has explained this happens because the ability to form memories is related to emotions and practicality. We remember things based on what we felt at the time, how our reward system congratulates us based on the experience. The brain allocates memory based on a series of factors, which don’t usually translate when it comes to sublime perception (sorcery). [Link to post to be provided]
Dan has also explained how Schizophrenic’s brains are “cross-wired” and different memories associate with one another or send signals that aren’t supposed to be sent or activated. (You can find his post for a more in-depth explanation of his).
The Theory:
Schizophrenics, considering they have these signals pinging (randomly inputting or signaling) in different sections of the brain at different moments, have their reward system and feelings being activated at random intervals at the most trivial and mundane things - which makes them go crazy by making associations and interpretations that are irrelevant to the tonal. This becomes useful in the darkroom (or any sorceric context) because schizophrenics can remember what they experienced, even if magical, due to the associations the brain makes with those “sublime perception events”. This then makes it easier to carry the mood of magic outside of a context of magic, through remembering. Schizophrenics can retain memories of magic outside of darkroom/gazing/etc. Even if they experienced things which are indescribable. Their brain gives importance to events that aren’t that important (magic - which isn’t relevant at all, to the tonal).
Keywords: Mood, Memory, Emotions.
11 Comments
Diagnosed schizoaffective, my memory is fried and even when speaking to supernatural or occult phenomena I am not a reliable accountant of what I've experienced. Plenty of things that would make anyone say wow, that's unusual and interesting, never end up following up on half the shit that I should.
What I think you might not have considered is that schizophrenia is a very poorly understood diagnosis, if you ask me a schizo-type disorder patient (schizoaffective, paranoid schizophrenic, schizotypal, etc) is predisposed to "seeing" (not the Castaneda definition) more in their minds, they're exposed to stimuli and information that the average person would have to seek out diligently to experience for themselves.
I don't remember much of Don Juan's theology/how he reckons it all works, but if you ask me a "sorcerer" of any lineage/cultural background will at some point in their working experience mental phenomena extremely similar to that experienced by the schizophrenic patient. The most important difference between the two is that the patient did not seek this out, has no idea what to make of it, and as a result experiences extreme fear and uncertainty, eventually leading to delusional beliefs if not nipped in the bud.
The sorcerer/magician/etc seeks it out, knows what (to an extent) to expect as a result of their working, and has a rough idea of how to interpret the stimulus/ information they encounter.
I don't know who said it, but "the psychotic drowns in the same waters the mystic swims in" is an apt quote.
I was waiting for a more advanced practitioner to write a reply but no one did??
This whole post is about "schizophrenic sorceror practitioners". Not the average schizophrenic/paranoid/delusional person. It's about people who are serious about practicing sorcery and also happen to have schizophrenia.
PRETEND magic (which is all a scam), including "occult philosophy" are not the same as sorcery.
Yes, sorcerors and witches might eventually have experiences that are not conventional. However, from reading the books and descriptions of the behaviours of schizophrenic sorcerors, it's more than obvious which practitioners are schizophrenic and which aren't.
Here’s a reply to this that u/danl999 made in the public chat (which is soon to be “nuked” by Reddit, along with all other public chat channels):
“Cholita often believes she had a conversation with me while driving, that I certainly don't recall.
That's pretty much how apprentices are taught in lineages!
I tried to get ChatGPT to draw one of Cholita talking to me in the car, but it has a hard time with who's located where, and it's terrible with phantoms.”
I'm pretty sure your reasoning is sound.
And in the lineages, schizophrenics seem to hold a high position.
Zuleica was don Juan's "oldest companion", and the source of what we do as "darkroom".
Cholita kicks butt. She can literally break the laws of physics while you watch. In ordinary situations.
Not just after your assemblage point has moved, and you can't quite say it's not some kind of non-ordinary reality going on.
But she's so schizophrenic, she can't even deposit a check in the bank.
She has to use the ATM, and even then it takes her hours to be convinced no one is going to run up and steal from her.
Emilito was called "the caretaker" in don Juan's lineage.
Or was it Emilio???
At any rate, I always thought that just meant, he was the caretaker of Zuleica.
Not the caretaker of the lineage's property.
Although, the way Cholita uses our large yard, it makes sense that a caretaker for her, would also take care of the property.
But then later someone pointed out that Emilito was actually Zuleica herself...
One of her phantom manifestations.
Cholita does those too.
My favorite, which I've seen only once, was a diffuse calico cat form she took.
Telling schizophrenic people they're good at magic is irresponsible and dangerous and could trigger or exacerbate a psychotic break.
..or a long face
I didn't say they're good at magic. What I said is the equivalent of saying "tall people might have an advantage at basketball". That is true but it doesn't mean that all tall people are good at basketball.
Probably true. I have a 17 times increased risk for schizophrenia according to my genetics, although I don't have it, or at least it doesn't manifest a way that it would be called that. And magic really does bleed into my daily life more than it is "supposed to" for men.
For example, some of my experiences are pretty unusual, like I can see if something is fully recapped or not. It's like it floats in the air over my shoulder. Not a powerful sorcerer at this point though.
I have a lot of genes for schizophrenia and what I notice is that my tonal contains magic more than normal. For example, when I recapitulate, I can see the energy that I'm trying to reclaim, like little heat lines over my shoulder. And another thing is that I often encounter nature spirits on my walks. But it definitely hasn't made me a powerful sorcerer or anything so far. I have to work as hard as anyone else.
Downsides of having magic in the tonal seem to be that I may seem a little odd. People say that I make connections between things that are not connected. But they are connected 😅 Seeing those connections makes them actionable.