ISNESS
What is ISNESS?
ISNESS stands for the Interfaith Study of Noetic and Entheogenic Spiritual Science.
It comes from the philosophical term "Isness" that refers to the quality of being or existing as something. It may also help to know the definitions of Noetic [1] and Entheogen, too. We'll assume familiarity with the other terms in the anagram.
While the concept was first introduced in Aristotle's Metaphysics, it is often associated with writings inspired by psychedelics and Eastern spirituality like Ram Dass, Alan Watts, Terence McKenna, Ken Wilber, and Eckhardt Tolle.
"All there is, is the Isness of Being." -Alan Watts [2][3][4][5][6]
The Goal of ISNESS
The goal of ISNESS is to facilitate discussions about the intersection of science, psychology, psychedelics, and spirituality among diverse religious and secular communities.
We study the nature of mind and being human, and explore ways to improve the subjective experience of consciousness.
What Does ISNESS Do?
ISNESS facilitates a variety of activities in partnership with local faith communities that have an interest in exploring the exciting research in neuroscience creating scientific evidence demonstrating the benefits of many spiritual practices and beliefs.
Subjects are discussed from a universalist and evidence-based perspective, making them accessible to members of any religion, as well as atheists, humanists, and others without supernatural beliefs. We seek ways to find commonalities and stimulate productive interfaith dialog by demonstrating the underlying scientific and psychological truths that give rise to our various cultural belief systems.
We organize and co-host events with local organizations, as well as attending established events that are of interest to the group.
Typical activities include:
- Discussion Groups
- Book Clubs (especially these Authors)
- Psychedelic Integration Circles
- Meditation and Yoga Classes
- Attend Religious Services
- Hiking and Camping "Trips"
- Mountain Biking, Kayaking, Skydiving, and other Adventures
- Concerts, Raves, and Music Festivals
- Drum Circles, Dance, and other Flow Activities
- Sweat Lodges, Ayahuasca Retreats, and other Shamanic Rituals
Many of these activities are meant to get members out of their comfort zones and create "peak experiences" that lead to significant growth towards self-actualization, and create powerful in-group bonds.
The Sunday Nomads Meetup Group currently shares similar events in the East Tennessee region that our friends plan to attend.
Some Thoughts on Isness
While most content on the concept of "isness" tends towards the esoteric, ISNESS always seeks to find grounding in scientific evidence for these spiritual concepts.