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The eight-circuit model of consciousness is a holistic model originally presented as psychological philosophy (abbreviated "psy-phi") by Timothy Leary in books including Neurologic (1973) and Exo-Psychology (1977), later expanded on by Robert Anton Wilson in his books Cosmic Trigger (1977) and Prometheus Rising (1983), and by Antero Alli in his books Angel Tech (1985) and The Eight-Circuit Brain (2009), that suggests "eight periods " within the model. This model has been described as a potential route towards reconciling different interpretations of what it means to be a human being. The eight circuits, or eight systems or "brains", as referred by other authors, operate within the human nervous system. Each corresponds to its own imprint and subjective experience of reality. Leary and Alli include three stages for each circuit, detailing developmental points for each level of consciousness.

This model doesn't restrict its sources to just mainstream psychology or neurology, but uses concepts or metaphors from diverse modern sciences, transpersonal psychology, and Eastern spiritual traditions which perceive all objects and phenomena as various interrelated aspects of a single supreme reality. That blend has sparked criticism from some as "fringe" science or worse.

Overview

Of the "eight circuits" in this model of consciousness, the first four circuits concern themselves with life on Earth, and the survival of the human species. The last four circuits are post-terrestrial, and concern themselves with the evolution of the human species as represented by so-called altered states of consciousness, enlightenment, mystical experiences, psychedelic states of mind, and psychic abilities. The proposal suggests that these altered states of consciousness are recently realized, but not widely utilized. Leary described the first four as "larval circuits", necessary for surviving and functioning in a terrestrial human society, and proposed that the post terrestrial circuits will be useful for future humans who, through a predetermined script, continue to act on their urge to migrate to outer space and live extra-terrestrially. Leary, Wilson, and Alli have written about the idea in depth, and have explored and attempted to define how each circuit operates, both in the lives of individual people and in societies and civilizations.

The term "circuit" is equated to a metaphor of the brain being computer hardware, and the wiring of the brain as circuitry.

Leary used the eight circuits along with recapitulation theory to explain the evolution of the human species, the personal development of an individual, and the biological evolution of all life.

See also

• Eight Consciousnesses
• Erik Erikson's "Eight stages of man" (1950)
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
• Metasystem transition
• Perceptual control theory
• Programming and Metaprogramming in the Human Biocomputer
• Psychedelic experience
• Reality tunnel

References

1. Davis 2019, p. 251.
2. Cosmic Trigger excerpt
3. Leary 1987, p. xii.
4. Danylova 2017.
5. Leary, Wilson, Alli, et al. (1977-95).
6. Leary 1987, 7th printing (2011), p. 16.
7. Alli 2009, p. 42.
8. Leary & Wilson 1979, 2nd ed, p. 48.
9. Cultural historian John Higgs argues that Leary's idea of the mindmap exemplified by his book Neurologic is "arguably Leary's most important work", but was greatly diminished by newspaper accounts of his prison escape and related travails. Journalist John Bryan said that Leary sounded "like a Raving Madman from Outer Space. It was at this point that many of his former followers decided that Tim had overdosed—both on acid and on life." (Higgs 2006, p. 209.)
10. Wilson 1983, 21st printing, pp. 33–41.
11. Leary & Wilson 1979, 2nd ed. (1993), p. 4.
12. Leary & Wilson 1979, 2nd ed. (1993), p. 86.
13. Leary 1987, 7th printing (2011), p. 5.

Bibliography

• Alli, Antero (1985). Angel Tech: A Modern Shaman's Guide to Reality Selection. (Reprint - 2008). Tempe, Arizona: The Original Falcon Press. ISBN 978-1-935150-95-4.
• Alli, Antero (2009). The Eight-Circuit Brain: Navigational Strategies for the Energetic Body. Berkeley, California: Vertical Pool Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9657341-3-4.
• Davis, Erik (2019). High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies. MIT Press. ISBN 978-1907222-870.
• Danylova, T.V. (2017). "Eastern Mysticism and Timothy Leary: Human Beyond the Conventional Reality". Антропологические измерения философских исследований (11): 135–142.
• Higgs, John (2006). I Have America Surrounded: The Life of Timothy Leary. Barricade Books. ISBN 1-56980-315-3.
• Karrer, TM; Kim, JZ; Stiso, J; Kahn, AE; Pasqualetti, F; Habel, U; Bassett, DS (April 9, 2020). "A practical guide to methodological considerations in the controllability of structural brain networks". J Neural Eng. 17 (2): 026031. doi:10.1088/1741-2552/ab6e8b. PMC 7734595. PMID 31968320.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: PMC format (link)
• Leary, Timothy (1970). The Politics of Ecstasy. Paladin Press. ISBN 1-57951-031-0.
• Leary, Timothy; Leary, Joanna (1973). Neurologic. San Francisco: Joanna Leary. OCLC 3006096.
• Leary, Timothy (1976). What Does WoMan Want?. 88 Books.
• Leary, Timothy (1977). Exo-Psychology: A Manual on the Use of the Human Nervous System according to the Instructions of the Manufacturers. Starseed/Peace Press. ISBN 0-915238-16-0 – via Internet Archive.
• Leary, Timothy; Wilson, Robert Anton (1979). The Game of Life. (Second Edition, 1993). Los Angeles: New Falcon Publications. ISBN 978-1-56184-050-2.
• Leary, Timothy (1987). Info-Psychology. (Seventh Print, 2011). Los Angeles: New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-56184-105-6.
• "Leary's 8 Calibre Brain". Psychic Magazine. April 1976.
• Lee, Dave (2006). Chaotopia!: Sorcery and Ecstasy in the Fifth Aeon. Mandrake of Oxford. ISBN 1-869928-88-1.
• Valle, Ronald S.; von Eckarsberg, Rolf, eds. (1981). The Metaphors of Consciousness. New York: Plenum Press. ISBN 978-0-306-40520-4.
• Wilson, Robert Anton (1977). Cosmic Trigger I: The Final Secret of the Illuminati. Los Angeles: New Falcon Publications. ISBN 0-692-51397-3.
• Wilson, Robert Anton (August 1978). "Neurologic Immortality & All That". Green Egg. Vol. 8, no. 72. pp. 9–11 – via Internet Archive.
• Wilson, Robert Anton (1983). Prometheus Rising. (Reprint - 1992). Los Angeles: New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-56184-056-4.
• Wilson, Robert Anton (1990). Quantum Psychology. Los Angeles: New Falcon Publications. ISBN 978-1-56184-071-7.
• Wilson, Robert Anton (1992). Reality Is What You Can Get Away With. (new introduction added, 1996). Los Angeles: New Falcon Publications. ISBN 1-56184-080-7.

External links

• Wilson, Robert Anton (2010). "8 Circuit Psychology [audio, 7 parts]". YouTube.
• Leary's Eight Circuit Model of Consciousness
• The 8-Circuit Model of Timothy Leary and Robert Anton Wilson
• The Eight Winner and Loser Scripts
• Totem Pill - Animated Interpretation of the 8 Circuit Model by Marc Ngui

• Parapsychology
• Psychological models
• Theory of mind
• Timothy Leary
• Robert Anton Wilson