Today was the first day of the People’s Smokeout in Washington sq. After the drama of Occupy Weed St and the deceleration that they would no longer do public smokeouts the People’s Smokeout was formed (inspired by the People’s Front of Judea) to take over the events and keep them going throughout the coming summer months.

After our Toke and meditation the conversation turned to some of our favorite subjects. The one that caught my attention was the discussion about placebos. While eastern and alternative medicine have become popular the scientific community has mostly scoffed and dismissed these practices and rituals as bogus. They’re just placebos! Sugar pills, medicine that does not actually do anything unless you believe they do. But is that all there is to it?

Recent research has shown that different placebos have different effects if they are different shape, different color PR different form. An injected placebo is Mich more effective than a placebo pill, even though they both should be just as potent as neither actually does anything. Different colored placebos also have different effects on different people. The growing body of research on the subject suggests that there is a lot more going on here.

“You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe.”

Most people would like to think that everything they believe is true. If we didn’t all think this we wouldn’t believe what we believe, would we? Based on our history and the sheer scope of human ineptitude it is far more likely that we are dead wrong about just about everything we believe. Science has already shown us that the universe is much different and stranger than what we expect it to be, and why should it? Why should the universe care about

Of course there are many who are eager to sell you the “red pill” of truth. THEIR truth. The ideas that THEY hold to be true despite any evidence there might be contrary.

While the Matrix was built heavily on earlier works such as Kong-Fu movies and especially the Japanese anime Ghost in the Shell, a few of it’s scenes were filmed using sets from the lesser known Dark City that has striking resemblance in visual style, themes and plot.

In fact, these themes of questioning reality and authority are prevalent in many movies that cropped up close to each other with visual and contextual similarities that are slightly closer than coincidence. Of course the true spiritual sequel to The Matrix is V for Vendetta, also produced by the Wachowski siblings, the spiritual prequel is Fight Club.

In all these films the protagonist can only break free by challenging their reality and ideas and breaking through to the uncomfortable idea that what they believe is NOT true and reality does not confirm to what they believe to be true (the Red Pill). Fascinatingly enough, this usually comes with the power to reshape reality (or at least the false reality) as you please. Isn’t this a contradiction?

 

After the Smokeout we headed over to Bushwick Bizarre for Matthew Silver and Fritz Donnelly’s Beard and Mustache premiere. The titillating improv show of whackiness is an ever evolving interaction between the talents of Matthew Silver to drive absurd awkwardness to the point of insane humor, going loopy, you could even say. It’s easy to dismiss this act if it weren’t for the sheer level of what-the-fuckery that becomes an ever growing bench mark.

Tonight though, Matthew’s wierdness was carefully balances by Fritz’s narration, a much needed buffer for those unfamiliar with the outrageous act. But even so, this unique combination of brutal anti-rational on-the-spot play is not easily comprehended.

The true magic is in how little is actually being done. Matthew Silver is ripping out the whole rule book that has been learned over the years and going back to basic. Childish basics. After all, true creativity comes when all else is dumped out.

There were the awkward moments where Matthew stood near bare naked in front of the crowd with no material whatsoever in a desperate fit for input. The act (or lack of act) forces the crowd to share in the sheer awkwardness of not knowing what to do. Usually creativity flows when boredom sets it, this setting does not allow for boredom, it asks that you create and imagine NOW, in the moment, with out any time to filter, think or plan.

This sort of play akins to early childhood before we were imprinted with so many rules and culture. All that is thrown out now, boundaries are pushed and broken, limits are stretched in the search for that which can’t quite be named. Matthew is trying to get the audience involved in play time, he feeds off the creativity he can unlock in the crowd and feeds it back to them like a mirror image. What is created in this sacred space is purely that which is brought in by everyone, and it is absolutely fantastic.

 

Stepping outside I met with another American Shaman discussing the human interaction we experienced.

The ritual that we perform is not so much what matters, what matters is that we channel this spiritual vision into the physical world. People have many different rituals and ceremonies they perform to manifest a feeling or thought into the physical reality, this process is not new, but we are learning more about it and developing a deep understanding of how it works.

In this manner we all develop somewhat of a spiritual Swiss army knife to help us in our times of need. While one person may quote a verse of psalms to ward off evil another person will chant in Hindi on a stone or chew some organic cinnamon bark. The ritual is not what matters, the items you use are not what matters, the traditions and incantations of any language are not what matters.

How do placebos work even when we know they are nothing more than thoughts and feelings? The Matrix offers up the answer again- “it is not the spoon that bends, only your self.” Placebos work even when you know they are placebos. You can’t leave the illusion behind, but realizing you are living in an illusion gives you the power to control your illusion, so if you do not like the life you have you have the power to change it. The red pill is not about removing all illusion, it is about realizing the core truth.

The truth is that there is a Light in your heart that is channeled through your mind into your physical body. This power manifests in all forms and contains more power than we can possibly imagine. It is this power that gives spells and magic their ability to work, it is this Light that heals you and strengthens you through misfortune. Without this Light placebos and all other forms of manifested talismans and amulets would have no power, yet we all already have this power inside us.

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