Controversial theories from Matt

Here is a collection of my theories and musings.

1. A few instances of extraordinary mental shifts combined with spiritual explanations have led many people (including myself) to go after enlightenment in an over-zealous way. They are being fooled by the fantasy of enlightenment and their extraordinary mental experiences.  Extraordinary Mental Shifts   22 enlightenment experiences
2. The physical jerks, swaying, vocalizations, and pain that are commonly call kriyas are caused by physiology other than kundalini. Subjective experiences of kundalini in the tailbone, spine, head, and chakra areas will have better explanations than an eruption of kundalini. The kriyas of aspiring yogis and the shaking/dancing of Christian charismatics have the same underlying physiology.  Kriyas, hypnic jerks, and tics
3. The hopping that occurs when people practice the TM-Sidhi on levitation is no different than other kriyas. The hopping that occurs from full lotus is caused by physiological processes other than kundalini. Although hopping and TM are extraordinary mental experiences, TM and the TM-Sidhi program have a downside. Kriyas, hypnic jerks, and tics
4. Kundalini experiences, awakenings, grandiose delusions, and deep meditational experiences are very powerful mental experiences that can affect decision-making and other aspects of life for many years. Everyone wants to be great
5. Emotional, delicate people are more likely to have flashy spiritual experiences and awakenings than healthy people. Who has more spiritual, celestial-type experiences?  Look at the 22 enlightenment stories
6. Intellectual prowess is not a safeguard to grandiose delusions. In fact, it seems that people who trust their above-average intellectual abilities are more prone to delusion than non-intellectual people. High intelligence, mania, and gurus
7. A huge amount of intellectual discourse on enlightenment and spiritual topics has accumulated over the centuries due to the manic experiences of intellectuals. Guru maniacs
8. Since many gurus exhibit signs of grandiose delusions, over-confidence, over-energy, and/or a lack of a moral compass, they deserve to be called Guru Maniacs. Guru maniacs
9. A state of enlightenment does not exist. The theory of reincarnation probably arose from someone’s delusion.
10. Subjective spiritual experiences can be misleading. Subjective experience of oneness and other spiritual experiences are not reliable when making comprehensive explanations of life. Powerful silence
11. Subjective experiences of Pure Consciousness, inner light, Oneness, and other spiritual experiences will someday have physiological explanations that will invalidate yogic explanations. 22 enlightenment experiences
12. There is a radiance effect from so-called enlightened people, from meditators, and group meditations, but the radiance effect is not a healthy influence on people who are ungrounded. The radiance effect when being close to “saints” or being with either Christian or Eastern spiritual groups is a mixture of good and bad effects.  A meditator had contagious energy. (Radiance is also discussed in My Enlightenment Delusion Chapter 20 entitled “Shaktipat, glossolalia, and group radiance”.)
13. Trauma never leads to enlightenment. Kundalini awakened by trauma
14. Depersonalization and other psychotic states resemble some of the experiences of so-called enlightenment. Even when people are able to adapt to their so-called enlightenment, there are greater detriments than benefits. People who try to reconcile “the dark night of the soul” and unpleasant, hell-like experiences of “enlightenment” with the supposed “great good” of reaching enlightenment are wrong. They have been misled.  The similarity between psychotic mania and kundalini crises is frightening   Kundalini crises
15. In today’s internet age of openness and truth-telling, more and more people are disputing the hype of gurus and spiritual organizations. Actually, even some gurus are revealing that enlightenment is not what it is cracked up to be. Enlightenment experiences of Robert Forman
16. The supposed ability of humans to reach enlightenment is not in accord with the 3.5 billion years of evolution of life on planet Earth. Enlightenment vs. Evolution
17. Psychedelic drugs provide similar mind-blowing, life-changing experiences as those attained by yogic meditators. The assumption that drugs are risky whereas yogic meditations are without risk is wrong.  LSD, DMT, mushrooms, or meditation?   Mental and physical effects of hallucinogens
18. Devotion to a guru is unhealthy and unwise in many ways. Devotion to a guru
19. Spiritual seekers are harmed by following unrealistic dreams, by believing things that are not true, by ignoring practical life pursuits, and by risking major and minor health crises when intensely practicing spiritual practices.
20. The lives of spiritual luminaries such as Ramana Maharshi, Gopi Krishna, and Suzanne Segal had serious flaws which call into question the knowledge that they shared. Thoughts on Ramana Maharshi   Thoughts on Gopi Krishna   The amazing story of Suzanne Segal
21. Hyper-religious people either lack critical thinking skill, have been misled by their own spiritual experiences, and/or have a mental illness. Mania and hyper-religiosity   Comparing a kundalini crisis to the religious experience of epileptics
22. Spiritual seekers are often ungrounded in that their ability to think clearly is negatively affected and their priorities in life are not practical.  Ungroundedness

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