Stealing Fire

An Eternal Flame

The ancient Eleusinian Mysteries – among Greek civilization’s great achievements – influenced Plato and much of Western philosophy. These nine-day “initiatory” rituals were “designed to strip away standard frames of reference, profoundly alter consciousness and unlock a heightened level of insight.” A drug much like LSD inspired these rituals, but using it illicitly invited capital punishment. The Greek elite risked everything to experience its powers. Ever since, new elixirs have emerged, intoxicating their users until authorities intervened. Today, people at the top of industry, elite military officers, scientists and other “psychonauts” enter various states of altered consciousness seeking “flow,” high creativity and peak performance. The mainstream also embraces some similar experiences.

Finding Flow

Psychedelic drugs, deep meditation and sex can induce what the Greeks called ecstasis. Learning transcendental meditation, for example, once took years. Now new technologies and training can teach a person to meditate like a monk in days or even hours. Even the US Navy SEALs have developed advanced...