Being Infinite: An Entheogenic Odyssey into the Limitless Eternal: A Memoir from Ayahuasca to Zen - Paperback

by Martin W. Ball (Author)

"I want to tell you the story of how I accepted the truth that God is the only reality, including you, and including me. I want to tell you the story of how I learned that everything that exists is one, universal, all-embracing, loving being, and how all sense of separation or distinction from this one being is an illusion created by the mind and human ego. I want to tell you how I learned this truth within myself, and have subsequently learned to live with this reality as an individual who has been profoundly and permanently transformed by this truth."Perhaps despite appearances, this is not a tale of spirituality, religion, or anything of the kind - if anything, it is a tale of overcoming and moving beyond the inherent limitations of religion and spirituality as constructs of the human ego. It is a tale of truth, personal discovery, and liberation and transformation. It is a very personal story with universal ramifications, and as such, it is timeless."I want to tell you of how I discovered myself, and in doing so, also discovered you."-From Being InfiniteIn this very revealing memoir, entheogenic researcher, Dr. Martin W. Ball, Ph.D., details his quest for self-discovery, transformation, and liberation into authentic being. His journey takes him through struggles as a graduate student in Religious Studies, an unhappy marriage, explorations of numerous spiritual traditions, and deep into the mysterious realm of entheogens. The tale told here follows Dr. Ball through his practice of Zen meditation, his initiation into Mescalero Apache medicine traditions, use of peyote in the Native American church, ayahuasca and Santo Daime, and the explosive and life-altering event of experiencing 5-MeO-DMT with the Temple of Awakening Divinity and his first encounter with the true nature of being as God and Universal Consciousness.A pivotal moment comes for Dr. Ball in 2007 at Burning Man, where he finally admits to himself that he is profoundly unhappy. In order to be true to himself and his heart, he must make radical changes in his life and dive headfirst into his quest for self-discovery. What unfolds is a profound and shattering process of uncovering the infinite nature of authentic being and his struggle to accept the reality that there is only God - that all of reality is one universal being of pure energy, love, and absolute awareness.Dr. Ball has told his story before in bits and pieces, but this is the first time it has all been articulated in one place in an intimate and comprehensive format. Provocative, challenging, and radical, Being Infinite articulates Dr. Ball's nondual perspective that developed from his entheogenic experiences and the profound transformations they made within his sense of self and understanding of the nature of reality and being. There are many psychedelic memoirs available, but there is nothing else quite like this work that readers are sure to find engrossing, challenging, and maybe even liberating. It is a story that is both personal and universal, and has profound implications for anyone seeking after deeper self-awareness and authentic being, and lays the inspirational groundwork for anyone who is ready to move beyond being spiritual to simply being true, right here, right now. It is a tale of truth, and a tale of freedom from all self-created limitations and the very important role that entheogens, particularly 5-MeO-DMT, have in this profound process.Anyone who is interested in cultivating self-awareness, exploring entheogens, and moving beyond superficial spirituality will surely find this to be a radical edition to their reading list, and just might open a few eyes and hearts in the process. In the end, there is only One, and the task of each person is to discover this eternal truth for him or herself. It cannot be taught. It cannot be learned. It can only be discovered in the core of each individual's heart, and this is Dr. Ball's process of doing exactly that.

Author Biography

Dr. Martin W. Ball, Ph.D. is an independent author, musician, visionary artist, and entheogenic researcher. He has authored over fourteen books on the topic of entheogens and spiritual experience, including both fiction and non-fiction. In his works, he articulates the radical nonduality of the Entheological Paradigm, a profound description of the unitary nature of reality as an integrated energetic system of consciousness and pure being. He currently lives with his family in Ashland, Oregon, where he teaches Religious Studies at Southern Oregon University.