Consciousness Quote by Michael Pollan
““This is no small thing. Indeed, I would venture that, more than any other single quality, it is the relentless moment-by-moment forgetting, this draining of the pool of sense impression almost as quickly as it fills, that gives the experience of consciousness under marijuana its peculiar texture. Its helps account for the sharpening of sensory perceptions, for the aura of profundity in which cannabis bathes the most ordinary insights, and, perhaps most important of all, for the sense that time has slowed or even stopped. For it is only by forgetting that we ever really drop the thread of time and approach the experience of living in the present moment, so elusive in ordinary hours. And the wonder of that experience, perhaps more than any other, seems to be at the very heart of the human desire to change consciousness, whether by means of drugs or any other technique.””
About This Quote
Source Book: This Is Your Mind on Plants, 2021
Marijuana’s effect on consciousness stems from rapid forgetting, which sharpens senses, creates a sense of timelessness, and deepens ordinary insights.
In simple terms: Forgetting while perception and sense of time.
Key Takeaway
Embrace mindful forgetting to heighten awareness.
Themes
consciousness
perception
time
mindfulness
Mood
curious
introspective
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- creative work
- meditation
- therapy
- artistic inspiration
Key Concepts
psychology
neuropharmacology
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How does forgetting alter your experience of the present?
- What practices can balance awareness with memory?
A Different Perspective
Frequent forgetting can disrupt memory formation and daily functioning.
![“As an artist, there's a sweet, jump-starting quality to [marijuana] for me. I've often felt telepathic and receptive to inexplicable messages my whole life. I can stave those off when I'm not high. When I'm high - well, they come in and there's less of a veil, so to speak. So if ever I need some…” quote by Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ea1/alanis-morissette-1074_answers_as-an-artist-there-s-a-sweet-jump-starti_3050899.jpg)
