Cogitate

John C. Lilly, M.D.

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E.J. Gold joins Dr. John Lilly in an interesting experiment involving perception and attention.

About 1971 John Lilly made the experiment which is track 1 of this CD. He produced what is called a "repeating loop" -- in other words, he spoke the word "Cogitate" once and it was electronically repeated over and over utilizing a special disc to ensure unvarying repetition.

First use, the Lilly Exercise: Notate changes in sounds and meanings i.e. "conscious tape... conjure tape.. count your tape... ", etc. Do this until all variants have been exhausted including alterations in meter, i.e. "tape counter", etc.

Second use, the Gold Exercise: Keep your attention on the fact that the loop is precise and unvarying and that the changes can only occur through loss of attention. Knowing this, disallow changes and notate with a mechanical counter, i.e. pad and pencil, prayer beads, etc., the number of times the attention fails allowing the word "Cogitate" to change.

Keep in mind that there is not and cannot be any alteration in the repeating loop, other than perceptual changes permitted by the mind.

The mind from time to time plays peculiar tricks. Memory is a function of attention. Observe how rapidly and how often intolerance to repetition produces imaginary change and then re-examine the history of your life, after which if you haven't lost interest, examine the histroy of your being. Remember intolerance of repetition produces the illusion of change. This tape is intended for reference not reverence.

"It's another construct of inventive genius from E.J. Gold, the Hi-Tech Shaman and his brilliant friend, John Lilly." -- Y.T.

Track List

  • Cogitate: The original tape loop recording used by John Lilly, M.D., author of Center of the Cyclone, in his landmark, repeating-word experiments.
  • Cogitate Jazz: A free musical improvisation by E.J. Gold, the Hi-Tech Shaman, using the original Cogitate tape loop as a percussion track.

Credits

  • © 2000 Cloister Recordings. All rights reserved.
  • © 1988 Gateways
  • All music © 1988 E.J. Gold (BMI)
  • Published by Union Label Music
  • Produced by E.J. Gold
  • Recorded by:
  • John Lilly - verbal jazz
  • Bob Bachtold - drums
  • E.J. Gold, the Hi-Tech Shaman - all other instruments
  • Cogitate Jazz - recorded at Gateways Studios, Nevada City, CA
  • Remastered for CD by Grammy Award winner, Oz Fritz