"The purpose of this meetup is to provide a venue for individuals who walk the esoteric/inner path but also strive for a balance with their more exoteric & worldly nature. I seek others like myself who walk the inner path and have experienced inner transfigurations and can examine these powerful, spiritual experiences from a scientific & psychological lens, who introspect ruthlessly, who are open to exploring the inner realms of self-identity, and who value knowledge and wisdom above all.  I have had several ‘reality’-altering, identity-shattering transfigurations with the help of various approaches (solitude/isolation, meditation, redirection of emotional pain into higher circuitry, yoga, psychedelics) and have entertained interpretations ranging from traditional religious perspectives involving a higher power (‘god’) to a purely neural semantic perspective (that I have yet to come into bio-feedback loop contact with metaprograms whose actions at various abstraction levels are presented to & interpreted by ‘me’ in a manner that my consciousness can accept/integrate/rationalize). Although I consider myself “spiritual”, I also consider myself an atheist.  (New owner of this group considers himself a theist). Having a multi-disciplinary & scientific approach and constantly questioning the validity of one’s own inner workings & biases is critical. Spirituality and the philosophical study thereof need not be in any dichotomy with science. The goal is to actually bring these seemingly disparate approaches into resonance. I would love to discuss topics ranging from metaphysics & neural cognition to spirituality/meditation to magick….non-locality to ego-death to “enlightenment” to the use to certain psychedelic tools to expand consciousness, and to the scientific explanations thereof. A few texts/individuals that have strongly influenced me include Robert Anton Wilson (“Prometheus Rising” in particular), Aleister Crowley, Gautama Buddha, Dr. John C. Lilly (“The Human BioComputer” in particular), Alfred Korzybski, Douglas Hofstadter, I-Ching, Rig Vedas, (Alex Grey), etc…and most of all, the band TOOL. TOOL has seamlessly addressed in its music essentially every topic/experience I’d like to discuss & have personally experienced…and I have yet to find an individual whose evolution & personal experiences/emotions I relate to more than Maynard James Keenan’s. (The new owner of this group does indeed relate to TOOL however considers himself a foremost follower of Radiohead and secondly of Animal Collective stylistically given caveat it depends what the mood is).  If you can relate to the themes outlined in their music (spiritual metamorphoses, ascension, higher states of consciousness, magick, fear, self-actualization, future evolution of mankind, etc.) & are seeking others of such emotional depth and richness of self-knowledge, then this meetup is for you. Individuals of depth who are versed in the esoteric arts and possess a balance between the artistic & analytical temperament are who I seek…those with a relevant scientific background would be ideal. This meetup is not strictly for intellectual discourse, but ultimately to connect with others well-versed in subjects few are even aware of – to find friendship with like-minded individuals with some similarity of personal experience in this inner space to help provide grounding & support in one’s continued journey into more delicate, powerful, and infinitely rewarding states of consciousness. I’d also strongly like to avoid this meetup being diluted by an unfocused lumping of various ‘New Age’ philosophies (agreed) & approaches that use cursory scientific explanations to offer various possible but highly improbable or altogether false justifications (e.g. “The Secret”, etc.). I am aware of the specificity of what I seek, but I am hopeful this will attract the right individuals - and hopefully those near my age range (20-40 yrs. ideally)"

Faiyaz Lalani, the original creator of "The Esoteric Path", has left to go to Los Angeles and so I have assumed control of this hoping we can still reach each other and achieve together that which we could not gain traction on ourselves individually and alone -- though ultimately we recognize that this is about something essentially individual/personal.  Nathan Hakimi the new owner is a creator of a separate group called "Consciousness Café" and has interests and experiences quite similar to Faiyaz.  After meeting together to discuss they agreed on ways to continue this group without its founder and one agreement was to change the group description.  It has been slightly abridged and added to however it does remain intact as it does reflect quite essentially the meaning of this group -- simply to have the privilege to speak and listen to Faiyaz is enlightening so we would be amiss to delete that which he left us here

Meanwhile Nathan hopes that you will all continue to feel and feed off of a certain wavelength(s) of energy contained and conveyed through The Esoteric Path and that it should act as a conduit to those who seek gnostic liquid to fill those vessels of consciousness.

Should you feel compelled to suggest a place, time, and content of a meetup go ahead and do so.  We would like to meet monthly/bimonthly in the city of Chicago ;;  meanwhile happy journeys