Scientific Mysticism
‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined by Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician as well as mystic. (This article may live read together alongside the article on Whiteman’sec life as well as idea.)
Introduction
The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared equally a title in the trilogy, Old too New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,i two iii by Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.1 Whiteman aimed to bring mysticism into the champaign of science as an entity that is ‘open up-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, too illuminating.’one ‘Mysticism’ hither is defined as:
the report of everything not-physical, including the other worlds together with their archetypal governance, also as our spiritual bodies, the facts as well as their relationship beingness known past the self-show of straight observation as well as not past reasoning or speculation.4
This indicates empirical science, sharing territory alongside psychical enquiry. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction betwixt ‘psychical’ too ‘mystical’ experience. The quondam includes the study of purportedly not-physical events, the latter extends to states that accept a feel of higher significance as well as ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed being, as well as orientation to the perceived source of the Right as well as Good.
Whiteman was familiar alongside Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek together with Biblical Hebrew, together with quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded nearly current translations as inadequate because the authors lacked psychical together with mystical experience. His revolutionary commentary, as well his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’v combined alongside canonical Buddhist texts, 1 two three five demonstrate hit parallels alongside refinements of modern idea.
Whiteman’sec occupation every bit a professor of applied mathematics provided a base of operations in physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base of operations was extensive personal feel in psychical in addition to mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis and insight, in melody with Edmund Husserl’sec phenomenology.six This aims at gaining face up-to-face up self-bear witness as well as detailed precision, shedding the usual ‘cloak of ideas’. Science inwards Whiteman’sec use is not an exercise in theorizing.
Potentiality in addition to Actualization
H5N1 cardinal to Whiteman’second scientific mysticism is the idea of potentiality and actualization. This had been developed past the physicist Werner Heisenberg,7 who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes virtually through an occasion of observation, and that this ‘happening’ is open up to physical description. But what governs the happening is non open to physical observation; at best it tin be given mathematical aspect. So behind a physical outcome i has to recognize what Heisenberg called ‘an objective trend or possibility, a “potentia” inward the sense of Aristotelian philosophy’. And the governing potentia, the ‘reason’ for something to come about, is abstract inward a physical feel; yous tin’t position it inward a examination metro.
Whiteman concurred that only transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, equally opposed to appearances. Appearances come into being entirely on an occasion of observation, and volition live actualized differently for different people.
Whiteman wrote, ‘aught specific tin live actualized without the integration of “subjective” and “objective” factors, non inwards succession, merely on the instant of actualization.’1 An observer who is freed inward approximately mode from the physical country will actualize for himself things that are beyond the attain of ordinary physical sensing. This is the offset of psychical as well as mystical perception.
Whiteman wrote, ‘The divergence betwixt 1 “earth” and some other and so depends upon the country of life inward which the observer happens to live settled.’three An individual’second perceiving results from integration of objective potentialities together alongside his own subjective potentialities, including subconscious elements. Whiteman believed the potentiality-actualization rule operates inward the mental sphere of every private: idea together with images are actualizations inward consciousness of an individual’s ‘thought-icon sphere’, as he called it, which includes retentivity and imagination.i
Actualization of Psi Phenomena
Whiteman saw telepathy resulting from the interaction or resonance betwixt the idea-image spheres of individuals. The interaction is not actualized at the physical level, too and so transfer of information occurs independently of physical space and time. Clairvoyance is resonance between the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or consequence together with the thought-ikon sphere of an private, resulting in the actualization of impressions inward the private’sec idea-image sphere. Once once again, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical space in addition to fourth dimension, non beingness physically actualized. Psychokinesis may live regarded every bit a contrary clairvoyant interaction; potentialities unremarkably linked in close to way to an private event inwards physical actualizations.
Potentiality-actualization relationships should not be seen equally static; potentiality-fields continually alter or develop, in addition to take feedback loops, although non inwards physical fourth dimension. This will touch on the consequence of hereafter physical events, which helps to explain how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition equally actualization inwards an private’s idea-picture sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may touch on time to come physical events. The individual may fifty-fifty intervene inwards the physical actualization of these events by altering the potentiality-fields, and so allowing prevention of a precognized event from happening.i Even if potentiality-fields are time-ordered, resulting in a succession of events actualized in the physical globe, the ordering is not fixed inwards the style a route map is fixed. They are accessible inward states of physical detachment, too and so permit limited alteration together with the practice of gratis volition.
Out-of-torso Experience
Whiteman defined mysticism equally ‘the written report of everything non-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As merely discussed, potentiality-fields take the capacity to deliver unlike spaces or worlds of physical together with non-physical actuality, depending on the land of the observer. Without this agreement, mysticism cannot commence to brand sense. Direct feel of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly inward out-of-trunk experience, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ experience, since at that place is ordinarily awareness of a trunk of roughly form.
The commonest type he termed ‘master separation’, inward which at that place is no awareness inwards the physical body, even though what appears to be the physical trunk tin live viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical trunk is nether more or less degree of witting command, just principal awareness lies in some other organism seemingly non located in the infinite of the physical body, together with the two bodies are quite independent. In ‘third separation’ the physical torso is unremarkably nether complete command, only there is total awareness of being inward a different bodily course despite the locations of the two bodies seeming to live the same. Difference betwixt the two bodies may be radical, such equally i being male together with the other female person. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were mostly of this type.
Whiteman noted that such not-physical experience, inward damage of reality-impression too intensity, may range from appearing weak to seeming fifty-fifty more than existent and meaningful than in physical life. At its about powerful, termed by him mystical, ‘Everything inwards such states, spatial characteristics included, is known every bit if inward archetypal unchanging form, as well as is so startlingly more than existent (rationally-objective, e'er-acquaint) than the derivative and shifting forms of the physical Earth.’i He saw a postulate ‘to distinguish betwixt what is deceptive or illusory and what has the lineament of confront-to-face up objectivity in addition to truth which we draw by maxim that a matter is existent.’one This requires setting up a numerical scale, which he called a General Index of Reality.
Index of Reality
This index covers a range from ordinary dreaming (zippo rating) to what is experienced equally spiritually releasing alongside a high grade of reality, namely mystical feel (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative experience. Features scoring inwards the Index include continuity of retentivity betwixt physical too non-physical feel, complimentary observation, power to compare accurately with physical too non-physical states, awareness of centre too tangibility, communication of idea amongst others, too a feeling of transcendence of physical life.
The General Index does not include reports of observing physical things during a separative experience. Regarded by nigh people every bit veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could have been made by clairvoyance or remote viewing, and do non necessarily mean that something somehow separated from the physical trunk to make the observation. As Whiteman stated, whatever claimed physical supporting evidence only has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who do non realize that separation is not established by them, simply who may thereby be induced to take the “interior” testimony as having just about bearing on “scientific fact”.’1
Whiteman’second Index power appear of limited value to standard parapsychology, where a useful scoring system should place experiences that rate improve than dream, hallucination or just about class of pathology. In Whiteman’second Index the management of ranking is towards mystical experience, which is hardly looked for inwards parapsychology, even shied away from. The social club of ranking is: undeveloped, borderline, psychical, pre-mystical, mystical. Out of a possible sixteen points, experiences reaching 6 to 8 points grade as ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed two paragraphs above. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ order were noted in the Introduction, as well as demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet in the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would point reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ way ‘similar physical experience’. For Whiteman this was a central mistake; higher reality tin solely mean ‘unlike physical experience’.
Other Spaces
All separative experience, physical-similar or transformative, was considered past Whiteman to go on inwards spaces other than physical, although oft so like to what is presented physically equally to live mistaken for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ infinite. He wrote:
If 1 is taken into a ‘psychic’ space when non familiar amongst such states, or with fixed ideas nearly them, in addition to if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... in that location may live a strong sentiment to intend that the objects are being observed physically; too this applies even to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’second physical body in its actual situation.ane
‘Fixed ideas’ assume there is solely i ‘existent’ infinite that can live manifested, namely the physical earth. H5N1 fixed thought will contribute to the potentialities governing a separative experience, too atomic number 82 to the actualization of a physical-like ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet every bit someone gratis of the constraints of ane-level thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible diverseness’ of appearance in other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may even so effect inward ‘fantasy influences’ inwards undeveloped states, notwithstanding highest development leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the environs, correspondingly, are distinguished by the lineament of the light, in addition to gain inward intelligible graphic symbol, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing middle quality, unitive liberty in addition to sense of blending alongside other minds, every bit the highest condition, which is that of Mystical Form Liberation, is approached.’ In these descriptions, Whiteman states,
‘I’ together with ‘me’ do not stand for the familiar consciousness of self inwards the physical personality, or, inwards fact, for anything that tin be known in an ordinary physical country of listen. To sympathize what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must live ruled out.4
One power inquiry how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical as well as, if at all, to each other. In states classified by Whiteman every bit tertiary separation, the not-physical body holds much of the focus of attention merely does not appear to be spatially apart from the physical torso; ‘the locations of the ii bodies appear the same, inwards spite of differences inward their form together with/or size in addition to possibly besides inwards their surround.’one This seems to gibe amongst a thought widespread in spiritist circles that unlike ‘levels’ of experience too being all coincide spatially simply take unlike ‘vibration frequencies’, then there is no contact or communication betwixt the diverse states except through special mediating conditions. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ in a particular fix of ‘facts of feel’,1 simply he did non acquaint the thought of interpenetrating spaces every bit about variety of cosmological system; he was disposed to continue to systems of facts, non constructs of theory.
Skills, Cycles
Whiteman was confident near discovering the underlying logic inward phenomena, being convinced that behind whatever item observation in that location is an intelligible construction ‘operative in in addition to analysable out of the total feel’.eight He did not accept Kant’s idea of the unknowability of things-inwards-themselves.8 Instead, at that place is ‘intellectual or perceptual noesis which transcends in a sure clear together with unmistakable mode the onward urge of fourth dimension, the rigid apartness of spatial objects, in addition to the apparent isolation of the individual heed inward its country of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a country of release. Fixation being overcome, the mind opens out into universality’.eight We cannot reach this land, he believed ‘without psychological and spiritual faculties of attending, sentence, purposiveness and self-subject field’, based on three ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, as well as Faith + Obedience.ane (The origin of these skills inwards his own life is reported in Michael Whiteman.)
Active Recollection aims to call up or recover the essence inwards what is perceived, ‘as well as thus the attainment of objective insight together with free’.ane Husserl termed it the phenomenological epoché or stoppage, ‘the necessary operation which renders pure consciousness accessible to us’.i It is termed samādhi or sati in Indian literature.5 Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized earth of unloose at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’i Obedience is non a land of subservience merely orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right together with Good.’1 It operates inwards conjunction with Faith inwards this transcendence.
The iii foundational skills were structured into a 4-role arrangement known since ancient times in addition to appearing in modern contexts inward learning theory, Freud too Jung. Described equally the iv creative functions, these are ‘purposive cause, deciding on way, putting into do, and a nearly undercover maturing of one’s skills inwards result’.3 In ancient texts they are represented every bit iv stages inward the passage of the Sun, ascent in the east, zenith inward the southward, downward to world inward the westward, too undercover inwards the northward.xiii This corresponds amongst aspiration (E), assessment (due south), action or manifestation (due west), fulfilment or not-attachment (northward); it as well corresponds respectively with Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.i
Whiteman placed peachy importance on this bicycle having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-will, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may lead to a corresponding cycle of ‘stresses’ of decease-feeling, shame, hurting, fear. This in turn may Pb to ‘inner contests’,1 ii three which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.
Physics together with Psychology
In his search for underlying logic, and for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ wheel into a sixteen-crease issue organisation, amongst the aim of integrating it amongst a ‘physical’ sixteen-fold number arrangement derived from 3 infinite in addition to iii time dimensions. He noted that 3 of the creative functions – crusade, means, as well as maturing – are composite, containing two ‘get-go principles’ of sum as well as being, equivalent to potentiality together with actualization. In plow, nub as well as being each accept three constituents, termed past him ‘hypostases’, meaning underlying, irreducible causes. The iii hypostases of inwardness were seen as purpose, means, finish. The hypostases of beingness were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the 3-phase structure of creation called in Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.one So, for instance, ‘deciding on way’ combines ‘way’ (nub) first off alongside ‘actuation’ (being), so alongside ‘becoming’ (being), and last alongside manifestation (existence). The third quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely every bit ‘being’ together with and so lacks an ‘kernel’ hypostasis.
This analysis allows the evolution of a issue organisation inwards psychology, as well as then the prospect of comparison amongst a number organisation in physics.i two three From these issue systems Whiteman intended to render ‘a clear-cutting explanatory organization... as, for example, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited earlier whatever problems are tackled’.two The hypostases of nub were numbered 1 = purpose, two = means, 3 = cease. The hypostases of beingness were numbered vi = actuation, 5 = becoming, four = manifestation/grounding. So, for case ‘East’ can be expressed as the combination 16 (enthusiasm), xv (inspiration), xiv (intention). Combining the numbers 1 to vi results in xvi subfunctions, inwards understanding with ‘15 + 1 kalās, stages inward whatever creative act, every bit recognized inward the Upanishads’.3
The physical number system was derived from the iii infinite too three fourth dimension dimensions. One time dimension lies inwards potentiality-fields with a time-ordered, infinite-similar expression noted in a higher place inwards connectedness with precognition. Another fourth dimension dimension or part involves the processes leading to physical actualization from time-structured potentiality. Finally in that location is physical clock-fourth dimension; it is the only time-dimension that is measurable. Combining the 6 dimensions yields a 16-bend number organisation like the psychological subfunctions, ‘inward such close correspondence with the formulations of quantum theory that there is an obvious invitation to show the 2 every bit aspects of an integrated understanding of the world’.nine
Space does non permit a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, notwithstanding, satisfied Whiteman’sec opinion that to explain what nosotros experience is to
admit a subjective cycle, such as mystics, many theologians, together with close to psychologists have admitted. This cycle, inward its about complete grade is sixteenfold, in addition to parallels precisely what may be called the ‘world wheel’ (equally it appears inward Quantum Field Theory) in every fashion, piece manifesting itself inward every kind of human feel. This is a form of potentiality which is discernible, as well as indeed can be lived by the private in an enormous diverseness of ‘altered states of consciousness’...three
Whiteman’sec Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary try to discern together with characterize this potentiality.
John Poynton
Literature
one. Whiteman, J.H.yard. (1986). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-sentiment in addition to inner competition. Volume one, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
two. Whiteman, J.H.yard. (2000). Old together with New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-sentiment in addition to inner contest. Volume ii, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
3. Whiteman, J.H.M. (2006). Old in addition to New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical globe-persuasion as well as inner competition. Volume 3, Universal Theology too Life inward other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
iv. Whiteman, J.H.G. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber in addition to Faber.
five. Whiteman, J.H.thousand. (1993). Aphorisms on Spiritual Method: the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ inwards the low-cal of mystical experience. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
half-dozen. Husserl, eastward. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. west.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.
7. Heisenberg, west. (1959). Physics in addition to Philosophy: the revolution inwards modernistic science. London: Allen in addition to Unwin.
8. Whiteman, J.H.G. (1967). Philosophy of Space together with Time too the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological report. London: Allen as well as Unwin.
9. Whiteman, J.H.thou. (1977). Parapsychology and physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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