Scientific Mysticism
‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined by Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician together with mystic. (This article may live read together amongst the article on Whiteman’s life in addition to idea.)
Introduction
The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared every bit a title in the trilogy, Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,ane two 3 past Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.ane Whiteman aimed to take mysticism into the field of science every bit an entity that is ‘open-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, together with illuminating.’i ‘Mysticism’ here is defined as:
the written report of everything non-physical, including the other worlds together with their archetypal governance, too equally our spiritual bodies, the facts as well as their relationship existence known by the self-prove of directly observation together with non past reasoning or speculation.four
This indicates empirical scientific discipline, sharing territory with psychical research. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction between ‘psychical’ too ‘mystical’ feel. The quondam includes the report of purportedly non-physical events, the latter extends to states that accept a feel of higher significance and ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed beingness, as well as orientation to the perceived root of the Right as well as Good.
Whiteman was familiar alongside Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek in addition to Biblical Hebrew, as well as quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded about electric current translations as inadequate because the authors lacked psychical together with mystical feel. His revolutionary commentary, likewise his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’v combined with canonical Buddhist texts, one ii 3 5 demonstrate hitting parallels alongside refinements of mod idea.
Whiteman’s job equally a professor of applied mathematics provided a base of operations in physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base of operations was extensive personal experience in psychical too mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis as well as insight, inward tune amongst Edmund Husserl’second phenomenology.half-dozen This aims at gaining confront-to-face self-show and detailed precision, shedding the common ‘cloak of ideas’. Science in Whiteman’sec utilization is not an exercise inward theorizing.
Potentiality as well as Actualization
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 key to Whiteman’sec scientific mysticism is the thought of potentiality as well as actualization. This had been developed by the physicist Werner Heisenberg,seven who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes nearly through an occasion of observation, together with that this ‘happening’ is open to physical description. But what governs the happening is not open to physical observation; at best it can live given mathematical aspect. So behind a physical result 1 has to recognize what Heisenberg called ‘an objective trend or possibility, a “potentia” in the sense of Aristotelian philosophy’. And the governing potentia, the ‘reason’ for something to pass off, is abstract in a physical feel; you lot tin can’t position it in a exam metro.
Whiteman concurred that entirely transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, as opposed to appearances. Appearances come into being solely on an occasion of observation, as well as volition live actualized differently for different people.
Whiteman wrote, ‘nix specific tin live actualized without the integration of “subjective” as well as “objective” factors, non inwards succession, but on the instant of actualization.’i An observer who is freed inward around manner from the physical country volition actualize for himself things that are beyond the achieve of ordinary physical sensing. This is the outset of psychical and mystical perception.
Whiteman wrote, ‘The departure between ane “Earth” in addition to another and then depends upon the state of life in which the observer happens to live settled.’iii An individual’sec perceiving results from integration of objective potentialities together alongside his own subjective potentialities, including subconscious elements. Whiteman believed the potentiality-actualization rule operates in the mental sphere of every individual: idea and images are actualizations in consciousness of an individual’sec ‘thought-picture sphere’, equally he called it, which includes retention together with imagination.one
Actualization of Psi Phenomena
Whiteman saw telepathy resulting from the interaction or resonance betwixt the idea-picture spheres of individuals. The interaction is non actualized at the physical grade, together with and then transfer of information occurs independently of physical space together with fourth dimension. Clairvoyance is resonance betwixt the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or issue together with the thought-picture sphere of an private, resulting in the actualization of impressions inwards the private’second thought-picture sphere. Once again, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical space too fourth dimension, non existence physically actualized. Psychokinesis may be regarded as a opposite clairvoyant interaction; potentialities normally linked inwards just about way to an private consequence inward physical actualizations.
Potentiality-actualization relationships should not be seen every bit static; potentiality-fields continually modify or prepare, together with accept feedback loops, although not inward physical time. This will impact the consequence of futurity physical events, which helps to explain how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition every bit actualization inward an individual’s thought-image sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may bear on future physical events. The private may even intervene in the physical actualization of these events past altering the potentiality-fields, and so allowing prevention of a precognized consequence from happening.one Even if potentiality-fields are time-ordered, resulting inwards a succession of events actualized inward the physical Earth, the ordering is not fixed inwards the style a road map is fixed. They are accessible inwards states of physical detachment, in addition to and then permit limited modification as well as the do of costless volition.
Out-of-torso Experience
Whiteman defined mysticism every bit ‘the study of everything non-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As but discussed, potentiality-fields take the capacity to deliver dissimilar spaces or worlds of physical together with not-physical actuality, depending on the country of the observer. Without this agreement, mysticism cannot get to brand sense. Direct feel of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly inwards out-of-torso feel, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ feel, since in that location is usually awareness of a trunk of close to form.
The commonest type he termed ‘primary separation’, inwards which in that location is no awareness inward the physical torso, even though what appears to live the physical trunk tin can live viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical body is nether more or less grade of witting control, only primary awareness lies inwards another organism seemingly non located in the space of the physical trunk, in addition to the ii bodies are quite independent. In ‘tertiary separation’ the physical body is usually nether consummate control, only in that location is total awareness of beingness inward a different bodily course despite the locations of the 2 bodies seeming to be the same. Difference betwixt the two bodies may live radical, such every bit ane existence male person too the other female. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were generally of this type.
Whiteman noted that such non-physical feel, inward damage of reality-impression as well as intensity, may range from appearing weak to seeming even more real together with meaningful than inward physical life. At its almost powerful, termed past him mystical, ‘Everything inward such states, spatial characteristics included, is known equally if inwards archetypal unchanging course, in addition to is therefore startlingly more than existent (rationally-objective, e'er-acquaint) than the derivative and shifting forms of the physical globe.’one He saw a involve ‘to distinguish betwixt what is deceptive or illusory in addition to what has the quality of confront-to-face objectivity and truth which nosotros draw by maxim that a matter is existent.’one This requires setting upwards a numerical scale, which he called a General Index of Reality.
Index of Reality
This index covers a reach from ordinary dreaming (naught rating) to what is experienced every bit spiritually releasing amongst a high level of reality, namely mystical experience (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative experience. Features scoring inwards the Index include continuity of retention betwixt physical and non-physical experience, free observation, ability to compare accurately amongst physical together with non-physical states, awareness of center in addition to tangibility, communication of thought amongst others, too a feeling of transcendence of physical life.
The General Index does non include reports of observing physical things during a separative experience. Regarded past near people equally veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could accept been made past clairvoyance or remote viewing, together with do non necessarily hateful that something somehow separated from the physical torso to brand the observation. As Whiteman stated, whatsoever claimed physical supporting prove merely has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who make not realize that separation is non established by them, merely who may thereby be induced to accept the “interior” testimony as having roughly bearing on “scientific fact”.’i
Whiteman’sec Index might look of limited value to touchstone parapsychology, where a useful scoring organisation should place experiences that charge per unit improve than dream, hallucination or roughly course of pathology. In Whiteman’second Index the direction of ranking is towards mystical feel, which is hardly looked for inwards parapsychology, even shied away from. The society of ranking is: undeveloped, borderline, psychical, pre-mystical, mystical. Out of a possible xvi points, experiences reaching vi to eight points rate as ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed two paragraphs in a higher place. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ place were noted inwards the Introduction, too demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet inwards the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would point reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ agency ‘similar physical feel’. For Whiteman this was a primal error; higher reality tin alone hateful ‘unlike physical feel’.
Other Spaces
All separative experience, physical-like or transformative, was considered by Whiteman to fall out inward spaces other than physical, although oftentimes then like to what is presented physically as to live mistaken for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ infinite. He wrote:
If one is taken into a ‘psychic’ space when not familiar amongst such states, or alongside fixed ideas virtually them, in addition to if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... in that location may be a stiff persuasion to intend that the objects are existence observed physically; too this applies even to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’second physical torso inward its actual state of affairs.ane
‘Fixed ideas’ assume there is only ane ‘existent’ infinite that tin can be manifested, namely the physical Earth. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fixed thought volition contribute to the potentialities governing a separative experience, together with atomic number 82 to the actualization of a physical-similar ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet equally someone gratis of the constraints of i-level thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible variety’ of appearance inwards other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may all the same issue inward ‘fantasy influences’ inward undeveloped states, notwithstanding highest development leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the environment, correspondingly, are distinguished past the quality of the low-cal, too reach inwards intelligible grapheme, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing center character, unitive liberty and feel of blending amongst other minds, equally the highest status, which is that of Mystical Form Liberation, is approached.’ In these descriptions, Whiteman states,
‘I’ as well as ‘me’ do not correspond the familiar consciousness of self in the physical personality, or, in fact, for anything that tin can be known inwards an ordinary physical land of listen. To understand what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must be ruled out.four
One might interrogation how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical too, if at all, to each other. In states classified by Whiteman equally 3rd separation, the non-physical body holds much of the focus of attending only does non look to be spatially apart from the physical body; ‘the locations of the ii bodies appear the same, inwards spite of differences inwards their form too/or size together with peradventure also in their surround.’one This seems to match with a opinion widespread inward spiritist circles that unlike ‘levels’ of experience and being all coincide spatially just have unlike ‘vibration frequencies’, and then there is no contact or communication betwixt the various states except through especial mediating weather. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ inward a detail set of ‘facts of experience’,one just he did non present the idea of interpenetrating spaces as just about sort of cosmological organization; he was disposed to go on to systems of facts, non constructs of theory.
Skills, Cycles
Whiteman was confident near discovering the underlying logic in phenomena, beingness convinced that behind whatsoever item observation in that location is an intelligible construction ‘operative in and analysable out of the full feel’.eight He did not take Kant’second thought of the unknowability of things-inward-themselves.8 Instead, in that location is ‘intellectual or perceptual noesis which transcends in a sure clear and unmistakable manner the onward urge of fourth dimension, the rigid apartness of spatial objects, together with the apparent isolation of the private heed inward its state of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a country of unloose. Fixation beingness overcome, the mind opens out into universality’.eight We cannot achieve this country, he believed ‘without psychological in addition to spiritual faculties of attention, judgement, purposiveness too self-field of study’, based on iii ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, too Faith + Obedience.1 (The rootage of these skills inward his own life is reported inwards Michael Whiteman.)
Active Recollection aims to recall or recover the substance inwards what is perceived, ‘in addition to thence the attainment of objective insight together with loose’.1 Husserl termed it the phenomenological epoché or stoppage, ‘the necessary performance which renders pure consciousness accessible to us’.i It is termed samādhi or sati in Indian literature.v Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized earth of release at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’i Obedience is not a state of subservience only orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right and Good.’one It operates inward conjunction with Faith inward this transcendence.
The 3 foundational skills were structured into a 4-function arrangement known since ancient times in addition to appearing in modernistic contexts inwards learning theory, Freud too Jung. Described as the 4 creative functions, these are ‘purposive cause, deciding on agency, putting into exercise, too a about secret maturing of one’sec skills inwards upshot’.three In ancient texts they are represented as iv stages in the passage of the sun, ascension inward the east, zenith inwards the south, downwardly to world in the west, and hugger-mugger inward the due north.thirteen This corresponds with aspiration (east), assessment (due south), activity or manifestation (westward), fulfilment or not-attachment (north); it too corresponds respectively amongst Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.i
Whiteman placed neat importance on this cycle having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-volition, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may Pb to a corresponding bicycle of ‘stresses’ of death-feeling, shame, pain, fear. This inward plow may Pb to ‘inner contests’,one 2 three which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.
Physics in addition to Psychology
In his search for underlying logic, in addition to for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ wheel into a sixteen-plication number organisation, with the aim of integrating it with a ‘physical’ sixteen-flexure number system derived from iii space and three fourth dimension dimensions. He noted that three of the creative functions – crusade, means, and maturing – are composite, containing 2 ‘beginning principles’ of substance too being, equivalent to potentiality and actualization. In turn, centre together with existence each take three constituents, termed past him ‘hypostases’, meaning underlying, irreducible causes. The 3 hypostases of pith were seen every bit use, way, terminate. The hypostases of being were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the iii-stage structure of creation called inwards Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.one So, for example, ‘deciding on agency’ combines ‘means’ (substance) first off with ‘actuation’ (being), so with ‘becoming’ (beingness), and in conclusion with manifestation (beingness). The tertiary quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely as ‘beingness’ together with then lacks an ‘inwardness’ hypostasis.
This analysis allows the evolution of a issue organisation in psychology, in addition to so the prospect of comparing amongst a number organisation in physics.ane 2 iii From these issue systems Whiteman intended to provide ‘a clear-cut explanatory organisation... equally, for example, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited earlier whatsoever problems are tackled’.two The hypostases of pith were numbered i = purpose, two = agency, iii = terminate. The hypostases of beingness were numbered 6 = actuation, five = becoming, iv = manifestation/grounding. So, for case ‘East’ tin can be expressed every bit the combination 16 (enthusiasm), 15 (inspiration), 14 (intention). Combining the numbers i to 6 results in 16 subfunctions, in agreement with ‘fifteen + i kalās, stages in whatsoever creative human action, as recognized inwards the Upanishads’.three
The physical issue system was derived from the 3 space as well as three time dimensions. One fourth dimension dimension lies in potentiality-fields with a time-ordered, infinite-similar aspect noted higher up inwards connection amongst precognition. Another fourth dimension dimension or office involves the processes leading to physical actualization from fourth dimension-structured potentiality. Finally in that location is physical clock-fourth dimension; it is the exclusively fourth dimension-dimension that is measurable. Combining the six dimensions yields a sixteen-fold issue organisation similar the psychological subfunctions, ‘inward such close correspondence with the formulations of quantum theory that in that location is an obvious invitation to demo the two as aspects of an integrated agreement of the Earth’.ix
Space does non let a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, yet, satisfied Whiteman’sec persuasion that to explain what we feel is to
acknowledge a subjective wheel, such equally mystics, many theologians, and about psychologists have admitted. This bicycle, inwards its most consummate class is sixteenfold, and parallels just what may live called the ‘world bike’ (equally it appears in Quantum Field Theory) inward every way, while manifesting itself inwards every form of homo feel. This is a grade of potentiality which is discernible, in addition to indeed tin can live lived past the private inward an enormous diverseness of ‘altered states of consciousness’...iii
Whiteman’sec Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary try to discern in addition to characterize this potentiality.
John Poynton
Literature
i. Whiteman, J.H.one thousand. (1986). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical world-thought too inner competition. Volume ane, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
two. Whiteman, J.H.one thousand. (2000). Old too New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-sentiment in addition to inner contest. Volume 2, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
three. Whiteman, J.H.1000. (2006). Old in addition to New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical Earth-thought too inner competition. Volume 3, Universal Theology as well as Life inwards other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
4. Whiteman, J.H.yard. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber as well as Faber.
five. Whiteman, J.H.yard. (1993). Aphorisms on Spiritual Method: the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ inwards the low-cal of mystical experience. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
vi. Husserl, east. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. W.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.
seven. Heisenberg, due west. (1959). Physics in addition to Philosophy: the revolution inward mod science. London: Allen as well as Unwin.
8. Whiteman, J.H.K. (1967). Philosophy of Space in addition to Time and the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological study. London: Allen in addition to Unwin.
ix. Whiteman, J.H.chiliad. (1977). Parapsychology and physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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