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