Scientific Mysticism
‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined past Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician and mystic. (This article may be read together with the article on Whiteman’sec life as well as thought.)
Introduction
The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared as a title in the trilogy, Old too New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,ane two 3 past Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.1 Whiteman aimed to bring mysticism into the champaign of scientific discipline every bit an entity that is ‘open-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, together with illuminating.’1 ‘Mysticism’ hither is defined equally:
the study of everything not-physical, including the other worlds together with their archetypal governance, also as our spiritual bodies, the facts in addition to their relationship existence known past the self-bear witness of direct observation too non past reasoning or speculation.iv
This indicates empirical scientific discipline, sharing territory amongst psychical inquiry. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction betwixt ‘psychical’ too ‘mystical’ experience. The former includes the study of purportedly non-physical events, the latter extends to states that take a feel of higher significance in addition to ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed being, and orientation to the perceived source of the Right together with Good.
Whiteman was familiar amongst Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek in addition to Biblical Hebrew, together with quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded virtually current translations every bit inadequate because the authors lacked psychical too mystical feel. His revolutionary commentary, likewise his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’5 combined with canonical Buddhist texts, i two three 5 demo hit parallels alongside refinements of mod thought.
Whiteman’sec job every bit a professor of applied mathematics provided a base inwards physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base of operations was extensive personal feel in psychical and mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis too insight, in tune amongst Edmund Husserl’sec phenomenology.six This aims at gaining confront-to-confront self-show together with detailed precision, shedding the usual ‘cloak of ideas’. Science inwards Whiteman’s usage is not an practice inwards theorizing.
Potentiality in addition to Actualization
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 key to Whiteman’s scientific mysticism is the idea of potentiality and actualization. This had been developed past the physicist Werner Heisenberg,seven who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes about through an occasion of observation, too that this ‘happening’ is open up to physical description. But what governs the happening is not open to physical observation; at best it tin live given mathematical facial expression. So behind a physical effect i has to recognize what Heisenberg called ‘an objective tendency or possibility, a “potentia” inward the sense of Aristotelian philosophy’. And the governing potentia, the ‘reason’ for something to hap, is abstract inwards a physical feel; you tin’t pose it inwards a test tube.
Whiteman concurred that alone transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, equally opposed to appearances. Appearances come up into being alone on an occasion of observation, in addition to volition live actualized differently for unlike people.
Whiteman wrote, ‘nix specific tin be actualized without the integration of “subjective” and “objective” factors, non inward succession, just on the moment of actualization.’ane An observer who is freed inward some way from the physical land volition actualize for himself things that are beyond the attain of ordinary physical sensing. This is the starting time of psychical as well as mystical perception.
Whiteman wrote, ‘The divergence betwixt i “world” and some other so depends upon the state of life inward which the observer happens to be settled.’3 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 inwards the mental sphere of every private: idea as well as images are actualizations inward consciousness of an private’second ‘idea-picture sphere’, every bit he called it, which includes retentiveness as well as imagination.i
Actualization of Psi Phenomena
Whiteman saw telepathy resulting from the interaction or resonance betwixt the thought-image spheres of individuals. The interaction is not actualized at the physical grade, and then transfer of information occurs independently of physical space and time. Clairvoyance is resonance between the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or result together with the idea-picture sphere of an private, resulting inwards the actualization of impressions inwards the individual’s idea-icon sphere. Once again, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical space as well as time, non existence physically actualized. Psychokinesis may live regarded as a reverse clairvoyant interaction; potentialities ordinarily linked inward approximately way to an individual upshot inward physical actualizations.
Potentiality-actualization relationships should not live seen equally static; potentiality-fields continually change or prepare, together with accept feedback loops, although not inward physical time. This volition impact the effect of future physical events, which helps to explicate how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition every bit actualization inwards an individual’second thought-picture sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may bear upon futurity physical events. The individual may fifty-fifty intervene inwards the physical actualization of these events by altering the potentiality-fields, then allowing prevention of a precognized result from happening.i Even if potentiality-fields are time-ordered, resulting inward a succession of events actualized inward the physical world, the ordering is not fixed inwards the way a road map is fixed. They are accessible inward states of physical detachment, in addition to so permit limited modification together with the practise of complimentary volition.
Out-of-torso Experience
Whiteman defined mysticism equally ‘the study of everything not-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As merely discussed, potentiality-fields accept the capacity to deliver different spaces or worlds of physical together with not-physical actuality, depending on the land of the observer. Without this agreement, mysticism cannot get down to brand feel. Direct experience of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly inwards out-of-trunk feel, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ feel, since at that place is commonly awareness of a torso of close to kind.
The commonest type he termed ‘primary separation’, inward which at that place is no awareness inwards the physical body, fifty-fifty though what appears to live the physical trunk tin be viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical torso is under or so degree of witting command, but principal awareness lies in some other organism seemingly non located inward the space of the physical torso, too the two bodies are quite independent. In ‘3rd separation’ the physical trunk is ordinarily nether complete command, only at that place is total awareness of beingness inwards a unlike bodily course despite the locations of the 2 bodies seeming to be the same. Difference betwixt the 2 bodies may live radical, such every bit 1 beingness male as well as the other female. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were more often than not of this type.
Whiteman noted that such non-physical experience, inwards terms of reality-impression together with intensity, may reach from appearing weak to seeming even more existent in addition to meaningful than inward physical life. At its near powerful, termed by him mystical, ‘Everything inward such states, spatial characteristics included, is known equally if inward archetypal unchanging grade, as well as is hence startlingly more existent (rationally-objective, always-acquaint) than the derivative together with shifting forms of the physical globe.’1 He saw a postulate ‘to distinguish between what is deceptive or illusory in addition to what has the lineament of confront-to-confront objectivity in addition to truth which we depict past proverb that a matter is real.’ane This requires setting up a numerical scale, which he called a General Index of Reality.
Index of Reality
This index covers a reach from ordinary dreaming (nil 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 inward the Index include continuity of retentiveness betwixt physical too non-physical feel, gratuitous observation, power to compare accurately alongside physical together with not-physical states, awareness of heart as well as tangibility, communication of thought with others, together with a feeling of transcendence of physical life.
The General Index does not include reports of observing physical things during a separative experience. Regarded past almost people as veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could take been made past clairvoyance or remote viewing, in addition to make non necessarily hateful that something somehow separated from the physical body to make the observation. As Whiteman stated, whatsoever claimed physical supporting bear witness just has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who do not realize that separation is non established by them, but who may thereby be induced to accept the “interior” testimony as having or so bearing on “scientific fact”.’i
Whiteman’sec Index mightiness seem of limited value to measure parapsychology, where a useful scoring organization should identify experiences that rate ameliorate than dream, hallucination or some form of pathology. In Whiteman’second Index the direction of ranking is towards mystical feel, which is hardly looked for inward parapsychology, even shied away from. The gild of ranking is: undeveloped, borderline, psychical, pre-mystical, mystical. Out of a possible 16 points, experiences reaching half-dozen to eight points rate as ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed 2 paragraphs to a higher place. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ order were noted inward the Introduction, as well as demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet inward the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would signal reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ way ‘similar physical feel’. For Whiteman this was a central fault; higher reality tin can only mean ‘dissimilar physical experience’.
Other Spaces
All separative experience, physical-similar or transformative, was considered past Whiteman to take place inward spaces other than physical, although frequently and so similar to what is presented physically as to be mistaken for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ infinite. He wrote:
If i is taken into a ‘psychic’ infinite when non familiar amongst such states, or alongside fixed ideas about them, too if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... there may live a potent sentiment to mean that the objects are existence observed physically; too this applies fifty-fifty to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’s physical body inwards its actual situation.i
‘Fixed ideas’ assume at that place is alone one ‘real’ space that tin live manifested, namely the physical world. A fixed idea will contribute to the potentialities governing a separative experience, as well as lead to the actualization of a physical-similar ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet every bit someone complimentary of the constraints of i-level thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible variety’ of appearance in other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may however event inwards ‘fantasy influences’ in undeveloped states, however highest evolution leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the environment, correspondingly, are distinguished past the lineament of the calorie-free, and gain inwards intelligible character, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing middle character, unitive freedom together with feel of blending alongside other minds, as 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, inward fact, for anything that tin live known inward an ordinary physical country of listen. To sympathize what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must live ruled out.4
One mightiness enquiry how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical as well as, if at all, to each other. In states classified past Whiteman as tertiary separation, the not-physical body holds much of the focus of attending simply does non seem to be spatially apart from the physical body; ‘the locations of the ii bodies seem the same, inwards spite of differences inwards their grade in addition to/or size as well as peradventure as well in their surroundings.’1 This seems to check alongside a thought widespread inward spiritist circles that unlike ‘levels’ of feel together with being all coincide spatially but have dissimilar ‘vibration frequencies’, and so in that location is no contact or communication between the diverse states except through exceptional mediating weather. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ inward a detail set up of ‘facts of experience’,i but he did not present the idea of interpenetrating spaces as or so kind of cosmological organisation; he was disposed to go along to systems of facts, not constructs of theory.
Skills, Cycles
Whiteman was confident about discovering the underlying logic in phenomena, beingness convinced that behind whatever detail observation at that place is an intelligible structure ‘operative inwards and analysable out of the full experience’.eight He did not have Kant’sec idea of the unknowability of things-inwards-themselves.viii Instead, in that location is ‘intellectual or perceptual noesis which transcends in a certain clear together with unmistakable way the onward urge of fourth dimension, the stiff apartness of spatial objects, as well as the apparent isolation of the individual listen inward its country of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a country of free. Fixation being overcome, the mind opens out into universality’.viii We cannot reach this land, he believed ‘without psychological in addition to spiritual faculties of attention, judgement, purposiveness together with self-subject’, based on three ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, too Faith + Obedience.i (The rootage of these skills inward his ain life is reported in Michael Whiteman.)
Active Recollection aims to call back or recover the substance inward what is perceived, ‘together with therefore the attainment of objective insight together with release’.ane Husserl termed it the phenomenological epoché or stoppage, ‘the necessary operation which renders pure consciousness accessible to us’.1 It is termed samādhi or sati in Indian literature.five Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized ground of release at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’1 Obedience is non a country of subservience simply orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right in addition to Good.’i It operates inwards conjunction amongst Faith inwards this transcendence.
The 3 foundational skills were structured into a four-office arrangement known since ancient times together with appearing inward modernistic contexts inward learning theory, Freud in addition to Jung. Described as the 4 creative functions, these are ‘purposive cause, deciding on way, putting into exercise, in addition to a almost surreptitious maturing of i’second skills inward consequence’.three In ancient texts they are represented as iv stages inward the passage of the Sun, rising inwards the eastward, zenith in the S, downwardly to globe inwards the due west, in addition to hush-hush inwards the northward.xiii This corresponds amongst aspiration (due east), assessment (S), activeness or manifestation (west), fulfilment or not-attachment (due north); it besides corresponds respectively amongst Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.one
Whiteman placed peachy importance on this bicycle having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-volition, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may atomic number 82 to a corresponding bike of ‘stresses’ of death-feeling, shame, hurting, fearfulness. This inwards turn may atomic number 82 to ‘inner contests’,one 2 three which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.
Physics in addition to Psychology
In his search for underlying logic, together with for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ bike into a sixteen-crease number organisation, alongside the aim of integrating it with a ‘physical’ sixteen-plication number organization derived from iii infinite in addition to three fourth dimension dimensions. He noted that iii of the creative functions – drive, agency, together with maturing – are composite, containing 2 ‘offset principles’ of center too existence, equivalent to potentiality too actualization. In plow, meat and being each accept 3 constituents, termed by him ‘hypostases’, pregnant underlying, irreducible causes. The iii hypostases of core were seen every bit role, agency, terminate. The hypostases of beingness were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the iii-stage construction of creation called inward Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.i So, for example, ‘deciding on way’ combines ‘way’ (gist) firstly with ‘actuation’ (existence), and then alongside ‘becoming’ (beingness), and lastly alongside manifestation (existence). The tertiary quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely equally ‘being’ and and so lacks an ‘sum’ hypostasis.
This analysis allows the evolution of a issue organisation in psychology, in addition to then the prospect of comparison with a issue organisation inwards physics.1 two three From these number systems Whiteman intended to provide ‘a clear-cutting explanatory system... every bit, for case, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited before any problems are tackled’.2 The hypostases of heart and soul were numbered one = purpose, 2 = way, iii = end. The hypostases of existence were numbered 6 = actuation, five = becoming, iv = manifestation/grounding. So, for example ‘East’ tin can be expressed as the combination xvi (enthusiasm), fifteen (inspiration), 14 (intention). Combining the numbers ane to half dozen results inwards xvi subfunctions, inwards agreement with ‘xv + i kalās, stages in whatever creative deed, equally recognized in the Upanishads’.3
The physical number arrangement was derived from the three space together with 3 fourth dimension dimensions. One fourth dimension dimension lies inward potentiality-fields alongside a fourth dimension-ordered, space-like expression noted above inwards connectedness with precognition. Another time dimension or role involves the processes leading to physical actualization from time-structured potentiality. Finally there is physical clock-time; it is the exclusively fourth dimension-dimension that is measurable. Combining the half dozen dimensions yields a sixteen-fold issue organization like the psychological subfunctions, ‘inward such shut correspondence alongside the formulations of quantum theory that there is an obvious invitation to show the 2 every bit aspects of an integrated agreement of the Earth’.9
Space does non allow a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, notwithstanding, satisfied Whiteman’sec opinion that to explain what we feel is to
acknowledge a subjective wheel, such as mystics, many theologians, together with about psychologists accept admitted. This wheel, inwards its nigh consummate course is sixteenfold, in addition to parallels precisely what may be called the ‘earth cycle’ (equally it appears in Quantum Field Theory) in every manner, while manifesting itself inward every variety of man feel. This is a form of potentiality which is discernible, and indeed tin live lived past the individual inwards an enormous diversity of ‘altered states of consciousness’...iii
Whiteman’second Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary try to discern in addition to characterize this potentiality.
John Poynton
Literature
1. Whiteman, J.H.grand. (1986). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-persuasion together with inner contest. Volume 1, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
ii. Whiteman, J.H.K. (2000). Old in addition to New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical Earth-opinion and inner competition. Volume two, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
3. Whiteman, J.H.M. (2006). Old too New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical world-sentiment as well as inner competition. Volume three, Universal Theology and Life inward other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
iv. Whiteman, J.H.grand. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber in addition to Faber.
v. Whiteman, J.H.M. (1993). Aphorisms on Spiritual Method: the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ inward the lite of mystical feel. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
half-dozen. Husserl, due east. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. due west.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.
vii. Heisenberg, due west. (1959). Physics and Philosophy: the revolution inward modernistic scientific discipline. London: Allen too Unwin.
8. Whiteman, J.H.M. (1967). Philosophy of Space in addition to Time too the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological report. London: Allen as well as Unwin.
nine. Whiteman, J.H.M. (1977). Parapsychology as well as physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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