Scientific Mysticism
‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined by Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician and mystic. (This article may live read together amongst the article on Whiteman’s life in addition to thought.)
Introduction
The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared equally a title inwards the trilogy, Old too New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,one ii three past Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.one Whiteman aimed to convey mysticism into the plain of scientific discipline as an entity that is ‘open-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, as well as illuminating.’one ‘Mysticism’ hither is defined every bit:
the study of everything not-physical, including the other worlds and their archetypal governance, also as our spiritual bodies, the facts too their relationship existence known past the self-bear witness of directly observation as well as not by reasoning or speculation.4
This indicates empirical science, sharing territory amongst psychical research. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction between ‘psychical’ together with ‘mystical’ experience. The former includes the study of purportedly not-physical events, the latter extends to states that accept a sense of higher significance together with ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed beingness, as well as orientation to the perceived source of the Right too Good.
Whiteman was familiar alongside Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek too Biblical Hebrew, in addition to quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded almost 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 alongside canonical Buddhist texts, ane ii 3 v exhibit striking parallels alongside refinements of modern thought.
Whiteman’sec job equally a professor of applied mathematics provided a base inwards 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, inwards melody with Edmund Husserl’sec phenomenology.six This aims at gaining face up-to-face up self-bear witness and detailed precision, shedding the usual ‘cloak of ideas’. Science inward Whiteman’sec exercise is non an practise in theorizing.
Potentiality together with Actualization
A fundamental to Whiteman’second scientific mysticism is the thought of potentiality as well as actualization. This had been developed past the physicist Werner Heisenberg,seven who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes near through an occasion of observation, in addition to that this ‘happening’ is open up to physical description. But what governs the happening is not open up to physical observation; at best it tin can live given mathematical aspect. So behind a physical event 1 has to recognize what Heisenberg called ‘an objective tendency or possibility, a “potentia” inward the feel of Aristotelian philosophy’. And the governing potentia, the ‘argue’ for something to occur, is abstract in a physical sense; you lot can’t position it in a test subway system.
Whiteman concurred that solely transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, equally opposed to appearances. Appearances come into being alone on an occasion of observation, in addition to will be actualized differently for dissimilar people.
Whiteman wrote, ‘aught specific tin live actualized without the integration of “subjective” in addition to “objective” factors, non inwards succession, simply on the minute of actualization.’i An observer who is freed in or so style from the physical state volition actualize for himself things that are beyond the achieve of ordinary physical sensing. This is the first of psychical as well as mystical perception.
Whiteman wrote, ‘The divergence between 1 “Earth” and another and so depends upon the land of life in which the observer happens to live settled.’iii An private’second perceiving results from integration of objective potentialities together with his ain subjective potentialities, including subconscious elements. Whiteman believed the potentiality-actualization principle operates inward the mental sphere of every individual: idea in addition to images are actualizations inward consciousness of an individual’sec ‘idea-icon sphere’, equally he called it, which includes retentivity too imagination.one
Actualization of Psi Phenomena
Whiteman saw telepathy resulting from the interaction or resonance betwixt the thought-ikon spheres of individuals. The interaction is non actualized at the physical grade, as well as and then transfer of information occurs independently of physical space as well as time. Clairvoyance is resonance between the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or event too the thought-icon sphere of an private, resulting inwards the actualization of impressions in the individual’sec thought-ikon sphere. Once once more, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical infinite in addition to fourth dimension, non being physically actualized. Psychokinesis may live regarded every bit a reverse clairvoyant interaction; potentialities commonly linked inward close to mode to an private consequence inward physical actualizations.
Potentiality-actualization relationships should non live seen equally static; potentiality-fields continually modify or develop, too take feedback loops, although not inwards physical time. This will affect the issue of futurity physical events, which helps to explicate how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition every bit actualization in an private’sec idea-ikon sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may impact future physical events. The private may fifty-fifty intervene in the physical actualization of these events by altering the potentiality-fields, so allowing prevention of a precognized upshot from happening.i Even if potentiality-fields are fourth dimension-ordered, resulting inward a succession of events actualized inwards the physical world, the ordering is non fixed in the mode a road map is fixed. They are accessible inward states of physical detachment, together with so let limited modification in addition to the practise of complimentary volition.
Out-of-torso Experience
Whiteman defined mysticism equally ‘the report of everything non-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As just discussed, potentiality-fields have the capacity to deliver different spaces or worlds of physical in addition to non-physical actuality, depending on the country of the observer. Without this agreement, mysticism cannot get down to brand sense. Direct feel of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly inward out-of-trunk experience, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ feel, since there is usually awareness of a trunk of close to variety.
The commonest type he termed ‘chief separation’, inwards which in that location is no awareness inward the physical trunk, even though what appears to be the physical torso can be viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical trunk is under close to level of conscious command, but master awareness lies inwards another organism seemingly non located inwards the space of the physical trunk, together with the 2 bodies are quite independent. In ‘3rd separation’ the physical body is ordinarily nether complete command, only at that place is full awareness of existence in a different bodily course despite the locations of the 2 bodies seeming to live the same. Difference between the two bodies may be radical, such as i existence male person as well as the other female person. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were generally of this type.
Whiteman noted that such not-physical experience, in damage of reality-impression in addition to intensity, may range from appearing weak to seeming even more real together with meaningful than inwards physical life. At its almost powerful, termed past him mystical, ‘Everything inward such states, spatial characteristics included, is known as if in archetypal unchanging course, as well as is thus startlingly more than existent (rationally-objective, always-acquaint) than the derivative as well as shifting forms of the physical globe.’i He saw a involve ‘to distinguish betwixt what is deceptive or illusory and what has the lineament of face-to-face up objectivity and truth which we draw past saying that a affair is real.’1 This requires setting upward a numerical scale, which he called a General Index of Reality.
Index of Reality
This index covers a reach from ordinary dreaming (zip rating) to what is experienced every bit spiritually releasing amongst a high level of reality, namely mystical feel (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative experience. Features scoring inward the Index include continuity of retention betwixt physical as well as non-physical feel, costless observation, ability to compare accurately alongside physical too non-physical states, awareness of pith together with tangibility, communication of thought alongside others, and 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 every bit veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could have been made past clairvoyance or remote viewing, in addition to make not necessarily hateful that something somehow separated from the physical torso to brand the observation. As Whiteman stated, any claimed physical supporting evidence merely has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who do not realize that separation is non established past them, merely who may thereby live induced to have the “interior” testimony equally having close to bearing on “scientific fact”.’ane
Whiteman’sec Index mightiness appear of express value to measure parapsychology, where a useful scoring system should place experiences that charge per unit meliorate than dream, hallucination or just about course of pathology. In Whiteman’s Index the direction of ranking is towards mystical feel, which is hardly looked for inward parapsychology, even shied away from. The order of ranking is: undeveloped, borderline, psychical, pre-mystical, mystical. Out of a possible 16 points, experiences reaching six to eight points place equally ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed two paragraphs to a higher place. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ rank were noted inwards the Introduction, too demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet inwards the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would signal reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ agency ‘like physical experience’. For Whiteman this was a primal mistake; higher reality can entirely mean ‘unlike physical experience’.
Other Spaces
All separative feel, physical-similar or transformative, was considered by Whiteman to hap inwards spaces other than physical, although frequently and then similar to what is presented physically every bit to live mistaken for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ infinite. He wrote:
If 1 is taken into a ‘psychic’ infinite when not familiar with such states, or amongst fixed ideas most them, together with if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... in that location may be a stiff sentiment to think that the objects are beingness observed physically; as well as this applies fifty-fifty to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’s physical trunk inward its actual state of affairs.1
‘Fixed ideas’ assume in that location is alone ane ‘existent’ infinite that tin can live manifested, namely the physical world. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fixed thought volition contribute to the potentialities governing a separative experience, and Pb to the actualization of a physical-similar ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet equally soul free of the constraints of i-level thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible diversity’ of appearance in other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may still outcome in ‘fantasy influences’ inwards undeveloped states, all the same highest development leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the environment, correspondingly, are distinguished by the quality of the calorie-free, too attain in intelligible graphic symbol, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing eye character, unitive freedom together with feel of blending with other minds, as the highest condition, which is that of Mystical Form Liberation, is approached.’ In these descriptions, Whiteman states,
‘I’ together with ‘me’ do non correspond the familiar consciousness of self inwards the physical personality, or, inward fact, for anything that tin can live known in an ordinary physical country of heed. To empathize what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must be ruled out.4
One mightiness interrogation how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical as well as, if at all, to each other. In states classified past Whiteman as 3rd separation, the non-physical torso holds much of the focus of attending only does non seem to be spatially apart from the physical trunk; ‘the locations of the two bodies seem the same, in spite of differences in their grade and/or size together with mayhap besides inward their environs.’one This seems to fit alongside a thought widespread inwards spiritist circles that dissimilar ‘levels’ of experience as well as being all coincide spatially merely accept dissimilar ‘vibration frequencies’, and so at that place is no contact or communication between the various states except through exceptional mediating conditions. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ inward a detail ready of ‘facts of experience’,i only he did not introduce the thought of interpenetrating spaces every bit just about kind of cosmological organisation; he was disposed to keep to systems of facts, not constructs of theory.
Skills, Cycles
Whiteman was confident nearly discovering the underlying logic in phenomena, being convinced that behind whatever particular observation there is an intelligible structure ‘operative in together with analysable out of the total feel’.viii He did not take Kant’s idea of the unknowability of things-inwards-themselves.eight Instead, there is ‘intellectual or perceptual cognition which transcends inwards a sure clear as well as unmistakable way the onward urge of fourth dimension, the stiff apartness of spatial objects, together with the apparent isolation of the private listen inward its country of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a state of release. Fixation being overcome, the heed opens out into universality’.8 We cannot achieve this country, he believed ‘without psychological too spiritual faculties of attention, sentence, purposiveness as well as self-bailiwick’, based on three ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, as well as Faith + Obedience.ane (The rootage of these skills inwards his ain life is reported in Michael Whiteman.)
Active Recollection aims to think or recover the nub inwards what is perceived, ‘together with so the attainment of objective insight together with loose’.i 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 inwards Indian literature.v Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized earth of unloosen at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’1 Obedience is non a state of subservience simply orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right as well as Good.’1 It operates inwards conjunction alongside Faith in this transcendence.
The 3 foundational skills were structured into a iv-office organisation known since ancient times and appearing inwards modern contexts inward learning theory, Freud and Jung. Described as the 4 creative functions, these are ‘purposive campaign, deciding on agency, putting into do, too a about hush-hush maturing of 1’sec skills in effect’.iii In ancient texts they are represented every bit iv stages in the passage of the Sun, rising inwards the due east, zenith in the southward, downwardly to globe inwards the W, too secret inward the N.thirteen This corresponds amongst aspiration (eastward), assessment (due south), action or manifestation (W), fulfilment or non-attachment (N); it as well corresponds respectively amongst Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.1
Whiteman placed not bad importance on this cycle having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-volition, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may lead to a corresponding bicycle of ‘stresses’ of expiry-feeling, shame, pain, fearfulness. This inwards plow may lead to ‘inner contests’,one 2 iii which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.
Physics and Psychology
In his search for underlying logic, in addition to for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ bike into a sixteen-fold issue organization, amongst the aim of integrating it with a ‘physical’ sixteen-flexure number organization derived from 3 infinite in addition to iii fourth dimension dimensions. He noted that iii of the creative functions – campaign, agency, together with maturing – are composite, containing ii ‘kickoff principles’ of heart and soul and existence, equivalent to potentiality as well as actualization. In plough, heart and soul and beingness each accept 3 constituents, termed by him ‘hypostases’, pregnant underlying, irreducible causes. The 3 hypostases of pith were seen every bit role, way, end. The hypostases of being were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the iii-phase structure of creation called inwards Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.i So, for instance, ‘deciding on way’ combines ‘means’ (inwardness) firstly amongst ‘actuation’ (beingness), so with ‘becoming’ (beingness), in addition to finally amongst manifestation (being). The third quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely equally ‘being’ and so lacks an ‘nub’ hypostasis.
This analysis allows the development of a number arrangement in psychology, in addition to so the prospect of comparison amongst a issue arrangement in physics.one 2 three From these number systems Whiteman intended to render ‘a clear-cut explanatory organisation... equally, for instance, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited earlier whatsoever problems are tackled’.2 The hypostases of pith were numbered 1 = use, two = agency, three = end. The hypostases of existence were numbered 6 = actuation, five = becoming, iv = manifestation/grounding. So, for case ‘East’ tin can live expressed equally the combination sixteen (enthusiasm), fifteen (inspiration), 14 (intention). Combining the numbers one to six results inward 16 subfunctions, inwards agreement alongside ‘15 + 1 kalās, stages inward whatever creative act, every bit recognized inwards the Upanishads’.iii
The physical issue organization was derived from the iii space and 3 fourth dimension dimensions. One fourth dimension dimension lies in potentiality-fields with a time-ordered, infinite-similar expression noted to a higher place in connexion alongside precognition. Another fourth dimension dimension or function involves the processes leading to physical actualization from time-structured potentiality. Finally in that location is physical clock-time; it is the alone time-dimension that is measurable. Combining the half-dozen dimensions yields a sixteen-flexure issue organization like the psychological subfunctions, ‘in such close correspondence amongst the formulations of quantum theory that in that location is an obvious invitation to exhibit the two every bit aspects of an integrated understanding of the world’.ix
Space does non allow a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, still, satisfied Whiteman’sec persuasion that to explain what nosotros experience is to
acknowledge a subjective bicycle, such every bit mystics, many theologians, too some psychologists accept admitted. This bicycle, inward its about consummate class is sixteenfold, as well as parallels just what may be called the ‘Earth wheel’ (every bit it appears inward Quantum Field Theory) inwards every mode, piece manifesting itself inward every form of homo feel. This is a form of potentiality which is discernible, too indeed tin be lived by the individual inwards an enormous variety of ‘altered states of consciousness’...iii
Whiteman’second Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary attempt to discern as well as characterize this potentiality.
John Poynton
Literature
1. Whiteman, J.H.chiliad. (1986). Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical world-view as well as inner competition. Volume ane, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
two. Whiteman, J.H.thou. (2000). Old in addition to New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-view together with inner competition. Volume ii, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
iii. Whiteman, J.H.1000. (2006). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-thought as well as inner competition. Volume three, Universal Theology together with Life inwards other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
iv. Whiteman, J.H.G. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber in addition to Faber.
5. Whiteman, J.H.yard. (1993). Aphorisms on Spiritual Method: the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ inward the calorie-free of mystical feel. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
vi. Husserl, east. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. due west.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.
vii. Heisenberg, westward. (1959). Physics in addition to Philosophy: the revolution inward mod science. London: Allen together with Unwin.
8. Whiteman, J.H.thousand. (1967). Philosophy of Space in addition to Time in addition to the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological study. London: Allen too Unwin.
nine. Whiteman, J.H.G. (1977). Parapsychology and physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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