Scientific Mysticism
‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined past Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician together with mystic. (This article may live read together alongside the article on Whiteman’second life together with thought.)
Introduction
The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared every bit a championship in the trilogy, Old too New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,one 2 three by Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.1 Whiteman aimed to bring mysticism into the plain of scientific discipline as an entity that is ‘open-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, in addition to illuminating.’i ‘Mysticism’ here is defined equally:
the report of everything not-physical, including the other worlds together with their archetypal governance, as well every bit our spiritual bodies, the facts in addition to their relationship beingness known by the self-evidence of direct observation in addition to non past reasoning or speculation.4
This indicates empirical science, sharing territory amongst psychical enquiry. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction betwixt ‘psychical’ in addition to ‘mystical’ experience. The quondam includes the report of purportedly not-physical events, the latter extends to states that take a sense of higher significance together with ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed being, together with orientation to the perceived beginning of the Right in addition to Good.
Whiteman was familiar with Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek together with Biblical Hebrew, too quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded about current translations equally inadequate because the authors lacked psychical too mystical feel. His revolutionary commentary, likewise his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’v combined amongst canonical Buddhist texts, one 2 three v show hit parallels amongst refinements of modern thought.
Whiteman’s line of work as a professor of applied mathematics provided a base of operations inwards physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base was extensive personal feel inwards psychical too mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis together with insight, inward tune alongside Edmund Husserl’sec phenomenology.half-dozen This aims at gaining face-to-face self-show and detailed precision, shedding the usual ‘cloak of ideas’. Science inward Whiteman’second usage is non an do inward theorizing.
Potentiality too Actualization
H5N1 primal to Whiteman’sec scientific mysticism is the thought of potentiality together with actualization. This had been developed by the physicist Werner Heisenberg,7 who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes nearly through an occasion of observation, as well as that this ‘happening’ is open to physical description. But what governs the happening is not open up to physical observation; at best it tin live given mathematical aspect. So behind a physical event ane has to recognize what Heisenberg called ‘an objective trend or possibility, a “potentia” inwards the sense of Aristotelian philosophy’. And the governing potentia, the ‘argue’ for something to happen, is abstract inward a physical feel; you tin’t pose it inward a test underground.
Whiteman concurred that only transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, every bit opposed to appearances. Appearances come up into being entirely on an occasion of observation, in addition to volition be actualized differently for unlike people.
Whiteman wrote, ‘zip specific tin live actualized without the integration of “subjective” together with “objective” factors, non inwards succession, merely on the second of actualization.’one An observer who is freed in some mode from the physical land volition actualize for himself things that are beyond the reach of ordinary physical sensing. This is the starting time of psychical and mystical perception.
Whiteman wrote, ‘The difference between 1 “Earth” in addition to some other and so depends upon the land of life in which the observer happens to live settled.’iii An individual’s perceiving results from integration of objective potentialities together with his own subjective potentialities, including subconscious elements. Whiteman believed the potentiality-actualization rule operates inwards the mental sphere of every private: idea and images are actualizations inwards consciousness of an individual’sec ‘idea-ikon sphere’, as he called it, which includes retentiveness as well as imagination.one
Actualization of Psi Phenomena
Whiteman saw telepathy resulting from the interaction or resonance between the idea-ikon spheres of individuals. The interaction is not actualized at the physical level, together with and then transfer of information occurs independently of physical space in addition to time. Clairvoyance is resonance between the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or upshot as well as the idea-image sphere of an private, resulting inwards the actualization of impressions in the individual’sec idea-icon sphere. Once once again, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical infinite too time, non being physically actualized. Psychokinesis may be regarded every bit a opposite clairvoyant interaction; potentialities usually linked inward approximately manner to an private event inward physical actualizations.
Potentiality-actualization relationships should not be seen equally static; potentiality-fields continually alter or develop, as well as have feedback loops, although not inward physical fourth dimension. This will impact the consequence of hereafter physical events, which helps to explain how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition as actualization in an private’sec thought-picture sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may touch future physical events. The private may fifty-fifty intervene inwards the physical actualization of these events by altering the potentiality-fields, then allowing prevention of a precognized effect from happening.1 Even if potentiality-fields are time-ordered, resulting inwards a succession of events actualized inward the physical world, the ordering is non fixed in the style a route map is fixed. They are accessible in states of physical detachment, and and so allow limited alteration as well as the practice of gratis volition.
Out-of-torso Experience
Whiteman defined mysticism equally ‘the written report of everything not-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As just discussed, potentiality-fields have the capacity to deliver different spaces or worlds of physical as well as not-physical actuality, depending on the country of the observer. Without this understanding, mysticism cannot set about to brand sense. Direct feel of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly inwards out-of-trunk feel, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ feel, since at that place is unremarkably awareness of a torso of approximately sort.
The commonest type he termed ‘principal separation’, inwards which there is no awareness inwards the physical torso, fifty-fifty though what appears to be the physical body tin can live viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical body is under just about grade of witting command, only primary awareness lies inward another organism seemingly not located inwards the infinite of the physical body, and the two bodies are quite independent. In ‘tertiary separation’ the physical body is commonly nether consummate control, merely at that place is total awareness of being inward a unlike bodily class despite the locations of the 2 bodies seeming to live the same. Difference betwixt the ii bodies may live radical, such equally 1 being male in addition to the other female. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were more often than not of this type.
Whiteman noted that such non-physical feel, inward terms of reality-impression as well as intensity, may reach from appearing weak to seeming even more real and meaningful than inwards physical life. At its about powerful, termed past him mystical, ‘Everything inward such states, spatial characteristics included, is known as if inward archetypal unchanging class, too is so startlingly more existent (rationally-objective, ever-present) than the derivative as well as shifting forms of the physical Earth.’i He saw a necessitate ‘to distinguish betwixt what is deceptive or illusory too what has the lineament of face-to-face up objectivity as well as truth which we draw by proverb that a thing is real.’i 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 (zilch rating) to what is experienced equally spiritually releasing amongst a high level of reality, namely mystical feel (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative experience. Features scoring inwards the Index include continuity of retention between physical and non-physical feel, costless observation, ability to compare accurately amongst physical in addition to not-physical states, awareness of meat in addition to tangibility, communication of idea amongst others, in addition to a feeling of transcendence of physical life.
The General Index does not include reports of observing physical things during a separative feel. Regarded past about people every bit veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could take been made past clairvoyance or remote viewing, and do not necessarily hateful that something somehow separated from the physical body to make the observation. As Whiteman stated, any claimed physical supporting show just has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who make not realize that separation is non established by them, only who may thereby live induced to have the “interior” testimony every bit having close to bearing on “scientific fact”.’1
Whiteman’sec Index power seem of limited value to standard parapsychology, where a useful scoring organization should identify experiences that rate meliorate than dream, hallucination or close to course of pathology. In Whiteman’sec Index the management of ranking is towards mystical experience, 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 sixteen points, experiences reaching half-dozen to 8 points grade equally ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed ii paragraphs to a higher place. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ order were noted in the Introduction, together with demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet inward the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would point reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ way ‘like physical feel’. For Whiteman this was a key error; higher reality tin can alone hateful ‘different physical feel’.
Other Spaces
All separative feel, physical-like or transformative, was considered by Whiteman to go on inwards spaces other than physical, although oft and so like to what is presented physically every bit to live false for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ infinite. He wrote:
If i is taken into a ‘psychic’ infinite when non familiar with such states, or amongst fixed ideas well-nigh them, too if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... there may live a stiff persuasion to mean that the objects are being observed physically; and this applies fifty-fifty to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’s physical body inward its actual situation.ane
‘Fixed ideas’ assume in that location is only ane ‘real’ space that tin can be manifested, namely the physical Earth. A fixed idea volition contribute to the potentialities governing a separative feel, as well as atomic number 82 to the actualization of a physical-similar ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet equally soul gratis of the constraints of i-level thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible diversity’ of appearance inward other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may all the same outcome inward ‘fantasy influences’ inward undeveloped states, nevertheless highest development leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the surround, correspondingly, are distinguished past the quality of the calorie-free, as well as hit in intelligible graphic symbol, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing center character, unitive freedom in addition to sense of blending with other minds, equally the highest condition, which is that of Mystical Form Liberation, is approached.’ In these descriptions, Whiteman states,
‘I’ together with ‘me’ make not represent the familiar consciousness of self in the physical personality, or, inward fact, for anything that tin can be known in an ordinary physical state of mind. To understand what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must be ruled out.4
One mightiness query how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical together with, if at all, to each other. In states classified past Whiteman equally tertiary separation, the not-physical torso holds much of the focus of attention only does non seem to be spatially apart from the physical torso; ‘the locations of the two bodies look the same, in spite of differences inwards their grade and/or size together with peradventure also inward their environment.’one This seems to fit alongside a persuasion widespread inward spiritist circles that unlike ‘levels’ of feel in addition to beingness all coincide spatially simply have different ‘vibration frequencies’, and then at that place is no contact or communication between the diverse states except through exceptional mediating weather. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ inwards a item set up of ‘facts of experience’,i but he did not introduce the thought of interpenetrating spaces as approximately variety of cosmological organisation; he was disposed to go on to systems of facts, non constructs of theory.
Skills, Cycles
Whiteman was confident nigh discovering the underlying logic in phenomena, existence convinced that behind whatsoever particular observation there is an intelligible structure ‘operative in in addition to analysable out of the total feel’.8 He did not accept Kant’second idea of the unknowability of things-inward-themselves.eight Instead, in that location is ‘intellectual or perceptual noesis which transcends in a sure clear in addition to unmistakable way the onward urge of fourth dimension, the rigid apartness of spatial objects, together with the apparent isolation of the individual listen inwards its state of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a land of unloose. Fixation existence overcome, the heed opens out into universality’.8 We cannot accomplish this state, he believed ‘without psychological together with spiritual faculties of attending, judgement, purposiveness in addition to self-bailiwick’, based on three ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, in addition to Faith + Obedience.1 (The beginning of these skills in his ain life is reported inward Michael Whiteman.)
Active Recollection aims to retrieve or recover the inwardness inward what is perceived, ‘in addition to thus the attainment of objective insight too unloose’.one Husserl termed it the phenomenological epoché or stoppage, ‘the necessary performance which renders pure consciousness accessible to us’.1 It is termed samādhi or sati inwards Indian literature.five Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized earth of free at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’ane Obedience is not a country of subservience simply orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right and Good.’i It operates inward conjunction amongst Faith inwards this transcendence.
The iii foundational skills were structured into a 4-part system known since ancient times in addition to appearing in modernistic contexts in learning theory, Freud in addition to Jung. Described equally the iv creative functions, these are ‘purposive cause, deciding on means, putting into practice, and a almost hole-and-corner maturing of ane’second skills inwards outcome’.3 In ancient texts they are represented every bit four stages inward the passage of the sun, rise in the E, zenith in the due south, down to globe in the W, together with clandestine inward the north.xiii This corresponds with aspiration (due east), assessment (S), activeness or manifestation (due west), fulfilment or non-attachment (N); it too corresponds respectively with Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.one
Whiteman placed peachy importance on this wheel having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-will, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may atomic number 82 to a corresponding bicycle of ‘stresses’ of death-feeling, shame, hurting, fright. This in plow may lead to ‘inner contests’,i 2 3 which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.
Physics too Psychology
In his search for underlying logic, too for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ bike into a xvi-fold issue arrangement, alongside the aim of integrating it with a ‘physical’ sixteen-crimp issue system derived from iii infinite too 3 time dimensions. He noted that three of the creative functions – movement, means, together with maturing – are composite, containing 2 ‘showtime principles’ of kernel together with existence, equivalent to potentiality as well as actualization. In turn, meat together with being each have 3 constituents, termed past him ‘hypostases’, pregnant underlying, irreducible causes. The 3 hypostases of pith were seen equally role, way, finish. The hypostases of existence were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the three-phase structure of creation called inwards Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.ane So, for case, ‘deciding on means’ combines ‘way’ (heart and soul) firstly with ‘actuation’ (being), so amongst ‘becoming’ (beingness), too lastly amongst manifestation (existence). The 3rd quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely equally ‘beingness’ as well as then lacks an ‘heart’ hypostasis.
This analysis allows the evolution of a issue organization inwards psychology, in addition to and so the prospect of comparing with a number arrangement inward physics.ane two three From these issue systems Whiteman intended to render ‘a clear-cutting explanatory organization... equally, for case, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited earlier whatever problems are tackled’.two The hypostases of nitty-gritty were numbered ane = use, two = means, three = terminate. The hypostases of existence were numbered half-dozen = actuation, v = becoming, iv = manifestation/grounding. So, for example ‘East’ can live expressed as the combination sixteen (enthusiasm), 15 (inspiration), xiv (intention). Combining the numbers 1 to vi results in xvi subfunctions, inward agreement alongside ‘15 + ane kalās, stages inwards any creative deed, every bit recognized inwards the Upanishads’.3
The physical number organization was derived from the 3 infinite in addition to iii time dimensions. One fourth dimension dimension lies inwards potentiality-fields with a fourth dimension-ordered, space-like look noted in a higher place in connection amongst precognition. Another fourth dimension dimension or part involves the processes leading to physical actualization from fourth dimension-structured potentiality. Finally in that location is physical clock-fourth dimension; it is the entirely time-dimension that is measurable. Combining the half-dozen dimensions yields a 16-fold issue organization like the psychological subfunctions, ‘in such shut correspondence amongst the formulations of quantum theory that there is an obvious invitation to exhibit the ii as aspects of an integrated agreement of the Earth’.ix
Space does not permit a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, notwithstanding, satisfied Whiteman’s thought that to explicate what nosotros feel is to
admit a subjective bicycle, such every bit mystics, many theologians, in addition to more or less psychologists accept admitted. This cycle, in its nearly complete grade is sixteenfold, as well as parallels exactly what may live called the ‘globe bike’ (every bit it appears inwards Quantum Field Theory) inward every manner, patch manifesting itself inwards every form of human being feel. This is a course of potentiality which is discernible, together with indeed can be lived by the private in an enormous diverseness of ‘altered states of consciousness’...iii
Whiteman’second Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary effort to discern together with characterize this potentiality.
John Poynton
Literature
i. Whiteman, J.H.thou. (1986). Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical Earth-persuasion in addition to inner contest. Volume 1, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
ii. Whiteman, J.H.one thousand. (2000). Old in addition to New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical globe-persuasion too inner contest. Volume two, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
three. Whiteman, J.H.M. (2006). Old together with New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical earth-sentiment in addition to inner competition. Volume 3, Universal Theology together with Life inward other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
4. Whiteman, J.H.K. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber in addition to 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.
6. Husserl, eastward. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. westward.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.
vii. Heisenberg, westward. (1959). Physics too Philosophy: the revolution in mod science. London: Allen together with Unwin.
eight. Whiteman, J.H.M. (1967). Philosophy of Space together with Time and the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological report. London: Allen too Unwin.
ix. Whiteman, J.H.M. (1977). Parapsychology in addition to physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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