Mystical Science Doc Antle

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’sec life together with idea.)

Introduction

The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared as a title inwards the trilogy, Old together with New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,^{1 ii three} by Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.ⁱ Whiteman aimed to bring mysticism into the field of scientific discipline as an entity that is ‘open-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, in addition to illuminating.^’one ‘Mysticism’ hither is defined every bit:

the written report of everything not-physical, including the other worlds together with their archetypal governance, also equally our spiritual bodies, the facts too their human relationship being known past the self-prove of directly observation too non by reasoning or speculation.^four

This indicates empirical scientific discipline, sharing territory with psychical research. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction betwixt ‘psychical’ together with ‘mystical’ feel. The onetime includes the report of purportedly not-physical events, the latter extends to states that have a sense of higher significance and ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed existence, and orientation to the perceived source of the Right too Good.

Whiteman was familiar with Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek too Biblical Hebrew, together with quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded near current translations as inadequate because the authors lacked psychical too mystical experience. His revolutionary commentary, likewise his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’^v combined alongside canonical Buddhist texts, ^{one 2 iii v} demo hitting parallels with refinements of modern thought.

Whiteman’s job equally a professor of applied mathematics provided a base of operations inwards physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base was extensive personal feel inwards psychical together with mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis too insight, inward melody alongside Edmund Husserl’sec phenomenology.⁶ This aims at gaining face-to-confront self-evidence too detailed precision, shedding the common ‘cloak of ideas’. Science inward Whiteman’second exercise is non an do inwards theorizing.

Potentiality as well as Actualization

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 cardinal to Whiteman’second scientific mysticism is the thought of potentiality and actualization. This had been developed by the physicist Werner Heisenberg,^seven who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes almost 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 to physical observation; at best it tin can live given mathematical look. So behind a physical upshot ane 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 pass, is abstract inward a physical feel; yous tin can’t put it inward a test underground.

Whiteman concurred that exclusively transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, every bit opposed to appearances. Appearances come up into being only on an occasion of observation, as well as volition be actualized differently for different people.

Whiteman wrote, ‘zero specific tin can be actualized without the integration of “subjective” too “objective” factors, not inward succession, just on the moment of actualization.’¹ An observer who is freed inwards approximately manner from the physical state volition actualize for himself things that are beyond the accomplish of ordinary physical sensing. This is the first of psychical too mystical perception.

Whiteman wrote, ‘The divergence betwixt i “Earth” as well as some other so depends upon the country of life inwards which the observer happens to be settled.’^three An private’second perceiving results from integration of objective potentialities together alongside his ain subjective potentialities, including subconscious elements. Whiteman believed the potentiality-actualization rule operates inwards the mental sphere of every individual: idea together with images are actualizations inward consciousness of an private’second ‘idea-icon sphere’, as he called it, which includes retention together with imagination.¹

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 in addition to fourth dimension. Clairvoyance is resonance betwixt the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or upshot together with the thought-image sphere of an individual, resulting inwards the actualization of impressions inwards the private’sec idea-ikon sphere. Once again, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical infinite and fourth dimension, non being physically actualized. Psychokinesis may live regarded as a reverse clairvoyant interaction; potentialities ordinarily linked inwards roughly way to an private upshot inward physical actualizations.

Potentiality-actualization relationships should non live seen equally static; potentiality-fields continually modify or prepare, too have feedback loops, although non in physical time. This volition impact the effect of time to come physical events, which helps to explain how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition every bit actualization inwards an private’second idea-ikon sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may bear on time to come physical events. The individual may fifty-fifty intervene inward the physical actualization of these events by altering the potentiality-fields, then allowing prevention of a precognized effect from happening.^one Even if potentiality-fields are time-ordered, resulting inwards a succession of events actualized inwards the physical earth, the ordering is not fixed inwards the style a road map is fixed. They are accessible in states of physical detachment, as well as and so allow express change as well as the practise of free volition.

Out-of-body Experience

Whiteman defined mysticism every bit ‘the written report of everything not-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As simply discussed, potentiality-fields have the capacity to deliver unlike spaces or worlds of physical as well as not-physical actuality, depending on the land of the observer. Without this agreement, mysticism cannot commence to make sense. Direct feel of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly in out-of-body feel, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ experience, since in that location is usually awareness of a trunk of some form.

The commonest type he termed ‘main separation’, in which at that place is no awareness inwards the physical torso, fifty-fifty though what appears to live the physical body can live viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical torso is under approximately level of conscious command, just chief awareness lies inwards some other organism seemingly not located inwards the space of the physical body, too the two bodies are quite independent. In ‘third separation’ the physical body is unremarkably under complete control, merely at that place is total awareness of being in a dissimilar bodily course despite the locations of the two bodies seeming to live the same. Difference between the 2 bodies may be radical, such as ane being male and the other female person. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were generally of this type.

Whiteman noted that such not-physical feel, inward terms of reality-impression too intensity, may reach from appearing weak to seeming fifty-fifty more than real together with meaningful than in physical life. At its about powerful, termed past him mystical, ‘Everything inwards such states, spatial characteristics included, is known equally if inwards archetypal unchanging grade, too is so startlingly more than existent (rationally-objective, always-introduce) than the derivative too shifting forms of the physical globe.^’ane He saw a postulate ‘to distinguish between what is deceptive or illusory and what has the quality of confront-to-face objectivity together with truth which nosotros draw by saying that a matter is existent.’^ane 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 as spiritually releasing with a high degree of reality, namely mystical experience (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative experience. Features scoring inwards the Index include continuity of retention between physical as well as not-physical feel, costless observation, power to compare accurately alongside physical together with non-physical states, awareness of substance as well as tangibility, communication of idea amongst others, and a feeling of transcendence of physical life.

The General Index does non include reports of observing physical things during a separative feel. Regarded by almost people every bit veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could accept been made by clairvoyance or remote viewing, together with do not necessarily mean that something somehow separated from the physical body to brand the observation. As Whiteman stated, whatever claimed physical supporting bear witness just has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who do non realize that separation is non established past them, only who may thereby live induced to have the “interior” testimony as having approximately bearing on “scientific fact”.’^ane

Whiteman’second Index mightiness appear of limited value to criterion parapsychology, where a useful scoring organization should identify experiences that charge per unit better than dream, hallucination or some course of pathology. In Whiteman’s Index the direction of ranking is towards mystical feel, which is hardly looked for inwards parapsychology, fifty-fifty shied away from. The social club of ranking is: undeveloped, borderline, psychical, pre-mystical, mystical.  Out of a possible xvi points, experiences reaching 6 to 8 points order as ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed 2 paragraphs above. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ rank were noted inwards the Introduction, as well as demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet in the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would betoken reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ way ‘like physical experience’. For Whiteman this was a cardinal fault; higher reality can solely hateful ‘unlike physical experience’.

Other Spaces

All separative experience, physical-similar or transformative, was considered by Whiteman to pass off inward spaces other than physical, although oft then like to what is presented physically as to be mistaken for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ infinite. He wrote:

If one is taken into a ‘psychic’ space when non familiar alongside such states, or amongst fixed ideas about them, as well as if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... at that place may live a potent sentiment to mean that the objects are beingness observed physically; as well as this applies fifty-fifty to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’s physical body in its actual state of affairs.ⁱ

‘Fixed ideas’ assume there is entirely i ‘existent’ space that can live manifested, namely the physical earth. H5N1 fixed thought will contribute to the potentialities governing a separative experience, in addition to lead to the actualization of a physical-like ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet as someone gratis of the constraints of i-grade thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible variety’ of appearance inwards other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may nonetheless event inwards ‘fantasy influences’ inward undeveloped states, however highest evolution leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the surround, correspondingly, are distinguished by the quality of the lite, and make inwards intelligible graphic symbol, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing heart lineament, unitive liberty as well as feel of blending alongside other minds, as the highest condition, which is that of Mystical Form Liberation, is approached.’ In these descriptions, Whiteman states,

‘I’ as well as ‘me’ make not stand for the familiar consciousness of self inward the physical personality, or, inwards fact, for anything that tin be known inward an ordinary physical state of listen. To empathize what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must be ruled out.^iv

One might inquiry how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical and, if at all, to each other. In states classified by Whiteman as tertiary separation, the not-physical trunk holds much of the focus of attending simply does not look to live spatially apart from the physical trunk; ‘the locations of the ii bodies look the same, inward spite of differences inward their class in addition to/or size as well as possibly as well inwards their surroundings.’¹ This seems to agree alongside a persuasion widespread inwards spiritist circles that dissimilar ‘levels’ of feel together with existence all coincide spatially only have unlike ‘vibration frequencies’, so at that place is no contact or communication betwixt the diverse states except through particular mediating weather condition. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ inward a item ready of ‘facts of feel’,^ane simply he did non acquaint the thought of interpenetrating spaces as more or less form of cosmological arrangement; he was disposed to go on to systems of facts, not constructs of theory.

Skills, Cycles

Whiteman was confident nearly discovering the underlying logic in phenomena, existence convinced that behind any detail observation at that place is an intelligible construction ‘operative in in addition to analysable out of the full experience’.^eight He did non take Kant’sec idea of the unknowability of things-inwards-themselves.^viii Instead, at that place is ‘intellectual or perceptual cognition which transcends inward a certain clear and unmistakable fashion the onward urge of time, the stiff apartness of spatial objects, together with the apparent isolation of the private listen in its country of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a state of liberate. Fixation existence overcome, the listen opens out into universality’.⁸ We cannot reach this land, he believed ‘without psychological together with spiritual faculties of attention, judgement, purposiveness together with self-discipline’, based on three ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, as well as Faith + Obedience.^one (The rootage of these skills in his own life is reported in Michael Whiteman.)

Active Recollection aims to retrieve or recover the sum inwards what is perceived, ‘and thus the attainment of objective insight as well as free’.^ane Husserl termed it the phenomenological epoché or stoppage, ‘the necessary functioning which renders pure consciousness accessible to us’.^one It is termed samādhi or sati inwards Indian literature.^five  Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized ground of unloose at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’^one Obedience is not a land of subservience merely orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right in addition to Good.’^ane It operates inwards conjunction with Faith inward this transcendence.

The 3 foundational skills were structured into a 4-function arrangement known since ancient times too appearing inward modern contexts in learning theory, Freud together with Jung. Described as the iv creative functions, these are ‘purposive movement, deciding on means, putting into do, and a about surreptitious maturing of 1’s skills inwards event’.³ In ancient texts they are represented every bit four stages inwards the passage of the Sun, ascension inwards the eastward, zenith inwards the due south, downwards to world inward the west, together with surreptitious in the north.^thirteen This corresponds with aspiration (E), assessment (S), activeness or manifestation (W), fulfilment or non-attachment (north); it also corresponds respectively amongst Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.^ane

Whiteman placed swell importance on this wheel having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-will, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may lead to a corresponding bike of ‘stresses’ of death-feeling, shame, hurting, fright. This inwards plow may atomic number 82 to ‘inner contests’,^{one ii three} which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.

Physics too Psychology

In his search for underlying logic, as well as for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ bicycle into a sixteen-crimp issue organization, amongst the aim of integrating it amongst a ‘physical’ xvi-crimp number organisation derived from three space too iii fourth dimension dimensions. He noted that iii of the creative functions – drive, way, too maturing – are composite, containing ii ‘outset principles’ of heart and soul and being, equivalent to potentiality together with actualization. In turn, substance as well as beingness each accept iii constituents, termed past him ‘hypostases’, pregnant underlying, irreducible causes. The 3 hypostases of nub were seen every bit function, agency, finish. The hypostases of being were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the iii-phase structure of creation called inwards Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.¹  So, for example, ‘deciding on agency’ combines ‘means’ (centre) firstly alongside ‘actuation’ (beingness), and then amongst ‘becoming’ (existence), together with in conclusion alongside manifestation (beingness). The 3rd quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely equally ‘beingness’ as well as and then lacks an ‘marrow’ hypostasis.

This analysis allows the development of a number organization in psychology, together with and so the prospect of comparison alongside a number system inward physics.^{one 2 iii} From these issue systems Whiteman intended to supply ‘a clear-cutting explanatory arrangement... equally, for case, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited before whatsoever problems are tackled’.^two The hypostases of marrow were numbered one = function, two = way, iii = cease. The hypostases of beingness were numbered 6 = actuation, v = becoming, iv = manifestation/grounding. So, for case ‘East’ can be expressed equally the combination 16 (enthusiasm), 15 (inspiration), xiv (intention). Combining the numbers one to six results inwards xvi subfunctions, inwards agreement alongside ‘15 + 1 kalās, stages in any creative human activity, every bit recognized in the Upanishads’.³

The physical issue organisation was derived from the iii infinite together with three fourth dimension dimensions. One time dimension lies in potentiality-fields with a fourth dimension-ordered, infinite-similar face noted to a higher place inward connexion with precognition. Another fourth dimension dimension or office involves the processes leading to physical actualization from time-structured potentiality. Finally at that place is physical clock-time; it is the solely time-dimension that is measurable. Combining the half-dozen dimensions yields a sixteen-plication number arrangement like the psychological subfunctions, ‘inward such shut correspondence with the formulations of quantum theory that at that place is an obvious invitation to present the two every bit aspects of an integrated understanding of the world’.^ix

Space does not allow a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, nevertheless, satisfied Whiteman’second sentiment that to explicate what we experience is to

admit a subjective cycle, such equally mystics, many theologians, together with roughly psychologists take admitted. This cycle, inward its nearly consummate course is sixteenfold, too parallels just what may be called the ‘Earth bike’ (as it appears in Quantum Field Theory) inward every mode, while manifesting itself inward every variety of human experience. This is a grade of potentiality which is discernible, as well as indeed can live lived by the private in an enormous multifariousness of ‘altered states of consciousness’...ⁱⁱⁱ

Whiteman’second Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary endeavor to discern as well as characterize this potentiality.

John Poynton

Literature

1. Whiteman, J.H.one thousand. (1986). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical world-view together with inner competition. Volume one, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.  Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.

ii. Whiteman, J.H.thousand. (2000). Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical Earth-thought together with inner contest. Volume ii, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.

three. Whiteman, J.H.K. (2006). Old together with New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical globe-sentiment and inner contest. Volume three, Universal Theology together with Life inwards other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.

four. Whiteman, J.H.thousand. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber in addition to Faber.

five. Whiteman, J.H.thou. (1993). Aphorisms on Spiritual Method: the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ inward the low-cal of mystical feel. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.

6. Husserl, E. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. westward.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.

vii. Heisenberg, due west. (1959). Physics too Philosophy: the revolution inward modernistic scientific discipline. London: Allen in addition to Unwin.

eight. Whiteman, J.H.yard. (1967). Philosophy of Space together with Time together with the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological study. London: Allen together with Unwin.

9. Whiteman, J.H.K. (1977). Parapsychology in addition to physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

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