Science Behind Mystical Experience

Scientific Mysticism

‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined past Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician as well as mystic. (This article may be read together alongside the article on Whiteman’second life as well as idea.)

Introduction

The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared equally a title in the trilogy, Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,^{ane ii iii} past Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.^one Whiteman aimed to take mysticism into the plain of scientific discipline equally an entity that is ‘open up-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, too illuminating.^’ane ‘Mysticism’ here is defined as:

the written report of everything non-physical, including the other worlds as well as their archetypal governance, likewise equally our spiritual bodies, the facts together with their relationship existence known by the self-testify of direct observation too not by reasoning or speculation.^four

This indicates empirical science, sharing territory with psychical enquiry. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction betwixt ‘psychical’ as well as ‘mystical’ experience. The old includes the study of purportedly not-physical events, the latter extends to states that accept a feel of higher significance too ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed being, too orientation to the perceived source of the Right and Good.

Whiteman was familiar alongside Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek as well as Biblical Hebrew, too quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded about current translations every bit inadequate because the authors lacked psychical in addition to mystical feel. His revolutionary commentary, also his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’^five combined alongside canonical Buddhist texts, ^{i ii iii five} exhibit hit parallels alongside refinements of mod thought.

Whiteman’sec occupation every bit a professor of applied mathematics provided a base inwards physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base was extensive personal feel inwards psychical as well as mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis together with insight, in melody alongside Edmund Husserl’second phenomenology.^vi This aims at gaining face up-to-face up self-show too detailed precision, shedding the common ‘cloak of ideas’. Science in Whiteman’s usage is not an do inward theorizing.

Potentiality together with Actualization

H5N1 cardinal to Whiteman’sec scientific mysticism is the thought of potentiality together with actualization. This had been developed past the physicist Werner Heisenberg,^seven who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes nearly through an occasion of observation, and 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 face. So behind a physical consequence 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 ‘reason’ for something to occur, is abstract inwards a physical sense; you tin’t lay it inwards a exam subway system.

Whiteman concurred that alone transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, as opposed to appearances. Appearances come up into existence entirely on an occasion of observation, as well as will be actualized differently for dissimilar people.

Whiteman wrote, ‘null specific can live actualized without the integration of “subjective” as well as “objective” factors, non in succession, just on the instant of actualization.’¹ An observer who is freed in around style from the physical country will actualize for himself things that are beyond the accomplish of ordinary physical sensing. This is the beginning of psychical in addition to mystical perception.

Whiteman wrote, ‘The divergence betwixt 1 “earth” too some other and then depends upon the state of life inward which the observer happens to be settled.’³ An individual’sec perceiving results from integration of objective potentialities together amongst 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 in consciousness of an private’s ‘thought-icon sphere’, as he called it, which includes memory 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 grade, too then transfer of information occurs independently of physical space as well as time. Clairvoyance is resonance betwixt the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or issue and the idea-ikon sphere of an private, resulting inward the actualization of impressions inward the individual’s idea-image sphere. Once again, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical infinite as well as time, non beingness physically actualized. Psychokinesis may live regarded as a contrary clairvoyant interaction; potentialities normally linked in close to style to an private event inward physical actualizations.

Potentiality-actualization relationships should non be seen every bit static; potentiality-fields continually alter or develop, in addition to take feedback loops, although non inwards physical time. This volition touch the outcome of hereafter physical events, which helps to explain how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition as actualization in an individual’sec thought-image sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may impact hereafter physical events. The individual may even intervene inward the physical actualization of these events by altering the potentiality-fields, and so allowing prevention of a precognized event from happening.ⁱ Even if potentiality-fields are time-ordered, resulting in a succession of events actualized inward the physical Earth, the ordering is not fixed in the fashion a route map is fixed. They are accessible inward states of physical detachment, in addition to and so permit express modification in addition to the do of costless will.

Out-of-body Experience

Whiteman defined mysticism as ‘the report of everything not-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As simply discussed, potentiality-fields have the capacity to deliver dissimilar spaces or worlds of physical as well as not-physical actuality, depending on the state of the observer. Without this agreement, mysticism cannot start to brand sense. Direct experience of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly inward out-of-torso experience, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ experience, since there is usually awareness of a torso of roughly sort.

The commonest type he termed ‘main separation’, in which there is no awareness inwards the physical torso, even though what appears to live the physical torso tin be viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical body is nether roughly degree of witting control, just principal awareness lies in another organism seemingly not located inwards the space of the physical body, too the two bodies are quite independent. In ‘tertiary separation’ the physical trunk is ordinarily under consummate control, merely in that location is total awareness of being inward a different bodily class despite the locations of the ii bodies seeming to live the same. Difference between the ii bodies may live radical, such equally ane beingness male person and the other female person. For Whiteman, the highest mystical experiences were mostly of this type.

Whiteman noted that such non-physical feel, in price of reality-impression too intensity, may reach from appearing weak to seeming fifty-fifty more than real together with meaningful than inwards physical life. At its most powerful, termed past him mystical, ‘Everything inwards such states, spatial characteristics included, is known as if inward archetypal unchanging course, as well as is thus startlingly more real (rationally-objective, ever-introduce) than the derivative together with shifting forms of the physical Earth.^’i He saw a need ‘to distinguish betwixt what is deceptive or illusory and what has the lineament of face-to-confront objectivity and truth which nosotros describe by maxim that a affair is real.’¹ This requires setting up a numerical scale, which he called a General Index of Reality.

Index of Reality

This index covers a range from ordinary dreaming (nix rating) to what is experienced equally spiritually releasing amongst a high degree of reality, namely mystical feel (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative feel. Features scoring inward the Index include continuity of retentivity between physical together with non-physical experience, costless observation, ability to compare accurately with physical together with not-physical states, awareness of centre in addition to tangibility, communication of thought amongst others, as well as a feeling of transcendence of physical life.

The General Index does non include reports of observing physical things during a separative feel. Regarded by nigh people as veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could accept been made by clairvoyance or remote viewing, as well as make not necessarily hateful that something somehow separated from the physical torso to brand the observation. As Whiteman stated, any claimed physical supporting bear witness but has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who make not realize that separation is non established by them, simply who may thereby live induced to have the “interior” testimony as having roughly bearing on “scientific fact”.’^ane

Whiteman’second Index might appear of limited value to touchstone parapsychology, where a useful scoring organization should place experiences that charge per unit improve than dream, hallucination or close to course of pathology. In Whiteman’sec Index the direction 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 6 to eight points grade every bit ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed 2 paragraphs above. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ rate were noted inwards the Introduction, too demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet inwards the eyes of a physically-fixated investigator, the mystical requirements would bespeak reduced reality rating, since ‘reality’ way ‘like physical experience’. For Whiteman this was a cardinal error; higher reality tin can only mean ‘unlike physical feel’.

Other Spaces

All separative experience, physical-like or transformative, was considered by Whiteman to come about inward spaces other than physical, although frequently and so like to what is presented physically as to be false for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ space. He wrote:

If i is taken into a ‘psychic’ space when not familiar alongside such states, or amongst fixed ideas virtually them, as well as if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... in that location may live a strong persuasion to think that the objects are beingness observed physically; too this applies even to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’sec physical torso inward its actual situation.¹

‘Fixed ideas’ assume at that place is alone 1 ‘existent’ space that tin can be manifested, namely the physical globe. H5N1 fixed thought volition contribute to the potentialities governing a separative feel, too Pb to the actualization of a physical-similar ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet as somebody free of the constraints of 1-level thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible multifariousness’ of appearance inwards other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may nonetheless result inward ‘fantasy influences’ inwards undeveloped states, yet highest development leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the surround, correspondingly, are distinguished by the quality of the low-cal, as well as arrive at inward intelligible graphic symbol, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing eye character, unitive liberty as well as 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’ too ‘me’ make non correspond the familiar consciousness of self in the physical personality, or, inward fact, for anything that tin can live known in an ordinary physical country of listen. To sympathize what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must live ruled out.^iv

One power interrogation how ‘other spaces’ are related to the physical in addition to, if at all, to each other. In states classified by Whiteman equally third separation, the non-physical body holds much of the focus of attending merely does non seem to live spatially apart from the physical torso; ‘the locations of the ii bodies look the same, inwards spite of differences in their course as well as/or size together with maybe also inward their surroundings.’^one This seems to correspond amongst a persuasion widespread in spiritist circles that different ‘levels’ of experience too being all coincide spatially only have different ‘vibration frequencies’, then there is no contact or communication between the various states except through especial mediating conditions. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ inward a detail set up of ‘facts of feel’,^ane but he did not present the thought of interpenetrating spaces equally more or less kind of cosmological organization; he was disposed to go on to systems of facts, non constructs of theory.

Skills, Cycles

Whiteman was confident near discovering the underlying logic in phenomena, existence convinced that behind any detail observation at that place is an intelligible structure ‘operative inwards and analysable out of the full feel’.^viii He did not take Kant’second idea of the unknowability of things-inwards-themselves.⁸ Instead, in that location is ‘intellectual or perceptual noesis which transcends inwards a certain clear together with unmistakable style the onward urge of time, the rigid apartness of spatial objects, together with the apparent isolation of the individual listen in its land of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a state of unloosen. Fixation being overcome, the mind opens out into universality’.^eight We cannot reach this land, he believed ‘without psychological too spiritual faculties of attention, sentence, purposiveness together with self-subject area’, based on iii ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, in addition to Faith + Obedience.^one (The source of these skills in his own life is reported inward Michael Whiteman.)

Active Recollection aims to retrieve or recover the marrow inwards what is perceived, ‘in addition to hence the attainment of objective insight as well as release’.^one Husserl termed it the phenomenological epoché or stoppage, ‘the necessary operation which renders pure consciousness accessible to us’.^ane It is termed samādhi or sati inward Indian literature.^v  Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized ground of loose at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’ⁱ Obedience is non a country of subservience merely orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right too Good.’^ane It operates inwards conjunction with Faith inwards this transcendence.

The iii foundational skills were structured into a four-part arrangement known since ancient times together with appearing inward modern contexts inwards learning theory, Freud in addition to Jung. Described every bit the iv creative functions, these are ‘purposive effort, deciding on means, putting into practice, as well as a nigh hole-and-corner maturing of i’sec skills inwards effect’.³ In ancient texts they are represented every bit iv stages inwards the passage of the sun, ascent in the E, zenith inwards the southward, downwards to world in the westward, as well as secret in the N.^thirteen This corresponds amongst aspiration (due east), assessment (due south), activeness or manifestation (west), fulfilment or non-attachment (due north); it as well corresponds respectively with Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.¹

Whiteman placed neat importance on this bike having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-volition, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may lead to a corresponding bike of ‘stresses’ of death-feeling, shame, pain, fright. This inwards plough may Pb to ‘inner contests’,^{i ii three} which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.

Physics as well as Psychology

In his search for underlying logic, as well as for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ bike into a sixteen-plication number arrangement, alongside the aim of integrating it with a ‘physical’ sixteen-crimp number arrangement derived from iii infinite in addition to iii time dimensions. He noted that three of the creative functions – crusade, way, as well as maturing – are composite, containing 2 ‘outset principles’ of nub as well as existence, equivalent to potentiality together with actualization. In plough, essence together with being each take three constituents, termed by him ‘hypostases’, significant underlying, irreducible causes. The 3 hypostases of gist were seen as use, means, finish. The hypostases of beingness were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the iii-phase structure of creation called in Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.¹  So, for instance, ‘deciding on means’ combines ‘agency’ (sum) foremost alongside ‘actuation’ (being), then with ‘becoming’ (existence), as well as last alongside manifestation (beingness). The 3rd quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely as ‘beingness’ too so lacks an ‘kernel’ hypostasis.

This analysis allows the evolution of a number system inwards psychology, and then the prospect of comparison alongside a number organisation inward physics.^{1 two 3} From these issue systems Whiteman intended to render ‘a clear-cutting explanatory system... as, for instance, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited before any problems are tackled’.ⁱⁱ The hypostases of marrow were numbered one = purpose, ii = way, three = cease. The hypostases of being were numbered vi = actuation, five = becoming, four = manifestation/grounding. So, for example ‘East’ tin can be expressed equally the combination xvi (enthusiasm), 15 (inspiration), fourteen (intention). Combining the numbers ane to 6 results inwards xvi subfunctions, inward agreement amongst ‘fifteen + ane kalās, stages inward whatever creative deed, every bit recognized in the Upanishads’.^three

The physical number arrangement was derived from the 3 infinite as well as three fourth dimension dimensions. One time dimension lies in potentiality-fields amongst a fourth dimension-ordered, space-similar aspect noted higher up inwards connection alongside precognition. Another fourth dimension dimension or role involves the processes leading to physical actualization from time-structured potentiality. Finally at that place is physical clock-time; it is the entirely fourth dimension-dimension that is measurable. Combining the 6 dimensions yields a xvi-crease issue organisation like the psychological subfunctions, ‘in such shut correspondence amongst the formulations of quantum theory that there is an obvious invitation to demonstrate the ii equally aspects of an integrated agreement of the world’.^ix

Space does not let a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, all the same, satisfied Whiteman’sec opinion that to explicate what we feel is to

admit a subjective wheel, such equally mystics, many theologians, in addition to close to psychologists accept admitted. This bicycle, inwards its almost complete course is sixteenfold, in addition to parallels just what may live called the ‘world bicycle’ (equally it appears in Quantum Field Theory) in every mode, piece manifesting itself inward every variety of homo experience. This is a class of potentiality which is discernible, in addition to indeed tin be lived past the individual inwards an enormous variety of ‘altered states of consciousness’...ⁱⁱⁱ

Whiteman’s Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary attempt to discern and characterize this potentiality.

John Poynton

Literature

i. Whiteman, J.H.G. (1986). Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical globe-persuasion in addition to inner competition. Volume 1, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.  Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.

two. Whiteman, J.H.grand. (2000). Old too New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical world-persuasion in addition to inner competition. Volume ii, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.

3. Whiteman, J.H.thou. (2006). Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical globe-sentiment too inner contest. Volume iii, Universal Theology too Life inwards other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.

4. Whiteman, J.H.thou. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber as well as Faber.

5. Whiteman, J.H.thousand. (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. westward.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.

7. Heisenberg, west. (1959). Physics as well as Philosophy: the revolution inward modernistic science. London: Allen as well as Unwin.

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

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

Search form