Scientific Mysticism
‘Scientific Mysticism’ is a term coined past Michael Whiteman, a British-born South African mathematician as well as mystic. (This article may live read together alongside the article on Whiteman’sec life in addition to thought.)
Introduction
The term ‘scientific mysticism’ appeared equally a championship inward the trilogy, Old and New Evidence on the Meaning of Life,one ii iii by Michael Whiteman. Volume One was entitled An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism.1 Whiteman aimed to take mysticism into the field of science as an entity that is ‘open-minded, rigorously tested, rationally coherent, and illuminating.’ane ‘Mysticism’ here is defined equally:
the study of everything not-physical, including the other worlds together with their archetypal governance, besides every bit our spiritual bodies, the facts as well as their relationship beingness known past the self-bear witness of direct observation in addition to non by reasoning or speculation.four
This indicates empirical science, sharing territory amongst psychical research. Yet Whiteman drew a distinction betwixt ‘psychical’ in addition to ‘mystical’ experience. The one-time includes the study of purportedly not-physical events, the latter extends to states that accept a feel of higher significance in addition to ultimates, openness to guidance, transformed being, together with orientation to the perceived beginning of the Right in addition to Good.
Whiteman was familiar amongst Vedic, Sanskrit, Pali, Greek in addition to Biblical Hebrew, as well as quoted extensively from ancient texts. He regarded virtually current translations every bit inadequate because the authors lacked psychical as well as mystical feel. His revolutionary commentary, also his translation of ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’v combined with canonical Buddhist texts, ane 2 three v show hitting parallels alongside refinements of mod thought.
Whiteman’second occupation every bit a professor of applied mathematics provided a base inward physics for his scientific mysticism. Another base was extensive personal experience inward psychical together with mystical states. His methods rested on observation, conceptual analysis too insight, in tune with Edmund Husserl’s phenomenology.vi This aims at gaining face-to-face up self-bear witness together with detailed precision, shedding the common ‘cloak of ideas’. Science in Whiteman’s usage is non an do inward theorizing.
Potentiality and Actualization
A central to Whiteman’second scientific mysticism is the thought of potentiality and actualization. This had been developed by the physicist Werner Heisenberg,7 who saw that a physical ‘happening’ comes most through an occasion of observation, as well as that this ‘happening’ is open up to physical description. But what governs the happening is non open up to physical observation; at best it tin can live given mathematical aspect. So behind a physical result i has to recognize what Heisenberg called ‘an objective trend or possibility, a “potentia” inward the feel of Aristotelian philosophy’. And the governing potentia, the ‘reason’ for something to fall out, is abstract in a physical sense; y'all tin’t position it inwards a exam subway.
Whiteman concurred that entirely transcending logical substructures, potentialities, merit the term ‘reality’, as opposed to appearances. Appearances come up into being only on an occasion of observation, in addition to will live actualized differently for unlike people.
Whiteman wrote, ‘null specific tin be actualized without the integration of “subjective” as well as “objective” factors, not inwards succession, simply on the second of actualization.’1 An observer who is freed inward about way from the physical country will actualize for himself things that are beyond the reach of ordinary physical sensing. This is the start of psychical and mystical perception.
Whiteman wrote, ‘The deviation between ane “earth” in addition to some other and then depends upon the state of life inwards which the observer happens to be settled.’iii An private’second 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: thought and images are actualizations inwards consciousness of an private’second ‘thought-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 betwixt the thought-picture spheres of individuals. The interaction is non actualized at the physical level, as well as then transfer of data occurs independently of physical infinite together with time. Clairvoyance is resonance betwixt the potentiality-sphere of a physical object or upshot together with the idea-image sphere of an individual, resulting inwards the actualization of impressions inward the individual’second thought-image sphere. Once once again, resonance or interaction happens independently of physical space together with fourth dimension, not existence physically actualized. Psychokinesis may be regarded equally a reverse clairvoyant interaction; potentialities unremarkably linked in more or less fashion to an private upshot in physical actualizations.
Potentiality-actualization relationships should non live seen as static; potentiality-fields continually modify or educate, and take feedback loops, although non in physical fourth dimension. This will touch the upshot of time to come physical events, which helps to explain how precognition happens. Whiteman saw precognition equally actualization inwards an individual’s idea-picture sphere of developing potentiality-fields that may touch on time to come physical events. The individual may even intervene inwards the physical actualization of these events by altering the potentiality-fields, then allowing prevention of a precognized event from happening.ane Even if potentiality-fields are fourth dimension-ordered, resulting inwards a succession of events actualized in the physical Earth, the ordering is not fixed in the style a route map is fixed. They are accessible in states of physical detachment, as well as and then let express change as well as the exercise of costless volition.
Out-of-torso Experience
Whiteman defined mysticism equally ‘the report of everything non-physical, including the other worlds ...’ As but discussed, potentiality-fields take the capacity to deliver unlike spaces or worlds of physical too not-physical actuality, depending on the state of the observer. Without this understanding, mysticism cannot start to make feel. Direct experience of ‘the other worlds’ occurs mainly in out-of-body feel, which Whiteman preferred to term ‘separative’ experience, since in that location is ordinarily awareness of a body of some variety.
The commonest type he termed ‘master separation’, inward which at that place is no awareness inward the physical trunk, fifty-fifty though what appears to live the physical trunk can be viewed. In ‘secondary separation’ the physical body is nether more or less level of witting command, merely chief awareness lies in another organism seemingly non located inward the infinite of the physical trunk, as well as the two bodies are quite independent. In ‘3rd separation’ the physical torso is ordinarily under complete control, only at that place is total awareness of being in a unlike bodily grade despite the locations of the 2 bodies seeming to be the same. Difference between the two bodies may live radical, such as i beingness male person 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 experience, inwards damage of reality-impression and intensity, may range from appearing weak to seeming fifty-fifty more than real and meaningful than inward physical life. At its nigh powerful, termed past him mystical, ‘Everything inward such states, spatial characteristics included, is known as if inwards archetypal unchanging class, and is thence startlingly more than existent (rationally-objective, ever-present) than the derivative together with shifting forms of the physical globe.’1 He saw a necessitate ‘to distinguish between what is deceptive or illusory together with what has the lineament of face up-to-face up objectivity too truth which we depict by proverb that a affair is real.’one This requires setting upwards a numerical scale, which he called a General Index of Reality.
Index of Reality
This index covers a range from ordinary dreaming (aught rating) to what is experienced as spiritually releasing with a high grade of reality, namely mystical experience (high rating). The Index properly relates to separative experience. Features scoring inward the Index include continuity of retentivity between physical too not-physical feel, gratis observation, ability to compare accurately amongst physical together with not-physical states, awareness of marrow too tangibility, communication of thought alongside others, as well as a feeling of transcendence of physical life.
The General Index does not include reports of observing physical things during a separative feel. Regarded past virtually people equally veridical (corresponding to reality), these observations could accept been made by clairvoyance or remote viewing, together with do not necessarily hateful that something somehow separated from the physical trunk to brand the observation. As Whiteman stated, whatsoever claimed physical supporting testify simply has ‘chiefly propaganda value for the uninformed or sceptical, who do not realize that separation is not established past them, just who may thereby live induced to take the “interior” testimony as having about bearing on “scientific fact”.’1
Whiteman’s Index mightiness look of limited value to standard parapsychology, where a useful scoring organisation should identify experiences that rate better than dream, hallucination or some form of pathology. In Whiteman’s Index the direction of ranking is towards mystical experience, which is hardly looked for inwards parapsychology, fifty-fifty shied away from. The club of ranking is: undeveloped, borderline, psychical, pre-mystical, mystical. Out of a possible xvi points, experiences reaching six to eight points place as ‘psychical separations’, scoring on criteria listed ii paragraphs to a higher place. Further requirements of ‘mystical’ place were noted inwards the Introduction, together with demarcate ‘mystical’ from ‘psychical’. Yet inwards 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 key error; higher reality can only hateful ‘different physical feel’.
Other Spaces
All separative experience, physical-like or transformative, was considered by Whiteman to come about inwards spaces other than physical, although ofttimes and then similar to what is presented physically equally to be mistaken for it. He called it ‘duplicate physical’ infinite. He wrote:
If i is taken into a ‘psychic’ space when non familiar amongst such states, or alongside fixed ideas virtually them, in addition to if the phenomena resemble physical ones closely... in that location may be a stiff thought to intend that the objects are being observed physically; together with this applies fifty-fifty to possible duplicate presentations of the observer’second physical body inwards its actual state of affairs.one
‘Fixed ideas’ assume there is solely 1 ‘existent’ infinite that tin can be manifested, namely the physical globe. H5N1 fixed thought volition contribute to the potentialities governing a separative feel, too lead to the actualization of a physical-like ‘duplicate’ scene. Yet equally somebody complimentary of the constraints of one-level thinking, Whiteman wrote of an ‘inexhaustible variety’ of appearance in other spaces. Naturalistic conditioning may even so issue in ‘fantasy influences’ inward undeveloped states, yet highest evolution leads to ‘perfectly acceptable forms of transcendent unified beauty’, where ‘the surround, correspondingly, are distinguished past the lineament of the low-cal, in addition to arrive at inwards intelligible character, perfection of beauty, depth of glowing eye quality, unitive liberty as well as sense of blending amongst other minds, every bit the highest status, which is that of Mystical Form Liberation, is approached.’ In these descriptions, Whiteman states,
‘I’ in addition to ‘me’ do not represent the familiar consciousness of self inward the physical personality, or, inward fact, for anything that tin live known inwards an ordinary physical land of heed. To sympathize what is meant, the characteristics of the merged ordinary self must live 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 by Whiteman every bit 3rd separation, the non-physical body holds much of the focus of attending merely does non seem to be spatially apart from the physical trunk; ‘the locations of the 2 bodies seem the same, inwards spite of differences inwards their class and/or size as well as maybe likewise in their environment.’one This seems to agree alongside a opinion widespread inward spiritist circles that different ‘levels’ of feel as well as beingness all coincide spatially just have different ‘vibration frequencies’, then at that place is no contact or communication between the various states except through special mediating weather. Whiteman did include ‘interpenetrating spaces’ in a item set of ‘facts of experience’,one simply he did non present the thought of interpenetrating spaces every bit more or less sort of cosmological system; he was disposed to go on to systems of facts, not constructs of theory.
Skills, Cycles
Whiteman was confident nearly discovering the underlying logic inward phenomena, beingness convinced that behind whatsoever particular observation there is an intelligible structure ‘operative in in addition to analysable out of the total feel’.viii He did non accept Kant’s thought of the unknowability of things-in-themselves.eight Instead, at that place is ‘intellectual or perceptual knowledge which transcends inwards a certain clear in addition to unmistakable fashion the onward urge of time, the rigid apartness of spatial objects, as well as the apparent isolation of the private listen inwards its country of fixation on bodily impressions. It is a state of release. Fixation existence overcome, the listen opens out into universality’.viii We cannot reach this land, he believed ‘without psychological in addition to spiritual faculties of attending, judgement, purposiveness together with self-subject area’, based on iii ‘foundational skills’ named Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection, and Faith + Obedience.i (The source of these skills in his ain life is reported inward Michael Whiteman.)
Active Recollection aims to recall or recover the sum inwards what is perceived, ‘too thence the attainment of objective insight and liberate’.i Husserl termed it the phenomenological epoché or stoppage, ‘the necessary performance which renders pure consciousness accessible to us’.one It is termed samādhi or sati inward Indian literature.5 Continuous Recollection is ‘the freely stabilized earth of unloosen at which Active Recollection has been aiming.’i Obedience is not a country of subservience merely orientation to ‘the transcendent Source of Right as well as Good.’ane It operates inward conjunction alongside Faith inward this transcendence.
The 3 foundational skills were structured into a iv-role system known since ancient times too appearing inward mod contexts inwards learning theory, Freud and Jung. Described every bit the iv creative functions, these are ‘purposive cause, deciding on means, putting into practice, together with a almost secret maturing of i’sec skills in result’.three In ancient texts they are represented equally four stages inwards the passage of the sun, ascent inwards the E, zenith inward the S, down to Earth in the W, and secret inwards the due north.xiii This corresponds with aspiration (due east), assessment (S), activity or manifestation (westward), fulfilment or non-attachment (due north); it too corresponds respectively amongst Faith, Obedience, Active Recollection, Continuous Recollection.ane
Whiteman placed peachy importance on this bike having its opposites or ‘counterfeits’ of self-will, self-satisfaction, automaticity, complacency, which may lead to a corresponding bike of ‘stresses’ of decease-feeling, shame, pain, fearfulness. This in turn may lead to ‘inner contests’,ane 2 three which hopefully overcome these spiritual deficiencies.
Physics and Psychology
In his search for underlying logic, together with for universality, Whiteman converted his ‘psychological’ bicycle into a sixteen-crease number organisation, alongside the aim of integrating it alongside a ‘physical’ xvi-plication number organization derived from iii infinite too iii fourth dimension dimensions. He noted that iii of the creative functions – campaign, means, in addition to maturing – are composite, containing 2 ‘showtime principles’ of inwardness as well as beingness, equivalent to potentiality too actualization. In plow, meat as well as existence each have 3 constituents, termed by him ‘hypostases’, significant underlying, irreducible causes. The 3 hypostases of core were seen equally function, means, finish. The hypostases of being were actuation, becoming, manifestation, the iii-stage structure of creation called in Upanishadic philosophy the Great Stride of Vishnu.i So, for example, ‘deciding on agency’ combines ‘way’ (nitty-gritty) first amongst ‘actuation’ (being), so amongst ‘becoming’ (being), in addition to finally with manifestation (beingness). The third quarter, West, brings prior causes into manifestation purely as ‘being’ together with then lacks an ‘nub’ hypostasis.
This analysis allows the development of a number organisation inward psychology, as well as and then the prospect of comparing amongst a issue organisation in physics.one two three From these issue systems Whiteman intended to render ‘a clear-cutting explanatory organization... as, for case, the basic laws of mechanics are exhibited earlier whatsoever problems are tackled’.2 The hypostases of core were numbered i = function, two = way, three = terminate. The hypostases of beingness were numbered 6 = actuation, 5 = becoming, four = manifestation/grounding. So, for case ‘East’ can live expressed equally the combination xvi (enthusiasm), 15 (inspiration), xiv (intention). Combining the numbers 1 to six results inward sixteen subfunctions, inwards understanding with ‘15 + 1 kalās, stages inward whatsoever creative act, every bit recognized in the Upanishads’.3
The physical issue organization was derived from the three space together with iii fourth dimension dimensions. One time dimension lies inward potentiality-fields with a time-ordered, infinite-similar face noted to a higher place inward connectedness 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 entirely fourth dimension-dimension that is measurable. Combining the six dimensions yields a sixteen-crimp number organisation like the psychological subfunctions, ‘inwards such shut correspondence with the formulations of quantum theory that in that location is an obvious invitation to exhibit the two as aspects of an integrated understanding of the globe’.nine
Space does not permit a tabulation of the physics/psychology correspondences, or how they were derived. The correspondences, still, satisfied Whiteman’s view that to explain what we experience is to
acknowledge a subjective bicycle, such every bit mystics, many theologians, as well as close to psychologists take admitted. This wheel, inwards its about consummate form is sixteenfold, together with parallels exactly what may live called the ‘earth wheel’ (equally it appears in Quantum Field Theory) inward every fashion, piece manifesting itself inward every kind of man experience. This is a course of potentiality which is discernible, together with indeed tin can be lived by the private inward an enormous multifariousness of ‘altered states of consciousness’...three
Whiteman’s Scientific Mysticism was a revolutionary endeavor to discern as well as characterize this potentiality.
John Poynton
Literature
1. Whiteman, J.H.G. (1986). Old together with New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical Earth-opinion too inner competition. Volume one, An Introduction to Scientific Mysticism. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
two. Whiteman, J.H.chiliad. (2000). Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical world-thought in addition to inner competition. Volume 2, Dynamics of Spiritual Development. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
iii. Whiteman, J.H.one thousand. (2006). Old as well as New Evidence on the Meaning of Life: the mystical Earth-sentiment together with inner contest. Volume 3, Universal Theology together with Life inward other Worlds. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
iv. Whiteman, J.H.yard. (1961). The Mystical Life. London: Faber in addition to Faber.
five. Whiteman, J.H.M. (1993). Aphorisms on Spiritual Method: the ‘Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’ inward the low-cal of mystical feel. Gerrards Cross: Colin Smythe.
half-dozen. Husserl, due east. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (trans. west.R. Boyce Gibson). London: Allen & Unwin.
vii. Heisenberg, due west. (1959). Physics together with Philosophy: the revolution in mod science. London: Allen as well as Unwin.
8. Whiteman, J.H.1000. (1967). Philosophy of Space together with Time together with the Inner Constitution of Nature: a phenomenological report. London: Allen in addition to Unwin.
ix. Whiteman, J.H.thousand. (1977). Parapsychology together with physics. In Wolman, B.B. (ed.) Handbook of Parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
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