The following is the latest "draft" or version of Multi-Dimensional Science.



Basic Introduction to Multi-Dimensional Science



Project by Robert Searle



Multi-Dimensional Science, or MDS represents a new revolutionary approach towards a more objective understanding of claimed psychic, and spiritual phenomena. If possible, and if ultimately correct it could in the future have extraordinary benefits for the advancement of the human race.

It should be noted that the "Science" word in MDS is ofcourse used in an entirely provisional sense.The subject can thus be known as the Multi-Dimensional Hypothesis,or MDH. This is arguably a more accurate term. At present, it is purely at the "pseudo-scientific" stage of evolution, and there is a long way to go.
The words "Multi-Dimensional" have been criticized but in this context it clearly implies claimed "psychic", and "spiritual dimensions", or "worlds" variously called spheres, planes of existence, higher realms, et al. They could be seen as being akin to a certain extent with "scientific" concepts of antimatter,parallel universes, the multiverse, and ofcourse the fourth (or the fifth, sixth, or more) dimension(s).
A number of people have expressed some interest in MDS. They include Jean Houston, Stanley Krippner, Elisabet Sahtouris, Ronald Pearson (originator of Survival Physics), Bruce Lipton, David Peat, Jurgen Ziewie, and the writer, Anthony Peake.
It should be added that like a "science" MDS is also falsifiable. Also, any relevant mathematical models have yet to be developed. What is discussed here is purely a verbal presentation.

PS. Please note that the material here may be subject to corrections of one kind, or another (eg.text editing). It is a "work in progress" project. and must be seen as such. However, the basic concepts of MDS will probably remain unaltered.




Important to Understand, and Appreciate.

Most of all what follows is highly speculative, and theoretical. Unfortunately, this is unavoidable due the nature of the subject in hand. Understandably, many mainstream scientists would regard MDS as nonsense, and too New Agey to have any credence. A few may be able to take it more seriously. Many of the things said here may come across a little dogmatic but this is not intentional. But, it is not always easy to describe "concepts" such as these in neutral terms.
Anyhow, let us try if possible to proceed with an open-mind.




The Aim of the Multi-Dimensional Paradigm.



The basic aim of Multi-Dimensional Science, or MDS is to prove albeit indirectly the existence of so-called non-physical psychic/spiritual energies, and the claimed realities in which they are said to exist. If possible, and if it can be done within the context of a new version of the scientific method it could have untold benefits for physics, biology, psychology, psychiatry, parapsychology, et al. This is a huge all-encompassing subject.
Most of what follows is essentially theoretical as already indicated, and would require in the goodness of time to be "proved" indirectly as far as possible via research, and experimentation.



The Basic Methodology of MDS.



There are five methodological steps in the process of "objectifying" the claimed "subjective" encounters of the unseen psycho-spiritual universe. Since what we are discussing are said to be non-physical energies it should be obvious that we cannot use normal "scientific" protocol as they are physically undetectable in the main.

Anyway, the methods of research, and ultimately experimentation, are as follows.

i) Finding MDOs, or Multi-Dimensional Observers would be necessary, and a special directory could be created. These are specific psychics (concerned mainly with psychic development), and mystics (concerned mainly with self-development, and "God-Realization")who claim to have inner experiences of a range of non-physical phenomena. They would notably include the manifestations of claimed ethereal inner sounds,and lights. They may among other things be able to view the so-called "subtle body", "auras", "discarnate entities,""symbolic imagery", et cetera. Such data would in Western Philosophy be regarded as a form of phenomenology a term coined by its originator, Edmund Husserl. Ofcourse,it should be added that people could be trained to become "reliable" MDOs via some form of meditation/out-of-the body "technology," or "technologies".

ii) A simple questionaire would probably be used first to ask MDOs what they experience. A detailed one(s) could follow, and ad hoc questioning could also occur. The aim of this is to see how many major "obscure" pieces of data are independently corroborated beyond the laws of mathematical chance. In other words, we have as it were an "objective" non-physical phenomena which may not be purely the product of subjective imagination of the MDO.

iii) Such attempted descriptions of "other worlds", and their "sutble energies" are translated from words into images. This could ofcourse appear on a computer with the right programming when attempted descriptions are reported in real-time.

iv) Mathematical models, and theories could then be created.

v) On the basis of step iv experiments could be undertaken to see how reliable, and objective the initial data really is. If all things go to plan we would have an approach in which we could understand on a more scientific basis the actual workings of claimed psycho-spiritual energies in both man, and the universe. This could be a huge step forward, and may have profound implications for the arts, and the sciences.




The Uniqueness of the MDS Methodology, and Approach




The idea of trying to marry science with esoteric mysticism, and religion is in itself nothing new.But what is so unique with MDS is that we have for the first time probably the complete Methodology to achieve it. As indicated in the above section, there are infact four basic "components" of it. They are highlighted in the following listing:-


i. Using mathematics (and modelling) to try, and understand "other worlds". Attempts to use this approach have been done in the past.
ii. Trying to "depict" unseen realities, and energies into pictures. This has been done by the likes of Barbara Brennan, and notably Charles Leadbeater, and his famous images of the subtle bodies, and their auras.
iii. Utilising Questionaires, and indeed, ad hoc questioning are essential in the Methodology of MDS. Ofcourse, they have also been used to find out what people encounter during Near-Death Experiences, and Out-of-Body Experiences. Mystical Experiences have been subjected to "analysis" in a similiar manner. The Sir Alistair Hardys Religious Experience Research Centre for example has on occasion used this approach as evidence based science.
iv. Using psychics to try, and discover "physical" knowledge.Besant, and Leadbeater in their clairvoyant researches into "occult" chemistry are a classic example. Ofcourse, psychics have also been used to contact "non-physical paranormal energies." Examples of this include Remote Viewing, Reichenbach, and the "Odic Force," and the "aura" studies of Dr Kilner using special screens.

It should be stressed again that the Methodology of MDS for using the four above "components" appears to be unique. Professor Tarts State-Specific Science,or S-SS comes close to it, but does not go far enough.
Some people would argue that Quantum Physics is enough to explain paranormal phenomena. This is probably incorrect because "mainstream" parapsychology is incomplete without detailed knowledge of the "inner" phenomenology involved.The latter is the "missing link" in the theoretical side of psi research..and may someday be taken more seriously if credible corroborative data emerges. However, "relevant" mathematical interpretations of Quantum Theory could arguably be adapted to MDS.




Describing the "Indescribable"?




Many psychics, and especially mystics have at times found it difficult to put into words their inner experiences of "higher worlds". This is especially true of the latter. They may resort at times to using symbolism of one form, or another. It would appear that those following a bona fide mystical path involving entrance into higher planes of conciousness, or Altered States of Conciousness (or ASCs) claim that the power to describe things accurately, and clearly, "progressively" diminishes. However, whatever can be recorded could still have scientific validity.

Much relies on the literal, and/or symbolic descriptive powers of the MDOs (irrespective of whether they are psychics, or notably mystic meditators) concerned. Yet,inevitably there will be "things" which can never be described at all. These would be indicated via the questionaires, and ad hoc questioning(which can ofcourse become more elaborate after the initial questions in a structured, or unstructered manner) and ultimately via the mathematical models.
Ofcourse, it is well-known that ASCs can be created artifically by certain electronic stimulations of the brain, and by specific drugs such as LSD. None of this though can fully explain away the "simple", or usually "complex" supersensory experiences involved by the experiencers.



Interfacing with the Physical, and Non-Physical.



If MDOs can collectively produce reasonably reliable data about the energies in, or around physical objects, and people it would be possible to measure them scientifically using physical instruments. For example, a microscope could be used to examine in detail certain materials.Reliable MDOs should in theory be able to largely come up with the same data concerning their non-physical psychic structure, and energies not seen by the "normal" naked eye.

In another example, a person may be able to produce claimed psychic rays from his, or her body. This could be accurately measured using some kind of physical instrument(s) with the help of what MDOs see, and may hear psychically in non-physical dimensions (ie.clairaudience).

A similiar process to the above could be had in which physical objects do not exist. In other words, research, and experimentation in the "other world".Thus, wholly non-physical "measurements" and other "quantifiable" findings could be recorded to a limited extent.

Groups of MDOs may describe the same "energies" differently irrespective of whether they are focussed on something physical, or not. This suggests that they may see the supersensory "energies" of the same physical, or non-physical object(s), or person(s) at different levels of conciousness in different planes, or sub-planes. Hence, the variations in the appearances of such "energies" may be different. In certain cases they may be purely, or partly illusionary self-projections. In theory, or indeed,in "reality" we would be dealing ofcourse with mental "matter" which could be affected conciously, and unconciously by ones own mind to varying degrees. In other words, psycho-interactivity.
To help clarify the above, it may be best to take an example. Certain MDOs may describe the aura radiating around the subtle body as monochromatic, or one coloured. Others may describe it as polychromatic, or many coloured. Such colours may manifests themselves notably as rays, or concentric "circles" around the subtle body. This could again suggest that the "energies" seen are at a "higher", or "lower" level, or plane, or sub-plane of conciousness. Infact, MDOs may be able in real-time be able to "go through" intermediate stages, or planes of being in which the aura, and subtle sub-planes (plus any other surrounding supersensory phenomena) may change in an orderly, or "disorderly" sequence via a light, or deep waking "trance". In effect, they would see the inner energies change from one plane to another until the "final" one is reached.

In MDS we are indicating here is that the science of the future may become increasingly more humanized, and less objective in the normal scientific sense. By "humanized" we are implying ofcourse that tested MDOs, or "special" people would become more, and more a part of the experimental process gradually unlocking the secrets of the physical, and non-physical universe. Again, it should be re-iterated that MDS probably offers for the first time in human history the Complete System to achieve this.

It should perhaps be added that there is a belief largely founded, or unfounded that these subtle psychic energies may also exist as..
a).. the finest forms of energy existing to a certain extent in the invisible electromagnetic spectrum of the physical universe either temporarily, or permanently and...
b) ..that they could be detectable to some degree with certain kinds of physical instruments. This in itself is a big subject, and one is reminded here of the work of the physicist William Tiller, and the independent researcher Harry Oldfield (notably his controversial electronic "aura" research similiar to Kirlian photography).

However, it should be noted that MDS tends in the main to go beyond this "limited" approach because it believes that it may be dealing with higher non-physical energies (ie undetectable altogether by physical means), and hence, this knowledge would arguably have greater psychic, and spiritual benefits than dealing with low level energies that may be detectable, or become "materialized" in the material world.




Basic Theoretical Concepts of Higher Worlds, and Higher Energies.




Many mystical, and psychic writings claim that there are a series of higher worlds, and hence, higher energies in the non-physical Universe. Such psychic/spiritual cosmologies have often been illustrated as a set of seven or more lines either in concentric, or linear forms. They are on occasions sub-divided into smaller planes, or sub-planes. Sometimes, they are shown concentrically around our planet earth, and extending ultimately into infinity.

There are a number of Hermetic, and Alchemical texts which notably illustrate higher planes of existence as being concentric. Certain Buddhist depictions of the "after-life" realms indicate a linear, or concentric set of worlds, or planes.

In the Alice Bailey Teachings, there is a scheme of spiritual cosmology in which there is in each plane a division of seven sub-planes.The reality of the situation is probably that there are an infinite number of planes, and sub-planes, and their number tends to vary from one esoteric, or mythological source to another.

It is said that as one ascends from one higher reality to another it becomes increasingly brighter, and there is growing expansion of super-conciousness, or mystical experience. Moreover, the energies of each succeeding plane, and indeed, each sub-plane become increasingly subtle. The content of such visionary ascents can as one progresses "upwards" become more difficult, or impossible at times to describe in the language of this world.

In relation to our physical world of the five limited senses, such realms could arguably exist as psycho-spiritual energies having a vibratory rate faster than the speed of light. Such a theoretical notion notably appears in Quantum Physics as the Bell Theorem, and Non-Locality. The thing to grasp here is that faster-than-light energies would transcend time, and space as we would understand it. Moreover, it is also believed that they may exist, and interact in ways conceivable, and inconceivable in relation to our visible physical world.



The "Highest Truth", and "Objectivity"?



One advanced understanding of these other planes,or dimensions of Being are to be found in Sant Mat as propounded notably by the Radhasoami Faith. It claims among other things that most religions, and mystical sects reach only the lower "worlds" mistaking them to be the highest where true "God-Realization" or "salvation" occurs. Through meditation known as Surat Shabd Yoga the aspirant can "die while living" and gain contact to the "higher worlds" via the "jet propulsion" power of inner Light, and inner Sound. At the same time, the Radiant Form of the living Master acts as the inner Guide.

The point of all this is that the spiritual cosmology as revealed in Sant Mat give not only the claimed five major inner Sounds, but also their inner Lights, or key "symbolic" sights of each of the higher worlds, or planes. Thus, we have in effect an actual "road-map" to "salvation",or "God-Realization" which also takes one ultimately beyond the Wheel of Rebirth, or so it is claimed.

However, if a mystic practioner is willing to disclose his, or her inner experiences for comparative analysis via questionaires, and ad hoc questioning basic supersensory experiences may emerge concerning how "real," and "objective," they are. This is a big area of research.

To complicate things, there are those mystics from both East, and West who would argue that there are no set sequences of key inner Lights, or key "symbolic" sights, and inner Sounds on the way "up" to the "highest" plane. These may even be regarded as being largely, or wholly the projections of the Mind. Whether this is true, or not is essentially an open question which will probably never be solved by natural means, or ofcourse fully by MDS itself. It is likely that the "other world" exists in an infinite number of ways.
Indeed, these "other worlds" appear among other things to be polymorphic along with their content. In other words, they can instantly "shapeshift" to use the New Age expression. They can also be termed multi-representational. In effect, this means that how, and "when" they are seen is dependent on a visionaries background. For example, a Jewish mystic may see the "higher worlds" as being "literally" like a vast Kabbalistic Tree of Life extending up into the heavens.
Some have argued that the "inner realities" become more objective, and less subject to subjective dyanmics. The lower realms are said to be very deceptive in an infinite number of ways but as one progresses further "up" they become more "objective", and "more real".
Ofcourse, what is experienced by a disciple of an esoteric tradition is to some extent the result of the "Access Codes," or Words of Power (ie.mantras) which are charged by an Adept. These can allow one to "tune in" via concentration to certain frequencies, or Sounds, and Lights connected with certain planes, or rather sub-planes (like Shabd Yoga at the start of this section).
It is interesting to highlight the point that mystics may describe each successive "planes" as becoming less illusionary, and more real than the preceeding ones. However, if the highest "plane" is reached the lower ones could be interpreted as merely illusions, or even as total projections of the mind without any "objective" substance at all. Thus, for example, the five key "Spiritual Regions" known in Sant Mat could be interpreted as just hallucinations, or illusions..due to the changes in perception mentioned here.

Anyway, Mysticism both East, and West would probably argue that direct personal experience may proves that "higher worlds" exist, or not(irrespective of whether they have a set "road-map" to "God", or not) via some form of meditation and is hence far more important than MDS. This is probably true but peoples minds are becoming increasingly complicated, and they are not so easily swayed by such a "simplistic" approach. Thus, MDS has it own role to play in the great scheme of things. But it can never ever substitute direct inner experience which is of the highest importance.




Subtle Bodies, or Vehicles of Conciousness.



A key feature in occult, or esoteric lore is the concept of subtle bodies (which also appears in the Radhasoami Faith). Here we need to imagine the possibility of the human being consisting of a set of subtle bodies simultaneously existing in a number of planes of existence but "working" all together to a certain extent as if they were one.

It should also be said here that these "bodies" have special centres, or what in the East are referred to as chakras which can be translated as "wheels" which are to a degree replicated in the higher bodies. These involve the transmissions of psychological energies in the literal sense existing in the subconcious, and unconcious parts of the human psyche. They manifest as inner subtle lights, and sounds, and have direct connections to various planes, and sub-planes.

Anyhow, to return to the subtle bodies per se. The first of them traditionally is the etheric (or "health")body existing in the etheric world. Then there is the so-called astral, or emotional body inhabiting the plane of emotions. Next the mental body which inhabits the mental plane. Then, the the higher mental, or causal body which ofcourse exists in the higher causal, or higher mental plane. Finally, there is the Soul "Body" which is who, or what we really are but is largely controlled by the lower "bodies" corresponding to the "lower" planes.



Meditation, and the Chandian Effect.



Arguably, many forms of meditation are the means by which people can gain greater mastery over the Mind, and lower subtle bodies, or "forces" of the human being. The Soul is said to be a part of God, or the Absolute Reality, and is sometimes referred to as our God-Self or Higher Self which can manifest Itself independently of the Lower Self, and can act as a Spiritual Guide, or manifest ItSelf as the Ishta Dev (or Chosen Ideal such as Buddha, Christ, or some Guru etc) in the inner journey during meditation, or after death. This is sometimes referred to as Atma-Lila, or the Play of Self.

A respected mystic of Shabd Yoga called Faqir Chand claimed that though he was meant to be the physical "omniscient" manifestation of God he was unaware of his disciples experiences concerning their contact notably of his Radiant Form during meditation, or any inner/outer miracles connected with It.In Sant Mat this would have arguably implied that he was an "imperfect" master but he found that others like himself were also seemingly unaware of their disciples inner experiences. He came to conclusion that it was the faith, and belief of the followers which enabled them to have the inner, and outer phenomena connected with him.

Essentially,Chand claimed that the inner Radiant Form was actually the manifestation of the disciples Higher Self taking on the appearance of their Master (ie. Chand as the Ishta Dev, or Chosen Ideal). The implications of this are remakable because it also implies that a "criminal" teacher, or guru could also do the same thing. Yet, the disciple would still benefit spiritually.

All this seems to indicate that powerful "subjective" dynamics are involved which are to varying degree projected (from a lower, or higher part of ones self, or selves, or indeed, ones Higher Self in the case of the so-called Chandian Effect described)into an "objective" psycho-spiritual universe. This is notably true in spiritualist literature in which the "dead" conciously, or unconciously create their surrounding world to some extent with their "thought-energy." This factor has always to be taken into account into the "objective" investigations into psychic, and spiritual phenomomena using MDOs.
A Note. The term Chandian Effect was originated by David Christopher Lane, an academic, who is well-known for his work into the history, and practice of the Radhasoami Faith.



The Kundalini Dimension.

An aspect of Eastern Mysticism is the Kundalini which is claimed to be a psychic energy that exists within the "subtle body". This can bring about superconcious "God-Realization." By its adherents it is said to be the most advanced form of meditation, or Yoga. However, special mental exercises involving notably chanting, and visualization can in certain cases bring about premature awakening that could lead to psychological damage...hence, the need for a genuine Adept of the Kundalini tradition.
Infact, many people may be awakened to its activity but are unaware of its true significance. It may notably involve powerful mood swings, and other psychological phenomena. On the positive scale, it can lead to greater creativity, or even genius. As the old adage goes "genius is akin to madness" as the awakening Kundalini can lead to "strange" changes in the personality. Essentially, the human being is at a transitional stage in his, or her life in which there is a great influx of higher "creative" energies. This can lead to a "continous" tug-of-war with an "equal" influx of lower negative energies that can dangerously "unbalance" the personality.
However, with the right spiritual discipline Kundalini can be awakened gently, and naturally via love for ones Teacher irrespective of whether he, or she may be a Hindu,Sufi, Buddhist,or anything else. It is a universal phenomena as evidence from various texts seem to show. The negative psychological energies of personality can be neutralized, and transmuted via meditation, and most importantly by an initial transmission of higher spiritual energy from a genuine Master. This "transmission" grows with greater love for an Adept who acts as a living channel for It.
In Surat Shabd Yoga though it is claimed there is no direct awakening of the Kundalini. Moreover, it beleives that the "God-Realization" had by Kundalini Yoga (and certain other mystical traditions)only takes one to one of the lower planes of the "Great Beyond" rather than the "highest" where the Source of all is said to exist.



Esoteric Secrecy.

Inner mystical experiences via meditation are strictly speaking meant to be kept "secret," and the reasons for this can be various.However, it should be stressed that some meditation followers of certain esoteric societies may be willing to put something down about their experiences. It also appears that the strictures concerned about non-disclosure are not always adhered to.
There are certain key reasons why inner mystical experiences are kept private. They are as follows.
i) Inner mystical experiences are not meant for the mind but for the awakening intuition. As such there may be "much" data which cannot be described accurately by the limits of earthly language. This is the foremost reason for non-disclosure.
ii) Divulging "higher" experiences of "other worlds", or planes of conciousness along with meetings with "advanced" spiritual beings may lead to ego inflation.
iii) Revealing "secret" initiation techniques, and other practices, and ofcourse, in this case inner experiences can be seen as showing disrespect to ones Master, and the tradition he, or she may follow, and represent.
iv) Attempting to "describe" the "workings" of "Divine Energies" in the language of this world can be viewed as being a trivialization, or be-littlement of It. They are meant to be experienced, and not talked about as they cannot necessarily be described fully, or accurately.
v) Most mystical spiritual paths are concerned essentially with self-development as opposed to psychic development which could lead to psychic powers. Thus, using knowledge from ones inner experiences is not to be disclosed in such a way as to achieve the latter aim. Inner mystical experience is normally meant for self-unfoldment usually ending notably in "God-Realization," or "Enlightenment".
vi) Revealing inner knowledge to all, and sundry is wrong as it can be regarded as being "mad" by the uninitiated. Thus, esoteric knowledge is mainly for the few who are ready for it, and not for the masses per se.
vii) Though not directly connected with non-disclosure of inner experiences as such it is something which needs to be said. Knowing, and revealing inner meditation practices from books, or from initiation are "useless" unless one has a genuine Teacher of high repute (ideally) as he, or she has hopeufully experienced the meditative Path, and can warn the Seeker of any "dangers" on the Way.
It should be added that in MDS most attempted descriptions of "other worlds" would probably come in the main from the so-called astral world, or astral "sub-planes." This is important to understand. Attempted written records of mystical ascents to even "higher realities" will probably be very limited.



Entering the "Other World" via Waking Trance in Meditation.

Some hints, and clues are given in "rare" literature which can give some insight into the theory, and practice of some form of meditation. Also, on occasion references to inner experiences can also be found in a scattered, or "condensed" form. For example,Die to Live by Charan Singh, Shabd Yoga is discussed, and there is
i)Reference to "varied" initial inner experiences (notably "mystical" Lights, and Sounds)as the conciousness is withdrawn to the "Third Eye" during meditation so that it can be temporarily released into the "astral" world in an advanced form of "Soul Travel".
ii) Something akin to "lightning flashes" (or neuron nerves firing?) may be experienced.

iii) With increasing concentration "images" of the "Beyond" become clearer, and "less shaky." This indicates that conciousness acts as a "focus field" for tuning into "energies" of the "Beyond" which can be contacted along with their Sounds,and Lights
iv) The meditator on the threshold of the "other worlds" may see the "Star,""Sun", and "Moon World," but not necessarily in that sequence. These are "pierced through" via increasing concentration, so that the meditator, or "Soul Traveller" goes beyond them. The Sound of so-called Astral Bells may notably be experienced. Some critics regard this as merely tinnitus though esoteric lore indicates that this is something very different, and very "real".
To some degree, independent corroborations of this advanced form of astral projection, or meditation can be found in obscure texts. For example, Swami Sivananda in his Spiritual Experiences gives some interesting "descriptions" even though he taught Raja Yoga, and not Surat Shabd Yoga per se which notably involves inner Sound, and Light for Mystic Transport into higher "Regions".
The colour blue is on occasion associated with the "astral plane". This is sometimes mentioned in the healing literature of Reiki, and possibly in other like traditions.





The Association for Multi-Dimensional Science.




MDS is not just concerned about mysticism but also with parapsychology, or psychical research as it used to be commonly called. It may be that with the aid of MDOs we would be able possibly to understand, and even improve the potential development of a whole range of alleged psychic powers. Such "pseudo-scientific" subjects are slowly becoming to be taken more seriously through the long march of scientific, and intellectual evolution.

Yet, most forms of mysticism per se see these so-called powers, or siddhis (to use the Sanskrit term) as largely being unimportant, and possibly an obstacle from the direct path of "God-Realization", or "salvation," or "ultimate enligtenment," or "Nirvana." Thus, the onus on all this is arguably the need to focus on credible "scientific" research, and experimentation concerned with human potential technologies (ie. forms of meditation) for self-development, and "self-purfication" via contact with claimed psycho-spiritual energies. This could act as the bedrock on the later "limited" use of the "psi powers" garnered via psychic development techniques.



Essentially, for such serious studies there is a need in the future for an Association for Multi-Dimensional Science,or AMS. Ideally, this would be a multi-disciplinary society hopefully in time attracting people with academic backgrounds in physics, biology, psychology, psychiatry, mathematics, and other relevant subjects.

AMS would have the following basic aims which can in time be expanded.

A. It would continue to search out willing MDOs for possible studies, and experiments. Social networking on the internet for subjects could play a major role in this.

B. AMS would try to build an ever-expanding directory of Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Shintoist, Sufi, Kabbalistic,Hermetic, Gnostic, Rosicrucian, and other mystical type societies/traditions. This in itself would require detective work as most of them do not always "advertize" themselves. This would involve i) contacting scholars, and writers ii) the internet iii) interfaith organisations iv) charity registers v) esoteric magazines vi) existing directories....and so on.

C. The need for on-going research, and development into a general theory, or working hypothesis of the Unseen Universe would be necessary. This would involve ideas from Theosophy, the Alice Bailey Teachings, Spiritualism, Maharishis Vedic Science, and Technology, Pearsons Survival Physics, Bohms Implicate Order,and the like. Concepts from "mainstream" science could be included too such as Quantum Physics, the multiverse, the holographic model,the fourth dimension, tachyons, et al.

Also, it must be remembered that Multi-Dimensional Science probably cannot give totally "provable" answers as to what the ultimate nature and purpose of Truth is really all about. It is quite possible that there are no absolute truths, and that everything exists as relativism in an infinite universe. Science can only go so far, and at the end of the day there will always be those who would understandbly argue that our own personal experience is the only thing that really matters.



A Public Notice.
At present, the following (edited) request has been closed down for the time being due to workload. Yet, it is worth reading as it can be considered as a continuation of the above body of the text:-
"Any reader here who has, or is able to experience (like the MDOs) a range of "energies" notably seeing auras, subtle bodies, inner mystical sounds, and lights, et cetera would be welcomed if they contact us. We are seeking attempted descriptions of such "phenomena". Much of this data will probably come from various healing "fraternities" such as Reiki, and those who meditate (eg. Kundalini Yoga). So-called Remote Viewing, or RV could have some relevance as well.
It is suspected that the best approach to the above is probably via direct phone contact rather than a simple public notice such as this.In spite of this, it is hoped that this public notice will elicit some response.
Furthermore, we are also on the lookout for anyone who may be willing to divulge contacts in connection with little known esoteric societies in Sufism, Hinduism, Judaism, Paganism, or any other tradition.."
It should be made clear that with the exception of most psychic groups, esoteric/mystical orientated ones would in the main not appreciate the kind of research indicated by MDS. Hence, the need to approach them with caution. The investigator could "pose" as a truth seeker, and should be able to find out whether disclosure of any inner experiences are forbidden, or not.
Another thing to fully understand,and appreciate is that some psychics, and some mystic disciples may suffer from a degree of "madness", or "psychosis" (eg. an obssession with certain far out conspiracy theories, or they may confuse themselves with sounds, or "people" that seem to be physical but are not heard, or seen by "normal" individuals in their vicinity). They may have delusions about themselves, and others. This does not necessarily mean that their attempts at describing inner "energies" in the "other worlds" is invalid. Only by collecting testimonies from such people, and their "sane" counterparts can we determine whether "key" patterns emerge, and this could be suggestive of the "objective" nature of their "other-wordly" experiences. The problem of possible "psychosis" may be due to Kundalini activity as already suggested in another section of this presentation.

A. Some Key References, and Notes.



1) Bohm, David, Wholeness, and the Implicate Order, Routledge, 2002

2) Karangulla, Shafica, Breakthrough to Creativity-Your Higher Sense Perception.De Vorss, 1970
Among other things, interesting "evidence" is presented from certain psychics to suggest that chakras, and subtle bodies are indeed "objective" phenomena

3) Capra, Fitjof, The Tao of Physics, Shambala 2010
The seminal text which popularised the connection of Quantum Physics with Mysticism.

4) Talbot, Michael, The Holographic Universe,Harper Perennial Books,1992
A brilliantly readable introduction to how holography can relate to Mysticism, and Psychic Phenomena.



5) Powell, Arthur, books by him The Etheric Body, The Astral Body, The Mental Body, and the Causal Body.
A fascinating compilation of data from the literature of Theosophy notably the writings of Charles Leadbeater.



6) McTaggart, Lynne, The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe, HarperCollins, 2008




7) Radin, Dean, The Concious Universe; The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena, Harper Collins, 1997



8) Masters, Robert, and Houston, Jean, The Varieties of Psychedelic Experience: The Classic Guide to the Effects of LSD on the Human Psyche,Park Street Press,2000
A very important seminal work on the phenomenology of drug induced experience.




9) Blackmore, Susan, Beyond the Body: An Investigation into Out-of-the-Body Experiences,Academy of Chicago Publisers, 2005
An important, and reasonably comprehensive account of "astral projection" by a sceptic.



10) Leadbeater, Charles, Man, Visible, and Invisible, Quest Books, 2000
An intriguing work with the classic coloured plates of the auras of the different subtle bodies existing simultaneously in different planes of conciousness, and making up the "whole" man, or indeed, the "whole" woman.



11) Sanella, Lee, The Kundalini Experience: Psychosis, or Transcendence, Integral Publishing, 1987
A psychiatric study into Kundalini

12) Moen, Bruce, Afterlife Knowledge Guidebook: A Manual for Retrieval and Afterlife Exploration, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2005

13) Krishna, Gopi, Kundalini:The Evolutionary Energy in Man, Shambala, 1997

14) Goel, B.S., Third Eye, and Kundalini(An Experiential Account of the Journey from Dust to Divinity), Third Eye Publication, New Delhi, 1986
A rare, and unusual lengthy text of one mans experience of Kundalini activity. However, some of the images used are a bit crude.

15) Muktananda, Swami, Play of Conciousness: A Spiritual Autobiography, Siddha Yoga Publication, 2000
An extraordinary "detailed" account of inner experiences...



16) Singh, Sawan, Discourse on Sant Mat, Radha Soami Satsang Beas, 1997
This contains references from mystic poets of Sant Mat, and Surat Shabd Yoga which can be seen as being suggestive that the so-called "Spiritual Regions" may be "objective" realities to a certain extent.



17) Puri, Lekh Raj, Mysticism: The Spiritual Path, Vol II, Radha Soami Satsang Beas, nd
Important work that gives some insight into "higher planes" of conciousness accessed by Surat Shabd Yoga. Puri also produced another book called The Radha Swami Teachings, which also gave similiar insight.

18) James, William, The Varieties of Religious Experience, A Study in Human Nature.Longmans, Green, and Co, 1902.

19) Peake, Anthony, Is There Life After Death? Chartwell Book, 2006.

20) Stephens, Arran, Moth & the Flame,Adventures with Spiritual Adepts of our Times, Here, the focus is on Sant Kirpal Singh Ji who wrote a coded diary of his inner experiences (intended for the attention of his Master,Sawan Singh Ji)about his inner ascents into "higher" worlds by means of mystical Sound, and Light. Most remarkably, he claimed that there was a "secret" set pattern of visionary phenomena of what is to be experienced before entering the "highest" Spiritual Region of "God-Realization." In other words, something akin to an "objective" reality which other initiates had to experience.
http://www.arranstephens.com/Arran/Moth_%26_the_Flame.html

21) Grof, Stanislav, Beyond Death, The Gates of Conciousness (Art & Imagination) Thames, and Hudson, 1980.

22) Crookall, Robert, The Supreme Adventure, Analyses of Psychic Communications, James Clark, and Co, 1975

23) Parmahansa, Yogeshwaranand,Science of Soul : Atma-Vijnana (A Practical Exposition of ancient method of visualisation of Soul)Science of Soul : Atma-Vijnana (A Practical Exposition of ancient method of visualisation of Soul) Yoga Niketan Publication, 1997







B. A Few Examples of a Questionaire(s).
In MDS the evolution of more, and more detailed questionaires could be seen as a continous process. To gain any idea of the kinds of questions required would ofcourse require an "initial" reporting from MDOs of their inner experiences. The following is just a brief example of examples so to speak of the kinds of questions which could be asked from memory, or better still in real-time.


i) The Chakras.
Do these have specific Sounds?
Do the colours change?
Do you see thoughts travelling in, and out of them?
Do the Chakras have specific patterns, or images......................? (ie. etcetera)



ii) The Aura.
Does the Aura emanate as rays from the subtle body?
If not how can they best be described?
For example, do they manifest as blobs of moving coloured lights?
Do the coloured rays, or "lights" have Sounds?
Is it possible to describe, or even transcribe these Sounds....................?



iii) Inner Sounds.
Do you hear inner Sounds during concentration, and vision of inner worlds?
Do they become clearer with greater concentration?
Do these Sounds create "music" of somekind?
Can you hear them from physical, and non-physical "objects".....................?



iv) Inner Lights.
Do you sometimes see different kinds of "disembodied" lights in psychic "space?"
Do these lights communicate, or create music of some "description?"
Do they change shapes?
Do they react to thoughts coming from you? (ie. psycho-interactive)
Do the lights move rapidly, and in what ways (eg. zigzaging).....................?






C. Some Interesting Links.
http://www.spr.ac.uk/main/ This Society for Psychial Research was the first "credible" organisation to seriously investigate psi phenomena in a serious scientific fashion. Founded in 1882.
http://www.spr.ac.uk/main/links This an important source of links for more scientifically orientated societies concerned with psychic phenomena (eg. The Rhine Research Center).
Please note that the following tend to be less credible, and less "scientific" However, they are still important especially in the potential development of Multi-Dimensional Science.
http://www.iacworld.org/
http://www.monroeinstitute.org/ Founded by Robert Monroe, a respected populariser of out-of-body experiences.

http://www.astralinfo.org/about-the-author/
http://www.journeyoftruth.co.uk/testimonials.html
http://www.multidimensionalman.com/Multidimensional-Man/Astral_Travel_and_life_after_death.html
http://www.astraldynamics.com/
http://www.kurtleland.com/my-books/multidimensional-human/89-the-multidimensional-human-outline
http://www.grahamnicholls.com/out-of-body-experience-coaching/

http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/ This link has some interesting attempts to depict psychic interactions. However, some of its pics of "spirits" look comical, and unprofessionally drawn. Furthermore, some of its notions about the world appear at times questionable, and "unscientific".
http://www.issseem.org/index.cfm
http://www.esotericscience.org/ This has some interesting writings, and is promoting a book.
http://www.alisterhardysociety.org/
http://www.ehe.org/display/splash.html



Two Important Blogs
http://esotericotherworlds.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/neurocosmology_26.html
http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/subtle-perceptions.html



D. Pictures of "Psychic Energies".

The following are from basic image searches on the internet

Depictions of "Auras".

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=aura&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bpcl=35466521&biw=1280&bih=771&wrapid=tlif135150329084810&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=mk2OUOjmOYvM0AWYq4DoAQ


Depictions of "Subtle Body."
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&cp=11&gs_id=w&xhr=t&q=subtle+body&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bpcl=35466521&biw=1280&bih=771&wrapid=tljp1351503699870020&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=NU-OUKmBC_Pa0QWQyoGQCw

Depictions of "Chakras."
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=subtle+energies&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3moTUpKtEIGY1AXY_IGoDg&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=933#fp=e2d132e93b671422&q=chakras&tbm=isch

Depictions of "Subtle Energy."

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=subtle+energies&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3moTUpKtEIGY1AXY_IGoDg&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=933

Kundalini Energy
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=kundalini%20energy&bav=on.2,or.&bvm=bv.53537100,d.d2k,pv.xjs.s.en_US.MLJSUkuQGS4.O&biw=1280&bih=771&dpr=1&wrapid=tlif138096534659711&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=DtxPUrCFLJD70gXT2IHoCw

Depictions of "Planes of Existence."
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=subtle+energies&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3moTUpKtEIGY1AXY_IGoDg&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=933#fp=4a9ab0f9a7c3c153&q=planes+of+existence&tbm=isch

"Inner Planes

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=inner+planes&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=oIhOUsi7GsmZhQejn4CYCA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1680&bih=910&dpr=1

Depictions of Psychedelic-like "Worlds."
Sometimes reports from the "other world" suggest that the colours of various beings, and objects can be more "stunning," and "more real" than anything known in the physical universe. In other words, "psychedelic-like".
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=subtle+energies&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3moTUpKtEIGY1AXY_IGoDg&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=933#fp=56b8096e265197d6&q=psychedlic&tbm=isch

Kirlian Photography.
By using electricity, and using a special Kirlian "camera" (or something similiar) it is possible to artifically create what appear to be "auras", and other kinds of colourful "psychic energies". However, these are probably not real "energies" as seen by certain types of psychics. Yet, the examples of Kirlian Photography presented here are arguably a good "representation" of what they could look like without artist representations of them seen on other links of this section on Multi-Dimensional Sciene.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&noj=1&biw=1280&bih=770&q=kirlian%20photography&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=iPWQUc7aGsqu0QW4u4HoAw



E.Some Interesting Articles

The following link on so-called hyperreality may well have relevance to the above link, and to other aspects of the MDS project.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperreality

The following link has links so to speak to certain key diagrams of planes of existence in the Radhasoami/Sant Mat Tradition.

http://santmat.livingcosmos.org/
The following maybe of interest, and was originally taken from the Kheper website, and put on Esoteric Other Worlds blog http://esotericotherworlds.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/how-real-and-objective-are-chakras.html


The original Kheper essay on MDS which appeared back in 2005.
http://kheper.net/essays/Multi-Dimensional_Science.html



F."Relevant" Articles.


All articles in this section are by Robert Searle.

I. The Two Inner Awakenings; A Personal Account.


Meeting Dr Sharma In London 1990.

Back in summer 1990, I met up with Dr Sharma also referred to as Manav Dayal a teacher of "Shabd Yoga" in the Faqir Chand tradition. I came across him via a contact who claimed that it might be best to meet him at Heathrow Airport which was not far from where I lived at the time (ie Slough). This I did, and went to the correct arrival point for passengers. I had a sign with his name on it. The only pic I had of him was as a younger man, and it was not a particularly good reproduction. Anyway, I waited awhile as the passengers left the plane, and then I saw an Asian go towards a portly elderly man from the crowd of onlookers. He put a garland around the new arrival to Britain. This I knew to be a traditional gesture of respect to someone of importance, and I rightly guessed that it was Dr. Sharma being honoured. The Asian devotee though seemed taken aback by this....Anyway, I talked briefly to Dr. Sharma, and for whatever reasons he mentioned something about psychic odours. Personally, I found this an odd subject compared with the high brow thinking of "Shabd Yoga", and Sant Mat. Indeed, I have to confess that I found Sharma to be somehow eccentric in manner.
After that, I drove down to Hammersmith, London to a certain address to meet him again for an interview I was doing for the magazine Yoga and Healing Dr. Sharma was staying with some devotees, and I hardly got any questions out as he seemed to be intent in giving a long rambling intellectual discourse on Hindu mysticism. This was recorded ofcourse but unfortunately the tape was later lost. Anyway, he referred to Sant Mat as Sat Mat ,or the Path of Truth, and regarded Beas Satsang as ".....being like an empire." He may well have got these two points from his own master Faqir Chand, and simply repeated them to me. He also gave the old traditional interpretation of the word Radha, and reversed it by repeating it as "Dhara, Dhara, Dhara,"......meaning spiritual current! At some point during the interview (or should I say discourse from Dr Sharma!) I thought I heard him say the following......"I do know not who is saying this. Some current is flowing through me.." or words to that effect. Again, I must stress the word "thought" of him saying this as I do not fully recall whether this actually appeared on the tape, or not! Maybe a trick of the mind........After all this, I had an informal chat with him. At one point, he left the room, and thereupon re-appeared, and said "I am your Satguru!" Later, we had a wonderful vegetarian lunch.
When I left to return to Slough in my car I had an extraordinary experience. I became aware of a power flowing through me. It was controlling me in the most NATURAL, and SPONTANEOUS manner. There was no fear of any sort involved. It was as if something truly wonderful had been re-discovered from ages past. This energy was incredibly subtle in a way that is difficult to describe. It was a super-tactile experience. No sounds, or lights, or anything similiar was had. It was a PROCESS of AWAKENING from the dream-like creation of the physical universe. Though I used the word "natural" just now in capitals it was somehow more than "natural". This experience went on for a long while. The following day after my encounter with Dr. Sharma I rang him about it. He commented to his surprise "......that it was happening already " (spontaneous initiation). However, I felt that this subtle energy seemed to be trying to "control" me too much, and I managed to break away from it. I would have loved the intensity of that experience to have continued but the problem was that I did not really take Dr. Sharma very seriously, and did not regard him as my real Satguru. Yet, as Jashan Vaswani once informed me that "THE REAL SATGURU IS WITHIN YOU" Oddly enough, this was what Faqir Chand claimed...that the physical master only acts as a catalyst for psycho-spiritual experiences. This was something I did not appreciate at the time.
Sadly, Dr. Sharma passed on several years ago, but the teachings continue through various lines of "masters".
Postscript. I should also said that at the interview Dr Sharma claimed that the Sound Om could be heard not just in the lower realm but also in the higher ones. A Sant Mat purist might well interpret this as indicative that his "version" of "Shabd Yoga"s did not lead beyond the planes of Kal, and Maya. Morever, it is not seen as the highest spiritual meditation, but seen as being one of many.


Meeting Sant Harjit Singh in Southall.


In January 2007 I made contact with Sant Harjit Singh. He is one of the recognized successors of Faqir Chand. Before actually visiting him in Southall I viewed his website, and on occasions listened to his music, or rather extracts of it to be more precise. It definitely carried a highly subtle energy, and helped to create a devotional "atmosphere" in me (ie. a heightening of conciousness). What occured was a PROCESS largely identical to that experienced after visiting Dr. Sharma back in 1990. This could be suggestive that both teachers reached the same "highest", or "ultimate" level of superconciousness usually indicative of "God-Realization" though ofcourse there are an infinity of different planes. The key features of the PROCESS OF AWAKENING are as follows.
i) An awareness that ones own inner lower self was being slowly transmuted into something else in the most NATURAL, and SPONTANEOUS manner. In other words, I was "dying" to gradually be reborn into a higher state of being......

ii) An awareness of being surrounded by the unseen energies of higher conciousness especially in the evening.

iii) An awareness at times of being "possessed" in the most NATURAL, and SPONTANEOUS fashion by these extremely subtle "forces" without any sense of fear at all. Yet, there was something akin to awe by the growing onset of these experiences, and at times an overwhelming sense of gratitude. This was ones feeble response to the awakening process.

iv) An ability to spontaneously control, and dissolve any improper thoughts entering the mind.
v) A greater ability as never before to actually calm the mind without any mental chatter . In other words, I often became one-pointed with the repetition of the Five Holy Names in a wonderfully NATURAL way. I suspect the unseen energies were stilling my mind oftentimes to perform "real" meditation.
The above is all GRACE without which any kind of spiritual practice is virtually impossible. Infact, I am coming to the conclusion that a true Master of any degree should be able to successfully transmit such experienes irrespective of the evolution of the disciple. However, I suspect that it depends on ones sincerity for it to happen rather upon the amount of purity an individual soul may, or may not have.

Anyway, I met Sant Harjit Singh at his Southall home. Just before that, and earlier on at home in Slough I was acutely aware of energies of higher coniousness. When I arrived at Harjits home positive vibrations were virtually palpable, and inspiring. As I entered the front room I shook hands with him. He was dressed in orange, and wore a homemade turban if I recall correctly.
I explained I had some experiences before meeting him. I claimed that the higher conciousness which was trying to "posses" me in the most SUBTLE, NATURAL, AND SPONTANEOUS fashion was influencing my behaviour for the good. Submission to it was proving beneficial.
I mentioned being suddenly awoken in the bed when I felt a transmission of energy shoot right though me. This caused my body to jerk. Harjit claimed that this was do with the (spiritual) heart though I did fully understand what he meant by this.. I mentioned my contact with a certain Sound though this may well have been a trick of the mind.
Though I asked only few questions Harjit two, or three times asked "Can I go now?" as he was wanting to do some meditation upstairs. Admitedly, he did have some doubt about the genuiness of my experiences (though I did not fully describe them). He also seemed to regard Dr. Sharma, the chief successor of Faqir Chand a little questionable too. This was evident in the way he spoke. Like many devotees of the latter Master the former was not liked particularly. However, Sharma did visit Harjit Singh on a certain occassion.
One thing that did clearly tanspire in the meeting was this. Harjit Singh clearly revealed that there was no set sequence of planes as indicated in the Radhaswami literature. Indeed, such things were merely mental projections nothing more.

Harjit Singh understandably wanted his exact address secret. The reason was that he wanted to make sure that whoever visited him was "genuine" in their desire for spiritual progress rather than someone who was merely interested in intellectual "games".

PS. Sometime before I met Harjit, and had the above experience a woman unknown to me use to say to me in the high street in Slough that "You will be reborn." At one point, I followed her into the mall, and asked for an explanation. It turned out that she was a Peruvian, and a spiritist. She believed to in reincarnation, and even suggested that I might have been her husband in one of her previous lives. What her strange statement of "You will be reborn" was probably a kind of prediction in which I would be reborn in the spiritual sense via my encounter with Harjit Singh.
Significantly, a link to my awakening process appeared on a yahoo forum. This was the forum connected with Harjit Singh which seemed to validate the genuiness of my experience. Morever, Mushin Schilling on his blog seemed to regard it as such as it was probably like those of his group which had a kind of an "awakening".



II. Psycho-Electronic Connection Testing (PECT)

Ref Esoteric Other Worlds Blog, 2013


What is suggested here may seem strange. But if one understands the basic reasoning behind it then all should appear clear, and "obvious"..
...One important way to "prove" that there are such things as subtle energies from some form of psycho-spiritual universe is to actually experience them. This can happen via meditation (or indeed, via a "healing" session) in which degrees of a highly subtle bliss may be experienced, and visions even may be had. However, one way way to facilitate any "connection" may be through being in the prescence of some esoteric Teacher of any tradition. He, or she may give out "positive vibes". Depending on ones degree of sensitivity these can be picked up, and may even include visual phenomena such as seeing an aura, or coloured rays, et cetera. Such experiences with a Teacher may lead to some degree of "mystical" awakening. How long this awakening continues probably depends on the amount of purity, and genuine desire to seek self-unfoldment. This process is a spontaneous initiation. A Teacher may be willing to disclose some form of meditation which helps to enhance the awakening into something more permanent, and more purifying. Yet, some awakenings may involve an official initiation in which subtle energies may then be experienced. In India, just looking at the Guru to receive such inner experiences, or "Grace" is known as Mouna Upadesa, or Silent Initiation.
I, the originator of PECT had two awakenings from Dr, Sharma, and Sant Harjit Singh who belonged to the same lineage of the originating Master, Faqir Chand. The descriptions which I gave, and published in Thoughts, and Visions blog were almost identiical to one another but difficult ofcourse to describe completely. This seemed to be suggestive that both Gurus emanated from the "same" spiritual level of superconciouness.

Apart from this, for many years I associated myself with a sect known as Radh Soami Satsang Beas. This involved attending various spiritual meetings along with their rareified "atmosphere" or "energies" which probably increased my sensitivity to essentially positive "vibrations". What was later discovered when I had contact with Sant Harjit Singh in 2007 is that I became even more aware of waves of highly subtle energy.....notably via a landline telephone which seemed to be "less" effective than a mobile phone which ofcourse has no "wire" connections..

Anyway, a respected devotee of Harjit Singh, James Chagula also had a like experience, and probably others likewise.. It was as if the electronic transmission of the telephonic communication was not only transmitting physical energy but also uplifting psycho-spiritual energies at the sametime. This in turn lead to a raising of conciousness to a "high". However, the afteraffects of this awareness may last for sometime after communication with the Guru on the phone. It also appears too that just looking at a photo of some live, or dead Master may also stimulate "higher conciousness". It is suspected though that the voice transmited via electronic means is perhaps the most potent means to bring about "connection" But it must be said that what is experienced is probably in most cases a low grade form of higher energy.
Another bizarre thing happened when I started to realize that I could actually feel different grades of this subtle energy from various voice (and visual) recordings of Gurus,and other advanced Teachers on the internet. It seemed immaterial whether they were living, or dead. Their recorded words still carried energies which could transcend time, and space. Virtually no visual "phenomena" were involved.
A fascinating aspect to this which needs to be fully tested is to see if certain Adepts came from the same plane of superconciosness. Thus, one line of Teachers from one tradition teaching the same meditation practice should have the "same" energy as his, or her predecessor. If so, this could be suggestive of them being from the same plane of higher concioussness. Such a notion has already been mooted at in connection with Dr Sharma, and Sant Harjit Singh.. but is worth repeating. It indicates a degree of objective dynamics at work.

Creating PECT as a Structured System.

It should become obvious that such psycho-electronic connection testing, or PECT could be a structured system in which people could make deliberate attempts to contact energies via spiritual Teachers of one sort, or another. Such an approach may inspire those who are really keen for spiritual development to have their progress quickened possibly. Yet, as indicated this will be only temporary in most cases but at least it would be a step in the right direction.
The internet could play a major part in the development of PECT in which a series of Teachers, and/or advanced disciples could be filmed in real-time, or otherwise. People staring at them on their computer screens may receive experiences. This in the main will probably be super tactile as opposed to visual in any way. Attempted discriptions of the resulting PECT experiences could be recorded, and compared at a "centralised" point of researchers in the network of internet users.

No doubt other ideas could be developed in the structuring of PECT. But the present should suffice....


.......On the internet somewhere (if it still exists) there was an image of guru, or yogi who claimed to cure illnesses just by looking at his picture.Whether anyone had any success at this at all is another matter, and could result in a placebo effect!
One is also reminded here that someone went to a healer, and later discovered through meeting him, or her that the "gift" of healing had been "transmited" to them. Incidently, feeling healing energies, or being "healed" is usually an easy, and quick way of experiencing "subtle energies". Unlike PECT though, none of this involved physical electrical energy as a "carrier" of psycho-spiritual energy save for the case of the guru, or yogi mentioned in the above.

Some "Relevant" Links.

The links below originated notably from my blog entitled Thoughts, and Visions. Here again, they do not deal with the use of electronic energy to facililtate human connection but the matters discussed here may still be of relevance, and interest. Electrical energy, and its relationship with "psychic" energy is still esentially terra incognito from a more scientific point of view. http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/meeting-dr-sharma-in-london-1990.htmlhttp://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/more-light-on-two-inner-awakenings.htmlhttp://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/anyone-can-feel-energies.html

The following is a copy of a section from the following link. http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/religare-gurinder-and-beas-satsang-part.html

"...Depending on ones sensitivity when I have attended Satsang at Southall there is an intense concentration of the subtle energies of higher conciousness. This awareness I believe has been increased after my experiences with Sant Harjit Singh. What is significant is that this "sea" of higher energies does NOT come from the Satsangis alone. In other words, it may well have a divine source, or sources. I recall feeling this Power descending from the ceiling of the Satsang Hall in a most gentle, and spontaneous manner. Sometimes ofcourse one can see a white glow in some of the Satsangis themselves which is extremely subtle.
When I leave the Southall Satsang this higher energy of conciousness can be experienced in the wonderful park nearby. I also recall Sant Harjit Singhs energy not only in his house but also outside...and beyond ofcourse. This is a matter of personal experience, and I cannot prove it unfortunately...
Ofcourse, critics would say that the above is experienced in places like football matches, and pop music festivals...when the atmosphere becomes electric!! However, what I experienced (along with many others) is something far more than this. It is A POWER unlike anything of this world..."
The following link is of great interest in regards to PECT, and comes from a google discussion group, and it is clear that a devotee of Harjit Singh received "energies" via a telephonic conversation....to quote in brief ... ".......as I (James Chagula ) listened to the Saint's voice; a very tangible, warm, Love-energy began to seep directly from the telephone handset into my earlobe. The shakti (energy) then permeated my body and began to flood my mind................

Full text

https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!topic/alt.meditation.shabda/UlWFECaGFyU




III. A Spontaneous "Initiatory" Transmission....


Ref Esoteric Other Worlds, 2013


The blogger of this site has had a connection with the Teachings of Faqir Chand, and with one of his authorized successors, Sant Harjit Singh. The following is a brief account of one of the possible outcomes of being assoicated with an advanced mystical Path.



Sometime ago, I had real-time contact called "John" on the internet who seemed to be "fascinated" in a positve manner with myself. Anyway, he was trying to find someone, or some organisation which could rid him of certain re-occuring negative psychic experiences. I suggested that if he followed Sant Harjit Singh his problem might disappear. Indeed, just talking with the latter on the phone could lead to an awareness of protective spiritual energies. I suggested to John that these "energies" could have a healing effect, and possibly help "cure" him of his negative psychic experiences.

Around this point of the internet "conversation" I became pleasantly aware of changing into a higher state of conciousness. Simultaneously, I was aware of an "energy" around my head, and shoulders. It was as if it was creating this higher state of conciousness so that it could transmit some form of indescribable "energy". This was a highly subtle, and spontaneous experience. It was totally unexpected. The energy transmitted itself from the upper right side of my physical body. Just before this experience happened I tried to resist it but this resistence totally "dissolved" itself in my mind in the most unimaginably loving, and subtle way. It totally overcame my resistence into a state af total unconditional acceptance.Thus,I felt that there was nothing wrong at all with this spontaneous "initiatory" transmission...

I explained to John what had happened via our internet contact, and he seemed impressed. But it is not clear whether he experienced anything at the other end...possibly not, but the experience was real to me. However, I told him in no uncertain terms that if he thought I was somekind of bona fide spiritual guru he was sorely mistaken. I had no official authority to initiate anyone, and instead, he should contact Sant Harjit Singh, a real Master to perhaps get a genuine initiation (which is a spontaneous energy phenomenon).

It is interesting to point somethng out. In the Teachings of Faqir Chand it is revealed that the Guru is regarded as the physical manifestation of God. However, Chand claimed that he was not all-knowing. Thus, he was unaware of the experiences of his disciples in connection with him. He believed it was their belief, and faith in him that created inner, and outer "miracles." Thus, the "Faqir Chand" experienced by the disciples in meditation notably was infact a manifestation of their Higher Self. This also implies that even imperfect "gurus" could have the same effect on disciples, and yet, turn them possibly to their own worldly advantage. Indeed, they could even give something akin to a spontaneous initiatory transmission.......irrespective of whether they were aware of it, or not..

Important (PS)
I met a man (a TM instructor) who claimed that he saw a tv programme on Swami Muktananda a long time ago. At the time, he experienced Shaktipat (ie a spontaneous "initiatory" transmission) from the televisual image of this controversial guru. He had a few days of bliss, and then claimed that Muktananda "possessed" him for awhile. He felt as if he were this guru. However, this "possession" later ended. In my case, when I was with Dr Sharma, another guru I had the "initiatory" experience, but ultimately pulled away from his subtle energy transmission as It seemed to become more of a projection of his lower ego trying to "control" me. I did not experience this with Sant Harjit Singh. This is an area largely unknown, and it would be very interesting to see if other people have had similiar experiences in this area.


IV. Some Light on Instant "Spiritual" Experiences.

The following is extracted from Esoteric Secrecy originally published online on the Kheper site

There are some mystical societies which claim that they can give instant "spiritual" experiences. Though such phenomena can be very encouraging for the disciple it does not mean that he, or she is any more special than anyone else in terms of spiritual growth. This is the key point to grasp. Depending on where one goes anyone can infact have an instant "spiritual" experience. I, the author for example once attended a Sahaja Yoga meeting in which the now controversial guru Mataji Nirmala Devi was presiding. She claims that the kundalini can be activated by following her instructions, and that it is not experienced as heat, but rather as coldness, and/or wind. In one of her meditational "exercises" I suddenly became aware of a "vortex", or whirlpool of "wind" from the top of my head. Other people claimed to have had the same thing, and it is interesting to point out that psychic depictions of this energy exist. At the time of the first initiation certain kriya yoga Teachers can make one aware of the kundalini going up, and down the spine. This instant spiritual experience can only continue if one is prepared to regularly undertake certain meditation practices which ofcourse are meant to be "secret". . for the disciple only. However, some spiritual teachers believe that such inner phenomena are really just tricks. This may well be true in some cases but surely not all. Sometimes due to past karmas, or actions (if we believe in reincarnation) one may across a specific mystical path, and may have an instant spiritual experience at the time of initiation, or even long before (eg. having a vision of seeing ones Master before physically meeting him or her). Back in 1990 when I had finished interviewing Dr. Sharma (a "Satguru" of Shabd Yoga, and a successor of Faqir Chand) I became aware of being surrounded by highly subtle invisible energies of higher conciousness. The whole process of being possessed by them was so natural, and so spontaneous. Postscript: I was once initiated "by mistake" into a Sufi sect headed by Sheikh Nazeem from Cyprus. At the Mosque I was suddenly surrounded by the "brothers" in their special robes, and hats. I was trapped I could not run away, and even if I did I felt it would be very rude of me. So, I just played along. Unfortunately, no instant spiritual experiences were involved.





V. Free Will, Reincarnation, and Karma


Ref Esoteric Other Worlds Blog, 2013



Introduction
The following essay is concerned with free will, and reincarnation. The idea of the former has been a thorn in the side of Western Philosophy for centuries. What we propose here is that free will probably does not exist. Yet, there maybe a very limited form of it. With potential future advances in the emerging paradigm of Multi-Dimensional Science it may become possible to find out to what extent free will does, or does not exist. The same goes for reincarnation.

The Mind
In Eastern Philosophies notably, the individual Mind has sometimes been regarded as being a problem in the way of inner spiritual progress. It is seen often, or not as being like a machine, or a computer. Unfortunately, the Soul, or a lower manifestation of Its energies have been "entangled" with It. Thus, it can be seen that the Mind is essentially in control of the Soul. To gain an idea of how powerful it is, meditation, or attempting to meditate can often be impossible to begin with. The Mind behaves like a monkey continually active with any number of "unnecessary" inner thoughts. A set of phrases are usually required to help still the mental activity. But even then the task can be difficult, if not impossible for some.


Four Key Reasons Against The Existence Of "Free Will"

They are as follows:-
i) Most scientists, and philosophers tend to think that our Minds are largely, if not wholly deterministic in complex ways.
ii) Quite a number of Mystics such as Kabir, and Guru Nanak believed that free will is an "illusion."
iii) The Subconscious, and the Unconscious Mind in Western Psychology clearly suggests that we probably have no "real" free will.
iv) A claim made in neuroscience appears to indicate that our decision-making has its initial origins first in the Subconcious, and Unconcious Mind before it becomes a concious desire leading possibly to an action.




The Spiritual Will = Free Will?

It could be argued that the Spiritual Will is genuine free will because it is said to be unconditioned by anything.It is pure instantaneous Knowledge. It can be intuitive in which It can present knowledge inwardly without recourse to reasoning. On the other hand, the Mind can be conditioned positively, and negatively by the outer world, and by other factors.



Reincarnation.
The concept that we have lived many, many lives before is very ancient. Reincarnation, along with the Law of Karma (implying Action ) is arguably the only explanation for the injustices of world. Such "injustices" are due in the main to bad actions of a past life, or lives of an individual. Generally speaking, we have no memories of our previous birth, or births in the physical world. This is said to be a good thing as it might overwhelm us.
There is evidence to suggest that Christianity originally had reincarnation as a part of it teachings. But this was regarded as anathema by people in power who probably had little, or no real spiritual vision.
The mystical dimension of Islam is known as Sufism. Some of its sects also indicate that reincarnation exists.
Similiarly, Judaism may have had some belief in the doctrine of rebirth. This is indicated at times in the interpretation of the Kabbalah, or the Tree of Life.
Ofcourse, reincarnation plays a prominent part in Hinduism, and Buddhism. However, ideas may vary as to how reincarnation, and karma "work".
There is some serious scientific evidence suggestive of reincarnation. Here, we point to the often quoted work of Professor Ian Stevenson. This involved a huge number of cases of notably children who claimed to remember a past life, and often, or not, their obscure details of their previous family, and friends were proven correct. Furthermore, birthmarks appeared on certain persons which were "due" to certain types of death (eg. gunshot wounds) in a "previous life."

The Law of Karmic Justice

There are many examples of the possible "workings" of Karma. Here, are some such instances, but it must stressed that the brief examples here maybe offensive.

i) A man is born blind, or develops blindness in early life. In a previous life he had blinded someone deliberately (ie Role-Reversal).
ii) A man is defrauded of the monies of his business by an accountant. In a previous life, he is the perpetrator of a like crime, and now becomes the victim in the present incarnation.
iii) Some children during a War in the Middle East are murdered by irresponsible soldiers. In a previous birth, or births, the children possibly in separate incidents did the same thing as adults.Incidently, Spiritualists claim that children may grow up in the "Spirit World," and hence, complete their cycle of life.
iv) A child is abducted, and murdered by a perpetrator. In a previous life, the child is an adult, and commited the same offence as the perpetrator.
v) A woman in life A aborts a child she does not want. In life B she gives birth (or re-birth) to a child she wants but shortly dies afterwards. Again, Spiritualists have claimed that sometimes a young soul "decides" after birth not to continue in the tiny physical form, and hence, leaves it for another.
Many other examples could be conjured up. Unlike the above, there could be "non-specific, " or "blanket" causes(notably natural disasters) in which accumulated types of past karmas are paid off via varying degrees of suffering. However, some degree of remission may occur. This, too, may be dependent on "good" past karmas.
It is said a Guru, or some other non-Indian Teacher has the power to give remission, but the pralabdh, or fate karma has to be generally gone through. An example of this is the shortening of the duration period of a fated illness. To what extent this can occur, probably depends on the spiritual status of the Teacher.
Diseases, and disabilities of one sort, or another may also reflect the paying of certain kinds of actions of a past birth, or birth. The aim of all this (including the above) is not purely retributive, but meant to help achieve positive psychological changes within a person, and act as goad towards greater spiritual evolution. Indeed, it has been claimed that people in the post mortem state may actually "choose" certain ailments, and/disabilities irrespective of whether they karmically deserve it, or not in the interest of spiritual "evolution".

So-called hypnotic regressions can throw some light on how karmas works. The psychic readings of Edgar Cayce is possibly a good instance of this, and the authoress Gina Cerminara wrote a number of eye opening books in connection with him, and his work. The Seth Material is also another interesting example of greater light on the matter.
As can be seen the subject of reincarnation, and karma is a huge, and indeed, complex subject. As such it is well beyond the scope of this essay.


Creation
Many mystical traditions indicate that the purpose of our life is to re-discover who, and what we really are....the Higher Self, or the God Within which is meant to be our real Spiritual Being. The seemingly "endless" rounds of reincarnation aim to achieve this via the accumulation of more, and more good actions which takes us towards that Power. In other words, the increased positive conditioning of the individual Mind, and individual Will. In turn, this makes It more responsive, and agreeable to the Higher Power notably via some form of meditation.

At the "start" of creation since God, or the Higher Power could not separate Itself from Itself, and parts of It could not help wanting to experience ItSelves in the lower worlds for the first time.Unfortunately, with further, and further reincarnations (into various living forms) It became more, and more under the sway of the Mind. As a result, It came to know more, and more of what suffering is, and what degrees of happiness are for the first time.
From the highest planes everything that has happened, or will happen in the lower planes already exists in a "timeless" Eternal Now. There maybe a kind of progressive Spiritual Relativity. For example, if we enter plane A we may, or may not experience at some point the "past," and "future" of that plane. Then, we may enter plane B which is more subtle, more real, and more fantastic than plane A. Again, we maybe able to see the "past", and "future" of this plane in a state of superconciousness. In other words, there could be an advanced non-physical form of what might be called "space-time" or Spiritual Relativity as mentioned.

Meditation

The aim of many forms of meditation is to connect in some way with the "Higher Self". The ultimate aim ideally is to achieve liberation from reincarnation, and attain the highest planes/levels of superconcious bliss where the desires for anything of this, and the next world are totally extinguished. This liberation is the ultimate purpose of human life. Through endless rebirths the Soul is largely imprisoned by the individual conditioned Mind, and through various objects, and people of this physical world It has been trying to find Real Happiness. Yet, to no avail as everything is temporary. Deep down It actually wants to return to the "highest" Regions to true, and lasting Bliss. Via the accumulation of good actions, or karmas, and Grace (unearned spiritual help) one may get help from the Higher Power via a living Guru, or by some other means (eg. an inner "Master").
In the following we list some basic aspects of the committed meditational experience. It does not pretend to be totally comprehensive, but it may be of some interest.

a) The Emergence of the "Higher Self."
With the correct practice of meditation one may experience a gradual emergence of a Higher Conciousness which can become part of ones Lower Self, and the individual Mind. Yet, It should have a growing control over ones thoughts, and can still them in an inner "sea" of internal Bliss.

b) Effort, inspires Subtle Inner Grace, Subtle Grace inspires Greater Effort

The likely reality is that we cannot by a sheer effort of our Mind, and our individually conditioned Will be able to transform ourselves into a better human being (unless there has been some positive conditioning in a former lives). This requires the gradual subtle emergence of a Higher Power. It acts as Grace to inspire greater effort in meditation. The idea of "I" doing spiritual practice is probably illusionary as it is only this Inner Power which inspires the Mind to carry on. Thus, if a guru says he, or she has been meditating for many years this in a sense is a huge lie, and deception. It is the Higher Power, or the "Higher Self" attempting to control the individual Mind, more, and more. Most, if not all the credit should go to this Power.

c) The Flow of Devotional Energy.
Ideally, the disciple, especially if he, or she has an outer living Master should carry out his, or her actions selflessly as if He, or indeed, She were physically present. This is very powerful, but one needs to be fully committed for any success to occur. One may experience at times the flow of intense ecstasy, and become aware of impurities being "washed away" naturally, and spontaneously.

Some Serious "Ethical" Problems

If the individual Mind appears to largely control the Soul then this is an unnatural situation. Meditation can help bring about the reverse situation as already indicated. However, the success on this may depend on what ones spiritual connection is, be it a living outer Teacher, or even an inner One. Moreover, the progress "upward" into higher planes represent higher energies of the Spirit. The highest realms represent the more purer, and more subtler ones, and if one is connected with a Teacher (or indeed, the Higher Self probably) from that level, the degree of purification, and control of the Mind would be far better. Unfortunately, there is no "objective" way of ascertaining this situation.
The idea of the Mind as being largely conditioned raises powerful ethical considerations.

i) How can one be made liable to the punishments (or indeed rewards) of certain actions in this life? Evidence suggests that the "Soul" judges the Mind Itself via the life review in near death experience, and ofcourse after death itself. This is an absurdity in one sense, and arguably a form psychic entrappment as the Mind of the Soul feels guilt, and feels the need to make amends. In other words, the former has been "tricked" in the interests of "spiritual evolution".

ii) How can it be right if a person "can be made" to do wrong actions so that the victim receives his, or her "just desserts" from another life? In effect, it implies that the perpetrator is in a sense acting out a Play in which he, or she has to act "unwittingly" as an agent for the Law of Karma metering out "punishment(s)"? And if what someone did was right to ensure "punishment" for the victim it implies that the whole world of karmic credits, and debit is a highly "exact." If this were not so there would be no "real justice?" In other words, a set-up. Yet, it may be perfectly possible that there are "injusticies" which are not karmically directly caused by a previous life, or lives. Yet, they may have somekind of affect which helps to "cleanse" the individual psychically, and "spiritually".

iii) All this indicates something very important. Maybe we are meant to realize via experience that karma is a form of "sham" justice? In one sense, it appears right, but there is also another way of looking at it as suggested here.


iv) If the Soul has been tricked by the Mind to suffer more,and more...why should It partake in reincarnation? After all It is meant to be a part of God, or some Higher Power?

v) If it is largely, or wholly the Higher Power which can only take us to the higher worlds, and not really our individual efforts then the whole thing can be seen as an elaborate "farce".

vi) Morever, if God, or the Higher Power is qualitively the same as the Soul then potentially It is the manifestation of the Supreme. But since the "beginning" of creation Parts of ItSelf have trapped ItSelf in Its own creation in the process of experience. If God ultimately equals Soul then at a simple whim It should be able to return to the highest planes were reincarnation does not exist irrespective of any bad actions, or karmas. Yet, it is claimed that if one tried to do this in the post mortem state it would take alot longer as life is far easier. Thus, reincarnation into the physical world is "necessary" as life is a lot more difficult, and spiritual progress is much quicker.

A Form of Spiritual Compensation?

What we are suggesting now may seem fantastic. The creation of the visible, and invisible creation maybe a "mistake" in part. At the "start" of creation,the Soul(s)(or "God") experienced the "need" to experience the degrees of difference between good, and evil in order to achieve an understanding of Itself, and Its Real relationship with Its own Creation. The seemingly only way to do this is to let the Soul be more, and more enslaved by the individual Mind. This could also be seen as an "educative deception," or a grave injustice (or "mistake" mentioned earlier). As ongoing "compensation" for this the Soul before, and after Its "death" may get greater Grace. If It were totally responsible for Its karmas, or actions in the physical world this would not be the case, and It would suffer alot more.
Furthermore, the seeming "fact" that we,(our Selves, or Souls) have to go through "countless" rebirths probably suggests that our spiritual evolution is largely the outcome of "trial, and error." It may also indicate that we have little, or no free will, or else we could have arguably achieved spiritual liberation from reincarnation, and the lower worlds a longtime ago.
There are many aspects of this metaphysical subject which are beyond the scope of this essay. Anyway, it should be food for thought




VI. A Certain Ethical Problem in Esotericism



The following essay(2006)comes the Kheper website, and is similiar to the last metaphysical "discourse," .

This short "thought-piece" challenges the esoteric orthodoxy of many traditions. It centres on the concept, and likely reality of reincarnation, and the so-called law of karma, or "perfect justice". It is accepted without question especially in the Buddhist, and Hindu traditions.
Reincarnation is also the "only" real explanation for the so-called injustices of life itself. Yet, it is believed rightly, or wrongly that there is a fundamental "flaw" in it which undermines the need for the "continous necessity" of re-birth, and indeed, the law of karma itself. This can no longer be ignored, and needs to be openly discussed as never before. Here, we will just touch upon the key areas.....
1. Free Will, or Conditioned Free Will?

It is not our intention here to review the notion of free will in Western Philosophy. Most people though would agree that our thoughts, words,and actions are largely conditioned by our past. Pure unconditioned free will is largely, if not wholly "non-existent". As such the rewards, and punishments we receive in this life due to the present, or past actions of another former birth are in the main due to our mental conditioning.

2. Virtual Non-Awareness of Subconcious, and Unconcious Forces Moulding the Concious Mind.

The central ethical problem is this. Since we are largely unaware of what makes us decide the way we do then it becomes clear that "we" are not totally responsible for our actions. In various esoteric traditions it can be said that our (mechanical) mind is in control of the soul (both can be seen as independent "entities" which interact with one another). The injustice of this is that we are really unaware of this predicament, and how it so greatly influences us to do right, or wrong. How many times have we heard people say that "I did not mean to do it", or "I cannot help the way I am"?
Western, and eastern psychologies recognize this in their own ways. If we were fully aware of how, and why we do certain things, and were in true concious control then the law of karma would be rightly applicable. The opposite situation appears to be true, and makes a mockery of the resulting "justice". The question is why? There are esoteric answers but they do not seem to fully justify this situation as we shall shortly see.
Furthermore, with the possible future emergence of Multi-Dimensional Science we may well be able to find how much of our minds are conditioned from actions in this, and previous lifetimes. This could be undertaken via controlled experiments.


3. Four Basic Pro, and Con Arguments, and the Possible Interactions of the Higher Self.

Many psychic communications from the "lower planes" usually claim that "free will" exists. Man is seen as the concious architect of his destiny. However, when we come to great mystics such as the Sufi, and Christian ones (eg. Rumi, and Boehme) it would appear that "free will" is nothing but an illusion as perceived from the "higher planes" of Being. Everything is seen in this world, and the next as the outworkings of the Divine.
Anyway, let us see the key arguments for, and against what has so far been discussed.
1a) In order to achieve spiritual evolution (ie. learning via experience to try, and hopefully bring about higher virtues, and greater purification in ourselves from one life to another) people have no choice but to have a mind through which the soul has to somehow function. Reincarnation notably into the limited physical universe is the only way to do this.
2a) The above claim assumes wrongly that an almighty, and super intelligent God, or the Universal Power cannot come up with something far better, and much fairer to achieve spiritual unfoldment, and ultimately union with the Divine after seemingly endless incarnations. In other words, we do not have full justification for the present "universal" predicament.
1b) The amount of suffering via life after life is nothing compared with the infinite bliss, and final union with the Divine.Thus, whether the process is"unfair" in any way is largely immaterial.
2b) Again, this does not address the central ethical problem of human beings making, and paying off good, and bad actions which are largely the outcome of conditioned free will. This is naturally confounded by the seeming fact that we are unaware of the subconcious, and unconcious influences of our minds!
3a) It has been claimed that what we are discussing here is simply beyond the mind, and the reasons for it can only be understood intuitively.
3b) Many people would regard this "argument" as a cop out when perhaps we have not really thought, and/or researched hard enough. Yet, to be fair it would also be right to say that we cannot explain everything in esotericism by the mind as there are always worlds, and forms of knowledge which are totally ineffable.
4a) In certain hypnotic regressions into past lives, and especially what happens between lives it has been claimed that souls are usually given a plan for the next incarnation. Indeed, they may well agree to receive specific negative experiences (meant to be remedial rather than retributive) that may help them to "grow" more spiritually. These are usually the result of "their" past actions. More incredibly, certain "advanced" souls may "volunteer" to experience bad things for the ultimate aim of speeding up their progress towards total perfection (the ultimate goal of spiritual evolution via experience after "endless" rounds of rebirth. and probable union with the "Divine").
4b) From the general mystical perspective, lives on earth,and other planets are meant to be a means of learning via experience for the pressing need to develop greater, and greater spiritual qualities. This ofcourse can be an uneven path, and may result in a certain amount of spiritual "devolution".
An added dimension to this is the Higher Self which is our Pure Being working to a certain extent via the lower subtle bodies including the mind (ie. the mental body). It is the "God Within", and at the same time is part of the Infinite Power. It is who, or what we really are. Reincarnation is the way in which we re-discover our Selves. Since It can manifest ItSelf as our Chosen Ideal (eg. Christ, Krishna et al), and act as an inner guide before, or after death. It emanates from realms well beyond our limited understanding of time, and space.
In the light of what has been said the Higher Self may during the intermediate stage between births, and deaths may make the lower self, and lower mind accept certain future negative experiences to encourage spiritual growth. This whole process is laid bare in a state of superconciousness when one can see ones previous lives instantaneously, and objectively. It is then that we understand "everything". But is this really a full moral justification? Is it right that when one is incarnate that one is largely unaware of this arrangement if we had agreed to it conciously in the intermediate stage? Again, let us repeat ourselves is there not a better way of doing things? The answer we think is yea!
If what we have been discussing are part justifications rather than full ones it could perhaps even be argued that to a large degree reincarnation, and the so-called law of karma are "null,and void." In the physical world we could perhaps get legal recompense for such an "injustice!" In the spiritual one we have a different ball game. The person, or rather Being to be blamed ofcourse would be our own Higher Self which ofcourse to the limited vision, and understanding of our human mind is absurd! All the same, if our initial claim is indeed correct it should be possible to change things on the "other side" (or via controlled OOBEs, or meditation) with the help possibly of like-minded beings. It could be powerful bargaining counter for the lower mind, and self to achieve liberation from the wheel of births, and death (plus possible other matters) since the very ethical basis of this whole process of "evolution" is seriously in doubt.

4.Beyond the Mind, Beyond All Reason?

In a most bizarre fashion all that has been said for, and against this major ethical issue in esoterism is all correct. If we assume that the infinite psycho-spiritual universe consists of non-absolute truths then this would be possible, and "acceptable!" In other words, Esoteric Relativism.
On the other hand, the endless unseen realities would have absolute truths. Such Esoteric Universalism seems to be more "rational", and acceptable. Yet, it could be said that if the unseen (and indeed, the visible) universe is infinite then everything, and anything is, and can be possible. In effect, it goes beyond all reason which would be seen as the "ultimate(!)" limited illusion.
There are certain arguments which could be used in support for Esoteric Relativism,and they could include the following;-
i) Who created God? This is the classic question notably found in Western Philosophy. One answer is ofcourse is that He created Himself..... and we as the Higher Self are a part of It,and potentially It! This whole notion ofcourse defies reason...
ii) The universe in its "totality(!)" is probably infinite. This too defies reason because how can anything be limitless, and beyond our ability to imagine, and completely quantify in any "scientific" manner?
iii) In the "scientific" many worlds theory it is perfectly possible that parallel universes exist with an infinite number of alternate histories. Ofcourse, if correct this has some rather interesting implications for mysticism, and especially our claimed "unfairness" of the reincarnation process in connection with the mind, and conditoned free will.
No doubt we could present some more "evidence" that Esoteric Relativism could be the Absolute Reality so to speak. Whether it is, or not is largely unprovable by normal means, and will probably remain an Eternal Mystery. Yet, the claimed "unfairness" of reincarnation just mentioned would be fully, or partly justified in an infinite number of ways, and indeed, in an infinite number of worlds. This point was already expressed differently right at the start of this section of the present essay.
Indeed,there would probably be realities where reincarnation as a means of spiritual evolution would not exist. Again, such realities would inhabit countless numbers of different universes, and have their own kinds of "justifications." In the end the Truth cannot really be limited by finite reality but is boundless, and creative in any infinite number of ways both conceivable, and inconceivable to our limited mind, and vision.
What we have been reading here is very important. It can also be expanded by further debate, and research in the future. It is something which is well worth exploring.

VII The Anatomy of Thoughts

Ref Thoughts, and Visions Blog, 2011

The following is an extract from another article which may be of interest, and relevance.
.......I began to develop a questionaire about thought structure, and contents of the human mind. Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of it. But I can give some idea of the questions presented....
1. Do your thoughts appear visual most of the time?
2. If you close your eyes, and see an image what is the appearance of its surrounds. Is it fuzzy? Is it grainy? Is it firelike? etc
3. Does the surround of your image change, or not? If so, what shape manifests itself?
4. Do you feel thoughts as images enter different points of the human body? Do your thoughts of love for example enter the heart area? Do mainly intellectual thoughts enter the top the head....et cetera.
5. Do you sense thoughts sometimes enter your head as if they were "disembodied" energies? (Here, the notion is like question 4) For example, people sometimes say that a thought just struck them, or it just came into their mind out of the blue...and so on.
The above are just some examples of the thoughts questionaire.
A member of the Slough Writers Group called Miss Portsmouth actually undertook answering the questions. She found it very interesting, and incidently, she was studying psychology! She gave some intriguing answers but unfortunately I do not have a record of it.
In occult circles "thoughts are things". I recall once doing a telepathic experiment with a friend. The latters thought with the actual word sent was seen by my minds eye as it flashed into my head.
I recall too when I was in a watch repair workshop which was close to East Berks College in Windsor that I was gaining a strong mental rapport with a friend, Steven Stroud. All of a sudden I was aware for a few seconds of a coloured "field" of energy connecting me with him in a kind of telepathic link.

PS Sir Francis Galton was apparently the first known person to actually create something like the thoughts questionaire mentioned above.


VIII. Brief Introduction to Key Indian Esoteric Societies

From the Kheper site

The following is a brief listing of 17 Indian esoteric societies. They represent the key ones which Westerners have come across, and have become influential to varying degrees. There are of course many other ones which are largely, or wholly unknown. Most of them do not have any formal organization at all, and as such we will probably hear nothing about them, or their "background".
This though for a truth-seeker is largely unimportant because the informal "societies" ( if such they can be called) largely teach types of meditation that are already known to the key ones in the 17 given below.


1. The Ramakrishna Mission.
Regarded as arguably being the first Indian society, or movement to seriously introduce mainstream yogic meditation practices, and Vedanta to the West. This occured through the pioneering work of Swami Vivekananda who succeeded Ramakrishna as the chief guru. He tried to present it as being like a "science" rather than purely as a faith in which the unseen spiritual universe could be proved directly to onself along with the superconcious realization of "God".
http://belurmath.org/


2. The Divine Life Society.
This was started by the highly influential Swami Sivananda who wrote many authorative works on various types of yogic meditation. His chief successor was the noted Swami Chidananda who was a highly respected mystic of great influence. Ma Yogashakti, and Vishnu Devananda are a few notable teachers who drew their inspiration from the life and work of Swami Sivananda.
http://www.sivanandaonline.org/public_html/


3. Ramana Maharshi.
He taught a form of yogic (jnana, or knowledge) meditation in which one could find ones Inner God, or "Higher Self" through a form of "self"-discrimination. His ideas became known in the West notably through the writings of Arthur Osborne. As with the other societies mentioned here there are a number of recognized, and unrecognized successors.

http://www.kheper.net/topics/gurus/Ramana_index.html

4. Sri Aurobindo Society.
Sri Aurobindo was a highly educated, and brilliant spiritual teacher who developed Integral Yoga via his published writings.It claims that one can become a channel for the Divine which can be experienced in the physical world, and at the same time help to spiritually transform it. His partner Mira Richard helped his movement to flourish, and was known respectively as the Mother. Auroville in Pondicherry, India is a large evolving "New Age" township of people concerned with putting Integral Yoga into action.
Among many other subjects, Sri Aurobindo himself also wrote some interesting ideas concerned with dream interpretation. He was also originally a political activist who wanted Self-Rule for India but his interest later turned to higher matters especially after some visionary experiences.

http://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/index.htm

5. Siddha Yoga Dham.
This society was inspired by the controversial Swami Muktananda whose practices notably involve chanting mantras, or words of power as a way of awakening the psycho-spiritual energy known as kundalini. He also wrote a remarkable book in which he gave a highly detailed description of his inner experiences. It is called Play of Conciousness, and it has been claimed to initiate "awakenings" in people who are new to Siddha Yoga Dham.
http://www.siddhayoga.org/


6. Sahaja Yoga.
This was founded by Mataji Nirmala Devi who is able to awaken the kundalini directly in people either "en masse," or on a one to one basis. She claims that this is experienced as a "psychic" wind rather than as "heat". The latter phenomenon it is claimed only happens to those gurus, and students who "misuse" the Kundalini which appears at first sight to contradict centuries of tradition, and understanding on the subject!

http://www.kheper.net/topics/gurus/Mataji.htm

7. Ananda Marg.
This society was founded by the controversial Anandamurti who believed that the world could be seriously transformed with the aid of kundalini which could create something akin to a "super-race" existing in proposed "anti-capitalist" type communities. It has also has involved itself in politics, and has notably been "persecuted" by the Indian government.
http://www.anandamarga.org/


8. The Brahma Kumaris, or BKs.

This large organization teaches "RajaYoga" meditation but is not the same as Patanjalis system, and claims to get messages en direct from Shiv Baba, or "God". Like some Christian sects it believes that its followers will be reborn into a Golden Age on earth after the world as we know it has been largely destroyed.
The BKs, or "Raj Yogis" have tried to do much good in the world, and have helped to raise the social status of women in India.

http://www.brahmakumaris.org/


9. Shiva Yoga.
This form of meditation was notably expounded by Kumarswamiji, and has had some influence in the West. It involves meditating on the lingam (in this instance an egg-shaped object, and symbol of Lord Shiva) which along with repetition of a mantra can arouse the kundalini into activity, and lead to "Enlightenement", or "God-Realization."

http://www.shivayoga.net/

10. Transcendental Meditation/TM.
This was introduced to the world by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi notably with help from the Beatles. Essentially via a "mantra" ones thoughts can be ultimately traced back to their origin which is seen as the Ground of Being of Everything in Existence (ie. the "Absolute Reality," or "God"). This ofcourse is Transcendental Meditation, or TM the physical, and mental benefits of which have been studied scientifically. It along with its worldwide organization has drawn much public attention especially its "yogic flying" which is said to release positive collective spiritual energy to influence the world for the good (eg. reducing crime....).

http://www.tm.org/

11. International Society for Krishna Conciousness/ ISKCON.
Very well-known Indian society which claims that repeating the Holy Name of Krishna can link directly to the Supreme Personality of the Godhead. Unlike most Indian societies it does not believe that its recognized teaching "gurus" are the physical manifestations of God.
Sri Prabhupada in his seventies left India virtually penniless to start up ISKCON in America, and helped many of the youth to adopt a high ethical life free of drugs, and alcohol. He also wrote many interesting, but "simplistic" books on Krishna, and the ancient Vedic scriptures.

http://iskcon.org/

12. 3HO Yogi Bhajan.

It involves a wide variety of meditational, and physical exercises to awaken the kundalini into activity. The 3 HOs mean Healthy,Happy, and Holy Organization. Yogi Bhajan its original teacher was among other things responsible in helping to popularize genuine interest in Sikhism, and like ISKCON (and other "movements") helped to reform many young people.

http://www.3ho.org/

13. Shivabalayogi.
After many years of austerity Shivabalayogi introduced to the world his dhyana, vibuhti, bhajan, bhava samadhi, or respectively his meditation, holy ash (said to have healing powers), spiritual songs, and divine trance. The last item can be facilitated by "energy" emitted from one of the successors of this tradition. During spiritual songs some, or indeed, many people can enter into a trance, and temporarily leave the body in a state of higher conciousness, and see their Ishta Dev, or Chosen Ideal (eg. Christ, Shiva, etc), and become "possessed" ecstatically by It).
http://shivabalayogi.org/


14. The Self-Realization Fellowship.
This society was originated by the "ageless", and "mythical" Mahavatar Babaji. The specific line of Masters in the Self-Realization Fellowship included the illustrious Sri Yukteswar whose chief successor was Paramahansa Yogananda. They taught Kriya Yoga which involves the awakening of kundalini via a series of initiations, or "grades" of development using a variety of meditation techniques... which tend to vary from one "sect" to another teaching the "same system" with the same name!
Yogananda took this teaching to the world to much acclaim, and authored the classic book on the subject "The Autobiography of a Yogi"
http://www.yogananda-srf.org/


15. Osho Shree Rajneesh.
Controversial Osho Shree Rajneesh was a very prolific author of books especially concerned with mysticism.Essentially,he belived that "anything goes" including sex. By indulging in it we could ultimately go beyond it, and attain "Enlightenment". In other words, a form of Tantra Yoga.Moreover, his ideas, and his meditational practices notably included "Western pop psychology" in which via certain forms of pent-up emotions (eg crying, wild laughing, etc) could be released in a structured manner (eg in Dynamic Meditation) so that they could no longer ultimately become a problem in life.

http://www.osho.com/


16. The Meher Baba Association.
Meher Baba regarded himself as the "Highest of the High, the first Perfect Master, or Avatar". He went through several phases of his "Universal Work", and became well-known in India, and abroad. From July 10th 1925 he maintained silence, and communicated via an alphabet board, and special hand gestures.

http://www.kheper.net/topics/Meher_Baba/index.htm

17. The Radhasoami Faith / Sant Mat, or the Teachings of the Saints. This believes that one can "die before death" in a meditation referred to as surat shabd yoga. It claims to have a "complete" understanding of the Spiritual Regions, and claims rightly, or wrongly to go beyond the reach of all other forms of eastern, and western meditation practices. This inner journey involves guidance from the Radiant Form of a Master, and utilizes the inner mystical Sound, and indeed, the inner Light as a means of visionary "ascension," or Mystic Transport.
The best known "movement" to spread surat shabd yoga especially in the West is the Radha Soami Satsang Beas notably via the classic book The Path of the Masters (1939) by Dr. Julian Johnson. Of course, other groups ofcourse exist each with their own teacher, or Satguru, or Perfect Master.
http://www.kheper.net/topics/Sant_Mat/index.html


There are a number of other gurus/socieites which have been excluded for one reason or another. They include Guru Maharaj, Sathya Sai Baba, Jashan Vaswani, Amritanandamayi, Swami Ramdas, Gururaj Ananda Yogi, Shri Chinmoy, Brahmarishi Kumar Swami, et al..........

 

From Surface Conciousness to Divinisation

Integral Esotericism - Part 7

By Alan Kazlev


Source Ref
http://www.integralworld.net/



 7-i. Levels of Consciousness - Four stages of inner realisation
The states of existence described in the chapter 4 are not just abstractions, but can be explored and experienced through consciousness-raising exercises and esoteric and spiritual discipline. This constitutes the path of spiritual development, by which one acquires freedom from cosmic forces(sect. 4-xxv) and ultimately becomes an instrument of the Divine actualisation and Divinisation of matter itself, which is also the realisation of Self as the Supreme and vice-versa.
The following very simplistic diagram refers to the first four stages in this ascent or inward movement of consciousness, from the surface consciousness of the outer personality, to the stage of Enlightenment and Liberation. This last is traditionally (both in the perennial philosophy and also in Wilberian theory) the final stage, but in the Integral yoga and transformation only the first of a series of larger and greater enlightenment and transenlightenment.
Fig 19. Stages of Inner Consciousness culminating in Liberation and Enlightenment
Note that the sense of ego and self-emphasis persists right up until the final realisation of enlightenemnet or liberation, when it is transcended. This is important when considering the "Intermediate zone", the region or stage of partial spiritual enlightenment that it is suggested (TLDI 2b) can be used to explain the paradoxical nature of many abusive gurus who still nevertheless seem to have authentic powers and realisation.
The following sections describe each of the above four stages or levels of consciousness and reality in turn.

7-ii. The Mundane level / Mundane Consciousness

Transcendent / Atzilut	Causal / Beriah	Subtle / Yetzirah	Gross / Dense / Asiyah

This is the level of the "exoteric", the outer being or surface personality - the outer physical, emotional and mental consciousness, and of the external or gross reality. In other words, this is the only sphere of being at which there is an actual Cartesian dichotomy between subject and object, self and other, "exterior" and "interior". Of course, what is exterior to oneself is actually interior to another, so even this dichotomy is invalid.
Cosmologically and ontologically, the Exoteric or Mundane sphere - in Kabbalah and Hermetic occultism referred to as Asiyah - constitutes the most external level or aspect of reality (see table 10). It is at this gross physical level that evolution takes place, supported by the subtle physical. This is why all these forces have come together, it is to manifest in and as the physical universe through the unfolding cosmic reality.
Mundane Consciousness, like all the spheres of being, consists of various sub-levels (physical, affective, mental, etc), of which the most focused and "objective" (pertaining to the exterior material world) and hence repeatable and scientific, is the "physical mind"(sensu Sri Aurobindo - see sect 1-ix). This is interested only in the mundane or outer being and the reality it experiences.
At the same time, the surface aspects of the outer being constitute the essential interface between the mundane individual self and the larger mundane exterior world (other selves). And although this is the most restricted and limited level of human consciousness (apart from the subconscious), by that very reason it is also the starting point for higher development.
There is also a much more limited form of quasi-physicalism, that of the fundamentalist religious believer, who applies a sort of physical mind objectivism to every word and letter of his or her particular sacred scripture, seeking to understand it the way that the scientist understands the external universe. Thus the mundane level corresponds to exoteric religion as well; concepts of an anthropomorphic deity apart from nature, and reliance on the infallibility of a particular scripture, or even of a pope or imam or some sort of priesthood, is just as much limited to the outer reality as objectivist secular knowledge, but much more restrictive. And whereas science and empirical method give a valid understanding of mundane reality - as indicated by its tremendous growth and success over the past few centuries - religious literalism gives an incorrect understanding, because it tries to present scripture as empirical fact, rather than as symbol and metaphor. In other words, religious fundamentalism takes religion, which belongs to "System B" in Gooch's table, and tries to force it into "system A". This is not to criticise those who practice their faith with sincerity, but only to point out that even good religion makes for bad science.
The following table presents an a rough theoretical description of the sublevels of gross physical reality according to the holarchy of Individual to Infinite-Universal (rows) on various Ontological density levels (columns)

Ontological state / Holarchy	Spiritual of Physical (spirituality inasmuch as it pertains to the physical)	Mental of Physical (Humanities, philosophy, science, understanding - interface with mental plane)	Affective/Emotional of Physical (Humanities, Art, empathy in part - interface with subtle physical plane)	Physical of Physical (Dense physical) (Complexity theory, systems science, chaos theory, mathematics, etc)
Universal-Infinite	Universal Spiritual in the physical (= Almaas' Logos?)	Mental plane and universal archetypes (Platonic ideas) ("Truth")	Emotional plane and universal felt meaning ("Goodness")	The Infinite Multiverse (dense physical) (described in physics, mathematics, TOE, etc)
(Larger universe or Macrocosm)	Cosmic Spiritual Physical deities / cosmic "devas" (Alice Bailey, etc)	Mental cosmic archetypes; visionary imagination, large scale changes in history (some effects from subtle physical cosmecological forces)	Emotional cosmic feelings; large scale changes in history (some effects from subtle physical cosmecological forces)	Physical cosmos, Galaxies, etc, the Earth, etc (described in astronomy, astrophysics, etc, also the Earth as a whole, planetology, Gaia, etc)
Collective (sphere of collective society; Wilber's lower two quadrants)	Spiritual environment / "devas" (Alice Bailey, etc)	Mental environment (Noosphere; including intersubjective networking, internet, etc; human knowledge) (= AQAL LL), theory, ideas, sciences and arts, human knowledge, Morality (as normative rules of behavior)	Emotional environment, cultures, societies, trends, mass media, the "double"sensu Steven Guth[1] (described in Sociology, Sociobiology, History, etc; however the descriptions themselves belong to the collective mental) (= AQAL LL)	Physical environment (described in Geology, Meteorology, Ecology, etc, and where man-made the physical infrastructure of society (= AQAL LR)
Interactive (I-Thou - ego or self in relation with others and with the world)	Spiritual inspiration, aspiration, interaction with others (empathy) or with the Supreme (bhakti), (aspiration in the physical, spiritual development, culminating in the integral transformation),	Mental interaction with others or noosphere as a whole through face to face communication, text, art, poetry, email, blogging, etc	Emotional interaction with other through subliminal body language, art, emotional-auric interchange, etc ("Art" as empathic and the connection between artist and audience)	Physical interactions with other beings, or with the environment as a whole, ("Beauty" as appreciation of physical form)
Individual/Egoic (sphere of individual self; self absorption, microcosm or self as "little universe")	Spiritual consciousness, spiritual discipline, motivation, practice, enlightenment, jivanmukti (Liberated while in the body)	Mental consciousness (Psychology, phenomenology, science, etc also Gooch's "Ego" (table 2 in part); Wilber's IMP as mental-dualistic) (= AQAL UL), I.Q., mental bubble or fortress, mental development and self-development, subjectivity, paranoia	Emotional consciousness, developed sentience and feeling (Biology, Psychology, etc, also Gooch's "Self" (table 2 in part) (= AQAL UL); E.Q., sensitivity, feelings, emotional development and self-development, subjectivity, kleshas	Physical/ somatic consciousness / body (= AQAL UL); inanimate and animate (described in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physiology, etc) (= AQAL UR), physical/somatic development and self-development

Table 15: subdivisions of the Gross Physical (including AQAL quadrants)
Here different fields of knowledge and practice can be understood as pertaining to different realities. Physics and mathematics for example would be Universal-Infinite of the dense physical, since they have universal application, astronomy and astrophysics the cosmic, since they apply to large scale phenomenona, geology, meteorology, ecology etc the collective, and other fields of science in the individual dense/gross/asiyatic physical (this latter would be equivalent to Wilber's "upper right" quadrant). Complexity theory, systems science, chaos theory, etc would apply to the Cosmic down to the individual, and not just the lower right as Wilber asserts, since they apply on many levels of scale.. And obviously further holarchical levels could be postulated as well.
Creativity, integral activism and transformation likewise can occur at different levels or realities, in each case according to the aspect of reality at that level. I have included correspondences with Wilber's AQAL quadrants, to give a further idea of the areas of knowledge pertaining to each. Because of the subjectivity and sentience of the body, the left hand quadrants "I" also extend to the physical (the right column here).
The "Big Three" can also fit here. Wilber developed the idea of the Big Three as a simplification of his four quadrants. He draws on Plato, Weber, Habermas, and other philosophers for inspiration, but, obviously, gives the whole thing his own interpretation. These three are:

Beauty, represented by Art, talked about in "I" language (individual subjective), and representing the validity claim of subjective truthfulness,

Goodness, represented by Morality, talked about in "we" language (collective subjective), and representing intersubjective justness); and

Truth, represented by Science, talked about in "it" language (objective), and representing objective truth (upper right quadrant) and interobjective. functional fit (lower right quadrant).

All three - science, art and morals - also apply at the levels, because the four quadrants on which they are based occur at all levels, but each of which has a different methodology and validity claim: i.e. truthfulness, justness, truth and functional fit.
Looking at Wilber's Big Three there seem to me to be two different interpretations of this. First, as pertaining to different holarchic levels. Truth is something that is individually realised, yet universal (I am not just talking about science but truth at any level). Art is co-active in that it is intimate and interpersonal; from the artist to the audience; Morality is required for society as a whole to function and so is collective. These archetypes also pertain to different ontic gradations: Beauty pertains to perfection of form (Physical), Goodness to the Heart and feelings (emotional), although Morality requires the Will (physical?) to put into practice, although law being very intellectual requires the mental being, and Truth pertains to the intellect (the objective truth of empirical method) and beyond (levels of gnosis).

7-iii. Subtle / Occult / Spiritual / Esoteric Consciousness

Transcendent / Atzilut	Causal / Beriah	Subtle / Yetzirah	Gross / Dense / Asiyah

Beyond the literalist exoteric religious and rationalistic-mental explanations, is the intuitive understanding, experience, and access to the inner being. These are dimensions and states of being some of which are far beyond the mundane level of consciousness. Neither amenable to empirical study, nor able to be accommodated by literalist interpretations of scripture, they simply cannot be accommodated in either the secular scientism or the exoteric religious worldview. They include both sub-physical, intra-physical, and supra-physical realities. The supra-physical realities especially, are quite ontologically distinct from the physical, and hence can neither be proved or disproved by empirical methods.
This in no way means that science (the methodology and body of knowledge) as opposed to scientism (the exclusivist worldview) is wrong, or deficient. Science is one of the most extraordinary and inspiring and creations of the human consciousness, and should be supported and acknowledged as the foundation for any understanding of reality, because any theory or paradigm that contradicts science in its account of the physical world, such as Creation Science does, while not giving any form empirical evidence beyond religious sentiment, is quite simply in error.
Whether scientific methodology of any sort can be applied to the subtle realms is a fascinating question that has yet to be answered. Charles T. Tart[2], Ken Wilber[3], and Robert Searle[4] each in their own ways say it can; Jorge Ferrer in his book Previsioning Transpersonal Theory, and arguing from the postmodernist and participatory perspective, says it can't. I believe that both sides are right to some degree, but clearly this is a subject that needs more study.
The esoteric can be taken further, and presented in terms of levels of insight and transformative practice. Although on the one hand one could suggest this is a sort of progression of development from theory to practice to greater and deeper and more profound practice; a series of stages, which on the one hand can be described in terms of "include and transcend", but on the other hand can equally be described as each equally valid and in a a sense parallel. Also, it is very important to understand that all these levels (and all the sublevels they contain) are connected to and intergrade into each other, so this definitely should not be thought of a simplistic linear sequence in the manner of Theosophy or Wilberism. The further one allows one's consciousness to expand, the greater the insight and gnosis.
At these levels, experience is limited only the highly distorting nature of one's mental bubble or mental fortress. The result of this is that we do not see things as they are, but as we think they are. This is why many esoteric and occult cosmologies are highly subjective, even though they do authentically contact and in their practical form (occultism and some forms of yoga) allow the interaction with subtle realities.
The following shows the relationship between the various Ontological states and primary ontological worlds or density gradations, excluding the higher spiritual and transcendent realities.

Ontological state / gradation:	Causal / Beriah	Subtle / Yetzirah	Gross / Dense / Asiyah
Mental / Ideational Reality	Spiritual archetypes and deities, profound transcendent meditative states, cosmic consciosuness	Higher spiritual heaven worlds, spiritual hierarchies,creators of forms, thought forms, traveling in the imagination, etc	Mental consciousness; sense of "I", totality of thoughts and beliefs, Mind's eye, thoughts, imagination,
Affective / Astral Reality	Higher heaven worlds and states, Causal astral cosmic archetypes and hierarchies of light, love, and bliss, mystical experiences, bhakti, compassion and mahakaruna	Astral planes and worlds; Daimons, attractors, hierarchies, subjective and objective experiences, (Hermetic Kabbalah, occultism, etc)	Emotional/affective consciousness; the Affective in the subtle physical is the Emotional body
Physical Reality	Spiritual or yogic body and states, Tantric states and worlds, subtle physical deities etc	Etheric, Emotional, and Mental subtle bodies and environment, auras, devas, alternative healing, astrology, cosmecology, "celestial" influences (Neo-Theosophy, Anthroposophy, etc)	Gross Reality: Mundane psycho-physical (Physical, Emotional, and Mental) reality (Sciences and Humanities, Conventional Integral theory), Exoteric knowledge and understanding.

Table 16: The Subtle realities - subdivisions of Ontological states and gradation. The lower right cell refers to the Gross Reality, the other eight to the subtle reality
No philosophy can be truly considered integral which does not include these non-exterior-objective realities into account And I mean take them into account on there terms, not try to reduce them to explanations that are non-threatening and acceptable to the materialistic mindset.

7-iv. Intermediate / Pseudo-enlightened Consciousness

Transcendent / Atzilut	Causal / Beriah	Subtle / Yetzirah	Gross / Dense / Asiyah

Beyond the mental bubble are the far more cosmic and potent dimensions of the immanent/transcendent (indeed such dichotomies are meaningless at this and higher levels) intermediate zone, in which ignorance and delusion are determined not by the conceptual mind but by the levels of egoic pseudo-enlightenment and potent but misleading experiences of great power and knowledge which are however still not of the nature of true enlightenment or liberation. Indeed it seems that the great majority of gurus and teachers that proclaim total enlightenment but still retain narcissistic and abusive behaviour (rationalised as "crazy wisdom" or "necessary to break down the walls of the ego") are false teachers which are trapped in the Intermediate Zone, mistaking that for the final goal. This is explained by Sant Mat (Sikh esotericism) which refers to a number of misleading lesser heavens, by Sri Aurobindo in his important essay on the Intermediate Zone, and by my own comments in the "gurus and spiritual teachers" section of my website[5].
fig.20. Inner and Outer States and the extent of the Intermediate Zone
The various inner states of existence (i.e. anything beyond Gross / Asiyatic) may also be pertinent to an understanding of the Intermediate zone or region (described by Sri Aurobindo), which constitute states of realisation between the true infinite inner divine plane and the more limited and imperfect outer or superficial planes and being. Everything from the subtle to the transcendent, if considered or mistaken for the authentic egoless liberation and enlightenment, could be included under the Intermediate zone. This is explained in the above diagram, which also incorporates the four-fold Vedantic and Theonist division and Aurobindonian Integral psychology and metaphysics
The importance of understanding the dangers of the Intermediate zone and making orientation to Psychicisation (=Soul realisation) central to one's spiritual practice in order to avoid this, has already been explained in TLDI 2-v and 2-vi. Without understanding and recognition of the dangerous allure of the former, and without the absolute necessity of the latter in any integral, and hence any authentic, spiritual practice, genuine spirituality is probably impossible. The reason there are so many abusive gurus, with the beguiling and ambiguous experiences associated with them - experiences, indeed, the very same experience, that can greatly aid and help one person in their spiritual journey, yet totally destroy the life of another - is precisely due to the power of the Intermediate zone.
Note that the Intermediate zone is not an ontological level; it is not a specific zone or universe or reality in the spectrum of manifestation. It is simply a generic and useful label for certain high (to our mundane consciousness) stages of spirituality and self-realisation that the sadhak (spiritual aspirant) passes through, and which are intermediate between the ordinary consciousness and true egoless enlightenment. But many of the phenomena associated with the intermediate zone are ontological real and supra-mundane, because when one attains a certain level of development or realisation, one's being is expansive enough that it is possible to access these realities. The clasisc example is shaktipat, which is often given by gurus stuck at this level, and which constitutes radical transformative and transpersonal experiences that can give bliss to some, and mental breakdown to others. The same experience mind you, can heal one person, and destroy another. That is why so many devotees and disciples swear by their intermediate zone guru. All these experiences however are ultimately traps, because experiences given by a true Guru or Master are always positive; it is never a case with a true realised being that one devotee is helped and another destroyed. That is why, wherever there is any controversy at all, it is assign that the guru in question is trapped in the Intermediate zone, no matter how many devotees swear by him or her.
Intermediate zone subtle, causal, and transcendent level spiritual experiences and associated phenomena are only one (albeit very broad) class of phenomena and experiences that the spiritual aspirant may encounter when entering into the inner and occult realms. Others are classic paranormal phenomena, out of body experience, meetings with multidimensional entities, revelations of gods or archetypes, transpersonal experiences beyond time and space, and so on[6].
Unfortunately, as far as the contemporary New Age / New Consciousness / Integral movement and paradigms go, there is at present very little in the way of either theoretical or practical understanding of the Intermediate zone. This cluster of paradigms, based on watered down and apologetic versions of Vedantic and Buddhistic philosophy and practice, has little understanding beyond the Basic understanding of non-dual enlightenment.

7-iv-b. The Intermediate zone and False Spirituality.

It is a fact that not all paths that proclaim spiritual freedom and enlightenment actually deliver it. Even experiences that we think are spiritual very often are not, and teachers that we think are enlightened are far from it. This is the problem of the abusive guru, so characteristic of the New Age and Integral movement, and the partial enlightenment experiences that result from the abusive or false gurus' partaking of the Intermediate zone. Such false gurus have no more freedom than the average person, in fact they often are far more deluded, because of the overpowering nature of the larger forces, the larger holons if you will, that have swallowed them up. This is why there is so much pathological narcissism among charismatic false gurus and teachers[7]. Their little human personality identifies with the larger vastness of the force in question, and they they think they are God, and/or beyond all morality . The experiences these larger forces provide are worse than no experience at all, because they give the false guru the power to touch others, and the disciple or devotee, touched in this way, and having had a taste of enlightenment, will justify any abusive or narcissistic behaviour on the part of their teacher, and any masochistic response on their own part, as somehow necessary for their own enlightenment, to break down the walls of their ego. For more on this, see TLDI 2-iv . And here again a map of inner space and of supra-physical realities is required, and essential. Because without such understanding it is all too easy to take the false teachings as authentic.
What we are left with is on the one hand the lack of freedom and will of ordinary life, in which one is a slave and puppet to whatever forces come along (sect. 4-xxv), and which defines both the gross and the subtle/occult levels. And on the other the pseudo-spirituality taught by intermediate zoner gurus, in which case not only is the devotee still a slave and puppet of those same forces forces, but now is also prey to the manipulations of their (false) guru as well. And the false guru him or (more rarely) herself is even more of a slave and a puppet than their devotees, because they are so enmeshed in their own little power-trips of narcissism, self-justification, and sadomaschistic "guru"-devotee relationships, all of which come not from their own will or choice but from whatever usually little entities of the subtle regions or intermediate zones choose to work through them to enforce their own field of activity in the cult. Many abusive gurus seem to end up simply self-destructing because the occult forces that feed into them from the intermediate zone, and through them to their disciples and devotees, are inevitably too much for the small human personality to handle[8]. This is how abusive false guru and narcissistic charismatic leadership leads to progressive deterioration and increasingly outrageous behaviour on the part of the guru and as a result the eventual self-implosion of their whole movement or cult.
There is however a third option beyond the unconsciousness of ordinary life, and the slavery and abuse of an intermediate zoner guru. That is authentic spirituality, which simply means us getting in touch, and acting in harmony with, the Supreme, which is after all just our own Transcendent Nature. No rationalistic excuses, no buying into the self-delusion and slickly packaged offerings of "enlightenment" by intermediate zoner gurus. Authentic sp[irituality is always humble, and never makes excuses for the behaviour of others, nor denies the disquiet that one may feel when confronted with someone claiming to be a enlightened guru but acting very differently.

7-v. Enlightened Consciousness

Transcendent / Atzilut	Causal / Beriah	Subtle / Yetzirah	Gross / Dense / Asiyah

Beyond the intermediate zone is the state of true liberation or enlightenment. It is only at this stage that one finally becomes free of the various cosmic forces that determine the nature and contents of one's consciousness at the exoteric, occult, and intermediate zone levels (sect. 4-xxv).
Gurus and spiritual teachers that are established at this level are the real deal, and are indeed rare pearls to be sought amid the mud and muck of the countless beguiling intermediate zone false gurus. That does not mean that anything and everything an enlightened sage says is true. They are still limited both in their human expression and in the distorting bias and filter of their knowledge, understanding, and experiences up until when they attained enlightenment. An enlightened guru for example does not understand transenlightened states of realisation. But as far spiritual action in the material world goes, they are indeed exemplary, and light years away from the manipulation and deception of the false gurus
In all traditional spiritualities enlightenment is the highest one can go. Sri Aurobindo however refers to even greater states of trans-enlightenment beyond that. The nature of some of these states of liberation or enlightenment has already been referred to at some length in TLDI 3-v and 3-vi, to which the reader is referred.
Thus any integral spirituality would be one in which Liberation/Enlightenment is not limited to only one type of Liberation. Here again we find the weakness of Wilberian integralism, when it comes to application on the spiritual level, as opposed to the merely intellectual synthesis. This imbalance is due to the fact that Wilberian spirituality is based on the Advaitin, Buddhistic, and Daist concepts of non-dual liberation in the impersonal Transcendent, and sees the world-process as illusion. In contrast to this, one finds a more truly integral position in the more fluid approach to enlightenment and self- and God-realisation proposed by Sri Aurobindo and Abraham Maslow, and even the postmodernism-inspired participatory spirituality of Jorge Ferrer.

7-vi. Integral Spirituality

By Integral Spirituality I mean transformative practice leading to the Integral enlightenment and eventually the divinising of the individual nature and the collective and ultimately global evolution. Integral Spirituality seems to be absent from the Wilberian movement, as Wilber's book of the same name actually refers to the newest iteration of his intellectual philosophy. However, integral or integrative spirituality of some form is central to the revelation of authentic teachers like Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, and more recently A.H. Almaas (however there are other authentic teachings who still taught a more one-sided approach, such as the enlightened sage Ramana Maharshi). I interpret Sri Aurobindo and The Mother's Integral Yoga as the paradigmatic and most comprehensive example of Integral Spirituality, but this is not to deny the validity of other paths as well.
It is important then that we understand that authentic spiritual practice is a truly dedicated, life-changing and indeed lifetime commitment . An Integral Spirituality can only be built on the insights and teachings of actual realised or enlightened beings. We are not talking about some sort of ego-gratification or life-style choice, whether it be the pop-New Age Lifestyle Tantra that derives from Rajneesh (himself an abusive guru, although many people who only know his writings and at best brief darshans have spoken about how they benefited from his teachings) or "Integral cross training" (sect 6-iv) but a complete dedication to a goal that is far beyond the small ego and its narcissistic desires.
An Integral spirituality by its very nature is broad and inclusive. Everything is included; esoteric as well as exoteric, bhakti as well as Jnana, impersonal Divine as well as the Personal Divine (and vice-versa in all these categories). An integral yoga teaching is truly integral, because nothing is excluded. Hence this is also a spirituality and yoga that that acknowledges all traditions and paths Here we have the universalising Sufism of Hazrat Inayat Khan, the four complementary yogas of Swami Vivekananda, and also the syncretic approach of the current "New Age" movement. Unfortunately this sort of approach seems to be lacking in a lot of spiritual teachings, where instead we find things like hang ups and guilt feelings about the body, monotheistic intolerance that denies the insights of monism (for example exoteric abrahamic religions and some eastern groups like the Hare Krishnas), and even the Advaitin-Buddhistic approach where, if not balanced as it is in the teachings of Vivekananda or the tolerant loving-kindness approach of the current Dalai Lama, emphasises the transcendent non-dual witness consciousness to the exclusion of the physical and emotional being and the material world.
Freedom from dogmatism is also very important, if one is to avoid the tendency towards fundamentalism and cultism that is almost universal in humanity. It simply involves taking a common-sense view of things, and not allowing oneself to be caught up in the excitement generated by religious attractors and false gurus, is required if one is to avoid cultic bias. Practice means developing a healthy scepticism towards creeds and dogmas, and letting oneself follow one's own common-sense feelings and inner guidance, not external authority figures. This has been taught by Guatama Buddha, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and The Mother. One might even mention to some extent Atheism and Scepticism, except that they replace conventional religion with their own dogma of scientism and secularism, which ultimately is just another religion.
No matter how sublime a teaching, once you become a fundamentalist you are likely to lose the spiritual connection.
Finally there is the vision of a future, supra-mental, collective posthuman evolutionary state of physical divinisation . If the evolutionary cosmology has a history that takes us up to the present, it also has a future too, an Omega Point or state of Supramentalisation, as described by Teilhard de Chardin and Sri Aurobindo, in Kabbalah it is is referred to as Tikkun olam, "healing the world". This is the cosmic Transformation and divinisation of the individual, collective, and planetary consciousness and being on all levels, Soul- and Self-realisation and beyond; Godheadhood, Supramentalistion, Omega Point, Divinisation of the World and the Cosmos as a whole. It is worth noting that Wilber tends to deconstruct teachings like this, using an Advaito-Buddhistic approach to concepts such as ignorance and transcendence; for example his comments on Teilhard's omega point in SES[9]. In this respect then, as elsewhere, the current thesis differs radically from the Wilberian paradigm.
.

7-vii. Four dimensions of Enlightenment and Divinisation

In TLDI 3-viii a contrast was made between conventional or traditional spirituality which as as its aim transcendence of the world and phenomenal reality, and the attainment of an unmanifest state of liberation, nirvana, union with God, etc (and these various states are not necessarily the same, see TLDI 3-vi), and the Integral Spirituality or Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, which is based instead on transformation and divinisation of the body, physical life, and the World.
A more detailed approach might have four stages of liberation and transformation, each higher of which includes but also transcends (to use Wilber's useful phrase) the preceding. This is indicated by the following diagram, which continues from the preceding one.
fig.21. Four stages of Liberation and Divinisation
Here we have again further stages; and in this case the highest of the preceding diagram (fig.19, sect. 7-i) is actually the lowest stage here; individual divinisation and liberation (also the innermost circle is the lowest, not the highest). There is also the stage of liberation or enlightenment which involves the individual divinisation of the body. Beyond this are the stages of Preliminary and Complete Supramentalisation (divinisation).

fig.22. Stages towards supramentalisation

As shown in fig 22, above, liberation could be partial (non integral). But for an integral divinisation, Liberation has to involve not just the liberation of a single faculty or identification with the Self as Absolute (Atman, Brahman, Buddha Nature, Godhead, etc), and not just the option and possibility of many different goals of realisation (Ferrer's "Ocean of many shores") but an integral transformation of Soul-Realisation in addition to Self-Realisation. This can be represented as follows:
In this diagram, arrows represent direction of development. There are two dead-end stages; Intermediate zone ensnarement and Static Liberation. At the lower left are the faculties of the physical, emotional/affective, and mental being. Realisation of the infinite inner being (table 9) and self-realisation can be had with any of these individually or with all together (in order to avoid too many overlapping arrows I separated the physical inner being and self-realisation (bottom middle left of the chart) from the affective and mental equivalent (upper middle left, and these could equally be portrayed in two separate boxes)).
Thus we have the first basic principle of any authentic integral spirituality - addressing all faculties of the outer being: Integral spirituality involves not just the enlightenment of the mind as in conventional liberation, but also the rejection of world-negating and ascetic spiritualities. In conventional Eastern nondual philosophy it is the mind that is stilled, leading to nirvana or liberation. The other faculties are ignored or suppressed, until they just drop away. In contrast, an integral Spirituality and an Integral Yoga has to equally transform all the faculties. Not just the liberation of Mind in Witness consciousness, but the Liberation of Feeling in the Divine Heart consciousness, of body in activities like alchemical Taoist and Tantric transformation. Hence the concept of Embodied spirituality , the rejection of world-negating and ascetic spiritualities. In contrast to the world-denying spiritualities concerned only with the higher faculties, and refusing to consider anything below the heart center, embodied spirituality regards the body as a source of spiritual insight, a microcosm of the universe as a whole, and pivotal and necessary for an enduring spiritual transformation. This is summed up in a good on-line essay by Jorge Ferrer, to which the reader is referred[10]. Wilberian Integral theorists might argue that "embodied" unnecessarily restricts spirituality to the Upper Right Quadrant of Wilber's AQAL diagram. Ignoring the fact that the upper right quadrant here represents an impersonalised dualistic misinterpretation of the body (sect ), the idea here is not to reject the other aspects of consciousness, but to redress the current imbalance of spiritualities that reject the body. This wholesome attitude to the body is an important part of the New Age movement, Neopaganism, and even pop Tantra[11]. In various forms of ecospirituality it is also extended to the world as a whole (see "a synergetic and organic society" above). A recent development along this line is Integral Transformative Practice, or ITP, a spiritual practice that attempts to integrate body, mind, heart, and soul, and is advocated by Michael Murphy and George Leonard. Within the orthodox Wilberian Integral Movement however there seems to be a lack not of spirituality as such but of any serious integral spirituality (Wilber refers to ITP but his attitude seems to be dismissive[12]), and esoteric-occult and integral yogic insight.
Spiritual development, whether referring to one faculty or to all of them, can lead either to Liberation or to ensnarement in the Intermediate zone. The latter appears to be the far more common outcome, if the ratio of abusive to genuine gurus is anything to go by (alternatively it could be argued that genuine gurus are just as common but are more secretive, this begs the question of why they should feel the need to stay hidden, and why those who are public chose not to hide) .
However where there is soul realisation - the coming forth of the Divine Center to guide and transform the physical, emotional/affective, and mental being, separately or together, there is no danger of ensnarement. This is because the Sincerity and Aspiration of the Divine Soul counters and dissolves the narcissistic ego and false sense of pride that leads to sadhaks and gurus believing themselves to have attained the supreme and setting themselves up as teachers on that basis.
Therefore actualisation of the inner being has to involve not just Self-realisation (Liberation or Enlightenment) as in conventional spiritual teachings, and involving the various planes and aspects of the Inner Being (see table 6), but Soul-realisation (The Divine Center) as well. It is only through the latter that one pass through the Intermediate zone without harm. Although in the initial stages consciousness may or may not still be limited to the physical, and the practitioner may be solitary or may interact via positive morality with others or with society, the goal remains transcendence of limited desire-ego, enabling the transformation and transmutation of the entire personality and surface individuality through Self and Soul-realisation
Soul realisation and Self realisation together lead to further progressive stages of transenlightenment. And in addition an enlightened or self-realised being who chooses not to enter into static liberation may choose to return to the Earth to participate in the supramental transformation, hence the arrows from Liberation to Transenlightenement.
A further development, not mentioned by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother but described in other traditions, such as the Taoist immortals and the Tantric nathas and siddhas is the concept of an immortal physical body; although clearly it is the subtle physical that is being referred to. The Fourth Way of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky also teaches the creation of a subtle body, although the Gurdjieffian symbolism and metaphysics tends to obscure things somewhat.
Beyond these stages there is what The Mother refers to as Surhomme. Georges von Vreckem translates this as "Overman" rather than the conventional but misleading translation of "Superman" that is given in the English edition of the Agenda. This Overman consciousness constitutes the preliminary stage of Supramentalisation, and is transition between the old consciousness and true, tikkunic, Supramentalisation.
The Integral Transformation thus culminates in the process by which the entire individual and eventually the larger collectivity is transformed and ultimately divinised. This process of Supramentalisation, and the way in which it differs from both conventional enlightenment and liberation and the understanding of the current Integral movement has already been described in TLDI 3; especially sections 3-viii and 3-ix, to which the reader is referred.

REFERENCES

 

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"With JCS, consciousness studies has arrived."

Susan Greefield, Times Higher Education Supplement

"There is a need for a journal that will publish high-quality work on consciousness while being at the same time less tied down by rigid views as to the suitability of material than most journals. One hopes that the promise of this first issue will be fulfilled."

Brian Josephson, Times Higher Education Supplement.

"It is pleasant that we are promised discussions in the humanities as well as in science, with papers on culture and on the philosophy of mind slated for future issues. It will continue to have something for everybody."

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"In my forty years of experimental research and commentary in the area of conscious experience, I have not encountered a journal as uniquely helpful and stimulating as the JCS. If I had to choose only one journal to read on the topic of consciousness, the JCS would be it."

Benjamin Libet
"There is clearly a need -- or a demand -- for an interdisciplinary journal devoted to the subject, and in its first five years the Journal of Consciousness Studies has done an admirable job of meeting the need. Though focused on just one topic, it has the widest range of contributors of any academic journal I have read"
Ray Monk,  Times Higher Education Supplement (February 12, 1999)

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A New Multi-Disciplinary Subject?

See also Editorial: The Future of Consciousness Studies
Over the last few years, research into consciousness has at last become accepted within the academic community. As John Searle puts it, raising the subject of consciousness in cognitive science discussions is no longer considered to be ``bad taste'', causing graduate students to ``roll their eyes at the ceiling and assume expressions of mild disgust.''
But why are we interested in consciousness? Most people are interested not just because of the academic and interdisciplinary challenges, but because of their personal experience - we have consciousness, we experience it; perhaps we even think that we ``are'' it. But, if we are to make progress in studying consciousness, we will have to think about it very clearly, and engage in serious constructive dialogues between a variety of viewpoints. And that is the purpose of this journal.
The field of consciousness studies is at a very early stage, characterized by crude theories, most of which are unlikely to stand the test of time. We prefer a broad, diverse and open conceptualization - including political consciousness, and ecological consciousness (for example in the sense of Bateson's ``ecology of mind''), but we do not wish to define for our authors exactly what any of these terms mean. We seek to provoke a spirited debate by actively seeking serious opposing views, for example from cognitive science, biology and philosophy.
The Journal of Consciousness Studies covers this broad field by:

• Presenting serious peer-reviewed scientific and humanistic papers in non-technical language
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• Book Reviews (Vol.18, No.3-4)
• Claire Petitmengin, 10 Years of Viewing From Within (Vol.18, No.2)
• Josh Weisberg, Describing Inner Experience (Vol.18, No.1)
• Graham Horswell, Nature& Human Nature (Vol.17, No.11-12)
• Fabrice Bothereau, Atomism and Atelic Conceptualization (Vol.17, No.9-10)
• Charles Whitehead, Rethinking Reality (Vol.17, No.7-8)
• Bill Faw, Minds Did Wander At Tucson-2010 (Vol.17, No.5-6)
• Richard Brown, Philosophers Facing Phenomenal Consciousness (Vol.17, No.3-4)
• Ed Subitzky, A Man Gives Himself the Turing Test . . . And Passes! (Vol.17, No.1-2)
• Claire Petitmengin, Ten Years of Viewing From Within (Vol.16, No.10-12)
• Book Reviews (Vol.16, No.9)
• Daniel D. Hutto, Folk Psychology as Narrative Practice (Editor's Introduction) (Vol.16, No.6-8)
• Chris Nunn, Defining Consciousness (Editor's Introduction) (Vol.16, No.5)
• Book Reviews (Vol.16, No.2-3)
• Rebecca Sutherland, Mind Games [review] (Vol.16, No.1)
• Donelson E. Dulany How Well Are We Moving Toward a Most Productive Science of Consciousness? (Vol.15, No.12)
• Charles Whitehead, ‘You Do an Empirical Experiment and You Get an Empirical Result. What Can Any Anthropologist Tell Me That Could Change That?’ (Vol.15, No.10-11)
• Uziel Awret, Las Meninas and the Search for Self-Representation (Vol.15, No.9)
• Robert Forman, A Watershed Event: Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality Conference (Vol.15, No.8)
• Brian Earl, What Does the Evidence Tell Us about the Biological Value of Consciousness? (Vol.15, No.7)
• Jordan Zlatev, The Dialectics of Consciousness and Language (Vol.15, No.6)
• Ulrich Mohrhoff, Indian Psychology's Coming of Age (Vol.15, No.5)
• Ed Subitsky, The Experiment (Vol.15, No.4)
• Book Reviews (Vol.15, No.3)
• Book Reviews (Vol.15, No.2)
• Andy Ross, Honderich and McGinn (Vol.15, No.1)
• Jonathan Edelmann & William Bernet, Setting Criteria for Ideal Reincarnation Research (Vol.14, No.12)
• William I. Thompson, Natural Drift and the Evolution of Culture (Vol.14, No.11)
• Rocco J. Gennaro,Consciousness and Concepts: An Introductory Essay  (Vol.14, No.9-10)
• Stuart Hameroff, The Good, the Bad and the Octopus Conference Report on ASSC 11, 2007 (Vol.14, No.8)
• Robert Clowes, Steve Torrance & Ron Chrisley, Machine Consciousness: Embodiment and Imagination (Vol.14, No.7)
• Heikki Ikäheimo & Arto Laitinen,Dimensions of Personhood (Vol.14, No.5-6)
• Book Reviews(Vol.14, No.4)
• Book Reviews (Vol.14, No.3)
• J. Scott Jordan & Dawn M. McBride,Concepts of Consciousness (Vol.14, No.1-2)
• Zoltan L. Torey, The Immaculate Misconception (Vol.13, No.12)
• Anthony Freeman, Editorial Preface (Vol.13, No.10-11)
• Ed Subitzky, The Voyage (Vol.13, No.9)
• Anthony Freeman, Editorial Preface (Vol.13, No.7-8)
• Claude Pasquini, ASSC10 (Vol.13, No.6)
• Mary Midgley, Editorial Introduction (Vol.13, No.5)
• Bill Faw, Are We Studying Consciousness Yet? Tucson 2006 (Vol.13, No.4)
• Anthony Freeman, A Daniel Come to Judgement? Dennett and the Revisioning of Transpersonal Theory (Vol.13, No.3)
• Michael Pauen, Alexander Staudacher and Sven Walter, Epiphenomenalism: Dead End or Way Out? (Vol.13, No.1-2)
• Ed Subitzky, Inkland (Vol.12, No.12)
• Helmut Reich, Methodological and Conceptual Issues: TSC 2005 (Vol.12, No.11)
• Giovanna  Colombetti and Evan Thompson, Emotion Experience (Vol.12, No.8-10)
• Bill Faw, What We Know and What We Don’t About Consciousness Science (Vol.12, No.7)
• Anthony Freeman, The Sense of Being Glared At: What Is It Like to be a Heretic? (Vol.12, No.6)
• Chris Clarke, Being and Field Theory (Vol.12, No.4-5)
• John Barber, Consciousness and Teleportation (Vol.12, No.3)
• Charles Whitehead, Tucson: Ten Years On (Vol.11, No.12)
• Dan Zahavi, The Study of Consciousness and the Re-Invention of the Wheel (Vol. 11, No.10-11)
• Douglas F. Watt, Consciousness, Emotional Self-Regulation and the Brain (Vol. 11, No.9)
• Burton Voorhees, Embodied Mathematics (Vol. 11, No.9)
• Adam Zeman, ASSC8 (Vol. 11, No.9)
• Anthony I. Jack and Andreas Roepstorff, Trust or Interaction? (Vol. 11, No.7-8)
• Roberta Tucker, Introduction to Special Feature on Consciousness and Literature (Vol. 11, No.5-6)
• Erich Harth, Art and Reductionism (Vol.11, No.3-4)
• Benjamin Libet, Can Conscious Experience Affect Brain Activity? (Vol.10, No.12)
• Josh Weisberg, Being All That We Can Be (Vol.10, No.11)
• Anthony I. Jack and Andreas Roepstorff, Why Trust the Subject? (Vol. 10, No.9-10)
• VS Ramachandran and EM Hubbard, The Phenomenology of Synaesthesia (Vol. 10, No.8)
• James Alcock, Give the Null Hypothesis a Chance: Reasons to Remain Doubtful about the Existence of Psi (Vol.10, No.6-7)
• Owen Holland, Machine Consciousness (Vol.10, No.4-5)
• William Irwin Thompson, The Borg or Borges? (Vol.10, No.4-5)
• John Smythies, Space, Time and Consciousness (Vol.10, No.3)
• J. Andrew Ross, The Self: From Soul to Brain (Vol.10, No.2)
• Keith Sutherland, Straw Men and Diamond Dogs (Vol.10, No.2)
• John Searle, Why I Am Not a Property Dualist (Vol. 9, No.12)
• David Lorimer, The Need for a Noetic Revolution (Vol.9, No.12)
• Michel Ferrari, Introduction to Varieties of Religious Experience: Centenary Essays (Vol.9, No.9-10)
• Martin E. Marty, The Varieties of Contexts for Reappraising The Varieties (Vol.9, No.9-10)
• William Irwin Thompson, The Evolution of the Afterlife (Vol.9, No.8)
• Keith Sutherland, The Perils of Polymathy (Vol.9, No.8)
• Alva Noe, Is the Visual World a Grand Illusion? (Vol.9, No.5-6)
• Sam Salt, A Truly Hard Problem (Vol.9, No.1)
• Amy Ione, An Enquiry into Paul Cezanne (Vol.7, No.8/9)
• Keith Sutherland, Consciousness and Emotion (Vol.8, No.12)
• Anthony Freeman, Introduction to The Emergence of Consciousness (Vol.8, No.9-10)
• Evan Thompson, Obituary Note for Francisco J. Varela (Vol.8, No.8)
• Bill Faw, Whither Consciousness Studies?  (Vol.8, No.8)
• Evan Thompson, Empathy and Consciousness (Vol. 8, No.5-7)
• Editorial: Another Front in the Science Wars?  (Vol.8, No.1)
• V.S. Ramachandran, Sharpening Up ‘The Science of Art’   (Vol.8, No.1)
• Editorial: The future of consciousness studies
• Francisco Varela & Jonathan Shear, Introduction to The View From Within
• Galen Strawson, 'The self' (Volume 4, No. 5/6, keynote paper)
• Bernard J. Baars, In the theatre of consciousness (Volume 4, No.4, keynote paper)
• David J. Chalmers, Facing up to the problem of consciousness (Volume 2, No.3)
• Daniel C. Dennett, Facing backwards on the problem of consciousness (Volume 3, No.1)
• Andy Clark, I am John's Brain (Volume 2, No.2)
• Todd C. Moody, Conversations with zombies (Volume 1, No.2)
• Jaron Lanier, You can't argue with a zombie (Volume 2, No.4)
• Stuart Hameroff and Roger Penrose, Conscious events as orchestrated spacetime selections (Volume 3, No. 1)
• Bernard J. Baars, Understanding subjectivity: Global Workspace theory and the resurrection of the observing self (Volume 3, No.3)
• Arthur Deikman, "I" = awareness (Volume 3, No.4)
• Thomas Metzinger, Faster than thought: holism, homogeneity and temporal coding (from Conscious Experience)
• Robert Forman, What does mysticism have to teach us about consciousness (Volume 5, No.2)
• Ken Wilber, An integral theory of consciousness (Volume 4, No.1)
• Jaron Lanier, Death: the skeleton key to consciousness studies (Volume 4, No.2)
• Maxine Sheets-Johnson, Consciousness: a natural history (Volume 5, No.3), forthcoming
• Keith Sutherland, The Mirror of Consciousness (Volume 5, No.2)
• Anthony J. Rudd, What it's like and what's really wrong with physicalism: a Wittgensteinian approach (Volume 5, No. 4)
• Keith Sutherland, Tucson III: a personal view (Volume 5, No. 4)
• Michael Gazzaniga (in conversation with Shaun Gallagher), The Neuronal Platonist (Volume 5, No.5/6)
• Allin Cottrell, Sniffing the Camembert: on the conceivability of zombies (Volume 6, No.1)
• Leonard D. Katz, Introduction to Evolutionary Origins of Morality (Volume 7, No. 1/2)
• Jacob Reimer, Tucson 2000: A Whirlwind Tour (Volume 7, No. 6)
• T. Murinbata and C. Whitehead, Why Consciousness Conferences Are Not Really Getting Us Anywhere: A Stone-Age Anthropologist Explains (Volume 7, No. 6)
• Alwyn Scott, How Smart Is a Neuron? Review of Christof Koch’s Biophysics of Computation (Volume 7, No. 5)
• Johannes Roessler, Attention and the Self: An Appreciation of C.O. Evans’ The Subject of Consciousness (Volume 7, No. 5)
• William Irwin Thompson, Speculations on the City and the Evolution of Consciousness (Volume 7, No.7)
• Joseph A. Goguen, Editorial Introduction to Art and the Brain, Part II (Volume 7, No.8/9)
• Erik Myin, Two Sciences of Perception and Visual Art: Editorial Introduction to the Brussels Papers (Volume 7, No.8/9)
• Anthony Freeman, Responsibility Without Choice: A First-Person Approach (Volume 7, No.10)
• Keith Sutherland, Why Do We Want To Open the Black Box? (Volume 7, No.10)
• Jensine Andresen & Robert Forman, Methodological Pluralism in the Study of Religion (Volume 7, No.11/12)
• Benny Shanon, The Divine Within (Volume 8, No.2)
• Marc Bekoff, Social Play Behaviour: Cooperation, Fairness, Trust and the Evolution of Morality (Volume 8, No.2)
• Tim Bayne, Co-consciousness (Volume 8, No.3)
• Jack Petranker, Who Will Be the Scientists? (Volume 8, No.11)

For colour brochure and cumulative contents email sandra@imprint.co.uk