One of the key features associated with my personal experience of Level 2 (Band 3) was the unfolding of a new type of scientific understanding that I commonly refer to as Holistic Science.
Though the possibility for this science long seemed obvious to me, I could find remarkably little evidence by way of coherent articulation in any accounts of the mystical journey that I had encountered.
Predominantly in these writings, exclusive attention is devoted to the direct spiritual transformation involved, which is then generally communicated through the religious symbolism of a particular tradition.
However, spiritual transformation itself is necessarily associated with the corresponding transformation of both cognitive and affective structures, which in turn have important implications for the type of scientific and artistic experience that is compatible with each stage.
And it seemed to me that this dimension of spiritual transformation, especially in respect of its implications for mathematical and scientific type understanding, was of the utmost importance in our present age.
Therefore it has been my intention throughout the journey - while in no way downplaying the direct significance of spiritual transformation, which is primary - to then focus clearly on the vast implications of such transformation for both Science and Mathematics.
What we know as Science and Mathematics is largely confined - certainly in its explicit presentation - to the specialised linear type understanding that characterises Band 2, on the overall spectrum of development.
However all of the later Bands (i.e. Bands 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) represent further potential development of an increasingly integrated kind.
And associated with these Bands are distinctive systems of understanding with direct application to Mathematics and all the Sciences.
So what we know as Science and Mathematics, represents just one possible form which is heavily biased in an analytic quantitative direction. This is associated with Bands 1 and 2 (and especially in its modern accepted form, Band 2)!
However an equally important - and largely unrecognised - form (of both Science and Mathematics) unfolds at Bands 3 and 4, which is now decidedly of a holistic qualitative variety.
Finally at Bands 5, 6 and 7 yet another form unfolds, which increasingly combines in a two-way dynamic interactive manner, both the analytic (quantitative) and holistic (qualitative) aspects that initially unfolded in a somewhat separate manner.
Therefore in broad terms, I define three major types with respect to Mathematics and Science i.e. Analytic (Bands 1 and 2), Holistic (Bands 3 and 4) and Radial (Bands 5, 6 and 7).
So with respect to Band 3, the focus is now on Holistic Science (and Holistic Mathematics) respectively.
Indeed, distinctive varieties of both are associated with each of the three major levels of the Band.
With Level 1, (horizontal) external and internal polarities are understood in an increasingly complementary fashion. In this context, I use the term horizontal in the manner of the real axis in Mathematics which has positive and negative directions! So at every stage, what is viewed in an external manner can be given - in relative fashion - an internal counterpart.
One implication of this - as we have seen - is that both the psychological and physical aspects of experience are themselves understood as dynamically complementary.
Therefore, it no longer makes sense to talk merely of the stages of psychological development in an internal personal manner, as associated with the internal aspect of each stage is a corresponding external aspect which - relatively - is of a physical nature.
Therefore, when properly understood, every stage represents a new development with respect to both the psychological and physical aspects of reality.
And it is not merely that one's psychological understanding of the physical world becomes more refined at each stage, but rather that the physical world itself (which, now has no strict meaning independent of the psychological observer) undergoes transformation.
To a certain extent this point may be reluctantly conceded with respect to the nature of physical reality at its sub-atomic quantum level. However it is equally true of physical reality at the macro level, where genuine contemplative experience is involved.
So one no longer views the physical world in a detached objective manner, but rather accepts that all reality is profoundly of a psycho-physical nature, where the external and internal aspects of understanding are dynamically complementary.
Thus each "higher" stage on the contemplative journey represents not only a transformation with respect to one's psychological experience, but equally a transformation with respect to physical reality!
Indeed the very nature of Holistic Science - as I define it - is a new way of seeking to interpret reality, whereby one can readily find a complementary psychological, for every physical relationship, and in turn a complementary physical, for every psychological relationship.
I have already mentioned how Einstein's Special Theory profoundly impacted on me (at Level 1), where I realised that corresponding to the external interpretation of the relativity of space and time, was a complementary internal psychological experience (where both are ultimately understood as fully complementary).
This insight was eventually to lead me to a radical new notion of the inherent nature of space and time dimensions (that I will deal with more fully in a later entry).
I also mentioned how having come out of a severe "dark night" episode, that I could find distinct parallels as between Stephen Hawking's physical descriptions of black hole radiation emissions, through virtual particles and the psychological task of recovery from the "dark night" (through emission of "imaginary" fantasies).
In particular I began to see how the physical notion of gravity bears a strong complementary relationship with the psychological notion of "grief". And just as the presence of matter (with its consequent gravity) causes curvature with respect to the physical dimensions of physical space and time, the presence of grief (in the loss of what truly "matters" to us) can cause a corresponding curvature in the psychological dimensions of space and time. In other words during such periods, the holistic unconscious begins to seriously impact on conscious life, thereby breaking down its customary rigid categories.
The mystical goal is to seek unity with spirit, that both transcends and yet is immanent in all physical creation.
And this spiritual goal should rightly be greatly facilitated through Holistic Science, where one intuitively begins to recognise all important physical and psychological relationships in a dynamic complementary manner.
Indeed without the support of such qualitative scientific understanding, it is difficult to see how the primary spiritual task of achieving unity can itself be properly achieved!
Though the possibility for this science long seemed obvious to me, I could find remarkably little evidence by way of coherent articulation in any accounts of the mystical journey that I had encountered.
Predominantly in these writings, exclusive attention is devoted to the direct spiritual transformation involved, which is then generally communicated through the religious symbolism of a particular tradition.
However, spiritual transformation itself is necessarily associated with the corresponding transformation of both cognitive and affective structures, which in turn have important implications for the type of scientific and artistic experience that is compatible with each stage.
And it seemed to me that this dimension of spiritual transformation, especially in respect of its implications for mathematical and scientific type understanding, was of the utmost importance in our present age.
Therefore it has been my intention throughout the journey - while in no way downplaying the direct significance of spiritual transformation, which is primary - to then focus clearly on the vast implications of such transformation for both Science and Mathematics.
What we know as Science and Mathematics is largely confined - certainly in its explicit presentation - to the specialised linear type understanding that characterises Band 2, on the overall spectrum of development.
However all of the later Bands (i.e. Bands 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) represent further potential development of an increasingly integrated kind.
And associated with these Bands are distinctive systems of understanding with direct application to Mathematics and all the Sciences.
So what we know as Science and Mathematics, represents just one possible form which is heavily biased in an analytic quantitative direction. This is associated with Bands 1 and 2 (and especially in its modern accepted form, Band 2)!
However an equally important - and largely unrecognised - form (of both Science and Mathematics) unfolds at Bands 3 and 4, which is now decidedly of a holistic qualitative variety.
Finally at Bands 5, 6 and 7 yet another form unfolds, which increasingly combines in a two-way dynamic interactive manner, both the analytic (quantitative) and holistic (qualitative) aspects that initially unfolded in a somewhat separate manner.
Therefore in broad terms, I define three major types with respect to Mathematics and Science i.e. Analytic (Bands 1 and 2), Holistic (Bands 3 and 4) and Radial (Bands 5, 6 and 7).
So with respect to Band 3, the focus is now on Holistic Science (and Holistic Mathematics) respectively.
Indeed, distinctive varieties of both are associated with each of the three major levels of the Band.
With Level 1, (horizontal) external and internal polarities are understood in an increasingly complementary fashion. In this context, I use the term horizontal in the manner of the real axis in Mathematics which has positive and negative directions! So at every stage, what is viewed in an external manner can be given - in relative fashion - an internal counterpart.
One implication of this - as we have seen - is that both the psychological and physical aspects of experience are themselves understood as dynamically complementary.
Therefore, it no longer makes sense to talk merely of the stages of psychological development in an internal personal manner, as associated with the internal aspect of each stage is a corresponding external aspect which - relatively - is of a physical nature.
Therefore, when properly understood, every stage represents a new development with respect to both the psychological and physical aspects of reality.
And it is not merely that one's psychological understanding of the physical world becomes more refined at each stage, but rather that the physical world itself (which, now has no strict meaning independent of the psychological observer) undergoes transformation.
To a certain extent this point may be reluctantly conceded with respect to the nature of physical reality at its sub-atomic quantum level. However it is equally true of physical reality at the macro level, where genuine contemplative experience is involved.
So one no longer views the physical world in a detached objective manner, but rather accepts that all reality is profoundly of a psycho-physical nature, where the external and internal aspects of understanding are dynamically complementary.
Thus each "higher" stage on the contemplative journey represents not only a transformation with respect to one's psychological experience, but equally a transformation with respect to physical reality!
Indeed the very nature of Holistic Science - as I define it - is a new way of seeking to interpret reality, whereby one can readily find a complementary psychological, for every physical relationship, and in turn a complementary physical, for every psychological relationship.
I have already mentioned how Einstein's Special Theory profoundly impacted on me (at Level 1), where I realised that corresponding to the external interpretation of the relativity of space and time, was a complementary internal psychological experience (where both are ultimately understood as fully complementary).
This insight was eventually to lead me to a radical new notion of the inherent nature of space and time dimensions (that I will deal with more fully in a later entry).
I also mentioned how having come out of a severe "dark night" episode, that I could find distinct parallels as between Stephen Hawking's physical descriptions of black hole radiation emissions, through virtual particles and the psychological task of recovery from the "dark night" (through emission of "imaginary" fantasies).
In particular I began to see how the physical notion of gravity bears a strong complementary relationship with the psychological notion of "grief". And just as the presence of matter (with its consequent gravity) causes curvature with respect to the physical dimensions of physical space and time, the presence of grief (in the loss of what truly "matters" to us) can cause a corresponding curvature in the psychological dimensions of space and time. In other words during such periods, the holistic unconscious begins to seriously impact on conscious life, thereby breaking down its customary rigid categories.
The mystical goal is to seek unity with spirit, that both transcends and yet is immanent in all physical creation.
And this spiritual goal should rightly be greatly facilitated through Holistic Science, where one intuitively begins to recognise all important physical and psychological relationships in a dynamic complementary manner.
Indeed without the support of such qualitative scientific understanding, it is difficult to see how the primary spiritual task of achieving unity can itself be properly achieved!
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