| Explorations on a path to a higher state of consciousness |
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| Written by Dr. Ian D.D. Brown - Published in: Consciousness Review, Vol. 3, 1997, ISSN 1180-0658 | |
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DEFINING A HIGHER STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Attempting to define higher states of consciousness is very difficult. There are many limitations that have been encountered. Language and semantics limit our conceptualizing and expression. How can we describe these experiences when they are said to be “ineffable, indescribable, and inconceivable because they are transempirical, transverbal, and transrational” (Walsh, 1995, p. 48)? Some have described a higher state of consciousness as a state of enlightenment referring to the qualities present and realized once one has accessed this potential. Others have described it as "the Zone", a place outside of time where everything makes sence. The idea of transcending consciousness is another way to describe the process. Transcendence, as defined by Baruss (1996, p.16) is “the surpassing of limitations, such as those of human experience.” Transpersonal, the notion of transcending the personal self is another term that has also been used. Charles Tart (1969; 1971) has given us a reasonable, overall description of higher states. “Higher states are defined as those in which lower states are all subsumed, so that any higher state is an expanded state. And it is not something instead of a lower state; it includes everything in the lower state so that the higher state means more presence. It doesn’t mean moving from here to there; it just means being here, with expanded awareness” (Vaughan, 1982, p. 110). Attaining higher states enlightens the individual to the secrets of the universe. Self-actualization, “the process of becoming all that one can become” (Baruss, 1996, p.160) moves oneself toward a higher state of consciousness. The knowledge and understanding can be useful for humanity. Like prophets and sages, those who have achieved these higher states of insightful knowledge can pass it on to others to improve society and help individuals on their own paths to perfection. The concept of helping people is important, -upon attaining a higher state of consciousness, it is important to educate other people and help them, if they so desire, to attain a higher level of functioning. Research methods need to be employed, and a remodeling of scientific theory to help explain these states. RESEARCH METHODS Research into higher states of consciousness is very challenging. In the words of Metzner, “Here is the Problem: how can we know or describe anything about the changes we have not yet experienced, changes that by universal consensus take us beyond the realm of everyday reality, for which no words and concepts were fashioned? It may be that all we can really go by are the reports of those who have gone ahead, who have explored further, who have seen and understood more, and who come back and say, “it’s like this…” “It’s as if…”(Metzner, 1980, p. 48). Experiences are subjective. Like Metzner suggests, our most successful methods of research have been case studies. Based on the knowledge of how others have elevated their own consciousness and by reviewing their reports of what they have experienced we can find a path that is the one for us. One problem related to exploring the path through someone else’s experiences is that these experiences are beyond this reality. This raised the question of how is it possible to relate these experiences to our material universe? As Baruss mentioned (1996, p. 81) “Transcendent consciousness is necessarily ineffable.” How do we go about researching these states? Some people believe we can’t. Metzner has claimed “that since transpersonal states are private and interior they cannot be publicly validated and therefore can not be researched” (1980, p.48). Along with Metzner, Goleman (1972, p. 59) said, “research regarding higher states of consciousness is quite difficult if not impossible from an Empirical standpoint.” Thus, we must change our material universe and our objective research methods to accommodate a way to study these states. This screams out for a remodeling of science. REMODELING OF SCIENCE Aldous Huxley had in mind a remodeling of science when he developed his “perennial philosophy”. Viewing Western science as incomplete and limited he introduced the notion that humans are essentially commensurate with the entire universe and ultimately divine, thus, mirroring the spiritual philosophies of the great ancient and Eastern cultures. Perennial philosophy offers a rich spectrum of spiritual techniques through which it is possible to recognize and experience one’s own divinity and achieve liberation from suffering (Grof, 1983, p. 14). As Grof mentioned (1983, p. 15) “there needs to be a theory that would be broad enough to incorporate some important aspects of perennial philosophy and yet preserve the pragmatic power of mechanistic science”. Science has provided us with sound models upon which to explain many of the functions of our world. However, both mechanistic and perennial theories have their problems. “Materialistic science has developed effective means of alleviating the most obvious forms of suffering - disease, poverty and starvation - but has done very little for inner freedom and genuine emotional satisfaction. As a matter of fact, against all expectations, increase of material affluence has been characteristically associated with dramatic increases of mental disorders, alcoholism, suicide rate, crime, violence and social disintegration” (Grof, 1983, p.14). On the other hand, perennial philosophy has offered inner liberation to a select few, but has failed in offering solutions for the urgent practical problems of everyday existence and improving the external conditions of human life. It seems a new science would have to include the best of both, build upon the clear-cut rigidity of science yet at the same time be flexible enough to include facts which can not be objectified. Grof essentially had this in mind when he suggested (1983, p. 14) that “a new science would have to include new ways of observing and measuring these higher states of consciousness, since western science in the past has only recognized as real those phenomena that can be objectively observed and measured”. Developing a new science would be a step in the right direction to accommodate higher levels of consciousness. Other scientists have realized the need for a remodeling of science. Charles Tart has observed this in his studies. He mentioned particularly that “the primary implication (from studies such as the Ganzfeld Study) is that, using the best kind of scientific methodology, the human mind has occasional abilities to transcend space and time that are totally inexplicable in terms of the material world”. He also agrees that “Materialism, while it may be a useful working hypothesis in many areas, especially the physical sciences, is totally unable to explain important aspects of human nature” (Tart, 1995, p.8). For example, how can materialistic science attempt to explain “a shift in the base of consciousness… transformation in the meaning of the “Self”… depth penetration… sense of complete freedom… beyond space, time and causality… freedom from guilt… a sense of all knowing…” and all of the other characteristics associated with the adjustment to a higher energy level, or higher state of consciousness and described by Merrell-Wolff, (1973, pp. 38-51). These qualities are associated with a higher state of consciousness, yet there are many more phenomena in our world that become dismissed as “anthropological esoterica”, simply because we have not yet developed a science to understand them. “According to Materialistic Science, any memory requires a material substrate, such as the neuronal network in the brain or the DNA molecules of the genes. However, it is impossible to imagine any other material medium for the information conveyed by various forms of transpersonal experiences described above. This information clearly has not been acquired during the perception. It seems to exist independently of matter and to be contained in the field of consciousness itself, or in some other types of field that cannot be detected by our scientific instruments. The observations from the study of transpersonal experiences are supported by evidence that comes from other avenues of research. Challenging the basic metaphysical assumptions of Cartesian-Newtonian thinking, scientists like Rupert Sheldrake seriously explore such possibilities as “Memory without a material substrate” and “morphogenetic fields””. (Grof, 1994, p. 25-26) It is reassuring to know that science is headed in the right direction towards explaining some of these phenomena. It has still taken a long time, for “only in the late twentieth century did science finally offer a firm basis for reunification when it was discovered that matter has a potential for producing greater order and complexity. For example, as the Nobel laureate chemist Llya Prigogine discovered, certain biochemical systems called “dissipative structures” can grow in chemical complexity, in apparent defiance of entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. This defiance is thought to provide a possible basis for the origin of life” (Walsh, 1995, p. 18). Discoveries like these should encourage the most skeptical scientists to reconsider their working models to accommodate higher levels of consciousness studies and research. “The key point is that there is now significant scientific evidence for a self-organizing, self-transcending process in matter, life and mind” (Walsh, 1995, p. 18). Now hopefully, since we have the evidence science will come to recognize these areas and make them more accessible to investigation. |
