Science and the Akashic Field
Related discussions:
The Objective Information Process & Virtual Subjective Experiences Hypothesis: A bottom up reformulation of the virtual reality hypothesis and the philosophical foundations of science without the distortions of naïve realism and all the problems and paradoxes that it entails.
The Central Metaphysical Idea: in a nutshell - the modern mystic vision of reality.
Metaphysical
Context: details of the modern mystic vision of reality.
The
New Science: some comments on the emerging scientific/spiritual
revolution,
Systemic Health,
application of information system theory to the health of complex
systems.
The Two
Perspectives Empirical / Transcendent,
The
Akashic Field and Systemic Health,
Survey
of Ancient Traditions regarding systemic health and the two
perspectives
Also see: website, main articles, blog, artistic-exploration, software, contact me.
See the book on amazon.com for reviews etc.
Also see these books: The Field and Piercing Time and Space.
See the Comments below on how the Akashic Field relates to the scientific re-expression of the mystic paradigm that is presented on this website.
Here are some informative quotes from and comments regarding the book “Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything” by Ervin Laszlo and published by Inner Traditions.
The overall idea behind the concept of an Akashic Field is that behind the materialistic and mechanistic world there is in fact another realm of interaction. This book presents compelling evidence for this from the fields of cosmology, quantum physics, biology and studies of consciousness. It is like a subtle communication network that underlies physical reality and that connects every point in space with every other point, and every thing with every other thing. This communication network operates in the realm of pure information that underlies empirical existence and thus does not rely on the transport of physical energy, hence, through this field, interactions can occur instantaneously regardless of physical separation and without any channel for the mechanistic transport of energy. Furthermore, like things tend to interact more strongly with like things, thus humans interact more strongly with humans, galaxies with galaxies and so on. The principle empirical and observable effect of this field is coherence between phenomena across any distances.
In regards to cosmology and the current puzzles therein Laszlo states that “these mysteries have a common element: they exhibit a staggering coherence throughout the reaches of space and time.” Furthermore, “There is no reasonable explanation in 'BB [big bang] theory' for the observed flatness of the universe; for the missing mass in it; for the accelerating expansion of galaxies; for the coherence of some basic cosmic ratios; and for the 'horizon problem,' the uniformity of the macrostructures throughout cosmic space. The problem known as the 'tuning of the constants' is particularly vexing. The three dozen or more physical parameters of the universe are so finely tuned that together they create the highly improbable conditions under which life can emerge... These are all puzzles of coherence, and they raise the possibility that this universe did not arise in the context of a random fluctuation of the underlying quantum vacuum. Instead, it may have been born in the womb of a prior 'meta-universe'... [i.e.] a vaster, more fundamental universe that is behind or beyond the universe we observe and inhabit.”
“The staggering coherence of our universe tells us that all its stars and galaxies are interconnected in some way. And the astonishing fine-tuning of the physical laws and constants of our universe suggests that at its birth our universe may have been connected with prior universes...”
In quantum physics the issues revolve around the phenomena of non-locality; superpositions of states; the collapse of the superposition where “it appears to choose its real states on its own”; EPR pairs where “once they are in the same state, they remain linked no matter how far they travel from each other” and also the effect of simply having an available observation channel, even if it is not used, it can still collapse the wavefunction of an experiment. These phenomena have been described exhaustively in countless places so I wont reiterate them here.
In regards to biology he states that “Instant, multidimensional correlations are coming to light between the parts of a living organism, and even between organisms and environments... [these] are nearly as 'entangled' as microparticles that originate in the same quantum state [such as EPR pairs]... What happens to one cell or organ also happens in some way to all other cells and organs... [also] what happens in the external milieu of the organism is reflected in some way in its internal milieu. Thanks to this coherence, the organism can evolve in tune with its environment... [Darwinian evolution and random mutation is not enough]... That our world is not populated solely by the simplest of organisms, such as bacteria ... is due in the last analysis to the kind of 'entanglement' that exists among genes, organisms, organism species, and their niches within the biosphere.” Furthermore, “the organism's coherence goes beyond the coherence of a biochemical system; in some respects it attains the coherence of a quantum system... Simple collisions among neighbouring molecules... must be complemented by a network of instant communication that correlates all parts of the living system, even those that are distant from one another. Rare molecules, for example, are seldom contiguous, yet they find each other throughout the organism. There would not be sufficient time for this to occur by a random process of jiggling and mixing; the molecules need to locate and respond to each other specifically, even if they are distant.”
In regards to consciousness Laszlo states that “in the conservative view human communication and interaction is limited to our sensory channels ... [but] we are linked by more subtle and encompassing connections as well.” Also “The connections that bind 'my' consciousness to the consciousness of others... are rediscovered today in controlled experiments with thought and image transference, and the effect of the mind of one individual on the body of another.” Furthermore, “Native tribes seem able to communicate beyond the range of eye and ear... In the laboratory also, modern people display a capacity for spontaneous transference of impressions and images, especially when they are emotionally close to each other... transpersonal contact includes the ability to transmit thoughts and images, and ... it is given to many if not all people... this is the finding of recent experiments... Reliable evidence is becoming available that the conscious mind of one person can produce repeatable and measurable effects on the body of another... [also] Intercessory prayer and spiritual healing, together with other mind- and intention-based experiments and practices, yield impressive evidence regarding the effectiveness of telepathic and telesomatic information- and energy-transmission. The pertinent practices produce real and measurable effects on people, and they are more and more widespread. But mainstream science has no explanation for them. Could it be that our consciousness is linked with other consciousnesses through an interconnecting Akashic Field, much as galaxies are linked in the cosmos, quanta in the microworld, and organisms in the world of the living?”
In regards to the origin of the universe and its metaphysical foundation Laszlo states that “the universe we observe and inhabit is a secondary product of the energy sea that was there before there was anything there at all. Hindu and Chinese cosmologies have always maintained that the things and beings that exist in the world are a concretization or distillation of the basic energy of the cosmos, descending from its original source. The physical world is a reflection of energy vibrations from more subtle energy fields. Creation and all subsequent existence, is a progression downward and outward from the primordial source.
In Indian philosophy the ultimate end of the physical world is a return to Akasha, its original subtle-energy womb. At the end of time as we know it, the almost infinitely varied things and forms of the manifest world dissolve into formlessness... In Akasha, all attributes of the manifest world merge into a state that is beyond attributes: the state of Brahman.
Although it is undifferentiated, Brahman is dynamic and creative. From its ultimate 'being' comes the temporary 'becoming' of the manifest world, with its attributes, functions and relationships. The cycles of samsara [individual lifetimes] ... are the lila of Brahman: its play of ceaseless creation and dissolution. In Indian philosophy, absolute reality is the reality of Brahman. The manifest world enjoys but a derived, secondary reality and mistaking it for the real is the illusion of maya...
The traditional Eastern conception differs from the view held by most people in the West... [that] reality is material. The things that truly exist are bits or particles of matter... Matter moves about in space, acted on by energy. Energy also enjoys reality (since it acts on matter), but space does not: space is merely the backdrop or the container... and is passive in itself... space is not experienced... it is only the precondition of experience... [this last comment exposes the Western reliance on sensory experience and therefore its entrapment within the illusion of the empirical world or Maya]
The view that space is empty and passive, and not even real to boot, is in complete opposition to the view we get from contemporary physics... it is clear that what they describe as the unified vacuum – the seat of all the fields and forces of the physical world – is in fact the primary reality of the universe... What we think of as matter is but the quantised semi-stable bundling of the energies that spring from the vacuum. In the last count matter is but a waveform disturbance in the nearly infinite energy-sea that is the fundamental medium – and hence the primary reality – of this universe, and of all universes that ever existed and will ever exist.”
Evolutionary Panpsychism: Laszlo further discusses the likelihood that consciousness is universal and that all 'things' are to some degree conscious; “there is no categorical divide between mind and matter... conscious matter at a lower level of organisation (the neurons in the brain) generates conscious matter at a higher level of organisation (the brain as a whole)... the emerging solution to the classical brain/mind problem is evolutionary panpsychism... [which claims that] all of reality has a mental aspect: psyche is a universal presence in the world... [and] psyche evolves , the same as matter... both matter and mind – physis and psyche [prakriti and purusha] – were present from the beginning: they are both fundamental aspects of reality... [although] we do not claim that they are radically separate; we say that they are but different aspects of the same reality. What we call 'matter' is the aspect we apprehend when we look at a person, a plant, or a molecule from the outside; 'mind' is the readout we get when we look at the same thing from the inside.”
We do not merely perceive the world through our empirical senses or the “five slits in the tower”, we can “open the roof to the sky”. He states that “The informed universe gives us not only a new view of the world, but also a new view of life and of mind. It permits our brains and minds to access a broad band of information... We are, or can be, literally 'in touch' with almost any part of the world, whether here on Earth or beyond in the cosmos. When we do not repress the corresponding intuitions, we can be informed by things as small as a particle or as large as a galaxy”.
He then discusses the question “Could the cosmos itself possess consciousness in some form?”, but this is difficult to answer since we cannot perceive the quantum vacuum directly and even if we could, “consciousness is 'private', we cannot ordinarily observe it in anyone but ourselves”. However “We could enter an altered state of consciousness and identify ourselves with the vacuum, the deepest and most fundamental level of reality [like the vedic method of meditating upon Brahman]... would we experience a physical field of fluctuating energies? Or would we experience something like a cosmic field of consciousness? The latter is much more likely... when we experience anybody else's brain 'from the outside' we do not experience his or her consciousness... But we know that when we experience our brain 'from the inside' we experience not neurons, but the qualitative features that make up our stream of consciousness... Would not the same hold true when we project ourselves into a mystical union with the vacuum? ... there is indirect yet significant evidence for it... in deeply altered states of consciousness, many people experience a kind of consciousness that appears to be that of the universe itself... They describe what they experience as an immense and unfathomable field of consciousness endowed with infinite intelligence and creative power. The field of cosmic consciousness they experience is a cosmic emptiness – a void. Yet ... it is also an essential fullness... The vacuum they experience is a plenum: nothing is missing in it. It is the ultimate source of existence, the cradle of all being... The phenomenal world is its creation: the realization and concretization of its inherent potential.”
Regarding the future evolution of human consciousness he mentions numerous theories, “but they have a common thrust. Consciousness evolution is from the ego-bound to the transpersonal form. If this is so, it is a source of great hope. Transpersonal consciousness is open to more of the information that reaches the brain than the dominant consciousness of today. This could have momentous consequences. It could produce greater empathy among people, and greater sensitivity to animals, plants, and the entire biosphere. It could create subtle contact with other parts of the cosmos. It could change our world. A society hallmarked by transpersonal consciousness is not likely to be materialistic and self-centered; it would be more deeply and widely informed.”
The recent realisations by the post modern world of the Akashic field, information theoretic metaphysics and system theory provide a rational foundation for what many call 'faith'. They are a deep and systematic re-expression of ancient truths. No longer need we rely upon authority or literary or artistic persuasiveness, or persist at spiritual practices when we cannot be certain of the reality of their goal. Instead we can now rationally and intellectually obtain a firm understanding of the holistic nature of the cosmos and ourselves, which gives insight and motivation for our journey into the deeper levels of existence. The work presented on this website plays a pivotal role in this paradigm shift, it provides a foundation for a rigorous mathematical science of our holistic context, that encompasses both the physical and mystic aspects of reality, as well as the everyday experience of being in the world. Using the methods presented on this website we can create computer generated virtual worlds with fundamental metaphysical properties identical to our own reality. These can provide an experimental framework for further exploration as well as a rational approach toward understanding the subtleties of spirituality. This would provide motivation for personal spiritual development so that we can personally participate in the vastly greater reality that is accessible to us.
Laszlo and others describe the cosmos using a similar system theoretic paradigm as is presented here but are working from within the world and they focus primarily on a general understanding of what the implications are for beings such as ourselves. This is the most accessible approach for most people. However in the scientific analysis presented here I am working from beyond the world or prior to the world and I focus primarily on the transcendent dynamics that give rise to the world. Rather than conceive of the situation from within the virtual space and then propose a computational process that lies beyond it - I conceive of the situation from within the computational space and then propose a virtual world that arises from it. These two perspectives complement each other and they meet at a point that some call the unified vacuum and which I refer to in my own analysis as the Simulator/Simulation membrane, which is a conceptual membrane that separates the virtual reality space from the computational process that generates that space. For a quick example see The Central Metaphysical Idea and also the Metaphysical Context.
This conceptual membrane mediates the flow of all energy between these two realms (energy is the flow of information interpreted in an empirical dynamical context). When the computational process causes a form to arise in the virtual world the inhabitants of that virtual world would experience it as appearing out of the vacuum. From within the physical world the vacuum or the membrane represents the limit of what the materialistic paradigm can conceive of and from beyond the world it represents the first instance of empirical or physical manifestation as the information descends from the source and becomes energy and then finally empirical forms and phenomena.
Thus behind space there lies a simulation program or a virtual-reality generative information process that coordinates all that exists and all that happens. This information process has particular properties and constraints that give rise to the particular properties and constraints of the empirical simulation (physical universe). These can be determined and verified by mathematical inference and experimental measurement, indeed the phenomena of relativity and quantum physics are our experience of some of these properties and constraints, and so too is the Akashic Field. This is what I mathematically explore in the documents on The Mathematical Analysis and this could lead to direct experimental verification of the existence and the properties of the 'simulator' that underlies and manifests our reality, see the overview of this work.
In the many discussions on this website it is assumed that the basic metaphysical concepts implied by the systemic paradigm and the Akashic field are understood otherwise some of the assertions may seem spurious and superstitious. Indeed, without such an understanding most of ancient wisdom seems spurious and superstitious but they are in fact highly detailed and very accurate metaphysical analyses, see Correspondences between the Computational and Spiritual Paradigms. However since the ancients lacked modern mathematics they expressed their knowledge using elaborate analogies, which have over time become misunderstood and even taken literally, which leads to massive confusion.
Related discussions:
The
Central Metaphysical Idea: in a nutshell - the modern mystic
vision of reality.
Metaphysical
Context: details of the modern mystic vision of reality.
The
New Science: some comments on the emerging scientific/spiritual
revolution,
Systemic Health,
application of information system theory to the health of complex
systems.
The Two
Perspectives Empirical / Transcendent,
The
Akashic Field and Systemic Health,
Survey
of Ancient Traditions regarding systemic health and the two
perspectives
Also see these books: The Field and Piercing Time and Space.
Also see: website, main articles, blog, artistic-exploration, software, contact me.