JOURNAL OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL NETWORK ESTABLISHED 1973 Paradigm Explorer

INSIDE PAGE 3 Consciousness and the Shifting Scientific Paradigm

PAGE 9 Bernard Carr on Stephen Hawking

PAGE 19 HRH the Prince of Wales Increasing Reef Resilience

ISSN 1362-1211 | No 127 | 2018/2 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 2018/19 NETWORK CALENDAR September 28-30, 2018 Continental Meeting in Bagni di Lucca, Italy, with Laszlo Institute, Catalysing a Paradigm Shift October 30, 2018 ​Evening launch of Galileo Commission Report – King’s London – leaflet enclosed November 3-4, 2018 Beyond the Brain 2018 – CentrEd at ExCel in East London – leaflet enclosed November 5, 2018 Sacred Acoustics Workshop with Dr Eben Alexander III and Karen Newell – leaflet enclosed November 17, 2018 The Quest for Harmony: A unifying principle in spirituality, science, sustainability and healthcare - 70th Birthday Celebration for HRH the Prince of Wales – leaflet enclosed January 19-20, 2019 The Heart of the Rose – Sacred Mathematics and the Liberal Arts – leaflet enclosed January 21-30, 2019 ​Jamaica seminar – see below April 6-8, 2019 Mystics and Scientists 42 – Technology, Spirituality and Well-Being, venue tbc – Save the Date! July 6-7, 2019 ​Annual Meeting, Horsley Park

LONDON - CLAUDIA NIELSEN – 0207 431 1177 or preferably email [email protected] We meet at 38 Denning Rd NW3 1SU at 7 for a 7:30pm start. Nearest tube station is Hampstead (Northern Line) or Hampstead Heath (Overground). Cost is £10 for members and £12 for guests. Please confirm attendance so I can anticipate numbers. Friends and non-members are always welcome. For more comprehensive information on presentations (to include synopsis and biographies) plus summaries of past ones, go to the London Group page of the SMN site at www.scimednet.org. Please note that sometimes talks have to be rescheduled and information is sent via email so even if you are not in London but would like to be kept informed of changes, please send me an email and I will put your address on the circulation list. UPCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER Monday 10th DR OLIVER ROBINSON The Seven Harmonies of Science and Spirituality OCTOBER Monday 1st PROF FARANEH VARGHA-KHADEM What Makes us Humane NOVEMBER Monday 12th DR MARCO SCHORLEMMER Science, Technology and Contemplative Inquiry

THE FRENCHMAN’S COVE EXPERIENCE is unlike any other. It is a unique setting for a remarkable combination of conference and recreation in an unspoilt area near Port Antonio Jamaica 22nd to 27th January 2019 Suggested travel from UK 21st and return 30th January Dr Oliver Robinson will present THE HARMONIES OF SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY

The event will be chaired by David Lorimer and hosted by Diana Clift Further details from Diana Clift - [email protected]

www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Notice to Contributors All proposed contributions should be sent to the Editor by email as a Word CONTENTS and/or PDF file. For further guidelines please email: [email protected]

PARADIGM EXPLORER is published EDITORIAL three times a year by the Scientific & Medical Network, generally in April, Returnings Paul Filmore, 2 August and December. Chairman Editor: David Lorimer 2 Chemin de la Chaussee, 11230 St Colombe sur l’Hers, ARTICLES France

Consciousness and the Shifting Scientific Eben Alexander MD 3 E-mail: [email protected] Paradigm Web Site: www.scimednet.org Stephen Hawking: Recollections of a Bernard Carr 9 Singular Friend (Members may apply to the SMN Office for password to access the Members Health and Wholeness Neil May 14 Only area of the web site). Increasing Reef Resilience Through New HRH The Prince of Wales 19 Editorial Board: John Clarke, Paul Kieniewicz Collaborative Models Printed by: Palintonos Harmonia: Oliver Robinson 22 Kingfisher Print & Design Ltd, Devon The alchemy of opposites The opinions expressed in Network are those of individual authors and not necessarily statements of general PERSONAL REFLECTION Network views. The Network is in no Transmission within Meditation Rosalind Pearmain 24 way liable for views published herein.

Paradigm Explorer REPORTS Registered office: 151 Talgarth Road, Frenchman’s Cove 2018 Roderick Dunnett 26 London W14 9DA Me and We: Self, Gaia and the Eve Hicks and Diana Clift Cosmic Hologram Tel: 0203 468 2034. Email: [email protected] Mystics and Scientists 41 John Clarke 29 Company limited by guarantee, registered No. 4544694 England NETWORK NEWS Registered charity No. 1101171 UK Network News 31

London Group Report 33 JOURNAL OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL NETWORK ESTABLISHED 1973 Members’ Articles 35 Paradigm Explorer BOOK REVIEW SECTION Science/Philosophy of Science 37

INSIDE Medicine/Health 39 PAGE 3 Consciousness and the Shifting Scientifi c Paradigm Philosophy/Spirituality 43 PAGE 9 Bernard Carr on Stephen Hawking

PAGE 19 HRH the Prince Psychology/Consciousness Studies 47 of Wales Increasing Reef Resilience Ecology/Futures Studies 54 General 57 ISSN 1362-1211 | No 127 | 2018/2 Books in Brief 60 Cover: The living ocean

www.scimednet.org 1 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 A Ship in Harbour From Dr Paul Filmore, Chairman, [email protected] Forum: Editorial (Please comment via the members’ website)

‘A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for’.​​​ John A. Shedd. I am sure you have heard the quote this is a good thing, but particularly with dissatisfied with what life is offering. above, or variations, attributed to John IT allowing so readily virtual contact When not partying, they are looking Shedd, the American author. If you will between people, one wonders how far around for this something else. They humour me for a few minutes before this will go. I am reminded of an Asimov perceive dimly that they should not be returning to the quote, I would like to detective story of a murder on a planet ‘staying in the harbour’, and that extreme mention a radio programme I heard where no one meets except virtually! In sports are not the way forward. These perhaps over a year ago and still has me fact even the thought of being in a are the students to whom we as an concerned. The programme was about person’s company on this planet becomes educational charity should be offering the youth of Japan and how their an anathema. But I digress and need to an alternative. This is why, this year, the lifestyles are being affected by technology come back to this world and trends that Network has two embryonic projects: one and by this I mean 24/7 access to the are of concern. In particular the fact that looking at what we can offer to ‘students’ internet in its many forms. In the Japan as a leader in IT evolution with the and secondly to see if we can attract programme the presenters were talking to young, so will this happen elsewhere? academics to help further, in part with the youth and seeing a profound change My feelings are that this trend of the our youth. in their values associated with young becoming dislocated from life If you agree with these sentiments in any relationships. Paraphrased, the outcome is growing here in Europe. I can say way, could you consider how we as the of these was towards a lifestyle of staying this with some certainty through my Network can help, or you as an individual single, ‘enjoying the moment’, and playing experience of teaching the 18 to 24 year can contribute? Perhaps we all know games online. Officials in Tokyo and old age group. Alongside the ‘totally deep down that staying in the harbour is elsewhere were worried as they had switched off group’ who pay their £9k not what what life is about, and that by already seen a decline in marriages and tuition fees and then never appear in sailing out, we can help the world become therefore population. Now you might say classes, are a smaller group who feel a better place. SMN Annual Meeting From Nicholas Pilbrow, Treasurer The Annual Gathering of the company was held at Horsley Park, Leatherhead on Sunday July 8th 2018 and was attended by 40 members as well as members of the Board of Directors and Trustees of the Scientific and Medical Network Charitable Trust. The Chairman said that whilst the vision of the Network had not changed and still provided a forum and safe haven for those wishing to explore the frontiers of science outside the materialist limits imposed by the current scientific and medical mainstream, we wished to expand membership to include more younger members and those from academia. Task groups have now been set up for this purpose. He also said that the new rules on data protection had now come into force which required the company to limit the availability of information on members within the company to those who specifically confirmed their agreement to it. To cater for this, he proposed two categories of membership, “Members” who agreed to make their information available to other members and “Friends, who enjoyed all the other aspects of membership but whose personal information was not made available. He reported that the company’s finances were now in much better shape but we are still looking for other ways of balancing income and expenses without requiring the SMN Trust to fill the gap. The Chairman reported that Edi Bilimoria, a past member of the Board, had again been co-opted. Accordingly he, the Chairman, Paul Kieniewicz and Joan Walton had retired by rotation. All offered themselves for re-election and the assembled company voted to re-elect them. Janine Edge, the chair of the trustees, organised a Members’ Forum to discuss the key issues of concern among the members. The main issue proved to be that of bring in younger members and academics. A number of solutions were proposed, including contacting retiring GPs, who are retiring earlier, targeting universities, appointing ambassadors from the membership and offering Continuing Professional Development Certificates.

2 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Consciousness and the Shifting Scientific Paradigm

Eben Alexander MD

Based on responses to my reports of a starting with: “the only thing any After more than 20 years near-death experience (NDE) to my human being knows is the inside physicians, who were quite shocked to of her/his own consciousness.” spent as an academic see me recovering from what should have simply been a lethal illness, I initially As much as human brain and mind neurosurgeon, my personal felt my experience had been “way too might be exceedingly clever at real to be real,” and thus just a fantastic convincing us otherwise, we have near-death experience hallucination. never experienced any part of the “world out there” (which includes (NDE) in a week-long However, my early forays into my our brains and bodies, which are medical records and scans, and “out there” in the perceived world) coma due to overwhelming discussions with the physicians directly – we have only experienced who had cared for me, revealed the internal construct, the model gram-negative bacterial a more perplexing scenario. within mind, that we presume to My neurological examinations, be a fairly accurate representation meningo-encephalitis in laboratory values and MRI and of the reality “around us.” One CT scans suggested a level of cannot lose sight of this “supreme 2008, during which destruction of my neocortex (the illusion,” as I often refer to it, neocortical destruction led outer surface of the brain, the part if one is to arrive at a deeper that, according to conventional understanding of the nature of to a paradoxical neuroscience, is most involved consciousness, and of reality, itself. in our detailed human conscious enhancement of experience of the world, and the Renowned Stanford physicist Andrei primary target of such an infection) Linde summarized this as follows: that would not permit any dream, phenomenological “Let us remember that our hallucination or drug effect. Yet my knowledge of the world begins not experience had been of a reality far experience, challenged my with matter but with perceptions. more vibrant, alive and real than ... Later we find out that our any I had witnessed in this material prior notions of materialist perceptions obey some laws, world. That ultra-reality seemed which can be most conveniently neuroscience suggesting a common feature as I reviewed formulated if we assume that there hundreds of similar cases of NDEs. that the physical brain How to reconcile such experiences is some underlying reality beyond with my scientific knowledge? our perceptions. This model of might somehow create material world obeying laws of Early on, I was forced back to first physics is so successful that soon we consciousness out of principles in my efforts to fathom forget about our starting point and what I had experienced. I would say that matter is the only reality, purely physical matter. define these first principles as and perceptions are only helpful

www.scimednet.org 3 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 for its description. This assumption require significant reworking of follow the experimental trail to the is almost as natural (and maybe as our notions of mass, energy, space, surprising, yet inevitable, conclusion: false) as our previous assumption time, information and causality. consciousness is fundamental in that space is only a mathematical A true Theory of Everything must the universe, not derivative from tool for the description of matter thus begin with a more robust physical matter. (p. 12).” 1 understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of the interaction of That is: All of the apparent physical world exists within consciousness. Quantum physics and consciousness with the physical world (a view with which physicists A major problem results from our consciousness Roger Penrose, Henry Stapp, Brian era of super-specialization, given the What is the scientific evidence for Josephson, Menas Kafatos and grand scale of conscious experience. mind-over-matter? Specifically, Dean engineer William Tiller, among Physics and neuroscience, as Radin’s work evaluating the role of others, might agree). conventionally practiced, fail to long-term meditators in influencing It is the results of refined encompass the full scale of the the behaviour of photons in the experiments in quantum physics, properties of consciousness. Also, double-slit experiment offers an the most proven field in the history in this era of ‘publish or perish’ interesting look at the notions of of science, that continually reinforce and during the reign of “p < complementarity, and especially the fact that there is no objective 0.05” (allowing too many false the potential for mind to influence physical reality independent of the positive studies by failing to be physical matter in a limited but well- strict enough), not to mention the 2 observing mind. This conclusion defined fashion. is derived from ever-refined old boy’s network of the scientific publications business (i.e. that the The notion in quantum physics of experiments that utilise John Bell’s 3 “safest studies” to get published the “collapse of the wave function,” brilliant insights into the Einstein- are those supporting the status quo that the conscious observing Podolsky-Rosen paper in which or providing some “new” finding mind precipitates an emergent Einstein expressed his belief that [supporting the old paradigm], actuality out of the infinite cloud quantum physics was an incomplete 4 as opposed to corroborating of possibilities in the subatomic theory – he never accepted the an old finding [“replicative world, is one that I believe applies reality of “spooky action at a studies”] or a negative attempt at to the whole of reality, not just to distance” (as he called it), or the demonstrating a new finding) — subatomic observations that are mysterious behaviour of subatomic all these factors lead our current carefully constructed in a quantum particles through their entanglement scientific literature (especially in mechanical experiment. The results across space and time that totally biomedicine and the mind-body of experiments in quantum physics violates our common sense notions thus serve as the “smoking gun” about the universe (not to mention question) into a “canoe rocking in to indicate that all of reality is the special theory of relativity with stormy waters.” Anomalous data quantum, which is simply another its universal speed limit equal to the are often the key to refining our way of saying that consciousness is speed of light). understanding of the natural world, and should guide the evolution of fundamental in the universe: that These experiments, of increasing all of the observable universe since our thinking, as opposed to being power and complexity, continue to dismissed because they fail to fit our before the Big Bang (and all of affirm the reality of entanglement, the rest of the Cosmos that exists weak theoretical models. and especially the remarkable anywhere/anytime) emerges from property of contextuality, in which consciousness itself. the results of the measurements Beyond physicalism So where did the scientific on such particles can be shown The general notion among some revolution go so wrong, i.e. to depend on choices made in the physicists is that the subatomic get led down the false path of mind of the observer. Physicists world is quantum and that the physicalism? The entire scientific and astronomers most informed macroscopic (human sized, or revolution has focused on the generally anything larger than about these modern experiments have come to realise that the material world, without realising a molecule) world is classic/ that consciousness is very much a Newtonian, and that there is some universe is truly mental, not part of the natural world, and not level at which one can apply the physical, as was well argued by simply an epiphenomenon of the “Heisenberg cut” between the Richard Conn Henry, professor of actions of physical matter. Many two. This is a rough assumption/ physics and astronomy at Johns materialist philosophers, such as approximation that might be Hopkins University. 5 Daniel Dennett of Tufts University, convenient for modeling, but is not A more recent article that argues are so confused by the phenomenon part of the underlying reality. All of the position of metaphysical of consciousness that they deny it it is quantum, not classical, given idealism even more forcefully comes even exists: that the constituent parts all obey from computer scientist Bernardo quantum laws. “Are zombies possible? They’re not Kastrup, and quantum physicists just possible, they’re actual. We’re Henry P. Stapp and Menas C. This has tremendous implications all zombies. Nobody is conscious — Kafatos, published in a Scientific all around, including our very not in the systematically mysterious notions of time flow and causality, American blog. 6 They argue in their way that supports such doctrines as spatial extent and 3-dimensional introduction: “all matter—not only epiphenomenalism.” 7 structure, etc. Any initial approach that in living brains—is the outer to a deeper understanding of appearance of inner experience, A crucial point is that humans consciousness and the mind-body different configurations of matter experience a heavily coded question (which is what every bit reflecting different patterns or version of “reality” that is entirely of this discussion is about) will modes of mental activity.” They subjective in nature.

4 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

The information substrate that consciousness into our awareness psychology and other evidence “in-forms” that subjective reality in a constricted fashion – vide suggesting large scale coordination is not an objective physical world infra) with the relational of events in human lives across independent of the observer – that interpretation of quantum multiple lifetimes. is the deep lesson from quantum physics (from Carlo Rovelli) physics that has been such a hard and the empirically supported Assuming there is but one truth, pill for the physicalist camp to conclusion that there appears to I believe that all of the dualistic swallow. I believe the information be no objective physical world positions relating mind and substrate is the field of all independent of the observing brain must be convenient half- possibilities, all possible outcomes mind. 10 This allows a more way points for discussion, but (which one might call the quantum facile understanding of the whole none of them would be the final hologram). Thus, quantum host of rogue phenomena listed deep truth about mind and/or physicists attracted to the infinite above. All can be more readily brain (or “consciousness”). The parallel universes of Hugh Everett’s assimilated and understood from physicalist position has never 1957 many-worlds interpretation this broader perspective of the gone anywhere (given the extreme of the measurement paradox primacy of consciousness in the depth of the “hard problem of in quantum physics should universe. The best conventional consciousness,” or what might realise that such extravagance materialist science seems to offer better be called “the impossible of theory is unnecessary. The is denial of the empirical evidence, problem of consciousness” if one is experimental observations that given its “impossibility” within its approaching from the handicapped lead to such thinking are resolved restrictive theoretical framework. stance of pure physicalism) in by understanding that we are all explaining consciousness. Given manifestations of the one mind, the An emerging scientific worldview broad knowledge of the spectrum primordial consciousness in which is one that thus sees all of of possibilities from physicalism all of events in the universe occur. phenomenological human (“brain creates mind”) through experience (all of the contents of all of the dualisms of mind-brain This shift in paradigms does not mind or consciousness “in the relationships, all the way to demand dispensing with all of now,” and all memories of such a idealism, the truly open-minded the knowledge gained through string of “nows,” for all sentient skeptic rejects materialism as the centuries of science: this expanded beings throughout the cosmos) as most implausible. view of the possibilities simply existing as a pure informational accepts much of that science, domain out of which all of reality The evidence that the physical but enhances its ability to explain is derived. The entire physical brain is not the producer of many phenomena of consciousness universe is a projection from consciousness emerges from such and extraordinary human that phenomenological domain. common phenomena as terminal experience that are completely The phenomenological mental lucidity (inexplicable return mysterious within the very limited experience is what truly exists, and to conscious awareness before assumptions of currently reigning it generates the physical world as death in demented patients), physicalism. its very strong “illusion” of reality. acquired savant syndromes (in It is when we observe that illusory which brain damage allows for Towards a new science of physical reality closely enough, superhuman mental function), through the subatomic assessments and numerous recent experiments consciousness of quantum physics, that we assessing the great decrease in The voluminous scientific detect the absolutely crucial role junctional region brain activity data concerning exotic human of consciousness in guiding the seen in the most extraordinary experiences supporting the reality psychedelic drug experiences 8 emergent actuality out of the cloud of non-local consciousness of possibilities. (vide infra). It is also suggested (such as near-death and shared- by the overwhelming evidence for death experiences, after-death This discussion is fundamentally non-local consciousness in the communication, death-bed visions, all about the mind-body debate, form of telepathy, precognition, psychic medium communications which has raged for at least 24 presentiment, out-of-body from the souls of the departed, centuries. Along the spectrum experiences, remote viewing, out-of-body experiences, remote from complete physicalism, near-death and shared-death viewing, past-life memories through various blends of experiences, death-bed visions, in children indicative of dualistic interpretations, all after-death communications, past- reincarnation, transpersonal the way over to ontological life memories in children indicative psychology experience revealing idealism, I feel that only the of reincarnation, etc. how readily many of the aspects of latter (ontological idealism) is our lives can be better understood defensible from the first principles on the larger stage of souls mentioned above. Idealism also Filter theory - William James and undergoing multiple incarnations, allows for richer understanding Wilder Penfield 9 etc.) provide evidence that the of events in human lives, such The main impediment to scientific physicalist model of the brain as the common appearance of progress thus arises from what producing consciousness is surprising synchronicities that I view as the false assumption hopelessly inadequate. A newer lack any sufficient materialist that the physical world is all that model, such as the Primordial causal explanation. Idealism exists. My current beliefs align Mind Hypothesis argued in trumps panpsychism and other with those of renowned American our book Living in a Mindful quasi-materialist attempts to psychologist William James in Universe, combines filter theory acknowledge the irreducibility of that the spiritual realm offers (i.e. the brain is a reducing valve mind to brain, especially in the up “The More,” which I view or filter that allows primordial broader category of transpersonal as a top-down organisational

www.scimednet.org 5 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 principle that sets the stage for Although surprising to materialist Filter theory enlarges the theatre true evolution on a grand scale. neuroscientists who postulated that of operation of human experience Similar to Teilhard de Chardin’s the physical brain was the producer beyond the simplistic assumptions notion of evolution towards an of consciousness, this finding is quite of the local here-and-now of omega point, I believe sentient consistent with the more expanded physicalist science. Although beings in the universe participate view of the mind-brain relationship some might complain that it in the evolution of information first suggested by the likes of William merely “moves the goalposts” and understanding of the nature James, Frederick W.H. Myers, compared with the physicalist of the universe, aligned with a Henri Bergson and others around views (i.e., production model, or structure suggestive of meaning the dawn of the 20th century. It also “brain-creates-consciousness”) and purpose in our existence. In completely aligns with views forced it replaces, in actuality it greatly many ways, I see this grander on me by my profound near-death expands the explanatory potential evolution of consciousness as the experience in a case of extreme not only for all manner of exotic reason for the existence of the meningo-encephalitis that afflicted human experiences, but also for entire universe – this astonishing me in 2008. a fundamental understanding “self-awareness” of the universe of consciousness and the for itself, manifest at the This view is also one that relationship of brain and mind smallest level through the self- would have greatly satisfied as it pertains to “normal waking awareness of individual sentient Dr. Wilder Penfield, one of the consciousness.” Some might see beings, is tightly interwoven most renowned neurosurgeons the price paid for this expanded with the purpose of all evolving of the 20th century, whose 1975 world view, i.e. that the entire consciousness. book The Mystery of the Mind, higher-ordered chain of causality summarising his decades of work outside of the physical realm now The scientific method applied to electrically stimulating the brain demands a new understanding entities within the physical world of ordering principles as too thus contributes to our deeper in awake patients, clearly states that mind and free will cannot much to swallow, but I believe understanding of the nature of it will prove fruitful in reaching reality in cases where we encounter be explained by the workings of 12 a deeper understanding of all of inexplicable gaps (“anomalous the brain alone. This grander view is known as filter theory: causality in human experience, data”) in the causal chain. For especially given the abject failure example, several recent studies of it views the brain as a reducing valve or filter (a “permissive” of physicalism to offer any clue the psychic actions of serotonin- as to the nature of consciousness. 2a-type psychedelic drugs, system) that limits primordial/ universal consciousness down We must assess the universe on its assessed through functional MRI own terms, and not expect reality (fMRI) and in some cases also by to the constricted version experienced most commonly by to be dumbed down to our level magnetoencephalography [MEG]) of limited understanding. found that the most profound human beings as our “normal, psychic experiences correlated waking consciousness,” as well We are thus proposing a with the greatest inactivation of as that encountered in dreams, philosophical position known key junctional regions within the under the influence of psychedelic as ontological (or metaphysical) brain (notably the thalamus, the drugs, and in certain other idealism, which is totally medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC], extreme physiological conditions consistent with the notion of and the anterior and posterior (near-death), and all manner a mental universe becoming cingulate cortex [ACC & PCC, of “spiritually-transformative more acceptable to quantum respectively]). 11 experiences” (or STEs). physicists. Individual brains thus serve as reducing valves or filters through which a tiny trickle of this primordial mind is allowed in, yielding our notions of “self” and of an apparent “here and now.” Many neuroscientists are still stuck in an outmoded, Newtonian (deterministic) view of the world, totally devoid of any realization of the implications of (more modern) quantum physics. They fail to realize that every neuron is a quantum computer, due to the tight confinement of ions within ion channels and the extraordinary opening of the momentum vector controlling whether or not the host neuron fires (Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle). Through this simple mechanism, primordial consciousness can project subjective reality through controlling all relevant neurons for given qualia or perceptions — I submit that the entire apparent

6 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 physical universe is generated in and the quantum measurement mind. Our conscious awareness this fashion, beginning with the process are crucially based in top- can become much greater, and is perceptions and related thoughts of down causal effects.” 15 essentially without limits. sentient beings. Properly examined, we could trace those perceptual The bigger events of human lives As a physician, neurosurgeon and thus healer, I have also realities through the specific are thus governed by this top-down come to believe that spiritual neuronal firing (i.e. superposition organisational principle originating wellness plays a crucial role state selection for all of those in primordial mind. The bleak in any true physical, mental, relevant neuronal ion channels), mindless and purposeless view or emotional health. This can working backwards to the apparent of materialist science, forever be more readily achieved by physical sources of information relegating humanity to an effective use of centering prayer (such as photons impinging on the increasingly minuscule and or meditation to manifest the retina, or sound waves impacting unimportant speck of accidental optimal outcome, in self and in the tympanic membranes of the ear, flotsam on the vast sea of the others. After all, placebo effect etc.), and thence outward into the cosmos, does not fit the empirical reality of this new worldview. and related cases of spontaneous maya (or illusion) of the external healing provide some of the physical world. But it has never Likewise, the materialist view that humans have no free will (given most robust evidence that the been more than an internal model, simplistic molecular medicine and built within mind. that they consider consciousness to be merely the confusing materialist science still taught in In essence, this is what renowned epiphenomenon of subatomic medical schools is long overdue Princeton University physicist particles, atoms and molecules in for an upgrade. These cases often John Wheeler was suggesting in the brain simply following the laws provide stunning examples of his notions of the Participatory of physics, chemistry and biology) mind-over-matter, supporting the Anthropic Principle. 13 Experimental should be rejected – we have reality of the mental universe (or results have confirmed the responsibility for our thoughts and ontological idealism). They hint suppositions raised in his “delayed actions, and it is high time to own at the true power of human free choice quantum eraser” experiment, up to that and start manifesting the will in manifesting our reality. such that the free will choice of the future that I believe is our shared observing astronomer about testing human destiny. More data or personal for wave or particle properties of photons that left a quasar long Personal experiences, or experience? ago actually affect the photons all “anecdotes,” are absolutely Jessica Utts is a respected statistician the way back to their origin in the crucial in understanding who recently served as the president distant past! 14 Wheeler noted his consciousness — one cannot of the American Statistical agreement with the position argued limit oneself to double-blind Association. In her presidential by idealist Irish philosopher George randomised controlled trials as address to approximately six Berkeley over two centuries earlier, the only avenue towards scientific thousand members of that society that “to be is to be perceived.” knowledge. As physicist Richard (from 62 countries) published in 2016, she commented on her Only the perception of the photon Feynman said during his Nobel work that confirmed the statistical now is relevant, and choices made Prize acceptance speech in 1965, likelihood of remote viewing and about observing it in the present are “A very great deal more truth precognition as being real effects: influential in retrocausal fashion can become known than can be – that is, the present has causal proven.” I believe rich insights “I can provide a more concrete influence on the past. into the nature of consciousness example based on the research and any underlying reality can I have done in parapsychology. best be revealed by exploring Parapsychology is concerned Top-down causation consciousness, that is through The physicalist model assumes with the scientific investigation of meditation or centering prayer potential skills that are commonly bottom-up causation – that is, that (“going within”). the action of subatomic particles known as psychic abilities, such as simply following the laws of The voice in our head (voice precognition, telepathy, and so on. physics, chemistry, and biology, of the ego) is little more than For many years I have worked with yields all of the causation needed an “annoying roommate” (as researchers doing very careful work in this area, including a year I spent to explain the complex events of Michael Singer put it in his working on a classified project for human lives. I believe that, given book, The Untethered Soul). the United States government, to the preponderance of empirical Our conscious awareness is see if we could use these abilities data, it makes more sense to far grander than that little for intelligence gathering during the assume a top-down causal chain, voice, which also happens to Cold War. This 20-year project is in which primordial consciousness be the voice of reason and logic described in the recent book ESP dictates all of the events that occur, and communication between Wars East and West by physicist and the laws of physics (and the humans. But our conscious Edwin May, the lead scientist on principle of sufficient reason) awareness is not so imprisoned the project, with input from his as we come to recognize the simply apply to what is and is not Soviet counterparts. possible within this purposeful and limits of that “linguistic brain.” meaningful sense of causality, one Our language can only help in “At the end of that project I wrote in which human free will is alive conveying those more-earth-like a report for Congress, stating and well. After all, South African experiences for which it is best what I still think is true. The data mathematician George FR Ellis suited – the deeper truths we in support of precognition and has elegantly argued that “both can come to know through our possibly other related phenomena [quantum] state vector preparation own explorations into universal are quite strong statistically, and

www.scimednet.org 7 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 would be widely accepted if they course I’m giving you an extreme Audio brain entrainment provided pertained to something more example, and I think people are by Sacred Acoustics influences mundane. Yet, most scientists reject justifiably skeptical, because most consciousness at a deep and the possible reality of these abilities people think that these abilities primitive level, allowing a more without ever looking at data! And contradict what we know about robust exploration of the on the other extreme, there are science. They don’t, but that’s the primordial mind that we propose true believers who base their belief subject for a different talk!” 16 as the origin of all of reality. solely on anecdotes and personal Binaural beats, and especially the experience. I have asked the It is this desire to facilitate personal proprietary form involved in debunkers if there is any amount of experience that drives much of Sacred Acoustics’ NeuralHelix® data that could convince them, and the work we do, as reported (www.sacredacoustics.com), they generally have responded by in my third book, Living in a presumably affect the lower saying, ‘probably not.’ I ask them Mindful Universe, co-authored brainstem, as opposed to acoustic what original research they have with my life partner and the effects in the more recently evolved co-founder of Sacred Acoustics, read, and they mostly admit that 17 neocortex. I believe this targeting they haven’t read any! Now there Karen Newell. Our work is not of the more archaic brain structures is a definition of pseudo-science— only a direct indictment of the involved in consciousness might basing conclusions on belief, failures of scientific materialism explain the basis of their enhanced rather than data! in explaining consciousness, power to liberate conscious but it also offers a metaphysical awareness from the illusion of self, “When I have given talks on this framework that would support and of the here and now. Such topic to audiences of statisticians, deeper understanding of human powerful tools for the personal I show lots of data. Then I ask the experience. In addition, we exploration of consciousness are audience, which would be more offer tools that we have found exactly what Dr. Utts found to be convincing to you—lots more data, to be especially useful, not just in demand – not more data, but or one strong personal experience? in ourselves but also in group personal experience. The answers Almost without fail, the response is workshops and by reports from a truly lie within us all. one strong personal experience! Of larger audience.

Eben Alexander MD is a former associate professor in neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School whose main interest has been the neuroscience of consciousness and philosophy of mind ever since his profound near-death experience in 2008. He collaborates with fellow scientists around the world in this effort, and is committed to uniting science and spirituality for the benefit of all humankind. He is the author of Proof of Heaven, The Map of Heaven, and Living in a Mindful Universe (www.ebenalexander.com).

References 1. Linde, A. (1998). Universe, Life, Consciousness. A paper delivered at the Physics and Cosmology Group of the “Science and Spiritual Quest” program of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS), Berkeley, California. [Online]. Available from: web.stanford. edu/~alinde/SpirQuest.doc 2. Dean Radin, L. Michel, K. Galdamez, P. Wendland, R. Rickenbach, and A. Delorme. Consciousness and the double-slit interference pattern: Six experiments. Physics Essays 25:2 pp 157-171 [2012]. 3. Bell J.S. On the Einstein Podolsky Rosen Paradox, Physics 1, pp 195-200 (1964). 4. Einstein A., N. Rosen, B. Podolsky. Physics Rev 47, p. 777 (1935). 5. Henry R.C. The Mental Universe. Nature 436:7, p. 29 (2005). 6. Bernardo Kastrup, Henry P. Stapp and Menas C. Kafatos. Coming to grips with the implications of quantum mechanics. Scientific American blog May 29, 2018: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/coming-to-grips-with-the-implications-of-quantum- mechanics/. 7. Daniel C. Dennett. Consciousness Explained. New York: Little, Brown and Company (1991), p. 402 8. Kelly, Edward F., Emily W. Kelly, A. Crabtree, A. Gauld, M. Grosso, and B. Greyson. Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. 9. Stanislav Grof. Psychology of the Future: Lessons from Modern Consciousness Research. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2000 10. M. Ringbauer et al., “Measurements on the Reality of the Wavefunction,” arXiv: 1412.6213v2 [qaunt-ph], January 20, 2015. 11. Carhart-Harris R.L., et alia. Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging. PNAS 113 (17) 4853-4858, April 26, 2016. 12. Eben Alexander III. Near-Death Experiences: The Last Word. Missouri Medicine 112:4, 275-282 (2015). 13. J. A. Wheeler, “The Universe as Home for Man,” The Nature of Scientific Discovery: A Symposium Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Birth of Nicolaus Copernicus, edited by O. Gingerich [Smithsonian Institution Press, City of Washington], pp. 261–296, discussion pp. 575–587 (1975). 14. Yoon-Ho Kim, R. Yu, S.P. Kulik, Y.H. Shih, Marlan O. Scully. A Delayed Choice Quantum Eraser. Phys Rev Lett 84:1-5. arXiv:quant- ph/9903047 (2000). 15. George F.R. Ellis. On the limits of quantum theory: Contextuality and the quantum-classical cut. arXiv:1108.5261v4 [quant-ph] 8 May 2012. 16. Jessica Utts. Appreciating Statistics, Journal of the American Statistical Association, 111:516, 1373-1380, DOI: 10.1080/01621459.2016.1250592 (2016). 17. Eben Alexander MD, Karen Newell. Living in a Mindful Universe: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Heart of Consciousness. New York: Rodale Books (2017)

8 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Stephen Hawking: Recollections of a Singular Friend Bernard Carr

Numerous obituaries and Stephen Hawking’s scientific commentaries in the days since life was one of extraordinary his death have described Stephen’s scientific contributions and iconic achievement, with numerous status. Here I would like to tell a more personal story – about what contributions to cosmology, it was like being one of Stephen’s black hole physics, relativity first PhD students and becoming his friend. This may appear rather theory and the search for a self-indulgent but I hope my recollections can be justified on theory of everything. In the the grounds that they reflect his year before his death I was qualities as a human being rather than a famous scientist and show interviewing him for a a personal side which is missing in most recent accounts. At the end, I forthcoming book on the will also mention what lessons his golden age of relativity theory life may hold for the SMN. and Stephen was certainly one Stephen had around 40 PhD students, many of whom worked of the brightest nuggets of more closely with him than me and over a longer period. So I don’t have that era. However, his any special insights on this account. influence went well beyond Nevertheless, I was working with Stephen at Caltech in 1975 him at an extraordinarily exciting his own research. Not only time, when he discovered that black Stephen was not so famous when holes emit thermal radiation due to I began my PhD in 1972 but his did he succeed in generating quantum effects. This was one of brilliance was already clear to his public interest in some of the the most important results in 20th- peers and I found it rather daunting century physics, whose implications when, on becoming his research deepest questions of physics are still being unravelled 45 years student, I was informed by one of later. Even though it has still not my tutors that he was the brightest but he was also inspirational been confirmed experimentally - person in the department. (The in his fight against disability otherwise he would surely have tutor was the physicist Jeffrey added the Nobel prize to his long Goldstone, who might himself and the use of his fame to list of awards – few people doubt have been a contender for that that it must be true. This is because position.) Nevertheless, it soon support numerous important it unifies three previously disparate became evident that my relationship causes. Despite his well- areas of physics – quantum with him would not be the theory, general relativity and usual type of supervisor-student known communication thermodynamics – and is such a relationship. In those days, before beautiful idea that it almost has to he had his entourage of nurses problems, he became one be true. The renowned physicist and assistants, students would of the greatest science John Wheeler once told me that just necessarily have to help him in talking about it was like “rolling various ways on account of his communicators of our age. candy on the tongue”. disability. This was not an arduous

www.scimednet.org 9 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 task but it did mean that my have delivered the message appeared The other human side of Stephen was relationship with him became quite and apologized for not having done that he didn’t suffer fools gladly and intimate. Indeed, I shared an office so! I’ve always been fascinated with sometimes got annoyed. One of the with him, lived with his family for such coincidences and feel that they stories put around is that he would a while and accompanied him as he indicate that there are mysteries in vent his frustration by running over travelled around the world, giving life that may go beyond standard students’ toes. I’m not sure about talks and collecting medals. People physics. However, Stephen himself that – he once run over the toes of sometimes ask me if working with may not have shared that view. the Prince of Wales and I’m sure Stephen was the high point of my that was just an accident. It certainly career. I hope not - since this would When I started my PhD a few never happened to me but then he imply that it has been downhill since months later, I soon discovered some didn’t have a motorised wheelchair the start! - but it was certainly a of Stephen’s singular characteristics. in those days. On the other hand, I tremendous privilege. The first, of course, was that he was well recall one occasion when I made very smart. Students are probably a remark in the department common I met the Hawking family for the always in awe of their supervisors room at tea-time that showed that I first time, just before I began my and with Stephen the awe was had misunderstood what he’d been PhD, at a conference on black holes even greater. Indeed, on matters of saying. Stephen screamed “No” so at Les Houches in 1972. This was physics, I always regarded him as loudly that his wheelchair shot back one of the first meetings on the an oracle, just a few words from halfway across the room under the subject and played an important him yielding insights that would recoil. I was most impressed that a role in its development. My presence have taken weeks to work out on single word from him could have there involved an interesting my own. However, Stephen was such dramatic consequences. coincidence. I was not accepted for only human and not all encounters the conference myself but I was a led to illumination. Once I asked a I also learnt about Stephen’s summer student at CERN in nearby question about something that was stubborness and determination to Geneva and there was a spare puzzling me. He thought about it continue doing things for himself place one week. So Stephen tried to silently for several minutes and I as long as possible, despite the send me a message via a colleague, was quite impressed with myself relentless progress of his illness. inviting me to visit. I never received for asking something that Stephen For example, because he had an this message but I decided on a couldn’t answer immediately. His office in both the Department whim to visit that week anyway. It eyes then closed and I was even more of Applied Mathematics and was a wonderful experience – my impressed with myself because he Theoretical Physics and the Institute first conference – and meant that I was clearly having to think about of Astronomy, I also had offices got to meet all the prominent figures it very deeply. Only after some in both places. I recall that he in the field even before starting time did it become clear that he sometimes gave me a lift (probably my PhD. Stephen assumed that I had fallen asleep! Nowadays I also illegally!) between the two places in was there because I received his sometimes fall asleep while talking his 3-wheeled invalid car. I found invitation but at the end of the week to students, so I recall this incident this rather scary because I thought the person who was supposed to with amusement. he drove faster than was safe.

Visitors to the Caltech astrophysics group in 1975, including Robert Dicke, Werner Israel, Roger Penrose (back row from left) and Kip Thorne, Stephen and myself (front row from left).

10 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Later he had to discontinue the use did form and – since I’ve spent One of the great excitements of of the car but he never lost his drive much of my life thinking about visiting Caltech was meeting the and the desire to travel as far and them – it’s gratifying to find that brilliant physicist Richard Feynman, wide as possible. One regret is that there is now great interest in the who was regarded almost like a he didn’t live long enough to achieve possibility that PBHs too large to god there. I recall our going off to his dream of going into space. evaporate could provide the dark one of his lectures shortly after our matter which surrounds galaxies arrival. He used to visit our office Although I’m generally avoiding and dominates the density. Also quite often and, since Stephen’s voice a discussion of his scientific work, the recent discovery by the LIGO was already quite weak, I would I will say a little about my own experiment of gravitational waves collaboration with him. Our first help him understand what Stephen from coalescing black holes requires was saying – linguistically rather paper together was about black that they be larger than the ones holes that may have formed in than intellectually of course! On one which derive from ordinary stellar occasion, I recall Stephen remarking the early universe due to the great collapse, so they too could be compression of the big bang. that something was only a matter primordial. In this case, Stephen’s of a sign and Feynman retorted that Stephen wrote a pioneering paper 1971 paper on the subject will about such primordial black he’d only became famous because have been one of his seminal he’d sorted out a sign! holes (PBHs) in 1971 but there contributions and I will have been was a snag because the Russian lucky to have also played a role in Stephen gave his first proper seminar astrophysicists Ya.B. Zeldovich the birth of the subject. about Hawking radiation at Caltech and Igor Novikov had argued that and Feynman was in the audience. In 1975 Stephen visited Caltech for any black holes formed in the early I was at the front helping to show a year as a Fairchild scholar. I was universe would grow enormously the slides and afterwards someone in my final year as a PhD student to around a thousand billion solar told me that he’d been drawing my masses today. The existence of such and was invited to accompany him there and live with his family. It was portrait on the back of an envelope. huge black holes is excluded, which So I contacted his secretary, only suggested that PBHs never formed. an ideal arrangement from my point of view because I lived rent-free in to discover that he’d thrown the However, their argument neglected envelope away. However, she the cosmological expansion and we exchange for helping Stephen at work and home. More importantly, kindly retrieved it for me from the were able to show that such growth garbage bin and it is now one of my was impossible, thereby allowing the Hawkings welcomed me as a member of their family and I have treasured possessions. My head is at the possibility that PBHs may have the centre and around it are his notes existed after all. We actually made remained close to them ever since. After the rather cloistered life at on the seminar and some Feynman this discovery independently. I recall diagrams. I didn’t tell Stephen at rushing excitedly to his office to Cambridge, I found Caltech and California exhilarating – like living the time because I thought he might give the good news and being rather be annoyed that Feynman wasn’t dismayed to find that he had just in another century – and I know Stephen felt the same. In some ways just focusing on his talk but now it come to the same conclusion by serves as a wonderful memento of doing the calculation in his head! the facilities were much better there since they provided him with a house that occasion. In due course, Stephen Perhaps the most important aspect and built ramps everywhere for his became even more famous than of the conclusion that PBHs might wheelchair. I think it was quite a Feynman – which made my envelope have formed was that it motivated battle to get ramps at Cambridge. even more valuable. Stephen to consider the quantum effects of small black holes and only primordial ones could be small Feynman’s back-of-envelope enough for this to be important. I portrait and his notes on recall discussing this over tea one Stephen’s first colloquium on afternoon. He was puzzled to be Hawking radiation finding a large quantum flux, so I must have been one of the first people to learn about this and I’ve always regretted that I didn’t spot the implication and remark “Obviously, Stephen, they’re radiating thermally”. Nevertheless, I was fortunate to have a ringside seat during these developments. It also enabled me to be one of the first people to study the cosmological consequences of the effect and thereby make my own small contribution to the subject. After 50 years we still don’t know for sure whether PBHs ever formed but this illustrates that it can be important to think about things in physics even if they may not actually exist. Of course, it’s much more interesting if they

www.scimednet.org 11 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Shortly after his return from China he fell seriously ill with pneumonia on a visit to CERN. I flew out to Geneva to help and recall my gloom as he flew back to Cambridge with his wife Jane in a specially equipped little plane since I didn’t expect him to survive. However, his life was saved by a tracheotomy and - like so many others - I underestimated his life force. He could not communicate at first but his friends used to read to him in Addenbrooke’s hospital. On one occasion I recall reading a rather risqué passage from a David Lodge novel in which the central character visits a strip club. The description was very explicit and I felt embarrassed reading this in the presence of the nurse, so I asked Stephen if I should continue. A smile then crossed his face and his eyes twinkled vigorously, so that’s when I knew he would recover. However, I never guessed that the next major phase of his life was only just beginning and that I was about to witness his transition from a brilliant physicist, known only to professional colleagues, to an Stephen and myself at Caltech, with his secretary and another student Peter D’Eath. international superstar. Much has been written about During our year at Caltech, Stephen that he’d nominated someone else, Stephen’s fame. He clearly enjoyed was awarded the Pius XII medal, so so I was surprised at his rather this and valued the opportunity it we flew to Rome to receive it. One undiplomatic candour. But he then brought him to highlight various of my vivid memories of that trip added that he had decided Stephen social-political issues. We sometimes was his insistence that we visit the was the better candidate after all and discussed the topic and I recall one Vatican archives to read Galileo’s had told the Pontifical Academy so. lunch at Caltech in 1975 when we recantation. He was born 300 years were debating the nature of fame. to the day after Galileo’s death and I I did not work with Stephen He finally defined it as being a state think he always felt a strong affinity again after finishing my PhD but I in which one is known by more with him because they were both remained in Cambridge for another people than one knows. On the way rebels. Galileo was the first modern ten years, so we remained friends back to the office, a passing stranger scientist to realize the importance and I continued to accompany him said “Hi”. When I asked Stephen of observation and to challenge to conferences. In 1985 I joined who it was, he answered “That the received wisdom of the ancient him on a trip to China. Our host was fame” - a nice illustration of Greeks. Stephen was like that too, was the astrophysicist Professor his quick wit. Ten years later the always showing great boldness Fang Li Zhi, whose institute had number of people who knew him in discarding old ideas which he been banished from Beijing to Hefei was probably a million times the regards as an obstacle to progress, so during the cultural revolution. He number he knew, so he presumably I think that’s why he felt an affinity. later became hugely popular among modified his definition. Chinese students and took refuge While visiting Rome, we also met I am sometimes asked where Stephen the famous physicist Paul Dirac, in the American Embassy in Beijing stands in the pantheon of great another of Stephen’s heroes and his during the Tiananmen Square riots physicists. There are many ways predecessor as Lucasian Professor. before moving to America. Stephen’s of being a great physicist and they He won a Nobel prize and did more talks were always packed and on cannot be ranked like runners in than anyone in the 20th century, one occasion I was amazed that even an Olympic race. Stephen himself with the exception of Einstein, to one of my talks was packed. Later it never claimed to have the status of advance physics and change our transpired that this was because I’d Newton or Einstein but I strongly picture of the universe. They were been mistaken for my near name- disagree with people who suggest members of the same department sake, Roy Kerr, who was famous that his scientific eminence has from 1962 to 1969, but never saw for discovering the rotating black been exaggerated because of his each other because Dirac belonged hole solution. During a long train disability. It would take too long to to the old school, who preferred to journey with Stephen from Hefei to summarise his contributions here work in College rooms. They finally Beijing, I recall reading the first draft but nothing could better testify to met in Rome because Dirac was a of a popular book he was writing. their importance than the fact that member of the Pontifical Academy My initial impression that it would his ashes were recently interred in of Science, who had awarded the never sell proved inaccurate since Westminster Abbey, alongside medal. When Stephen thanked him it eventually turned into A Brief those of Isaac Newton. I was for nominating him, Dirac replied History of Time! privileged to attend this unique

12 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 occasion and I doubt any other Another memorable occasion was I did occasionally discuss my contemporary physicist will achieve attending the premiere of the Oscar- interest in psychical research with such an accolade. winning “Theory of Everything” in Stephen. Indeed, at the end of my Leicester Square a few years ago. undergraduate studies, I had to Of course, there was a lot of media As is well known, this provided a hype and his disability clearly choose between doing a PhD in moving portrayal of Stephen and physics or parapsychology. My played a role in his becoming an Jane’s relationship. However, I iconic figure. But he used that to ambition was to extend physics to always found the title rather ironic good effect to instill public interest accommodate mind and I wanted since the film was primarily about in some of the deepest questions to study psi because this provides love, which is a phenomenon that of physics. He also coauthored the evidence of a link between matter series of excellent children’s books a Theory of Everything will surely and mind. However, I realized that with his daughter Lucy and it’s never explain. I know that Stephen I could hardly achieve my ambition odd to reflect that a contribution enjoyed it because I was sitting unless I first mastered physics and I wrote for George’s Cosmic close to him, so I envisaged the some of the fascinating new insights Treasure Hunt has probably been newspaper headlines the next day this was revealing. Also there was read by more people than any of “Stephen Hawking finds Theory of little prospect of getting a job in my scientific articles. Everything….enjoyable!” parapsychology at the time and I was wisely advised that I might His sense of humour was legendary I last met Stephen at a small tea party to celebrate his 76th birthday benefit the field more in the long run and I once suggested that he should if I first established myself in a more write a book of jokes and amusing last January. I then left for a visit to Japan and was worried about conventional discipline. I therefore anecdotes (Surely You’re Joking chose to do a PhD in cosmology and Mr Hawking?), along the lines of him because I knew he was ill. By chance I returned to London just a was very fortunate to be assigned Feynman’s famous book. However, such a special supervisor. this sometimes had a down side few hours before he died and I found because - even before he lost his some consolation in that. Another Stephen, incidentally, was sceptical voice - it had become very weak, coincidence is that he died on of psi phenomena, although he so he had to repeat the punchlines Einstein’s birthday, having also been had read J. B. Rhine’s books as a of his jokes many times. For born on Galileo’s deathday, so it’s teenager. This is illustrated by an example, my friend Carlos Frenk odd that he should be connected to incident in which I had a dream in was once carrying him downstairs his two greatest heroes in this way. I which he explained how I could doubt Stephen would have attributed after one of Martin Rees’s parties solve an equation. When I awoke, much significance to this but he at Cambridge when the light went I remembered the dream and the always acknowledged that time is a out. Stephen said something but advice turned out to be correct, Carlos couldn’t understand him, so mystery we don’t fully understand. The synchronicity is certainly fitting so I mentioned this to Stephen to Stephen kept repeating it louder and check whether he had shared the louder. Carlos became increasingly because his first major discovery was that spacetime trajectories can have dream. He hadn’t and dismissed concerned and finally he put him any suggestion that telepathy might down and rushed upstairs in a panic singular endpoints where strange things may happen. Stephen was be involved, so I joked that in that to announce “Come quickly – there’s case he would not be on the paper! something terribly wrong with the most singular person I have ever known and I feel truly privileged After 45 years I’m not confident this Stephen.” It finally transpired that he memory is accurate - I doubt that was just making some joke about the that he was my friend. I would have been so cheeky - but lights going out! As a postscript, I would like to make I do recall the dream. I moved to London in 1985 but some remarks about Stephen and maintained my friendship with the SMN. As is well known, he was People sometimes ask me why I Stephen and his family. Along not enamoured with religious ideas didn’t try to interest Stephen more with his other former students, I and – despite being blessed by four in spiritual matters but I always would join him at conferences to popes and interred at Westminster avoided that. This is partly because celebrate his key birthdays, the last Abbey - he certainly never aspired he had an antipathy towards one being his 75th in 2017. For me to be spiritual. I believe that even his philosophy and theology but also one highlight of the 60th was the famous reference to “knowing the because the spiritual path is not conference banquet, at which his mind of God” in A Brief History of suitable for everyone and he would former students and first wife Jane Time was tongue in cheek. I once surely not have made such an (who was deemed an honorary asked him to speak at the SMN enormous contribution to physics student) sang a song which I had meeting on “God or Multiverse?” if he had turned his attention in written to mark the occasion. Some but I never regarded him as a likely that direction. Humanity needs of the younger ones were reluctant Network recruit. Nevertheless, he both spiritually and scientifically to participate at first but fortunately did care passionately about and was enlightened people but only a few the Edge of U2 fame was present and an influential proponent of some of them need to be – or would want agreed to participate, after which of the ecological and social issues to be - involved in the dialogue everyone else joined in. which the SMN has championed. between science and religion.

Bernard Carr is a Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at Queen Mary University of London. His professional area of research is cosmology and astrophysics and includes such topics as the early universe, dark matter, black holes and the anthropic principle. For his PhD he studied the first second of the Universe under the supervision of Stephen Hawking at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge. He is the author of Universe or Multiverse? and Quantum Black Holes. He also has a long-standing interest in the relationship between science and religion, and especially in psychical research, which he sees as forming a bridge between them. His ambition is to develop an extension of physics which can accommodate mind, consciousness and spirituality. He was President of the Society for Psychical Research in 2000- 2004 and Chairman of the Scientific and Medical Network in 2011-2016 and he is currently a Vice-President of both organisations.

www.scimednet.org 13 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Health and Wholeness

Neil May

The World Health Organization and sometimes should mean being “In fact” said Mustapha (WHO) defined health in its broader ill. But this is not the point. To sense in its 1948 constitution as «a define health by disease is perhaps Mound “you’re claiming state of complete physical, mental, to ask the wrong question, to go and social well-being and not off on the wrong path. Rather the right to be unhappy… merely the absence of disease or may it not depend on whether or not to mention the right to infirmity.» But is this correct? And not, and how, we respond to our is it a good definition – is it helpful outer and inner environment, to our grow old and ugly and practically and morally? world and our soul? Being healthy What if complete well-being is perhaps means being fully alive to impotent; the right to have impossible? Or alternatively what if our lives in their fullness. It means syphilis and cancer; the health sometimes includes or even responding to the world and our requires disease and infirmity? inner state honestly and openly. right to live in constant For example, is it healthy not to In this way being healthy would become ill with grief at the death mean enjoying the benefits and apprehension of what may of your child? Or is it healthy if blessings of a time and place, but happen tomorrow... the children do not get childhood also bearing the problems and evils illnesses? If you have an infirmity, of a particular life, and suffering right to be tortured by does it mean you are always with them. It would mean being as unhealthy? Or is it healthy for open to the world in all its reality unspeakable pains of an old person to run away from as is individually possible. This is illness and infirmity, rather than what gives us character, humanity every kind.” accepting them, and ultimately and integrity, rooted as they should accepting death? Could the idea of be in love and truthfulness. The There was a long silence. being healthy and having complete opposite of health is not illness, well-being in fact become a burden but isolation, being closed off from “I claim them all” said the to us, forcing us sometimes to reality and from all those many pretend to be well and happy, or if influences which shape our lives and Savage at last. we become irrefutably ill, making which we in turn affect and shape. us feel that we have somehow The consequences of different failed, and are guilty of some ways of thinking about health, personal or moral weakness? By and of basing policy, funding, positing such a utopian notion social networks and personal of health, have we not thereby aspirations and fears upon them, condemned large numbers of people are considerable. I shall argue that to an unremitting life of “healing”, the current definition of health is subjecting them to endless scientific both harmful to individuals and or psychological trials and all the to society as a whole, and that for anxiety, fear and tedium which this reason alone we need to change accompanies this? it. Of course more fundamentally Health, as stated above, is not it is perhaps the truth (or lack of merely the absence of disease or it) of our current definition and infirmity. But perhaps it is not their how it speaks to us, which is the absence at all. Being healthy does more serious failing, and whose not necessarily mean not being ill. consequences go far beyond the On the contrary, good health can notion of harm.

14 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

In order to understand and reclaim the past and future. Our individual concept in many traditional cultures the word health from its current character derives from this whole, and faiths, and is not considered ideological dead end, we need to and reflects the whole through our a random force (as in the “luck think more about the word itself, particularity. Furthermore, just as of the dice”), but part of a greater and to feel our way into a new the Whole (of creation) is never the divine plan, articulated in phrases sense of it. One way to do this is to same from one moment to the next, such as “It is written” or “it is in look at the origins of the word and so each individual part of creation, God’s hand”. Such an attitude can those words which are close to it, from the smallest atom or speck of considerably reduce anxiety and etymologically and poetically. dust to every single human being, anger about one’s condition, often The word “health”, we are told, is constantly changing, and is never reducing the suffering from pain or comes from the Old English hælþ the same. If anything were the same infirmity, and allowing core values which means “whole, hale, sound, even for one millisecond, creation such as love, truth and goodness to of good omen”. It is also related would have ended. Our reality is thrive in spite of the illness. to the word halig – “holy”, which part of a continual transformation, Consideration of the concept of is also related to the idea of just as the whole is continually fate can to some extent help us wholeness, of “that which must be transformed. So we cannot isolate to understand the important but preserved whole or intact, that or define the whole either in space complex difference between pain cannot be transgressed or violated”. or in time. and suffering, a difference which The word is also related to the is often neglected in medicine. German greeting Heil, and the In this regard, what does the Suffering can be characterised to modern English Hello, which wholeness of a person mean? To some extent as the conscious human convey greetings wishing “health, what does it refer and how do we response to pain (whether physical, happiness and good luck”. It may judge whether something is more emotional or other). It can be also be related to the Old English or less whole? It cannot be in argued that only humans suffer word hæleþ meaning “man, regard to completeness, as to how (as opposed to just feeling pain), hero, fighter”. far a person can be considered a finished or separate being, as this as suffering requires consciousness These connections are worth would mean to cut them off from of self and of time (the memory or pondering. It seems at first as their context, and make them less anticipation of pain often being a though the WHO definition of a than whole. To know a person as cause of suffering). But whether “complete state” of well-being (i.e. a whole perhaps rather means to or not and how much we suffer as “wholeness”) is justified by this understand all the aspects of their from a particular pain is often etymology. However, on further life and personality, not in detail dependent not on the amount of consideration, it becomes clear that necessarily, but how the intrinsic physical or emotional dis-ease that completeness and wholeness, for qualities of a person interact with we experience, but on our attitude all their apparent similarity, are and are shaped by their context, to pain and adversity. People can in many ways opposed concepts. not only in the past, but now, in an still be happy (and not suffering) For something to be complete, it on-going manner, changing with the even with severe discomfort, as must be separate, objectifiable and changes of their time. To be whole experienced, for example, by many finished, and, as such, not subject or to know a person as a whole older people with arthritis, ulcers, to further change or interaction. perhaps means somehow to bring or other illnesses. On the other On the other hand wholeness can all the aspects of a person together hand, people who are anxious be understood both practically and into balance, even those aspects about illness or disaster can suffer philosophically as boundless, and which are difficult or which conflict considerably, even without physical as such constantly changing. This with each other. This is very pain or accident. So our attitude to difference appears if you attach the different from thinking of a person the future, as well as to the present, words to “person”: a complete as complete, as though he or she which formerly was commonly person, or a whole person. were a toy doll or a jigsaw puzzle, thought of, at least partly, as the made up of definable and finite working of fate or as God’s will, A whole person is not a definable parts, which fit together neatly. can have a considerable effect on entity unless isolated from his/her suffering. Modernity has to some context. But if isolated, then part Perhaps we should consider other extent banished these concepts and of the person will not be present. meanings of “health” to further replaced them with an uncertainty This is not only a fact in regard to deepen our understanding of this and anxiety about the future, a the social or emotional wholeness word. For example, what is meant future which it seems now to be of a person, but also applies to us by health as “of good omen” or entirely our responsibility to survive biologically, as we are in constant “good luck”? These meanings or if possible, control, and this exchange with bacteria, fungi, and indicate that health is, perhaps, also in turn has changed our attitudes other biological as well as chemical a relationship of a person to destiny to health and healing, making us agents and air itself both within or fate, or to the gods or God. Fate search for safety and certainty and outside our bodies. Our social, is something beyond our control, where previously we had accepted physical and mental wholeness but which has meaning. It is part of risk and the unknown. implies or requires relationships a pre-ordained order. It is something with other people, animals, work, which nowadays is not accepted in This is not to say, of course, that even material things, and all of medical science, but which in times all suffering is just a form of these in turn are in relationship with of trauma or accident, we still may unnecessary worrying or mental other people, animals, things etc. resort to, both for consolation or self-harm. Just because someone In fact, since everything is linked for explanation. It is something believes in God’s will or fate, to everything else, our wholeness much greater than our own lives suffering does not disappear, is intrinsically linked to everything and in some ways greater than our though it may be changed in its else in creation, not only now but in understanding. It is a very common nature, and be less self-absorbed

www.scimednet.org 15 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 or resentful. Suffering, if properly mind, heart and soul), a relationship bacteria. Rather it is living with understood, is, to some extent, which is marked by acceptance, reality and continually deepening what makes us human, opening reciprocity, balance, authenticity, our understanding of ourselves, our our hearts and minds to the pain generosity and heroism. world and our destiny. and sorrow of others, and probing the meaning of pain and evil in this This may sound as though we This is ultimately about the truth world. In Christianity at least, it is are asking unreasonable things of of reality itself. The understanding the suffering of Christ which unites ordinary people. Not everyone can of reality as expressed through heaven and earth and redeems us be balanced, authentic, a hero in modern medicine and our general all. It is Christ’s suffering, not his their lives. Or can they? In fact, culture is that reality is somehow pain, which does this. people show remarkable heroism objectifiable and can be reduced in their illnesses and treatment to its parts. Reality is the physical In this context, we can also try even now, but in a way which is world and this is either inert, and to probe the meaning of health often drained of meaning and is alien, or is hostile and competing as “holy”, as something given by actually demeaning to the sick. It is with us. This is why we believe we God and to be honoured as such, a deluded kind of heroism, which is can and should desire to achieve but also as “that which cannot often invoked in statements such as “completeness”, a completeness or should not be transgressed or “he lost his battle against cancer”, which is a defence against the forces violated”. Does this imply that as though cancer were an alien of the world, which is self-sufficient “health” is something of a taboo, force, and not part of the whole, and isolated or immune. However, or a commandment; that says that not something which also has this is not how reality is understood the whole should not be reduced to meaning. What is often genuinely in most traditional cultures or in less than what it is, an injunction heroic in people with cancer is their many people’s personal experience. that “you shall not make a person enduring care for others, even in the In much medieval, tribal and separate, you shall not divide midst of pain, and their kindness mystical thought, the world is not them up or reduce them to their to the doctors and nurses who inert and without meaning, but parts”, as this dissection violates are often misguidedly attempting everything within the world has and transgresses the reality of the to treat them, even when it is meaning, both in regard to itself, whole person and the whole itself? causing more physical and mental and, importantly, in regard to It may be seen that this definition distress. Transcending this constant human beings. Things desire to of the whole was a critical part of intervention to be able to see the be understood and to reveal their the attitude to the body in many further shore and to leave this life real meaning. They are a part of traditional cultures, where the body with peace and blessing is, indeed, a creation imbued with meaning is considered sacred even after truly heroic. and purpose. They are not hostile death, and medical dissection of or competitive, but desire to be corpses is forbidden. Or perhaps Much better and indeed easier is part of our world and to enhance this “holiness” is a reminder of the the definition of health proposed our lives. Human beings are those mystery, inherent indivisibility and here as a right relationship. To be creatures which have the power to all-encompassing connectivity of the healthy does not mean never being understand this revealed meaning whole, healthy person. ill, protecting yourself from germs, and to enjoy it, and in this sense fighting disease, declaring war on this is our true intellectual task Finally, the meaning of health as cancer, or stuffing yourself with and destiny. related to “man, hero, fighter” vitamins and Lemsip when you’ve brings with it the sense of an got a cold so that you can still As such health as a right archetypal Man, of the human in work and party like you were relationship to the world is not his or her fullness, striving with the only 20 years old. Being healthy just a statement about respect or world and with fate, overcoming means having the right attitude balance, but about knowledge. In normal limitations, becoming what and relationship to your world having a right relationship we learn they were meant to be. All of and to your self. It is entirely about the world and we reveal these meanings have a mythical or about meaning. its meaning, a meaning which is religious undertone. They speak of implicit in it, and which the world both acceptance of destiny, but also However, this does not imply desires to be revealed. In turn this of our duty to fulfil and perhaps, in any way that all medicine is reveals the nature of nature itself like Jacob in the Old Testament, to bad and that all illness and dis- and of the creator of nature, as wrestle with our destiny through ease is good. In most cases the well as our own true nature. In the dark night – to risk our personal reduction of pain and suffering is, this sense health is fundamentally a and undefined but nonetheless of course, a good thing. Indeed, spiritual and revelatory condition, felt wholeness in struggle with the it is suggested that we should and medicine is a spiritual activity. unending and incomprehensible adopt this proposed concept of wholeness of God. health because it would in fact lead On the other hand there is to a huge reduction in suffering sometimes a need for dissecting With this deeper understanding of and a renewal of true medicine the world and reducing it to its the word “health”, we can see now and medical practice. It would parts. This also gives us a kind that the idea of health as somehow reintroduce the idea of healing of knowledge and should not be a discrete and attainable state of as the restoration of balance and scorned. However, this knowledge purity and completeness standing in right relationships, and most forms only builds up meaning, only opposition to the world is probably of treatment would be directed contributes to true health, if it is misguided. In fact, health (just as towards this. Balance is indeed part of the encompassing approach wholeness and holiness) is really physical, mental and social, but it is of wholeness described above. In about a right relationship to our not utopian, and it is not involved this it is as well to remember the world and to our selves (as body, in warfare against viruses and dictum of Asclepius, who lived in

16 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Thessaly some 3000 years ago, and and creation in all its diversity. On the other hand, the current whose prescription to healers was The doctrine of signatures is one attitude to health does not only “First the word, and then the herb, manifestation of this kind of negatively affect the sick and infirm. and lastly the knife”. knowledge, but it is present in all It affects and infects all people healing where we can understand and all modern cultures. It is itself This saying is not a decision tree or the connection of our selves and a cause of great harm, physically, a flow chart, but a philosophy of our condition to the things of the mentally and socially. Some of healing and wholeness. The word world. We come to see ourselves as the consequences of this are the in this saying refers partly to the surrounded by healing plants and following: spoken word, the prudent advice and minerals, to see the force of nature ■ guidance which the healer can give as combining both knowledge and Over medicalisation –this is the on the basis of his broad experience, power, and to live in an enhanced result of considering health to as well as to words which open the and compassionate world as a be the absence of disease and hearts and minds of the sick to the consequence of this healing. infirmity, rather than a state of cause of their illness and which can reciprocity and relationship. It provide understanding, meaning, Finally, however, we sometimes leads to us treating sick people consolation and balm. But the need the knife. In dissecting with powerful chemicals or word can also refer to logos, the the human, we also dissect the violent physical interventions Word or cause of creation, spoken world, reality, and reveal both the when in fact they just require and speaking within the cosmos, independence and validity of the rest and care. It leads us to bringing revelation and spiritual particular as well as the possibility giving dangerous drugs to understanding, enabling a deeper and presence of evil. The knife does the healthy (in particular perspective and acceptance of God’s not have to “murder to dissect”, inoculations of babies and old word in the lives of those who are ill. but can be a valid and important people) and to ignoring the part of healing. We have to emotional and relational content The herb can be understood to remember that we are neither of illness. It leads to physicians, refer to nature, or creation, and perfect, not perfectible, in this scientists and businesses finding as explained above, this creation world. Reductionist science, surgery, and promoting medicines for desires to be known and in being cutting out the evil, repairing the irrelevancies (and thereby known enlightens us and also heals damaged, accepting a reduced encouraging hypochondria us. This is not to scorn physical body and ability, are all vital and paranoia). Ironically it is healing. Indeed, the way that plants parts of a holistic and relational partly as a result of this that (and indeed minerals and other medicine, providing they remain iatrogenic disease (illness caused natural materials) physically heal within the overall context and by medication and doctors) is us is another way in which healing bounds of this approach. now a major cause of death and can change both our bodies and disability in the USA and around minds, giving us genuine physical the whole world. relief as well as increasing our respect and understanding of nature

www.scimednet.org 17 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

■ Anxiety – the current definition ■ Misunderstanding of wholeness We have absolutely come to the end of health is based on a fear of – we need to re-establish a of the road in this particular way illness, fear of disability, and notion of wholeness which is of thinking about health, and we ultimately a fear of death and as relational, reciprocal, open, need to return to a more balanced such encourages people to worry dynamic and non-utopian, and holistic pathway, one which about alien bacteria, viruses, in contrast to the complete, was understood in earlier times and accidents and so forth and perfected, isolated and static still is understood in some non- thereby to shut themselves off notions which are currently western cultures and alternative from life. dominant. Wholeness can then practices. This is not to say that ■ become a valid and meaningful there is no merit or value in modern Utopianism (perhaps the aim of all people and of our medicine. Far from it. There are dominant disease of our society. many incredible advances and time) – we are trying to cure ■ understandings, as well as wise what cannot be cured and to Misunderstanding of holiness and compassionate practitioners overcome death, as though death – holiness is not exclusion but and healers. However, there is were an enemy and anything less is putting things in their right also a lot of harm being done than perfection in human ability relationship, and embracing even by well-intentioned people. is an evil. the whole in our individual Modern medicine and attitudes ■ particular lives. Everything, to health need to be returned to Attachment – to what we then, is sacred. consider safe and “wholesome”, and incorporated within the more and avoidance of the ■ Loss of meaning – meaning balanced and holistic approach “unhealthy”, which in doesn’t mean happiness or described in this essay. A new moderation is both a balanced success. Meaning only exists definition and understanding of and sane approach, but when in everything or not at all. health and what it means to be infused with anxiety, utopianism healthy must emerge, based upon and hostility to the world, The overall consequences of a new or revived understanding of becomes a dangerous source of this incorrect view of health are wholeness and our relationship to addiction and paranoia, leading increased unhappiness and dis-ease, ourselves, our world and to destiny to the avoidance of life in its as well as huge cost and waste of or God. This is the transformation diversity and fullness resources, including the waste of we urgently need, not only for our knowledge and good will. We are own health, but for the health of ■ Misunderstanding of healing consequently seeing significant society and the planet. – health is not primarily an increases in mental and physical absence of symptoms, and health problems at this present healing should not make that time, as well as damage to the its priority. Healing is about environment and to social fabric. finding meaning in disease and These are entirely related, as the thereby opening oneself or the way we think about our own health Neil May is a Senior Research patient more fully to the world is a direct analogy with the way we Fellow at the Institute for and to the self. It is vital to think about the health of our world Environmental Design and understand the root cause of and society, and has a direct effect Engineering at UCL. He is dis-ease in a patient. Medicines on policy, research and activity. The Managing Director of the should be used to re-establish “wars” on cancer, terrorism and UK Centre for Moisture in balance (ease) which will be poverty are all part of the same way Buildings. Formerly he was as much mental, emotional of thinking, a way of thinking that the Founder/CEO of a number and spiritual as physical. This leads to more, not less misery. of pioneering organisations will lead to the reduction of within the Built Environment, symptoms, and in many cases including Natural Building the overcoming of dis-ease. Technologies, the Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance and the Good Homes Alliance. References He was trained as an historian 1. From Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; end of ch 17 and an anthropologist, and has also been involved in film 2. From the Online Etymology Dictionary making. He has been involved 3. Suffering also requires the possession of a body, a physical reality. For this reason God is for many years with religious said to be impassible, as are the angels, and in Christianity at least, God has to become thought and organisations, Man in order to suffer. Suffering is therefore not only a unique human trait, but also to and tries to link his thinking some extent, is a defining characteristic and privilege. in this area to his professional 4. Ironically one consequence of this false conception of health is perhaps the current work. Last year he was alarming rise in auto-immune diseases. awarded an MBE for services 5. For example, see the Institute of Medicine: To Err is Human (2000), which estimates to sustainability and energy that there are between 230,000 and 284,000 deaths per year in the USA from iatrogenic efficiency in buildings and causes, which makes it the third most common cause of death after heart disease and communities. He has also been cancer. In addition there are many more people disabled, and with long term illnesses as very ill over the past year, so a result of mistakes or illness contracted in hospitals, by mistakes by general practitioners has had much time to reflect and as a result of modern medical drugs. deeply on the subject of health! 6. The increase in anxiety contributes to and underpins the more general anxiety of Contact email is modernity, which is fed by the loss of traditions and habits of living, the increasing [email protected] “choice” we have to exert on a daily basis and the over-connectivity of mobile technology.

18 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Increasing Reef Resilience Through New Collaborative Models

HRH The Prince of Wales

The Ocean has an astonishing ability to heal itself if given the chance. A speech on 14 February So Ladies and Gentlemen, we simply have to give it that chance, perhaps its last, for we must not only conserve what remains of these unique and 2018 by HRH The Prince of vitally important ecosystems, but we must also allow Nature to Wales at the International restore what has already been lost. Ladies and Gentlemen, can I just say it is Sustainability Unit’s enormously heartening to see so many people meeting: “International here today, especially when I know how very busy you all are and the vast distances many Year of the Reef 2018 – of you have travelled to be at this meeting, and I apologise if during what I have to say, An Opportunity for it may be teaching grandmothers to suck eggs – you know so much more about all Increasing Coral Reef these things than I do! Resilience through New But nevertheless, this event is vitally important, for while the world – apart from one or two Collaborative Models” outposts here and there – has begun to focus, at last, on the profound perils of climate change, far too little attention has been given to the increasingly devastating impact of climate change on the Ocean and its biodiversity. Even when set against the dire backdrop of the destruction of the tropical rainforests and the burgeoning illegal wildlife trade, the plight of the world’s coral reefs stand out in stark and

© Ian Skelly 2012 desperate relief.

www.scimednet.org 19 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Now as you all know infinitely regeneration which the cool cycle better than me, the reefs are by a provided may now not be available. long way the most diverse of marine And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is ecosystems, whose biodiversity truly catastrophic. provides critical balance and equilibrium to our planet’s So there can be no doubt that we biosphere and helps to maintain are at a critical tipping point (and the resilience needed to withstand how many times have I said that in the natural changes of a dynamic speech after speech in recent years?), planet and even, up until now where we will either ensure, or at least, have provided a buffer fatally compromise, our ability to against the damage of the emerging safeguard the world’s coral reefs and Anthropocene period. It is, for the species that will support future me, literally incredible – and deeply generations of humans and countless irresponsible – that people seem to other forms of life. have regarded the loss of these rich natural systems as somehow just There is, perhaps, some tiny being the ‘price of progress’, rather glimmer of hope in all this than the arbiter of our vulnerability darkness. Momentum, albeit and the harbinger of our future. belatedly, to protect coral reefs is provided by global accords, In addition to being on the frontline including the Paris Agreement on of the intensifying impacts of Climate Change, the Sustainable global warming, coral reefs are Development Goals and through challenged by, among other things, more recent initiatives such as the unprecedented rates of development Coral Reef Life Declaration that of coastal areas and heightened Prince Albert and I launched at pressures from overfishing, from destructive fishing and land-based the “Our Ocean” Conference in pollution. If that were not enough, Malta last year. We must be utterly Ladies and Gentlemen, we now determined that this unprecedented understand that the scourge of global level of support and plastic in the Ocean is causing commitment to curb greenhouse the rapid increase of lethal coral gas emissions will limit warming diseases. The combination of these to a level that is tolerable for coral impacts has already caused the reefs. And, importantly, as many unimaginable loss of fifty per cent of you here today can attest, there of the world’s tropical coral reefs are, fortunately, local management over the past three decades. More measures that can increase the recently, we have seen the most resilience of coral reefs’ ecosystems widespread and severe bleaching by improving their prospects for event on record sweep across the recovery after bleaching events. world’s coral reefs, leaving behind terrible scenes of destruction. And So, at this critical moment, I if, as seems likely and as reported am encouraged to hear that the in Science Magazine in January, the International Coral Reef Initiative interval between bleaching events has designated 2018 as the is now six years, whereas it had International Year of the Reef. This been 30 years in the 1980s; and, really must become the catalyst to moreover, if the ‘cool’ La Niña tackle this issue at a scale that has events are now warmer than the never before been achieved and that ‘warm’ El Niño’s were at that time, brings together all sectors to work then the absolutely vital period of together as a global community.

20 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Be it national and local government, So, the logical conclusion, you coral reefs would also be critically non-governmental groups, would think, is surely inescapable important at moments like the local communities, scientists, – that we must act, decisively and forthcoming Commonwealth international agencies, companies, quickly, to prevent an ecological Heads of Government Meeting the finance community or disaster that will lead to trillions here in London, where 33 of the 52 individuals, each has a key role to of dollars of costs affecting Commonwealth States have coral play. The role of the media, not hundreds of millions of people. reefs accounting for 44 per cent of least of all, is crucial here and I am You might very well come to this the worlds reefs; and during the G7 hopeful that Sky will lend its voice conclusion, and yet all attempts Summit where Canada has placed and vision to this debate for it must, to monetise the long term value of the Ocean firmly on the agenda, with a real sense of urgency, be healthy ecosystems and to create and rather conveniently the leaders brought into the homes, hearts and the urgently needed investment of the G7 will meet on World minds of people around the world. markets seem to be making Oceans Day this coming June. In this sense it is clear I think, that agonisingly slow progress. awareness-raising films seem to It is a common phrase now that be the only way of galvanising the As is the case in relation to rather than borrowing our present public into the kind of reaction so many of the ecological from future generations, we are we are now seeing with regard to challenges before us, the stakes stealing it. Well, the speed of the plastics in the ocean. are increasingly high and time ecological marine cataclysm that very short. We must strenuously we have engendered is such that Now it is, of course, absolutely augment those initiatives that not only will our children be faced critical that the scale of the can provide platforms for future with the monochrome legacy of the collaboration equals the size of action; such as the Coral Triangle graveyard of destroyed reefs and the challenge. It is a daunting Initiative, a partnership of six the collapse of marine biodiversity, task, but perhaps one made less so countries in South East Asia but the majority of us alive today by a realisation of the economic working together to sustain the will stand witness to the process. benefits arising from success for, extraordinary marine diversity in How, Ladies and Gentlemen, is amid all the discussion of the that incredibly rich area of ocean; it possible that, as apparently sustainable Blue Economy that has or, the Healthy Reefs for Healthy intelligent beings, we can allow this emerged during recent years, there People Initiative that works with to happen? is perhaps no better example than over 50 partner organisations to that of tropical coral reefs. track and improve the health of And yet – and yet – the Ocean has the MesoAmerican Barrier Reef; an astonishing ability to heal itself, The annual value of the services or, indeed the example of the if, if given the chance. So Ladies provided by these systems in an Government of Belize that has and Gentlemen, we simply have intact and healthy state has been recently adopted a law to forbid estimated to be in the hundreds of to give it that chance, perhaps its further oil exploration in its last, for we must not only conserve billions of dollars while, inversely, Ocean waters. on-going reef losses are leading what remains of these unique and to very significant long-term costs An encouraging start has been vitally important ecosystems, but which, perversely, are habitually made already this year with we must also allow Nature to not included in the economic regions such as the Pacific where restore what has already been lost. decisions that affect reefs. the Secretariat of the Pacific I can only pray, therefore, that this Regional Environment Programme Unfortunately, the decline of coral meeting helps galvanise a global declared 2018 the Pacific Year movement during this Year of reefs is already affecting many of the Reef by adopting a two- communities and this is only set the Reef to catalyse long-lasting year campaign. Equally, many initiatives that will increase the to get worse. Island states in countries, some of which I am the Pacific face a combination resiliency of coral reefs in order pleased to see are represented here that they may survive the threats of higher tides, due to rising sea today, are showing their support levels, and crumbling reefs are they face – at our doing. So we for the Year of the Reef; and need action – not just more words causing storm surges that damage this in addition to the emergence properties and contaminate – more than ever before and I can of new global initiatives and assure you, I am keenly interested drinking water sources. The loss campaigns such as the 50 Reefs of coral reefs, especially when to learn, in the next hour, how initiative being led by Bloomberg you intend to play your role. You twinned with overfishing, and Philanthropies; the Nature when healthy coral reefs can certainly have my word that I Conservancy’s work with the will do whatever I can, wherever generate five to fifteen tonnes of finance sector to insure coral reefs; fish per square kilometre each year, I can, to help stem the tide of this and WWF’s new initiative with catastrophe and to restore hope is translating into fewer fish, thus U.N. Environment, adds up to a that the right actions must and local protein shortages which, significant step forward. if expanded, would be utterly indeed, will be taken. So Ladies disastrous for the more than 500 Such initiatives, Ladies and and Gentlemen, thank you for all million people in 100 countries Gentlemen, are desperately in need your efforts and your participation that rely on wild fish for daily of encouragement and it occurs to in this challenge that I hope we sustenance and livelihood. me that a rallying cry for action on shall overcome.

A collaborative conference to celebrate HRH The Prince of Wales’s 70th birthday will be held at Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday 17th November – see leaflet enclosed or SMN website.

www.scimednet.org 21 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Palintonos Harmonia: The alchemy of opposites

Oliver Robinson

The idea that the tension generated by the juxtaposition of opposites is somehow central to human existence stretches right back to the to the roots of Western and Eastern thought. Heraclitus, one of the Pre-Socratic philosophers of Ancient Greece, referred to this idea using the lovely phrase palintonos harmonia (counter-stretched harmony). He pointed out that wherever one finds a tension of opposites one also finds a unity; hot and cold are opposed yet are part of one continuum. The same with night and day. More of one means less of the other, and yet they can only exist together as one. Heraclitus suggested that this kind of tension sustains the cosmos and is an expression of its paradoxical nature as both unity and multiplicity.

In Chinese philosophy, the play of opposites is central to yin yang theory. Yin and yang represent two power-principles that are different yet utterly interconnected. Yin is yielding, covert, dark and flowing. Yang is active, agentic, overt, light and hard. Together they create a two-part whole. Harmony and health is found in their relative balance. Illness and pathology in physical, mental or social forms occurs from too much of one or the other. Everything contains is opposite, and too much of anything can bring a loss of balance. As well as the realm of ideas that Heraclitus and the Chinese philosophers explored, harmony in music and art is produced by the juxtaposition of two or more contrasting things that come together to forge a higher unity. Perhaps the clearest expression of this is in colour theory, where complementary colours are those that are opposite on the colour wheel, as shown in Figure 1. By juxtaposing complementary colours in a painting or design, such as red and green, one creates a visual balance and harmony. In the Middle Ages, Nicolas of Cusa (1401-1464) continued the philosophical exploration of palintonos harmonia by suggesting that the nature of the divine is best understand as a coincidentia oppositorum – that which contains opposites and thus transcends them. He wrote: “When we attempted to see Him beyond being and not-being, we were unable to understand how He could be visible. For He is beyond everything plural, beyond every limit and all unlimitedness; He is completely everywhere and not at all anywhere; He is of every form and of no form, alike; He is completely ineffable; in all things He is all things, in nothing He is nothing, and in Him all things and nothing are Himself; He is wholly and indivisibly present in any given thing (no matter how small) and, at the same time, is present in no thing at all.” De Possest 74

22 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

SCIENCE SPIRITUALITY

YELLOW Verbal Contemplation

Mechanistic Transcendental primary ▲ Green Orange Impersonal Feeling complementary complementary ▲ ▲

Outer INTERFACE Inner

SPACE

▲ ▲ primary primary Thinking BLUE RED Personal complementary Empirieal Purposive

Explanation Ineffable

HEAD HEART Figure 1: Figure 2: The colour wheel The visual integration of my dialectical model of the relationship between science and spirituality

Carl Jung was influenced by de the tension of opposites and Cusa’s writings, and wrote about wholeness through holding this the tension of opposites as central opposition. By arranging the seven to psychic balance and health polarities around a central point and its healthy relationship to in this way, their overlapping the divine or infinite. The Self is, nature is illustrated, as is the way he said, a complex of opposites, in which they are all tapping an and consciousness does not exist essential duality, which itself sits without the discrimination of within an ultimate unity or non- opposites. The juxtaposition dual space that transcends and yet and integration of opposites was somehow contains the cognitive for Jung a way of holding and process of contrasting opposites or resolving paradox and opening perceiving dualities. The interface to the unknown while not getting space shown in the middle of these lost in it. continua is the space where the SMN naturally operates. Influenced by this influential train of thought through West and East, and I hope that my book may be a by notions of harmony in art and small contribution to this long- music, I have developed a model of standing tradition of palintonos the relationship between science and harmonia, and strongly believe the spirituality that is premised on them topic has profound contemporary being two halves of a whole, that relevance. It seems we may nature of which can be expressed have collectively forgotten that in seven pairs of opposites, everything pushed to an extreme, each of which is a polarity, and predominantly on one. I synthesise no matter how ostensibly positive thus a unity. In my new book these different ideas together into a the thing may be in moderation, Paths Between Head and Heart: single complexio oppositorum, and will in the end lead to pain. Let Exploring the harmonies of science the image that I use to represent this us all work towards the eternally and spirituality, I explore these is shown in Figure 2. important goals of harmony and seven polarities and how particular the wisdom that emerges from key thinkers and contemplatives It is no accident that the image balancing the contrasting opposites who have contrasted science and bears some resemblance to a of the human mind. spirituality, or the rational and the mandala, for mandalas have been mystical, have based their work used across the ages to represent

Dr Oliver Robinson is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Greenwich.

www.scimednet.org 23 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Transmission within Meditation – the Phenomenology of Heartfulness

Rosalind Pearmain

If you were to try this practice, of quantum theories and beyond. I was introduced to a initially in a group with a trainer, or On an experiential level, during one to one, you would be invited to my forty years of engagement different kind of centre your awareness or attention in with this practice I can vouch the area of your chest where you for the sense of being connected meditation in 1976. It was sense your heart to be; then to make with, and being met by, a very rooted in Raj Yoga, yet the supposition that there is a divine enfolding, often deeply relaxing presence, or source of light drawing and pleasant emanation. This is Sufi elements from north your attention towards it. This does likely to be experienced differently not require visualisation but just the in each meditation, and by each India were imbued within thought or idea of this presence or person, but with common qualities. source of light being there. At this It starts as soon as the group or its origins also. This new point, you would simply rest your individual meditation starts. Over attention and wait to feel as an time, it can be felt in some way as approach came into being experiential process and presence. a background feeling within the as an organisation after Any thoughts that arise are not heart. One analogy could be to suppressed but the foreground focus compare it with hearing silent music 1945 and was originally is this idea of divine presence. An that attunes the subtle centres of additional practice in the evening perception in the heart to a deeper termed Sahaj Marg invites practitioners to entertain the source of sound within. Basically, a idea that all the complexities and common reaction among those who meaning simple or natural impressions of the day are being try it out is that it makes meditation dissolved and are going out through easier than they expected and that way. The focus of the back as vapour. In their place, afterwards they feel lighter, more the person can feel replenished with calm and these effects percolate into attention is on the heart a sacred source. Introductory daily life. For those who work with but, more significantly, sessions with trainers help each it as a practice, they discern a sense practitioner to have a continuing of being involved in a dynamic meditators are given a access to this ‘transmission’ on their process of heart opening that own. There is an encouragement to steadily yields significant changes connection with a very practice daily and each person would and profound intimations. also have the opportunity to join in Transmission is a term that is used subtle current termed group sessions or one to one sessions within spiritual philosophy and with a trainer. These could be offered practice. Often it connotes the pranahuti, called in person or even remotely. There are transfer of teaching between guide no charges. and practicant. Usually this takes transmission (sometimes place on a personal level. Within the described as divine energy How we can make sense of this Institute of Noetic Sciences, it has phenomenon of transmission may lie been one of their topics for research. for the transformation of within all the current speculations In Heartfulness, the transmission is involved in consciousness studies available worldwide with no charge humanity). which include the subtle implications at any time. The original teacher

24 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 within this approach was called How do we know which elements Research studies that have been Ram Chandra – Lalaji and from of the practice are associated with set up with Heartfulness are at a his inspiration and teaching about which measured change? How do very early stage. One has shown six separate paths subsequently we match the subjective experience that telomere length and burn emerged. One included the path with the objective measure? As out among hospital staff was introduced by Irina Tweedie and Schmidt and Wallach point out in significantly less than a control now led by Llewellyn Vaughan Lee. their introductory chapter setting group for those who practised Often people will compare this out the main issues for meditation Heartfulness. (2017) A recent transmission in Heartfulness with research in their recent book unpublished pilot study including Reiki but it is different. All music is on Meditation -Neuroscientific psychological and behavioural sound but that does not make it all approaches and Philosophical measures as well as MRI scans with the same thing. Implications (2014): a meditation group of 16 and two control groups showed that,for Heartfulness came from the The idea that this might be the Heartfulness meditators, there further profound explorations in misleading came to our mind for were clear indications of linking consciousness of Babuji -also called the first time when we measured between the heart, limbic system, Ram Chandra -who further refined two very experienced nuns from amygdala and frontal cerebral and simplified the approach so that the Theravada tradition in our cortex during the meditation which it could be available and accessible neurophysiological laboratory also correlated with reported in a natural way to humanity at in Freiburg, Germany. The descriptions of ‘deeper levels of large. The two key elements involve two nuns, as well as the two meditation’. There was also an the transmission of something sessions were quite alike. increase in white matter between like a spiritual nourishment and We spoke about techniques, the amygdala and frontal cortex. the simultaneous opportunity to meditation practices and Evidently, far larger studies over dissolve and clear impressions and different approaches and for time need to be carried out. deep seated patterns also known as us this all looked very similar samskaras. in background, culturalization The unusual aspect of Heartfulness and practice of meditation. meditation is that it does not put Two further living teachers But the resulting EEGs of undue stress on either concentration have continued the evolution these two women were quite or witnessing attention. It can of understanding and practice different. (p.2) rather be described as an effortless throughout the world. focus. Once a meditator has relaxed Heartfulness is currently active How does meditation transform their attention towards the idea of in eighty countries. From the values and behaviours? Can a subtle divine presence or light in tens of thousands who enjoy meditation be isolated from its the heart that is attracting them this meditation, there are many context, teachings, and cultural towards it, it is a matter of feeling testimonies for its value. In settings? There do appear to be what happens and simply paying terms of more formal research, some discrete patterns of change less attention to other background it presents a more challenging within the brain for different thoughts. conundrum. As Network members kinds of meditation. Yet how these will know, the field of meditation link with the practice may not be If any Network members would research is increasingly complex. clear. We know also it is hard to be interested in participating in Many measures of change can make good research designs and an active research group with this be established across different to integrate the wide variety of practice or have ideas for furthering meditation practices. Some of these research instruments into something research into ‘transmission’, I would are common ones, some are distinct. incremental within the field. be delighted to be in touch.

Dr Rosalind Pearmain has been practising and sharing Heartfulness as a trainer for more than thirty-five years. She has worked in education throughout her life on aspects of empowerment and transformation for women, teenagers, children, adults, in both formal and informal educational settings involving the community, health and public sector. She will be leading a session at this year’s Beyond the Brain – www.beyondthebrain.org

References Farb, N., Kumar, A., Subhan, A., Gupta, P., Mundluru, J., Subhan, A., Pathmakanthan, S., Studying the Effect of Heartfulness Meditation on Brain Activity, World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences Vol:11, No 5, 2017 Patel, Kamlesh D., Pollock, J. The Heartfulness Way, Heart-Based Meditations for Spiritual Transformation 2018 Westland Publications Ltd. Pearmain, R. The Heart of Listening: Attentional Qualities in Psychotherapy and Counselling, (2001) Sage Pearmain, R. Meditation and the Perception of Change in Long Term Meditators: A comparison between meditators and psychotherapists, doctoral thesis, (2001)Dept Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London. Raja Amarnath, Ghanshyam Verma, Sugirtha Jenitha, Chitra Ranjan, Jaya Prasanthi and Ani Elizabeth. Improving Sleep Quality through Heartfulness Meditation- Technical Aspects and Benefits. International Journal of Health Sciences & Research; 2017; 7(5): 368-381. S. Schmidt and H. Walach (eds.), Meditation – Neuroscientific Approaches 1 and Philosophical Implications, Studies in Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality 2, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-01634-4_1, © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014 Thimapuram, A., Pargament, R., Sibliss, K. Grim,R., Risques, R., Toorens, E. Effect of Heartfulness meditation on burnout, emotional wellness and telomere length in health care professionals, Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives, 2017:7:1 21-27

www.scimednet.org 25 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Frenchman’s Cove 2018 Me and We: Self, Gaia and the Cosmic Hologram

Roderick Dunnett, Eve Hicks and Diana Clift

We students were lodged in a the following paragraphs convey The jolts of long slow Jamaican wonderland, washed at its something of what we learnt. heart by a gently flowing river and bumpy minibus night ride at its edge by storm-driven waves The universe and us from Kingston Airport, pounding its sheltered beach. As in As much as the universe has created the setting, so in the mind: in our us, we have created and are creating Jamaica, to the delights of sessions of thought and discussion the universe. We are its co-creators. led by Jude Currivan, at times we the verdant arboreal haven floated gently on a flow of uplifting Mind and matter are all one. Minds ideas and at times were bowled over embody consciousness not uniquely of Frenchman’s Cove were by the waves of ideas emerging from but only to a greater degree than the deep. apparently inanimate matter. The a bodily preparation for universe, Jude declared, is conscious. The Red Queen, who told Alice that the mental jolts which the she sometimes believed as many We act and are acted upon not just as six impossible things before through and by local forces but dazzling Jude Currivan breakfast, would have been at home through and by remote connections. in our confabulations. Indeed, we Each of us may be entangled with a imparted to our minds had the pleasure of a modern day remote galaxy as much as with our Alice present and amongst us in our near neighbours. during the six days of our Greene space. However, we did not intense cogitations. enter this Wonderland by partaking Space and time are aspects of a single of a bottle bearing the instruction whole. What is true about space “drink me!” The most exotic drinks has to be true in some sense about we consumed were the drinkable time. It may be essential to think Jamaican beer, Red Stripe, and not just of a four-dimensional world cocktails made of excellent Jamaican but of higher dimensions. However, rum. And before breakfast, on a no experimental observation has grassy cliff top overlooking the sea, yet unambiguously confirmed the we did not think anything difficult existence of extra dimensions. but worked through the energising movements of paneurythmy, under Information is the essence David Lorimer’s direction. of it all During this remarkable week, we The universe consists of walked in a world which even information. Matter and energy are Lewis Carroll would have found manifestations of information. They strange. We left with a sense of the are mutually convertible and exist present turmoil in physics and of only in a fused abstract entity. the prospect of a new paradigm. Our thirst to understand more was Information has material content whetted. In no particular order, and handling it consumes energy. and with apologies to Jude for Consequently, the universe needs points on which I have traduced her ever greater resources to store and meaning or added extraneous matter, use that information.

26 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Because the universe has a history a picture of the object, the whole of as exchange of information and because so many minds hologram offers a better and sharper between objects and observers or gathering and storing information, picture. The brain seems to treat its between objects among themselves. the universe has to expand to sense data this way; since it breaks We may be entities though which accommodate it. If it did not, all that down the memory of a single event processes are constantly flowing. information, crammed into a too or fact into multiple components A vivid image of this idea is that of small universe and represented by and encodes those components in the bow wave of water flowing over so much matter, would create such dispersed locations across the brain. a rock resting on the channel floor. a strong gravitational force that it The bow wave is fixed in form but The hologram of the brain finds a would all collapse into a black hole. variable in its components. Each of parallel in the physical world. The us is like a bow wave. At its origin, the universe was holographic principle starts from compact, uniform and simple. It the premise that space and time, Gaia and Nature could therefore be described with like matter and energy, are not a compact data base. Entropy, continuous or infinitely divisible. Jude linked this mysterious meaning a measure of disorder of This premise of holography representation of the universe with matter, or the number of bits of reflects the current state of human an exposition of Gaia theory. Under information needed to describe it, knowledge concerning black this theory, the world itself follows was low. Over time, the universe hole dynamics, string theory and its own dynamics and its own learnt to know itself and its data quantum gravity. For space, there is feedback processes. The feedback base expanded. This expansion a minimum unit of distance called processes protect the world from compelled the universe to extend the Planck length, measuring around self-destruction and preserve its itself to make room for the new 10-33 centimetres and for time there rich nature and diversity. These facts. This was a runaway process, is a minimum unit called the Planck forces seem to show that the world, driven by positive feedback, since time, namely around 10-43 seconds. personified by the pre-classical Greek the faster the universe expanded, Energy and momentum also are goddess Gaia, has a consciousness the faster it needed to create space subject to their own minima. The of its own, and a certain sense of to hold its data. This explains why second premise is that the amount destination. The process that drives the universe, as observed by us, is of information contained inside a the evolution of the world towards expanding at an ever faster rate. black hole is proportional to the this destination is known technically surface area of a spherical shell as its entelechy. Cosmic Hologram surrounding the black hole, called We conducted under Jude’s direction Mankind used to think of the mind the event horizon. The shell marks over four days a small-scale as a machine, and typically as the the boundary at which an observer experiment to show that Nature, most advanced machine of the time. may safely observe the black hole represented by mustard seeds, At one time that was the steam without falling in and beyond which responds to the will of humans, engine and more recently it has she is forever encased and trapped. represented by randomly formed been the computer. We now find Now, as we learnt from Jude, teams of us participants. Jude, with that the best expression of our information is represented by bits, the especial help of Tuvi Orbach, present knowledge of the mind is and in the 1970’s Jacob Bekenstein, conducted the experiment under as the hologram. A hologram is a applying no more speculative theory rigorous a protocol as the place and coded representation in a certain than Einstein’s general relativity, resources allowed. The conclusion number of dimensions of an object found that the surface of an event was satisfying to those of us who existing in a higher number of horizon may contain at most 1066 believe in the power of mind dimensions. The first hologram, bits per square centimetre. All over matter, since the growth and invented seventy years ago, was information concerning the black vigour of the shoots of mustard on a two-dimensional sheet which hole must pass through this surface. balance responded obediently to our embodied and represented all This puts a limit, admittedly very common beamed willpower. information concerning a three- large, on the information that we This observation sums up the dimensional shape. may know about a black hole. It also amazing things that may happen puts a limit on the information that But the representation is not in in Wonderland. It goes further. It we may know about any volume of a point-to-point correspondence space, whatever that space contains. gives reason to hope that mankind with the object, as is a photograph; may learn positively to influence on the contrary, each point on the The implications of this are the evolution of the world not only hologram represents the whole of manifold. Jude touched on some through the tools of technology its object, and each point on the of them. It may be that, in some but also by the willpower of well- object is represented throughout sense, processes, and not objects or intentioned minds. Jude told us that the holographic sheet. While each energy, are the basic elements of the this will be the subject of one of her part of the hologram may induce world. Processes may be thought future books.

www.scimednet.org 27 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Reflections on Frenchman’s in the morning and to spend the universal realm of intentionality. A afternoons engaging in the perhaps bit of a roller-coaster! However, the Cove Experience 2017 more traditional enjoyable holiday intensity of the physics theory was pursuits such as swimming, walking, well balanced by the experiential Eve Hicks water rafting, visiting sights etc. half of the morning. These What a fabulous 9 days! The All optional. sessions included a rich variety of Frenchman’s Cove experience started treats including participation in the second the group, who had Dr Jude Currivan was the speaker an experiment on the power of mostly travelled on the same flight, this year and her talks were tightly intention to make cress seeds grow at walked out of Kingston Airport. focused on experiencing the whole different rates, different attunements, Immediately, the warm Jamaican world view of the Cosmic Hologram guided visualisations as well as other sun started to melt the cold winter and the unified co-creative nature meditations and sharing of views chill and life stresses left behind us of reality. The morning was divided and experiences. in the UK 9 or so hours ago. I have into two halves: physics and theory personally found all SMN attendees in the first half and the experiential Finally, it would be amiss of me not to have an undercurrent of shared side of the subject in the second. to include at least a brief reference views of the nature of reality that do A small number of the group had to some of the fun evenings: suppers not need explanation. This group studied the underpinning Physics, in local restaurants, reggae dancing was no exception so it was not but most of us were total novices with a local band at Woody’s Burger long before the warmth of the on that front. It would perhaps Bar, and not forgetting the various group’s inherent openness added be an exaggeration to say we all times over the week where most of more joy into the mix. And anyone understood all of the theory all of the group contributed something to who has been to Jamaica will the time, but I can certainly say share: the odd film that was rather recognise the pervasive “no worries I believe Jude managed to give pertinent to what we were looking man” ambience. These factors all set us all a robust feel and intuitive at, poetry, Swedish songs, a fun the scene for a most pleasant awareness and appreciation of the reworking of Jamaican Farewell, and relaxed atmosphere wherever underpinning science. a TS Eliot poem, a magic trick, Di Clift’s 2018 Calypso, an apocryphal we were. We were taken on a ride through 2 3 day dialogue between Socrates and The conference followed on Einstein’s E=mc , energy and matter, chums, and a most amusing story extremely well from last year’s dark matter, the Planck scale, black about our week and the participants wonderful lectures given by Bernard holes, boson stars, fractals, the called Gaia’s Revenge! Words do not Carr on the Cosmic Consciousness octave of the 8 co-creative principles do true justice to the most amazing Connection. As in previous years, all leading to in-formationally joyful impact of the Frenchman’s the broad plan was to have lectures driven entropic coherence from the Cove experience.

Jamaica 2018 Recollections Every morning in groups Thanks to all the staff at we focussed on speeding Frenchman’s Cove, especially the Diana Clift up the germination of one batch manager Angella Bolton-Trowers, I am on the organising team of and slowing down the germination and huge thanks to Grainger and the Frenchman’s Cove events and of another, relative to a control. Galvin Weston for their generosity this was my 12th visit. Every one By the end of the week the effect and Jo Humphris for her hard work. was actually visible to the naked has a unique character shaped by PS from Jonathan Stedall: the combination of the speaker, eye. The ‘inhibited’ samples the individual participants and, were noticeably less developed If I do ever end up in a Black Hole, of course, the venue with all its than the others. or any other sort of hole, whether life, colour, weather, music, fun As usual the informal parts of the it be one of those identified by and frustrations! This year’s conference were equally exciting. Jude Currivan or one even more topic followed on beautifully from We had a remarkably distinguished bewildering, I couldn’t wish to be last year when Bernard Carr spoke group of people with - between with a more likeable and interesting on ‘The Cosmic Consciousness them - experience in the physical group of people than the one I Connection’. At both events I felt and biological sciences, engineering, experienced in Jamaica. the great excitement of being right medicine, architecture, business, up at the frontiers of Cosmology Next year’s conference January finance, the arts, poetry and 21-30 with Dr Olly Robinson on and also that if I were just that bit broadcasting. Every contribution more intelligent I would understand Pathways between Head and Heart. was valuable and relevant. And Email [email protected]. it all! Both events presented we also allowed Frenchman’s Cove powerful evidence, both theoretical to work its magic. We danced to and empirical, that consciousness the Reggae band at Woody’s, we is primary and instrinsic to our rafted down the Rio Grande, we universe. did Qi Gong and Paneurhythmy Jude’s presentations were enthralling in the mornings (thanks to Tuvi and she managed to balance some and David), we bathed in the river pretty hefty content with experiential and the ocean we had some superb and experimental sessions. Our cress Caribbean food and also feasted on germination experiment was actually the sights, scents and sounds of this good science, albeit very low tech. unique place.

28 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Mystics and Scientists 41 Eastern and Western Perspectives on Science and Spirit Latimer Estate, Chesham, 6-8 April 2018 “Through dialogue we can harvest wisdom”

John Clarke

The mood of cultural interaction are complementary, and the tension This conference of the dominated from the start with David between them is progressively Lorimer’s timely introduction to the resolved in the creation of new levels SMN in conjunction with now often neglected life and ideas of of thought and being. the Sri Chaitanya Institute Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan (1888- 1975), the great Indian scholar and Dr Shanta’s talk, Missing Persons: of Chandigarh, India, was statesman whose extraordinary life Has Science Taken the Wrong Turn?, included the professorship of Eastern which began with a prayer to his divine masters, gave emphasis to Religion and Ethics at Oxford and his a splendid example of his belief that life, though based on election as second President of India. chemistry, is clearly much more than cultural dialogue in action He was undoubtedly one of the great this. He pointed to the fact that of its interlocutors between the worlds of very nature science excludes meaning, - between scientific and East and West, and who at the same mind and purpose, and hence science time sought reconciliation between spiritual worldviews, and cannot give an adequate account the worlds of mind and spirit. David of the human person. Nevertheless, drew attention to Radhakrishnan’s between the traditions of the natural world displays evidence belief that, though we as human of mind, and we need to overcome beings belong to many worlds, our East and West, speakers the tendency towards reductionism underlying nature is one of spiritual which fails to bridge the gap between and discussant, and fellowship. The conflicts that divide life and non-life. Organisms are us can only be reconciled if we complex self-modifying systems, and especially within the commit ourselves to a new form of show self-directing propensity even civilisation based on a ‘metanoia’ of dozen well-contrived at the level of bacteria. However, he consciousness and the creation a new argued, mind cannot be derived from universal spirituality. round table groups, and matter, and indeed life rather than matter is fundamental, not derivative. The theme of dialogue was also the warm ambience of the This direction of thinking leads to emphasised by Dr Joan Walton key ideas in the philosophical and conference centre itself. who in her introductory remarks religious traditions of India including The deployment of the outlined the plan for round-table the Vedanta conception of matter as discussion groups which she hoped equivalent to mind, and to Krishna penetrating intellect of would enable all participants to be consciousness which transcends engaged with the conference and to matter and points to our nature as Prof Max Velmans as “harvest the wisdom of the room.” eternal beings. These two sets of views The conference continued with from science and spiritual traditions a roving discussant two powerful presentations by our respectively were, he insisted, well guests from India’s Sri Chaitanya integrated into his own life and work. ensured that the theme Institute, Dr Bhakti Niskama Shanta and Dr Bhakti Vijnana Muni, both In his talk Towards a More and views expressed professional scientists and committed Harmonious Concept through the to Hindu spiritual practice. The theme Synthesis of Vedanta and Science, Dr by speakers were here, and indeed throughout the Muni also rejected the reductionist systematically probed. conference, was one of intellectual approach, but at the same time and spiritual dialogue, in effect a pointed towards the need to develop dialectical process in which opposites the principle of harmony between

www.scimednet.org 29 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 the various different levels evident Hegel, who incidentally had a good the ‘marriage’ between East and West, in the natural world. Science points if basic grasp of Hindu philosophies, and William James who emphasised in this direction, he argued, with could be seen as an attempt to the worldwide ‘varieties’ of mystical the move in physics from individual construct an idealist system of absolute experience, and what she described as entities to fields, and the emphasis on knowledge which embraced traditional ‘relational pluralism’. The importance organic holism in the living world. Christian theology as well as of Eastern mysticisms in the modern But for Dr Muni there are clear contemporary philosophical methods. West, which sometimes took the limits to the competence of science, He pointed to the various ways in form of ‘orientalist’ condescension limits which indicate the need for which traditional Christian concepts towards the East, was underlined spiritual traditions such as those of the relating to sin and redemption, the by the way it contributed to various Vedanta non-dual tradition, captured incarnation, the self-sacrifice of the forms of ‘radical mysticism’, including in Tagore’s remark that “Truth lies divine redeemer, and above all the the rediscovery of a female mystical in the harmony between subjective doctrine of the Trinity itself, could tradition, the post-Christian cultivation and objective realities.” Observer and be dialectically transformed in terms of the inner life, and the emphasis on observed cannot be separated, a view of the philosophical dialectic which the creative imagination in the arts that traditional Indian thinking shares was at the heart of Hegel’s post- and in our attitudes towards the with key twentieth century scientists in Kantian philosophical system. In natural world. For Prof King mysticism the West such as Heisenberg. this way the pictorial and mythical was clearly not an esoteric bygone but images of religion could be recast in an important contribution towards a Max Velmans agreed that the question ‘superior’ and more spiritual terms global spiritual awakening, and her “What is it like to be a person?” which led ultimately, he believed, to talk closed with the maxim: ‘Spiritual cannot be answered in purely the emergence of absolute, universal life is your life’. materialist terms, but wondered if knowledge. In this way matter and the speakers had exaggerated the spirit could be reunited in both The subsequent discussion, led by Prof degree to which science adopted a cosmological and humanistic terms. Velmans with contributions harvested purely materialist worldview, and This kind of cosmic Christianity, with from the round-tables, pursued such he emphasised the now generally its idea of world history as God’s questions as: How we can we integrate accepted view that the possession of self-creation, and of human creativity the diversity of mystical traditions intelligence is not confined to humans. as an image of divine creativity, with our evident need today for He wondered whether speculating might well be interpreted as the toleration and mutual inter-cultural about the ultimate nature of reality Western counterpart of the Advaita understanding? How can we, and transcends the limits of human Vedanta non-dual unity of Atman and indeed should we, overcome the understanding, or is perhaps just Brahman, but Professor Ward left this evident differences between the “asking for fairy tales”. hovering as an intriguing possibility. various mystical traditions and the worldviews they embody? Can we Dialectical creativity was at the heart Saturday evening featured the screening understand mystical experience of the presentation by Catherine of an award-winning film The Bridge beyond the doctrinal or cultural Thom which she entitled From Music directed by SMN member Amit contexts within which they arise? to Clay: A Spiritual Journey through Ranjan Biswas, a life-affirming and How can we overcome lingering the Meeting of East and West in heart-warming story, set in Kolkata, of antipathy towards mystical experience Clay. The East and West of her title the chance encounter between two lost in the natural and human sciences? was mirrored for her in Japan and souls, and of the bridge – literal and Cornwall, and in her professional figurative - which connected them and The Network is to be commended journey from guitarist to potter/ gave them new life. for conferences like this in which ceramicist. The reverence which she participants are encouraged to engage came to feel for the clay she worked The starting point for Prof Ursula intelligently and imaginatively with with was in turn mediated by her King’s talk, Beyond Mysticism the contested borderlands between journey to Japan and by her encounter East and West: Towards a Global cultures and worldviews. At the there with the work and descendants Spirituality, was not philosophy but present time the world appears to be of Bernard Leach who had had a close mysticism. And her goal was not re-encountering old social, cultural and association with Japan, but also with absolute knowledge but a spiritual ethnic conflicts. From school bullying Japanese art and spirituality, its music, way through and beyond what she and digital trolling to communal and especially with the traditional tea saw as the spiritual crisis of our wars and resurgent nationalisms we ceremony. This led her to a moment time, especially in the West. In her seem to be descending into a new of insight – “the still point of the wide-ranging multi-cultural analysis dark night of the human soul. As an turning world” as she put it – in of mysticism, she drew attention to organization the SMN is not involved which she recognised both sides of her the dialogical tradition in mysticism in political campaigning, but it is of professional work as the spiritual links studies and practices, beginning with vital importance that we continue that bind different cultures together. the example of Rudolf Otto’s classic to demonstrate how it is possible to work Mysticism East and West which engage in the spirit of open dialogue In his talk on The Philosophy of compared the figures of Meister with a broad range of painful issues of Idealism in India and the West Eckhart and Shankara. She went on global importance at a deep spiritual Prof Keith Ward chose the obscure to outline the universalist tradition of and intellectual level. philosophy of Hegel as a useful the Philosophia Perennis, mentioning vehicle for approaching the enigmatic the contribution of Nakamura and thinking of the Advaita Vedanta Teilhard de Chardin who with others John Clarke is Professor Emeritus in the school associated with the name of the have sought a new universalist History of Ideas, and author (as J.J. Clarke) eighth century philosopher Shankara. synthesis, necessary she argued for the of Oriental Enlightenment: the Encounter A bold move, wrapping an enigma future of humanity. This led on to the between Asian and Western Thought, in a mystery! What is key for this counterpoint between those like Bede The Tao of the West, and Jung and conjecture is that the philosophy of Griffiths who with others spoke of Eastern Thought.

30 www.scimednet.org

Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Network News

JOHN ROWAN, 1926–2018 sources. From 1982 onwards he was acquiring a new Dr. Richard House writes: We report with great sadness appreciation of spirituality, meditating daily from then the passing of John Rowan, Honorary Life President onwards. He found Ken Wilber to be the best guide of the Association for Humanistic Psychology in to ‘the transpersonal’, for which he became a central Britain, and often rightfully termed Britain’s “Father” exponent in the UK. John duly became a frequent of Humanistic Psychology. John died peacefully on contributor to the annual conferences of the BPS Saturday 26 May, at the magnificent age of 93. Transpersonal Psychology Section, and to the journal Transpersonal Psychology Review. John had a long and varied life. He was active in community politics in the counter-cultural 1960s, and John combined this interest with his continuing in June 1969 John saw Paradise Now, a highly political commitment to sexual politics, informed by his study and spiritually informed play drawing on the Kabbala of paganism, linking feminism with paganism – a core and Tantra. John immediately started studying groups, theme in his book The Horned God: Feminism and Men attending all manner of different growth groups; and on as Wounding and Healing (1987). He was very involved discovering the Association for Humanistic Psychology in the men’s movement and its magazine Achilles Heel, (AHP), he was chair within two years. and he teamed up with feminist psychotherapist Jocelyn Chaplin to form The Serpent Institute. John became involved in Harvey Jackins’ co-counselling th movement, and then became very enthusiastic about In 1995, for his 70 birthday John received a Festschrift Primal Integration. His iconic book Ordinary Ecstasy: organised by his wife-to-be, Sue, and in 1997 his classic Humanistic Psychology in Action (1976; 3rd edn, 2001) book Healing the Male Psyche: Therapy as Initiation was a milestone of his progress to that point. (1996) articulated his interests in feminism, spirituality and psychotherapy, using a unifying framework derived from In 1977 John initiated the New Paradigm Research alchemy. Then in the late 1990s, he wrote The Plural Self: Group, pushing forward his insights on research Multiplicity in Everyday Life (with Mick Cooper). methodology, leading in turn to the path-breaking co-edited text (with Peter Reason) Human Inquiry: In 2006 he was awarded his Ph.D. by Middlesex A Sourcebook of New Paradigm Research (1981). University for joining the idea of subpersonalities with the transpersonal. He discovered the idea of His 1983 book The Reality Game focused on how the Dialogical Self, with ‘I-positions’ representing a to be a humanistic counsellor or psychotherapist (3rd theoretical advance on the notion of subpersonalities; edn, 2016) – a rich treasure-chest of myriad ideas and and his book Personification duly appeared in 2010.

www.scimednet.org 31

Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

He applied Ken Wilber’s AQAL model in relation to his death. Remarkably, he signed a new book contract psychotherapy, giving keynotes and leading workshops not long before he died, and right up to his final years, in many countries. John was still writing and giving workshops and John contributed regularly to the AHP’s journal Self and international conference presentations. Society, which honoured him with a Festschrift edition John is survived by his wife Sue, by his four children, in Winter 2014 edition (see photos). by his four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. John will be keenly remembered, not least, for his radicalism, for his keen passion for research, his love of A full biography can be found here – goo.gl/rYKmgK; poetry, and his commitment to non-patriarchal human and a shorter Guardian newspaper obituary here – goo. growth and human potential. John was still writing, gl/kNT5FL. John was interviewed by Richard House speaking and practising as a transpersonal psychologist on the subject of transpersonal psychology in 2012 (53 and psychotherapist at the age of 92 in the year before minutes) – viewable here on Youtube – goo.gl/yoV9j4.

PROF MAX VELMANS – Major Works on Consciousness Velmans, M. (ed.) (2018) Consciousness (Critical Concepts in Psychology), Major Works Series (4 Volumes), Routledge, London, pp. 2030. See https://www.routledge.com/Consciousness/Velmans/p/book/9781138848634

Max writes: As this collection of Major Works theories about consciousness lead us back us on Consciousness forms part of a Critical back to the same questions asked by the ancients Concepts in Psychology series, this selection about the relation of consciousness, mind and of 89 readings drawn from the entire field of soul to the material world—issues that SMN Consciousness Studies focuses mainly on writings members are likely to find of particular interest. that have a direct psychological relevance. From the mid 19th Century onwards, psychology The printed, 4-Volume collection presents 89 began to separate itself from philosophy, and major readings (or salient extracts from major the development of psychological thought readings) along with an introduction to the entire about consciousness links intimately to the collection, the readings in each volume, and an development of psychology itself. In order to extensive index. It also introduces 5 additional trace this development, the four volumes of this readings that were selected for inclusion, but collection follow a rough, historical sequence. could not be reprinted for the reason that Volume 1 deals with The Origins of Psychology reprint permissions were prohibitively expensive. and the Study of Consciousness. Volumes 2 There are also four freely available online and 3 deal with contemporary Cognitive and Companions (one for each Volume). Although Neuropsychological Approaches to the Study of these Companions cannot substitute for the Consciousness. And Volume 4 focuses mainly on 2030-page printed collection, they do provide New Directions: Psychogenesis, Transformations prepublication versions of the introductions of Consciousness and Non-reductive, Integrative along with a wealth of additional sources in the Theories, which deal with issues likely to expand form of online links both to background readings current, mainstream thought in potentially and to the selected readings themselves, thereby novel, and, sometimes, challenging directions. providing a major resource for Consciousness Ultimately, such novel investigations of and Studies in themselves.

Please email me or David Lorimer for online links to these companions: [email protected] or dl@ scimednet.org

BHMA FREE GIVE AWAY Prof David Peters writes: The British Holistic Medical Association produces the highly regarded Journal of Holistic Healthcare which aims to stimulate transformative innovation, engagement and collaboration. It presents new thinking and ideas for effective holistic practice. The journal is produced for people working in the field but also anyone who is concerned about real innovation in healthcare. Previous editions have covered a range of themes from Men’s health, women’s health, saving the NHS, Nutrition & lifestyle, and much more. To celebrate their 35th Birthday, they have made their latest edition of the Journal FREE to everyone to download. This includes items related to the joint BHMA/SMN conference. Please make use of this wonderful free resource and spread the word!

https://bhma.org/jhh/

32 www.scimednet.org

Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

superior. Had he told his superior officer the whole LONDON GROUP REPORT Soviet machinery would have gone into operation with unforeseen consequences. The next incident addressed was the Cuban Missile Crisis, considered the LONDON GROUP most dangerous moment in human history. What we don’t know about this incident is that whilst the US CLAUDIA NIELSEN were dropping depth charges on a Soviet submarine, 0207 431 1177, they were unaware that this submarine was equipped with nuclear tipped torpedoes. Three officers in the [email protected] submarine discussed their orders which were that if To read reports from under attack they should launch these nuclear devices. other meetings, go to Two were in favour of following these orders, and one the REPORTS page (Arkhipov) was against. His arguments won. of the London Group page of the Network’s Had these nuclear missiles been launched, the US website. If you don’t would retaliate with nuclear bombs, and WW3 live in London but would most likely have been upon us with terrifying wish to be advised of consequences. The American military acknowledged London events, please drop me an email and I shall that had they known that the submarine was armed add your e-address to the circulation list. with nuclear bombs, they would never have attacked it with depth charges. Arkhipov could be said to have saved the world from annihilation! One other ■■ APRIL example Jerry gave was the incident involving a computer simulation of WW3, the US called Able This month we welcomed Archer, at the time of President Ronald Reagan. It from the US, PROF JERRY was essentially a game, which the US tried to make as KROTH who entitled realistic as possible. The Soviets who were monitoring his talk Chaos, violence, it did not believe it to be a game and prepared for a wars and barbarism, why massive retaliatory strike. Ten warheads were aimed Humanity and Peace will at particular US cities. The Soviet code for the launch prevail. Jerry is an Associate of their nuclear missiles was issued. At the last minute Professor in the graduate the game finished and the missiles did not get fired. Counseling Psychology programme at Santa These and other examples make Jerry ask, what is it Clara University. He is that protects the human race. Is it luck? Rationality? an author of over 12 God? He proposes that a collective self-preserving books and this evening instinct in mankind, the workings of which remain a he explored the contents of his book The Psychic mystery, but something written in humanity, outside Immune System: a Hidden Epiphenomenon of the of our consciousness, works towards preservation of Body’s Own Defenses. He started by quoting Jung the species and ultimate peace. He quoted Gandhi who who said ‘to a quite terrifying degree, we are said ‘when I despair I remember that through history threatened by wars and revolutions, which are nothing the way of truth and love have always won. There have other than psychic epidemics’. It is in this sense that been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem he uses the word “psychic”, as meaning of the psyche invincible but in the end, they always fail. Think of it or mind, rather than in a paranormal sense. The …. always!’. The intriguing and hopeful message of his core of the book addresses the possibility that a talk prompted an interesting discussion. This talk is on “psychic” immune system may exist that protects Youtube and can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/ humanity from decimation, in a corresponding way watch?v=uA1Zz5cFngo in which the physical body relies on its immune system for protection. ■■ M AY To support his theory, Jerry went over some statistics, The speaker this and showed us examples of major catastrophes in month was Dr. LARRY history, all of which came to an end. We saw the Bell CULLIFORD, a retired curves of the events rising, peaking and then falling physician and psychiatrist into nothing. who has now turned his attention to the ailments of All events have an end. From Genghis Kahn to the society. “Where is humanity Spanish flu, something happened that brought those heading, towards misery terrible events to an end. What might that be? The and destruction or a far most interesting (for me) parts of the talk were more glorious future?” examples he gave of large part of humanity coming “How can people – as extraordinarily close to being obliterated through individuals – make a nuclear war, and the ensuing deadly nuclear winter. difference?” He has written a book – Seeking He mentioned that there have been close to 20 such Wisdom – A Spiritual Manifesto, in which he incidents and expanded on the details of three: in comments on various aspects of politics, leadership, September 1983 the Soviet early warning system religion, education, health and social care, capitalism, indicated that 5 US ICB missiles were heading and art, and examines the human predicament in towards the Soviet Union. The officer on duty found terms of both intellectual understanding, and deeply this strange, why only 5, and decided not to tell his personal yet universal spiritual experiences.

www.scimednet.org 33 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

He uses the ideas of Iain McGilchrist as a lens through He experienced the spiral of death and rebirth into which to identify left and right brain hemisphere various personal identities countless times as well as the predominance in our ways of thinking as they affect death and rebirth of our species. He learned to surrender our worldly and spiritual values. He argues that the to the process that repeats itself as he experienced world’s major problems are interrelated. The solution ever deeper levels of consciousness. He experienced Larry says is for people to spend more time pursuing the depths of despair and suffering in the process of activities involving right hemisphere kinds of attention, detoxification and purification as well as heights of especially being still and meditating. He argues we need ecstasy including a power of love impossible to describe. to take responsibility and engage with suffering at the He felt always met and to be in dialogue with a vast level of compassion and at a personal level to engage in consciousness who took him systematically where it activities which will lead to growth and maturity. And wanted to take him, and even when he interrupted the we can encourage others to become wisdom seekers. process for 6 years, the following session resumed where the last one left off. ■■ JUNE When he asked who/what this vast consciousness was, the answer pointed to himself. At first he found the experiences ineffable but in time he learned the skill to retain them in his memory in order to record and articulate them. He was taken beyond the collective psyche, beyond humanity to a level of platonic and archetypal forms but not the way we understand them. He found them to be vast energies structuring time/ space, living and growing in galactic dimensions. Part of his experience was a domain of incredible light, which he called Diamond Light in which he felt himself dissolving. He had flashes of what he called God but it was not the theistic God although it had traits of it. He was guided into the unfolding of the future, the Big Awakening for humanity, which he found movingly beautiful. But before that, the big breakdown, the Dark Night of the Soul of humanity which is indeed taking place in the 21stCentury, giving birth to a new form of human being already implicit in our history – a diamond soul. This will be achieved by personally coming to terms with our lives in service of our collective existence. He received the insight that human beings are built for evolutionary speed – the core of the soul shifts to accelerate evolution. Reflecting on this experience, he confessed that for the following few years he was This month we had a fascinating evening listening waiting to die in order to reconnect with the experience, to PROF CHRIS BACHE talking about his experiences but it then became clear that he needed to share this of 73 high dose LSD sessions conducted between with others. So now that he is retired, he can speak 1979 and 1999. Diamonds from Heaven: a 20-year about it, which is what he is doing. His book will be Journey into the Mind of the Universe was the title published in the course of 2019 but his lecture on this of the presentation, and is also the title of the book topic is available here https://slideslive.com/38903724/ he is finalising. Chris Bache is professor emeritus diamonds-from-heaven-a-20-year-psychedelic-journey. in the Dept of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Youngstown State University in Ohio, where he taught ■■ JULY for 33 years. In the late 70s he was introduced to the Dr. IAIN MCGILCHRIST work of Stanislav Grof with LSD and was convinced spoke to a packed room of the power of such research into non-ordinary states this month, about his of consciousness. Grof had developed a 3 session high Recent Thoughts on the dose psychedelic therapy for dying patients as a way Hemispheres Hypothesis, of preparing them for their death. On that basis Bache the title of his talk. Iain’s felt that if 3 sessions were safe, more would also be safe scholarly and professional and he embarked on this journey of what he called, career took him first to psychedelic exploration taking 73 such high doses. the field of humanities and then to medicine. He is a However, because by that time the use of LSD had former Fellow of All Souls become illegal, he had to keep his research confidential, College, Oxford, a Fellow of the Royal College of and therefore lived a double life not being able to share Psychiatrists, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and his experiences with friends and colleagues. He recorded former Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director each of the sessions phenomenologically, systematically at the Bethlem Royal & Maudsley Hospital, London. and meticulously within the following 24 hours. He He has been a Research Fellow in neuroimaging at found himself exploring the core of the meaning and Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, and a Fellow of the the structure of existence in dimensions of universal Institute of Advanced Studies in Stellenbosch. He is the transcendence. He was engaging with a consciousness of author amongst others, of the seminal book the Master universal proportion which was taking him personally and his Emissary which has helped so many people through various levels and dimensions on a journey of to understand how the different kinds of attention collective historical unfoldment. and perception of the two brain hemispheres can,

34 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 through their predominance, influence the way we see, of his two hemisphere theory. Due to the limitations of understand and interact with life. We were told about time, he could only cover a few of the subjects explored the many communications Iain had from the general in the book. A hot topic at the moment is truth. What is public, expressing gratitude for being able to understand truth? In the paradigm in which we live, with reason as themselves and others better based on what they learn tool, science is seen as the sole credible source for truth. from his book. This evening Iain started by giving us an This kind of left hemisphere approach looks for facts overview of his theory as expressed in the original book, and certainty to support truth. It side lines intuition with and described the left hemisphere type of perception as the effect that a whole range of possibilities is ignored informed by certainty, quantification, analysis, clarity, and overlooked. Imagination is also not valued yet it abstraction from context etc. The right hemisphere on is fundamental, all ideas as well as all our experiences the other hand, perceives the world as possibilities, have their origin in imagination. The bias, when it exists qualities, change and fluidity, inherent in context, on a personal basis, is intrinsically connected with the with emotion and awareness of body etc. The current personality and tendencies of the communicator. paradigm has a left brain bias which has the effect of narrowing down our understanding and appreciation The left hemisphere approach jumps to conclusions of reality. This is not to discount the benefits of left whereas the right brain approach is more tolerant, brain perspectives, which have been essential for the embracing and inclusive. It is more nuanced and development of science and technology which have understands that truth may not be fixed, it can be fluid so improved the conditions of life. However what and relative. An interesting explanation of paradox Iain stresses are the limitations of this bias. The left describes it as a conflict in the perspectives of the two hemisphere can be likened to a computer it is excellent hemispheres. The new book will look at many other if it knows how to proceed but it has no handle on the aspects which Iain did not have time to cover, such meaning which requires the process. The mechanistic as why the brain has evolved the way it did, how the perspective is unhelpful to understand and appreciate hemispheres look at time, space, values etc. We had a living organisms. The book Iain is now writing, There lively Q&A session which could have gone on until the are No Things, examines metaphysics and epistemology early hours of the morning …

MEMBERS’ ARTICLES AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST Available through the editor or through links – [email protected] GALILEO COMMISSION Prof Chris Bache: Prof Neil Grossman: ■ Paul Kieniewicz on Dark Night, Early Dawn – ■ The Self Does Not Die – book review, Journal 2 pp of Near-Death Studies 34,4, Summer 2016 – 18 pp Dr Vasileios Basios: ■ Who’s Afraid of Life After Death? Journal of ■ Complexity, Complementarity, Consciousness – Near-Death Studies, 2002 – 20 pp 29 pp ■ Four Errors Commonly Made by Professional Dr Daniel Benor: Debunkers, Journal of Near-Death Studies, ■ Renovating the Boxes We Build and Live In, 2002 – 8 pp International Journal of Health and Caring, 17/3, September 2017 – 22 pp Dr Shantena Sabbadini ■ Is the World Objective? Open Journal of ■ Successful Muscle Testing and the White and Philosophy, May 2014 – 9 pp Gray Crows, International Journal of Health and Caring, 14/3, September 2014 – 23 pp Prof Ravi Ravindra: ■ Healing the Collective PTSD of Humanity, ■ Yoga and the Future Science of Consciousness - International Journal of Health and Caring, Some Notes, 3 pp 15/2, May 2015 – 23 pp ■ Yoga, Physics and Consciousness – 16 pp Prof Etzel Cardeña: ■ A Call for an Open, Informed Study of All Peter Russell: Aspects of Consciousness, Human Neuroscience ■ The Reality of Consciousness – 9 pp January 2014 and reprinted in Network Review – 4 pp Prof Gary Schwartz et al ■ ■ The Experimental Evidence for Integrating Consciousness into Mainstream Parapsychological Phenomena: A Review, Science – 3 pp American Psychologist, May 2018 – 16 pp Dr Joan Walton: ■ The Psychology of Anomalous Experiences, ■ Action Research: A Methodology for Inquiring with Stan Krippner and Steven Jay Lynn, APA, into Subjective Experience – 9 pp 2017 – 20 pp Dr Michael Wride: Prof David Ray Griffin: ■ The Human Being as the Most Exact Scientific ■ The Golden and Silver Rules – 18 pp Instrument: Reclaiming the Embodied Role of the Senses through Goethean Science – 3 pp

www.scimednet.org 35 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

MEDICINE-HEALTH Dr Willam Bengston and Dr Margaret Moga ONLINE ARTICLES FROM ■ Resonance, Placebo Effects, and Type II Errors: ANTHONY JUDGE Some Implications from Healing Research for Experimental Methods – JACM 13/3, 2007 – 12 pp ■ Having Bought into a Wreck -- What Now? Cognitive challenges of embodying reality Bob Charman: otherwise ■ Possible Therapeutic Implications of Mice That Did https://www.laetusinpraesens.org/musings/ Not Die Within 27 Days from Terminal Mammary upwreck.php Carcinoma: Should Psi Healing be Included Alongside Present Therapies as a Possible Treatment ■ Visualization Enabling Integrative Conference for Cancer? 19 pp Comprehension Dr Ernesto Burgio: Global articulation of future-oriented 3D ■ Towards a Systemic Paradigm in Molecular, technology Evolutionary and Biomedicine Biology – 2 pp https://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs10s/ futurfta.php John Kapp: ■ The £80 bn pa Black Hole in the Health Budget - ■ Waiting as an Experience of Fundamental 2 pp Significance Commentary on web resources on types of waiting all and anticipation GENERAL https://www.laetusinpraesens.org/musings/ waiting.php Prof Tom Lombardo: ■ Future Consciousness: The Path to Purposeful ■ New World Order of Wheeling and Walk- Evolution, slides presented at the Annual Meeting – away Dealing 20 pp Creating strategic dependency and vulnerability Dr Olivia Bina: through confidence tricks ■ The Future Imagined: Exploring fiction as a means https://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs10s/ of reflecting on today’s Grand Societal Challenges wheeling.php and tomorrow’s options, Futures 86, 2017 – 16 pp ■ Capital Punishment of Canon Fodder Peter Sjöstedt-H: Death penalty contradictions in the declaration ■ The First Scientific Psychonaut - Sir Humphry Davy of the Pope - Nitro-Metaphysics and Encounters https://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs10s/ Alien Ethereal – 18 pp penalty.php Prof Kenneth Ring: ■ Waiting to Die XI Nothing to Be Frightened of – 19 pp

ATTENTION MEMBERS PERSONAL NUMBERS AND OFFICE PROCEDURES Please help your administration office to run smoothly and so help you efficiently: ■■ when your details change (address, telephone number, email address etc.) please make sure we know ■■ use your membership number whenever you contact us, and write it onto all correspondence, conference booking slips, subscription forms and orders for books, services etc. ■■ book early for conferences - it helps you get a place ■■ ensure cheques are made out correctly to Scientific & Medical Network; for conferences and orders: always add (legibly!) details of what it’s for and membership number on back, even when accompanied by a booking form ■■ remember we’re a network, and it often takes time for all relevant people to be contacted so when making requests give us time to respond helpfully (and always remember to tell us who you are - we sometimes get forms back with no name at all!) ■■ help us save money; whenever possible pay in £ sterling and remember to gift aid when you make a payment (subscription, conference fees, etc..) - it maximises funds available for more important things. Office hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm Monday - Thursday. Please leave a message if no one is available to take your call. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

36 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 book reviews

Books in this section can be ratio as analytical reasoning. SCIENCE-PHILOSOPHY The nous - later intellectus, or the purchased via the Network web OF SCIENCE intellect - is the higher or deeper intelligence and contemplative site (www.scimednet.org) from RECOVERING THE faculty enabling unitive spiritual Amazon.co.uk and the Network INTELLECT insight, as also highlighted in my review of The Scientist and the will receive a 10% commission. In David Lorimer Saint below. Even for Aristotle, the addition, the Network receives a ■■ IN THE SHADOW OF nous is oriented towards Being as an expression of ‘something within 5% commission on all sales if you THE MACHINE them that is divine’ (p. 40). This Jeremy Naydler domain was one of spiritual light log on through our web site! Temple Lodge, 2018, and was familiar to Plotinus as 373 pp., £22.50, p/b – well as mediaeval mystics. Crucially, ISBN 9-781-912-230143 for Plotinus, Jeremy explains that This is a brilliant and penetrating ‘the spiritual light is also the medium study of the prehistory of the of contemplative thought, by which computer in relation to the evolution we come to know’ - hence ‘human of human consciousness, drawing knowing arises through participation on many primary sources and in this formative, creative and illustrated with diagrams and photos intrinsically moral principle of to support the overall argument. light’. Gradually, this spiritual In the light of our deep reliance on understanding of light was lost and digital technology, Jeremy asks reality came to be conceived of in about the philosophical and spiritual outer, material and mechanical terms significance of this dependence in associated with the emergence of an terms of our relationship to nature objectifying and detached awareness and indeed the shape of our very prioritising rationality over feeling. future. Taking this historical view In this respect, the abolition of enables readers to understand the monasteries with their contemplative gradual mechanisation of the mind orientation was hugely significant. and the emergence of what Rupert Jeremy goes into this process in Sheldrake calls mechanomorphic considerable detail, including the thinking: we invent machines, then gradual ascendancy of dialectic explain ourselves in terms of them. over grammar, of logic over The book begins with an exposition language, along with the rise of of participative consciousness in the nominalism – he characterises the ancient world, where humans not thought patterns of formal logic only did not feel themselves separate as intrinsically mechanical and from nature, but also understood illustrated through the development its significance from within. He of the camshaft. The mechanical discusses ancient Egypt and clock enables time to be measured Mesopotamia before moving on to and represents a gradual shift away Greece where the centre of gravity from qualitative to quantitative begins to move from the poet to the approaches culminating in the work philosopher, from imagination to of Descartes and Galileo where the logic, with the early example of quantitative assumes epistemological Odysseus as clever, guileful and even and ontological priority with the instrumental in his approach. There widely accepted distinction between is a distrust of the misuse of logic primary and secondary qualities – and rhetoric if it is not used in the the first measurable and objective service of spiritual insight. while the second merely subjective, also corresponding to the ancient This brings in a major theme of the distinction between knowledge and book, namely the functions of noesis opinion. Significantly, secondary or gnosis compared with dianoia or qualities also include consciousness.

www.scimednet.org 37 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

The 17th-century scientific matter - one can readily appreciate insight as genuine contemplative revolution sees the establishment of how this thinking has been knowledge, as spiritual traditions scientific academies and a shift of extended by computers and artificial have always maintained. As Jeremy epistemological authority away from intelligence; all that was missing writes, this light reflects divine the Church to empirical science. for Babbage was electrical circuits. goodness and has a distinctive Interestingly, Jeremy discusses moral quality. The role of Francis Bacon is electricity as the pseudo-life principle discussed at length in terms of of mechanistic philosophy. He sees a parallel between the sages the mechanisation of the process of of mediaeval Europe recognising thinking resulting in the automation The process continues with the the affinity between the inner nature of logic and an attitude of control decomposition of language and the of light and the contemplative and exploitation of nature. Jeremy constriction of thought processes in thinking of the intellectus, and the sees the idea that the human mind an electrification of thinking discovery by modern rationalists of can be disciplined to operate like mediated by the work of many a similar affinity between electricity a machine as the seed idea of the 19th-century scientists; also by and a logical analysis of the ratio. computer corresponding to a Frege’s development of symbolic This latter faculty enabled us to reimagining of the human being logic where language is stripped penetrate subnature, but it is now in the image of the machine. One down and dehumanised and the imperative that we recover and live of the most fascinating passages is emphasis is the underlying logical from this deeper intelligence or his discussion of Bacon’s invention form rather than content as such. intellect as primary: ‘a deeper, wiser, of the binary code with different Programming languages derived contemplative intelligence must be combinations of the letters a and b. from symbolic logic are ‘cast adrift present alongside logical thought Here there is no mention of his from living human language and processes and must act as their leading role in Elizabethan bound into a binary code’ (p. 258). guide, for it alone recalls us to Rosicrucianism nor of the different There is no room for ambiguity or ourselves, and to our freedom’ kind of concealment represented indeed subtlety. It is here as well as (p. 287). As Jeremy rightly remarks, by his possible involvement in the at other points in the argument that a truly human future depends on authorship of the Shakespeare it would have been useful to draw this, and his book is a spiritual plays. It is true, however, that his on the cultural analysis of the role beacon reminding us that our primary influence has been on the of the right and left brain essence transcends the material and development of scientific thinking, hemispheres set out in Iain the mechanical. and in this respect there is an McGilchrist’s The Master and his interesting comparison with Emissary. The analysis in the two CONSCIOUSNESS AND Newton, whose alchemical and books has much in common, and THE LIFE FORCE theological writings were neglected I think Jeremy’s narrative could until comparatively recently. have been enhanced by including David Lorimer Cultural influence is often shaped this perspective – Iain would see ■■ BEING AND BIOLOGY by social and historical factors the mechanisation of the mind as and trends. the triumph of left hemisphere Edited by Brenda Dunne and thinking leading to an imbalance Robert Jahn The invention of the vacuum as in our culture, a conclusion with ICRL Press, 2017, a break in the natural order was which Jeremy would doubtless 282 pp., $19.95, p/b – highly significant, and the relevant agree. A quote from Maxwell (p. ISBN 978-1-936033-27-0 experiments are described – as is also 270) exemplifies left hemisphere This book must have been one of the the case with electricity later in the expression when he writes that last editing jobs of the late Robert book. Although Pascal invented the ‘the aim of exact science is to (Bob) Jahn, who died last year after first calculator in 1642, he did not reduce the problems of nature to a long and distinguished career in equate calculation with reason and the determination of quantities by which he and Brenda Dunne set up thinking, as did other later thinkers. operations with numbers’ - this is the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Jeremy describes the work of Leibniz fine as far as it goes but not if it Research Laboratory (PEAR) and in the development of thinking claims to be a complete account undertook decades of significant machines and programming of reality in terms of equations. laboratory work on PK and language in the light of what he precognition with statistically calls the myth of Binarius. The In his final chapter, Jeremy reflects significant results as initially publication of La Mettrie’s on a possible metaphysical or described in their book Margins of L’Homme Machine in 1749 qualitative perspective on electricity Reality, which I reviewed in 1990 in continued the development of the involving the deeper intelligence or Newsletter 43! Bob stood out for his idea of the human being as a intellect. It is interesting to reflect courage and integrity in pursuing mechanism, then the Industrial that the last 40 years of near death his work in the teeth of Revolution showed how men could experiences and the work institutional opposition be enslaved by their machines. The of people like Sir Alister at Princeton, including book continues with an exploration Hardy following up on from Nobel Laureate of the loom and the punch card, and William James have exposed us to accounts Philip Anderson, who I the role of Charles Babbage in understood refused developing his Analytical Engine of immediate encounters with spiritual light and even to visit the lab where he asserted that ‘the whole of and look at the results. the development and operations of love, which experiencers analysis are now capable of being insist carries a greater This volume brings executed by machinery’ (p. 218). sense of reality and normal together a number of Hence mental operations are sensory experience. This distinguished conceived as merely operations of challenges us to accept this contributors to

38 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 consider the relationship between lucid critique of a gene-centred the debate about the relationship consciousness and the life force. approach in his essay on evolution between life and consciousness. The influence of Henri Bergson’s and formative causation, linking this It is also interesting to see how book Creative Evolution (1911) with with top-down epigenetic causation neglected figures such as Lamarck his concept of elan vital is apparent in terms of higher level patterns. and Bergson can reappear as in a number of essays and it Ulisse di Corpo and Antonella influences at a new level of the resembles what we would now call Vannini explain their syntropic conceptual developmental spiral self-organisation. The editors point model of consciousness while Yolene having previously fallen out out that Lamarck had similar Thomas gives an update on the work of favour. thoughts 100 years previously, of Jacques Benveniste as it has although he has been denigrated by developed into digital biology. Rollin MEDICINE-HEALTH conventional biologists until the McCraty from HeartMath usefully recent advent of epigenetics. They distinguishes three forms of WHY SAFETY MATTERS report his claim that organisms tend intuition: implicit knowledge from to evolve towards complexity the unconscious mind, energetic Gunnel Minett through behavioural adaptation, sensitivity to environmental signals ■■ ETHICS OF CARING also foreshadowing Teilhard de such as electromagnetic and - FINDING THE RIGHT Chardin. In his brilliant and wide- biofields, and finally nonlocal ranging essay, Vasileios Basios intuition as in telepathy and based RELATIONSHIP WITH restates Bergson’s thesis by pointing on inherent interconnectedness; CLIENTS out that life = creativity. he also reports that the heart seems Kylea Taylor to receive pre-stimulus information The central dogma in biology in pre-sponse experiments about 3rd revised and expanded edition forgot this simple point, making the 1.3 seconds before the brain – an 2017, first published 1995), gene and DNA into the elementary intriguing finding. Hanford Mead Publishers, particles of biology and assuming 355 pp., £19.99, p/b - a one-way process from Another indication of ISBN 978-1-592750-412 DNA>RNA>Proteins>Function, interconnectedness is examined by There has been a tremendous change which has been overtaken by William Bengston in his report on in our attitudes to safety over the complexity theory demonstrating experiments involving healing years. In particular, when it comes to non-linear information flows cancerous mice. Some of his caring for children. Many of the including epigenetics where lifestyle significant findings indicate that things which those of us who adults factors are capable of activating healing proceeds in a non-linear now were allowed to get away with (‘switching on’) certain genes. fashion and appears to be about as children would be unthinkable However, the Kuhnian revolution information rather than energy. today. Health and safety is in the light of complexity still has Healers and healees are not paramount and most of us would not some way to go in the biological consciously aware of any connection have it any other way. The same community still dominated by linear and healing seems to be activated by attitude to safety applies to many and mechanistic thinking. Vitalists need, and students involved in other professions and aspects of life. were vanquished by mechanists in experiments resonantly connected Builders wear hard hats and visibility the 1920s, but it is interesting to with the mice and could apparently vests, we can’t drive most cars unless read Niels Bohr’s view in Life and heal them; moreover, awareness we have safety belts on etc. Light (published in Nature) that they seems to be more important than in fact represent a complementarity. intention, suggesting the efficacy of a But there are still some areas of life The overall argument of this book non-directed approach, as also noted where safety is still a matter of speaks for the restoration of some by Larry Dossey in his work on debate. One such area (perhaps the of its insights within a framework prayer. Larry contributes an essay most important and surprising) is of unbroken or undivided wholeness including distant mental interactions psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, or as advanced by David Bohm and with living systems and telesomatic healing therapies, is a relatively new Basil Hiley. Vasili adds some phenomena. He also looks at profession that includes activities pertinent remarks on quantum cell-to-cell, brain-to-brain and such as; counselling, body therapy, logic in the light of complementarity person-to-person connections, all of breathwork, with practitioners such and also brings in the work of which points to a fundamental as; therapists, clergy, hospice Emilios Bouratinos on self-releasing nonlocal interconnectedness workers and mentors. This usually objectifications as opposed to acknowledged in physics but as yet means working with people who are self-locking objectifications where not in biology or medicine; also to very vulnerable due to some form of scientists are trapped in their own the undeniable irreducibility of crisis in their lives. That makes formalisms and the contents of consciousness as proposed not only them, in a sense, as vulnerable as their consciousness – without by Planck and Schroedinger young children. Still it is realising that we need an inside-out but also more recently not equated to working science within consciousness, not by David Chalmers and with children as regards just an outside-in consciousness Christof Koch. safety regulation. within science. Practitioners of healing Readers of this journal therapies are often self The volume contains a wide range are likely to be already employed with their of theoretical and experimental sympathetic to the slant own small (one- contributions, some on the life force, and message of this book person) practice. And bioenergy and orgone while others but will find a good deal it is not uncommon propose new approaches involving of new and stimulating that they are self- water, light and sound. Rupert new thinking in this taught in their Sheldrake provides an elegant and important contribution to profession. But all

www.scimednet.org 39 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 forms of healing therapy can have a doing anything wrong or harmful are in the best balance to serve profound and long-lasting effect on to their clients. This can often others. And we must also be willing people who search for help in times result in the attitude that everything, to widen our understanding of the of distress. So the obvious question good or bad, that is initiated via external contexts and connections must be why this area is not as their guidance of their clients, is that affect our professional regulated as others when it comes ‘created by the client’s negative relationships.” (p 40). to safety. thoughts’, rather than practitioner incompetence. This is the third edition of a book It is a well known fact that people that was written in 1995. Over the can regress to a very vulnerable This belief in a ‘higher order or years it has been included in many states of mind, where they in effect power’ guiding the therapy has training programmes throughout go back mentally and emotionally to meant that a need for a theoretical the world and become an essential being children. To deal with a person framework has not been seen as tool in training practitioners of all in such a regressed (and vulnerable) essential. Partly this can be blamed healing professions. But much has state of mind requires not just skills on a lack of acceptance of altered happened in this field over the and knowledge but also life states of consciousness in years. So this version has been experience and wisdom that can take mainstream psychology. This has updated and adjusted to the current a lot of hard work to acquire. So in forced many breathwork situation in this field. But the focus this sense one would assume that practitioners to turn to ancient is still to describe the ‘right safety aspects would be as important eastern explanations and to rely relationship’ between therapist and as for other forms of ‘child-care’. on anecdotal evidence, and a client. This includes ethical values Still there is very little in the way of guru-style teaching. But such a as well as vulnerabilities. regulation of these professions. reliance on the ‘elders’ to teach and build up a theoretical framework for Working with clients who bring up In particular, the newer forms of the technique has not resulted in a deep emotional trauma may be very healing therapies (often referred to positive outcome; a potentially upsetting both for client and as New Age Therapies) such as powerful alternative to conventional therapist. And, as the author rightly Reiki, Holotropic and Rebirthing psychotherapy has been marginalised points out, even therapists are Breathwork, and other forms of by mainstream society. And worse, it human beings. This is one of the self-help groups are self-regulated. has meant a very uneven quality big challenges of being a therapist; to This is not to say that the self- between practitioners. So Rebirthing be able to steer a person through the regulation does not work. But it can Breathwork can act as an illustration client’s inner rough sea of emotions be difficult to objectively judge the of why safety, or a focus on ‘non- and make sure the crossing is as safe quality of a profession before it’s harming’ and ethics of caring as possible. And to make sure that been established long enough to (as this book does) are essential in both practitioner and client end up have sufficient evidence of its results areas that are by their nature difficult safely on the other shore. It requires and best practice – especially since to teach. And, as Kylea Taylor’s not just knowledge of the human some of these therapy forms work book emphasises, in particular in psyche but also self-awareness and with areas such as non-ordinary these forms of therapy, it is really willingness to ‘learn on the job’ and states of consciousness that are not important that the professional seek help from supervisors when that well known or recognised by healer does not underestimate the is needed. mainstream psychology. But to rely power of their work and the effect it A very important aspect of the right on self-regulation alone increases can have on people. the risk of poor safety regulation relationship is to be ethical in all and quality control in a way that This is why this book is so aspects of the profession. This would be unacceptable in other important. It addresses a number of includes a number of aspects; from areas of professional qualifications important issues, not just for creating a practice that offers a safe and regulations. breathwork but for healing space for the client, to money, practitioners of all kinds. Helping booking appointments, sexual An example of what can happen others to help themselves is behaviour and other ethical with a self-regulated therapy is something deeply rooted in all of us. guidelines. The author points out Rebirthing Breathwork, where But even if we all mean well there two aspects in particular; 1) the the focus is very much on helping are many pitfalls and vulnerabilities ethical relationship itself is healing clients through altered states of that need to be recognised. and 2) learning from ethical consciousness. Here safety should Sometimes it is simply not enough to missteps. It also involves an ethical be very high on the agenda. But for mean well. We also need to have attention to the client’s need in various reason, proper quality some level of understanding and extraordinary states of mind. This is control has always, and is still, insight, of good and bad practice, to particularly important since altered lacking. One reason is that, in be able to help and find ‘the right states of consciousness are still not particular among older breathwork relationship’ with others. fully recognised in some forms of practitioners, there is still a firm psychotherapy and will probably be belief (from the bygone 1970’s era) In the beginning of the book, in the unknown to the client as well. By its that knowing the breathing chapter entitled Honouring the Web very nature, it is an area that is technique itself is sufficient. In other of Life, Kylea Taylor addresses the difficult to investigate with any words, many practitioners are not importance of this and describes the scientific stringency. So, it’s difficult taking full responsibility for their difficulties of being a therapist. “We to offer explanations and role in working with a very powerful must be willing to deepen our reassurance to the client. For a mind-altering technique. Many still personal awareness in order to learn practitioner, this requires forms of see themselves as being guided by more about our motivations. We life experience or wisdom that can some form of higher guidance that must be willing to discover the rarely be achieved by simply somehow will prevent them from point at which our unique qualities studying books. It also involves a

40 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 certain level of self-experience of proportions, affecting toxicity of the bacterial these states of mind. If you haven’t 1 in 10 in England, and flora in the bowel- the had a similar experience yourself, it is growing so fast that microbiome – and the can be very difficult to help someone it is set to become the strength of the immune who is experiencing mind- (and world’s biggest health response. So someone perhaps life-) altering states of burden by 2030. with a deprived or consciousness. abused childhood, Having read his book in whose macrophage With her many years of personal a day, (I couldn’t put it army is already on experience of Holotropic down) his conclusion is yellow alert after Breathwork, Kylea Taylor has the common sense in exposure to such experience and wisdom it takes to hindsight, so why didn’t early and severe social write a thorough and important somebody write this stress might have a guide for practitioners in the healing before? Ed explains this by more inflamed and professions. Her wisdom shines the ‘Cartesian blind spot’ depressed reaction to through on every page and makes of dualism, (p. 177) which hostile gut bacteria in the book a very valuable aid to since Descartes has divided the microbiome many years later’. introducing the safety regulation mind and body in ‘medical which is so much needed in these apartheid’, ‘which blinds us to He is rightly critical that psychiatry professions. something (that’s hiding in plain is the only branch of medicine that sight) and blinds us to our blindness. does not use biomarkers, and The Ethics of Caring has won a We can’t see something, and we can’t recommends (p. 207) ‘cytokine- silver medal from the Nautilus Book see that we can’t see it.’ He lays out guided psychotherapy’ using a blood Awards in the category or irrefutable evidence in a laudably test (p. 198) ‘of CRP at 3 mg per Relationships and Communication clear and readable way, such as litre as the cut off point for being For more information about Kylea (p. 11): ‘when the dentist started inflamed, then we might expect Taylor go to https://kyleataylor.com probing my gums, she would have about a third of the patients with caused immune cells in my mouth MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) Gunnel Minett is author of Breath to produce cytokines, which then to be eligible for treatment with a and Spirit. circulated throughout my body in new anti-inflammatory drug. That’s my blood and communicated more than 100 million people.’ A RADICAL NEW inflammatory signals across the supposedly impermeable blood His take-home message (front dust APPROACH TO brain barrier to reach the nerve cover) is ‘He explains what we now DEPRESSION cells in my brain and cause my know about how and why mental mind to become inflamed.’ disorders have their roots in the John Kapp immune system, and outlines a ■■ THE INFLAMED MIND However, stressors of the immune future revolution in which Prof Edward Bullmore system are not just bacteria from treatments could be specifically physical wounds (antigens, or targeted to break the vicious cycle of Short Books, 2018, non-self p. 22), but include physical stress, inflammation and depression. 240 pp., £14.99, p/b - illnesses. He illustrates this (p 3) The inflamed mind goes far beyond ISBN 978-1-78072-350-1 on a co-morbid patient, Mrs P, to the clinic and the lab, exploring a The startling conclusion of this book question whether she is depressed whole new way of looking at how is that depression is caused by a because she has arthritis, (the mind, brain and body all work depressed immune system, not conventional answer) or whether together in a sometimes misguided chemical imbalances in the brain. she has arthritis because her effort to help us survive in a hostile He says: (p. 19) ‘We can move on immune system was compromised world. It offers insights into the from the old polarised view that (depressed) by neglect or abuse in story of Western medicine, and how depression is all in the mind, or all in childhood. Other stressors are we have got it wrong, as well as the brain, to see it as rooted also in chemical pathogens, such as right in the past, and how we could the body; to see depression instead vaccinations, (p. 144) which can start getting to grips with depression as a response of the whole organism ‘cause collateral damage to nerve and other mental disorders much or human self to the challenges of cells, synapses, and serotonin more effectively in the future.’ survival in a hostile world.’ It is metabolism’. therefore not a mental disorder, but Amen to that objective, so I was glad the immune system’s normal Depression can also be caused by that he briefly mentions non-drug inflammatory response of fighting what he calls (p. 150): ‘flaming ways of reducing inflammation: invasions of infection and other stress….major life events, like death (p. 189) ‘He could lose weight if he stressors by mobilising an army of of a spouse, or parent, or child, or was obese, which would bring down cytokines in the blood. loss of a job or other bereavement his cytokine levels. He could try a or humiliation. Your chances of new dentist, or changing his diet. A Prof Bullmore is well qualified to becoming depressed under those lot of sensible practices, like physical know, as he is a multi-disciplinary, circumstances are up to nine-fold exercise, sleeping well, and avoiding world expert in the neuroscience of greater than the background risk excess alcohol, may have anti- mental health, being both a of depression.’ So can social stress, inflammatory benefits. But in terms psychiatrist and an immunologist such as caring for a loved one of lifestyle management this is who worked for drug company (p. 189) He describes the mechanism motherhood and apple pie; very GSK. His discovery is an immensely for so-called leaky gut syndrome to good, and very familiar advice that important breakthrough, as push up C-reactive protein (CRP) is often very hard to follow.‘ He also depression is already of epidemic levels (p. 188): ‘as a product of the rightly points out that, for the

www.scimednet.org 41 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 average GP :(p. 190) ‘there are no MIND-BODY the focus of antidepressant treatments of any sort life is on that are focussed on reducing WHOLENESS externals inflammation. It couldn’t be different David Lorimer and work, already. There has been plenty of ■■ THE HEALING SELF with progress in the scientific theory of emotional how the immune and nervous Deepak Chopra and Rudolph needs systems interact, but this new E. Tanzi downgraded knowledge is not yet enough to Rider, 2018, 290 pp., £12.99, p/b and we are make a difference to the real-life ISBN 978-1-64604-579-7 subject to a experience of depression. The only This is the third joint publication by constant thing that really drives change in the authors, and they make a great barrage of medical practice is new treatments. ‘ alliance with a physician teaming up demands. with the professor of neurology at This in turn He also says (p. 207) ‘a course of Harvard, this time looking at correlates with psychotherapy or meditation, mind-body wholeness, health and an unconscious focussed on helping patients to healing and means of sustaining the attitude to life and a passive stance strengthen skills for stress immune system over the lifespan so towards one’s own health. The management, could have anti- as to maximise healthspan at a time authors show how we can assume inflammatory effects. And indeed, when, in the US, the last 10 years of more control of our health and there is some evidence for this. life are generally spent in a transform our beliefs by changing Mindfulness training reduced debilitating condition. The two parts our interpretation of life and loneliness in older adults and also look at the healing journey and therefore our outcomes. We can reduced expression of inflammatory outline a seven-day action plan for adopt positive and healing beliefs, genes by white blood cells. A recent the maintenance of health. They see on which the authors offer sound combined analysis of the results of the most urgent crisis facing us as practical advice that can support multiple studies of immunological one of immunity, at a time when the wisdom of the body and the effects of mind body therapies, like there are long trails eventually aspirations of our higher self in meditation or tai chi found that they leading to chronic illness, sometimes terms of a more conscious life. (p. significantly reduced the expression over a period of decades. This is 147) Nor need we turn pain into of genes that control activation of where lifestyle medicine can make a suffering – as an animal parallel, macrophages in response to critical contribution, especially as the they cite a fascinating study showing infection. It seems the mind can be strength of the allopathic approach how good mothering in rats can trained to control the inflammation lies in emergency intervention. As override poor inheritance by response of the body, and this might indicated in the title of my review, changing a significant number of be one of the mechanisms by which mind and body cannot be separated chemical pathways. In our case, psychological treatments are in health terms, and indeed mind is we can change imprints by choosing effective for depression.’ spread throughout the body. our beliefs, behaviours and interpretations. I agree, and have emphasised that The authors take issue with the conclusion above as the punch line gambling model of illness, where it The second part is highly practical of the whole book. However, Ed, as is supposed that it is largely a matter with seven sections on the anti- a drug company employee, has of luck. Certainly, genetics play a inflammation diet, stress reduction, naturally got a Cartesian blind spot role, but epigenetic and lifestyle anti-ageing, exercise and rest, core himself, preventing him from seeing factors seem to account for 70% of beliefs, non-struggle and evolution. why the previously rare condition of illness and disease. This includes core Here the authors provide a great melancholia 50 years ago has beliefs and values. The authors draw deal of practical guidance, and in suddenly become a worldwide both on scientific studies and case each chapter they recommend a epidemic of depression. The only histories to illustrate their argument. series of do’s and undo’s, suggesting culprit, who Ed catches red-handed, An important overall theme is the that we only pick one per week. can only be the ‘pill for every ill’, development of awareness, which The news on coffee is better than whose toxicity makes the taker is also correlated ultimately with on alcohol, which they recommend depressed by depressing their spiritual enlightenment. We can avoiding, at least late at night. immune system. The good news is work on becoming more conscious They recognise the importance of that Ed’s book also makes the and mindful in our everyday a healthy gut microbiome, also solution obvious. Governments activities, and the authors provide making recommendations in this should adopt a policy of ‘medication a great deal of good advice in this respect. Advice on stress reduction to meditation’, by mass- respect. They show how love and includes the practice of meditation commissioning the most effective the sense of being loved can play and centring, while that on anti- talking therapies, such as the NICE a significant role in mental and ageing includes advice from a recommended Mindfulness Based physical health, relating this number of other sections as well Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) 8-week generally to the health of the heart. as the belief side; also guidance course, and other psycho-education They argue that stress can lead to on maintaining the length of courses which teach self-care, so that inflammation and in turn to one’s telomeres. GPs can prescribe them to all those atherosclerosis and coronary heart who want to cure their depression by disease while citing many factors In common with other experts, they withdrawing from taking drugs and variables in the mix. emphasise the importance of (prescription and street). movement, exercise, rest and sleep. Many of us find ourselves in a Under non-struggle they specify [email protected], chronic stress overdrive whereby our surrender, acceptance and flow as www.reginaldkapp.org. normal lifestyle can block healing: well as an overall trusting

42 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 philosophy of life. They develop This is what this book is all about; PHILOSOPHY- this further in the final chapter on to explain why we get depressed, evolution by contrasting the what we can do to help ourselves SPIRITUALITY implicit health consequences of a and in particular how we can help spiritual or atheistic sets of beliefs. others do come out of their SCIENCE AND THE They remind us of key themes depression. The tone of the book is SACRED that we can reinforce every day as reassuringly down to earth, showing David Lorimer well as of the core qualities of that there is no need to panic. It consciousness and how to look simply describes what causes ■■ THE SCIENTIST AND after our emotional body. They depression and what helps the THE SAINT end by affirming the spiritual recovery from it. The language is Avinash Chandra ‘pull of the Self’ as the ultimate plain and straight forward, in a way direction and purpose of life. This that makes it accessible to someone Archetype Books, 2018, is a wise and comprehensive book experiencing depression and 666 pp., no price given, h/b about health at all levels and will consequently in itself also offers ISBN 978-1-901383-54-6 help any reader enhance the quality help. It shows how we can help This magisterial work can be of their lives if they take the ourselves and others to come out of unreservedly recommended to authors’ advice on board. depression and return to a happy, serious students of the relationship healthy lifestyle even if we fall into a between science, spirituality and JUST PART OF BIOLOGY dark hole of depression at some mysticism. Immense in scope and Gunnel Minett point in our lives. drawing on a wide range of literature, including French, Spanish ■■ MY PARTNER IS The author lists a number of and Italian as well as English, the DEPRESSED, WHAT reasons why a person may get book is a brilliant and cogent depressed, childhood problems, statement of perennial philosophy CAN I DO? poor relationships, and other in relation to the materialistic Bronwyn Barter negative aspects of life that we metaphysics of modern science. The Strategic Book Publishing, 2017, are most likely to experience at eleven parts address major themes in 168 pp., £11.73, p/b - some point of our lives. She also terms of worldviews, the ideology of IBSN 978-1681815206 points to the fact that not all science, evolution, the nature of When someone breaks a leg, we do depression is the same. Grief for consciousness - also in Indian not hesitate to take the person to see instance may feel like a period of thought - spiritual knowledge or a doctor and get help, or the leg will intense depression. But this is gnosis, the testimony of the sages, not mend properly. But when the nature’s way of handling the esoteric and exoteric religion, death, same person gets depressed the effects of a separation and will evil, and finding the way out of the solution is not as clear. Somehow the most likely disappear by itself once labyrinth. There are nearly 70 pages psychological problem is not seen as the time is right. of notes and references, along with straight forward as the physical 25 pages indexing proper names Sadly, this is something we seem – also an extended table of contents. problem. Instead there is often to forget with our modern stigma attached to psychological expectations of having everything The author has a thorough grasp of ailments. They are often seen as perfect. It is getting more and the perennial philosophy, mysticism self-inflicted and/or as a weakness more common to get anti- and the mystical path, metaphysics, that we should be hiding away from depressants when we are grieving evolutionary biology, consciousness others. Sadly, such negative attitudes rather than the emotional support studies, parapsychology, spiritual often make the problem worse and is we really need. Another and even traditions, ethics, epistemology and really far from reality. Depression more disturbing fact is the increased levels of knowing, and the literature needs proper attention just as much tendency to prescribe anti- around death and near death as a broken leg. depressants to children. But as the experiences - in other words, of We need food and water to grow a author rightly points out - many of the central concerns of the healthy body and we need attention antidepressants are not a cure! Network and its members. His from others to grow a healthy self. All it does is to remove the critical analysis of the limits of To see to it that we get these needs symptoms, which in turn makes scientism is acute, and goes to the met, we are equipped from birth via it more difficult to help the person heart of the existential vacuum of the genetic blue-print to expect a to recovery. our time in terms of meaning. He certain level of care from our points out the fundamental division environment. When we get our Understanding depression is between those who espouse the needs met we react with positive probably the best way to help materialistic view of random chance emotions. If not we react the someone back to a better life. This and accidents and opposite way. When the negative is why a book like this is so those who see emotions get out of balance they important. In my view it should be a deeper may turn into more permanent handed out to parents and doctor’s intelligence at sadness or depression. It is as surgeries and any other places work – these simple as that. So you where we need to improve our include people can say that depression understanding of what depression is like Max Planck. is just another way and what we can do to help people He shows how of safeguarding our struggling with depression. Or why the loss of the existence on this not include it in the first aid kit that contemplative earth in the best we all keep somewhere, just in case dimension in possible way. life that a turn for the worst. Christianity led to

www.scimednet.org 43 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 a more propositional approach to primacy of matter and the more or illiterate culture characterised by faith and belief and ultimately to the less epiphenomenal nature of fundamentalism and literalism in eclipse of the intellect or higher mind consciousness: ‘consciousness is only both the sciences and religion. The by discursive reasoning. Kant went a problem when it is not considered author points out that there are as far as denying that such unitive as a primary reality’ (p. 193) and traditionally four levels of reading knowledge was possible. The explanatory attempts are made only Scripture – literal, moral, spiritual knowing of the intellect is immediate from the bottom up or from the and finally anagogical. The and direct, through the eye of the outside in. Maintaining the distinction between the esoteric and heart, where there is no separation materialistic metaphysic entails the exoteric can be characterised as between knower and known. Nor is ignoring the causal powers of that between the spirit and the letter, there a distinction between consciousness as demonstrated in essence and form. Bede Griffiths was knowledge and love - the ultimate parapsychology. Raimon Panikkar is one modern mystic who realised the human experience unites being, quoted as saying that the world is importance of Dionysius in consciousness and bliss as in sat, neither subjective nor objective, but incorporating the esoteric wisdom of chit, ananda, as pointed out by many rather the point at which objectivity Platonism into Christianity and the perennial philosophers such as and subjectivity meet. It is here that need to revive the Christian Guenon, Schuon and Nasr. the Indian view of mind and contemplative tradition, also consciousness is very helpful, as also This insight means that ethics are manifest in the work of John Main expounded in the work of K. and Laurence Freeman. I could add integral to the unitive state of Ramakrishna Rao. Indian thought identity with the Source, where here the work of the Bulgarian does not confuse consciousness with Mystic Peter Deunov (Beinsa Douno, modern thinking has divorced its contents, and distinguishes pure knowledge from love and produced 1864-1944) who, although not witness consciousness from the mentioned, represents a further an amoral and manipulative mind. Atman is this pure technology that also serves as a noisy testimony from a sage; also the work consciousness, which is also the of Walter Russell (1871-1963). distraction from the silence required source and goal of self-realisation in for serious spiritual work. In this unitive knowledge. The Atman is Moving towards the end of the sense, the focus of the book is on the ineffable, transcending concepts and book, the author considers the inner, the sacred and the qualitative, duality. However, as already importance of understanding the providing an essential corrective to indicated, in order to achieve this nature of death in relation to the the outer, quantitative emphasis in devoted sadhana or practice is meaning of life and spiritual the contemporary world. The stress required. This can be summed up in practice. Here he also discusses is on transformation rather than the quotation ‘know that by which transmigration and reincarnation, as information, the surrender of the ego you know yourself’ or in the phrase and the journey from self to Self as well as the metaphysical significance of Clement of Alexandria ‘if a man of evil and suffering. In the final described in the testimony of the knows himself, he shall know God.’ sages. The author reminds us that chapter, he returns to the question of modern people tend to look up to The sage or saint is one whose sole the significance of worldviews and the economically successful as role being is in God, whose identity is limitations of the current models, while in more traditional surrendered as an instrument to materialistic metaphysic. He is clear societies the Sage or Saint has been the eternal spirit – Swami Ramdas that science should not be discarded at the centre as a source of spiritual provides a comprehensive but rather valued within its limits inspiration. Their witness attests to description (p. 335). They all insist and domain of jurisdiction, and that the primacy of consciousness and the that our phenomenal reality science as a method of knowing reality of inner knowing and subtle represents only one level, and that should be distinguished from worlds. It is mere metaphysical there are other more real levels to be scientism as an ideology; this will be prejudice to dismiss saints and sages perceived beyond the limitations of a familiar thought to many readers. as deluded dreamers. However, in the physical senses and personality. Hence the conflict is not between order to gain access to subtler Sage exemplify both love and religion and science as such, but perceptions, training is required, as it wisdom, having overcome any sense between dogmatic materialism and is in all disciplines. The section on of separation. They also emanate an equally dogmatic literalistic and spiritual knowledge explains this in peace and joy - people are fundamentalist religion. The author detail with its insistence on an transformed in their presence. calls for a resacralisation of the ultimate identity between being and As St Catherine of Genoa writes: world and transformative practice knowledge whereby the logos ‘is at ‘my being is God, not by simple informed by what Bede Griffiths once the intelligibility of God and participation, but by a true calls ‘fides formata’ - a transforming the agent of man’s intellection, transformation of my being…my faith opening to the divine and mediator of knowledge’ - this is Me is God, nor do I recognise working by love. This brings him traditionally understood as Light, any other Me except God Himself.’ back to the essence of spiritual life but a Light that is also Love, as (p. 375) and the supreme goal returning to experienced by mystics and some of the Centre, Origin or Source and The chapter on religion and religions those near death. The revival of the embodying the integration of love quotes William James as saying that term intellect as the medium for and wisdom. This profound and the life of religion consists in a belief immediate contemplative knowledge erudite book is not only highly that there is an unseen order, and is in my view a vital part of any informative and topical, but also metaphysical revolution. that our supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselves challenges the reader to remember The section on subjectivity, mind and thereto. He might have said and live out the essential spiritual consciousness clarifies why experience rather than belief. The purpose of life. consciousness is such a problem for language of religion is symbolism, materialistic science that insists on and we live in a symbolically

44 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

THE DIALECTICS OF If one takes the left-hand column or The final chapter presents his first item in the list above, these overall model, which he calls SCIENCE AND broadly characterise science, while Multiple Overlapping Dialectics or SPIRITUALITY the right-hand column reflects MODI for short. He presents this in David Lorimer spirituality and mysticism, as also a mandala diagram (p. 218) with an articulated by Iain McGilchrist, interface space in the centre - ■■ PATHS BETWEEN whose work is incorporated into science and the head are on the left, HEAD AND HEART the argument. This is not to say and spirituality and the heart on the Oliver Robinson (SMN) that there is no middle ground as right, with lines linking the the distinctions between categories complementary aspects. I found this O Books, 2018, 274 pp., £15.99, may be blurred in the middle, model very useful, reflecting as it p/b – ISBN 978-1-78279-900-9 such as Olly’s discussion of does the Chinese Taijitu of yin and The relationship between science purpose in biology. Another yang. In his view - and I agree - the and spirituality is a key issue for our illustration he might have overall picture points beyond time as well as a central concern of mentioned is the experimenter physicalism whereby ‘spirituality is the Network. In this brilliant, effect in parapsychology, which a mode of enquiry that captures wide-ranging and engaging book, questions the status and reality of those mental, intentional and Olly gives a fresh take on this objectivity in the scientific method. interior aspects of primary reality interface, proposing an informative In the chapter on the empirical that science does not.’ (p. 227) In new model of complementarity and transcendental, Olly discusses the epilogue, he suggests that the adapted to our age of transpersonal psychology, emphasis of science is on knowing interconnectedness. He begins by shamanism, near death experiences interconnectedness, while practising setting the scene, comparing and the nature of consciousness – spirituality enables us not only to spirituality and religion, where the here I would have extended the feel interconnectedness, but more latter emphasises exploration, treatment of empiricism to include importantly ‘to live it as an ethos transformation, enlightenment and ‘inner empiricism’ as much of and ethic’ with a sense of being growth. Spirituality is fundamentally the theorising in these areas is embedded in a greater whole. The mystical in seeking to go beyond the evidence-based. book is a significant and accessible ego to the ground of being, leading contribution towards harmonising us to realise ‘our true identity as The history of the relationship between mechanism and purpose is science and spirituality, head and ocean, not cup’ - an apt metaphor heart and as such points towards for the journey from self to Self. an interesting one, as Olly notes. A key figure is Francis Bacon, whose wholeness and integration as a Seven chapters explore the work on the scientific method and further necessary step in our relationship between complementary mysticism seems to run in parallel evolution. I hope it will be pairs of opposites: outer/inner, without being reconciled, and widely read. impersonal/personal, thinking/ Bacon’s influence has principally feeling, empirical/transcendental, been in the scientific field; the same ENHANCEMENT OR mechanism/purpose, verbal/ineffable applies to Newton, who devoted a TRANSFORMATION? and explanation/contemplation. great deal of time to esoteric Olly sets this within the context pursuits. In this respect, the David Lorimer of dialectical thinking. He then mysticism of modern physicists is ■■ A HUNGER FOR compares parallel revolutions in more widely accepted, even though science and spirituality, beginning many mainstream scientists are very WHOLENESS with the scientific and nonconformist cautious or even hostile. Goethe is Ilia Delio revolution of the 17th century (he another figure quoted, but here his Paulist Press, 2018, himself is sympathetic to the work appears more integrated as he 124 pp., £10.99, p/b Quakers), then the chemical and uses contemplation and analysis ISBN 978-0-8093-5374-9 romantic revolutions, the relativity- both in his poetry and essays as well Ilia Delio is a Franciscan Sister who quantum and mysticism revolutions as his scientific work. The chapter also holds the chair in theology and (here he points out the mystical on explanation and contemplation specialises in science and religion; tendencies of many great 20th- explores different ways of knowing I have reviewed a number of her century physicists), coming finally to as well as practices. Throughout the previous books, and she is one of the the age of interaction with post- book, Olly provides a series of leading exponents of the scientific modernism, the dark revolution and exercises and practices for the reader, and theological work of Teilhard de the spirituality revolution. I myself including on kindness, self-criticism, Chardin. Subtitled ‘soul, space and might have chosen systems, chaos letting go, relating to trees, silence transcendence’, this book elaborates and complexity theory rather than and writing haikus. on the two forms of energy the dark revolution, as I think proposed by Teilhard - tangential as these fields have had a greater the energy of attraction (this is in and more radical impact on our fact the French word for gravity), way of thinking. and radial as the energy of The discussion in subsequent transcendence. These are applied chapters is well-informed and to both inner and outer worlds, balanced, and it is useful to and the author rightly insists on hold the tension between the the primacy of the inner and complementary opposites shaping the outer. Hence she without trying to reduce one to maintains that nature has two the other or minimise the principal dimensions: ‘the importance of each. empirical, visible realm and the

www.scimednet.org 45 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 invisible, conscious realm.’ (p. 29) universality of the one MAKING BETTER Teilhard maintained that radial consciousness, spiritually represented energy defies the second law of as light. This feeds into a chapter on INFORMED CHOICES thermodynamics and increases with planetisation, where the author David Lorimer complexity - hence ‘it is the inner observes that ‘instead of increasing ■■ ETHICS IN THE REAL energy of evolving consciousness consciousness through the unity of that gives evolution its qualitative love, we are information overloaded WORLD direction’ towards unification and brain not bring fatigued, thinned Peter Singer what he calls centration. In its inner out interiorly, and mentally fried.’ Princeton, 2016, 355 pp., £22, h/b aspect, tangential energy is love and (p. 85) Readers will recognise this ISBN 978-0-691-17247-7 in the interplay between these two description and the corresponding Only read this clearly articulated forms of energy ‘as we become hunger for wholeness and meaning and thought-provoking book if you aware of another and attracted to that involves a shift in the centre are prepared to rethink your views the other, knowing and loving of identity by means of inner work and be put ethically on the spot become symbiotic energies of an leading towards increased – caveat lector! Peter Singer has been interwoven reality.’ (p. 31) centredness or centration. However, writing on bioethics for over 40 concentration and meditation are the th years, with affiliations to Melbourne The 17 Century scientific revolution opposite of technological distraction and Princeton and I was not led to a loss or at least a degrading and fragmentation, so we need to go surprised to read of a family of inner space and a compression of against this tide. The author also conversation in the car when one of the soul into the head. Quantum suggests that to be a person is to be his daughters asked him if he would mechanics has reinstated the central consciously relational and oriented rather they were clever or happy, role of consciousness, but we are towards community - I am in fact implying that one could not be both still in the process of working the writing this review in the Tamera simultaneously – he does not in fact implications of this revolution. Community in Portugal. For Delio, record his response…This book Drawing on Plato, Plotinus and relational consciousness opposes consists of 82 essays and syndicated mediaeval mysticism, the author power, control and domination in columns on ‘things that matter’, redefines the features of the soul as a favour of belonging, mutual with the overall headings of big field of mind and a centre of freedom affirmation, participation and questions, animals, beyond the ethic and self-determination, while also creative love. adding aspects such as the ground of the sanctity of life, bioethics and consciousness and the depth and We have reached a critical point in public health, sex and gender, doing breadth of all existent life which I human evolution where we are good, happiness, politics, global myself would classify as defining the challenged to unify rather than governance, science and technology, spirit. She usefully draws parallels destroy ourselves. Teilhard refers to and finally living, playing, working. between the outer and inner a convergence in the hyper- personal In other words, a comprehensive universes (p. 42) arguing that our rather than a depersonalised process range of key ethical issues and areas. attention needs to shift to the inner and the technological Singer begins by observing that we universe. This is exactly our ‘transcendence’ of ultrahumanism. all make ethical choices, often challenge as we become increasingly As Albert Schweitzer put it, our task unconsciously and that ethics is immersed as cyborgs in our is to become more finely and deeply more than just observing rules; it technological devices that tend to human, which means an inward includes the good we can do to those draw our attention outwards, journey of effort and concentration less fortunate than ourselves, although virtual reality technologies so as to build the necessary inner including future generations and can have the opposite effect and may universe to be reflected in the outer. animals. In a relatively short review provide new modalities of inner In this respect, religion and it is only possible to highlight a few space. There is some ambiguity early spirituality can be seen as areas and issues, beginning with in the book where AI is posited as technologies of the spirit giving us animals. He makes a reasoned case the next phase of human access to the inner universe ‘as an for veganism and discusses the transcendence, and a chapter is undivided whole where mind, heart, Japanese assertion that whaling is a devoted to digital humans and to the and the core of love energy abound.’ cultural issue – not for Singer since blurring between the natural and (p. 106) In this way, we can align whaling involves inflicting suffering technological. However, for the ourselves with the unitive, relational on sentient beings and in the case of author technology cannot fulfil the and transcendent energies and play whales they cannot be humanely aims of religion because such our part as evolutionary co-creators killed as harpoons entail a slow and fulfilment lies in God: ‘we can in building a new world from the painful death. He argues that not enhance our lives with technology, inside out. causing needless suffering is a but we are transformed by love.’ (p. universal and not culturally 68) In fact, this statement may be a specific values. Americans too dichotomous in that many celebrating Thanksgiving by younger people are now working on eating one of 46 million technologies to transform factory-farmed turkeys should consciousness, although I do agree read his eye-opening piece on that transformation involves spiritual this topic. Broad Breasted discipline and the development of Whites are incapable of mating our capacity to love. so the males have to be The mystical path entails the masturbated upside down by awakening and expanding of self in hand then the females are God and going beyond the separate forcibly inseminated – truly ego to a realisation of the repellent food for thought.

46 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

The essays covering bioethics and affluent countries should be giving Members of the Network will know health are especially stimulating, more support to less affluent ones David Lorimer as an indefatigable treating such issues as abortion in supporting large numbers of refugees Programme Director, masterly developing countries, interventions like Lebanon, Jordan, Ethiopia and Journal Editor and prolific Book in the final year of life (representing Pakistan where the cost is also lower. Reviewer, very likely coming to 27% of total health care costs in the He urges us to hold big food appreciate him (as I have been US), euthanasia and kidneys for sale. companies to account by becoming pleased to do over more than twenty In terms of resource use, consider the better informed about the food we years) as friendly, supportive, choice between expensive treatments consume and being influenced by humble, erudite, well-connected, administered to terminal patients ethics as well as price. At Rio 2012 gentlemanly and generous. If anyone compared with helping families he finds out that meat is on the succeeds at the skilful balancing act below the poverty line. Cigarettes menu despite the well documented between intellect, emotion, words are an example of how to balance evidence of methane from cattle as a and action, between mind, heart and public health with private freedom major source of greenhouse gas soul, it is David. So the task of – the death toll in the 20th century accumulation. Reducing meat reviewing these two books filled me was 100 million and is expected to consumption would limit GHG with both a welcome sense of rise to 1 billion in the 21st century, emissions, yet the number of farm privilege and confident anticipation. raising the question of whether we animals raised annually is expected are the best judges of our own to double to 120 billion by 2050. They are in fact re-publications with interests. Rising obesity increases new or expanded titles. ‘Survival?’ fuel use on planes, so it has been This book of clear analysis and was originally written in 1982. calculated that an average 2 kg rise challenging thinking encourages ‘Resonant Mind’ was published as in average weight since 2000 costs readers towards radical shifts of ‘Whole in One: the near-death an extra $472 in fuel between thinking and action, not merely experience and the ethic of inter- Sydney and London – should heavier the kind of thinking that Bertrand connectedness’ in 1990. The one passengers therefore pay more? Russell called rearranging your prepares for the other and, despite prejudices. some necessary repetition, it was A discussion of virtual vices good to read them sequentially, for addresses the connection between they build steadily towards what, in video games and violence in terms of PSYCHOLOGY- the 80s and 90s, would have been a who is harmed, noting that there has near-revolutionary climax. not been any serious debate within CONSCIOUSNESS the industry over the last 10 years STUDIES In writing about the possibility of about the ethics of producing violent personal consciousness surviving games; since the risk is so great, TOWARDS AN ETHIC OF death, and related matters, David set Singer argues that we cannot wait LOVE AND REVERENCE himself a monumental task, one he for proof. He conducts a nuanced approaches in ‘Survival?’ in two exploration of the issue of private FOR LIFE ways: the first (in the six chapters of acts in relation to public office. The Larry Culliford Part One) historical; the second (in essays on Doing Good directly ■■ SURVIVAL? DEATH AS the six further chapters of Part Two) address readers: are we justified in empirical. He then artfully combines not contributing 1% of our income A TRANSITION these approaches in the nine to good causes while indulging in David Lorimer (SMN) chapters of ‘Resonant Mind’. His luxuries? The opportunity cost of a White Crow Books 2017, 322 pp., account is comprehensive. At one case of good wine or an exclusive 13.99£, p/b. 6.99£, e-book point he warns, for example, watch or phone might involve saving ISBN 978-1-78677-035-6 ‘Research for this chapter has the life of a child. If we donate, involved consulting some seventy- should we do so to a new wing of an ■■ RESONANT MIND: five books’; and he sometimes art museum or towards a campaign LIFE REVIEW IN THE recommends those wanting more to prevent trachoma? Here we can detail to look up some of his rationally weigh costs and benefits. If NEAR-DEATH sources. There are fourteen pages of we have sufficient wealth to buy EXPERIENCE bibliography in ‘Survival?’ and expensive art as a form of David Lorimer (SMN) twenty in ‘Resonant Mind’ but (as Introductions to the new editions conspicuous consumption, are we White Crow Books 2017, 269 pp., mention) extensive footnotes from also contributing proportionately to 12.99£, p/b. 6.99£, e-book the original publications and the charitable causes? An inspiring ISBN 978-1-78677-033-2 example in this respect was Sir John index have been removed, so some Templeton with his large charitable difficulties do exist when foundation always staying in a following particular ideas or modest room at the Royal seeking precise references. Overseas League in London. This will not matter significantly, Under politics and global except to the most discerning governance, Singer addresses readers, because the material themes such as open diplomacy, presented is sufficiently detailed citizenship and security, the and wide-ranging, and therefore integrity of George W Bush, the entirely adequate. But it is not ethics of a statue for Stalin, the a completely neutral account. use and abuse of religious David employs the first person freedom, and the refugee crisis. plural throughout. The Here he recommends that conspiratorial use of ‘we’ and

www.scimednet.org 47 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

‘us’ naturally implies a contrary and Psychical research fits uneasily with In the concluding chapter, there is a disbelieving ‘them’. ‘We’, his both the medieval outlook and succinct summary of the findings of agreeable readers, it seems, are Cartesian science. According to G. Part Two plus additional comments, people who follow the declared N. M. Tyrrell, a former President of for example that people can be aims of the Network, among them: the Society for Psychical Research, thought of as three-fold beings with ‘to integrate intuitive insights with ‘People sheer away from it... They physical, ‘etheric’ and ‘astral’ rational analysis’. ‘We’ are therefore feel that they cannot cope with it, bodies. William James, too, is people ‘open to new observations and are unwilling to make the quoted: ‘The visible world is part of and insights’; ‘rigorous in evaluating drastic overhaul of their cherished a more spiritual universe’, and, evidence and ideas’; also, ‘sensitive convictions, which the subject ‘Union with that higher universe is to a plurality of viewpoints’. demands’ (‘Survival?’ p 153). But our true end’ (‘Survival?’ p 302). It David counters with reference to all sounds literally divine. This is perfectly fine, but the risk of David Bohm’s ‘implicate order’, furthering division between ‘Us’ quoting Schopenhauer, Kant and ‘Resonant Mind’ is similar to and ‘Them’ - those in opposition others in strong support of consistent ‘Survival?’ but goes further. In his who continue to hold the prevailing findings regarding clairvoyance, Introduction, David writes that his world-view; the supporters of telepathy, out of body experiences aim is, ‘To suggest a new scientific materialism (whose (OBEs) near death experiences metaphysical basis for moral order, doctrine concludes that mind is (NDEs), apparitions and the rest. the insights for which arise in the solely a by-product of matter and empirical soil of the near-death the soul a bygone illusion) - Part Two begins with a full chapter experience’. He highlights in should be acknowledged and devoted to the extraordinary life particular both the ‘life-review’ and guarded against. and remarkable psychic abilities of ‘unitive consciousness’, from which Emmanuel Swedenborg, who was he derives a theory of ‘empathic One way to improve the situation born in Stockholm in 1688. resonance’, by which people (‘we’) involves seeking out one’s supposed Capable of clairvoyance, pre- are able ‘to enter the consciousness opponents to understand them cognition, telepathy, and the ability of another as if it were our own’ better, to discover how they have to converse with spirits, his own (‘Resonant Mind’ p xvi). Chapters come to formulate and adhere so attitude towards his experiences on ‘Memory and Life-review in strongly to their opinions, to divine remained remarkably low-key and NDEs’, ‘Post-mortem Life Review’, wherever they may have left their persuasively matter-of-fact. Next is and, ‘Empathic Resonance and investigations incomplete, and where a chapter on apparitions of various Unitive Consciousness’ follow, contrary observations, evidence and types, examples being taken from building adroitly to a bold arguments are being overlooked, an unsurpassed publication from discussion of ‘Moral Order in ignored or flatly denied; and this is 1886, ‘Phantasms of the Living’ by Karma and Reincarnation’ in what what David is good at. His historical Gurney, Myers and Podmore, in is perhaps the richest chapter of the survey starts with the ‘animist which over 700 cases are described. two books so far. outlook’ of pre-history, proceeding Two following chapters rely on via ancient Tibetan, Egyptian, Greek more recent research and the ‘As you sow, so shall you reap.’ and Roman cultures to Christianity, author, Celia Green’s 1968 This vital idea and its association via the Old Testament, the Gospel publication of her findings on with rebirth is first traced to ancient writers and Saint Paul, towards the studying 400 cases. Twenty-five of Indian origins in the Upanishads by Middle Ages and the Reformation these are summarised in Chapter 9 means of a helpful glossary of - all in three chapters and fewer than to bring out the principal eleven terms, including ‘Brahman’, eighty pages. characteristics of OBEs. A further ‘Atman’, ‘Avidya’, ‘Samsara’, ‘Dharma’ and, of course, ‘Karma’. A straightforward chapter on, eighteen case descriptions of NDE’s are discussed in Chapter 10. How these ideas and principles fit in ‘Mind and Matter in the Scientific with Buddhism and also the works and Cartesian Framework’, is then Accounts in Chapter 11 of, ‘Post- of Plato, form the next section. That followed by, ‘Modern Theories of Mortem Descriptions of Bodily they are supported by evidence from Body, Mind, Brain and Death’, Death’, differ slightly, in that a so-called ‘channelled teachings’ and encompassing the work of Karl living person must communicate ‘hypnotic regression’ (into past Marx, Charles Darwin, T. H. with the dead and relay their lives), by the metaphysics of the Huxley, J. B. S. Haldane, Sigmund comments: thus the voice of George clairvoyant Edgar Cayce (born in Freud and Carl Jung, together with Hopkins (deceased) is heard 1877) and the anthroposophy of their more recent commentators. through a medium called Leslie Rudolf Steiner, follows, before the Those quoted - Sir Cyril Burt, Sir Flint, as reported in a 1975 book by final section in this chapter expertly Charles Sherrington, Sir Alister Neville Randall that details 500 summarises and develops an Hardy, Sir Sarvepalli such cases. Ten accounts are account of ‘karmic moral order and Radhakrishnan, Karl Barth and a repeated here (including that of spiritual evolution’. Admirably dozen or so others among them - ‘Bertrand Russell’, communicated deep, thought-provoking stuff! all argue that the mind and through Rosemary Brown), the personality, while intimately conclusion being that, ‘The Equally dazzling are the integrating connected with the brain, ‘Cannot conscious self survives physical chapters on: ‘The Emergence of be wholly identified with it, and death intact, finds itself released Post-mortem Judgement’, need not therefore perish at physical from any pain, experiences feeling ‘Eschatology and the Christian death’ (‘Survival?’ p 162). Thus is freedom and lightness, expressing Moral Order’, and, ‘Faith and the reader prepared for the itself through a body identical in Works, Heaven and Hell’, the last comprehensive examination of form to the physical body but not of which harks back to the earlier supernormal phenomena that takes subject to its limitations of space book, developing such subjects as up the remainder of ‘Survival?’. and time’ (‘Survival?’ p 292). death and judgement in medieval

48 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Europe, the issues of purgatory and harmonising and radiant force in our This, in contrast, pays attention to the sale of indulgences, then Martin feelings, thoughts and actions.’ This whatever is new, exhibiting breadth Luther and the Reformation. consummation of all his preceding and flexibility of attention like a ideas, so lucidly and floodlight, allowing people to Only with Chapter 8, ‘The Eclipse comprehensively expressed and experience (to know intimately, of the Spiritual World-view’, do we integrated throughout the two rather than simply know about) the reach the present (or at least 1990), books, serves to explain the man, an unified, live, complex, embodied and an earnest critique of ‘scientific exemplar to all, ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ world of individual, unique beings; materialism’, as in the following: alike. If not exactly a call to arms, a net of interdependencies, a world ‘The trend away from living religion his vision represents at least a wise with which we are all (‘Us’ and has taken many thinkers... towards invitation to immediate and ‘Them’) deeply connected. It is the a position of explicit agnosticism or necessary further deep personal seat, therefore, of what David calls implicit atheism. In these... the contemplation and mutual support. divine and metaphysical orders are ‘empathetic resonance’, of self- eliminated, all phenomena being David Lorimer has done everyone awareness, humour, creativity and accounted for by natural physical an enormous favour. ‘Survival?’ intuition, of joy, peace, wisdom, causes (p 197). The neglected factor and ‘Resonant Mind’ together compassion and love. is perhaps the inner dimension of represent a remarkable, generous These insights carry an obligation to spiritual and mystical experience’ (p and masterly achievement. The only re-frame the debate, not as external 207). The methodology of scientific other serious regret readers may - between ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ - but as materialism leads to a picture of the have concerns the time lapse internal, within the compass of a universe devoid of purpose, value between original publication and single brain and mind, a single and meaning (p 219). ‘We’ may not re-issue. In many ways, the consciousness. They allow and disagree; but then, we cannot in arguments stand, but there has been encourage us (all of us) to think of truth speak for ‘Them’. In the end, no significant updating of the two ourselves as capable of both as David has already suggested, it texts, and there have been some rational, evidence-sifting, materialist is a deeply personal matter and, important trends and developments thought and emotion-laden, ‘The reader himself must judge’ in the intervening years. In addition empathic, intuitive, even mystical (Survival? p 182), but this is not to recently published work on experience; and not be satisfied until the end of the discussion. NDEs, for instance, Iain we fulfil and integrate our dormant McGilchrist’s much lauded book, The final chapter of ‘Resonant potential for both. We can be ‘The Master and His Emissary: The confident that harbouring the Mind’ is called ‘Ethics, Divided Brain and the Making of the Interconnectedness and tension between the two agendas Western World’, published in 2009, will impel growth towards points of Responsibility’, indicating a is a useful case in point. possibly grim future for mankind, resolution, epiphanies large and accompanied by... ‘The generalised According to McGilchrist, the two small that accumulate along the fear evoked by... a prospect of brain hemispheres function similarly road to wisdom and maturity. The global collapse... allied to an equally but run on markedly different task is less to convince intransigent widespread apathy and agendas. They support two valuable left-brain dominated others helplessness.’ It reminds readers, ways of being in the world that are (‘Them’) of the hitherto neglected ‘One thing is certain: that our antithetical to each other. Scientific right-brain way of understanding bodies will one day die’, adding materialism is arguably compatible and experiencing the world. It is plainly, ‘Our philosophy of life is mainly with the workings of the rather to re-establish and retain - intimately related to our philosophy ‘dualist’ left side of the brain. This long before death - a balance and expectations of death’. Here is deals with parts of the whole, with between the two complementary the challenge, to resist despair, and pieces of information in isolation, halves within ourselves; to the book’s final pages are occupied fixing and making each thing explicit champion spiritual values over by a much more positive, even by bringing it under the spotlight of material ambitions and, guided by uplifting section called, ‘Towards a attention, but in doing so rendering an undoubtedly spiritual sense of Living Ethic’ - an ethic of love and things inert, mechanical and lifeless. all-encompassing sacred unity, reverence for life - containing Overemphasis on left brain function, steadfastly to maintain ‘the ethic of sub-sections on moral development, then, results in dehumanisation, in love and reverence for life’ about education, and the power of people who will listen but cannot which David has so eloquently creative thought, leading people understand, who look but cannot written. As I see it, this is the true throughout life towards (quoting really see. The left brain is so averse gift and message behind these Lawrence Kohlberg), ‘A sense of to uncertainty and doubt that it wonderful books. connectedness between the often copes by arbitrarily picking individual mind and heart and the just one interpretation as correct. Dr Larry Culliford is the author of larger cosmic whole or order which Capable solely of binary (either/or, Seeking Wisdom - A Spiritual they call almost equally readily right/wrong) thinking, it prefers Manifesto (UBP 2018). God, Nature, Life or ultimate what is familiar, impatient with all reality’ (p 242). other possibilities, which it construes therefore as wrong. The left brain In his final paragraph, turning from thus commonly insists it is right, death back to life, David concludes, even when mistaken and in the face ‘Our true meaning and vocation lie of evidence. in answering the call to wholeness and fulfilment of Love, the great Much more in tune with ‘Us’, and integrating principle of the inner with the aims of the Network, is the world, so that it becomes a brain’s ‘holistic’ right hemisphere.

www.scimednet.org 49 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

IN THE HEART OF In another revealing encounter with emphasise, as he does, that by sceptic Michael Shermer, he consciousness he means the CONSCIOUSNESS discusses Shermer’s extraordinary observer part of awareness, the David Lorimer account of a defunct radio suddenly knower of the knowledge – the ■■ LIVING IN A MINDFUL coming to life in a drawer on the witness of the Upanishads. occasion of his wedding, which UNIVERSE seemed at the time to be some kind This and other similar books draw Eben Alexander and Karen Newell of communication from his wife’s on a level of intuitive knowing beyond rational analysis, which used Piatkus, 2017, 272 pp., £14.99, grandfather. However, a year on, they come to the understanding that to be defined as a function of the p/b – ISBN 978-0-349-417431 intellect rather than reason in As readers may recall, Eben this had a perfectly natural explanation. When challenged to gnostic and mystical circles. It is an Alexander is a neurosurgeon who interesting reflection that modern had a life-changing near death expand, he said it could not have been supernatural so there must accounts of mystical and near death experience in 2008. In his third and experiences insist on the validity of most extensive book, co-authored have been some rational explanation - but he could not say their noetic nature, suggesting that with his partner Karen Newell, he we should reinstate this lost faculty spans science and spirituality to what this might be. The pattern of his story is similar to other after of apprehending reality by becoming present a comprehensive life one with it – contemplation rather philosophy of meaning and purpose death communications in timing and content. A neuroscientist who than observation. This means arising from his experience and trusting personal experience and wide-ranging research. It is an did change his mind about the relationship between brain and looking for coherent and consistent adventurous exploratory journey patterns of explanation. Here Eben moving beyond the boundaries of consciousness was Wilder Penfield in his last book published in the covers quite a bit of research ground neuroscientific materialism which as well, including ganzfeld studies, formed his previous horizon. 1970s, showing an admirable openness of mind and not resorting heartmath, memories from previous This began with the process of to the temptation to fit evidence lives, reincarnation, placebo and the deconstructing his former scientific into a predetermined conclusion. power of belief. belief system through questioning his This brings him to the heart of the foundational assumptions still Eben puts forward a primordial matter, namely that spiritual light is shared by almost all his former mind hypothesis consistent with colleagues. The essence is that quantum physics in a form of love with which we can align, also consciousness is not in fact produced metaphysical idealism by exploring consciousness more by the brain, but the brain acts as a acknowledging the oneness of the deeply, for instance through sacred filter or reducing valve, as first universe within consciousness or acoustics. He himself experienced proposed over 100 years ago by the Universal Mind, as suggested by this infinite love, remarking that William James, FCS Schiller and New Thought writers over 100 ‘such oneness and dissolution of the Henri Bergson and more recently years ago. He relates this to the sense of self, and complete identity developed by University of Virginia filtering function of the brain, with all of life and the source of all scholars in the books Irreducible observing that he experienced a that is, is the pathway towards Mind and Beyond Physicalism. much broader contact with truth.’ (p. 227) He continues that Conversations with conventional universal consciousness ‘the deepest lesson of my journey thinkers ‘blindsided by their characterised by ultrareality was realising that unconditional love underlying assumptions’ are without a properly functioning was the very fabric of the spiritual revealing in the light of a lack of a brain filter. He quotes an interesting realm from which the totality of theoretical framework causally study published in Scientific reality emerges.’ He reports an linking the brain with consciousness American by a group from Imperial experience of this with Ram Dass, beyond correlations. Steven Novella College studying the effects of LSD quoting him as saying that ‘we come expresses certainty that the mind is through fMRI: ‘the most to see the oneness we share, oneness essentially the brain on the basis of extraordinary experiences were we are – together’ (p. 230); and his analysis of the neuroanatomical reported by those subjects who had injunction ‘just love until you and correlates of consciousness. He states the greatest inactivation of their the beloved become one’. This is the that we absolutely know that the brains junctional centre network essence of the mystical path. activity…. As the brain becomes brain creates consciousness and that This is a courageous book in ‘consciousness is what the brain less active, internal mental venturing into personal and does’. He admits that we do not yet experience actually becomes more metaphysical realms but without know how this happens – this is the active’, a finding also consistent losing the enquiring and open spirit ‘hard problem’ – but when with meditation studies. Eben challenged to be more specific he is comes to the conclusion that God of science in the process – it may at a loss. In other words, the idea or the ordering intelligence ‘is be a step too that the brain gives rise to actually the very source of our far for some, consciousness is a theoretical conscious awareness as sentient but such a postulate based on structures and beings. There is no separation response is interpretations of current research. between the ultimate creative likely to arise Even in his day, William James force and our conscious from the realised that this theory accounts awareness of existing in this reader’s own well for conventional experiments, universe. The observer, self- inner but not for the further reaches of awareness of the universe for structures and conscious experience. The same is itself, is us at the deepest level’ philosophical true today. (p. 70) it is important to assumptions.

50 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

CHILDREN ARE OUR of dynamic change to enliven our fourfold human body into healthy view of the human being. Far from balance. I was fascinated to learn FUTURE being ‘components’ of a physical how much obstacles to the healthy Martin Lockley entity (individual) our four fold unfolding of these processes not only ■■ UNDERSTANDING constitution is more like a complex manifest in behavioural imbalances, of interacting fields or forces, like oft-cited ADD, ADHD etc., but DEEPER (‘bodies’ in the non-material sense, also in physiologically recognisable DEVELOPMENTAL like a ‘bodies of work’), at work as symptoms and even in the actual NEEDS IN CHILDREN dynamic developmental processes, physical growth of the body into always in flux, interacting with the subtle variations of constitutional Adam Blanning seen and unseen to inform our type (referred to in non- 2017 Lindisfarne Books, potential to achieve or upset balance, Anthroposophical language as 504 pp., $35.00, p/b individually, in the family and the ecto-, meso- and endo-morph, or ISBN 978-1-58420-950-8 community. Put another way, while cerebro-, musculo- or viscero-tonic). human development, ontogeny, In this fascinating book Adam Blanning discusses Steiner’s Blanning, an MD and founder of the biography, evolution, or whatever one might call it, is fascinatingly understanding of the interaction Denver Center for Anthroposophical between various polar forces: e.g., Therapies, delves deeply into the complex, it is also what ‘constitutes’ our very being, in which we have spiritual-astral (Cosmic) on the one tradition of Anthroposophical hand and hereditary etheric and Medicine to share remarkable the capacity to be engaged at all these dynamics levels. physical (Earthly) on the other. insights into the complex and subtle Steiner recognised at least three needs of children as they undergo What the ill-defined ‘mainstream’ different, independent polarities: 1: early cycles of formative will likely not accept [excuse the earthly/feebled and cosmic/maniacal, development. Although drawing generalisation] is the thesis that 2: large-headed and small-headed, heavily on the esoteric wisdom of each human incarnates and 3: the epileptic / hysteric). Rudolf Steiner on the subject of the (reincarnates), from above (heaven) Regarding the first polarity the physical, emotional, intellectual and bringing “their spiritual heritage “cosmic child” lives intellectually in spiritual development of children, from previous experience (carried his/her head (nerve-sense realm) Deeper Development (DD) conveys in the astral body and “I”)… to… rather overwhelmed by sensory a non-derivative and authentic sense encounter … the hereditary stream (astral) impressions which hold them that Blanning is as deeply engaged in the earthly realm (carried in the in the “dreamy” often abstract with the nuanced calling of a physical body). We receive only the realm, removed from the “strong dedicated child therapist, as Steiner physical body from our parents. pull of deep passions and feelings” clearly was. Much as I found the The rest we bring with us from of the Earthly realm of blood and intellectual insights extraordinarily other realms.” [Know anyone who emotion. The second polarity, of illuminating from a biological, laments, feeling like aliens in a large- v. small-headed is linked to psychological and spiritual misfit body or family? They may be relative development through time. viewpoint, the real proof of the working out this balancing act]! Counter intuitively, in the small pudding is that, like Steiner, Blanning To appreciate this paradigm we headed child the head (seat is a practitioner. DD is not just a need to think “in polarities” of of the nerve sense system) has fascinating, educational exposition Heaven and Earth. [This is perhaps completed development (rigidified) on Anthroposophical Medicine, it not so difficult. Despite modern too early, without fully integrating also includes an extensive appendix medicine’s materialist leanings, we or modifying (releasing) the flow of as a guide for physicians, paving the are culturally, linguistically, etheric forces into the still-pliable, way for putting therapeutic remedies scientifically, and spiritually steeped growing body. into practice. I immediately thought in conceptual polarity: mind - to share copies of the book with my matter, tangible - intangible, known This compromises balanced children to benefit the well-being of - unknown, heaven - earth, development of both. The small my grandchildren. Trite as it sounds, mortality - immortality]. headed child therefore tends to be ‘children are our future.’ pale (decreased blood flow to head) With this philosophical less engaged and even critical of the Having acknowledged that rationalisation in mind [or in hand!] general environment and often therapeutic applications move us we can move on to the dynamic choosy about food. By contrast the, beyond abstract theory, it is still process of childhood development. large-headed child has a well- helpful, if we understand the deeper Here in the recognition of three developed metabolic-digestive spiritual philosophy on which seven-year-cycles of development system (healthy appetite) and rosy Anthroposophical Medicine is based. which integrate the higher (spiritual, cheeks from ample or ‘excess’ flow Blanning explicitly assumes the sensory, psychological) bodies with of metabolic forces to the head. The reader is familiar with the threefold the lower, earthly bodies, small-headed child is more detail human being (of nerve-sense, Anthroposophy may oriented and analytical, rhythmic and metabolic-limb system) converge somewhat with arising from awareness and the fourfold human constitution non-Anthroposophical of diverse sensory comprising, physical, etheric, astral thinking. Blanning stimulations, whereas and spiritual (“I”) ‘bodies,’ points out that the three the large headed child ‘members’ or dynamic forces of the cycles, well-marked by is much more embedded Anthroposophical tradition. He physiological changes, in the general ‘feel’ of gently dismisses the “fatalism in involve integration, the environment, and the materialistic views of the body as a differentiation and big picture. The third, complex machine” and introduces completion processes epileptic / hysteric the fourfold constitutional paradigm that bring the polarity, like others, is

www.scimednet.org 51 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 difficult to define in a few words. It metabolic systems), between BELIEVING IS FEELING pertains to how developmental shifts individual and others. In contrast the Gunnel Minett are navigated, steadfastly, or with a evil, envious, lonely queen is so cautious holding back: a self- ‘nervously’ out of balance she can ■■ HOW EMOTIONS ARE protective waiting to engage. Such find no rest, and not only demands MADE: THE SECRET polar distinctions strike me as Snow White’s death (bloodshed), but helping one understand differences her lungs and liver (metabolic LIFE OF THE BRAIN between the cerebrotonic and organs), as a desperate remedy to Lisa Feldman Barrett visicerotonic constitutions, analysis restore her constitutional balance. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt v. synthesis, induction v. deduction, In Part 3 dealing with the third, Publishing Company, 2017, but in each case the nuances and 425 pp., illustrated, h/b, £17.75 seven-year cycle (ages 14-21) the individual expressions take us far ISBN 978-0-544-1331-0 beyond stereotyped definitions. theme of connection is well illustrated by the notion that post Normally we would probably say DD is a wide ranging tome. puberty we are “no longer complete ‘feeling is believing’ but there is no Although divided into three parts within ourselves …we need another mistake in the headline. This book dealing the polarities of integration human being of the opposite sex…” presents a new understanding of the differentiation and connection, it is for authentic connection. emotions that turns our ‘classical’ not just about development during Simultaneously adolescents need to common sense understanding on its these three youthful seven year feel closer to peers, but also more head. The classical view of emotions cycles. Part 1 concludes with an isolated, as the awakening of the is, in the words of the author: “The exposition on “the process of senses (the astral body) expands time-honored story of emotions goes integration in later life” and “ways outer awareness. The polarity of something like this: We all have to strive to deepen our soul life.” waking and sleeping, represents a emotions built in from birth. They Following Steiner, we are reminded tidal, rhythmic, ebb and flow of the are distinct, recognisable phenomena that morality must be acquired, or astral body in (centripetally) and out inside us. When something happens re-learned in each incarnation, and (centrifugally) of the physical body. in the world, whether it’s a gunshot that six exercises in conscious During this and other periods the or a flirtatious glance, our emotions come on quickly and automatically integration serve as a preparation for ideal is to find healthy balance, a as if someone has flipped a switch. fruitful spiritual striving. These are: process which may take us the ‘rest We broadcast emotions on our faces “control of thinking, control of of our lives,’ with phases of rapid by way of smiles, frowns, scowls, actions, equanimity, understanding flux and calm consolidation. The every being, … complete openness” and other characteristic expressions challenge is to understand how we that anyone can easily recognise.“ and integration of these five may lean too far one way or another. exercises, each of which should be Knowing our constitutional comfort But, rather than searching for practiced for a month. These zone, and imbalance inclinations, inbuilt areas in the brain where constitute a developmental pathway allows us to honor our natural gifts, our different emotions are based, to self-control and self-awareness. but also to step back from them in the author argues that we need to In Part 2, dealing with differentiation order to transform and refine them, see emotions as constructed in the we learn that “thinking activity is moment, by a number of core possible” because the “higher owning them in a different way. This threefold process represents an systems interacting across the members [faculties] are liberated whole brain. from an intimate connection with evolution from the ‘sensing’ soul the substance of the physical body.” (observing the world) to the She writes: “Emotions are not “The nerve sense system is thus intellectual or ‘mind’ soul (working actions to the world. You are not a capable of independently developing over our impressions with the passive receiver of sensory input but all activities related to the spirit inward eye) to developing the an active constructor of your soul…” From a developmental ‘consciousness soul’ by reconnecting emotions. From sensory input and viewpoint this means “awakening our soul life with the outside world, past experience, your brain into thought and sensory activity.” with “genuine interest,” which constructs meaning and prescribes involves authentic connection to and action. If you didn’t have concepts In the spirit of the six “service” of others. The greatest that represent your past experience, aforementioned exercises we are well service we can offer is to our all your sensory inputs would just be advised to “look honestly at our children, by more deeply noise. You wouldn’t know what the own constitutions… learning about understanding their developmental sensations are, what caused them, our strengths and imbalances” so needs. To do this well, involves nor how to behave to deal with that we may “honour and accept our dynamic learning, knowing them. With concepts, your brain constitutional leanings… and not be ourselves, our imbalances and how makes meaning of sensation, and defined by them.” Know thyself they may be used to good sometimes that meaning is an and, as G.K. Chesterton would advantage and perhaps emotion.” (p. 31) advise, know your human transformed. In this way we weaknesses. Part 2 also concludes connect with our children, Even if it feels that “building an inner foundation” our collective humanity, our counter-intuitive to helps us “meet the outer world” and spiritual consciousness soul see emotions as our we are treated to an interesting and the future. constructions, analysis of the tale of Snow White science is gradually and the Seven Dwarfs. Her red lips Professor Martin Lockley is proving to us that and snow white skin, as well as her emeritus professor of the classical view of warm relationship with the dwarfs palaeontology at the emotions is not represent a healthy balance of blood University of Denver, correct. One reason and nerve (between nerve-sense and Colorado. why we may struggle

52 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 to accept that this is wrong is that, So rather than being a split between but how we perceive our everyday from Plato onwards, the most body and emotion, or thought and reality is closely linked with our common view has been that emotion, or different areas of the emotions. Not just that we tend to emotions are automatic reactions brain triggering different emotions, feel happier when the sun is shining. triggered by areas in the brain that it is a process that involves all parts; Our emotions influence our thoughts are hardwired. The most common “Interoception is actually a whole- and perception of the world. view in science is still that emotions brain process, but several regions Feldman Barrett describes this happen to us because we have inbuilt work together in a special way that as:“…you have genes that let our neural systems that get triggered and is critical for interoception….The brain develop in the context of the cause stereotypical expressions. At interoceptive network issues other brains around you, through best we can control our emotions predictions about your body, tests culture. (p. 156). That means that with rational thoughts and/or the resulting simulations against we influence each other and co- willpower. Much in our culture and sensory input from your body, and create a world that is far less society is based on this view. It updates your brain’s model of your objective and independent than we wasn’t until technical development body in the world.” (p. 67) tend to see it. Something to pay made it possible to study the brain in The conclusion drawn from this is attention to, in particular when it ‘real time’ that the classical theories that emotions have more in common comes to children growing up. were challenged. with other bodily functions designed Rather than growing up in a world that is independent of us, they learn One type of study that brought the to establish homeostasis in the body. And far from being direct reactions from us how to perceive and react to classical view into question was the world they see as reality. surveys of different tribal groups to external stimuli that we have little living in isolated areas of the world. control over, emotions are there to We have no real way of measuring The aim of the research was to see if assist and help us in our daily lives. the influence of the Internet and they reacted the same way to “..your brain has a mental model of other media on our brains and emotional expressions as human the world as it will be in the next emotions and how this changes beings in other parts of the world, moment, developed from past culture. But if we start seeing that given that they only had contact experience. This is the phenomenon our emotions are learnt from culture with their own groups. The of making meaning from the world and society to a large extent, it is conclusion was that there are and the body using concepts. In high time we start investigating the every moment, your brain uses past regional emotional expressions that real effects. To have constant experience, organised as concepts, to are unique to a particular area or exposure to news and social media, guide your actions and give your culture. There are no universal often with a bias towards negative sensations meaning.” (p. 125) expressions of emotions. But if events (not to mention the increasing emotions were triggered by specific The fact that our brain uses past stream of violence as entertainment brain areas the reaction and experiences to give us meaning and in films) may have a bigger impact emotional expression should be the to guide our actions brings a whole on our bodies and minds than we same for all human beings. new meaning to the need to create think. Or as the author points out: the best possible environment for “It takes more than one brain to By scanning the brain, the theory of ourselves. The book highlights two create a mind”. (p. 154) different brain areas being triggered areas in society in particular: was equally refuted. On the contrary, emotions and illness and emotions WHERE SCIENCE AND the findings were that even if our and the law. In both cases this new brains are similar, on a more detailed understanding of emotions changes THE SACRED INTERSECT level each brain is different. It was the picture drastically. If we focus on James Cowan also found that even if the expressed emotions aiming to create ■ emotions were similar, they could be homeostasis it will be obvious that ■ THE SACRED REVIVAL caused in different ways in the brain. we should make sure hospitals are Kingsley L. Dennis Feldman Barrett writes: “Scientists an overall positive experience for the Select Books, 2017, have known for some time that patient since this may influence their 238 pp., $22.95, p/b knowledge from the past, wired into healing potential. As regards the ISBN 978-1-59709-433-4 brain connections, creates simulated legal framework it is heavily biased The role of consciousness has never towards the classical view of experiences of the future, such as been more fiercely debated than it is emotions. The author lists a number imagination.… An instance of a today. It is as if some new organ has of examples, such as judges and concept, as an entire brain state is recently been discovered in the juries being more lenient after lunch an anticipatory guess about how physique of men. With this emphasis than if they are hungry; or if and you should act in the present between brain and thought being so moment and what your sensations how we can tell whether a person ‘shows remorse’ (important actively discussed there is mean.” (p. 122) for parole boards). now a sense that ‘consciousness’, as such, is To be more precise she describes it These issues become finally taking over as the as: “Simple pleasant and unpleasant problematic if there is driving mechanism of the feelings come from an ongoing no fixed way of human species, not its process inside you called showing emotions. reliance upon custom or interoception. Interoception is your The book also deals collective emotive states. brain’s representation of all with the fact that sensations from your internal emotional concepts In a new book by organs and tissues, the hormones have social reality. We Kingsley L. Dennis, The in your blood, and your immune may not see it as such Sacred Revival: Magic, system.” (p. 56) Mind and Meaning in a

www.scimednet.org 53 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

Technological Age, the author there must be an acknowledgement maturity of thought is required, attempts to address what is now a of Limit if humankind is not to outside of the laboratory and its post-modern obsession: how can destroy itself by way of its excessive enthusiasm for discovery, if we are to the mind be integrated into the curiosity. The neurological sciences, press forward into a physical world mechanisms that it creates? That and their current collusion with that is ever-expanding, while the mind might be digitised, and technology, has yet to acknowledge remaining true to our hard-won so objectified with a view to that there might be a risk in subjective world, one free from the externalising its presence outside the subjecting man to the excesses of his contingencies and depredations of body, has become one of the driving own investigations, just as nuclear time. The timeless is still relevant ambitions of modern science. scientists in the past failed to observe because it is attached to something the consequences of theirs. other – to what the medieval thinker Dennis charts this evolution in John of Ruusbroec called the thought with eloquence and Dennis insists, however, that there “ghostly life”. Thus, self-realization erudition. He has found a way to may be a way forward in our desire enter a field that most people find to dream the world. It relies on a is more than an electrode attached to daunting. The idea that nature has recognition that the sacred, what the brain and then scanned onto a been supervened by what he calls Otto called “the idea of the holy”, screen for objective assessment. It is the ‘human matrix’ as the basis for does have a role to play in helping a spiritual deposit more resolved all scientific inquiry, in order that humankind to augment its own than any accumulation of data humankind might finally ‘create capacities, even as it engages with projected onto a future noo- itself’ as something more than a this emerging techno-scientific computer yet to be devised. collection of genomes – but rather, paradigm. A delicate balancing act, The Sacred Revival will help all invoke a new neurological universe surely, but one that Dennis believes those who may be confused by the in the mold of Teilhard de is possible if we remain cognoscente recent onrush of neuro-scientific Chardin’s ‘noosphere’ – is central of our past and of our timeless discoveries and their claims. The to his argument. inheritance. If there is to be an ‘human matrix’ must be seen for ‘altered state of consciousness’, then He puts forward a powerful case to what it is: a blend of the miraculous, it must not be at the expense of the objective knowledge, and the the effect that humanity is on the great spiritual traditions that have cusp of giving birth to a planetary mysterious pneuma of the ancients underpinned our existence since time that still permeates the cosmos, civilisation that makes all other immemorial. localised cultures partly redundant. which cannot be isolated through It is doing so by way of a relentless Dennis draws upon a wide range of experimentation or analysis. search for new ways of thinking research in the fields of neurological James Cowan is author of the within the preserve of our techno- and social sciences, as well as the international bestseller A scientific mindset. In other words, latest knowledge derived from Mapmaker’s Dream, and A we can think ourselves into a laboratory experimentation. He Troubadour’s Testament, Desert condition once framed by Nietzsche resorts to a variety of thinkers to Father, and Fleeing Herod. as the ubermensch, that of the inform his argument. One of them, so-called ‘Overman’ capable of Terence McKenna, writes that becoming more than himself. “language has infected matter”, a ECOLOGY-FUTURES statement that goes to the heart of Dennis argues that this is being Dennis’s argument: that matter is STUDIES brought about by our capacity to now an extension of human thought. ‘dream the world into being’. He That matter is also a ‘sacralised THREEFOLDING A calls this activity one of imaginal object’, as traditional peoples CENTURY ON possibility – a combination of observe (viz. Native Americans etc.), David Lorimer the imagination and the intellect. does not escape him, either. It is a word first coined by Henry ■■ FREE, EQUAL AND Corbin, the great Ismaeli scholar of The task Dennis asks the reader to the twentieth-century. The imaginal, address is whether he or she is MUTUAL he maintains, offers us a powerful content to live inside this new Edited by Martin Large and tool to inhibit science’s headlong human matrix derived solely from Steve Briault rush into bio-technologising the science, without any continued link Hawthorn Press, 2018, human species – making them, in to the sacred. The idea that theos 275 pp., £20, p/b a sense, merely transhuman. and bios might find a way to resume ISBN 978-1-907-359941 Transhumanism, a pernicious craze their ancient connection, as detailed This volume explains the origins and among an agnostic elite at this time, by the Greeks and later the contemporary relevance of Rudolf alchemists, in order that humankind is a neat way of excluding the Steiner’s Threefolding, developed as continues to live as a spiritual being sacred imperative from the process. a contribution to conditions for From here on it says, humankind and not as a mere biological lasting peace in war-torn Germany will not have any need of the gods, function, goes to the heart of his between 1917 and 1919. The of the sacred precinct, or of the act thesis. In other words, ancient subtitle of rebalancing society for the of deep meditation itself. These are traditions, esoteric doctrines, and common good suggests the need for to be seen as relics of a bygone religions have an important role to a harmony between the three thought era. play in preserving the extraordinary wonder that is us. components of business and This, Dennis argues, represents a economy, state and politics, and subversion of who we are, and what The Sacred Revival is a deeply culture. The title refers to the aims of we wish to be. He does not say it as informative work. The gee-wizardry these three areas: freedom in cultural such, but the pre-Socratic of modern science is gently rebutted. life at the individual pole, equality of philosopher Parmenides did: that Dennis tells us that a greater rights in political terms, and

54 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 mutuality in economics. The original emphasis on accumulation of capital The editors pose a number of formulation in 1917 uses the term and predatory power exploiting pertinent questions that can serve liberty in cultural life, meaning and destroying our natural resources as criteria for assessing progress individual development, free enquiry, or simply commodifying them. in all three areas, and there is a pluralism and tolerance as a means The potentially emerging model course considerable room for of overcoming antipathies. In the rebalances our relationships, improvement. They usefully sum political or rights sphere, the aim is restores agency and creativity, and the book up in the following equality in terms of democracy, regenerates the earth. However, the sentence: ‘the more that freedom justice, participation, universal next chapter demonstrates the informs cultural life and the plural humanity and recognition. In opposite dynamic in analysing the sector, the more that equality guides economic life this is expressed as two forms of shadow represented by political life, human rights and the fraternity – mutual support, Trump and Clinton in the 2016 US public sector, and the more collaboration, association and new election, suggesting that we need fraternity or mutuality guides sympathies, as opposed to an to work through aspects of the business and economic life, the overemphasis of competition. collective shadow. Inspired initiatives more creative, socially just, Steiner’s own definition is ‘socialism include a description of SEKEM as democratic, healthier, prosperous in economic life, democracy for the a model for holistic sustainable and sustainable will be our society life of rights and individualism for development in Egypt and a living or “commonwealth”’ (p. 254) The spiritual life.’ (p. 55) The authors in example of ‘what is possible if one book serves as a further example this volume suggest that we need a has a strong vision, the will and the of how relevant the thinking of much stronger contribution from involvement of like-minded people Rudolf Steiner can be to our time, culture to balance that of economics who support the idea with a similar characterised by Nicanor Perlas and politics. level of awareness’. (p. 150) The in his foreword as VUCA - volatile, same applies to the Tamera uncertain and unpredictable, Early contributions explain the Community in Portugal, where I am complex and ambiguous. He is historical background and influence writing this review – they have surely right in insisting on the need of Steiner, while later chapters transformed a very dry and to activate and engage civil society consider current challenges, inspired exploited area with water retention initiatives and openings for the schemes creating lakes and a fertile to wield cultural power in order to future. Andrew Scott considers two landscape. This is a continuing help transform our economic and different views of the human being, process of manifestation based on social systems. one dominated by what he calls vision and a clear set of ideas and noisy images of the human as values. There is then a chapter on ORGANIC separate from God and dominating the food movement and one on ENVIRONMENTALISM nature, with the emphasis on community land trusts. Richard economics and humans as beasts House proposes an education David Lorimer and mechanisms which, he then beyond capital and the neoliberal ■■ THE GLOBAL explores in various manifestations state, cautioning the move towards before proposing the quieter images effective privatisation of the school HISTORY OF of knower, individual, and human system, effectively incorporating ORGANIC FARMING being as an evolving holon. schooling into the business sector, Gregory A. Barton Christopher Schaefer sets out nine with predictable consequences. propositions relating to the social Oxford, 2018, 242 pp., £30, h/b world moving towards empathy, The last part considers openings for ISBN 978-0-19-964253-3 caring and love through a process co-creating our social future, with a Gregory Barton is Professor of of dialogue and consensus. Steve chapter on conversation and History at Western Sydney Briault applies this model to dialogue, partly based on David University and the University of work and organisations with a Bohm, and with an emphasis on the Johannesburg, whose earlier books threefold structure, culture and sympathetic economy, equality and include Empire Forestry and the process intersecting with purpose empathy - all of this is summed up in Origins of Environmentalism. in the centre. a useful chart on p. 223. I found the One can see a link with this new threefolding framework a very useful In setting out the challenges, Martin book between forestry regeneration tool for considering the roles, and organic agriculture and the way Large notes that we live in a relationships and interfaces between in which both feed more broadly corporatocracy where the market culture, politics and economics. has captured much of the state and into the modern environmental plural sector, for example in terms movement. The author had access of privatisation and the for the first time to the family idea that education papers of Sir Albert Howard should be fundamentally and his wives Gabrielle and utilitarian. He provides Louise, who were in fact sisters some excellent and (Gabrielle died in 1930). informative diagrams Those familiar with organic characterising the current agriculture will probably be situation and the one he familiar with Howard (1873- feels is desirable. 1947) and his contribution to Financialisation has been its origins, but this book sheds rampant and the ethos new light on the extent not only of society has become of his influence but in particular materialistic and that of his second wife Louise consumerist, with an after his death.

www.scimednet.org 55 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

The author relates a telling anecdote surprising that they had little time or but that she was ‘one of the single at the beginning of his final chapter, inclination for social life. They then most influential women in the global when a Brazilian walks into the worked at their own research station environmental movement’ - and the information centre at Bishop’s at Indore between 1924 and 1931, book certainly makes the case for Castle, where Howard grew up, and it was here that Howard this statement. asking where his statue was – the developed his famous Indore humus British readers might find the staff had not even heard of him, and method, which was not in fact his coverage of organic agriculture in of course there was no statue! For invention but built on earlier work the UK somewhat sparse, and there the Brazilian visitor, the context was and responded to the economic is only a passing reference to the ‘Britain’s global role in bringing an needs of the locality. It was only work of the Prince of Wales in this alternative dialogue between food later that he began to link the respect. However, the book’s production and environmental problem of depleted soil to plant and strength lies in its description of the conservation, which is more than human health. The main point of the work of the Howards and its global urgent to preserve human life on this next chapter is an important one as influence. In his conclusion, the planet’ (p. 197) The point referred to it disposes of the assumption that author reflects that the here is that organic farming actually organic farming and in particular the environmental need for organic arose in an imperial setting - Indore Method originated in peasant farming is likely to drive its Howard spent most of his career in wisdom, a view that was actually expansion, and in this respect he India, and the Institute in which he incorrectly promoted by Louise (p. could have mentioned the 2013 worked was set up by Curzon - and 90). The author argues that this in report by the FAO on sustainability, is ‘part of a long history of fact obscures the startling originality and also other agro-ecological environmental reforms initiated of Howard’s work, and traces the initiatives – the word agro-ecology within the British Empire.’ origins of the modern organic does not even appear in the index. The book is structured around farming movement to ‘the marriage He is surely right, though, to Howard’s life and career within the of the Indore Method developed by emphasise the cultural significance of context of the agricultural Albert Howard in India with the organic movement as a response development of the time, explaining romantic, ecological and neo- to industry pressure on science and the 19th-century background with traditional approaches to scientists in terms of trust, and the the establishment of Rothhamsted as agriculture’ (p. 104). need to speak to the heart as well as an experimental research station as Howard was very active with Louise the head and to incorporate cultural early as 1843. The environmental throughout the 1930s and 40s up to and spiritual values. movement as a whole sits within his death in 1947. He published his holism and has much in common definitive work An Agricultural MONOGEISM with the American transcendentalist Testament in 1940, and collaborated David Lorimer attitude to nature; also with wider with Sir Robert McCarrison, who historical agrarianism, which the had also worked in India researching ■■ FACING GAIA author covers in detail going back as the Hunza diet. Modern intensive Bruno Latour far as Livy and including Thomas methods were in the ascendant Polity, 2017, 327 pp., £18.99, p/b Jefferson, the Romantics, Gilbert during the 1940s, and Howard ISBN 978-0-745-684345 White, William Cobbett and other found himself out of favour in less well-known figures. The advent conventional circles although his This dense and erudite book is an of processed food raised questions influence in other areas including elaboration of the Gifford Lectures about the relationship between gardening and medicine was on natural religion delivered at the agriculture and health, an ongoing enhanced. The author discusses the University of Edinburgh. Bruno debate within the organic movement. influence of the Howards around the Latour may be an unfamiliar name The author discusses biodynamics, world, including Japan, South Africa to readers – he is a leading with which he has little sympathy, and the US with Jerome Rodale. sociologist and anthropologist who commenting that biodynamic Perhaps his most original now holds a chair at Sciences Po, farmers rely on Howard’s methods contribution is highlighting the where he is director of its medialab. as the base of operations for the extraordinary role played by Louise The term farm. He also gives space to German Howard in the environmental biological farming, and it is ‘monogeism’ was coined by the movement with her regular German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk significant that the word used in newsletters. Significantly, she French for organic is also biologique as a reminder that there is no spare signalled growing alarm about DDT planet, and historically reflecting the - marking a clear contrast with and wildlife in advance of Rachel modern chemical agriculture. influence of monotheism in Carson, and also Western culture. The title itself In describing Howard’s education highlighted the represents Gaia as a force in and career, the author comments dangers of the new unstable climatic that AE Housman and JRR Tolkien pesticides in food regime representing the also grew up in Shropshire. He and and hormones in Anthropocene. It is ironic both his wives were educated at meat. The author that the advent of this term Cambridge, and Louise even worked contends that representing a new and as Director of Studies in classics at Louise’s work as an implicitly managerial Newnham College between 1909 organiser, intellectual relationship to Nature has and 1916. Howard and Gabrielle’s and activist make her emerged precisely when its output at Pusa between 1905 and not only a leading processes are becoming 1923 was prodigious, amounting to figure connecting past more unstable and chaotic 93 reports, articles or books on ideas of wholeness to with all that implies for agriculture in India, so it is not scientific narratives, human life. We are aware

56 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 that a generalised European standard instructive charts, distinguishing The idea of a world state or world of living requires three planets and between epistemological and government has a long history, and four for the US, but the present anthropological approaches to God, aspirations towards this have taken economic ideology of growth brings the Earth and ordering principles. various forms. In these three books, us nearer to the reality of limits For many, the ordering God has Renaissance man Nicholas Hagger Earth Overshoot Day this year was been replaced by the laws of nature, follows in the footsteps of Truman, August 1 – the date when we have although both approaches are more Einstein, Churchill, Eisenhower, used more from Nature than it can transcendent than immanent. This is Gandhi, Russell, Kennedy and regenerate in a year, meaning that we further developed into two Gorbachev in calling for ‘a are currently using 1.7 planets - i.e. distinctive forms of science and the democratic, partly federal World drawing down our capital. same for religion, showing that no State with sufficient authority to single definition can apply to either. abolish war, enforce disarmament, Latour understands Gaia in various Hence the importance of framing, combat famine, disease and poverty, dimensions – medical, scientific, for instance in asserting the primacy and solve the world’s financial political and religious. He clears up of ecology over economics, as in the and environmental problems.’ quite a few misunderstandings of the extensive work by Lester Brown Importantly, he brings his concept by critics, who often reviewed in these pages. universalist approach deriving from attribute to it features that Lovelock his own mystical experience of the and Margulis explicitly repudiate. There is a big difference between the One Light to bear on politics as a There is of course a limit to the world of Columbus in 1492 and the metaphysical underpinning. metaphor but the main point is that Earth Summit of 1992. There is no it goes beyond environmental abundant New World to be In World State he begins by arguing determinism to propose an discovered and exploited unless one the case for such a body which, interactive and evolving system takes seriously fantasies about crucially, he proposes will have ‘a where self-regulation emerges from colonising Mars, which reminds me partly federal, partly supranational evolution without any overall plan of Dostoevsky’s short story The structure that will allow nation or foresight. From a theological Dream of the Ridiculous Man where states to be internally independent’ angle, Latour discusses ecological the protagonist arrives on an while running the world for the apocalypse or the end times and the unblemished planet and proceeds to benefit of humankind and bringing way that people react in denial, recapitulate human errors – without peace and prosperity to all. This whereas for the author, ‘there is no a change of thinking there will be no message is all the more important longer any doubt that the end time corresponding transformation of the given the recent resurgence of has actually come about’ (p. 196). outer world. This also suggests that populism and nationalism as a Evasion can take the form of hope, the journey should embody the reaction against global elites. He but this kind of hope can be the motto of plus intra rather than plus outlines the historical development enemy of action. This is a repeated ultra. The new category of humans from tribal states to city states, pattern in environmental books which he calls Earthbound need to feudal baronial states, nation ending with an apocalyptic final explore the question of limits and states, colonial empires, then chapter with the proviso that there is identity – they belong to a delimited confederations and federations hope if we change our ways. So at territory, which is the Earth itself, moving in the direction of a world the very least, this kind of hope is and need to use this as a starting state. I agree that the dangers of provisional, and is the enemy of point for their thinking in terms of world government depend on who is action if none is taken. For the both agency and responsibility. doing the governing, and that such a author, ‘the apocalypse is a call to be government must be democratic rational at last, to have one’s feet on with built-in safety measures to the ground’ and to stop conciliating GENERAL prevent abuse of power. The next chapter gives a fascinating account the adherents of pacification in A VISION FOR GLOBAL favour of further deferral, sometimes of historical precedents, including in the name of science. The GOVERNANCE Dante, Sir Thomas More, Erasmus, precautionary principle in ecology David Lorimer Bacon and Kant, along with many has none of the political force that it lesser-known figures including my has in defence matters, although ■■ WORLD STATE great-grandfather James Lorimer both entail an attitude of Nicholas Hagger (SMN) who published The Institutes of the Law of Nations in 1883. Kant is responsibility. Latour further points O Books, 2017, 203 pp., £19.99, discussed in some detail, showing out that we collectively choose what p/b – ISBN 978-1-78099-964-7 we are sensitive to and what how his work, including Perpetual demands a quick reaction – the long WORLD Peace (1795) ‘endorse the emergency of the Earth has so far mobilised only activists. CONSTITUTION Nicholas Hagger (SMN) One of the most interesting chapters on convening the various peoples of O Books, 2018, 87 pp., nature begins with an instructive £8.99, p/b comparison between the cover of ISBN 978-1-84694-991-3 Nature magazine announcing the ■■ PEACE FOR OUR Anthropocene with the cover of TIME Hobbes’ Leviathan who dominates a vast landscape foreshadowing the Nicholas Hagger (SMN) need for supranational authority in O Books, 2018, 282 pp., environmental matters. Latour £16.99, p/b develops a number of contrasts in ISBN 978-1-78535-706-0

www.scimednet.org 57 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 ideal of human unity and saw a flow diagram. This certainly attain personal inner calm, serenity world republic of free and equal provides a sound basis and point of and a sense of life has meaning and individuals as an ideal end of the departure for future discussions. In purpose’ (p. 5). The content adds to progress of human history.’ (p. 34) addition, there would be a World and formalises the proposals of the In the 20th century, this was Armed Force for policing purposes. first book, including structure and followed up by various world In practical terms, a US President electoral processes. There are 35 federalist movements. would have to take the initiative of rights and freedoms, with additional proposing such a scheme, and one of sections on equal rights and justice, Nicholas moves on to attempts at its major implications would be a rights of world citizens, and imposing a world state on the colossal peace dividend through the protection of rights and freedoms; known world by conquest or abolition of war, a proportion of there are even proposals for an consent, and analyses the failure of which could be used for funding emblem, flag and anthem as well as the old order. He places the process purposes. This of course would sections on signature and ratification. within his stages of Universalist entail a massive restructuring of the Appendices include 26 constitutional history evolving towards ‘a global economy, especially in the US precedents and 204 constitutions as worldwide civilisation that espouses where the arms industry is such an well as reiteration of representative liberal democracy and prioritises a economic driver. Nicholas provides allocation to the various bodies. It all supranational perspective, which he figures for costs such as the War on makes visionary political reading. moves on to in the second part. He Terror absorbing over $2 trillion sets out the seven goals of a between 2001 and 2018. The third book is a more personal supranational authority already reflection on war and peace and a referred to above, then analyses Interestingly, Nicholas does not see Third World War, also arising out of seven extant models for his own world state model as an his intelligence work described in his supranational arrangement. He endpoint of history, predicting that it autobiography My Double Life shows how each in turn is will eventually disintegrate since it is reviewed in an earlier edition. He inadequate, mainly because they in the nature of institutions to have a describes the proceedings in Athens remain inter-national or inter- limited duration. The current of a group called the World governmental rather than fundamental question is how long it Philosophical Forum and his chairing supranational, with a continuing will take for our collective social and of its constitutional convention, the focus on the interests of nation states political consciousness to evolve proposal for a Universal State of the or elite groups. In the process, he towards a consensus that such a Earth and a Supreme Council of quotes the UN’s purposes and partially federal world state is Humanity, all of which comes across explains its existing functions – also required. Many leading thinkers as a dry run for the plans proposed elaborated in an extensive set of already agree that our current the other books. His award of the appendices. He is well aware of the institutions are incapable of Gusi Peace Prize for Literature in influence of dynastic families such as addressing systemic world problems, 2016 (described in detail) gave him a the Rothschilds and Rockefellers as so it may only be a matter of time new platform, and he offers pertinent well as the secretive processes and before they move to the next stage of reflections on Brexit, Trump and the agendas of the Bilderberg Group the advocating other institutional appalling situation in Syria. Here he proposing a hegemonic New World arrangements that will necessarily makes a connection between the Order. His own model takes this into parallel some of Nicholas’s thinking relentless Russian bombing account by proposing a World and proposals for implementation. campaign and the consequent flow Openness Committee (p. 181) that The appendices contain valuable of refugees that has destabilised would require minutes from the data and evidence including previous Europe, remarking that there is a meetings of such groups and confederations federations, the text danger of a proxy Third World representation at its meetings. of the US Declaration of War while also proposing a realistic Readers will be impressed by the Independence, the UN Declaration of and pragmatic 15-point peace plan amount of forward-looking thinking Human Rights, extracts from the (p. 203). The second Athens that has already taken place. NATO treaty and also the Project for conference included a startling design the New American Century from proposal for a possible headquarters Nicholas now proposes his own 1997 that has driven so much of a Universal State of the Earth as ideal form for the world state, a foreign policy since, and exploited an immense globe, apparently United Federation of the World that the strategic opportunity offered by designed by Russians - an intriguing would include an 850-strong elected 9/11. There is an overview of the UN fact. The appendices recap the World Parliamentary Assembly, a structure and extensive data on wars relationship between Universalism World Senate of 92 senators, a and conflicts that the UN has failed and the world state as well as Council of Ministers with 27 to prevent, even with 689 resolutions outlining the potential process for members chaired by a World since 1945. Finally, there are data on bringing it into being. President or World-Lord - I found freedom, regions and nation states, these last terms questionable in their all of which is a tremendous resource The vision outlined in these three implications, especially the second in one book. books represents an important and the assumption that such a advance in political and person would be a man. And it is The book on a world constitution is constitutional thinking that must interesting to reflect that the current a short one with a background on eventually manifest in our future UN has a Secretary-General - constitutions before proposing a institutions and global governance. suggesting a form of servant detailed draft consisting of 145 It is a necessary historical and leadership rather than dominating articles. Its principles include evolutionary process and one that power. Nicholas explains the acknowledging the drive towards deserves serious attention, structure and proposed self-improvement, self transcendence, particularly from a universalist representation of these bodies in self transformation and higher metaphysical perspective that sees considerable detail, with an extensive consciousness ‘through which all can humankind as one and seeks the

58 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 benefit of all. Nicholas has done a In this notion of a Prima there is a I also have some more critical great humanitarian service in vague analogy to the system of comments. The novella succeeds in articulating his world constitution kibbutzim, especially in the early days making a striking contrast because a and outlining his proposal for a of the Israeli state. Among defences very dysfunctional isonuc in partly federal world state that can of Primas is the claim that they could opposition to a very well run Prima serve as basis for future mirror the kind of hunter-gatherer – and one has to suspect that in development. We should all be communities that characterised homo actual practice the differences would playing an active part in helping sapiens for most of its existence, and be less marked. There are also a bring this about. therefore enshrined certain values, number of somewhat extreme learned through long experience. judgments. For example, in chapter Certainly, the number, up to 150, is eight’s middle section we are referred BEYOND ISONUC not drawn at random. There is to “social class and religion - the Michael Langford considerable evidence in recent two great curses of human society”. ■■ GAZING AT THE STARS anthropology and sociology, that for He adds the comment: “the very fact typical human beings, this is the size [is] that religious beliefs are imposed Steve Minett, PhD (SMN) of community that can foster the in infancy, without critical discourse Kindle Edition, 2017, 210 p £0.99 strongest bonds, based on the and before the child has developed (E-book format) sold by Amazon number of people one can be truly their own rational judgment”. Media EU S.à r.l. familiar with and work with. I agree that our system of social class is a curse, but probably less so than Steve is a long-standing member of The novella is divided into eight the Scientific and Medical Network, the curse of war and – arguably at chapters, each of which is subdivided least – the kind of capitalism that and he has recently written a novella into three sections. In the first – that introduces an interesting set of indirectly encourages it. I also think throughout the eight chapters – we that ‘bad religion’ is a curse, but – philosophical/political/sociological follow the boyhood and early ideas. [We might remember that even if we reject theism – if we manhood of a certain Jimmy, brought take the likes of Durkheim on Jean-Paul Sartre, and many other up in a dysfunctional (but, arguably, philosophers, have used fiction as board ‘religion’ is a more complex not unrealistic) isonuc. Starting in phenomenon than this quotation a way of introducing serious 1954 we follow him until 1970 in philosophical themes.] The ideas suggests, and can be a force for successive episodes (all problematic good or ill. relate, in the first instance, to how and basically unhappy) from an early children should be raised in the attempt to run away from home, his Further, by no means all believers contemporary world, and more first day at school, his first encounters have been led into some version of generally, the book raises serious with girls and his entry and exit from it by indoctrination. Moreover, if questions about the nature of first year university. In each case the either traditional parents, or those contemporary society and politics, episode in Jimmy’s life is followed by rearing children within a Prima, are and what Steve sees as the malaise a section that is basically reflective not to bring up children in a vacuum, in which contemporary society and philosophical, commenting on then in addition to primary moral finds itself. the implications of the episode in the values (and even these raise some At the heart of the philosophy that light of the theory of Prima as an controversial issues), they also need lies behind the book is the notion of a antidote to many of society’s ills. A some introduction to great literature, ‘Prima’ (a primal rearing institution third section follows, in which an poetry, music, etc. and I doubt and mutual association) in which alternative ‘Jimmy’, brought up in a whether any of these can avoid issues young children would be brought up, well run Prima (up to the end of regarding fundamental world views in contrast with the nuclear family primary school), has episodes that – and beliefs, including religious ones. – named in the book as the ‘Isonuc’ in a way parallel those of the first Indoctrination, we all agree is bad – that (in theory at least) dominates Jimmy – but all with positive and – but this is really a kind of truism, the contemporary world. Typical creative outcomes, rooted – in each and hides the way in which some Primas would contain around 150 case – within the consequences of ‘liberals’ don’t recognise the dogmatic people, parents and children who have having been raised in a Prima. assumptions latent in (for example) their own versions of secular would live in communities in which On the positive side, there is certainly everyone shared the duties of reductionism. There is a case for a lot wrong with contemporary encouraging parents, or some kind of upbringing. To quote: “Prima would society, and creative suggestions for not involve any change to the macro ‘prima’, rearing children within how to change it are to be welcomed. certain rich traditions of culture and politico-economic systems of society. Moreover, the idea that groups of Prima can be implemented in a religion, provided that critical people might decide to form Primas, thinking – including that of these voluntary, ‘bottom-up’, piece-meal at least during the period in which way. It could spread throughout the cultures and traditions – is included. they have young children, is certainly (Manifestly, at present this is often population by excellence of example well worth exploring, although I not the case.) This is the - children from Prima would be suspect that in order to kind of argument that superior in every way to children get the first one off the would allow aboriginal raised in the traditional, isolated, ground one would people to maintain their nuclear family (‘Isonuc’ for short) - either need a wealthy cultures, and if we can healthier, better-adjusted and more patron, or – better still argue this in their case I successful. Parents today are willing – a small group of highly cannot see why we to move house to get their child into a motivated and efficient cannot also defend, say, better school. In the future, many will men and women with a Jewish family be prepared to give up the Isonuc for entrepreneurial and maintaining its ancient management skills, who five years in order to guarantee a and rich traditions. better life-history for their child.” shared a common vision.

www.scimednet.org 59 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 Books in Brief

as well as the various ways in which SCIENCE/ science is communicated and the typical PHILOSOPHY OF progression of academic careers. His final chapters consider the future of science SCIENCE and how the ecosystem might change, including rationing conference attendance, ■■ The Secret Life of Science encouraging open science platforms and Jeremy J. Baumberg developing artificial intelligences to mine David Lorimer the web of science knowledge. The book Note: many of these books are Princeton 2018, 236 pp., £25, h/b. is full of fascinating insights and analysis, now available in downloadable In this brilliant, original and stimulating electronic form making it required reading for anyone study, the author offers an acute and who seriously wants to understand the wide-ranging analysis of the state of what competitive dynamics within global he calls the global scientific ecosystem science today. consisting of interactions between people, knowledge, funding and the media ■■ Gravity translating findings into the public arena. Each area is populated by different players Pierre Binetruy and stakeholders, with many competitive Oxford 2018, 245 pp., £19.99, h/b. interfaces. The book takes the form of a This is a brilliant and accessible illustrated survey of different parts of the system and book about gravity and gravitational the ways in which they mesh together. waves, whose existence was only He begins by redefining scientists as confirmed experimentally in 2016 and either simplifiers or constructors, the first resulted in the award of the Nobel Prize seeking to understand the components in physics in 2017. It draws on first-hand of the natural scientific system, while the experience with many practical insights second use insights to synthesise new and useful extra focuses, and encouraged domains. He sets out to answer a number me to do an experiment comparing of questions from the first chapter relating dropping a sheet of paper and a book to the number and types of scientists, the separately, then putting the sheet of paper filtering of news from original papers, the on top of the book - they fall together as pecking order prestige of journals and the the book protects the paper from friction changing nature of conferences. Along the forces in the air. The author describes the way he discusses motivations, chains of history of work on gravity, ranging over influence, the publish or perish culture, physics and cosmology with more recent competition for funding and the peer review system. detail on the quest for gravitational waves. I gained a better understanding of the Big Bang in relation to the universe being Baumberg includes some fascinating infinite with a clever analogy of different statistics, for instance the increase in scales of markings on a rope. At the the number of scientists from 5 million end, the author speculates on the future in 2002 to 8 million in 2013, with an dominance of dark energy for a new phase annual growth rate of 4%; of these, 60% of inflation. The book will surely become are in industry. He looks at changing a classic in explaining gravity in such an patterns in the award of Nobel prizes and engaging manner, reflecting as it does the how long it takes on average between late author’s stellar reputation as a science the discovery and the prize – now about communicator. 25 years. There are 25,000 journals publishing 1 million articles a year. Nature receives 10,000 submissions a year and publishes 700, 42% of which are biochemistry or molecular biology (and only 10% physics). 65% of library budgets go on journal subscriptions. The author describes the evolving ecosystem of conference attendance

60 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

■■ Blossoms ■■ Music by Numbers – From of Aristotle and the four steps in the alchemical process. Ternary rhythms are Maxine F. Singer Pythagoras to Schoenberg explained in detail within the Zodiac Oxford 2018, 164 pp., £16.99, h/b. Eli Maor before chapters on squaring the circle A cutting-edge book about the genetics Princeton 2018, 155 pp., £20, h/b. and the union of opposites, along with behind flowers in five parts, explaining the fourfold reflection in the universe. This is a fascinating study of the This last chapter entails mirroring, the what plants are and what they can do, reciprocal relationship between music how genes work, the timing of flowering participatory approach of Wheeler and and mathematics in the West. The last the significance of the Uroboros. Here in terms of temperature and light, the 150 years have seen the breakdown of shaping of flowers and decoration in terms the observer or consciousness once more structure in terms of tonality, and the becomes integral in the model, and of colour and scent. Functionally, the author draws interesting parallels between flower’s task is to produce seeds and in this book charts many of the interfaces the simultaneous emergence of Einstein’s between psychology, astrology, cosmology order to optimise this process, they need theory of relativity and Schoenberg’s 12- to attract insects or birds. Flowers are big and physics. Jung and Pauli would tone system. Historically, he explains the certainly want to have read it. business and seeds are also important in significance of Pythagoras’ discoveries of terms of what we eat – rice and wheat, ratios and intervals and how this fed into ■■ Pilgrimages to Emptiness for instance. It is clear that huge progress the establishment of the well-tempered has been made in this field over the last scale between octaves – a piano differs Shantena Augusto Sabbadini 20 years, but I did notice the absence of from a violin with its continuous range of Pari Publishing 2018, 282 pp., any discussion about the role of formative sound, while a keyboard has distinctive £9.99, p/b. principles and the dynamic approach intervals. He covers the work of Mersenne I met the author at a recent conference exemplified in the science of Goethe – in on harmony and the even less well-known in Italy, where he presented a fascinating other words this is largely a quantitative Sauveur on acoustics and vibrating strings, lecture on the I Ching. In the 1990s, he rather than a qualitative approach in an which led to what he calls the great string was scientific consultant to the Eranos area where I think both are required. debate between 1730 and 1780, which Foundation, having previously worked as engaged many of the leading thinkers ■ a theoretical physicist – he is now director ■ Causation in Science of the day: Bernoulli, Euler, D’Alembert Yemima Ben-Menahem and Lagrange. The problem was how the of the Pari Center in Italy, in succession to the late David Peat. In this book, subtitled Princeton 2018, 201 pp., £30, h/b. initial triangular shape of the plucked string can evolve into multiple smooth ‘rethinking reality through quantum The emphasis of this technical book is on sine waves piled on top of each other. physics’, he explores the essential unity of causal constraints in science, i.e. general Another chapter is devoted to musical mind and matter in a series of clear and conceptual scaffolding and principles gadgets, for instance the tuning fork informative expositions of various topics, rather than causal relations between invented in 1711 and the metronome covering the quantum revolution, chaos individual elements or events. It goes in 1814. The final chapter discusses and order, the nature of life, being and beyond the linguistic turn that challenges string theory, bringing one at least becoming, space and time. Then the last the notion of truth itself to discuss metaphorically back to Pythagoras. two chapters move into the Dao, drawing specific causal constraints, specifically parallels between the scientific and determinism, locality, stability, symmetries, ■■ The Archetype of the mystical world views, while going beyond conservation laws and variation the fashionable ideology of materialism. principles. Individual chapters discuss in Number and its Reflections in more detail relationships between some Contemporary Cosmology Although he is aware of dominant of these terms, for instance determinism Alain Negre global trends moving us in a damaging and stability, determinism and locality Chiron Publications 2018, 202 pp., direction, he also perceives processes and symmetries and conservation no price given. seeking to recover oneness, including not laws. The first chapter looks at various only mind and matter, but also human approaches to causation in relation to This book is an interesting journey beings and nature, consciousness and the understanding change in terms not only through what the author calls world. In this respect, he reminds us that of what happens, but what does not psychophysical rhythmic configurations, the primary fact of our life is conscious happen or is theoretically excluded from using the work of Jung and Pauli as a experience and that subject and object happening. It becomes evident that terms starting point and seeking to reconfigure are best conceived as complementary are sometimes conflated, for example the unus mundus in our times. This is a co-emergent aspects of a single process. chance and contingency, determinism and useful exercise as we begin to rediscover The author’s explorations of the Dao are stability - this is discussed with respect the qualitative in addition to the profound in exploring paradox, where to physics. In looking at the scientific quantitative aspects of number as well he also brings in surrealist art with the transition from teleology to causality, the as a deeper understanding of the creative image by Magritte – ceci n’est pas une author distinguishes actions that are goal- imagination. Number is seen as the most pipe - reminding us that naming is an directed and analyses the philosophical basic element of order in the human abstraction. A subtle, informative and problems of attributing causality in view mind, allied to imagination in scientific lucid book. of a universe that is causally closed – the work. Astrological cosmology projects basis of much discussion about free will. archetypes onto the sky and here we have She rejects the reductionism of Jaegwon 3×4 in the Zodiac. However, one must Kim, but her approach to free will is based begin with one and the way in which it more on lawlessness compatible with becomes two, then two becomes three, lower-level determinism. I find this kind and three achieves wholeness in four. of philosophical discussion somewhat These transitions are explored in terms linear and one-dimensional, as I think that of psychological functions, theology complexity has transcended this level and, and physics. Then there is a chapter in addition, no account is taken of the role on quaternary rhythm in cosmological of the unconscious and social constraints. events, also bringing in the four causes

www.scimednet.org 61 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

MEDICINE-HEALTH ■■ Buddha and Einstein Walk it, or simply suppressing your symptoms. into a Bar Your task is to examine your life with ■■ The Telomere Miracle compassion and honesty so as to identify Guy Joseph Hale the places that are crying out for love, Ed Park MD New Page Books 2018, 220 pp., acceptance, harmony and fulfilment. Your Hay House 2018, 321 pp., $25.99, h/b. $15.99, p/b. body is nothing but a field of ideas, so make sure that those ideas represent your Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and If you find this title obscure, then the best interests.’ Jack Szoshow shared the 2009 Nobel subtitle is much more illuminating: ‘how Prize for Medicine or Physiology for new discoveries about mind, body and their discovery that chromosomes are energy can help increase your longevity’. PHILOSOPHY- The contexts set at the beginning of protected by telomeres and by the enzyme the book not only include the Buddha SPIRITUALITY telomerase - this forms the basis of this and Einstein, but also Alexander the ■ popular book, the basic thesis of which Great, Darwin, Lincoln and Nelson ■ Illuminating Silence is that the decreasing length of telomeres Mandela. They stand respectively for Master Sheng-yen and Dr John H Crook at each end of the chromosome is the self-knowledge, imagination, potential, (late SMN) basic mechanism of ageing and disease. wisdom, service and responsibility. The Watkins 2018 (2002), 197 pp., The implication is that our body has the novel angle of the book is sensing how £12.99, p/b. long we can live – in the case of the necessary tools to reverse this process, This book based on Chinese Zen and here the author focuses on six critical author, 102 - and then seeing how one can best achieve this in terms of lifestyle, retreats in Wales organised by my late functions: breathing, mindset, sleep, friend John Crook is an absolute gem in exercise, diet and supplements, which he which he states is 70% of the equation, with only 30% for genetics. He describes terms of valuable spiritual content and calls TeloMirror Tools. The book begins his own path before covering background insightful commentary. There is a brief with a clear explanation of the role of in cosmology, superstrings, neural autobiography of Master Sheng-yen, telomere shortening in stem cells as plasticity and epigenetics. He then looks at followed by transcriptions from two sessions with original Dharma discourses illustrated in a number of scientific studies. the optimal duration of existence and our – interventions during retreats, beginning He then introduces the basics of genetics place in evolution – I was not convinced with an explanation of basic guiding and cell biology advancing his telomere by his statement that we are the most principles in the morning, and ending with advanced conduit of consciousness in the stem cell theory of ageing - that the health commentary on a profound poem called cosmos, as it seems to me that are other of your stem cells equals the health of Calming the Mind by Wang Ming from intelligences for more advanced than us, your cells and organs - which he thinks the sixth century CE. The first stanza sets will eventually be accepted by the medical although in different realms. the tone: profession at large. The value of the book is practical in terms Too much knowledge leads to overactivity; of its many useful exercises for mastering The practical chapters contain both clear the mind and body, quite a few of which theoretical explanations and guidelines. I have not seen elsewhere, for instance Better to calm the mind, Most of what he says is well-known from a focus on ring muscles. He asks how their respective fields, and only the chapter we can be the best version of ourselves The more you consider, the greater the loss; on the mind is not strictly physiological. at every age, how we see ourselves in Here he recommends the practice of the future, and gives the reader a very Better to unify the mind. gratitude and stresses the importance of valuable exercise for establishing a master a positive mindset. He recommends six structure in one’s life that can be used Here already is profound food for complete cycles of sleep. I was somewhat as a self-management framework going thought, although this is emphatically sceptical of his view that obesity is the forward. There is also a helpful chapter not the point as Zen is all about the management of the mind and attention as result of the ageing of cells, especially on habits and creating more happiness and meaning in life. As with many books well as training the will in the course of when applied to primary school children, of this kind, its value lies not just in the a gruelling schedule while also allowing although most of the chapter seemed to to information but in practical application. compassion to arise. The quality of me based on sound principles, including wisdom is palpable and the book contains the importance of glycaemic index and ■■ A Daily Dose of Women’s many simple gems that the reader can the recommendation of the Mediterranean Wisdom apply in daily life such as (p. 79) regulate the body, regulate the breath, regulate the diet. However, he warns of confounding Dr Christiane Northrup variables in this area, as it is hard to mind. I also appreciated John’s personal identify any straight cause-and-effect Hay House 2018, no pagination, account of various retreats he attended £10.99, p/b. relationship. The only supplement he and the humility that comes across in The author is very well known for her a process involving both struggle and recommends is TA-65 as an extract from surrender. I also remember with affection a Chinese herb, but a brief Google on his work with holistic women’s health, about which she has written extensively. Here his wry sense of humour and appreciation site indicates that this costs $600 for 250 for life. units (!) – it is the only supplement that she distils her encouraging wisdom into he himself has been taking since 2007, short bytes of practical advice, so the book can be opened profitably at any page. apparently with very beneficial results. Here are a couple of examples: ‘at midlife However, it is always possible to follow more than at any other time, you have a the rest of the advice without expensive renewed opportunity to reinvent yourself supplements. The last part contains a and fuel your life from Spirit;’ and ‘your recapitulation of the roadmap. Website: task isn’t to kill the messenger of your www.rechargebiomedical.com. illness by ignoring it, complaining about

62 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

■■ Ten Tales from Tibet – ■■ The Gate of Light portrayal of inactivity, proposing that idle aimlessness ‘may instead allow for the Cultivating Compassion Lars Muhl highest form of freedom’ and is in fact a Lama Lhakpa Yeshe Watkins 2018, 183 pp., £12.99, h/b. rebellious position with respect to society Leaping Hare Press 2018, 76 pp., Some readers may remember reviews of as a whole. He discusses the relationship £8.99, h/b. previous books by to Danish musician between idleness, laziness, leisure, play and hedonism, devoting the bulk of the With stunning photos by Matthieu Ricard and mystic Lars Muhl, notably The O Manuscript relating his initiation with book to a historical consideration of and an introduction by Satish Kumar, this various philosophers who have written is a real gem of a book with memorable The Seer at Montsegur and covering Mary Magdalene and the Grail. Here he follows about subject including Kant, Schlegel, parables illustrating the centrality of Hegel, Schopenhauer, Schiller, Marx, compassion in Tibetan Buddhism. The up his earlier book The Law of Light, drawing on Essene and Gnostic traditions Marcuse and Robert Louis Stevenson. author’s story is also instructive as a He questions work as the sole source of lesson in patience and commitment. The and his knowledge of Aramaic, as well as virtue and worthiness in a world where tales imprint themselves on the memory far memory in this respect. He explains being busy is well regarded. He follows with their simple and vivid imagery such different levels of connectedness and Stevenson in arguing that idleness does as black and white pebbles for negative the importance for spiritual practice of not consist in doing nothing, and that the and positive thoughts, the translation thankfulness, patience and being present - issue is what counts as meaningful activity. of the necessity of shoes on rough paths also to the divine and our deeper self. He Here being can perhaps be prioritised over into donning shoes of compassion, and a writes about the wisdom of the broken doing, although this is not an argument lesson on the priority of the inner over the heart as a means of opening and surrender, advanced by the author, who focuses more outer temple. Then there is the tale of two remarking that ‘being present means especially on autonomy. We each have to beggars, one full of demands and the other standing in the light and letting your love strike a balance in defining and living a humble and grateful, whose life turns out flow freely, knowing full well that what good life. miraculously – but then the outer reflects you will spend your life looking for is actually what you yourself need to give.’ the inner. Another illustrates the power ■■ SoulWorks of devotion, belief and positive intention. These are stories to reflect on and live out. He explains Shm as divine energy Jane Bailey Bain expressed as sound and light, also O Books (John Hunt) 2018, 145 pp., ■■ The Heartfulness Way related to the Kingdom of Heaven. £12.99, p/b. Kamlesh D. Patel and Joshua Pollock There is a very interesting chapter on synchronicity and resonance (‘energy This is a profound and practical book by Westland 2018, 195 pp., R299, p/b. emanates from the same creative source an author who has applied her studies The heartfulness way is one of meditation, and is therefore interactively connected’), of psychology and anthropology to cleaning and prayer – this book explains followed by guidance on practical myths and stories. It addresses the deeper its principles in an informal conversational exercises and ceremonies, including themes, passions and narratives of our manner with the current guru of the breathing techniques - we can become lives – what she calls our soul story. It is lineage and a younger practitioner with 15 one with the universe through conscious about discovering and being who you are, years of experience. The overall journey is breathing. Lars describes his own designing your life path and developing one from selfishness to selflessness, from experience of life review purgation before an attitude of responsibility that includes the reactive mind to responsive heart, explaining the divine healing method of the ability to respond. There are many from imprisonment in the folds of ego the Chariot of Fire and the importance of useful exercises and practices to work to freedom from ego, from contraction making ourselves available for the work with and a particularly pertinent list of to expansion, from restlessness to peace, of the Spirit. In this chapter, there is a 20 questions to go through, including from darkness to light – all through a beautiful a rendering of the Lord’s Prayer what we feel most grateful for, when specific practice of meditation. There (p. 139). The final insightful chapter on we last cried and what it was about and is a useful quadrant with one axis as prayer and healing is followed by the how we would change our lives if we focused/unfocused and the other as effort/ Baha’i Long Healing Prayer, which is knew we had one year to live. There is an effortless – meditation is in the upper right also very beautiful and powerful. This exercise for formulating one’s personal quadrant of focused effortlessness while in is an inspiring book to reflect on and values both in terms of principles and the lower right is daydreaming, lower left work with. feelings, and another as an encounter frustration and upper left concentration. with our future self. There is a helpful There is much wise advice for the spiritual ■■ Idleness – A Philosophical chapter about contact in relationships seeker as well as specific instruction on the Essay and another on finding and expressing one’s gift. Throughout, there is a sense of lineage techniques. The aim of ‘cleaning’ Brian O’Connor is freedom from patterns of thinking, creative adventure and an encouragement Princeton 2018, 203 pp., £20, h/b. emotional reactivity and behavioural towards spiritual awakening in answering tendencies - in Sanskrit samskaras - an Many years ago I read Bertrand Russell’s the soul’s call. The last paragraph is an important practice in our times of sensory essay In Praise of Idleness, and in the inspiration in itself: “So live your life with and emotional overload. Then there is the first paragraph (you can Google the PDF) passion and integrity. Know that you have specific prayer to be said and meditated he sets out his proposition that far too a unique path to follow. Find your gift and on just before sleeping. Here I found the much work is done in the world and that express it wholeheartedly. Let your days English translation awkward even if I immense harm is done by arguing that be filled with energy and purpose. Yet at understood the importance of its meaning. work is virtuous. He goes on to make the the same time, exist in the moment. Love I myself have used a special formula case for a four-hour day, putting the onus what you can. Give when you can. Dance every night for more than 30 years, so I on culture to create interesting pursuits in the rain. Sing your soul song.” know its significance. Even if one does to fill the rest of the day – Keynes had not want to follow this particular path, a similar vision around the same time, the book valuably distils a lifetime of but this has not (yet) materialised. This spiritual insight. book sets out to challenge the modern

www.scimednet.org 63 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

■■ Spiritual Beings or Economic Cambridge 40 years ago). The discussion also have mentioned William James and of suicide reprints historical contributions arguably the originator of the theory the Tools from David Hume and Immanuel Kant, Oxford don FCS Schiller, whose work Peter Strother while Arthur Schopenhauer makes an should be much better known. As a O Books (John Hunt) 2018, 304 pp., appearance as representative of former President of the Parapsychological £15.99, p/b. pessimism. The book is aimed at Association, Dave is well aware of the philosophy students, and is engaging variety of exceptional human experiences This book, as the title suggests, addresses within its own limitations, but the and their dubious status within current the question of identity and its levels uninformed reader might have no idea science despite over 100 years of evidence and hence the way we live. The author that such big questions can be addressed and research. Nevertheless, he pushes argues strongly for our identity as spiritual in the light of evidence from psychic the boundaries further in his systematic beings and our capacity to reconnect and spiritual experiences, a field almost investigation of such experiences, with the Source and in this way liberate completely excluded from the Academy. linking them anthropologically to ourselves from the enslavement implied shamanic practices. by the capitalistic attention economy. It ■■ Aging Thoughtfully does so in a series of chapters addressing Martha C. Nussbaum and Saul Levmore All this provides substantial reasons for birth, separation, the collective, addiction, Oxford 2018, 251 pp., £18.99, h/b. his assertion that universe is not only confronting death, faith, empowerment stranger than we imagine, but stranger and the spiritual life. Each chapter Martha Nussbaum is a well-known than we can imagine. One of the features contains some reflections, illustrative philosopher while Saul Levmore is a of these exceptional experiences is their parables bringing the themes to life, and a former Dean of University of Chicago transformative nature. Dave is sceptical more contemplative section. He is surely Law School. In this book of paired essays of attempts by anomalistic psychology to right that many of us are cut off from the they consider number of topics: age and explain these in mundane terms, mapping deeper aspects of ourselves, and he shows control in King Lear as power shifts their phenomenology and cartography. how we can open these up and escape between the generations, retirement policy In this respect, he provides a number of the distractions and manipulations of the in relation to age, ageing and friendship models and approaches backed up by system, also spending time in silence. It based partly on Cicero, questions raised 40 pages of references, often cross-cited is a powerful affirmation and reminder by the ageing bodies, emotions associated in the text. He is also cautious in his of the primacy of the spiritual rooted in with looking back, romance and sex approach, commenting that self-reports mystical activism. beyond middle-age (including a discussion have more phenomenological merit than ■ of Antony and Cleopatra), inequality, evidential value and also pointing out ■ Life, Death and Meaning human capabilities in relation to ageing, that the experiences described can also Edited by David Benatar and questions of inheritance and altruism. occur non-psychedelic states. Overall, Rowman & Littlefield 2016, 472 pp., The writing is crisp and informed, with this volume provides a fascinating $77, p/b. sufficient divergences of opinion to make exploratory interface between psychedelics interesting reading for those would like to and parapsychology with far-reaching Subtitled ‘key philosophical readings consider these issues in a thoughtful and implications for consciousness research. on the big questions’, this anthology is reflective manner. Such discussions are all characterised by the editor as ‘analytic the more important in the light of ageing ■■ The Hidden Power existentialism’, a new phrase for me. This populations and shifting social policies. Brian Inglis (late SMN) is based on the fact that big questions are more frequently addressed in the White Crow Books 2018, 312 pp., continental existentialist tradition than PSYCHOLOGY- £14.99, p/b. in the more analytical Anglo-Saxon CONSCIOUSNESS I was looking back on earlier issues of this approach typified by Gilbert Ryle and AJ journal/newsletter and found my original Ayer. The six sections cover the meaning STUDIES review of this book after it first came out of life, creating people, death, immortality, in 1986. Brian Inglis wrote a number of suicide, optimism and pessimism. The ■■ Otherworlds well researched books on aspects of the authors of almost all agnostic or atheist David Luke (SMN) paranormal and here he begins with some and treat the questions philosophically reflections on the menace of scientism, without any reference to empirical Muswell Hill Press 2018, 274 pp., £16.95, p/b. which is still with us as an underlying evidence, for instance that relating to philosophy 30 years later. The first part death and immortality. Hence they are Subtitled ‘psychedelics and exceptional looks at the evidence for psi across dealing with postulates and their logical human experience’, this book combines a number of fields – physics, botany, consequences. None of the writers on the fieldwork and experimentation with ethology, biology, shamanism, history and meaning of life thinks that there is any academic papers and reviews covering psychical research itself. Much of this is intrinsic purpose, although some assert the interface between psychedelics and quite well-known, including the exploits value or meaningfulness on a subjective ESP and delineating the interdisciplinary of Daniel Dunglas Home in the Victorian or social basis. The essays on death field of parapsychopharmacology. As era. He then examines and deconstructs use Epicurus as a point of departure, Dean Radin observes in his foreword, the main sceptical arguments: that there although one contributor takes issue this involves blasting open the ‘doors is no theoretical basis for psi, that psi with his contention that pre-vital and of perception’, a phrase popularised phenomena cannot exist because they post-mortem nonexistence are identical, by Aldous Huxley in his 1950s book are contrary to accepted scientific laws, arguing that only the latter can be describing his experiences with mescaline. that the experimental evidence is fatally regarded as a deprivation. The section Dave also discusses the relevance of flawed and that historical and anecdotal on immortality asks whether it would Huxley’s ‘filter theory’ of the brain as evidence is best accounted for by fraud. be good to live for ever – certainly not, a reducing valve based on the work of One example is the Nobel physiologist according to Bernard Williams, who found Henri Bergson - recent research suggests Charles Richet – one cannot simply write the prospect overwhelmingly tedious (he that psychedelics inhibit the brain’s off such investigators as likely to be duped was a brilliant lecturer and I heard him in default filtering process. Here he might or as liars.

64 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

The third part make the case against especially with the advent of perspective to war where the other is dehumanised scientism, usefully identifying a number - all this was somewhat deconstructed in and even demonised in the name of a of syndromes: Festinger’s syndrome modern art. The photo bypasses the eye common ideology. The author’s discussion illustrates cognitive dissonance and of the artist to present a snapshot, then of the psychology of war and terrorism reversals of opinion, for instance in Prof narrative is embodied both in stories is important reading for our time in the John Taylor in the late 1970s who rejected and cinema as the discussion turns to the context of the chapter on connections and his own experience on the grounds that cinematic present - the film is the present morality. Significantly, the connectivity he could find no fifth force. Scientists like for the viewer. The concluding chapter provided by the Internet allows for Sir William Crookes were hailed for their reviews outstanding issues, relating the the exchange - even contagion - of courage investigating physical phenomena, here to the now, an approach that might information and emotion, but not in but then written off when they published have been supplemented by Gurdjieff’s an embodied fashion – since there is no positive results. As Inglis observes in self-remembering - and it would also direct interbrain connection. As we know, a later chapter, discrediting something have been interesting to consider the this can become is substitute for real- by smears is not the same as disproof. present in relation to dreams. However, world personal interaction. The book Then there is Polanyi’s syndrome where the interdisciplinary scope of the book is is an important contribution to contradictions between a popular scientific already impressive enough. understanding our social nature and notion and the facts of experience are connections through common knowledge, explained in terms of other scientific ■■ The Interbrain with both positive and negative hypotheses or simply dismissed as Digby Tantam consequences. I should also mention that the body of the book is accessible to insignificant. Medawar’s syndrome is the Jessica Kingsley 2018, 389 pp., £25, h/b. scientist not asking questions until they see general readers, but extensive footnotes the outline of an answer – if phenomena The author is emeritus professor of provide a more technical discussion. cannot be understood from a materialistic psychiatry in the University of Sheffield angle, then they should be denied or and the author of two books on autism. ■■ The ‘Other’ Psychology of ignored. The Gregory/Mayo syndrome Here he explains the significance of his Julian Jaynes goes back to the 19th century and derives new idea of the interbrain as a direct Brian J. McVeigh from the split between the natural and embodied connection and interplay of supernatural, the latter considered to non-verbal communication not only Imprint Academic 2018, 264 pp., be non-existent. Then the lid-sitters between humans, but also with animals; £14.95, p/b. suppress and ignore contrary evidence, in this respect autistic subjects have Julian Jaynes (1920-1997) was famous partly for fear of a return to what they little or no interbrain connection. He for his controversial book The Origin consider superstition. More active are contrasts the interbrain with common of Consciousness in the Breakdown of scientism’s ‘hit-men’ such as CEM Hansel cultural knowledge that is not embodied the Bicameral Mind, first published in and James Randi, whose arguments are or experienced in the same way, even 1976. It is a book praised and excoriated dismembered by Inglis. He points out though it may drive cultural attitudes and in equal measure with insights from that, although these are a small number, behaviours. He illustrates the functioning neuroscience, psychology, archaeology, the silent majority is still responsible of the interbrain in empathy, imitation, history, linguistics and analysis of ancient for maintaining ‘temple psychology’ mirroring and emotional contagion, texts. This book is a sympathetic account effectively conditioning students to drawing on the history of philosophy building on his work – it is important to conformity or excommunication if they including the work of David Hume. understand that for him consciousness espouse unfashionable ideas. Well worth He explains the interbrain in action in stands for interiority and is linguistically a re-read. the development of infants (e.g. facial generated from metaphors and mental recognition and the gaze), in altruism imagery as a socio-historical development. ■■ What is the Present? and crowd behaviour - also leadership In this sense, it is transmitted culturally Michael North and obedience. He distinguishes the and humans are characterised by a interbrain from a connection based on Princeton 2018, 224 pp., £24.95, h/b. developed conscious interiority. His a theory of mind, where the importance explanation of features of conscious Common sense readers may be surprised lies in the theory or narrative, not in the interiority is extremely helpful (p. 39). to discover what a conundrum is posed embodied connection. Interestingly, neither McVeigh nor Wile by the title of this book and how many (see below) reference the work of Iain eminent thinkers have tackled it, going He brings in the idea of an extended McGilchrist on the relationship between back to Plato and Aristotle and inevitably mind, but without venturing into the two hemispheres, a significant involving notions of time and memory. telepathy, which can explain connections omission. McGilchrist rejects Jaynes’s Interestingly, our best understanding at a distance rather than in proximity argument that schizophrenia involves is perhaps metaphorical, of which two - this would be a step too far out of a regression to a primitive form of examples are Husserl’s comet tail and conventional psychiatry. My own idea of mentation, especially since the evidence William James’s glow worm. Aristotle empathetic resonance based on evidence suggests that the condition dates only began with the idea of a point on a line, that people can feel what is going on from the 18th-century (see Madness and which is related to the idea of punctuality, in the bodies of others close to them Modernism, by Louis Sass, recommended a consequence of more accurate suggests more of an ‘intermind’ than an to me by Iain 20 years ago). Moreover, he measurement enabling the scheduling of interbrain - although one could see one as argues that far from a breakdown of the meetings and transport. One can readily an extension of the other. The discussion bicameral mind as argued by Jaynes, the appreciate how the measurement of time moves on to connections through common phenomena of hearing voices described is tends to compress the experience of the knowledge involving cooperation and actually due to a relative separation of the present moment, to which a chapter is coordination based on shared moral two hemispheres. McVeigh still follows devoted, concluding that the present is instincts and precepts. Here leaders and Jaynes’ argument in this respect. an abstract concept. Then there is the the relationship of followers can be matter of the historical present. The highly significant in terms of submission He proposes the need for a cultural – second part looks at the present in visual and obedience, especially in defining in historical psychology and discusses the art, the moments captured in pictures, and out groups that can lead ultimately neuro-cultural malleability of the psyche,

www.scimednet.org 65 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 with specific examples from Bronze Age ■■ Our Minds, Our Selves show conclusively that the most important factors for happiness are relationships and and China showing how linguo-conceptual Keith Oatley and cognitive changes come about, mental and physical health. For children, drawing on detailed linguistic evidence. Princeton 2018, 362 pp., £24.95, h/b. emotional health is critical. Education and He provides extensive statistical analyses Subtitled ‘a brief history of psychology’, income are less important than previously and datasets as well as useful explanations this book is both thematic and biographical thought, and indeed the effect of rising of Jaynes’ terminology involving in terms of people who have made income is almost neutral as it is offset by perception, superception and coception as significant breakthroughs in the field. The comparisons with others even when rising. alignment of perception and introception; significant ideas of the first part include Social ethos is also very significant in terms also types of adaptive mentalities. The an understanding of the unconscious, of levels of trust, generosity, social support phenomenology of hearing voices is emotions, individual differences and and freedom. Overall, life satisfaction analysed exclusively as hallucinatory, development. This leads on to a section on seems to peak in the early 70s. Work comes as the author does not recognise the learning, language and thinking, including low down in the scale of life satisfaction, a possibility of other beings communicating the work of Skinner and Chomsky as well finding that can give a steer to employers to in this way in a manner that does not as mental models and memory. The part enhance the happiness of their employees; involve schizophrenia. As some readers on mind and brain explains mental and as expected, the effect of unemployment on will be aware, there is a flourishing field psychosomatic illness, the emergence of happiness is severe. in psychiatry of spirit attachment, a fMRI and its role in understanding the phenomenon well-recognised in Brazil. So brain bases of experience, then feelings The conclusion reinforces what many the idea of supernatural entities functioning and empathy. The last two parts deal with people already know, namely that we in place of our inner selves may be community in terms of cooperation, love have to move beyond GDP and that the misplaced, although each case should be and culture, then our common humanity goal of governments should be to increase examined in its context. Readers should in imagination and stories, authority happiness and well-being and to reduce also consult the author’s excellent book A in relation to obedience and morality, misery. Policymakers should refer to the Psychohistory of Metaphors, reviewed in creativity and grit; finally, a rather key findings (p. 214) as a basis for these pages in 2016. inconclusive section on consciousness practical measures and new policies and free will. should be monitored and assessed. In ■■ The Jaynes Legacy view of the importance of mental health and rising levels of mental distress among Lawrence Wile The book acknowledges the need for psychology to be integrated with other young people, it would have been useful Imprint Academic 2018, 201 pp., disciplines - not simply with neuroscience for the book to have discussed the £14.95, p/b. and biology, but also social sciences, reasons for this as well as proposing This book is a more idiosyncratic approach psychiatry, linguistics, computer science more generally policies based on enhancing to Jaynes by an author with degrees in and literary studies. The scope of the happiness. In this respect, the effect of physics, philosophy and medicine. The book is delimited by orthodox ways of screens on young people and the impact first three chapters provide a synopsis thinking, so there is scarcely any mention on their relationships could usefully have and assessment of Jaynes’ book, followed of Jung and very little of William James. been addressed. Transpersonal and humanistic psychology by an interesting discussion of the role ■■ How Behaviour Spreads of Reissner’s fibre in mystical cognition, are completely absent – Grof, Tart, Wilber although I am sceptical of the author’s and Maslow are not even mentioned, nor Damon Centola thesis that the great works of Taoism, is there any trace even of experimental Princeton 2018, 312 pp., £27, h/b. Hinduism and Kabbalah ‘are based on parapsychology. However, some interesting themes are covered, including the work of On the basis of original experimental interoceptions by a few rare individuals for research, this book about the science whom the fibre persisted into adulthood.’ Jane Goodall and experiments showing how easily an us-versus-them framework of complex contagions gives the lie to Here he proposes that the quantum can be created, which can only be mitigated parallels between the diffusion of viruses world is real and that Reissner’s fibre ‘as by subsequent cooperation – a lesson also and that of beneficial behaviours and a macroscopic quantum system allows for the psychology of politics. innovations. It shows that the ‘weak the direct supersensory consciousness ties’ involving long distance connections of it.’ This seems to me a collapse of ■■ The Origins of Happiness linking acquaintances are not sufficient the supersensory into the quantum Andrew E. Clark, Sarah Fleche, to spread behaviours, but rather stronger, substrate, conflating what Ken Wilber more closely knit and densely overlapping calls subscendence with transcendence. Richard Layard, Nattavudh Powdthavee and George Ward networks are necessary, partly because However, all this is discussed with great of resistance to change and social inertia. Princeton 2018, 323 pp., £27.95, h/b. sophistication within an overall theory Weak ties work for the spreading of that consciousness is coeternal with the Based on extensive longitudinal data information but not of behavioural change. initial singularity giving rise to space-time in four countries, this book about the Here we need reinforcement from multiple - an increasing number of thinkers are science of well-being over the life course sources, paralleled in a highly effective speculating along these lines. There are is a significant contribution not only to campaign to increase contraception in fascinating discussions of the relationship psychology but also ultimately to policy- Korean villages – neighbours supported of Freud and Einstein and their position making in terms of what really matters to each other in adopting new patterns of vis-a-vis their Jewish heritage; also of the people. It asks what makes a happy adult behaviour through social reinforcement. insights of Swedenborg into the role of a and a successful child, looking at the role of For those who do not already know each fibre in his own subtle perceptions. Perhaps income, education, work and employment, other, homophily generates empathy one of the most important points to emerge family, mental and physical health, crime, between participants facilitates the process from this book is a refined understanding social norms and institutions. For children, - the research examples involve the health of historically different states of the factors are family income, working field. It is not surprising to learn that ‘the consciousness, although such work has parents, parenting and mental health, most innovative, challenging and difficult also been pursued by Erich Neumann and family conflict and schooling. Contrary to behaviours require the greatest levels of Jean Gebser. much conventional thinking, the results social reinforcement.’ (p. 178) This has

66 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 extensive and profound implications for ■■ Climate Justice and ■■ The Infinite Desire for Growth policy implementation or even nudges - we Daniel Cohen need to make use of strong existing ties and Geoengineering not simply rely on information diffusion Edited by Christopher J. Preston Princeton 2018, 165 pp., £20, h/b. through the Internet. Rowman & Littlefield 2018, 209 pp., The author is Director of the Economics $24.95, p/b. Department at the Ecole Normale ECOLOGY-FUTURES Superieure in Paris, so this book has This new volume makes interesting reading been translated from French. As such, it STUDIES as a follow-up to my review of Experiment draws on French as well as English and Earth in Issue 123 (p. 53-54). It also cites US sources, something one rarely finds ■■ Brave New Arctic the 2006 paper by Paul Crutzen and the the other way round. It is a stimulating Mark C. Serreze significance of the 2009 report issued by book of wide scope drawing on a range the Royal Society. Once again, all the Princeton 2018, £19.95, h/b. of disciplines. He starts from the premise papers are written as if nothing is actually that economic growth and the hope Subtitled ‘the untold story of the melting going on in terms of implementation, as of better things to come embodied in north’, I was curious to see if the work amply documented on the Geoengineering the Enlightenment idea of progress is of Peter Wadhams on this topic reviewed Watch website. Many of the papers call for the religion of the modern world. He last summer was featured – it was not. I further research, but with every year that then traces our history and key turning sent the author an enquiry, and he had passes without significant action on carbon points in our development including evidently not seen this book, which covers emissions, the prospect of geo-engineering agriculture, persisting hierarchies, the much of the same ground – hence the story through solar radiation management invention of money, the industrial and has in fact been told. However, this does (SRM) through stratospheric sulphate scientific revolutions, and the emergence of autonomy and free expression. Along not make the book any less interesting as injection (SSI) looms larger, in addition it tells the story of the author’s career as a the way, he contrasts Western with climatologist focusing on the Arctic since to adaptation, mitigation and carbon contemporary Chinese empires, observing the early 1980s. A fundamental question dioxide removal (CDR) as part of a larger that Western powers were in a state of is the extent to which change can be strategy. As I pointed out in my earlier permanent war and rivalry in building accounted for by natural variability, which review, much of the thinking and even empires and exploiting resources. Our gives rise to fundamental disagreements the term geo-engineering reflects a linear economic development has permitted a in interpreting the data: connections approach rather than one incorporating population explosion, but we are in the and feedbacks are complex and open to complex and unpredictable feedback loops. process of going through a demographic a variety of interpretations. The author In addition, there are significant dangers transition to stable levels thanks to the gives a candid account of how he was once this process is adopted on a large education of women and influential gradually persuaded of anthropogenic scale, as cessation would involve significant examples widely seen on TV. global warming in the Arctic and develops temperature increases. his theory of the Arctic death spiral on Questions around labour, productivity, the basis that a radical transformation is Geo-engineering represents a ratcheting automation and wages are very current, underway: surface temperatures over the up of human intervention in nature, which especially since 2008. Here the author Arctic as a whole are rising twice as quickly the essay by Duncan McLaren illuminates takes a rather longer view, showing how compared with the rest of the globe. with his distinction between the three middle-class incomes have been stagnating approaches of Prometheans relying on over the last 40 years, and pointing out that growth may be underestimated due to Serreze gives a lucid explanation of the free market mechanisms, eco-modernists role of the North Atlantic Oscillation and the widespread provision of free services its relationship to the Arctic Oscillation in with reformist approaches and green over the Internet. Ecologically, we have terms of air flows, eventually concluding radicals whose attitude is precautionary entered the Anthropocene era but still that these effects were superimposed on and much more ethically grounded. This is with our old mentality of separate nation more general warming expressed as Arctic important, as the title of the book refers to states and their interests. The author takes amplification, as predicted by climate justice and the subtitle is ‘ethics and policy the view, which I share, that humanity is models. His illustrations and charts in the atmospheric Anthropocene’ - a term not yet up to the task of solving global document the disappearance of ice both coined by Paul Crutzen. The editor points ecological issues and that sufficiently at the pole and in glaciers. The warming out that any solution to the climate change far-reaching collective action is unlikely effects can also be seen in terms of shrub problem is going to be non-ideal from solely through evoking risks to the planet. cover and the increased prevalence of an ethical perspective, which provides We therefore need to rethink progress rain on ice leading to widespread deaths the overall framework to the book in and look for successful social models among migrating deer. By the end of 2012, considering climate engineering in relation such as Denmark. The key issue here is the human fingerprint in the Arctic had to other available options. The Royal what the author calls the extraordinary become clear beyond all the other factors, Society report referred to geo-engineering malleability of human desire in the light although the picture is still very complex. as a Plan B, but further reflection puts it of the Easterlin paradox: first, that wealth Looking ahead, the author concludes that far further down the list and distinguishes does not correlate well with happiness, and secondly, that while a higher salary the Arctic Ocean will become free of ice in between tools and plans. An important late summer – the only question is when is obviously desirable, ‘yet once we have (feedback loops make this less predictable). theme is the relative impact of climate reached that target, it is never enough’ due At this point one might have expected change, also in relation to food and water to habituation and comparing ourselves him to recommend a more activist stance, security. In this respect, it is astonishing with others. Our needs are relative, but he remains the cautious scientist eager that there is no reference to population and we don’t want to fall behind our to discover more while emphasising the growth, even in Africa, where this is set neighbours. Moreover, even while the importance of his research area. In this to double by 2050. Having said this, the planet strains under the collective human respect, Wadhams is much more radical, volume is still an important contribution impact, millions more people aspire to recommending immediate mitigating action to reflecting on the ethical and policy Western lifestyles, for which we would as described in his article in Issue 124. dimensions of the geo-engineering option. need the resources of four planets.

www.scimednet.org 67 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

In view of this situation, one has to ask of credit, and devotes a section to this, Pharma. An important implication of how likely it is that the author’s desirable also observing that markets – especially a consciousness-based approach is the recommendation of a transition from financial ones – can never be perfect. creative causal power of thought widely quantity to quality will occur. This is denied by current theories, in spite of all very well in advanced countries, but This leads to his fundamental analysis of evidence from placebo and contemplative even here people are unwilling to give up the shortcomings of current economics in neuroscience, although things are what they already have. However, there terms of its assumptions. Just as socialist beginning to shift in this respect. is increasing support for moves away planned economies mistakenly assumed from GDP towards a focus on well-being. rational consumers and predictable Goswami brings in the idea of subtle and He thinks that attitudes are transformed expectations on a linear mechanistic vital energies as well as the search for ‘when individual aspirations and social basis, so modern economists with their meaning, showing how addressing the needs converge towards the same goal’ sophisticated mathematical models make underlying issues of well-being can also (p. 152), which entails a new sense of the same error – literally a fatal conceit in drive the economy on a more sustainable community and solidarity, moving from the light of inherent reducible uncertainty. basis, although I was not entirely individual and social levels to that of He shows how economic ideas influence convinced by his argument that this could the species and the planet. Ecological practical policy choices and exposes their resolve the boom and bust cycle. It is thinkers have already arrived there, methodological and philosophical bias: interesting to speculate on total annual but most economists and politicians ‘a preference for mathematical precision global expenditure on yoga, spirituality lag behind - hence the race between and elegance at the expense of realism’ - and holistic health, all of which reflects the education and catastrophe. This book is i.e. the complexities of the real world. (p. development of an interest in subtle and a thoughtful wake-up call that helpfully 242) He wryly observes that ‘you cannot vital energy. Goswami is equally critical contributes to our education and potential see the crisis coming if you have theories of supply-side and demand-led economics transformation. and models that assume that the crisis is espoused by Republicans and Democrats ■ impossible.’ In the real world, ‘optimal respectively. He sees evidence of shifting ■ Between Debt and the Devil policy inevitably involves a choice between cultural patterns with the ‘consciousness Adair Turner alternative imperfections and alternative revolution’ moving up Maslow’s hierarchy Princeton 2016, 314 pp., £13.99, p/b. dangers’ - hence the title of the book. In of needs, but the question is how potent the afterword for the paperback edition, this force is in relation to rising material Adair Turner was a scholar of Gonville and Turner discusses failed orthodoxy and the demand from middle classes in such Caius College and President of the Union populist reaction: rising prosperity has not countries as Brazil, India and China. when I was at Cambridge 40 years ago. been evenly distributed - indeed, inequality Now in the House of Lords, he has held has been exacerbated, and he sees action many distinguished positions and became In the latter part of the book, Goswami on this front as politically imperative, looks at changes already going on in the chairman of the UK Financial Services especially in the light of ‘jobless growth’ Authority only a week before the crash direction of his analysis, which makes and disproportionate rewards going encouraging reading as we seek to meet in 2008. In this brilliant and penetrating to the few. He also advocates a role analysis he discusses the factors leading people’s higher needs in terms of real for governments in terms of limited quality of life. The advance guard is up to the 2008 crisis, citing an incident central bank money creation as one way when the Queen visited the Economics represented by the ‘cultural creatives’, of remedying a chronic deficiency of who form an increasing proportion of Department at the London School of aggregate demand. The book is brimming Economics in the spring of 2009 and asked the population in terms of overall with new ideas, and space enables me to worldview and are in the author’s terms why no one saw the crisis coming. Turner mention only a few. If you only read one admits frankly that he was one of these, quantum activists open to creativity and book on the 2008 financial crisis and its intuition - he gives some guidance on and would have made the same errors if aftermath, this should be it. he had had a policy role before the crisis. new consumption and production Subsequently, he played a major role in ■■ Quantum Economics patterns, including advice for business leaders. He also includes proposals for global financial reform, and this book sets Amit Goswami out his radical assessment and proposals. the fundamental reform of higher Square One Publishers 2015, 306 pp., education and health services with $17.95, p/b. One of his central and most interesting their staggering costs, as well as for a ideas is that ‘modern financial systems Amit Goswami is best known for his more integrated psychology involving left to themselves inevitably create debt idealist interpretation of quantum the development of human capital. in excessive quantities, and in particular mechanics. Here he turns his informed This visionary book depicts a possible debt that does not fund capital investment attention on the implications of his view future social scenario, elements of which but rather the purchase of already existing of quantum physics for economics, mainly are already happening, but as yet on assets, above all real estate.’ (p. 4) He with a US political focus. He calls this a an insufficient scale - we have not yet observes that 50% of total wealth is held consciousness-based economics of holism undergone the worldview change he in mostly urban real estate. The aftermath that goes beyond the scientific materialism advocates based on quantum physics. of the crisis is what he calls the debt underlying current economic theory - ■ overhang trap, explaining why much of consciousness becomes fundamental ■ Protecting Traditional the private debt has been shifted to public rather than matter, and we have a science Knowledge debt and why the recovery has been so within consciousness. He shows how Edited by Daniel F Robinson, Ahmed slow as overleveraged individuals try to Adam Smith’s ideas have been modified Abdel-Latif and Pedro Roffe cut their levels of debt with a consequent by scientific materialism to place an Earthscan 2017, 366 pp., £120, h/b dampening effect on aggregate consumer emphasis on mathematical models, and (ebook £20) demand. An underlying problem is that the how it has also influenced health systems creation of credit (by banks) has hitherto by prioritising an allopathic approach Very few readers will be aware of the been correlated with continuing economic with a dismissive attitude towards existence of the World Intellectual growth demanded by the system. Turner complementary and alternative medicine Property Organisation (WIP0) and still sees the need to regulate this creation - due in large part to the power of Big less of its intergovernmental committee

68 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 on intellectual property and genetic We have the opportunity to shift from Hermann Hesse’s novel Siddhartha – as resources, traditional knowledge and doing to being, to feel more at home life flows, we can enter into Presence at folklore that has been deliberating with ourselves, to reach some measure of any moment. This is certainly a mind- since 2000. This book provides the first peace. The author quotes a grandmother expanding adventure. comprehensive review of its progress and saying to her grandson not to expect any negotiations in the light of increasing action: “all I have to offer is a cosy time ■■ The Work of the Dead concern about the misappropriation of by the fire”, to which he replies “Don’t Thomas W. Laqueur indigenous genetic patrimony. The book underestimate cosy!” It can be a challenge Princeton 2018, 711 pp., $27.95, p/b. is necessarily technical, introducing the to realise the nothingness and emptiness process and discussing substantive issues of the quiet centre within, but this can This book is a monumental Magnum as well as future prospects. In view of the also be liberating if we can become fully Opus covering the cultural history of section entitled stakeholder perspectives, present in the now, sensitive to the beauty how we are treated mortal remains. The it is easy to understand why little as well as the pain of life. A difficult but four parts cover what the author calls the progress has been made and the limits rewarding journey can be from aloneness deep time of the dead, places, names and of ‘constructive ambiguity’ in terms of to solitude, which brings us back to being burning the dead. He shows in enormous turning the process into an outcome. The and the spiritual growth possible during but readable detail how the location content of United Nations Declaration on this phase of life. Finally, we have to learn changed from churchyard to cemetery, the Rights of Indigenous Peoples makes to say farewell as we approach death as how important names are, particularly encouraging reading, but one still has both an end and a new beginning. We on war memorials, and how the modern the sense that indigenous peoples are have to give up everything, ultimately practice of cremation emerged. One of the largely marginalised and that substantive the physical body having, hopefully, most interesting episodes relates to the agreement is still some way off in a lived to the full in our time. This can death of Voltaire, who was an implacable situation of ‘polite deadlock’ characterised give rise both to a sense of freedom and opponent of the Church and might be by hundreds of phrases still in square compassion; I was struck by her point refused burial in sacred ground. Fear of brackets. While the US insists on freedom that the dying need human contact and hell led to many deathbed repentances, of creativity and innovation to drive lots of it – touch and love, maybe even and the position with Voltaire raised all economic growth, countries like India song. There is a deep and touching the contemporary political issues with would like to see their own legal approach humanity in this book which supports his lifetime of anticlericalism. A similar extended, while indigenous peoples insist the reader to begin growing into its discussion of David Hume also brings in on stronger protection. insights and applying its guidance. Dr Johnson. This is surely the definitive treatment of the subject, a landmark and ■■ Already Here highly readable work. DEATH AND DYING Leo Galland MD ■■ Let Evening Come – Hay House 2018, 140 pp., $19.99, h/b. GENERAL Reflections on Ageing With a subtitle referring to heaven along similar lines to Eben Alexander, this is a ■■ Anti-Social Media Mary C. Morrison personal book of a doctor’s journey into Siva Vaidyanathan Piatkus 2018, 130 pp., £9.99, h/b. the inner realms following the death of Oxford 2018, 276 pp., $24.95, h/b. his brain damaged son Christopher at the The author of this wise and compassionate age of 22. Needless to say, this experience Subtitled ‘how Facebook disconnects book describes herself as 51% radically expands his understanding of us and undermines democracy’, this Episcopalian and 49% Quaker – it is a reality. The three main themes are The is a timely and hugely informative measure of her character that she only Gift of the Opposite, the Gift of Presence contribution to recent debates on data began to learn Greek at the age of 70, and the Gift of Timelessness. The author and privacy. After the introduction and this book was published when she gains a completely new perspective on arguing that the problem with Facebook was 87 in 1998, bringing her acclaim late the meaning of his son’s life where his is Facebook, the remaining seven in life, as related by her grandson in the behavioural problems are seen in a new chapters characterise its function in introduction. The book is direct in its light as challenging others by confounding terms of various types of machine – tone, beginning with the observation that their assumptions and expectations. pleasure machine, surveillance, attention, ageing takes courage as we preside over This could be profoundly disruptive, benevolence, protest, politics and the diminishment of our capacities and bringing people up against the limits of disinformation. The author makes it the disintegration of the physical body – their patience and tolerance - including clear how the original intentions were where is dignity to be found? She quotes his father. He is encouraged to go of idealistic in terms of connecting people, Jung as saying that “I do not live life, but his normal understanding of time and but we are embedded in a competitive life is lived in me” and we need to deepen realise that our task is to find our perfect economic context where we become the process of self-knowledge as we find self and embrace it rather than going the products and our data is fed into a ourselves in a new and perhaps precarious through life making careful plans: ‘let go vast commercial system with 2.2 billion situation. The temptation is to complain of time and enter into God’s moment.’ subscribers. This needs to be understood and become more demanding, i.e. self- The material world of matter is seen as in the context of the attention economy, centred, but this is a sure way of putting the realm able to embody separation and where different devices and platforms your family off and correspondingly otherness, which contains many spiritual compete for our attention, which is reducing the frequency of their visits. lessons and allows for love. The author progressively fragmented - the author We have to learn to give up control comes to realise that opposites always likens this to snacking rather than having as we move from a central position of exist together, and that everything in the a proper meal. In addition, the Internet in responsibility within the family and begin universe contains its opposite, even if only general and Facebook in particular act as to come to terms with paradox: failure is in potential. When it comes to Presence, amplifiers of human trends and capacities success, loss is gain, defeat is victory, every the chief obstacle is the perceived pressure based on eliciting an immediate emotional loss contains a gift, losing one’s life is of time, and in this context he refers to response rather than cultivating a culture finding it (p. 9). the insights of the ferryman Vasudeva in of deliberation. One example is the

www.scimednet.org 69 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2 erosion of truth and trust, and the author own long-term benefit. Last year, Amazon break at 1500 around the Reformation. shows how this reflects the very nature of accounted for 46% of US e-commerce. This is the point at which a disjunction of Facebook itself: ‘if you wanted to build Digital platforms are also growing their beauty and holiness occurred, illustrated a machine to distribute propaganda to function as providers of news, which with erotic depictions of David and millions of people, distract them from can exacerbate the lack of exposure to Bathsheba as well as controversies important issues, energise hatred and diverse points of view and reinforce surrounding nudes in the Sistine Chapel. bigotry, erode social trust, undermine confirmation bias, a theme taken up by These paintings also give rise to reflection journalism, foster doubts about science, Cass Sunstein in relation to democracy. on changing concepts of beauty, as also and engage in massive surveillance all at They become gatekeepers for our news noted by Kenneth Clark in his book on once, you would make something a lot feeds and prioritise impulse over serious the nude. Fascinatingly, there are 14 like Facebook.’ (p. 19) deliberation. One chapter suggests that Hebrew words for beauty, while the main the free press has been submerged within Greek word used in the new Testament The five most powerful digital companies the fabric of the political and commercial is kalos, which necessarily has fewer in the world – Facebook, Alphabet (the surveillance economy. connotations. The discussion of the holding company for Google) Microsoft, paradoxical beauty of the cross leads on Amazon and Apple are all engaged in The political section looks in more to beauty and proportion in buildings, providing us with a ‘life operating system’ detail at social media power and election then the beauty of light in stained-glass, involving 24- hour content and capacity, legitimacy with particular reference the fashion for frescoes and the classic effectively monitoring our activities and to the EU referendum and the 2016 complex altarpieces such as the Isenheim states of being and guiding our purchasing US presidential election. Campaigns Altar by Grunewald, which I visited in decisions. A good deal of attention is have moved increasingly online, as has Colmar in 1978. devoted to political issues, including the advertising spending – Damian Tambini role of mobile devices in the Arab spring describes the generic stages of building After 1500, there is a different spirit and meddling with national elections a social media campaign in terms of and attitude to faith, a chapter on through psychologically targeted ads (in audience, segmentation, message creation romantic religion and the sublime, addition to the Russian issue, the Trump and testing, then the message targeting featuring William Wordsworth and campaign was spending $70 million a and delivery. This gives a real insight Caspar David Friedrich, including a month on Facebook). The author cautions into the dynamics and the effects of number of paintings I did not know. in attributing causal powers to technology, targeted reminders and voting. A new The 19th-century sees the Pre-Raphaelites arguing rather that they serve as channels avenue for me was the power of search and, perhaps more surprisingly, Van of communication reflecting prevalent engines to influence opinions in terms of Gogh and Gauguin. The 20th century social trends. In his conclusion, he shows manipulation and suggestion – 90% of is represented by Munch, Picasso, Ernst how this kind of social connectedness has searches are from the first page of Google and Dali. Then we move on finally to not enabled us to tackle major challenges, results. Research shows that search the return of the transcendentals - those although petition sites have made a engine manipulation can dramatically whose art is underpinned by goodness, constructive contribution. Innovation does shift the opinions of people who are truth and beauty and here we have not in itself entail progress, especially in undecided. The same dynamics of Rouault, Chagall and a wonderful thinking through problems together – this advertising and persuasion are present, artist called Arcabas, born in 1927 means that we will have to rely on other but on an unprecedented scale and and whose paintings are all striking channels, also to challenge the dominance frequency. The final chapter discusses in their use of light. This must be the of technology and consider how best to platform power and responsibility definitive study on this topic and can be regulate and reform our ‘information in the attention economy where, as highly recommended to any reader an ecosystem’. Essential reflective reading. Herbert Simon warned in 1971, a wealth interest in the history of sacred art. of information creates a poverty of ■■ Digital Dominance attention and resulting competition for ■■ Principled Spying – the Ethics Edited by Martin Moore and Damian that attention. The chapter builds on of Secret Intelligence Tambini Bertrand Russell’s definition of power is Sir David Omand and Mark Phythian the ability to produce intended effects, in Oxford 2018, 423 pp., $35, p/b. Oxford 2018, 285 pp., £20, h/b. this case ‘creating addictive distractions This related multi-author volume reflects that maximise user engagement on which This superb and highly informative book on the economic, social and political revenue and profits ultimately depend.’ is a dialogue and exposition between Sir power of Google, Amazon, Facebook and Crucially, this privileges impulses over David Omand, former director of GCHQ, Apple as we as a society try to come to intentions, representing a manipulation and Mark Phythian, a professor of grips with the nature of these new digital of the will. The conclusion reinforces politics. It probes and analyses with many platforms and how best to regulate them. the unprecedented nature of digital historical and contemporary examples The three sections deal with economy, dominance and the need to develop a the legitimacy of secret intelligence in society and politics, beginning with a more adequate theory of harm. This book the light of the tension between security discussion of the evolution of digital and the previous one enables readers to or protection and privacy, that between dominance and the emergence of a winner- gain a more thorough understanding of secrecy and transparency as well as the takes-all situation, which also results in a these critical emerging issues. relationship between citizen and state. massive siphoning-off of advertising from The discussion is all the more relevant traditional print media. The processes ■■ In the Beauty of Holiness in the light of the developments over the involve factors such as economies of scale, David Lyle Jeffrey last few years, including the release of the strong user brands and habitual usage, Wm Eerdmans 2017, 448 pp., $49, h/b. Snowden material from the US NSA and network effects and switching costs. the dodgy dossier justifying the Iraq war. Unlike traditional anti-trust situations, This lavishly illustrated book researched The book succeeds in its aim of providing monopolies may not actually harm for over 40 years tells the fascinating an ethical framework for public policy consumers, and in the case of Amazon story of art and the Bible in Western relating to the intelligence services in they use predatory pricing policies to culture, with nearly 150 colour images. the new context of digital intelligence in prioritise growth over profits for their The approach is chronological, with a cyberspace.

70 www.scimednet.org Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

A key contribution of the book lies developing influence and demonstrating Nightingale and Bob Proctor – Neill does in extending the notion of the just courage. In each case, he gives a series not seem to be aware of these authors war to just intelligence using the key of questions and practices that can be writing 100 years ago. We are reminded criteria of just cause, right intention, worked through so as to define the way that the creative process unfolds as we proportionality, right authority, reasonable forward for oneself. He observes that high go along from the inside out and that prospect of success, discrimination and performers are more successful and less enjoyment and engagement reinforce each necessity - much of this is considered in stressed, love challenges and are more other. Hence his formula for successful a consequentialist perspective, and all confident, are healthy, admired, assertive, creation of showing up, beginning to move these factors are rigorously analysed. see and serve beyond their strengths, have in a direction and responding to what There are chapters on secret agency and prolific quality output, and are adaptive shows up along the way. The book then covert human resources as well as on the servant leaders. takes the reader through a 90-day process ethics of using intelligence, which will packed with good advice and guidance – always be ambivalent but necessary when He makes the important point about a great theoretical and practical resource. hostile powers or individuals are secretly work/life balance that we should think plotting destructive activities. Findings can in terms of balancing hours rather than ■■ The Essential Goethe improve the quality of decision-making by happiness, and recommends focus on Edited by Matthew Bell reducing ignorance. the following key factors: health, family, friends, intimate relationships, mission/ Princeton 2016, 1,007 pp., £22, p/b. There is a balanced consideration of the work, finances, adventure, hobby, With an extensive and instructive use of drones, in which Sir David has spirituality and emotion. How one feels introduction by the editor, this is the special expertise. The authors recommend about what one is doing is critical, as is best available one-volume anthology a new social compact involving building overcoming procrastination by defining of Goethe’s works, spanning the full confidence through oversight and five major moves that will take you range of his output of poetry, drama, accountability using not only legal to your goal in terms of deliverables, novels, literary criticism, autobiography, but also ethical frameworks. This is deadlines and activities – then put these philosophy and science. The scope and summarised in a series of bullet points in your calendar in protected blocks so insight of his work is extraordinary and within the context of liberal societies and as to overcome a life of reaction and his style eminently readable in every heralding a potentially new era in the distraction. The book is full of useful discipline. His science is well represented, democratic control of secret intelligence and valuable advice for those who are especially on colour and morphology, activity while having no illusions about prepared to commit to action. and his profound understanding of the reality of campaigns such as that of ■■ Creating the Impossible transformation. Writing of an individual Putin supporting Trump in the 2016 US organism he lists its basic characteristics elections – Trump’s extensive business Michael Neill as: ‘to divide, to unite, to merge into connections with Russia are extensively Hay House 2018, 281 pp., £12.99, p/b. the universal, to abide in the particular, documented in a revealing July 22 posting to transform itself, to define itself, and, from Avaaz. The book is essential reading Based on more than 25 years of as living things tend to appear under a for an informed and ethical view of experience, this book explains the thousand conditions, to arise and vanish, intelligence that lives up to its title. principles and application of creative thought and is subtitled ‘a 90-day to solidify and melt, to freeze and flow, to ■■ High Performance Habits programme to get your dreams out of expand and contract. Since these effects your head and into the world.’ The first occur together, any or all may occur at the Brendon Burchard same moment. Genesis and decay, creation Hay House, 2017, 393 pp., $26.99, h/b. part addresses making the invisible visible in terms of imagination, quoting the and destruction, birth and death, joy and I have reviewed a number of Brendon’s three principles of the Scot Sydney Banks pain, all are interwoven with equal effect previous books, and here he distils the - Divine Mind, Divine Consciousness on weight; thus even the most isolated results of his research and practice into six and Divine Thought, formulated after event always presents itself as an image high performance habits that anyone can a mystical experience in middle age. and metaphor for the most universal.’ adopt and adapt. These are the personal Interestingly, these correspond exactly to habits of clarity, generating energy and New Thought authors such as Thomas raising necessity, and the personal/ Troward and Charles Haanel, who in social habits of increasing productivity, turn influenced Napoleon Hill, Earl

San San Bay, Jamaica by David Lorimer

www.scimednet.org 71 Paradigm Explorer 2018/2

■■ The Bell and the Blackbird OTHER BOOKS David Whyte RECEIVED Many Rivers Press 2018, 120 pp., $15.31, p/b from Amazon – see also www.davidwhyte.com ■■ String, Straight-edge and If you are not already familiar with the poetry of David Whyte, then this new anthology Shadow – The Story of is a great place to start. I heard him reciting at the State of the World Forum in 1997, Geometry and have followed his work ever since. His lyrical sensibility has resonances with his late Julia E. Diggins friend John O’Donohue - both are imbued with a powerful sense of nature – moorland in particular - and a few poems are dedicated to John. There is a sense of appreciating the Floris Books 2018, 147 pp, £9.99, p/b. between-ness as well as the preciousness and transience of life with its sense of adventure. An excellent introductory textbook for use in schools and introducing pupils historically and practically to the When everything we know has gone, principles of geometry. when my heart has stopped and yours ■■ The Power of Love no longer calls to mine through the distance James van Praagh of our time together – others will live in this life Hay House 2018, 160 pp., £8.99, p/b. and this love and this light that we have set in motion… An inspirational book about applying the energy of love across a spectrum Here is one of my favourites - Just beyond Yourself of life experiences, also drawing on real-life practical examples, some of Just beyond That’s how which demonstrate the author’s capacity to contact those in the beyond. yourself. you know The message is perennial, but no less It’s where it’s where important for that. you need you ■■ Anna – The Voice of the to be. have Magdalenes to go. Claire Heartsong Half a step Hay House, 2018, 385 pp., £14.99, p/b. into That’s how self-forgetting you know This esoteric channelled book vividly recreates the travels of a close group of and the rest you have Jesus’ disciples in France and Britain from restored to go. A.D. 32 to A.D. 61 and slightly beyond. by what It represents the feminine and Magdalene influence with its timeless message from you’ll meet. That’s the heart. how you know. There is a road ■■ Why Don’t Children Sit Still? always beckoning. Just beyond Evelien van Dort yourself, Floris Books 2018, 99 pp., £7.99, p/b. When you see it’s This superb book draws on the author’s the two sides where you 30 years of experience as a children’s physiotherapist and is essential reading of it need to be. for parents of young children in closing together understanding how children learn through at the far horizon activity and play – movement is an and deep in essential component in developing a range of skills. The book is full of practical the foundations advice as well as answers to the kind of of your own questions parents might like to ask. heart ■■ Decadence – A Very Short at exactly Introduction the same David Weir time, Oxford 2018, 132 pp., £7.99, p/b. that’s how you know ■■ Democracy – A Very Short it’s the road Introduction you Sarah Harper have Oxford 2018, 127 pp., £7.99, p/b. to follow.

72 www.scimednet.org BOOKING DETAILS 70th Birthday Celebration for HRH the Prince of Wales Saturday 17th November 2018

Please book online if possible at www.scimednet.org (and click on events), otherwise please complete in block capitals and send to: Scientific and Medical Network, 151 Talgarth Road, London, W14 9DA, Email: [email protected] The Scientific and Medical Network with The Temenos Academy Name: ………………………………………………………………………….. The Resurgence Trust Address: ………………………………………………………………..………… The College of Medicine ……………………………………………………………..…………… The Health and Wellbeing Trust Email: .…………………………………………………………………………. The Sustainable Food Trust Phone: .………………………………………………………………………….

[ ] places at £42 (includes coffee, lunch and tea) [ ] concessionary places (includes coffee, lunch and tea) at £20 – full time students only The Quest for Harmony: If you have any special access or dietary requirements, please email [email protected]. A unifying principle in spirituality, How did you hear about the conference?

……………………………………………………………………………… science, sustainability and healthcare

PAYMENT OPTIONS 70th Birthday Celebration for HRH the Prince of Wales [ ] Cheque/Bank Draft/Money Order (payable to “Scientific and Medical Network”) [ ] Credit/debit card (VISA or MasterCard)

Card No.: ...... Name on card: ………………………………………. th Expires: ...... Security code: ……..... Saturday 17 November 2018 Canterbury Cathedral Precinct, CT1 2EH Signature: ......

Detailed information about the event will be sent with the booking confirmation. Speakers: Prof Keith Critchlow, Dr Rosy Daniel, Richard Dunne, Patrick Holden CBE, Dr Tony CANCELLATIONS Juniper CBE, Satish Kumar, David Lorimer, A fee of £10 will be retained. No refunds after 10th November. Ian Skelly, David Wilson LVO

Company limited by guarantee, registered No. 4544694 England. Registered charity No. 1101171 UK. The Scientific and Medical Network is a leading international forum for people engaged in creating a new worldview for the 21st century. The Network brings together scientists, doctors, psychologists, engineers, philosophers, complementary practitioners and other professionals, and has Members in more than thirty countries. The Network is a charity which was founded in 1973 and became a company limited by guarantee at the beginning of 2004.

The Network aims to: Network Conferences n  challenge the adequacy of scientific The Network’s annual programme of materialism as an exclusive basis events includes: for knowledge n Three annual residential and values. conferences (The Annual n provide a safe forum for the critical Gathering, Mystics and Scientists and open minded discussion of and Beyond the Brain alternating ideas that go beyond reductionist with The Body and Beyond) science. n Annual residential conference in n integrate intuitive insights with a Continental European country rational analysis. n An open day of dialogues on a n encourage a respect for Earth and topical subject Community which emphasises a n Evening lectures and specialist spiritual and holistic approach. seminars n Special Interest Group meetings In asking searching questions about on themes related to science, the nature of life and the role of the consciousness and spiritual human being, the Network is: traditions n Open to new observations n Student concessionary rates and insights; and some bursaies available n Rigorous in evaluating evidence and ideas; Joining the Network n Responsible in maintaining the highest scientific and ethical Membership of the Network is open standards; to anyone who wishes to explore some n Sensitive to a plurality of of the most difficult questions of our viewpoints time in concert with a community of like minds. Student members must be studying towards a first degree Network services engaged in full-time study. n Network Review, published three times a year Subscription Rates n Monthly e-newsletter for members Membership of the Networks costs with email £60 (with printed review). Please n Promotion of contacts between contact the office for further details. leading thinkers in our fields of £36 electronic and undergraduate interest student membership free. n A blog discussing current and controversial topics and science, medicine and spirituality Membership Applications (http://scimednet.blogspot.com) To request a membership application n A website with a special area for form, please contact: Members including discussion The Network Manager, groups The Scientific and Medical Network, n Regional groups which organise 151 Talgarth Road, local meetings London W14 9DA, England Tel: +44 (0) 203 468 2034 n Downloadable MP3s from our conferences Email: [email protected]