The leading philosophy of Western science has been monistic materialism. Various scientific disciplines have described the history of the universe as the history of developing matter and accept as real only what can be measured and weighed. Life, consciousness, and intelligence are seen as more or less accidental side-products of material processes. Physicists, biologists, and chemists recognize the existence of dimensions of reality that are not accessible to our senses, but only those that are physical in nature and can be revealed and explored with the use of various extensions of our senses, such as microscopes or telescopes, specially designed recording devices, and laboratory experiments.
In a universe understood this way, there is no place for spirituality of any kind. The existence of God, the idea that there are invisible dimensions of reality inhabited by nonmaterial beings, the possibility of survival of consciousness after death, and the concept of reincarnation and karma have been relegated to fairy tales and handbooks of psychiatry. From a psychiatric perspective to take such things seriously means to be ignorant, unfamiliar with the discoveries of science, superstitious, and subject to primitive magical thinking. If the belief in God or Goddess occurs in intelligent persons, it is seen as an indication that they have not come to terms with infantile images of their parents as omnipotent beings they had created in their infancy and childhood. And direct experiences of spiritual realities are considered manifestations of serious mental diseases—psychoses.
The study of holotropic states has thrown new light on the problem of spirituality and religion. The key to this new understanding is the discovery that in these states it is possible to encounter a rich array of experiences which are very similar to those that inspired the great religions of the world—visions of God and various divine and demonic beings, encounters with discarnate entities, episodes of psychospiritual death and rebirth, visits to Heaven and Hell, past life experiences, and many others. Modern research has shown beyond any doubt that these experiences are not products of pathological processes afflicting the brain, but manifestations of archetypal material from the collective unconscious, and thus normal and essential constituents of the human psyche. Although these mythic elements are accessed intrapsychically in a process of experiential self-exploration and introspection, they are ontologically real and have objective existence.
In view of these observations, the fierce battle that religion and science had fought over the last few centuries appears ludicrous and completely unnecessary. Genuine science and authentic religion do not compete for the same territory; they represent two approaches to existence, which are complementary, not competitive. Science studies phenomena in the material world, the realm of the measurable and weighable, spirituality and true religion draw their inspiration from experiential knowledge of the aspect of the world that Jungians refer to as “imaginal,” to distinguish it from imaginary products of individual fantasy or psychopathology. This imaginal world manifests in what I call “holotropic states of consciousness”—the altered states in which experiences surface that are very similar to those that inspired the great religions of the world—visions of God and various divine and demonic beings, encounters with discarnate entities, episodes of psychospiritual death and rebirth, visits to Heaven and Hell, past life experiences, and many others. Modern research has shown that these are not products of pathological processes afflicting the brain, but manifestations of archetypal material from the collective unconscious, and thus normal and essential constituents of the human psyche. The matrices for them exist in deep recesses of the unconscious psyche of every human being.
Spirituality is a very important and natural dimension of the human psyche, and the spiritual quest is a legitimate and fully justified human endeavor. However, it is necessary to emphasize that this applies to genuine spirituality based on personal experience and does not provide support for ideologies and dogmas of organized religions. To prevent misunderstanding and confusion that in the past compromised many similar discussions, it is critical to make a clear distinction between spirituality and religion.
Spirituality is based on direct experiences of ordinarily invisible numinous dimensions of reality, which become available in holotropic states of consciousness. It does not require a special place or officially appointed persons mediating contact with the divine. The mystics do not need churches or temples. The context in which they experience the sacred dimensions of reality, including their own divinity, is provided by their bodies and nature. And instead of officiating priests, they need a supportive group of fellow seekers or the guidance of a teacher who is more advanced on the inner journey than they are themselves.
Organized religions tend to create hierarchical systems focusing on the pursuit of power, control, politics, money, possessions, and other worldly concerns. Under these circumstances, religious hierarchy as a rule dislikes and discourages direct spiritual experiences in its members, because they foster independence and cannot be effectively controlled. When this is the case, genuine spiritual life continues only in the mystical branches, monastic orders, and ecstatic sects of the religions involved. A deep mystical experience tends to dissolve the boundaries between religions and reveals deep connections between them, while dogmatism of organized religions tends to emphasize differences between various creeds and engenders antagonism and hostility.
There is no doubt that the dogmas of organized religions are generally in fundamental conflict with science, whether this science uses the mechanistic-materialistic model or is anchored in the emerging paradigm. However, the situation is very different in regard to authentic mysticism based on spiritual experiences. The great mystical traditions have amassed extensive knowledge about human consciousness and about the spiritual realms in a way that is similar to the method that scientists use in acquiring knowledge about the material world. It involves a methodology for inducing transpersonal experiences, systematic collection of data, and intersubjective validation. Spiritual experiences, like any other aspect of reality, can be subjected to careful open-minded research and studied scientifically.
Scientifically conducted consciousness research has brought convincing evidence for the objective existence of the imaginal realm and has thus validated the main metaphysical assumptions of the mystical world view, of the Eastern spiritual philosophies, and even certain beliefs of native cultures.
The conflict between religion and science reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of both. As Ken Wilber has pointed out, there cannot be a conflict between science and religion if both these fields are properly understood and practiced. If there seems to be a conflict, we are likely dealing with “bogus science” and “bogus religion.” The apparent incompatibility is due to the fact that either side seriously misunderstands the other’s position and very likely represents also a false version of its own discipline.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Stan,
I honestly think that the ‘holotropic’ state of consciousness is, at least often, available to children in our culture up until grade 3 in our public school systems. Having been out there a lot over the years, and investigating various curricula, I have noticed that it’s at grade 3 that the “bunny rabbit” goes away and the ‘objective assessment’ comes in to replace it. No mention is made of its disappearance. No provision, or even suggestion, is made that the part of our consciousness wherein lives metaphor can be maintained and honored. And so our children are encouraged to grow up ‘half-brained’…and so the metaphoric mind atrophies, or at least goes so far below the surface that psychiatry is needed. Just my personal assessment here, but I think that honoring the metaphoric mind can help with the ‘fundamentalist’ problem…the literal readers gives us a lot of grief nowadays…always have I guess. I think there is a better way—have been trying to post this message on whatever bulletin board I can find for years now…don’t know if anyone is reading and or heeding. As for you, Dear Stan, keep up the good work. Your essay here is marvelous!
–bss
Dear Lady,
I am very interested in talking to you personally on how to preserve this holotropic state at mind. I support gifted kids in my country, and would be happy to learn more about your ideas on this subject – for ex. what kind of curricula could develop their larger consciousness towards an indigo consciousness, a cosmic consciousness?
Love to hear from you,
Monica
moni {} giftededu.org
or skype MissEmeralds
p.s. Charles Dickens understood…referencing “Hard Times” and wherein we find his story of Mr. Gradgrind and Mr. M’Choakumchild:
Dickens tried to warn us I guess…as we went headlong into the ‘industrial age’…My hope is that the ‘internet age’ will allow for enough individualizing while communicating with each other through the great within…that we may wake up and become more holotropic as a way of life.
–bss
Dear Stanislav Grof,
first of all thank you very much for this article. I truly believe we live in a special time of developing a new, collective consciousness and I deeply agree with your view focussing on the senseless trouble between science and spirituality.
I would like to make an addition in the term that you mentioned psychoses.
I am not a scientist in any way, but I am experienced in this by having inner processes I made during the last twelve years in relation to various psychotic episodes. On my road I came to the question of initiation just during the last months ago, by a better understanding of the signs which my certain state of conciousness tried to tell me over the years. I would like you to know, especially as you being a psychiatrist, that in states of psychosis we will be able to find more than just a state of mental illness. I mean an irregular way of understanding the past and the present of my own lifes history by an integration of psychotic experience into a new consciousness based life. Without changing my paradigmns in belief and spirituality, consciousness and science I would never ever had the chance to learn from these conditions. But, indeed, nowadays I know, that without having experienced psychosis I would not have changed these paradigmns either. Therefor I am truly interested in a new form of understanding psychoses, which I would like to call just another way of building up another possible way of inner growth, leading to new states of consciousness as well as possible options like those you mentioned. It is possible to become initiated by these forms of experience, if we start to learn from this so-called mental diseases. There are many examples from native cultures, who deal differently with this and I can say by now, that even western people have the possibility to get initiation, if we change our ways of thinking and consciousness on life in general.
Greetings and regards from Hamburg/Germany,
Max Enno Stricker
Too many broad overstatements in this article for me to take it seriously. Also, you mention ‘modern research has shown’ this or that at least twice without providing any information on said research. What research? Whose research?
“BRAHMI” The Miraculous Plant
‘Brahmi’ the incredible memory enhancer, brain tonic, and stimulator of the nervous system. This humble plant has for many millennia been used by Ayurvedic medical practitioners of India and Sri Lanka to treat problems that occur in and to the human brain with tremendous success. But, there is a controversy also surrounding its identity. Some books on Ayurveda call a very small leaf plant that has purplish flowers that grows near waterways Brahmi. It is commonly known as Lunuvila. Its botanical name is Bacopa Monnieri.
Some authorities call Gotukola a plant having leaves that are roundish and slightly serrated edges Brahmi, the English name being, Pennywort. Its botanical name is Centella Asiatica.
Although it is commonly accepted that both plants have the same curative properties, in esoteric Ayurveda Bacopa Monnieri is given more credibility and has a wider range of application.
Brahmi is an excellent curative tonic for people suffering from Alzheimers disease and also when used during the on-set of Parkinson’s disease. In both these cases if western medicines have been taken by the patient over a period of time, even three months, the action of Brahmi becomes greatly hindered and sometimes will not work. This is because ayurvedic medicines work in a holistic manner with the body whereas western medication for such problems works by trying to dominate and subdue the problem. The former works in harmony with the body whereas the latter works inharmoniously.
Brahmi also works well with Autistic patients, and also children with speech difficulties where the brain – tongue co-ordination is disrupted.
Great emphasis is placed on the type and quantity of food and drink one consumes during the period one is under medication for a health problem of the brain /mind, such as the above. Avoidance of pickles, heavy cheeses, junk food, and anything cooked or preserved in vinegar should be vigilantly maintained. Vinegar is really bad for these health issues.
It is imperative when treating such patients as mentioned above to know the exact quantities to be given and how many times per day. For the above mentioned problems the treatment is done in two ways. One is to take Brahmi internally and the other is to apply it topically. There are absolutely no side or adverse effects known to be caused by Brahmi.
Brahmi, both types, are available in pill form or in capsules.
It is also vitally important to refrain from consuming all types of flesh, fish, or fowl if one really wants to get well and free of such health problems. In other words, one has to be a strict vegetarian for the duration of the treatment and for some time afterwards to allow the body to regain total good health and normalcy. People who have contrary ideas to this and feel that they know better should stick to what they know and not go down this path of treatment. Try not to mix the western concept of medicine and medication with that of the eastern for what will eventuate if done contrary to what I have said is great sorrow and misery for the sufferer and also for those that care for the sufferer. Absolute respect for the medicine and also to the restrictions applicable is a must.
Food, and proper food at that, is an essential attribute to regaining good health . The more one refrains from consuming food and drink that contain toxins that are used as additives in the growing and farming of plants and animals the faster the body is able to neutralize and rid itself of all sorts of diseases and ailments.
I do not want to go into the various attributes of both types of Brahmi plants as you can look them up on the Net as there is a whole heap of information out there. What I have learned over the many decades of research that I have done, not blindly following Ayurvedic dicta as so many do, but looking at it from a different angle and different mind-set is that nothing in the human body is as it may appear to be because the cause of the problem comes from six sources. They could arise from; Climatic conditions, natural or man made toxins that enter the body via the mouth, nose, and skin, food and drink that disagrees with one’s particular constitution, air and water borne diseases, problems caused by the projection of a person’s evil thoughts and intentions such as in curses, and finally diseases and ailments that are caused by predatory spirit beings.
Out of all the latter two are the most difficult to diagnose and to cure. Western medicine does not accept the latter two as being real therefore they cannot cure any problem that is caused by them.
A simple test to find how efficacious either one of the plants is for a particular disease of a particular patient is to repeat a certain mantra a certain number of times over the plant mentioning the patient’s name which is incorporated into the mantra, and observe what happens to the plants after this done. There will be a definite and noticeable change in the plant that has to be used for the benefit of the patient and there will be no change in the other plant. This method was used for all types of diseases and ailments where there was a choice in the medicines to be used.
This is the ancient way of determining the exact medicine, herb, or plant that would permanently cure a disease or ailment where the physician has to decide which is the most efficacious when a decision has to be made out of a number of medications. By using this method there is no hit or miss involved as is happening now in both eastern and western medicine. In most cases the human being is used a guinea pig as the therapist tries out various other medicines in case the first does not work in the hope that something will work out of a multitude. Or a number of medicines would be prescribed to be taken at the same time in the hope that one would cure the problem.
Brahmi is taken in its fresh form as liquid extract either mixed with juice of shallots, or with honey depending on what the problem is, in order to strengthen the sufferer’s lungs, purify the blood, balance the liver and spleen functions, and enhance the proper digestion of food. This in turn enhances the nutrient intake into the brain rapidly accelerating all its functions in a good way. In salads gotukola is very tasty although the taste takes getting use to. Fresh and tender Lunuvila (Brahmi) is lightly stir fried in ghee (clarified butter) is eaten either with rice or some bread for a few days to increase male virility and potency a hundred fold. It should be done on days of the waxing moon never when the moon is waning.
Brahmi is also used for children who are unable to control their bladder function at night (bed-wetters). A whole plant is washed, dried with absorbent paper and then bruised by pounding it with a clean mallet or hammer. Half the quantity is placed on the lower abdomen and half on the base of the spine and held in place with a bandage around the body and allowed to remain till morning. Do this for three days and the bed wetting will stop permanently. ‘Glad wrap’ or some thin plastic can be used to cover the pounded plant before bandaging to prevent seepage of the juice which would soil the bed linen.
It is also an excellent medication for children who have ADD, ADHD, and similar problems that arise in the brain / mind. The fresh juice of Brahmi given alone or mixed with a fruit juice, other than pineapple or mandarin, every morning on a empty stomach for two to three weeks, and Brahmi oil applied topically for the same period, completely eradicates the problem. Breakfast to be taken about fifteen to twenty minutes after taking the Brahmi.
In all cases where fresh juice is recommended the quantity to be used is four to six (depending on the age) dessertspoonfuls. Lesser quantity for younger children.
Brahmi is taken by women to prevent painful cramps during menstruation, and hot flushes and being an emotional yo yo during menopause.
Both varieties of Brahmi can easily be grown either in flower pots or in the ground where there is a bit of shade and has to have plenty of water. This miraculous plant is a boon to every family especially those who know its value.
………………………..Llewellyn Buultjens 27th March 2011…………………
I agree 100% with your claim that western science is based on monistic materialism, which is quite depressing and has unfortunately attracted hordes of followers. Those people have been fooled into believing that scientists know almost everything there is to know, when in fact they know very little. Their tools are primitive and they don’t have any idea about how the brain manages information, which is hardly a great starting point.
I believe that the key to bridging the gap between spirituality and science is information, or more specifically, information about information and also, how meaning is instantiated into the brain. Once we fully understand those things there can be no arguments about consciousness and the drivers of our intellectual experience.
Best wishes,
D J Wray