Modern Science and Eastern Mysticism
ByEarly 20th century scientific research on how the brain stores memories had shown that rats could still run a maze with a major part of their brain removed, which brought about the conclusion that memories were not stored in the brain, but throughout the whole body (the basis of the scientific proof of the mind-body connection).
Karl Pribram, in his pioneering work on the brain and the nervous system which led to the development of the holonomic model, shows that memories are stored, not in cells, but as wave patterns. His breakthrough discovery that the Human nervous system functions a hologram opened a whole new dimension to how we see the Mind and the nervous system (have you ever heard that we are only using 10% of the capacities of our brain?). A hologram is a light field resulting from the interference of two light beams (one of them going through an object) on a recording medium which appears as a 3D object. One of the interesting qualities of the hologram is that if you break the holographic plate, you get 2 whole pictures.
It is interesting to note that all the Fathers of Quantum Physics, as well as Einstein were familiar with Eastern Esoteric schools of thought and practices which focus on the underlying Oneness of consciousness pervading the multiplicity we see in the physical world, including ourselves. (See David Bohm’s conversation with Krishnamurti on Youtube).
Karl Pribram’s holonomic model leads to the question that mystics have been asking for centuries: if the human nervous system is a hologram, what it is a hologram of? Interestingly, the basic presupposition of the Indian Tantric school, as it appeared around the 6th century AD is: the Human being is a contracted form of the Supreme. The practice in Tantra is expansion. Indeed, what are we a hologram of?
“Consciousness is all there is” is the basis of Advaita Vedanta, a school founded in 800AD by Sri Shankaracharya, which takes it origins in Vedic times in the Upanishads. If we accept, as Modern Science has already started to demonstrate, that multiplicity and separation are an illusion, or that at least they are only real at a very gross level, then we have to completely reconstruct our model of the world AND of who we are and where we stand.
Indeed, we understand reality through the filters of our limited perceptions and give names to the forms we see in the physical world (“Namarupa”). The human nervous system however cannot fathom the vastness of infinity and wholeness, and needs to create duality (male/female, good/bad, black/white) in order to bring structure and understanding to daily life.
The practice of Advaita Vedanta is “Apavada” or deconstruction of the illusion of multiplicity.
“Consciousness is all there is”. Ramesh Balsekar is the most advanced proponent and teacher of Advaita Vedanta in the world today. Ramesh holds satsang at his home in Bombay every morning; he wrote numerous books, one of which is highly recommended as an introduction to Advaita Vedanta: “A personal religion of your own” (Zen Publication).
To Be Continued…
