If you have spirituality then religions become redundant. Indeed, it could be said that religion is the last refuge of the spiritually bankrupt. But the world is far from spiritually bankrupt. In fact, spirituality per se is alive and kicking and continues to blossom in abundance. It seems to me that the world is coming alive in spiritual terms. Although I am possessed of almost embarrassingly high levels of positivity and optimism, which must be taken into consideration, I base this observation largely on my personal facebook page which, when I visit it, blows me away it is so full of transformational, evolutionary, celebratory and spiritually-infused posts. It is, however, I believe, happening all around us for all to see (not that everyone’s vision stretches that far.)

As science has risen to become a God we can all believe in, spirituality has risen alongside it. And together they have undermined the fabric of social religion worldwide. Religion continues to exist, sometimes in its original social form -- I know of towns in the USA where the majority of the inhabitants still go to church on a Sunday -- but mostly it is something that is beyond consideration on a day-to-day basis for just about everyone.

Although religion has relaxed the iron grip it once had on society and social mores, it is still very much around for those who need it. It has, however, a rival. Spirituality in all its forms has risen and continues to rise. Spirituality is not a religion, a doctrine, a set of beliefs or even one belief. Indeed, neither belief nor faith need to be a part of it. It is something more. But what?

Time to define our terms. Not an easy exercise in this case. Spirituality is almost impossible to define in terms that are common to all and have universal meaning. It shares these qualities with other terms within lexicon of consciousness. And it is consciousness that is the key here. For spirituality is no more than an aspect of consciousness, some would say that it is an aspect of higher consciousness. And, as such, it is as individual, unique, personal and idiosyncratic as consciousness itself. Whilst it is impossible to define spirituality precisely, it does possess some qualities that are distinguishing factors.

Whilst much of what I have to say here is based upon my personal experience, it does resonate quite loudly with many statements that appear in the Vedas and other spiritual canons. It seems to me that, although the development of consciousness happens in the mind, it is essentially a heart-based experience. And it is through qualities of the heart that higher consciousness expresses itself. Through compassion, caring, love, understanding sharing, wishing to help and in living a right life, higher consciousness expresses itself directly from the heart. And, indeed, it is the heart wherein spirituality lives. For spirituality it more than belief, more than logical understanding, more than rationales and reason. Spirituality is a state of feeling. It is, amongst other things, a state of becoming more in-tune with the Cosmos and the forces that shape the world.

Although he was and is revered and respected, dear Albert was not quite correct when he said that religion is blind without science. What he should have said is that spirituality is blind without science. For religion will always be blind. The only external validation that religion can expect is one based on an archeology that, for some time, has clearly been validating something that goes way beyond Christianity in both time and place.

Spirituality, on the other hand, is another matter entirely. Although concepts such as spirituality and science might seem miles apart and on totally different divergent courses nothing could be further from the truth. As I said earlier, science has become the only thing we can truly believe in. What I did not say is why. The reason is simple -- it is because science has become the thing that underwrites and confirms so many aspects of spirituality. Some of these relate to specific spiritual practices but most pertain to a more general level of spirituality that encompasses theories regarding the creation of the Cosmos, Cosmic intelligence, the processes and meaning of life on earth, the nature of consciousness, the purpose of life and much more.

It is through the auspices of quantum physics and research into subatomic particles that the Science of Spirituality has come into being.

The first spiritual practice science was able to validate was meditation. Held in high esteem within the East, meditation clearly enabled individuals to gain such control of their mental abilities that they could manipulate their physiological systems. Using a number of techniques including EEG and MRI scans (the latter being a quantum physics technology based on superconductivity,) experienced meditation adepts were tested for levels of deep relaxation and changes in brainwave activity. Although the research extended over many decades, so conclusive were the results that meditation is now fairly generally accepted to have many beneficial effects, notably in relaxation and stress control. The fact that almost all of these benefits are in the area of health merely illustrates the inevitable conflict between consciousness and science. Science can objectively identify, quantify and qualify the health benefits but objectivity does not get a look in when it comes to consciousness which is, of course, entirely subjective.

The tenets that govern science go back a long way. Although much science was based on objective evidence, many sciences -- such as astrology -- were highly speculative not to say imaginative. Although alchemist, philosopher and all-round scientific buff, Isaac Newton, is often regarded as formulating ‘the scientific method,’ be did no more than apply and codify its tenets. In his ‘Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy,’ published in 1687, he applied the scientific method to define the basic laws of classical mechanics, universal gravitation and the three laws of motion. It is from Newton’s groundbreaking insights that classical mechanics became quantum mechanics and quantum mechanics became physics and quantum physics.

Whilst Newton might have applied them, it was Francis Bacon, in his book ‘Ovum Organum’ (1620,) who defined them. In 1637, he was followed by philosopher, Rene Descartes, who established a framework of guiding principles covering the scientific method in his treatise, ‘Discourse on Method.’

Despite the fact that Newton was a bit late out of the starting gate, his contribution to defining science was and is immeasurable. It was Isaac Newton who gave us the definitive definition when he declared that a method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. This approach to scientific inquiry is generally intended to be as objective as possible so as to eliminate biased interpretations of results. The steps applied in any form of scientific inquiry must be repeatable to produce the same results.

In practice science works in this way: scientific researchers propose hypotheses as explanations of phenomena and design experimental studies to test these hypotheses. Science consists, therefore, of systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses with no element of subjectivity entering the equation.

Whilst the tenets of the scientific method give science a credibility like almost nothing else (not that they rule out falsification, subjectivity or an over-active imagination,) they also impose many limitations that seem to close off a number of areas of inquiry that might be explored if somehow science was able to accommodate the subjective view.

It is when it comes to consciousness, which seems to be a key -- if not the key -- to life on earth that science loses the plot somewhat. Consciousness is unquantifiable, beyond qualification, unique and individual, totally subjective, totally beyond science. (It could be argued that the latest advances in neurobiology have breached the barrier between science and consciousness. But for the moment the jury is still out.)

Although I can find no experiments or research studies that confirm it (at least, that I can understand,) there is a fairly widely held belief that subatomic particles are only active when attention is placed upon them. I am not sure whether scientists accept this or not but it is certainly an often repeated quantum physics tenet on the internet. This crucial piece of information is said to come to us via hadron particle accelerators like the CERN collider in Switzerland. If it is true (and -- initiating space cadet mode -- it certainly feels true) then its implications are immense.

It is the interaction of subatomic particles that makes up the material world. If they are only active when attention is placed upon them, it means that material reality is no more than a projection of consciousness that exists only because we are focused upon it. The ancient Indian Vedas describe reality as maya, just a dream we are all having, and maybe that is true.

Quantum physics has a problem. Although the long and elegant mathematical equation describing the action of subatomic particles validates the principles of quantum physics, nowhere within that equation does matter acquire mass. However, as we can see, the material world is nothing but mass. The desk I am sitting at is nothing but a mass of wood (I am going to rebuild it soon, honest.) Everything around me, everything I can touch and see -- all nothing but mass.

As subatomic particles came into existence at the time of the ‘Big Bang,’ it has been suggested that it was at that point that they must have acquired mass. Although the suggestion came in the form of three papers from a number of eminent physicists, it was Peter Higgs of Edinburgh University who postulated that the addition of formulae to the standard quantum physics model could supply the mass which is otherwise absent.

It is well-known that the CERN Hadron Collider is intended to create a simulated ‘Big Bang’ scenario in which it is expected that bosons will appear briefly, almost instantly degrading into photons. Thus will the equation defining quantum physics be fulfilled.

In fact, photons are one of the most interesting and enigmatic subatomic particles. As the name suggests they are particles that transmit light. Although they possess no mass or substance, they can travel at the speed of light and appear only momentarily in a flash of brightness. Despite these factors, photons are fundamental particles and, from the time of their creation, they have an infinite lifetime and cannot decay unless their energy is transferred to other particles. (As energy transfer can go both ways, photons can also pick up energy from other particles.) Constantly on the move, photons can interact with other particles over long distances and without direct contact. Carrying electromagnetic force, photons are electrically neutral.

There are elements within this description of photons that resonate quite loudly with my own experience and understanding of the creative process within the Cosmos. Photons appear to be spontaneous bursts of light within the subatomic firmament that flash for a nano-second and are gone. Although their function and purpose is enigmatic they are imbued with powerful electromagnetic forces that seem to have a great influence in the creative process. (Electromagnetism seems to be an extremely versatile but enigmatic force that, according to Russian research, has been strongly implicated in aspects of higher consciousness.) Although it is possible to relate these factors to the Vedic concept of Prana/Karma, the link is tenuous and speculative. It is, however, given more substance by my own experience of this field of Cosmic potentialities.

According to the Vedic rishis, at the very root of all phenomenal existence there exists a field of pure consciousness. This field is known, amongst other things, as Prana. It is said that creation started when a bubble of creative intelligence spontaneously emerged from the Prana. This event created karma and that karma produced another bubble and so on until the whole of creation came into being. In the Bhagavad Gita (chapter 9; verse 8) there is a phrase that describes this process: ‘Curving back upon my own nature, I create again and again.’

Whilst this might seem a nice spiritual concept, it is actually rather more than that. As part of life on earth (or ‘phenomenal existence’ as pompous people call it) we are all reflections of the Field of Prana. It is out of Prana that we emerge as phsyical and mental entities and Prana exists as a deeply buried, silent and unrecognized field within each and every one of us. What is more, it is possible for all of us to reach and experience that field. This is not a theory but a reality that it is possible to validate for yourself. At the root of the active and energetic consciousness that we call thinking is a field of pure consciousness that is vibrant with potential but possesses no attributes. This is the Field of Prana that underwrites the whole of the creative intelligence out of which we and the entire world emerge. The technique we use to reach this field is turning the mind inward and taking the thinking process to subtler and subtler levels until we transcend all thought and reach the field of pure consciousness. This technique is called meditation.

Slipping once again into space cadet mode, it is how one perceives this field that makes all the difference. It is the case that in the field of pure consciousness there is no thought. It is, therefore, theoretically not possible to experience it. I say ‘theoretically’ because as one becomes accustomed to the workings and processes of the mind and consciousness, certain techniques naturally develop that allow one to view the field of pure consciousness from, as it were, the other side of the tracks. Whilst these techniques can take many years to develop, it seems to me that they are a common result of long-term meditation. At a much later stage in experience of the machinations of consciousness, it becomes possible to ‘exercise’ a thought while in the field of pure consciousness. This experience is difficult to describe because we customarily only recognize thought in one form. The best I can do is to say that one does not so much think a thought as think the impulse of a thought. Not much help, I am afraid.

As my space cadet mode circuit boards become more and more corrupt, I have to say that I have seen the Field of Pure Consciousness, the Field of Prana. And, guess what? What I saw was a constantly moving, constantly changing, constantly energetic field of sparkling stars. Whilst that might be far from objective proof that photons are bubbles of creative intelligence, it certainly did it for me. It may be illusion, delusion or imagination but I could not care less. Like everyone I can take what I will from science and apply it anywhere I wish. The only thing that matters is that it works for me.

I will be very surprised if the CERN Hadron Collider comes up with the Higgs Boson but I do have an infinite capacity to be wrong. I do, however, think that it is very likely that they will discover a whole lot more about the photon. What they will not discover is what it is that activates photons and energizes them to play their part in the creative process. That, I would suggest, is thought and intention.

Before my space cadet mode circuit boards go into full meltdown, let us just remind ourselves what this part of this treatise has been about -- subjectivity. In discussing this subject I have given you an almost perfect (well, pretty good) example of how subjective consciousness can be and is. It is, of course, impossible for science to reconcile many of the extremely subjective observations I have related here to anything that might stand up to objective analysis. I rest my case.

PHYSICS AND METAPHSYICS;
SCIENCE AND PRESCIENCE

Although subjectivity is at the heart of consciousness and spirituality, that has never much bothered science. Science has simply done its own thing. It is those of a spiritual inclination who have taken the new revelations about the nature of life onboard and extrapolated them into the spiritual realm.

This has certainly happened with the ORMUS phenomenon. New discoveries regarding subatomic particles, sub-molecular activity and superconductivity have been applied to the discoveries of David Hudson, Barry Carter and many chemists and alchemists to create a scientific basis for many alchemical and other myths and legends. Science has clothed ancient tales in new robes and has put flesh on the ethereal bones of the ghosts of legend.

Although meditation and ORMUS are two areas of spirituality where it is possible to easily identify the influence that science has had on what we believe, the effect that science has had on spirituality has been pervasive, dramatic and deep. It is, however, kinda hard to identify exactly what that effect might be. But it is true to say that without science, spirituality would not be in its current state of growth and energy.

And science does do its best to extend itself into the maelstrom of consciousness.

The Global Consciousness Project is in an area of inquiry that has sought scientific validation since it was first defined -- parapsychology. Started in 1988 it is an experiment that seeks to detect changes in global consciousness and relate them to world events. There are currently something like 65 locations around the world where there are random number generators constantly spewing out binary. These machines are examined for signs of less-than-random numbering sequences. It has been found that these tend to appear before, during and after major world disasters. They have been associated with earthquakes, terrorist attacks on the USA and with the death of Princess Diana. (I was in London at the time of Diana’s death and funeral and throughout the whole period the sense of collective consciousness was almost palpable.)

The Global Consciousness Project is an exciting scientific innovation that should demonstrate that individual and collective consciousness have a much bigger part to play in life on earth than ever previously conceived. In doing that it will be overturning long-standing scientific paradigms.

And when might that happen, do I hear you ask? Who can say? Today, tomorrow, sometime but, more probably, never. All we can do for the meantime is fall back on our beliefs, trust in our hearts and minds and work it out for ourselves. Good luck.