This letter by Christopher P. Holmes was originally written on November 14, 2005-in response to the US court decision in favor of ID being taught within the educational system. It was subsequently revised January 27, 2006, after Dr. Holmes had read more of the pro and con arguments within the public debate over ID.  There needs to be a third perspective in this dualistic science versus religion, evolution or creation debate--that offered by mystical and spiritual science.

   Esoteric religious teachings not only teach that there is a creative God principle, but further, they suggest the basic patterns of design embodied  within Creation--the Laws by which the One produces the Many, the Plurality.  Creation embodies certain divine principles, and yet this claim is ignored within the public debate over ID.  The study of the Sacred Laws of the Three and Seven, and investigations of 'the soul hypothesis' and the origins of consciousness, open up whole other area of religious and scientific investigation and consideration, which seems not to be considered within the public debate. 
     Modern science is founded upon a dualistic perspective of 2's, always finding opposing principles--like matter and energy, waves and particles, mind and the body.  In contrast, mystical and spiritual science suggest that Divine Principles are embodied within creation:  Thus the 1 is divided by Three and yeilds Seven, just as white light divided by a prism creates a spectrum of colours.  These same patterns are embodied through the different world orders, if we are wise enough to discern the significance of these Sacred Principles. 

    A State court in the U.S. has ruled that "intelligent design" theories and creationist views should be represented within the educational system, along with traditional neo-Darwinian theories.  This could be important victory for a more enlightened science and education.    This court decision may open up a broader range of investigations within different departments of the natural and social sciences, and challenge the repressed, antiquated and pseudo-scientific world view currently established in modern psychology, science and education.  It is not that the 'facts' of science are wrong, but that the underlying science philosophy is.   It is the science philosophy of materialism, neo-Darwinian evolution by randomness and happenstance, the soul-less psychology of modern times, and the head doctrine of modern consciousness studies, that are cornerstones of pseudo-scientific modern psychology and science, and education.  The 'facts of science' can be interpreted in many different ways, and certainly already support  important mystical claims about creation physics, the Book of Genesis, and models of human consciousness, if people had any understanding of these issues.

     Hopefully, there will be significant insights from intelligent design advocates-as to the principles and applications of intelligent design theories.A model of Intelligent Design could be applied within every department of knowledge, science, and education. For instance, modern  psychology has been defined as the "science of behaviour and the mind" for over a century, and dismissed the idea of human being have a soul or a spiritual nature.  If we take 'the God Hypothesis' seriously, then 'the Soul Hypothesis,' would be a corrolary of this.  And in modern times, this issue of the existence of the human spirit or soul is most closely associated with understanding the origins and nature of human consciousness.  Modern scientists assume that material processes within the brain produces consciousness and the mind, and the experience of I.  Thus, modern psychology lacks any heart or soul, or spiritual perspective. (Dr. Holmes' survey of Canadian Universities clearly demonstrates this.)
     Psychology departments should consider the most significant issues of human existence as part of their investigations, and stop closing their eyes to the profound enigmas of human consciousness and all of the para-normal phenomena happening everywhere within life.  Psychology is so backwards, pseudo-scientific and narrow minded in how it has been investigated over the past century or so--since the development of Darwinian theory and the view that a human being is simply a higher primate, a material biological being.  In modern times, the "head doctrine," the view that the brain produced consciousness through material processes, has become the central dogma and pseudo-scientific idea of modern times; and it is still current fare. 
   Furthermore, massive evidence, both scientific and anedotal, document a wide array of paranormal happenings--from ghosts, out of body experiences, instances of telepathy and esp, near death experiences, psychical abilities, healing, past life memories, and so on, and on.  All of these evidences provide support for the possibility that the psyche or human consciousness extends beyond the simple confines of the brain locked up in three dimensions of space, and three dimensions of time.  Instead, there is a higher dimensional physics and metaphysics to all things, and thus a multidimensional nature to human beings. 
   Human beings are not simply material organism, but are higher dimensional entities, which essentially 'inhabit' the body, or are 'clothed' in the physical body surrounding this central zero point centre.  (Recall that Blavatsky describes the Gods and other invisible powers as clothing themselves in bodies, based upon 'material points without extension,' or zero points.)  Modern psychology in the mainstream simply ignores these essential questions about the nature of the psyche, or soul. 
 

   So I hope these new educators will not simply add new dogmas to the rubbish already taught within science, and instead pursue serious investigations of an intelligent design models--its implications and applications.  Surely, they will have to eventually stumble across the Sacred Laws of Three and Seven, and a new understanding of the different worlds, and the nature of Space. The Ladder of Jacob illustrated here is essentially a mathematical and geometric model of the structure of the quantum vacuum.  It also depicts the varied metaphysical inward dimensions of human existence within Cosmic Space.  It IS a model of intelligent design based upon four world orders created according to the laws of Three and Seven.  Further, this teaching is essentially there in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis.
   The modern materialist scientist simply takes the last level of this multi-dimensional Tree of Life, the last Sphere or Sephira, and calls it the 'material world,' and thinks that that is all there is to it.  They imagine they are so clever. They then deny the whole inner metaphysics of life, the heart and creation, and deny the existence of spirit and soul, and intellegences, within nature and ourselves.
 
 

    The 'Tree of Life' as found within the Garden of Eden, an indicator of secret knowledge!  I do hope that a new generation of researchers will apply the basic laws of Three and Seven to their sciences in every department, and open their hearts and minds to understanding and wisdom.  Mayby this depiction above of the four worlds is a model of the Zero Point fields, the void and plenum of the quantum vacuum, within which we live, and move, and breath, and have our being.  Da'at is all there is to it!
 

 

3. A Little Indian Swami

On Space Flight and Spiritual Knowledge

  His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1980) founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in America, and represents the ancient mystical tradition of the Vedic teachings of India.  The title Swami  means “who is one with Self.”   In a conversation with a modern physicist, Dr. Gregory Benford, the Swami argues that scientists should study the natural laws in order to prove that there is God.  The Swami goes on to make the most amazing claims concerning the nature of human consciousness and the possibilities for human experience:

Swami: ... Now, you are a scientist - physicist or chemist?Scientist:   Physical.Swami:   So, by your study of physical laws, if you try to prove there is God, that is your success.Scientist:  It can’t be done.Swami:   Then that is your imperfection. ... When you can come to understand Krsna (God) by studying these physical laws, then your science is perfect.  Because He is the ultimate source of everything, if you can come to God by studying your physical laws, that is your perfection. Therefore, our proposition is that you remain a physical scientist, but you should try to explain Krsna (God). ... That is real scientific discovery - to find out Krsna.  Find out how God is working in the physical and chemical laws, how His brain is working. Everything is working by His brain. There are chemical and physical energies, but everything is going on by God’s brain.  These chemical and physical laws are acting in such a subtle way that we see everything as coming automatically. There are chemical and physical laws, but how these laws are working you do not know. ...Scientist: ... you cannot find out anything about God by studying science ... .Swami:  There is nothing but Krsna. There is nothing else except God.  (1980, pp. 15-17)

    The Swami is indeed a scoundrel.  He claims that all the physical and chemical laws of the universe (and he would include biological, cosmological, and psychological laws), are operating within the mind or brain of God, and that these laws must be understood in this way if we are to perfect science!  Of course, in modern science, we never look at the world in this way. How could we relate the laws of science to the God hypothesis?  Dr. Benford  assumes that “It can't be done,” although he has not seriously considered scientific theories from such a perspective.
    Dr. Benford points out to Prabhupada that scientists now understand the nature of matter–such as the make up of the grass on which they are sitting on. He points out that we know what kind of molecules compose the grass and what forces of nature hold it together. However, the Swami is not impressed and he questions the significance of such knowledge–in that the grass grows with or without this understanding.  We could take any subject from a material, analytic point of view and compile many books on it.  Prabhupada argues:

“... you would rather study the insignificant grass than the God who has created everything.  If you could understand Him, automatically you would study the grass.  But you want to separate His grass from Him, to study it separately. In this way you can compile volumes and volumes on the subject, but why waste your intelligence in that way?  The branch of a tree is beautiful as long as it is attached to the main trunk, but as soon as you cut it off it will dry up. Therefore, what is the use of studying the dried up branch?  It is a waste of intelligence.”  (p. 9)

In Prabhupada’s view, the study of any part has to be taken in relationship to the whole, which ultimately is God. We should study the physical laws of nature and of life but not detach them from the main trunk, the mind/brain or being of God.  Everything is working as a result of metaphysical causes and therefore, science needs to approach nature in this way.    According to the Swami, the supreme knowledge is self-knowledge, or “atma-jnana.”  At one point, he questions Dr. Benford about the scientific knowledge of the spiritual self.  Benford notes that there is really “no scientific knowledge of the spirit soul.”  The Swami does not realize that modern psychologists and scientists dismissed the ideas of spirit and soul long ago.  Instead, Prabhupada responds by stating simply that: “Therefore there is actually no advancement of scientific knowledge.”  The Swami explains that there are many departments of knowledge, including the medical study of the body, the psychological study of the mind, and ultimately, the study of the spiritual and  transcendental nature of the human being.  In his view, the body and mind are simply coverings of the spirit soul,  just as the material  body is covered by clothes. Knowledge of the body and the mind is compared to knowledge of an individual's garments, while knowledge of the spirit soul is knowledge of the real person.  It certainly would be silly to study a person’s clothes thinking that this is what he or she really is. Obviously, that would not constitute an advancement of knowledge!    The Swami continues in this vein, making the wildest claims about the nature of human beings  and science:

Swami: You should try to understand this science of God consciousness. ... everyone has dormant consciousness of God. ...  It simply requires proper education to awaken it.  However, this education is not given in the universities. That is the defect in modern education. ... Because our government does not know that life, especially human life, is meant for understanding God, they are supporting all the departments of knowledge very nicely except the principal department, God consciousness. ... Reasons there may be many, but the principal reason is that this age is the Kali-yuga (dark age).  People are not very intelligent, therefore they are trying to avoid this department of knowledge, the most important department of knowledge. ... You do not know so many things ... .  (pp. 7,19)

The swami claims that we all have dormant consciousness of God which can be awakened through education.  Further, there is  a “science of God consciousness,” which the Vedas and other esoteric teachings elaborate.  From the Swami’s perspective, there is something fundamentally fraudulent about modern materialist science: scientists ignore the most important issues of self-knowledge and the spirit-soul, and study the parts taken out of relationship to the whole.  Scientists study the physical laws, but ignore the underlying metaphysical causes.
     The Swami’s comments pose many enigmas and issues, which most scientists would dismiss out of hand. The scientist can point to the material benefits of modern science as evidence that at least the scientific method works, whereas the mystical or religious method seems to be simply a matter of faith or delusion.  Scientists can split the atom and penetrate matter with particle accelerators, describe the origin of the universe, and explore the outer cosmos with telescopes and space vehicles.  Humankind has landed men on the moon, builds space stations, and is exploring the other planets of the solar system through probes, and the universe through telescopes.  How could the Swami ignore such advances of scientific knowledge and technology?
    As it happens, Prabhupada claims that advanced yogis can acquire far  more profound powers and abilities by observing the practices and disciplines of the science of consciousness and the attainment of self-knowledge.  In a book Easy Journey to Other Planets, the Swami notes:

Even if a materialist wants to enjoy developed material faculties, he can transfer himself to planets where he can experience material pleasures much more advanced than those available on the earth planet. ... one can transfer himself to other planets in the material sky by utilizing yogic powers. The playful spaceships of the astronauts are but childish entertainments and are of no use for this purpose. ...  In the higher planets of the material world, the yogis can enjoy more comfortable and more pleasant lives for hundreds of thousands of years, but life in those higher planets is not eternal. ...  the gross materialists ... reside on this seventh-class planet “Earth.” ( 1977, pp. 28/21).