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Mysticism as Mental Frameworks

Mysticism can be viewed as the creation of a mental framework to exist within.

It does not have to reflect the reality of the physical universe, but it can be a useful as tool for guiding and motivating man to continue existing.

Mental Frameworks:

Against a mental framework all of our thoughts, actions, and results are judged. The mental framework itself is judged by how it fares in such tests.

For example, current religions are mental frameworks that do well in motivating, but do poorly in explaining or reflecting the physical universe.

An ideal mental framework will both motivate and reflect reality to an adequate degree.

The discoveries of physical science are only a measure of how close the mental framework reflects reality, and not of the mental framework’s contribution toward the continuation of man’s existence, which religions refer to as man’s spiritual needs.

Examples.

Let’s create several sample mental frameworks and test various human thoughts and actions against them, and then judge the mental frameworks themselves to see how they held up against the thoughts and actions:

Mental Framework #1: I once read that “Man is in God’s house, and he is like a servant keeping the house while God is away.”

In this mental framework, man has no hope of rising above servitude. Not much of a motivator, and its mysticism does nothing to help man understand the physical universe. Man needs a better mental framework if he is to survive in a harsh physical universe, and also one that will not cause him to die in despair spiritually (motivation to continue to exist).

Mental Framework #2: “Human existence is a God-In-Training program.”

If you thought further about this one, you would realize that this mental framework requires that there be an eternal afterlife worth training for, and a pass/fail judgment in the afterlife.

In this mental framework, man endures the harsh test of being born ‘not knowing’. Man is then judged on how he reacts in this existence, and passes or fails the test.

Further questions will arise concerning this framework, such as “does man get another chance at training if he has just failed?” and, “What if he is capricious and destroys the world?” This is how mental frameworks develop, grow, and adapt; or die and become replaced.

Let’s test a few of the most fundamental concepts against this still-skeletal God-In-Training framework: First we need to define good and bad: Good is that which contributes to man’s continuing his existence. Constructive Activity: good. Destructive Activity: bad. Discovery: good. Things not good or bad: these are considered frivolous.

Therefore, within a mental framework, everything is judged on how good, bad, or frivolous it is within that framework. There are different ‘value’ grades and levels- for example, something good on a lower value level in this framework would contribute to a lower-level value, like ‘constructive’ or ‘discovery’, which in turn contribute to the higher value of man’s continued existence.

Most thoughts, actions, and results will be found to have both good and bad qualities, and man must compare and weigh their value.

An example, Fighting: fighting is bad, as it tends to be destructive; yet good, as it lends to discovery, strength, skills, and innovation. The concept of the Holy Ghost: Frivolous, as it merely adds complexity to the mental framework, and bad because it does not contribute to man’s continuing his existence; and maybe good on a lower value level- as it may create comfort, which is conducive to rest, which is conducive to construction and discovery, which is conducive to man’s continued existence.

So in evaluating, the levels of the values must be weighed. With the Holy Ghost, comfort might outweigh introducing complications in the framework.

Mental Framework #3: Reality is only what we can see or prove today.

This mental framework induces complacency, and is not conducive to discovery, which is conducive to man’s continued existence. It does nothing for motivation.

Mental Framework #4: There is no afterlife for man.

This mental framework, while perhaps being close to physical reality, offers a challenge spiritually (motivationally). One would tend to despair at this. Another would use it as motivation to cure death, or recreate himself or ensure it in the future somehow. So you see, a mental framework will elicit different reactions.

Lets create a mental framework that takes some useful aspects of the world’s present religions and mysticisms, and test a few thoughts, actions, and results against the framework, and evaluate the framework itself:

Right away we know that none offer an adequate reflection of physical reality.

For motivation, we can select a couple of useful tools: Judgment- A judged eternal afterlife based on our actions in this existence. The criterion for judging is how one’s existence has contributed to man’s continued existence. Behaviors- are evaluated by their conduciveness to man’s continued existence, (and some requiring enforcement in today’s world).

So we have judgment and behavior. If we discover more, note that tools can be added and deleted to a mental framework freely as new discoveries are made, to improve its effect and usefulness in motivating and in reflecting reality.

Let’s take a few thoughts and actions and test them against our new mental framework, and test our mental framework in turn:

Destroy the world: bad if it means the end of man’s continued existence.

Meditation: frivolous, unless it is conducive to rest, which is conducive to the success of construction and discovery, which are in turn conducive to man’s continued existence.

Self-transcendence of consciousness: frivolous, as what difference does it matter whether we continue to exist inside or outside of our bodies? The debate would begin- outside we wouldn’t be bothered with bodily needs or perhaps even death, but then we may lose the ability to manipulate the physical world, which may be necessary.

The same evaluating criteria would be applied to any other thought/action.

Let’s delve into the worlds of mysticism and do some evaluating:

For motivation we have channeling (an action based on assumptions made about reality- that spirits exist), crystals, psychic readings, incense, fortune telling, mystic healers, spiritual counselors, astrology, Gods, trying to become a god in this existence, getting closer to God, the dervish completion, eliminating negative emotions, love, battling demons, God-consciousness, God-touching, Eastern and Western guidelines for living, the Way, the Path…

What is their value? The value of each is reduced to a case-by-case basis. We can only hope to know averages and tendencies for the value of each. Their value is incidental in any case, merely contributing to a lower-level value, such as rest and comfort.

For Reflecting Reality: In the mystical worlds we have the seeking of an ultimate reality beyond conception and perception through consciousness alone (without repeatable experimentation or logical testing, or physical experimentation, as in ‘science’). This has not been successful to date. This includes chants, meditation, devotions, mantras, visions, dreams, revelations, prophecies, certain occults such as the energy of physiological chakra, the concept of the purification of psyche, various cosmological doctrines with sets of gods and universes and man’s place in them, inner lights, unchanging beings in the universe, various ordering principles in the universe, the Great Tao, Dharma, logos, God, dao, chi, reincarnation…

Their value? The debate as to any current mysticism’s accurate reflection of the physical world is all but over, none having stood up to logical questioning or experimental science. They are merely mental frameworks that require pure belief to continue to be used, and as long as they have some parallel use in motivation, they will linger.

Thoughts and Digressions: A thought- reality is infinite in nature and cannot be fully reflected by a mental framework, hence the inability to prove God does not exist.

Digression: Whether the continued existence of man is good for the universe will always, for man, come back to whether the universe is good for the continued existence of man. So when man asks whether man should continue his existence, the answer will ultimately be based on how it will benefit him.

A thought- a mental framework may also be born, live, and die a natural life, and be completely replaced by a more applicable framework born of its time.


  • nup

    I totally, 100% disagree with the feeling of your argument. You constantly talk of "judgement", lots of value statements, and what we "must" do (rules rules rules). As for mental framework, it makes life sound cold and lifeless. Like some macabre steel monolith to death.

    Voted for by grant.
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  • sure

    I find your argument familiar, but the language and technique could use some help. For one thing, the Holy spirit represents that which, democratically almost, unites the other two members of the trinity with the saints and prophets of all backgrounds and creeds. Also, your theory is presumptuous in the fallout of frameworks, without including what, in my view, would be a complete consideration for the probabilities of human consciousness.

    Finally, what you call mysticism sounds more like German metaphysics (woot). Here is a link to Immanuel Kant's masterful "Prolegomena to a future metaphysic." It is my impression that you've yet to read it, and that you could grow, if only in style and method, then in perhaps understanding.

    http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/pdfbits/kp.html

    And if you don't insist on sticking to religion I would recommend "Understanding Media" and "The Laws of Media" by Marshall McLuhan, and "Mythologies" by Roland Barthes.

    Voted for by Auxiliar.
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