| RELIGIOUS BELIEFSWhen we speak of religious | | | | causes consciousness" is fundamentally the viewpoint |
| beliefs we mean its theological tenets. Christianity and | | | | of the mechanists that sees man as merely a |
| Islam share common ideas and beliefs having their | | | | machine. The above concept is flawed, however, |
| roots in a common source--Judaism. This religion in turn | | | | because portions of the brain have been known to be |
| derived many of its doctrines and beliefs from the | | | | destroyed and yet the presence of a sense of self still |
| Persians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Chaldeans, and the | | | | remained. In the condition known as hydrocephalus, for |
| Sumerians. Perhaps it would be true to say that almost | | | | instance, large sections of the cerebral cortex may be |
| every religion is syncretic, though they may try very | | | | destroyed or missing, being filled instead with |
| hard to cover this up.Eastern religions such as | | | | cerebro-spinal fluid, and yet individuals suffering from |
| Buddhism and Taoism are more mystical in nature and | | | | such a condition may lead normal lives without |
| differ greatly from the Semitic religions in many basic | | | | suspecting their blight. They may even have an I.Q. |
| principles; Hinduism comprising of many philosophical | | | | above average.The mechanists, Freud (1856-1939) |
| schools of thought, embraces various theological ideas. | | | | among them, claim that our behavioral actions are |
| Some schools of Buddhism teaches that there is no | | | | automatic responses to external stimuli, and that life is |
| permanent entity called the soul; that what is thought to | | | | a result of the right combination of chemicals derived |
| be the soul is simply a collection of karmic tendencies | | | | from food and oxygen. That an animating force exists |
| transmittable from one incarnation to another. Their | | | | to vitalize the organism they may concede but this |
| extreme views are nilhilistic in nature; however, it is | | | | force is looked upon as a physical energy akin to |
| doubtful whether this was implied in the teachings of | | | | electricity. The mechanistic theory describes how |
| the Buddha. For instance, if there is no Self, then there | | | | perception takes place through the stimulation of the |
| is also no Gautama Buddha in existence; and yet, | | | | senses that creates nerve impulses, and how these |
| prayers are still being directed by the faithful to this | | | | nerve impulses travel to the sections of the brain |
| exalted being. Fundamentally, although these religions | | | | related to the senses, and how they form sensations; |
| have diverse concepts regarding the soul they all point | | | | but the theory does not consider the real perceiver |
| or refer to the One where all sentient beings originate. | | | | that tries to make sense of the sensations. To |
| All have their own particular name or names for this | | | | mechanists, the perceiver is thought to be one of the |
| Source, and all have their personal ideas regarding this | | | | functions of the cerebral cortex. In short, the |
| Divine Essence.Theological precepts are often tainted | | | | mechanistic concept leaves no room for the existence |
| with the frailties of the human ego and intellect and | | | | of the soul. To a mechanist the purported existence of |
| thus offer a poor basis for the study of true religion | | | | the soul is considered as an absurdity.If the eminent |
| and its revelations concerning the soul. Nevertheless, | | | | neuropsychologist Karl Lashley (1890-1958), author of |
| we will strive to present its beliefs with as little bias on | | | | Brain Mechanisms and Intelligence, after years of |
| our part as possible. This section will be brief, for to do | | | | research could not discover the seat of memory in the |
| justice to the subject would require many pages and | | | | brain, how much more difficult would it be to discover |
| go beyond the scope of this work.In Christian theology | | | | the seat of the self or soul--not withstanding |
| it is believed that the soul prior to birth is devoid of any | | | | Descartes' (1596-1650) assertion that the pineal gland is |
| individuality or personality. It is only when God breathes | | | | its locus. This French philosopher and mathematician |
| through the nostrils of man that the soul acquires | | | | also declared, "cogito, ergo sum," or "I think, therefore I |
| self-consciousness, and is a "living" being--and this | | | | am" thus implying that the Self arises into existence as |
| condition of being alive is believed to remain with the | | | | a result of thought, or as a function of the mind. |
| soul after death. In the Book of Genesis it is recorded | | | | Nevertheless, mystics have proved to themselves the |
| that,"God made man out of the dust of the earth, | | | | possibility of transcending thoughts and yet remaining in |
| breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and made | | | | existence, and possessing an exalted sense of Self, |
| man a living soul." (Gen 2:7)The phrase "living soul" is | | | | unified with the Cosmos. The mystic's standpoint is |
| equated to the state of being self-conscious. | | | | supported by Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), French |
| According to this notion unless there is an awareness | | | | philosopher and writer. To Sartre, existence does not |
| of the existence of an ego, or a self, a person or being | | | | depend on the functions of the mind, that a being does |
| does not truly have a soul. Such a creature is | | | | not exist simply because it thinks. According to Sartre, |
| "soulless." A person may be alive imbued with the | | | | existence precedes the mind--or thinking.Rene |
| soul-essence, the life-force, and yet remain soulless, in | | | | Descartes' statement is therefore erroneous, or |
| the sense that it is not self-aware. Some states of | | | | perhaps our interpretation of his statement is wrong. "I |
| insanity may represent beings who are "soulless." | | | | think, because I am" would be closer to the truth. In |
| While the living soul is associated with the awareness | | | | spite of this, Descartes was somewhat accurate in |
| of the ego, immortality is associated with the | | | | believing that the pineal gland plays an important role in |
| awareness of the superego, the Higher Self. This idea, | | | | man's occult physiology as we shall see later when |
| though, falls in the province of metaphysical | | | | we discuss the metaphysical purview.Mainstream |
| thought.Basically, theology consider the soul to be a | | | | science may disavow the existence of the soul on the |
| substance implanted in man. It is believed to be an | | | | pretext of its immateriality, undetected by their |
| entity divinely created and bestowed upon man when | | | | instruments; and yet, matter in its actual state in |
| man takes his first breath. Christian theology | | | | similarly immaterial. This was the proposition of Leibniz |
| formulated the idea that man is a divine creation, the | | | | (1646-1716), the German philosopher, who considered |
| highest of all beings, and that the whole universe was | | | | matter as a manifestation of Mind--"a stupid variety of |
| created for man alone in support of his existence.In | | | | mind." To explain this graphically, for instance, what we |
| Christianity the terms "lost souls" or "degraded souls" | | | | call concrete matter is actually made up of moving |
| are often expressed. The moral quality of a person's | | | | molecules. Molecules in turn are made up of whirling |
| life is believed to be able to affect the soul. However, | | | | atoms, and these are composed of even smaller |
| from the metaphysical point of view soul-essence is | | | | particles. Should these sub-atomic particles be |
| immaculate, perfect, immutable and divine. What may | | | | magnified "nothing" would be found. Matter, is therefore, |
| be affected is not its essence but its conscious | | | | made up of "emptiness." We may call this void |
| expression. The consciousness arising from soul | | | | "energy," "mind," or "spirit," but whatever we call it, the |
| essence is that which evolves and strives to reflect | | | | fact remains that matter is actually as insubstantial as |
| the image, archetype or blueprint that God created for | | | | the soul. If the reality of one is accepted why not the |
| man. This is stated emphatically in Genesis; however | | | | other? The many particles composing matter are filled |
| the statement is often interpreted literally. This blueprint | | | | with this "nothing," or space. Another curious fact is |
| is the image or divine qualities of God. It does not refer | | | | that if we were to remove the space inherent within a |
| to form but to the inner nature of the life-essence.The | | | | human body, for instance, and all the "particles" united, |
| Hindus, generally speaking, believe the soul to be an | | | | the total compaction would result in a piece of matter |
| entity that resides in the physical body and is subjected | | | | no larger than a mite of dust. Leibniz's theory is also |
| to reincarnation in accord with its karma. The | | | | paralleled by the thoughts of Ralph Waldo Emerson |
| Upanishads says that, "The Supreme Person, of the | | | | (1803-1882), the American Trancendentalist. According |
| size of the thumb, dwells forever in the heart of all | | | | to Emerson matter is "a phenomenon, not a |
| human beings." Its esoteric wisdom, moreover, tells us | | | | substance." He also considered the material world to |
| that the immaterial man is constituted of various | | | | be,"a divine dream, from which we may presently |
| principles each having their own particular function. The | | | | awake to the glories and certainties of day."Science |
| highest principle within the microcosm of man is the | | | | informs us that nothing is destroyed. That matter is just |
| Atma, or according to others, the Paratman.In the | | | | energy possessing a certain structure and |
| Bhagavad Gita, the microcosm is represented by | | | | magnetic-field. It is acknowledged that everything in |
| Krishna, Arjuna, the carriage, and the horses. Krishna is | | | | existence is made up of energy. Now as the |
| the Spirit, the highest aspect of man; Arjuna the | | | | existence of consciousness and a sense of self are |
| evolving soul; the carriage the mind; and the horses the | | | | undeniable, they should be thought of as indestructible |
| senses. Graphically five horses are often represented. | | | | as well, for Science has already implied the idea in its |
| They represent the senses of man through which the | | | | equations. So why then does Science not accept the |
| vital force escapes and runs uncontrolled. In yoga and | | | | possible existence of disembodied consciousness--the |
| esoteric practices the senses are subdued so that the | | | | soul?--because it cannot be perceived? Quiet an |
| vital force may be directed within to awaken the | | | | absurdity, really--even while embodied the Self cannot |
| sluggish Arjuna. Krishna is the guide that assists Arjuna | | | | be seen. Can you see your Self?From whence does |
| in this project.ANCIENT BELIEFSAs we mentioned | | | | the sense of self-identity come? It seems that |
| before, the belief in the survival of the soul after death | | | | mainstream science is still a long way in finding this one |
| goes way back to the earliest development of | | | | out. However, new paradigms are being formulated by |
| humankind. Primitive Neanderthal tribes, for instance, | | | | open-minded scientists who are now considering the |
| would bury food, tools, and weapons along with the | | | | world-view of eastern mystics in conjunction with the |
| corpses of their departed in order to provide them | | | | new developments and discoveries in the field of |
| with the bare necessities in the afterlife. This custom | | | | physics and psychology. The theories of quantum |
| still survive in some cultures and is a clear indication | | | | physics and transpersonal psychology are closing the |
| that not only is soul survival believed in but that the | | | | gap between essential religion and conventional |
| afterlife as a continuation of the sort of life lived in the | | | | science. Regarding the mystery of the Self in relation |
| physical world is likewise presumed.Animism was the | | | | to the brain we are reminded of the words of the |
| prevailing belief among prehistoric man. Everything was | | | | researcher and scientist George Buletza who said in |
| considered alive and pervaded with a soul-force that | | | | the Rosicrucian Digest (Sept. 1983) that,"Rather than |
| even gave inanimate objects a consciousness and an | | | | the brain producing Self, it is the other way around. The |
| intelligence of some kind. Stars in particular were | | | | brain is a product of Self, of Being ever striving to be. |
| believed to be souls long dead and living in heaven. To | | | | The brain is the incredibly fine instrument created by |
| the primitive mind, the sky or firmaments were | | | | Self in the process of expressing its own nature . . ."It |
| considered to be heaven, just as hell was thought to lie | | | | has been observed in many laboratory experiments all |
| beneath the earth.That the soul "resided" and | | | | over the world that human consciousness reveals an |
| functioned in the physical body, a location was sought | | | | ability to extend itself beyond the boundaries of the |
| for its residence. Some believed the heart to be the | | | | brain and body, that somehow it may perceive or |
| organ of the soul, others pointed to the head. Some | | | | influence events at distant places. Such mental |
| primitive cultures thought that the blood was the | | | | activities suggests to some scientific observers that |
| vehicle of the soul--that the blood carried | | | | consciousness may exist independent of the corporeal |
| soul-substances to every part of the body. The | | | | form.Many branches of science such as physics, |
| demon Mephistopheles in a play written by Goethe | | | | psychology, astrophysics, and biology, are investigating |
| (1749-1832) declares the blood to be a "curious thing." | | | | the soul, and each has their own particular methods of |
| The belief that the blood is the vehicle of the soul is | | | | inquiry. Perhaps the most important branch of science |
| not without foundation, however. If the soul in this | | | | that has been developed in recent times, relatively |
| context is considered to be the life-force, prana, chi, or | | | | speaking, is |
| even oxygen, one can only surmise how the primitive | | | | parapsychology.ParapsychologyParapsychology is that |
| mind intuited this scientific fact. Scientifically, it has been | | | | branch of science that studies the nature of psychic or |
| noticed that blood-transfusion often causes a | | | | paranormal phenomena. Its scope of investigation |
| temporary change in character in the person receiving | | | | covers a wide range of subjects: for instance, ESP, |
| the donor's blood. Could it be that blood is impregnated | | | | hauntings, poltergeist activity, Near-Death Experience, |
| with one's soul-characteristics? As the blood was | | | | Out-of-the-Body Experience, UFOs, Strange |
| associated with the soul, many primitive tribes such as | | | | Creatures, Weird Phenomena, etc. There are now |
| the Scythians evolved the custom of drinking the blood | | | | many institutes investigating, studying, and teaching this |
| of their enemies or victims in order to absorb their | | | | branch of science. The word "parapsychologist" is |
| courage, strength, power, and abilities. The custom of | | | | often misunderstood. Many people seem to think that |
| forming blood-brothers is also based upon the belief in | | | | being a parapsychologist is synonymous to being |
| the importance of the blood as related to the soul, and | | | | psychic. This is erroneous. A psychic may not be a |
| its transcendence over fleshly ties. Members forming | | | | parapsychologist, and vice versa. A psychic is |
| blood-brothers would drink the blood of fellow | | | | someone who perceives impressions through higher |
| members thus forming a soul-bond overriding the | | | | senses not ordinarily registered by the physical senses. |
| normal flesh-and-blood relationships.The ancients often | | | | Psychics may not generally understand the |
| depicted the soul as a bird often human headed, | | | | impressions that they register, and may simply believe |
| perhaps referring to its ability to fly. The Aztecs, | | | | and be fooled by illusions and appearances. A |
| ancient Greeks and Egyptians among the many | | | | parapsychologist seeks to understand unusual |
| ancient races, for instance, often portrayed the souls | | | | phenomena through scientific analysis, and by using |
| of their dead in murals and pottery as a winged bird | | | | empirical methods with the aid of carefully devised |
| taking flight from its lifeless corpse. Eagles, hawks, | | | | instruments. A mystically inclined metaphysician, on the |
| doves, peacocks and phoenixes were often used to | | | | other-hand, basically strives to understand phenomena |
| represent the soul.Not only the head, heart, and blood | | | | with the aid of his intellect, intuition, and other higher |
| were believed to be the seat of the soul, but likewise | | | | faculties. The parapsychologist's basic methods are |
| the breath. Believing that the breath is associated with | | | | three-dimensional, the psychic's four-dimensional, and |
| the soul and life, the aborigines of Papua New Guinea | | | | the mystic-metaphysician's, five-dimensional, or even |
| would breathe through tubes into effigies of their | | | | higher.To illustrate the difference between a |
| forefathers in order to confer a certain vitality to their | | | | paranormal and a metaphysician's understanding of |
| departed souls. This is a magical practice based on the | | | | phenomena, we will just illustrate one out of many. As |
| law of similarity. Many tribal cultures practiced the | | | | an example, supposing a psychic were to receive |
| placement of obstructions in the nostrils of their dying | | | | impressions of an impending disaster, he would |
| ones as a last effort to saving their lives. This they | | | | consider it to be truth and proclaim it to others. He |
| believe would effectively prevent the soul from | | | | would make all sorts of predictions anent the |
| escaping and causing the death of the body.It is | | | | impressions that was registered in his mind. He would |
| believed among ancient and savage people that the | | | | consider it as a revelation of God.The metaphysician |
| soul being associated with the life force, illnesses or | | | | on the other hand, knowing Cosmic and natural laws, |
| feebleness of the physical body are caused by the | | | | understands the impressions received to possibly be |
| escape of the soul from the gross form. In extreme | | | | thought-forms-mind creations of fearful beings. Man |
| cases the soul force was "captured" by some evil | | | | radiates thoughts, and these thoughts, perhaps without |
| spirit and it was the task of the shaman, the tribal | | | | a basis of truth, are received by psychics. The |
| witch-doctor to recapture the soul and restore it to the | | | | unfortunate thing in all of this is that thoughts are |
| corporeal body. The ability of the shaman to dissociate | | | | creative. What we habitually think about with intense |
| his incorporeal aspect from the gross form supposedly | | | | emotion have a tendency to materialize. So dire |
| facilitated this sort of work.The Ancients' concept of | | | | predictions often come true; however it does not have |
| the soul has evolved throughout the ages, and even | | | | to be. We have to learn to eliminate fear. When |
| now our scientific understanding is constantly in a state | | | | psychics make predictions they are instilling and |
| of change. Our conceptions regarding the soul is | | | | intensifying fear among the masses. Now this is a |
| associated with our various notions regarding God. As | | | | vicious cycle. When people are made fearful by |
| man evolves so does his awareness of the soul and | | | | psychics they begin to imagine more catastrophic |
| his Source. Man has formed many ideas regarding the | | | | horrors and these thoughts radiate out again to |
| nature of his creator. In this context it can be seen that | | | | susceptible psychics who repeat the whole procedure |
| the phrase, "God creates man, and man creates God" | | | | over again. The momentum eventually grows until it |
| has a basis in truth.Among the ancient cultures, the | | | | manifests physically.However, let us not digress too far |
| Egyptians and Hindus were the most advanced in their | | | | and return to our subject: Parapsychology has |
| understanding of the soul. We in particular refer to their | | | | established various avenues of research for |
| mystics, hierophants, and sages. They regarded man | | | | determining the reality of the soul and the survival of |
| as a microcosm with many aspects, both material and | | | | personal consciousness. Although the results of their |
| incorporeal, with each aspect having its own function | | | | research are inconclusive by the standards of |
| to play in the life and destiny of the soul. Their many | | | | mainstream science, parapsychologists have been |
| teachings live on today in contemporary | | | | successful in acquiring evidence and vital knowledge |
| metaphysico-occult philosophy. The ancient Greek | | | | that when analyzed seemingly validates the age-old |
| philosophers and sages such as Thales, Plato and | | | | belief in the existence of the soul and its survival of |
| Pythagoras derived much of their occult knowledge | | | | bodily death. Nevertheless, parapsychologists have |
| from these wise priests of the Orient.SCIENTIFIC | | | | formulated various theories as to their findings, not all |
| VIEWSAlong the scientific vein, certain schools of | | | | of which aligns with the traditional view of the soul. It is |
| thought believe the self or ego to be a by-product of a | | | | also important to note that the term "soul" is rarely |
| brain function, and yet what gives rise to this function is | | | | used in mainstream science or parapsychology. The |
| not known, and only given an educational guess. The | | | | terms "mind," "consciousness," and "personality" are |
| section of the brain that "causes" a sense of self is | | | | often used instead. |
| likewise not yet discovered. This concept of the "brain | | | | |
