1 The Imaginary vs. the Real
When we study Occult Truths and compare with the concepts of modern science, we should not lose sight of the fact that most of these concepts are actually assumptions that are not validated by facts. Black holes, curved space-time, the big-bang, gravitational radiation, magnetic monopoles, the cosmic strings—only to mention a few—are all hypothetical objects conjured up in certain theories. A black hole, for example, implies infinite density and therefore cannot be physically real. It is referred to as a singularity in the theory—something that the theorists recognize as a failure of the theory. However, instead of taking them as pointers to discard the theory in which they occur, the modern theorist continues to subscribe to these concepts. Emotional attachment rather than adherence to fact becomes the driving spirit. Especially when the leading figures in the field patronize these unreal concepts, we tend to imagine that these concepts are valid.
As another example consider the General Theory of Relativity. Einstein takes gravitational field as identical to acceleration field. In the case of uniform fields this does not give rise to any difficulty. However, in the case of non-uniform fields, like those of the planets, for example, no amount of mathematical jugglery can create an acceleration field that is identical to the geometry of the gravitational field. It is this geometrical difficulty that made Einstein adopt the idea that space is curved. Since he could not produce the required curved acceleration field from a Euclidean frame of reference (space), and could do so only from a non-Euclidean frame (space), Einstein assumed that space is curved. It has never been independently verified whether space could be curved, or how mass engenders this curvature.
2 The General Theory
The fact is that we do not have a general theory of physics. A general theory is one that explains all physical phenomena from the atomic to the astronomical, encompassing them in a single cogent structure and does not contain ad hoc assumptions. The fact that we do not have a single theory, but only a collection of individual theories, goes to show that the basic concepts of these individual theories are not right. Therefore attempts to understand the occult truths from the points of view of these concepts—which are only provisional working hypotheses—cannot lead us to Truth but only speculations unlimited.
The emergence of the first truly general theory, namely, the Reciprocal System of Theory created by Dewey B. Larson should be of immense interest to all the seekers of Truth. The conclusions of the Reciprocal System are factually verified in all the domains of physics and astronomy. It must be noted that there cannot be more than one correct general theory. Imagine a single sentence of coded message. Creating a physical theory of limited applicability is like finding the key to the code. If the message is short it is quite possible to come up with more than one unique key, resulting in alternative meanings to the code. Now the creation of a general theory is like finding the key to a very long sentence—say, an entire book—in code. The probability of the existence of an alternative key that makes the entire book still intelligible would be zero. Thus we can see that once we have a valid general theory then it would be the general theory.
3 The New Paradigm
Since we can convert matter into radiation (as in the atomic bomb) or radiation into matter (as in the atom-smashing machines) neither matter nor radiation would qualify as the basic constituent of the physical universe. The Reciprocal System shows this basic constituent is MOTION, or speed, that is, a quantity of space divided by a quantity of time. It demonstrates that all physical phenomena—particles, gravitation, radiation, electricity, magnetism, etc.—are different forms of motion. All previous thinking envisaged the physical universe as a universe of matter, embedded in a background of space and time. Even those iconoclastic thinkers, like Hobbes and Eddington, who attempted to construct a theory of universe of motion, still imagined the basic units (namely, the units of motion) to be embedded in a background of space and time. Now the great contribution of the Reciprocal System is the finding that, since space-time is motion, it cannot be a container to itself. It rather constitutes the content of the universe. This is the new Paradigm engendered by the Reciprocal System.
To the present scientist all that exists in the universe exists in space and in time. Anything that does not fit into this assumption is regarded by him as either non-existent or as non-scientific. This is the basis of scientific materialism. The Reciprocal System recognizes the true status of space and time as the contents of the universe and not the background or the container. It thus removes all the impediments for the scientific consideration of the metaphysical and the parapsychological phenomena.
It might be worth-mentioning that the senses of vision and touch, to a great extent, foster this ‘container viewpoint’ of space and time. The developments in the field of Virtual Reality bring home this point very dramatically. By presenting computer-generated visual images to the eyes, and touch sensations through ‘intelligent’ hand gloves, the illusion of solid objects extended in space, of motion through space, and of reality in general could be created. The new Paradigm enjoins us not envision Reality as contained in space and time. To relinquish this long-standing habit of imagining everything in a setting of space and time is one of the most difficult tasks to accomplish.
4 The Symmetry and the Reciprocity
The Reciprocal System finds that space and time are the two reciprocal aspects of motion, and have symmetrical properties. Time is three-dimensional as space is, and space too continuously expands or progresses as time does. The Secret Doctrine, indeed, teaches that “Space is all that exists. The universe does not expand into a pre-existing space… It is space which expands.”
In the local environment the inward motion we call gravitation counter-balances the outward progression of space. However, at large distances from our Galaxy where gravitation becomes negligible, we do observe the space progression as the recession of the galactic systems from each other. Conventional cosmology mistakenly attributes the galactic recession to a purely hypothetical ‘Big-Bang.’
Regarding the multi-dimensionality of time, one recalls that C.W. Leadbeater does refer to this in his little book The Monad. He mentions that time has at least three dimensions as far as his clairvoyance could show.
Since a universe of motion cannot exist without the existence of motion, UNIT SPEED, which is the minimum that can exist, is the neutral state of the universe. Unit speed, and not zero speed, is the condition of rest in the universe. Even in the state of Pralaya this perpetual motion at unit speed exists. Manifestation begins when the speed deviates either downward, or upward, from unity.
In view of the reciprocal relation between space and time, we discover that, in addition to the sector of the physical universe we know of, there is another sector—the cosmic sector—purely physical, but with the roles of space and time interchanged. While our sector—the material sector—is apparently set in three-dimensional space, the cosmic sector is set in three-dimensional time. While in the material sector purely mechanistic systems run down from order to disorder (or less order), the inverse is true in the cosmic sector (see Appendix). As a consequence, when a control unit belonging to the cosmic sector takes hold of the mechanical arrangement of organic molecules, the Living Cell comes into being. This control unit called Life, insofar as it pertains to the cosmic sector, seems to us as a mode of motion in time. Recall from the Mahatma Letters: “…try and imagine… life apart from organism, and what remains of it? Simply a mode of motion; which, unless our doctrine of the all-pervading, infinite, omnipresent Life is accepted… has to remain unsolved.” The Reciprocal System now provides us with a logical possibility of extending the study of physical systems to biological systems.
5 Beyond Space and Time
There are other significant conclusions following from the understanding of the true nature of space and time given to us by the Reciprocal System. Possibility of the existence of universes of motion not limited to three dimensions is the first one. Possibility of existences not limited to the physical type is the next important conclusion. There could be motion other than space-time-like. In this comprehensive sense motion encompasses consciousness and intelligence in general. Larson calls this the Metaphysical Sector. In his book Beyond Space and Time, posthumously published, Larson discusses how this view leads us to a scientific understanding of the why and the how of Ethics and also the so-called paranormal phenomena. While the control units pertaining to Life, like the ones controlling the individual cells, the Group Souls etc. belong to the Cosmic Sector, those pertaining to awareness and intelligence, like the Egos, the Monads etc. belong to the Metaphysical Sector. In view of the fact that the latter sector is totally beyond space and time, the common concepts of plurality and distinction do not apply to the structures of this sector in exactly the same manner in which they apply to the structures of the physical plane.
6 Non-locality
One of the most baffling concepts of the Quantum Theory is that of non-locality. Particles seem to have a group behavior while spatially unconnected in certain phenomena like Superconductivity and Ferromagnetism. When we consider distances of the size of atoms, particles do not seem to exist at any distinct locations. In the Reciprocal System non-locality arises out of the quantization of space, time and speed. While the speeds in the Material Sector range from zero to unity (which is identified as the speed of light), in the Cosmic Sector the inverse is true, that is, the possible inverse speeds range from unity to infinity. Therefore, while the origin (that is, the fixed location) of our conventional three-dimensional spatial reference frame is at zero speed, the origin of the three-dimensional temporal reference frame of the Cosmic Sector is at zero inverse speed, which is tantamount to infinite speed from our reckoning, and consequently appears non-local. Whenever we come across phenomena in which motion in time (not time travel) occurs, as in the examples cited above, non-locality makes its appearance.
7 Emergent Evolution and Implicate Order
The Reciprocal System also enlightens us on a controversial aspect of evolution of biological life and intelligence. It reconciles causality with spontaneity and creativity. Since in the Material Sector of the universe a given set of causes mechanistically gives rise to the same consequences, we need to abandon strict causality if we have to leave room for spontaneous creative emergence. But since we recognize that the control units pertaining to life and intelligence pertain to the Cosmic and the Metaphysical Sectors, which are ipso facto beyond our conventional spatio-temporal reference frames, the conventional view of causality does not apply to them. It applies only to the material structures. Thus while it is possible for strict causality to exist in the material organization, there is total freedom for creation of new life forms and emergent intelligence. Implicate order seems to emerge from entropy-dominated material systems since these are the ones directly accessible to physical observations. In reality it stems from the Metaphysical Sector.
8 The Holistic Universe
We have mentioned earlier that in living systems material aggregates are under the control of units pertaining to the Cosmic Sector. Insofar as the latter pertain to the Cosmic Sector the control appears non-local. The phenomenon apparently resembles that of holography wherein the information pertaining to any location in space seems to be present at all locations.
By showing the inapplicability of the container viewpoint to living and intelligent systems, the Reciprocal System cuts the ground under materialism. In the Metaphysical Sector of the universe whole is not just a sum of parts as it is in the Material Sector. It is a gross mistake to envision the Laws of the Metaphysical Sector as identical to those of the Material Sector. Once we succeed in emancipating from the container viewpoint we regain the Holistic perspective that is characteristic of the Metaphysical Sector. Unity of Life, Brotherhood and Love turn out to be the natural outcome of such realization.
9 Appendix
The two motions that govern the universe are the ever-present space-time progression, and the gravitation. The space-time progression is always outward. This manifests as a continuous outward expansion of space coupled with an outward progression of time. On the other hand, the natural direction of gravitation is inward as it opposes the progression. In the Material Sector it acts inward in space, gathering matter into aggregates. In the Cosmic Sector gravitation still acts inward, but it is inward in time! Thus the structures of the Cosmic Sector move inward in time (while those of the Material Sector move outward in time). We see in such a situation apparently more order coming out of less order in a natural manner.