Observations placeholder

The Mystical Life - J H M Whiteman

Before 1925 I had experienced two obscure full separations, barely recognized as such. During the next five years … a certain number of lower-type full separations occurred, as well as initiatory experiences not going as far as full separation. In the following seven months full separations gave place entirely to other means of knowledge…...

In opening, one perceives objectively non-physical phenomena as from the physical body. This shades into various kinds of half-separation and liberation, in which the division between physical observer and non-physical phenomena is transcended, so that to some extent it appears that we are quite naturally in the same world with the non-physical phenomena, though a full separation has not taken place.

In the case of half-separation, we think we are normally awake in the physical body, until forced to realize that there are small differences of situation between the body we are in and the physical one. Consciousness seems entirely in the partly separated body.

In the case of liberation, the physical body seems awake and yet our consciousness is almost exclusively in another body possessing different features or characteristics. So far as the bodies can be brought into apparent spatial relation, they seem to be more or less coincident in position.

Other worlds and bodies in separation or liberation may be experienced with all fullness of sense, or with an effect of fullness of sense but without a proper power of discerning details, or in a sketchy but nevertheless vividly precise and objective way. As the physical nature is more and more thrown off, our powers of discernment most evidently depend on corresponding developed characteristics or powers of the spirit; so that, for instance, we will not be able to discern even our own limbs (that is, the limbs of our proper separated or liberated body) unless our mind is in some way orientated according to the spiritual significance and archetypal localization of 'limbs'.

Much the same will apply to objects around, such as 'trees' and 'water'.

The remarks just made are, I think, of cardinal importance for the correct understanding of the essential character of experiences in separation or liberation.

Liberation takes on an altogether higher quality if it is brought about by and continues in knowledge of the [Higher spirit]. For then the reality of our inner being, even though not yet properly established, altogether transcends the supposed reality of the physical world which in comparison requires to be called illusory). Such liberation I describe as mystical.   Mystical liberations tend to perpetuate themselves, often for long periods.