(1) |
There is a dissociation of thought from both the emotions and all bodily sensations. There is a complete loss of awareness of all incoming sensory information from the environment. The mind feels detached from the body and the body's senses. |
(2) |
There is a total focus of attention and of all mental operations on the special kinds of thoughts, a focus not achievable during ordinary consciousness. |
(3) |
Insights and enlightenments may be experienced that usually do not occur in ordinary consciousness, and that are intensified to such an extent that one could never otherwise hope to fully appreciate them in an entire lifetime. |
(4) |
There is a subsequent usefulness of the insights both to the individual and/or to society. |
(5) |
There is the sensation or perception of being an integral part of the essential nature of the universe.40 |
William James stated in 1929, "This overcoming of all the usual barriers between the individual and the Absolute is the great mystic achievement. In mystic states we both become one with the Absolute and we become aware of our oneness. This is the everlasting and triumphant mystical tradition, hardly altered by differences of clime or creed.".41...There is the feeling that "all is one.".42
From my own perspective, there is also the perception of omniscience as reflecting a state of mind where one believes oneself to have virtually complete understanding of reality--"all the puzzle pieces fit." There isn't any question that one can ask oneself for which one doesn't have an immediate answer that perceptually agrees with every bit of knowledge that one possesses. There are no contradictions or paradoxes and there are no doubts. Whether or not there is any reality to this perception of omniscience is definitely arguable; however, it is an undeniable component of a peak experience.
It apparently doesn't matter what factors enter into producing the peak or quintessential experience. It would seem that the result is essentially identical in all respects. Aldous Huxley and John Blofeld have described the similarity between satori achieved after years of training, the tantric Buddhist tradition and the mescaline experience. They were virtually the same.43
The field of holography has provided one possible model of the fundamental unity of all things as perceived during peak experience. This model suggests that every separate thing may contain a photograph-like image of the entire universe, some much more detailed than others. The human brain may very well work on this principle. As more information is stored in a brain, its ability to conceive an image or thought comes closer to approaching reality. Our holographic minds all share common perceptions which are virtually universal in scope. The more detail in which a mind is programmed with accurate information, the more accurate is its concept of reality. This is similar to the holographic image which is fuzzy and indistinct when only a small part of an interference pattern is projected, as compared to a highly resolved image when the entire interference pattern is used.
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