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Internet Book of Shadows, (Various Authors), [1999], at sacred-texts.com


 
           
 
                                ON THE NATURE OF THE AETHER 
              
                                      by: Anthra Andromda 
              
              
              
              
             [1]  The Anahat Shabd, the "soundless sound", is the subtlest element of  all.  It
             is the etheric essence, finer than earth, air, water, or fire,  beyond the speed of
             light... all pervasive, the source of cohesion, of electricity, of magnetism and
             gravitation, of all that exists.  
                        
             The modern physicist E.C.G. Sudarshan has described the etheric essence of the
             Anahat Shabd in scientific terms as follows:  
              
                       "The ether as superfluid is consistent with relativity and quantum theory. 
             It is the support of all light, in it all bodies exist,it is attached to none, it is
             ever present beyond the limitations of time and space.  It has no inertial
             qualities, no interactions, yet it is the very substance of illumination." 
                            E.C.G. Sudarshan (preprint, University of Texas, 1974) 
              
             Such is the Eastern view of the aether, in the west it has been given the following
             definition: 
              
             1. An imaginary substance regarded by ancients as filling all space and making up
             the stars, etc.  
              
             2. In physics, as a hypothetical, invisible substance, postulated as 
             pervading space and serving as the medium for the transmission of light and other
             energies. 
              
             This Aether has been theorized and expounded upon by metaphysists for hundreds,
             perhaps thousands of years (I have so far been unable to find the true source of the
             idea). Back in the 1600 there were several Aethers, but around 1638, Rene' Descartes
             postulated a single Aether that was "all-pervasive". 
              
             As recently as a hundred years ago this idea was quite popular, though now it is
             dismised by science, or at least most of science. There are now several physists who
             are beginning to develop theories about the universe that look for all the world
             like theories of the Aether, though, they are using different names for the very
             ideas that the ancient metaphysists proposed. 
              
              
             Consider these two exerpts from papers written by modern physists. They are  
             going to describe two "fields" that exist in their theories, and are in all  
             likelyhood what the ancients called; the Aether. 
               
             [2]    Space is filled  with  an  energy field, the energy concentration of which is
             extremely large (for the  layman,  the energy field in this lecture room could
             correspond to the energy of several bombs.) 
 
 
                                                                                            1817
           
 
 
             
                  This energy field  has  little  to  do with light  energy  or  solar energy,
             and instead  is  called the GRAVITON FIELD, TACHYON FIELD or NEUTRINO FIELD. 
               
                    There are two essential models of imagination for this field and the tachyon. 
             We are either dealing with  EXTREMELY  SHORT  WAVES  which possess VERY HIGH  ENERGY 
             electromagnetic  radiation,   or  we  are dealing with very  small  energy  units 
             which  display  a PULSATING BEHAVIOR which, in turn, determines their energy. 
               
                                                  [...] 
               
                    The majority of  them  (tachyons)  may  remain relatively stationary (these
             are called  BRADYONS)  and   because   of  their  OSCILLATORY BEHAVIOR (Prof. Seike
             calls it "trembling motion"        [Zitterbewegung]), they HAVE A GREAT AMOUNT OF
             ENERGY. 
               
                    This means that  ALL MATTER is immersed in an EXTREMELY DENSE ENERGY FIELD
             which we cannot percieve. 
               
               
               -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                    Vangard note... 
               
                        Think of the Bradyon field in  its continuous jiggle as having a
             composition similar to syrup.  Rapidly moving Tachyons can  be thought of as water
             or gas. 
               
                        Comparison of  the  flow  speed  of the two fields shows how the Bradyon
             field could "sustain" the holographic (3d) image of the universe in a matrix of
             living energy. 
               
                        This opens up very interesting concepts relating  to Sheldrake's
             Morphogenetic Fields and Burrs' Electrodynamic Fields of Life. 
               
                    -------------------------------------------------------
               
               
             [3]                       QUANTUM MAGIC 
               
               
             REALITY AS DESCRIBED BY QUANTUM MECHANICS 
               
             In quantum mechanics, reality is described by waves defining the 
             probabilities of different outcomes from the same interactions. These waves manifest
             as what we have been taught to call matter, energy, particles, and/or waves when
             observed. 
               
             These probability waves overlap and continue forever.  The interactions between
             different entities constitute a single structure of linked wave patterns, so that
             the entire universe can be thought of as an unbroken whole. The waves form a matrix,
             with all parts of the system affecting all other parts.  Non-local relationships
             exist between parts of the system that are distant from each other.  It is
             impossible to distinguish two particles of the same type in a region of space in
             which they may be found simultaneously. Particles loose their individual identity in
             such regions.  Thus, the physical universe is fundamentally unified. 
               
                                                  [...] 
               
             SCIENTIFIC THEORY 
 
 
                                                                                            1818
           
 
             
           Mr. Walker's ideas and equations would only be hypotheses if it weren't for the fact
             that they have been tested experimentally and found to predict the results of
             experiments with reasonable accuracy [4].  The evidence meets the usual rules of
             proof for scientific theory, and this makes Walker's equations legitimate scientific
             theory. 
               
             The non-local underlying wave patterns beneath manifestations of matter and energy
             that we hold in common with our surroundings allow us to influence reality and to
             obtain information about it using the power of the mind.  This underlying
             interconnecting pattern is the very stuff of consciousness  and manifests, not only
             as matter & energy, but also as psychokinesis, precognition and other phenomenon
             that are only now beginning to be recognized and embraced by some theories of modern
             physics. 
              
               
                                                  [...] 
               
             Whatever the subtle level of reality underlying matter and energy, we are that
             (including our consciousness).  If hidden variables exist, we are the hidden
             variables.  It has been theorized that consciousness is an inseparable aspect of
             this underlying reality.  When our awareness connects with the deepest layer of
             reality interconnecting everything, we may experience the level of consciousness
             beyond time and form reported by many mystics.  It is this non local structure that
             we share with nature that makes it possible to "attune to nature," to psychically
             participate in nature, and to live in accordance with 
             it. 
               
             What we are usually aware of (normal waking consciousness) is a relatively
             superficial movement in the order of things.  Behind the things we are aware of in
             waking consciousness are a vast array of less strongly linked phenomena.  This
             latter realm is commonly called the unconscious (and parts of it the subconscious). 
             The unconscious is not very accurate, since it forms a kind of ground of conscious-
             ness.  Our awareness can link with this ground of consciousness to gain information
             and to influence events. 
              
                    ------------------------------------------------- 
               
             As may be seen from the two quotations above modern science is developing theories
             that are harmonious with the Thelemic concept of the Universe. True they are using
             different names for the particles and fields, but they are none the less the same. 
               
             It should be noticed in the above that one writer talks about a particle field,
             while the other writes about probability waves. These should not be confused -- it
             is entirely likely that these are one in the same -- much like the photon, which is
             alternately thought of as a particle and a wave -- yet it is still our mundane
             light. 
               
             This Tachyon field is in all likely-hood a field of Hadits -- after all Hadit is
             omnipresent. At any rate this does seem to fit into the current Thelemic and
             Enochian theories of that which underlies reality, and even in the worst case
             science is describing a field of RA-HOOR-KHUITs. This goes a long way to explaining,
             in modern scientific terms, why and how Magick works. 
              
                    --------------------------------------------------------- 
              
             It is Descartes' "All-pervasive Aether" or field of infinitely small particles that
             is becoming known as the Tachyon or neutrino field by modern science. 
              
 
 
                                                                                            1819
           
 
           In the Enochian theories, the universe is filled with a virtually infinite number of
             'infinitely small' points of consciousness, these are known as the 'Monad'. These
             Monads are the very stuff of which all things are made, and are in all likelyhood
             the 'fundimental particle' of modern science. These monads then would also be the
             'unit' particles which make up what the ancients called the aether, since at this
             level they would be indistinguishable from energy. They would also form a great
             'matrix' which would fill the material universe. 
              
             Since these particles are not only infinitely small, but are infinitely close
             together, any action on one given particle would have an effect on ALL others.  As
             was noted above; these particles are 'points' of consciousness. This brings to mind
             statements made by Hermes; The ALL is MIND (or something to that effect). If these
             infinitely small particles are indeed consciousness, then it would follow that the
             All or the Universe is mind. The universe would indeed be a living 'thinking'
             creature in itself -- this idea is consistant with the theories of Enochian Physics. 
              
             But I think I digress. As is pointed out above, modern physics is beginning to
             formulate theories that there is an 'all-pervasive' field or structure that includes
             and penetrates all things. This idea is harmonious with the ancient idea of the
             aether. Science postulates that this 'field' underlies all manifestion, the two
             exerpts above seem to agree on this point, as do the ideas of the aether. It seem to
             follow that the 'waves' that Mr. Cornett speaks of are what 'cause' what we call
             "physical manifestation", and that these waves are caused by mind (did the universe
             litterally 'think' itself into existance?). These waves could also be caused by
             aggreates of monads acting as a unit (the manifestation of an intelligent creature). 
              
                     The possibilities are endless, and all equally valid. So what does all this
             have to do with the price of tea in China? Just this; 
             1. It goes a long way in proving the Thelemic Cosmology, though we Thelemites would
             use different nomenclature. The Ideas of Nuit (infinite space) and Hadit (the
             infinitely small particle which fills and manifests Nuit) are beginning to be
             accepted by modern physics. The conjunction of these infinites, Ra-Hoor-Khuit, any
             and all events occuring within Nuit and Hadit, is therefore a 'given'. 
              
             2. It shows the mechanics of Magick. Since it can be observed that one consciousness
             affects another, it follows that one may affect the entire universe by simply
             'fixing' an idea in their consciousness. This may seem a bit over-simplified...it
             is! The process is not an easy one, however, the rituals and processes that have
             been given us by the ancients do begin to make some sense in the light of modern
             physics. It is these ancient mechanisms that allow us to put our mundane minds into
             the proper 'frame' and therefore 'excite' our consciousness, thus allowing us to
             have a 'physical' effect on 
             or enviroment. 
               
              
             References: 
              
             1.      S.S. Guruka Singh Khalsa, Research Associate 
                     Department of High Energy Physics 
                     Ohio State University 
                     Columbus, Ohio 
              
                     December 13, 1987 
              
             2.      The Symposium on Energy Technology in Hannover 
                     November 27 and 28, 1980 
               
                     Topic of the Symposium (Tachyon Field) 
                     Dr. Hans A. Nieper 
              
 
 
                                                                                            1820
           
 
           3.      AMARANTH  Vol. E.1.1: QUANTUM MAGIC 
                     An Electronic zine by  Larry Cornett   8/22/88 
              
             4.      Evan Harris Walker...Scientst and author. Worked for US Army 
                        Ballistic Research Labs. at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. He is the author
             on several papers and book concerning psychic              and other para-normal
             phenomenon. 
               
              
              
 
 
                                                                                            1821
 


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