When we look at the nature of time in dynamic interactive terms, entailing both external and internal aspects, it necessarily reveals physical and psychic aspects that are complementary in nature.
My first clear realisation of this came from the study of Special Theory of Relativity when it became apparent to me that the physical notions that Einstein outlined had corresponding equivalents in terms of the psychological experience of time.
For example as the speed of light is approached, physical time passes ever more quickly (relative to a static observer). Then eventually at the speed of light, time no longer has a strict meaning, existing within its own frame of reference in the present moment.
Likewise from the complementary spiritual perspective, as one approaches "the speed of light" in an ever more refined nondual contemplative process, time also speeds up (relative to normal dualistic activity). Then in the pure contemplative light (of spiritual union) time loses any strict meaning with only the present moment experienced that is continually renewed.
Indeed this experience in some measure is typical of a couple in love sharing each other's company. So the absence of the consciousness of time is here due to the high level of interdependence in the relationship. This in turn leads to a fusion of the complementary external and internal polarities with respect to time resulting in a shared experience of the present moment!
Likewise from the opposite standpoint of extreme gravity as within a black hole, time in physical terms slows down relative to an outside observer.
Once again there is a direct counterpart in the mystical experience of the "dark night" where experience of time can so greatly slow down that each second can hang on one as an eternity.
As I have written in other places this is often associated with intense feelings of grief (which represents the psychological equivalent of gravity!).
Likewise in common experience, feelings of stress and anxiety are often associated with shifts in the experience of time (whereby one becomes conscious of an acute slowing down in its movement). And this again relates to an intensification of psychological gravity!
In related manner, space has its complementary psychological equivalent.
The track events have just got underway at the London Olympics. One can imagine how the finishing line might feel far away for exhausted athletes trying to hold off competitors in the final sprint for glory. By contrast a golfer when putting high in confidence, might "see" the hole as big as a bucket!
So the qualitative aspect of both space and time arises from this dynamic interaction as between external and internal aspects.
And once again as external and internal aspects characterise everything in nature, this means all phenomenal interactions entail both complementary quantitative and qualitative aspects (with respect to time and space).
I have already quoted in an earlier entry the well-known example given by Einstein when asked to simply illustrate the nature of Relativity:
"When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it seems like two hours that's relativity."
However what I find fascinating about this quote is that it relates to the psychological rather the physical nature of time. Indeed in terms of what I have stated, we can see how Einstein is showing how time speeds up from a psychological perspective in the delightful presence of "a nice girl" while in stark contrast, it slows down dramatically due to the internal psychological gravity induced from touching a hot stove!
So clearly time and space have complementary quantitative (physical) and qualitative (psychological) aspects that apply - by definition - potentially to every phenomenon in nature. However Einsteins Theory of Relativity is geared merely to quantitative explanation of these dimensions (though the quantitative has no strict meaning in the absence of the qualitative). So Einstein's theories are limited in the sense, that in being based on the classical paradigm they mistakenly conceive of the external physical as somehow independent of the internal psychological aspect of reality. And strictly speaking this assumption is untenable!
My first clear realisation of this came from the study of Special Theory of Relativity when it became apparent to me that the physical notions that Einstein outlined had corresponding equivalents in terms of the psychological experience of time.
For example as the speed of light is approached, physical time passes ever more quickly (relative to a static observer). Then eventually at the speed of light, time no longer has a strict meaning, existing within its own frame of reference in the present moment.
Likewise from the complementary spiritual perspective, as one approaches "the speed of light" in an ever more refined nondual contemplative process, time also speeds up (relative to normal dualistic activity). Then in the pure contemplative light (of spiritual union) time loses any strict meaning with only the present moment experienced that is continually renewed.
Indeed this experience in some measure is typical of a couple in love sharing each other's company. So the absence of the consciousness of time is here due to the high level of interdependence in the relationship. This in turn leads to a fusion of the complementary external and internal polarities with respect to time resulting in a shared experience of the present moment!
Likewise from the opposite standpoint of extreme gravity as within a black hole, time in physical terms slows down relative to an outside observer.
Once again there is a direct counterpart in the mystical experience of the "dark night" where experience of time can so greatly slow down that each second can hang on one as an eternity.
As I have written in other places this is often associated with intense feelings of grief (which represents the psychological equivalent of gravity!).
Likewise in common experience, feelings of stress and anxiety are often associated with shifts in the experience of time (whereby one becomes conscious of an acute slowing down in its movement). And this again relates to an intensification of psychological gravity!
In related manner, space has its complementary psychological equivalent.
The track events have just got underway at the London Olympics. One can imagine how the finishing line might feel far away for exhausted athletes trying to hold off competitors in the final sprint for glory. By contrast a golfer when putting high in confidence, might "see" the hole as big as a bucket!
So the qualitative aspect of both space and time arises from this dynamic interaction as between external and internal aspects.
And once again as external and internal aspects characterise everything in nature, this means all phenomenal interactions entail both complementary quantitative and qualitative aspects (with respect to time and space).
I have already quoted in an earlier entry the well-known example given by Einstein when asked to simply illustrate the nature of Relativity:
"When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it seems like two hours that's relativity."
However what I find fascinating about this quote is that it relates to the psychological rather the physical nature of time. Indeed in terms of what I have stated, we can see how Einstein is showing how time speeds up from a psychological perspective in the delightful presence of "a nice girl" while in stark contrast, it slows down dramatically due to the internal psychological gravity induced from touching a hot stove!
So clearly time and space have complementary quantitative (physical) and qualitative (psychological) aspects that apply - by definition - potentially to every phenomenon in nature. However Einsteins Theory of Relativity is geared merely to quantitative explanation of these dimensions (though the quantitative has no strict meaning in the absence of the qualitative). So Einstein's theories are limited in the sense, that in being based on the classical paradigm they mistakenly conceive of the external physical as somehow independent of the internal psychological aspect of reality. And strictly speaking this assumption is untenable!
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