1984 10 00 Journal of Humanistic Psychology - Vol 24 No 4 - Lane

Magazine Overview

This document is an excerpt from the *Journal of Humanistic Psychology*, Volume 24, Number 4, published in Fall 1984 by the Association for Humanistic Psychology. The article, titled "THE HIMALAYAN CONNECTION: UFOs and the Chandian Effect," is authored by David Christopher Lane, who teaches at the University of California, San Diego, and is known for his work on spiritual movements and Indian philosophy.

Article Summary: "THE HIMALAYAN CONNECTION: UFOs and the Chandian Effect"

The article addresses the problem of classifying unidentified flying object (UFO) sighting reports, arguing that the current approach lumps together diverse phenomena including psychological, sociological, and religious experiences. To rectify this, the author proposes a tripartite classification system based on the work of Pandit Faqir Chand and Ken Wilber. This system divides UFO reports into three categories:

1. Translative: Experiences that are empirical and scientifically verifiable, involving natural phenomena that are yet to be correctly identified. This is the focus of much traditional UFO research, which attempts to find rational, explainable paradigms, often assuming extraterrestrial origins.
2. Transformative: Experiences that are mental-subtle or related to altered states of consciousness. These are often perceived as intensely real by the experiencer but may be dismissed by science as hallucinations or neurological misfirings.
3. Transfusive: A fusion of translative and transformative experiences, where empirical and mental-subtle modes of knowledge intersect. This category acknowledges the complexity of experiences that blend subjective and objective elements.

The author begins with a prologue recounting an experience in July 1978 in Old Delhi, India. While on the roof of a monastery with architect Jean Lyotard, they discussed astronomy and exobiology. Lyotard shared his belief in UFOs and claimed personal contact with extraterrestials, describing a beautiful being who pointed to the sky. Shortly after, they witnessed several star-like lights maneuvering in the sky, which Lyotard identified as UFOs. This experience, along with the author's research on the Radhasoami tradition and his visit to the 92-year-old sage Faqir Chand in the Himalayas, led to the development of the article's central thesis.

Faqir Chand, a master of Shabd Yoga, had a pivotal experience during World War One where his guru, Shiv Brat Lal, manifested to him on a battlefield, providing guidance that saved his troops. This event led Faqir Chand to conclude that such phenomena are rooted in the nature of consciousness itself, rather than external forces. He articulated that individuals' experiences are shaped by their own impressions, suggestions, faith, and belief, and that the perceived helpers are manifestations of one's own Self.

The article introduces the "Chandian Effect," named after Faqir Chand, which describes the experience of certainty that makes us perceive the world as real. It posits that our perception is not a direct reflection of reality but is filtered through our neurological structures and subjective experiences. The Chandian Effect is crucial in distinguishing reality from appearance and is a propelling force in how we construct our daily lives. Breaks in this effect can cause our normal waking state to collapse, similar to dreams.

Consciousness, according to the author, develops along two avenues: translation and transformation. Translation is akin to moving within a single floor of a building (a given state of awareness), while transformation is moving to a different floor (a new state of awareness). Transfusion is the intersection of these two, where consciousness may partially remain in a lower order while moving to a higher one. This complexity can lead to confusion, especially when reductionist paradigms attempt to explain phenomena solely through empirical or materialist lenses.

The article then elaborates on the three proposed categories:

• Translation (Fusion: Empirically Verifiable): These are perceptions of natural phenomena within consensus reality that are not yet correctly named or identified. The author suggests that many UFO sightings are likely misidentified natural phenomena like satellites, meteorites, or weather balloons, though empirical data could potentially support extraterrestrial encounters.
• Transformation (Diffusion: Experientially Verifiable Through Consciousness): This category encompasses vivid personal encounters with beings perceived as extraterrestrial. The author notes that science often struggles to explain these, classifying them as hallucinations or neurological issues, thereby reducing them to an empirical-sensory model. This reductionism is seen as misleading and constricting.

The author critiques the limitations of reductionism, using the analogy of understanding a novel. Just as one cannot grasp the full meaning of a novel by examining individual letters, one cannot understand complex experiences by reducing them to their smallest components. The truth of the mental-symbolic sphere, while non-empirical, is established through intersubjective discussion.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this article are the nature of consciousness, perception, and reality, particularly as they relate to unexplained phenomena like UFOs and religious visions. The author advocates for a more nuanced, non-reductionistic approach to studying these experiences, emphasizing the role of subjective certainty (the Chandian Effect) and the interplay between empirical data and inner experience. The editorial stance, as reflected in the *Journal of Humanistic Psychology*, appears to be one that values interdisciplinary approaches, including those from psychology, philosophy, and spiritual traditions, to understand the full spectrum of human experience.

This document, comprising pages 85-89 of a publication titled 'UFOs and the Chandian Effect,' authored by David Christopher Lane, explores the complex nature of UFO encounters through the lens of consciousness studies and transpersonal psychology. The articles discuss the limitations of exclusive empiricism and introduce concepts like 'transfusion,' 'translation,' and 'transformation' to categorize and understand these experiences. The publication date is indicated as March 6, 2015, based on the download timestamp.

Empiricism and Transrational Experiences

David Christopher Lane begins by critiquing exclusive empiricism as a reductionistic approach that strips higher levels of being of their meaning and value. He argues, following Ken Wilber, that UFO encounters can be 'trans-formative' and symbolic, emerging from a separate ontological ground of consciousness. Just as a dreamer cannot bring the substance of a dream into the waking world, a UFO contactee experiences symbols that may not have empirical proof but are deeply meaningful.

Transfusion: The Intersection of Translation with Transformation

The concept of 'transfusion' is presented as the third category, representing the intersection of translation (rational explanation) with transformation (a profound shift in consciousness). Lane suggests that the often mixed-up and irrational nature of UFO reports stems from this fusion. An example is given from the ABC news show '20/20,' which attempted to explain a young man's close encounter. The report showed an underground vault emitting electrical light that formed apparitions, which, upon striking the man, may have caused a temporary alteration in his cerebral cortex, leading to a hallucination described as a 'UFO abduction.' While scientists offered rational explanations, the contactee, having undergone a transformative experience, could not easily accept them. This 'con-fusion' of rational and transformative elements is seen as a reason for the perceived strangeness of many UFO encounters.

Distinguishing Prerational and Transrational States

It is emphasized that a nonrational UFO contact does not automatically equate to a transrational experience. Drawing on Wilber, the distinction is made between prerational states (archaic, magical, mythic) and transrational states (psychic, subtle, causal). The article posits that some UFO encounters might involve a regression from rationality into subconscious or prepersonal states, possibly triggered by physiological or translative elements. Carl Jung's work on UFOs as manifestations of the Collective Unconscious is mentioned, but Jung is noted for not clearly differentiating between prerational and transrational archetypes.

A Critical Structuralism for UFO Studies

Lane advocates for investigating nonrational experiences with critical structuralism and empathetic phenomenological hermeneutics. He proposes a 'hierarchical structuralism' for UFO studies, similar to Ken Wilber's approach to religious phenomena. This is necessary because UFOs are viewed not just as extraterrestrial spacecraft but as a complex array of psychological, sociological, and religious phenomena, requiring a 'transcendental sociology.' This approach aims to avoid materialistic reductionism and uncritical phenomenological interpretations.

The Chandian Effect and Consciousness Evolution

The concept of the 'Chandian Effect' is introduced, which involves questioning or transcending certainty boundaries, revealing the tentative nature of existence and an ascendant ontology marked by increasing awareness. The author reflects on personal experiences, including an event atop Sawan Ashram in Old Delhi, India, which he suggests was a translative event with naturalistic explanations. In contrast, experiences of Jean Lyotard in Southern France and Faqir Chand in Basra, Baghdad, are described as transformative, involving higher states of awareness. The real mystery, according to Lane, lies not in alien beings but in the nature of attention and how consciousness evolves through its boundary thresholds.

Conclusion and Tripartite Classification System

The conclusion summarizes the utility of the proposed classification system. It allows for distinguishing natural occurrences from transmundane apparitions, searching for authentic translative encounters from extraterrestrial life forms, and developing a state-of-consciousness-specific understanding of UFOs. The system, detailed in Table 1, classifies UFO experiences into three categories:

• Translative (Horizontal): Primarily empirical-sensory understanding, with major causes like mis-identification of natural occurrences. Materialistic explanations focus on natural phenomena, while transpersonal explanations refer to natural-empiric phenomena.
• Transformative (Vertical): Experiential-mental-subtle understanding, involving different states of consciousness (regressive or progressive). Major causes include transference of attention or altered states. Materialistic explanations focus on brain functions like dreaming or chemical imbalances, while transpersonal explanations involve psychic/subtle states.
• Transfusive (Intersectional): Empirical/Experiential fusion, involving a blend of natural and psychic/subtle modes. Major causes are bio-chemical alternations or accidents affecting the central nervous system. Materialistic explanations focus on external stimuli influencing body chemistry, while transpersonal explanations involve the intersection of natural-empiric forms with psychic-subtle modes or magic-mythic manifestations.

Lane concludes that the problem in UFO studies has often been one of 'misidentified' phenomena rather than 'unidentified' ones.

References

The document includes an extensive list of references, primarily citing works by Ken Wilber, Carl Jung, Jacques Vallee, and others in the fields of psychology, consciousness studies, and parapsychology. David Christopher Lane is listed as the author and editor for several entries, including one on the work of Baba Faqir Chand.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes are the nature of consciousness, the limitations of empirical evidence, the interpretation of anomalous experiences (specifically UFO encounters), and the development of a more comprehensive framework for understanding reality that includes transpersonal and transformative dimensions. The editorial stance is critical of purely materialistic or reductionistic viewpoints, advocating for a more nuanced, multi-layered approach that acknowledges the subjective and symbolic aspects of human experience, particularly in the context of UFO phenomena. The work champions a 'transcendental sociology' and a 'hierarchical structuralism' as essential tools for advancing UFO studies beyond mere identification of objects to understanding the underlying consciousness processes.