Spiritual Rationality

Likewise, reflect upon the perfection of man's creation, and that all these planes and states are folded up and hidden away within him.

(Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 34)

Many wishing to reform education want to make changes in curriculum, class-size, testing, school hours etc., because these yield quantifiable results that show measureable progress toward some goal, like increased literacy.  Others would start by changing the concept of education to an open classroom or a project-centered education, and the like.  Such changes are deeper and more process oriented, more qualitative than quantitative.  But the fundamental change taking place is before, both in time and importance, either of these.  This change is neither physical nor conceptual.  A seismic shift, a sea-change in consciousness--whatever the metaphor employed to convey something that is felt but not yet understood, because it is going on far “beyond” the level of conscious thought—is occurring that makes much educational reform out of touch.  We are renovating the house, when the ground itself is giving way beneath our feet. 

A new consciousness is needed to see education in a new way.  Entering any new realm of consciousness both requires and brings new perceptions and conceptions that are neither part of nor accessible by a previous level of consciousness.  Ironically, to those in the old consciousness these new perceptions seem out of touch with “reality”, meaning their reality.  Consciousness can only mean consciousness of something(s).  It is not an empty state; one can’t be conscious of nothing.  Hence consciousness and the objects of its perception form a unity in relationship, so that one’s state of being directly perceives realities peculiar to that state.  Once one is in a state of being the knowledge of that state is one with it; they mirror each other.  But getting from state to state is the challenge.    

My perspective is that there are three levels or kinds of consciousness.  As human beings are biologically equipped to perceive the natural world given to their physical senses, and to perceive and engage the world of thought through their mental faculties, such as the aesthetic and logical faculties, they also possess spiritual faculties with which to experience a spiritual world.  Too, as the senses directly perceive the natural world, there being, for example, no visible intermediary between the eye and the physical object, and as the mind directly perceives intellectual realities, so the spiritual faculties, like faith and vision, directly perceive the spiritual world, giving the human being intrinsic relations with the sacred. 

When an inner state is brought forth from potentiality into actuality it is usually felt as a profoundly disruptive experience often called a spiritual, religious or mystical experience, a leap of faith, a new state of mind, an experiencing of the divine or sacred, and many other names.  This experience starts a new consciousness, is the ground of a new rationality.

All change and new knowledge comes forth from within us.  OK, but from where exactly?  Again there are several kinds of answers.  Some say the unconscious—some dark, subterranean region underneath the conscious.  Others say that we intuit new knowledge; or are inspired, like artists.  These are names for a relation not with an objective spiritual dimension, but with the unknown subjective parts of ourselves.  This process is called “psychologizing” a reality.  It is how those who do not believe in a higher Reality that is in relation with humanity account for new knowledge and profound experience.  It comes out of us with no other source. 

Philosophers say we can know because they posit within humanity an innate power called Reason that thinks and acts rationally.  For them, reason and rationality are not the same: reason is a psychological faculty, whereas rationality is the exercise of reason.  Rationality is the manner in which people derive conclusions when considering things deliberately.  It also refers to the conformity of one's beliefs with one's reasons for belief, or with one's actions with one's reasons for action—a rational explanation.  Also, a rational decision is one that is not just reasoned, but that is also optimal for achieving a goal or solving a problem.  Individuals or organizations are called rational if they make optimal decisions in pursuit of their goals.  But these are all linear and sequential cognitive processes, and rationality, others note, is more than such cognition.  Marshall McLuhan writes: “Rationality or consciousness is itself a ratio or proportion among the sensuous components of experience, and is not something added to such sense experience.” (Understanding Media:109)    

Thus, there must be different kinds of rationality, or else some are rational while others are not—which is divisive and a prejudice.  Perhaps rational consciousness is a kind of harmony between the human intelligence and the world that occurs when they are in a resonant vibration of thought and being.  There are many of these harmonies, and they are manifest in the various human cultures, mores, ethical principles and styles of thought.  Each is rational. 

But there is a third kind of rationality, spiritual rationality.  What is the difference?  Spiritual powers connect with higher Reality to create spiritual consciousness and rationality, because Reality--call it what you will--informs humanity from above, not from below, as in unconsciousness, or only from within, as Reason, or from relating with the world, as in cultural consciousness.  Since Baha’u’llah says that all planes and states are folded up and hidden away within the human reality, spiritual knowledge and experience is also within us, but is educed from our being by this higher Reality.  Spiritual rationality is the activity of our intelligence formulating new ratios of thought and sense to conform to spiritual patterns revealed in the Word.  All forms of rationality like this are expressions of the human reality.  Baha’u’llah names this infinitely rich mine of potential the rational faculty, and describes it not as a psychological power but a spiritual one that brings into relation all our other powers and faculties.    

He writes: “Consider the rational faculty with which God hath endowed the essence of man. Examine thine own self, and behold how thy motion and stillness, thy will and purpose, thy sight and hearing, thy sense of smell and power of speech, and whatever else is related to, or transcendeth, thy physical senses or spiritual perceptions, all proceed from, and owe their existence to, this same faculty. So closely are they related unto it, that if in less than the twinkling of an eye its relationship to the human body be severed, each and every one of these senses will cease immediately to exercise its function, and will be deprived of the power to manifest the evidences of its activity. It is indubitably clear and evident that each of these afore-mentioned instruments has depended, and will ever continue to depend, for its proper functioning on this rational faculty, which should be regarded as a sign of the revelation of Him Who is the sovereign Lord of all.”  He goes on to say that all human powers and abilities, physical, mental and spiritual, “have been generated through the agency of this sign of God. Immeasurably exalted is this sign, in its essence and reality, above all such names and attributes. Nay, all else besides it will, when compared with its glory, fade into utter nothingness and become a thing forgotten.”  (Gleanings:163)

‘Abdu’l-Baha said: “God's greatest gift to man is that of intellect, or understanding.” (Paris Talks:41)  Here intellect does not refer just to the faculty of cognition, but to the interplay of all our faculties of intelligence to attain understanding.  It is the divine Intellect, and if it is a gift, there must be a giver.  Baha’u’llah wrote that this power of understanding is “first and foremost among the favors which the Almighty hath conferred upon man.” (Gleanings:194)  And the purpose of this faculty is “none other except to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God -- exalted be His glory.” (Gleanings:193) 

We must make a creative leap of being into the transcendent dimension of spirit so that we may see spiritual reality.  That spiritual reality is already “there” in the patterns of God’s Word, and is also within us “here” as the potential of a new state of humanity hidden away within us.  We must resonate with the new spiritual vibration before we can build spiritual education.  Yet, we cannot find it just by thinking “rationally” about it, but must engage with Reality and have that Reality gradually bring forth that new consciousness from us.  We must find the new foundation for the house of education.