Abstract: There's a necessity to reconcile quantum mechanical Psi explanations with the multi-dimensional continuum model in Open Mystic.  Apparently, the further you get from the every day world in the direction of whatever distant meta-form constructions, the more important it is to consider quantum mechanical explanations.

Essay: Dean Radin is a leading parapsychology researcher and author.  His popular book, Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality, is a must read for anyone fascinated by any topics in the Open Mystic essays.  In particular, it may seem that a quantum mechanical tie-in to parapsychological or spiritual phenomena is little more than a passing New Age fad, but the connection is cogently proposed and described in this book.  Well organized, the book leads up to this conclusion in a clearly understandable and logical flow.  Best of all for most people, the book is qualitative and not laden with exotic mathematics.

An issue with regard to Open Mystic topics, which generally propose a multi-dimensional aspect to meta-structural possibilities, is that explanations derived from quantum mechanics (QM) appear to supersede multi-dimensional models. QM models do not negate multi-dimensional models, but QM appears at first blush to be a supersession.

One proposed workaround to this conflict is the suggestion of a layered model extending out from the 3D physical universe as we commonly know it every day infinitely into meta-forms beyond our every day universe.  It may be analogous to the OSI Model or "Open Systems Interconnection Basic Reference Model".  In our every day world this is the structure of the common TCP/IP networking protocol which manages data transport within the Internet - and brought you this page.  This constitutes thus yet another technological analogy as permeates the Open Mystic essay set.

Proposed reconciliation: If as a broadcast engineer (my former career) I create and optimize a terrestrial electromagnetic(EM) field - as in FM stereo - so that a maximum audience can hear a radio station's programming on home and car receivers, there is never a need at all to consider QM. Ordinary "classical" technical procedures suffice perfectly well to get playing radios and a paycheck.  Ohm's Law and its derivatives often suffice for most calculations at this level.

However, as one makes a deeper study of the nature of EM radiation, one eventually lands in higher mathematics, physics, and quantum mechanics.  In other words, I only exploited one layer of the EM radiation phenomenon and didn't need at all to consider other deeper layers to make it work for me and my employers.  Quantum mechanical forces and displacements may underlie all  phenomena and meta-phenomena, but it is only necessary to consider these when trying to understand deeper levels - and especially when faced with evanescent Psi phenomena.

There is no conflict between Dean Radin's quantum mechanical explanations and the continuum meta-structures proposed in Open Mystic, viz., the further you get from the every day world in the direction of whatever distant meta-form constructions, the more important it is to consider QM explanations.

I suspect that psi information transport would or will best be described in a layer model.  As Psi information pinballs through these layers, the closer it gets to the point where it will be sensed, perceived, and maybe conceptualized by the mind and body, the more it can be understood or visualized with ordinary signal structures. Radio signal "EM" analogies would only be valid for the later part of the mysterious journey that a bit of Psi information may take. The higher layers may most likely have a quantum basis as Dean Radin describes. So use of signal analogies supplement rather than replace the higher order models such as those of Dean Radin, Richard Shoup, and others.

The strong hint for such a Psi model comes from looking at the layered TCP/IP structure that is bringing this message to you through the Internet data cloud. That "OSI" model only has 7 clearly defined layers while a Psi transport model is likely to have a virtually infinite complexity and layer count. But no matter for that, if I were a Psi researcher, I'd only interested in those last layers in the instant before they impinge on the awareness. And really, that's exactly the way you are using the ordinary Internet TCP/IP OSI layer structure yourself - you only care about the last couple of layers as the data enters your computer. You don't know or need to know about the higher order, more distant layers in order to get the data you want just fine. If you don't aspire to a Computer Science degree, you'll never know about those higher network communications layers, and you don't need to in order to use them. You only need to deal with the very last layers - at your own personal interface or boundary.

A serious problem is that if you only consider the QM layers in Psi phenomena and not ones closer to the every day 3D world, then there's an implication that we cannot do much to optimize Psi performance.  After all, if the action takes place only in the realm of QM, what's a person to do for Psi optimization?

Charles Tart frequently laments that Psi phenomena are so weak and unreliable that laboratory study is difficult and fraught with perils that frustrate academic and scientific principles. I propose that even though QM means may likely be the primary transport for Psi "data" at the highest levels or layers, it may be useful to study everyday world EM considerations as relate to weak signal acquisition. There are volumes of literature on the subject as, for example, NASA scientists communicate with weak RF signals from spacecraft now traveling outside of our solar system. Terms such as noise figure, detected bandwidth, antenna aperture, gain, filtering, etc. come to mind. As well, there's a wealth of similar information related to astronomers attempting to capture images of very weak, distant deep space objects. The techniques involved in both these areas and others, may offer analogical assistance for "optimizing" Psi performance in a given setting or person. Such optimization would take place in a lower layer interface if you will, but this seems still entirely useful. I think you can envision a continuum from the everyday world to far metaphysics where there are infinite layers with implicit interfaces. The signal analogy I propose in this case would operate at an intermediate level. If you consider the layered TCP/IP (OSI) model in practical networking, it is entirely useful if not required that every layer be optimal, or the data transfer may be slow or riddled with errors.

One intriguing notion that falls out of using RF signal based analogs to attempt Psi optimization is that RF signal paths are always bi-directional in the everyday world.  The implication being by analogy that if a Psi pathway opens - not unlike a Sporadic-E atmospheric event where VHF radio signals can propagate all of a sudden for hundreds or thousands of miles - that evanescent Psi pathway may be at least bi-directional.  The objective Psi recipient may also be able to "transmit" Psi data along the path, possibly never having awareness that this is happening.

That proposed analogical optimization does not conflict with Dean Radin's explanations and proposals.  Rather, it merely concerns operations at one layer interface between the every day world and the vast meta-structures we'll never directly see and touch but can vaguely envision.  It seems useful to optimize the potential for Psi "data transfer" at every level that can be understood.

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