The Spectrum of Consciousness

The title is derived from Wilber's central metaphor, an analogy to physics. He likens consciousness unto the electromagnetic spectrum. When psychologists argue that Jung is "right" and Freud is "wrong," for example, or that traditional Western approaches are "right" and Eastern mysticism is "wrong," they are being as narrow-minded and short-sighted as early electromagnetic researchers were when analyzing the numerous forms of radiation.

We know now that one cannot say, for instance, that infra-red is "right" and ultraviolet is "wrong," or that X-rays are "wrong" and gamma-rays are "right." Today, even the most marginally educated student knows that all forms of radiation are but different manifestations of a single phenomenon: the electromagnetic spectrum is broad enough to include them all.

Likewise, Wilber states, consciousness comes in a "spectrum" broad enough to include all various manifestations. Freud and Jung are both "right" - they are simply tuned in to different "frequencies" of the same underlying phenomenon: that of the universal Mind.

The universal Mind is a "spectrum" of Consciousness that shades from complete un-Consciousness on one end, through the various levels of egoism, existentialism and transpersonalism, all the way to complete Consciousness, or Enlightenment, at the other end of the spectrum. Thus Wilber unites the warring factions of psychology into a single, unified field.

To discuss the importance of Wilber's work, another analogy from physics is needed: the Unified Field. In physics, the long-sought Unified Field Theorem is the Holy Grail: to unite the electromagnetic spectrum with gravity and the "strong" and "weak" nuclear forces into a single mathematical formula. Einstein himself spent the last years of his life vainly questing for the Unified Field.

In The Spectrum of Consciousness, Ken Wilber presents a theory as epoch-making as any of Einstein's work; it is indeed the Unified Field Theorem of psychology. Here, Wilber shows how Western psychology - geared mainly to building healthy egos - is every bit as "right" or "wrong" as Eastern psychology - geared mainly to Enlightenment, and annihilating or transcending the ego. Consciousness, Wilber shows, is broad enough to include all of the above.

Of special interest to readers of this journal are Wilber's remarks on the "transpersonal zone," that shadowy area between Existentialism and Enlightenment where all manner of freaky phenomena take place: ESP, Out-Of-Body Experiences, the Dreamworld. Wilber does not poo-poo these ideas, but instead incorporates them into his Spectrum. These phenomena are well-documented, and the universal Mind can hold them quite well.

So persuasively does Ken Wilber argue his points that the question is not so much, Will the Establishment accept these ideas? (it pretty much has), as: Why didn't anyone think of this long ago? Wilber's solutions to a century of psychoanalysis are so simple, so elegant, and so well articulated as to dispel any disbelief.

Although recommended for beginners and laymen, The Spectrum of Consciousness does require a certain amount of basic literacy on the part of the reader. If you've never heard of Carl Jung or tantric yoga, you've got some homework to do before you're ready for Wilber. But once you've read him, the universe will never be the same.