Integral Metaphysics – some preliminary ideas

M Alan Kazlev

The following essay and musings are taken from my website kheper net. With slight modifications, they represent
my thoughts on this matter as of 2009. No attempt has been made to present this material in a way that would be
acceptable to mainstream academia. This is because it is not an academic treatise, but an instrument of the
intuition. I have not included references here, because to do so would be too tedious. However I am hoping to
incorporate this material in a book in the near future, and that would be equipped with references, citations, and
footnotes.

As with all such material, the present essay is a work in progress, and should not be taken as a definitive
statement.

1. Introduction
Gnostic Metaphysics, or Integral Metaphysics, provides an integral, esoteric, evolutionary,
transformative worldview that includes all perspectives and realities, describing Reality in terms of
Three Truths or Realities, six (or however many) attributes and activity of Reality (three/four modes
or perspectives and four dharmadhatus), seven (or however man) stages of transformation, and five
or six (or however many) hypostases.

Metaphysics however is still a mental formulation, it is not the Reality in itself, but rather a map of
that Reality. Reality, being infinite and multidimensional, will always transcend our mental attempts
to define it.
 Integral Metaphysics – some preliminary ideas 2

2. Three Realities

Fig.1. Three Realities and Two Truths

The above metaphysical diagram is a provisional and partial attempt at an explanation of

everything. It is inspired by Kabbalistic and Yogic diagrams of worlds and koshas, Proclus' and
Hegel's triad of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, Sri Aurobindo's distinction between nirvana and
integral ascent-descent leading to Supramentalisation, and Ken Wilber's AQAL diagram. It shows
the Three Realities or primary hypostases : Relative (lower left), Absolute (upper left), and the
supramental synthesis of the two (right).

The lower left segment represents the Three Worlds of multiplicity or relative existence. The three
worlds are:

• exoteric, outer, historical reality, which is the sphere of evolution. This is the outer band; the
default, dualistic, baseline, current human state of consciousness, characterised by the
dichotomy of self and nonself. Movement from here to any other band or quadrant involves
stages of transformation
• gnosis and esoteric reality, represented by the inner bands and inner consciousness, which
represent succesive strata of consciousness
• Realisation (represented by the innermost band); both "Intermediate Zone" and complete
Realisation. From this state of inmost consciousnes, duality and/or nonduality one has the
choice of whether to enter into transcendence (Yoga of Ascent) or continue to evolve and so
 Integral Metaphysics – some preliminary ideas 3

perfect the world (Yoga of Descent/Integral Yoga).

I haven't included the Intraphysical or Inconscient here, I guess it would require a third dimension,
changing the circle into a sphere.

The upper left segment represents the timeless unchanging state of nirvana, transcendence, moksha,
and the Absolute Reality, thatness or thusness (jnana yoga, nonduality) as well as Godhead (bhakti
yoga). Liberation means progressing from the lower left to the higher upper left of the diagram.
This is what Sri Aurobindo calls the yoga of ascent, which means rejecting the world in favor of
transcendent realisation. It includes everything from traditional mysticism and yoga to 19th to 21st
century perennialist nonduality teachings.

The immanent transformation from unperfected to perfected existence (bottom of diagram)

constitutes actualisation of further hypostases and stages of transformation beyond nonduality,
culminating in physical divinisation, which includes both Aurobindonian Supramentalization,
Teilhardian Omega Point, and Transhumanist/Singularitan aspects; these together constituting the
integral singularity. The opposite, transcendent transformation (top of diagram) can be interpreted in
terms of Gnostic, Lurianic, and Theonist ideas of conversion or redemption of fallen godheads
(aeons) or or restoration or perfection of transcendent ones, as in the Luranic idea of the world of
Atzilutic tikkun (Gnosticism however doesn't give the whole picture because of its excessively
dualistic and world-negating worldview).

The classical idea of apocatastasis, which may refer either to an individual or cosmological
restoration of perfection, seems to be a juxtoposition of both Yoga of Ascent (Liberation, left of
diagram) and Yoga of Descent (transformation, bottom of diagram), sometimes tending more to the
Hindu/Buddhist/Sufi ideal of moksha/nirvana/fana, and sometimes to the messianic dream of
cosmic perfection. However, Supramentalization, as with the equivalent concept of tikkun olam
(repair of the world) of Lurianic Kabbalah, refers not a return to an original harmony but to a totally
new state.

The right half is the Supramental state, which combines both transcendence (upper left) and
evolution and multiplicity (lower left) in a single Integral Realisation, or in other words
Divinisation. This constitutes the culmination of the "yoga of descent", which means bringing the
Divine down into matter and the Inconscient, transforming the world from within.

3. Hypostases, Metaphysics, and Gnosis

The Hypostases are the gradations of Reality that emerge successively through emanation from the
Supreme Absolute. They are described in metaphysical teachings such as Neoplatonism, Lurianic
Kabbalah, Kashmir Shaivism, Sant Mat, and other such traditions. Each however describes things
slightly differently. This leads to the temptation to try to harmonise these different accounts, and put
everything together in a - what i now consider very simplistic - linear fashion, in keeping with the
traditional great chain of being. Even until five or six years ago I was still doing that, as the chart on
this page shows. But when I look back at this stuff now (May 2010) it feels like ancient history! It is
for example very wilberian (I was inspired by Ken Wilber's books to make a metaphysical version
of tables of everything). Sure it is true that these realities are related. But also it's not so simple! The
idea that (X in tradition A) always = (Y in tradition B), is incorrect. Yes there is a transcendent
Truth, and Truths, but they can't be approached by matching tables in that way. It is necessary to use
gnosis to go beyond mental system making.
 Integral Metaphysics – some preliminary ideas 4

All mental cosmologies therefore should only be taken as suggestive, and not as literal. In contrast
to my earlier position, I now feel it is important not to fall into the trap of forcing different esoteric
worldviews into a single procrustean mold. For example, whereas Sri Aurobindo was coming from
a perspective of Supramental Realisation, Plotinus (Neoplatonism) was more at the level of
esoteric-gnostic mental Realisation (Absolute Reality as conventionally defined). Kabbalah and
Kashmir Shaivism seem to be transitional between the two; both represent theocosmologies (The
Supreme interpreted via the Overmental Godhead interpreted via mental gnosis). Because the
perspectives are different in each case, so are the Realities each describe. This is where, I believe,
people like Ken Wilber go wrong, as I did in my earlier attempts at esoteric synthesis; trying to fit
everything into a single simplistic spectrum. But the situation is far more nuanced than that. And
even Sri Aurobindo, whose teachings are consider the most profound acvailabe to date, was still
coming from a particular socio-historical bias and personal orientation, and hence limited to a a
particular perspective and bias in time and space. So there is no single objective perennialist model
of truth. In this respect the Jains are very insightful. But this is not to deny that the basic gnostic
themes and aspirations of perennialism, such as the reality of transcendental metaphysical realities.
Really, contextualism, post-modernism, etc are all stuck in an exoteric understanding that is refuted
and transcended by gnosis.

4. Hypostases and Integral Yoga

The following diagram (which I drew a while back and are no longer completely satisfied with)
shows the hypostases not as they are "objectively" in themselves, but how they are experienced
through the progressive stages of the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo. To this I have added a number
of correspondences and correlations in other metaphysical systems. The general correspondences
given here, listing Neoplatonism, Shaiva Siddhanta and Kashmir Shaivism, and Kabbalah, generally
follow Integral (Aurobindonian) metaphysics and stages of Integral Yoga. This means sometimes
the same hypostasis is duplicated, as for example the Neoplatonic One.

Although the diagram lists five hypostases, although this number is purely arbitrary, as one could
equally suppose a greater or lesser number. Putting it very simplistically, each hypostasis also
represents a stage of Transformation, and vice-versa. So each stage, transformation, or hypostasis
includes Subjective/Individual, Intersubjective/Creative (interaction with other realities, and
participating and creating higher and also new realities), and Objective/Metaphysical/Cosmological
aspects. At the same time, each hypostasis is differently realised at each stage of transformation, and
vice-versa. End of oversimplistic reductionistic explanation. In fact each aspect of Reality has
infinite possibilities and probabilities, and Reality as a whole could be described in terms of an
infinitely multi-dimensional branching and converging tree-like arrangement, including every other
along the manner of or Indra's Net, as well as infinite other things that haven't been considered here,
and it is obvious that there are infinite possibilities and permutations.
 Integral Metaphysics – some preliminary ideas 5

Hypostasis and Shaiva Lurianic

Reality Plotinus Sri Aurobindo
Transformation Siddhanta Kabbalah
Sachchidananda
Paramashiva
Supreme
The One En Sof
Reality Supreme Reality / Supermind
Higher
Pure Tattwas
Divinisation
Adam Kadmon

Nous Overmind
Godhead / Atzilut
Divinisation
Pure Tattwas
Intuitive Mind
Absolute The One
Being (interpreted
Illumined Mind
nondualistically),
Nous / Higher
Realisation Atzilut Higher mind
Nous / Noetic
world, Pure Tattwas
Psychicisation,
Pure-Impure
Noetic Soul Spiritualization
Realisation Tattwas

Beriah Mental
Soul
Impure Tattwas Yetzirah Vital
Three Worlds
Relative Gross and Subtle
Nature Asiyah Physical
Becoming Consciousness
Subconscient
Hyle
n/a Klippot
(formless matter) Inconscient
Intraphysical

Table 1. Five hypostases

The hypostases are, from lowest to highest, Intraphysical, Three Worlds, Absolute Reality
(Transcendent Metaphysics), Higher Nous / Higher Realisation, Godhead (revealed through
Cosmotheology), and Supreme Reality. The last four pertain to the Absolute Reality. Although
usually considered synonyms, but here are distinguished and can be interpreted in terms of Sri
Aurobindo's experiences of Brahman (nonpersonal Absolute Reality), Narayana (theistic Absolute
Reality), Overmind (the cosmic Godheads), and Supermind (Supreme Reality; or at least Supreme
in any way that we can understand the term), and equivalent stages of Realisation and beyond, such
as have been described by the greatest siddhas such as Tirumoolar and Ramalingam.

You will notice that Absolute Reality, rather than being at the top of the diagram, is in the middle. I
follow Sri Aurobindo's Integral Yoga, in which Realisation (e.g. Spiritualisation), rather than being
the end of the journey, it is just the beginning. Here the experience of Reality (Realisation) and
Reality itself, the Absolute, are the same. But there are even further stages of Realisation, and this is
where the Aurobindonian yoga, and also Ramalingam's teachings, differ from conventional
 Integral Metaphysics – some preliminary ideas 6

mysticism.

At the same time, this representation too simplistic. It is not that the nondual Absolute itself is in the
center, but the initial; complete Realisation of the nondual Absolute, Rather it could be said that the
Absolute is first realised at this stage, but further stages represent more profound embodied
experiences of the transcendent/immanent/integral Absolute.

5. Three/Four Perspectives and Four Dharmadhatus.

Fig.2. The four perspectives. Here the right hemisphere represents relative reality, including Wilber's Subjective,
Intersubjective and Objective perspectives, which correspond to the Individual, Collective, and Universal realities.
I've added some further correspondences, but these shouldn't be taken too inflexibly. The left hemisphere (it could
just as easily be portrayed as the upper or the right) corresponds to the Absolute reality or Turiya of the Mandukya
Upanishad.

The above diagram is based in part on Ken Wilber's idea of perspectives; basically that Reality can
be understood in terms of perspectives of consciousness, such as subjective, intersubjective, and
objective. Thinking about this made me realise that Vedantic epistemology (theory of knowledge)
has described these three realities many times, as the trilogy of Seer, Seeing, and Seen, or Knower,
Knowing and Known. But a fourth perspective has to be added that Wilber, despite his affinity for
nonduality philosophy, forgot about. This is the transcendental reality, Turiya, the Fourth, as
described in the Mandukya Upanishad, the foundation text of nondual Vedanta and of Yoga
Psychology. The result are the three (relative), four (relative and absolute) or one (absolute)
perspectives; these are shown in the diagram above. They also represent the lower and upper left of
the main metaphysical diagram.

But it goes further than that, if we consider the sophisticated metaphysics of Hua Yen Buddhism,
which is based on the Avatamsaka (Flower Garland) Sutra, but especiallty as developed by Tu-
shun. This posits four basic realities or universes (Dharmadhatus) although these are also better
referred to as perspectives. These are Shih (phenomena, samsara), Li (principle, nirvana, shunyata),
non-obstruction of Li against Shih, and non-obstruction of Shih against Shih. This last is "Indra's
 Integral Metaphysics – some preliminary ideas 7

Net", the interpenetrating and inter-existing of all things. Obviously, Shih corresponds to relative
reality. Li is Turiya, or the Absolute, or Nirvana. That gives six perspectives altogether, three
relative and three absolute.

These are shown in the following diagram (from highest to lowest):

Mandukya
(metaphoric Vedantic Tu-shun Wilber
Reality Perspective
rather than epistemology (Hua Yen) (Integral Theory)
literal)
Non-obstruction of
Interrelationship of
Shih against Shih
all things
(" Indra's Net")
Atman
Realisation in the Turiya Non-obstruction of
Absolute (transcendent n/a
world (Transcendent) Li against Shih
Self)
Transcendent
Realisation Li
nonduality
Prajna
Consciousness (dreamless sleep, Knower Subjective
causal)
Relative
Dualistic Taijasa (dream,
Process Knowing Shih Intersubjective
(Three subtle)
Worlds)
Vaishvanara
Object (waking, world, Known Objective
gross)

Table. 2. Six Perspectives

The above represents static perspectives only, and hence abstract and not pertaining to Reality,
which is Process as well as Being. The diagram at the top of the page, or the co-action compass of
Haskell et al's Unified Science, or other similar understandings, are needed to show how they
interact.

Also, as far as the realm of Shih or Relative Existence goes, there are several variables here. Self
and Non-Self is one variable, Inner and Outer being another, Gross, Subtle and Causal yet another
variable, Subjective/Knower, Intersubjective/Knowing and Objective/Known is another, and (not
mentioned here) Individual, Collective, and Universal is another again. I refer to all these
interacting variables as the Three Worlds because they involve a dynamic three-fold division of
reality
 Integral Metaphysics – some preliminary ideas 8

6. The Three Worlds and Perspectives

Fig.3 Three Worlds and Perspectives

This diagram shows the Three Worlds and three perspectives. This includes only the world of
multiplicity and relative existence. The inner ring represents dualistic individual consciousness; the
sphere of psychology and phenomenology, the middle ring the interaction of self and environment
(including other selves) on both the gross/outer and subtle/inner levels, and the outer ring the three
objective universes or planes of existence - physical, astral, and ideational/noetic (only the lower
noetic or mental plane is shown). The polarity of esoteric and historical is also shown; astral and
ideational are esoteric, physical (here only the gross physical is shown) is historical.

Diagrams Creative Commons attribution licence M Alan Kazlev 2009 . Text Creative Commons attribution
licence M Alan Kazlev 2009-2010