Why Did the Dimensions Come to Be?

        The fact that some array of extended dimensions exists is one of the few obvious, or clearly demonstrable, truths about dimensionality. As we come to know more about the underlying basis for reality and dimensional spaces, it is becoming apparent that much of what we think we know is only an approximation (at best). The true nature of dimensionality remains an elusive thing to delineate, even for the world’s most advanced scholars. Although we live in a world where things appear to have three dimensions (which are extended in space), and other attributes that constitute the nature, and the structure, of the objects themselves, both Scientists and Mystics are certain that what we can see is but a small part of the picture. They agree that there are both invisible forces, and hidden dimensions, which must be a part of any complete explanation of reality, as we know it. String Theory suggests that there are at least 10 dimensions, but says that most of them are inaccessible to physical observation. Specifically they would appear to be beyond the edge of the universe, or deep inside the particles we are made of, and far removed from daily life. Many people are not aware of the mystery of dimensionality, therefore, or that there are clearly more dimensions beyond the physical, but I feel we need to know more yet. I think that knowing why dimensions came to exist at all is important, if we hope to truly understand reality.

        Of course, you might ask why we should even care about other dimensions, when there is enough going on in the physical. Pragmatic individuals, with a knowledge of Science, might argue that we couldn’t even get there, from here. Jumping into a Black Hole might get you there, but you would be ripped apart long before you reached the singularity, at the center. Thankfully, this is something I’m fairly certain I will never experience. Perhaps it might be possible to just step across several of the boundaries in certain places, however, such as the gravity null (as predicted by Eddington) in the heart of some dying stars, but most of us will never have that experience, either. On the other hand, the hidden dimensions may be much closer than we realize. They may already be open to us, requiring only our understanding of how to step across the boundaries, or how to tune in to other realities. You see, there is really no separation between us and the heavens, as those dimensions which gave rise to our reality are still a part of everything and everyone. In my view, as well, the life force is more than just energy (or vibrancy). It is a living force from dimensions beyond the physical, which animates all life-forms including (or perhaps even especially) us.

        It is my belief that sentient beings actually hold a very special place in the natural order, because they complete the picture which the rest of reality appears poised to create. What I am saying is that the universe seems to be organized in such a way that sentient beings can evolve, or develop. Of course, this is not a new story, but the details are still coming out, and the reality of it is far more interesting than either Science or Religion would have us believe. There is some controversy, too, as many feel that we could be fooling ourselves.   They suggest that there may be a number of alternate universes, and we are merely inhabiting one that supports life. What I have found out, on this subject, however, would seem to indicate that Life itself plays an indispensable role in the creation of any reality whatsoever, and can therefore be viewed as the actual cause of existence. The role of the observer, and the very quality of observability, are key questions in Quantum Mechanics, and relate strongly to the origin of all things, but many scientists feel that we can only know how things came to be, never why, and this makes me wonder.

        To answer the question “Why are there dimensions?,” or “Why do the dimensions of our reality have the form they do?,” is not something most scientists are prepared to do. They feel that we should content ourselves with answering “How... ,” and leave the question “Why...” to the theologians. Most theologians, on the other hand, are not prepared to articulate the unfolding of dimensions in a manner which is satisfying to scientists and mathematicians, so there is a stalemate, of sorts, where both of these groups are claiming to be authorities, but each has defined its area of expertise so that many important questions remain in the gray area, or are defined as being improper to the nature of scientific, or religious, inquiry. Mystics and seers, on the other hand, have boldly described certain aspects of the worlds beyond, but have been greatly misunderstood, by all but a few. Their ability to convey the meaning of their visionary experiences to others has been limited by the nature of language, and by the need to put everything in terms of traditional or conventional thinking, even when what is being described is very different from anything in the mundane world of everyday life. Much of what seers and mystics have said, therefore, seems rather cryptic, or even paradoxical, and is often only a metaphor for what is really meant.

        This makes the question of why dimensions exist appear to be more a matter for philosophers than for scientists, clergy, or even mystics, but if one digs deep enough, comparing the underlying structure of these vastly different views of reality, certain interesting parallels emerge. Some of what I have learned, about the existence and nature of dimensions beyond the 3-dimensional physical universe, comes from the world of Modern Science and Higher Mathematics, as it can be found in books, periodicals, and scientific papers, which are currently available. I have attempted to stay current, in terms of learning about the latest scientific theories, and experimental findings, but I’ve also sought meaning in other ways, keeping my mind open to as many sources as I have had available, while sifting through vast amounts of information to see what was relevant. The question of how, or why, dimensions came to exist has spawned endless speculation among scholars, and only some of what has come to be accepted as real will actually stand the test of time. Interestingly enough, however, it appears that the Secret Knowledge of the Ancients includes quite a lot of information which is only now being (re-)discovered by modern people, and that there were answers to many of our questions long before we were here to ask them.

        Of course, there has been incredible progress over the years, as our knowledge has grown, and we have become much more sophisticated, about how we describe things. Modern Science and Mathematics have greatly expanded our vocabulary, for being able to talk about certain ideas, and TV shows like Star Trek and Babylon 5 have insured that terms like “Sub-Space,” “Wormhole,” “Hyperspace,” “Warp-Drive,” and others, made it into the everyday language of ordinary people.   Someday, we may even see Dimensional Mechanics become part of every student’s curriculum, but we are only standing on the shore of a great ocean of understanding about the subject. There are so many basic truths we have yet to unravel. Furthermore, what is well-known to some remains a complete mystery to others. Knowledge about other planes of existence has been a part of many esoteric teachings, for as long as such knowledge has been available. Not all of what is known has been shared, however. Much of the secret knowledge has remained quite secret indeed, because people knew the power of certain insights could be used for purposes other than bringing enlightenment. Too many who learned a few secrets used their power to harm or control others, and this is not so good. There is ample evidence that the abuse of any type of power can be unkind, and it makes sense that some of the things people have learned would best remain secret.

        The picture of reality which is emerging for me, however, suggests that there is a more benevolent purpose to learning about such things, since it is actually the Awakening of the Divine which creates dimensionality, in the sense that Life engenders reality, and its exploration becomes the basis for qualities which become quantities. In other words, as Life wakes up, It creates a home for reality to live in. Specifically, what I have seen is that certain qualities, or archetypes, emerge and exist in their true state in worlds beyond form, where they can exist in unity, without comparison (or relation) to their respective opposites. All of these same qualities are possessed by everything in existence, but here each one of the fundamental archetypes also has an opposite, or something which is clearly not of that quality. One can easily demonstrate the quality of completeness, for example. One can have a complete circuit, allowing electricity to flow. One can have a continuous, unbroken, outline surrounding an object, to show that it is complete, with no gaps. A circle is complete, in the abstract, and it exemplifies wholeness. Every droplet of water is complete, too, and there are many other examples in the real world, many objects and phenomena which demonstrate this quality. Indeed, it can be shown that every object in the universe is comprised of complete wholes, down to the last sub-atomic particle.

        Still, if we turn off a switch, we no longer have a complete circuit. We can take a slice out of a pie, and we no longer have a whole pie. I have friends with missing teeth, which means that they have an incomplete set of them, too. (wondering where the missing slice of pie went?) I also know that incomplete electron shells, on certain atoms, create a natural attraction which causes them to bond into molecules. So it would seem that if there are fundamental qualities, which serve as the abstract basis for reality, each is held in balance by a measure of the opposing quality, and that balance is necessary for the manifestation of reality as we know it. Such is the nature of the universe we live in, but we can tip the balance, or choose our own balance point. You see, as living beings our inner selves reach up through the dimensions to a higher place, and as sentient beings we have the power to work from there and embody the qualities we bring through. That is part of the answer to the question in the title, in a manner of speaking. In brief, the awakening of the Life Force to its own nature sets the pattern for reality, by evolving certain qualities. Life is here, now, to manifest those qualities, in greater measure, and it needs embodiments to allow for manifestation to take place. We are those embodiments, or rather; we are Spirit or Life, which has taken form, and wishes to evolve, or communicate, certain transcendent qualities to, and through, us.

        This message has been told by many Saints and Sages, throughout all the ages of man, and Mystics, Philosophers, and even many Scientists, are quick to say that this is something they, too, can believe in. To be specific, Life is seen as the Divine Nature itself, and Creation is seen as Spirit’s way of evolving conditions where life-forms might emerge, and where they could evolve to become self-aware, cosmically-aware, and eventually universally-aware. Our bodies are made of star-stuff. Every atom in one’s body has to come from someplace, and we now know that all of the heavier elements came from the blown-out core of a long-dead supernova, but some of the hydrogen and helium is far older. We are children of the cosmos, even on a purely physical level, but spiritually we are far greater. Understanding other dimensions, and the part they play in our reality, is an important step on the road to our own awakening. The experiences of those who have gone before show us that visits to the Higher Realms of existence, other dimensions which we can call Heaven, tend to make us more spiritual people, and also provide us with tools which can aid in our everyday life. Indeed, it would seem that certain states of being, and certain traits of character, actually reside in, or emanate from other dimensions, beyond the physical.

        These places are not separate from us, however, but we need to develop the character traits which resonate with those heavenly dimensions, and the feelings associated with being there, in order to live in those places. On some level, we’re already there, as higher-dimensional spaces are a part of us, but we must learn to love more fully, in order to tune in to all that can be found there. What I suggest is that Heaven is always close, even when we imagine it to be far away, but getting there might still require a lifetime of unlearning bad habits. On the other hand, though it may really be far away, sometimes, we can have it in our lives again, by merely giving the feeling of the place to another living being. That is the miracle made possible by extended dimensions. By simply giving love, we can open the gateway to heaven. Staying there, while walking the Earth, however, is a great challenge indeed. We need to be more attentive of, and more familiar with, the Eternal Absolutes, or what has been called the Always So, in order to rise above our own conditions, and the circumstances of our lives. This means having one’s attention upon other planes of existence, other dimensions common to our reality, which underlie visible form.

        In order to do this, most people need to have some kind of description, to give them an idea of what to expect, but real experiences in the far realms are beyond words, and quickly dwarf the mind’s capacity to describe them. Of course, having a road map is still nice, and there have been plenty of maps to work from, but this is different from having the map, because there is no one way to get there. It is also wise to remember that no map is the territory, and wiser still to realize that you don’t need one. You see, we are already there, or always there, but we are also very much caught up in the activity of the mundane world, and this can be a total distraction. It is more than just the temptation of the physical senses, as well. Humans have a remarkable capacity for being offended, it seems, and any number of things can thus become a preoccupation of the mind, effectively shutting down our awareness of any connection to noble aspects of our being, or the heavenly dimensions where they reside. The biggest requirement, for us to become aware of higher realms, is that our minds be quiet. We need to suspend judgment, and to stop questioning, at least for a little while, in order for some aspects to be perceived.

        When I had done this enough times, over the course of years, I did indeed see a pattern emerge, in my own direct perception of higher realms during contemplation. I also observed a convergence with what I had read in metaphysical works, and what was coming out of Modern Science, so I knew this was significant. If the progress of the One Being, or Life Force, is charted, from the Highest Place (Unity) to the point where the Divine first discovered The Totality of Its Being, the following order of qualities, or Archetypes, is seen to unfold.

Oneness
Openness
As-If-ness
Many-ness
Nothingness
Moving Stillness
Holographic Self-ness

This is the journey from Unity to Identity, from Oneness to Wholeness, from a dream to its fulfillment. Of course, the words themselves are imperfect representatives of some concepts, and were chosen by this lowly human, but they convey some idea of the ideal behind each description. These particular terms outline the more abstract, and conceptual, way of describing this process, but there is a complementary aspect of this notion. We can describe the active principle at work, instead of focusing upon the evolving qualities themselves. This gives us a rather different outlook on things. When this view is stated from the personal, or individual, perspective, an interesting, and powerful, statement emerges.

One
Open
As
Multiplicity, and
formless nothingness,
Finds Peace, and
in Serenity Knows All That Is,
as Him/Herself.

        This is my own representation of the stages of creation, and the unfoldment of dimensions, before the advent of Time and Space, as we know them. I could say, “In the Beginning, Oneness alone existed,” and go on to describe how Spirit, or the Life Force, came to evolve and/or discover each quality in turn, but let it suffice that we know all of these qualities were unfolded, and that a message was discovered in the pattern. Indeed, there is a unique and powerful message embedded in the order of evolution of qualities which became dimensions, and we should know it. It is a message for living beings. It is a message about how to live more fully, and how to discover the totality of our being. This is the message which emerged from the efforts of the One Being to discover the full extent of itself, the totality of its own being, in the worlds before time and space, thus creating and shaping the qualities which became the form of the dimensions. In other words, as Life first awakened, and became aware of itself, it fostered the creation of new dimensions, through its attempts to observe itself and/or its surroundings. At the same time, it did something far more potent. It evolved the qualities which make things alive!

        To summarize why this must be, I offer the following observations. All dimensions arise from, or are defined by, their distinguishability as distinct qualities, measurable quantities, or unique directions in space. Furthermore, these elements are seen to proceed from our ability to make topological distinctions, such as the inside and the outside of a circle, or the topmost surface and the underside of a plane. If we keep tracing things back to their roots, there is reason to believe that all form arose from something which can be called the First Distinction, which was the first step away from unity, but two questions arise from this assumption, which are very pertinent to any discussion of our topic. First, I’m inclined to ask “What came before the first distinction?,” and then I must ask “Who was there, to make a distinction, in the first place?,” was there an Observer, such as the awakening Life Force, or “How were things distinguished, otherwise?” Of course, these are my questions, and you may have other questions entirely, but if we can answer these, you may find other answers along the way. Before we go on to answer these questions, however, let me give you some related concepts to ponder.

        Quantum Mechanics has shown that there are certain limits to observability, and a great sensitivity to observation, in any number of real-world experiments. Specifically, we can’t observe some things without affecting the outcome, or we can know certain quantities well, but only at the expense of having an inaccurate view of other quantities. If we are trying to view a single electron, for example, we must choose what we wish to measure very carefully. It’s too small to see with a microscope (even an electron microscope), but we can trace its movement, under certain conditions. Still, any observation we make is likely to influence it, in some way. Moreover, if we wish to measure its movement, we can’t know its position accurately, and if we want to know its position, we must give up any hope of knowing its movement. Although we have seen recent breakthroughs in interaction-free measurements, the very same experiments have shown that many Quantum State measurements are so sensitive to observation, that even the possibility of observability, without any actual observation, was enough to change experimental results.

        When it comes to what existed in the proto-dimensional universe, before space and time, however, and how observation may have influenced the evolution of form and dimensions, we have no real way to measure any of it, at all, and we must content ourselves with analyzing the data we do have available. In terms of what can be proven scientifically, we must find answers that are consistent with what we actually observe today, while making intelligent suggestions about what we might find tomorrow. On the other hand, since we’re talking about a time (or condition) where there are no objects, no entities, no forces, nor anything for them to act upon, and no distinctions yet, we can afford to speculate a little bit, or at least we can stipulate that many of the natural laws, and most of the limitations of our current condition, didn’t exist yet, either. We don’t know much about this era, and some would still say we can’t know, but at least we’re learning. What we do understand about reality before the Big Bang comes largely from studies of Pure Mathematics, or from the farthest reaches of Mathematical and Theoretical Physics. The most recent word from this camp, however, sounds very much like what the Mystics have said, all along.

        You see, at one point, investigations in String Theory led to the proliferation of several alternate explanations, or distinctly different formulations of the same world-view, and this made the arguments (and answers) from adherents to any one approach appear less than convincing. But now, there is a new piece of the puzzle, M-Theory (for membrane), which helps to unify the field, and the discovery of something called a Zero-Brane (a membrane of zero-dimensions), which came into focus through the work of French Mathematician Alain Connes. To summarize recent developments, the different formulations of String Theory came to be seen as depicting various kinds of Membranes, but the Zero-Brane is the granddaddy of them all. The Zero-Brane is our best guess for “What came before the First distinction?,” because it accurately describes the unity and connectivity of a reality without any boundaries. This work is quite significant, but what is most interesting is that it agrees completely with what the Sages and Mystics have always said we would find there. Taoist Philosophers call the primal origin Wu Ji, and they are clear that this unified state comes before Tai Ji (the origin of comparisons), though Tai also means great. Interestingly enough, the term for Physics in Chinese is Wu Li.

        I have read about the First Beginning in several different volumes, from distinctly different traditions or teachings, and the story has been much the same, if you allow for the different authors’ use of metaphorical language to describe something beyond words. It is remarkable that they all speak of a place, or condition, at the end of the journey where there is no separation whatsoever, where everything is connected, but there really are no separate things or entities, nor the possibility for any phenomena whatsoever, and yet a kind of pregnant stillness resides there. Imagine a place which is neither quite light nor completely dark, neither hot nor cold, where you are diffusely spread into your surroundings, so that you can’t tell exactly where you end, and you seem to be everywhere at once. If you move, or turn, you end up in the same place. It is a quizzical place, too, where the infinite potential for endless possibilities, and the co-equality of all realities, hangs in a state of perfect balance. Nothing is possible there, at all, nor any combination of things, but all possibilities emanate from there, so it is seen to be the birthplace of all known reality, nonetheless. It would seem that it is also the birthplace of consciousness, and this is very significant.

        You see, this last point is of key importance to the second question, “Who was there, to make a distinction, in the first place?,” or “How were things distinguished, otherwise?”. It is my belief that Life was there, and that it was actually the Awakening of the Life Force, to its identity as the One Being, which allowed for there to be a distinction, in the first place. I have a more difficult time with the second part, as I am not really sure that we can take the role of the Observer out of the picture (describing where reality comes from), and still get an accurate understanding of what reality is all about. Some students of Sacred Geometry assert that certain geometrical properties of measurability have a life of their own, in terms of spatial relations. The branch of Mathematics known as Topology asserts that the distinctions found on various surfaces (inside/outside, top/bottom, etc.) are attributes inherent to their form. When there is no form at all, however, there can be no distinction, save one. Life can come to be aware, even in this non-place, and create the distinction between being asleep, and being awake, by having the ability to perceive.

        Once this happens, and the One Being becomes aware of being inside the Ocean of Infinite Possibilities the Zero-Brane represents, something strange occurs. The viewpoint of the Observer defines a sense of interiority and exteriority that begins the process of separating qualities, and unfolding dimensions, which Physicists call Symmetry-Breaking. Part of the remaining process, by which the dimensions were created, followed naturally from the very first moment, where the One Being assumed the viewpoint of being One, Open (perceiving), As-If within the place of Origin. The sense the One has of being inside of an infinite extent (of itself) quickly becomes the experience of having an infinite expanse within itself, and then spiraling down to find atoms of its own being accumulating at its feet, but so much to discover about itself, before it can uplift them. Let it suffice to say that Life did indeed find, and become, the Totality of Its Being. The One Being did indeed discover its own Divinity, and in fact found out something yet more wonderful. It discovered that Life Itself is Sacred and Divine. Life is so powerful, it even begat the One. The awakening of Life, as the One Being, however, is so powerful as to create the dimensions of reality.

        Of course, it is important to note that the story doesn’t end with Life’s first moment of consciousness. The Life Force stuck with the process, and continued to learn and grow, even when it appeared no further progress could be made, until all of the attributes of its nature were unfolded. It would seem that each one of these attributes became a template for one of the natural forces in our universe, or some other archetypal nature which manifests in the world of form. Notably, the very same qualities which appear to give rise to the universe, also make us sentient living beings, and make the One Being Divine. The real difference is in our ability to recognize the Divine Nature within ourselves, and within others around us. The act of seeing the Divine within all, and of cultivating the Divine Nature within ourselves, is the epitome of all achievement, because it is the very fulfillment of the dream of the Divine, the Intent of the One. You see, the True Nature of Life is the Divine Nature which was dicovered by the One Being, in the process of unfolding the array of dimensions in the beyond. The rest of the story still beckons, however.

        The Dance of Life continues, and there is an ongoing process of unfolding natures. The Divine Dance of Life is going on all around us. In the Great Dance, the Lila Rasa, the Divine is said to become all beings, then to merge into oneness, becoming the One Being, to once more become the many, again and again, as each moment unfolds. The Life Breath of the One becomes the Life in the Many, and returns to the One again. Of course, as I had mentioned, our highest achievement is to perceive the Divine in all things, and all beings, with a sense of cultivating the qualities of Divinity in ourselves. This gives us the opportunity to escape the cycle of Birth and Death, by rising into Deathless Regions, before our own physical demise. This is Ascension, this is Immortality, this is our True Destiny. The One Being wishes for each of us to have the opportunity to discover, for ourselves, the Totality of Being. The Intent of the Divine is life-affirming, in the highest sense. Life’s fondest wish is for all life forms to become sentient, and all sentient beings to evolve to the point of Divinity. The one achievement worth all of our effort, according to Meher Baba, is the merging into the One that takes place during God-Realization. All the rest of life is seen as a part of our preparation for this action, which becomes our Life, when we cross that threshold.

        The problem is that Oneness often seems hopelessly far off, even to the saintliest among us, and we are many multitudes of people, not just One Supreme Being. This is not so much of a problem that I want my separate identity to just go away, however. I like to think that I came here because there is something special about this place we call Earth, and I intend to discover what I can learn here, before I move on. But, the question remains; “Why are there many, in the first place?” The reason why there are others, rather than just One, and the reason why there are dimensions for us to inhabit, is that Life wanted to see itself, and know its surroundings fully. In a way, things had to unfold, once the process began, to the logical point where all the elements of the True Nature had come into being. This made the rest of creation a necessary outcome, in the process. You see, those atoms of the Divine I spoke of earlier, which were accumulating at the feet of the One Being, had to go somewhere, and they came here. Living Souls are the culmination of a process that begins, and ends, in the very heart of Heaven. The challenge is to live there, while we are still here, and bring little bits of Heaven down to Earth, for the benefit of other Sentient Beings.

        We are like the Divine, in that people have got all of the basic qualities, in our own nature, and we are looking for many of the same things. We are here, looking to know ourselves, and to see our surroundings more fully, hopefully seeing things for what they are. We too wish to have peace, and also to have our own full measure of sovereignty. If we are open-minded and open-hearted, behaving as-if we are many possibilities, or many individuals, and yet remaining fluid and flexible, as though we are nothing at all, we may learn to create enduring peace. As all the Saints and Sages tell us, we need to find peace within us first, then work to bring change to the world around us. Gandhi suggested that we need to create the changes in ourselves that we wish to see in the world. The first step in this process is to discover and develop our own divinity. This process begins with inner quietude, but also relates to the ability to approach life sweetly, with perfect ease of motion, and fluid grace. If we do find ways to become serene, I am confident that we will indeed come to know the totality of our being. An ancient Chinese scholar once said “Stop Talking, Stop Thinking, and there is nothing you will not understand.”. I think he had the right idea, so I’ll end here.

©2001 Jonathan J. Dickau - all rights reserved