By Prabhákar T. Överland
Among other things Prout deals with the metaphysical and the supramundane. What are these and how they differ from each other? The answer is really simple: The metaphysical flows from our mind towards the physical world (psycho-physical flow). The supramundane flows the other way—from the world towards our mind (physico-psychic flow).
The Metaphysical
The human mind expands and develops. When the mind directs itself towards solving physical problems and challenges it does so by exploring and realizing metaphysical potentialities. The techniques and arts of building habitat, developing industry, cultivating cooking, warfare, engineering, architecture, the sciences of mathematics and physics, etc., are all of metaphysical nature.
Meta means “over” and “beyond”; the metaphysical facilitates and results in both crude and subtle development. Metaphysics is the philosophy of the evolution of matter from its original cause, pure consciousness through various stages of manifest cosmic mind until matter is formed at its crudest level from where unit minds evolve towards their emancipation free of any bondage. The metaphysical liberates us from physical bondages and allows for a more helpful, comfortable and enjoyable life.
The Supramundane
Mundane means “worldly”. It is something of ordinary existence, registered via sensory organs and dealt with via motor organs—a physical body, physical movement, a piece of cloth, etc. The supramundane is “beyond the crude world” although found in that world. Take the difference between the physical reality of a human body and the graceful beauty of competent dancers in action. The first is a common physical phenomenon, the other engages us in spheres beyond the physical.
The supramundane may be experienced in art and literature, architecture, and in the faces and gestures of all living beings evoking upliftment, inspiration, intuition, revolutionary knowledge, deeper personal and collective meaning, team spirit, and so on in us. It is found in all sorts of sublime existential phenomena—in nature, in the powerful presence of somebody or something, in profound stillness, and in utmost Cosmic expressions throughout the Universe. By its subtlety the supramundane represents the field of further mental expansion providing for existential awakening, higher evolution, and transcendence.
The Subtle
Underlying causes or inherent states relative to cruder ones are termed as subtle. The human mind will continue to explore cultural, ethical and intellectual potentialities. Inquiries and advancements into subtler realms will continue as human beings come to understand more of the role of the psycho-physical, the physico-psychic, the pure psychic and the psycho-spiritual in all human affairs.
Something that the mind can conceive, but which the sensory organs cannot perceive, is subtle. Conversely, that which comes within the range of the physical sense organs is crude. Both the metaphysical and supramundane are subtle potentialities and resources. The spiritual cause and state are the most subtle and imperceivable by even the human mind. It is possible for humans to experience the purely spiritual though. One only has to go beyond the mind to achieve that most subtle state.