Customer Reviews

Franklin Merrell-Wolff's Experience and Philosophy: A Personal Record of Transformation and a Discussion of Transcendental Consciousness

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I found "The Philosophy of Consciousness Without an Object," one of the two books making up this volume, by chance a few years ago. Dr. Wolff is like pure gold. He provides independent confirmation and explication of mystical experience outside of religious traditions.

To existing reviews I just want to add that one of the deep joys of this book is Dr. Wolff himself, as transmitted by his language. Extremely literate, deeply kind, considerate, powerful, courageous, patient, thorough, Dr. Wolff is beautiful to read. This book contains the truth, in sentences that are so precise that they are like mathematical equations, and so vast in scope that they are themselves like books.

It is quite rare to come across a book on "mysticism"--the perennial philosophy, that is--which is written by a person who is not only speaking from a very advanced level of direct Realization but, at the same time, is a very well-trained and highly skilled philosopher. This is such a book. After years of wide study, deep thought and serious practice in the world's wisdom traditions, including formal training in both Eastern and Western philosophy and religion, this book still blew my mind from cover to cover. It will help to clarify significant points in your understanding, even if you are an advanced jnana yogi or a professional philosopher.

The experience of enlightenment, or of an unitive awareness beyond subject-object dualisms has often been basic for mysticisms in all traditions. It has also been vigorously debated by philosophers with a general consensus reached during the Enlightenment that reason or logic was the unique quality of consciousness. Even today reductionisms attempt to limit consciousness to some energetic metaphor. Merrell-Wolff's experience is all the more important for he comes out of a rigorous mathematical and philosophical background. When confronted with this nondualistic consciousness and its transformative effects, Merrell-Wolff was hard put to explain it. Taking on Kant's mirror dependencies of consciousness, being contingent upon perception and conception, Merrell-Wolff formulated important accounts all based experientially upon his own illuminate nondual consciousness. His most important work, and least known is Introceptualism where he sets out a formal epistemology and metaphysics for this basic transcendent consciousness. He also modifies some of his earlier statements, attempting to clarify his account of mysticism as well as placing his idealism into juxtaposition to modernist naturalism, realism, idealism and pragmatism. These books reflect a life time effort to formulate an adequate philosophy that can include such radical nondual consciousness as a present reality and possibility. Somewhat reclusive during his long life, he refused to guide or instruct others in what he felt was a natural condition of human consciousness when left to its own nature. In many ways these books provide a place where critical philosophy is strictly mystical. Highly recommended

This book is one of the most facinating accounts of mans potential for spiritual tranformation. It was written during the actual experience. Most eastern accounts of illumination are written after the fact. This account is different as the author gives you a personal account during and after each deeping state of conciousness. Not only this but from a "western mind" viewpoint of the experience. Not vailed in symbolism as most eastern writers. The totality of the experience left him with new insight into the human mystery and a renewed meaning to life. He can be added to the list of Richard Bucks book: "Cosmic Conciousness" as one who achieved spontaneous illumination. I recommend Merrell-Wolff's book for anyone seriously on the "path" to spiritual enlightenment

Franklin Merrell-Wolff's memoir of and reflections upon his experience of "Realization" is one of the most engaging and intelligent accounts ever written. His path was that of the jnani and the philosopher, and his lucid critical thinking is a rarity in this sort of literature. But this story is far from dry, and the mysticism is genuine and deep. This book got me through a series of "spiritual" crises in the mid-80s and has come around several times since, and is richer and more suggestive on each reading, as few books are. There is a subtle chemistry to "mystical" writers; one person's revelation is another person's tedium. Merrell-Wolff's work has a particular ineffable quality, a flavor that appeals to me immensely. He was an inspiration to Richard Moss, whose works are also highly to be recommended to those pursuing the path that disappears into God's country.

Franklin Merrell-Wolff is perhaps the greatest little-known philosopher of the 20th century. As the other reviewers have pointed out, FMW's deep understanding of Western philosophy and his genuine Realization of the highest level of Enlightenment as defined by Eastern religious philosophy, have made it possible for him to provide an utterly unique and remarkably detailed explanation of what It is all about.

Don't bother reading any more reviews: Buy this book NOW and read it. You will not be disappointed!

For going on nearly a decade now, I continue to be inspired by Franklin Merrell-Wolff's (FMW's) two-in-one book, Experience and Philosophy, containing Pathways Through to Space, and, in particular, The Philosophy of Consciousness Without an Object (CWO). CWO is remarkable because it eloquently expresses how FMW 1) "became convinced of the probable existence of a Transcendent mode of consciousness that could not be comprehended within the limits of our ordinary forms of knowledge." 2) proceeded to experience It for himself, and, most usefully (and ingeniously) 3) documented his Realizations within a systematically reconciled Eastern and Western framework of philosophies. There are many, many transcendental ("enlightened") people, but few who can actually explicate and teach the meaning of Transcendence!

What I have always resonated to--going back to them over and over again--is what FMW calls the "precipitated effects" of the Transcendental state. I like the phrase, Transcendent Effects, but it would be the same to me if they were Transformation Effects, or Enlightenment Effects, or simply Awakenings, Realizations or Recognitions. They can be found in Chapter 2, A Mystical Unfoldment. FMW strongly qualifies them as -effects-, not Pure Consciousness itself, which is ineffable--totally inexpressible on any linguistic level.

Still, what impresses me is how they are itemized and so fully and wonderfully articulated. For me they are rather much an inventory, such as a psychologist might assemble for a survey. If I were doing a dissertation on Transformation amongst us (yes, it -does- happen), then, as a guide for research, I would be using them as operational definitions for constructing a scale. One simply has to believe that Transformation is a matter of degree, or quantum of change.

To pose the Transcendent Effects in language I like, they would be: 1, an experience of a transformational shift; 2, non-duality, or a sense of oneness with all things; 3, an illumination or deep understanding (this IMO is where the word "enlightenment" might apply--but only as -part- of the picture); 4, classical transcendence (i.e., of being beyond time, space and "physical" reality); 5, a sense liberation from any restriction or bondage; 6, a sense of redemption from all wrong and wrong doing; 7, a sense of completion or wholeness; 8, a sense of peace and calmness; 9, a sense of groundedness, clarity, or inner consilience; 10, a joyfulness--an awareness of the "life-force"; 11, love or compassion; 12, inspiration, creative intuition, noetic resonance, or, as FMW likes to call it, "knowledge through identity"; 13, paranormal ability--clairvoyance, precognition, etc (FMW admits that he's not experienced this dimension, referring to it as "atypical features"); 14, dhyana, or ecstasy; and, 15, what he calls high indifference, a state of satisfaction, yet with a Knowing that it does not matter whether you have it or not. This latter one is discussed elsewhere, but I include it because it seems to fit.

Franklin makes it clear that the levels at which one can Know that these Effects of Pure Consciousness are themselves infinite, each level or form being subject to still higher levels, no matter how powerfully you might feel you know them in the present, they is always something beyond it, something more.

What's wrong with FMW's picture? Well, it's that he explicitly avoids prescribing any particular method of getting there. It is, ultimately, a matter of Grace--somehow bestowed upon you, whether or not you are doing your meditation practices every day, living with mindfulness, or having loving kindness towards everything.

However that may be the case, what I gather between the lines is that Transcendent Effects cannot happen by looking at (or reciting, or speaking about) any particular object, whether physical or mental. Thus the practice towards experiencing Transformational Effects is based upon being engaged with one's -subjective- reality, whatever you might be experiencing within your whole being.

Speaking for myself, I have sensed that there have emerged some practices that literally embody these subjective practices, as I call them. One can find subjective practices in such disciplines known as Focusing, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, and, possibly, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Hakomi, and Thought Field Therapy (TFT), and still others. Such practices, which are a recent emergence of what I call collectively the Somatic Movement, carry us into subjective practice. Many close students of FMW's work might not agree, but they can open the door to Transcendent Effects. They are humanity's answer to FMW's prescription for Introceptualism, a pre-conceptual, direct knowing of what is.

Friends, over the years I have read many books purporting to describe the enlightened mind, this book left me wondering "what is he thinking?" To spend so much time and effort in this manner makes me wonder what was going on here. This book is boring: no imagination, no heart, no love, no humor, no empathy with his readers, to mention a few. If you were to study with him you would have to sneak out at night and go get a beer before going postal with this guy. Do you think a "scientific explanation" for enlightenment will help you? If so you are in for a long and disappointing journey. I will ask this: how many of his students achieved the desired state? Any? No? Don't waste time on this book, use your DISCRIMINATION. If he is an example of the enlightened state who needs it? It will not move you into clarity, it will bog you down in more concepts which lead you in the opposite direction.

Franklin Merrell-Wolff's Experience and Philosophy is a book filled with personality and poetic description. I will probably read this a second time, since it is not written in plain language (but it is not totally impenetrable either).

If you can get it from a library, I certainly recommend giving it a try that way before purchasing it. Although thoroughly enjoyable, it is not for everybody, both in terms of the somewhat abstract writing style and the actual content of Franklins ideas.

I have not read this book but many years ago after reading the 1983 Pathways Through To Space I arranged to meet the writer as part of my spiritual search. I had been a student of Krishnamurti's writings (and live talks) for some years and was very interested in learning from F. M-Wolff after reading his book. I contacted him and visited him and his wife at their desert home for several days and they were kind enough to allow me to stay there share their meals (in exchange for yard work). Two things stand out for me in that experience. One was his questioning of my preference for a vegetarian diet (my futile gesture to at least minimize the suffering of animals) and the long-anticipated sit-down talk about his philosophy and understanding. The talk consisted of one question "How long have you been on the path?". I, coming from the teachings of Krishnamurti in which following a path was not quite the right thing to do, I was at first puzzled and not sure if he meant "his path" or something more general, so I responded with "What path?" thinking he would clarify. Instead it was the end of the conversation. I was blown off, dismissed as inadequate material to spend any more time on. Looking back at it I am still amazed at the lack of insight and understanding and patience shown that interaction. Perhaps I expected too much of one presumably "enlightened" but truth is I did expect more than that. Writing down ideas is one thing but the actuality another.