Divine Presence
"Apart from the experiences of subjects
there is nothing, nothing, nothing, bare nothingness."
Whitehead, Alfred North. Process and Reality
In Whitehead's philosophy, the experience of subjects is what there is and all there is. This does not mean that only human beings have subjective experience; all actual entities enjoy subjective experience, even quantum events in the depths of atoms. This subjectivity is not isolated but responsive to the subjectivities of other subjects, whose feelings they "feel" and respond to. In Whitehead's philosophy, we live in an intersubjective universe. Thus, subjectivity includes, but is not limited to, a sense of privacy. It also means that something like inwardness, interiority, feeling, or prehending is part of the very essence of actuality; without it, there is no actuality at all; and we experience the subjectivity of others as well as our own. We feel the feelings of others.
In short, process philosophy and theology lend themselves to a recognition and appreciation of many forms of interconnected subjectivity, including divine subjectivity. We experience divine subjectivity in at least three ways:
1. The Lure: As an inwardly felt lure toward healing and wholeness - wisdom, compassion, and beauty - relative to the circumstances of our lives.
2. The Listening: As a deep listening, indeed cosmic listening, in which we can participate as we listen to ourselves and others in loving ways.
3. The Beauty: Through our experiences of beauty in its many forms: natural beauty, artistic beauty, intellectual beauty, moral beauty, soul beauty, and tragic beauty.
God is an inner guide, a deep listening, and the presence of beauty in our lives. In these ways God is not hidden, God is present, but never as a coercive power. And never located in a particular region of space or as a focal object in the mind's eye. God is present in the subjectivity of our own experience as a wider horizon, inwardly felt, in which we live and move and have our being.
- Jay McDaniel
In short, process philosophy and theology lend themselves to a recognition and appreciation of many forms of interconnected subjectivity, including divine subjectivity. We experience divine subjectivity in at least three ways:
1. The Lure: As an inwardly felt lure toward healing and wholeness - wisdom, compassion, and beauty - relative to the circumstances of our lives.
2. The Listening: As a deep listening, indeed cosmic listening, in which we can participate as we listen to ourselves and others in loving ways.
3. The Beauty: Through our experiences of beauty in its many forms: natural beauty, artistic beauty, intellectual beauty, moral beauty, soul beauty, and tragic beauty.
God is an inner guide, a deep listening, and the presence of beauty in our lives. In these ways God is not hidden, God is present, but never as a coercive power. And never located in a particular region of space or as a focal object in the mind's eye. God is present in the subjectivity of our own experience as a wider horizon, inwardly felt, in which we live and move and have our being.
- Jay McDaniel
The Contemplative Side of Life
When people are overwhelmed by muscular, extroverted, wordy forms of religious life, including Christian life, they are often enriched by quieter, more contemplative practices that invite us to "look within" to find God.
From a process perspective, the living whole of the universe—God—is indeed a living reality inside each of us, like an inner light. In order to find this light, we need solitude as well as community; we need times in which are alone with ourselves, albeit in the presence of the natural world, or the privacy of a good book, or the sanctifying presence of a companion animal - but away from other people. And certainly, we need forms of contemplative prayer in which we "quiet down" to awaken to fresh promptings from God and relish the precious wisdom of silent listening. It is a relief to many to find that Christianity, after all, includes contemplative traditions, as do most other religious paths.
Yet, in the larger scheme of things, there are also more extroverted forms of inwardness, such as mindfulness in the present moment, imagining alternative futures, the enjoyment of friends and family, service to the world, and recognizing our essential connections with other people and the more-than-human worlds of plants and animals, hills and rivers, trees and stars.
Process philosophy and theology invite a more expansive understanding of inwardness, which includes the recognition that other living beings have inwardness too and that some forms of inwardness can best be found in loving community. Below, then, I name ten forms of inwardness that "make sense" from a process perspective. I do not include the inner light of God, because it permeates them all. Inwardness as the inner light represents the divine presence within, the guiding force that illuminates our inner experiences, and connects them to the broader reality of God's presence in the world.
This form of inwardness is not limited to any single aspect of our being but is a foundational light that shines through our physical bodies, private thoughts, relational experiences, unconscious processes, spiritual awareness, panexperiential connections, imaginative capacities, mystical encounters, introspective reflections, and deep listening. Within every facet of our inward experience lies a spark of the divine, guiding us toward greater understanding, compassion, and unity with the cosmos. Here, the within does not displace the without. The two go together, and there are times, as in sleep or certain kinds of mystical experiences, when both fall away, such that there is no "within" or "without." Even this falling away is a kind of inwardness, but there is no separate self that possesses it. We might well imagine that this non-dualistic form of inwardness is itself divine. At least so the mystics say.
- Jay McDaniel
From a process perspective, the living whole of the universe—God—is indeed a living reality inside each of us, like an inner light. In order to find this light, we need solitude as well as community; we need times in which are alone with ourselves, albeit in the presence of the natural world, or the privacy of a good book, or the sanctifying presence of a companion animal - but away from other people. And certainly, we need forms of contemplative prayer in which we "quiet down" to awaken to fresh promptings from God and relish the precious wisdom of silent listening. It is a relief to many to find that Christianity, after all, includes contemplative traditions, as do most other religious paths.
Yet, in the larger scheme of things, there are also more extroverted forms of inwardness, such as mindfulness in the present moment, imagining alternative futures, the enjoyment of friends and family, service to the world, and recognizing our essential connections with other people and the more-than-human worlds of plants and animals, hills and rivers, trees and stars.
Process philosophy and theology invite a more expansive understanding of inwardness, which includes the recognition that other living beings have inwardness too and that some forms of inwardness can best be found in loving community. Below, then, I name ten forms of inwardness that "make sense" from a process perspective. I do not include the inner light of God, because it permeates them all. Inwardness as the inner light represents the divine presence within, the guiding force that illuminates our inner experiences, and connects them to the broader reality of God's presence in the world.
This form of inwardness is not limited to any single aspect of our being but is a foundational light that shines through our physical bodies, private thoughts, relational experiences, unconscious processes, spiritual awareness, panexperiential connections, imaginative capacities, mystical encounters, introspective reflections, and deep listening. Within every facet of our inward experience lies a spark of the divine, guiding us toward greater understanding, compassion, and unity with the cosmos. Here, the within does not displace the without. The two go together, and there are times, as in sleep or certain kinds of mystical experiences, when both fall away, such that there is no "within" or "without." Even this falling away is a kind of inwardness, but there is no separate self that possesses it. We might well imagine that this non-dualistic form of inwardness is itself divine. At least so the mystics say.
- Jay McDaniel
Ten Forms of Inwardness
1. What Is Inside Our Bodies
This form of inwardness refers to the physical and physiological aspects of our being. It includes our internal organs, bodily functions, and the various biological processes that occur within us. It also extends to the microorganisms and other entities within our bodies, which contribute to our overall state of health and existence. This form of inwardness is rooted in the tangible, material aspects of our physical selves.
2. Private Thoughts, Feelings, and Impulses
This form of inwardness encompasses our personal, internal experiences that are unique to us. It includes private thoughts, feelings, and impulses that are intimately ours and not directly accessible to others. These aspects of inwardness are deeply personal and involve our inner reactions, emotional responses, and mental processes. They shape our individual experiences and contribute to our subjective reality.
3. Relational Inwardness
Relational inwardness refers to how we integrate and experience the external world and our relationships within our personal reality. It involves the subjective experience of how our environment, interactions with others, and our relational dynamics are part of our immediate inward experience. In a Whiteheadian context, this form of inwardness recognizes that the world itself, indeed the entire universe, is part of our immediate experience. Our relational subjectivity is a concrescence of the universe, reflecting how we perceive and relate to the world around us and how our relationships shape our sense of self. In a relational perspective, all forms of inwardness emerge in response to what is outward, and outwardness is always outward as disclosed or discovered in the inwardness of immediate experience. The key to a relational approach to inwardness is to recognize that inwardness and outwardness cannot be sharply separated, and that the richest forms of inwardness begin, not simply by turning within, but also, and sometimes more deeply, by turning to the 'outer' world in loving ways. Inwardness is enriched and made possible by nourishing community.
4. Unconscious Inwardness
Unconscious inwardness includes the subjective energies and forms of wisdom that lie beneath our conscious experience. This encompasses both personal unconscious processes (such as repressed memories, dreams, and latent desires) and collective unconscious elements (shared archetypes and cultural myths). These aspects of inwardness influence our conscious thoughts and behaviors, often surfacing through indirect means.
5. Spiritual Inwardness
Spiritual inwardness involves self-awareness, sensitivity to the indwelling lure of God, and openness to the interconnectedness of all things. It includes our capacity for deep listening, understanding the divine presence in ourselves and in the world, and cultivating a sense of holistic connection and meaning.
6. Panexperiential Inwardness
Panexperiential inwardness refers to the subjectivity present in each and every individual actual entity. This concept aligns with the idea that all entities possess some form of experiential quality, contributing to the richness of the universe and our own inward experience.
7. Inwardness as Imagination
Inwardness as imagination involves the creative capacity to envision possibilities, scenarios, and meanings beyond immediate experience. It encompasses the ways we mentally construct and explore various aspects of our inner and outer worlds, allowing us to shape and redefine our understanding of reality.
8. Non-Dualistic, Mystical Inwardness
Mystical inwardness refers to experiences in which the very distinction between 'inner' and 'outer' falls away. In these moments, the sense of separation dissolves, revealing a unified reality where the distinctions between self and other, internal and external, become indistinguishable.
9. Introspective Inwardness
Introspective inwardness involves the reflective process of examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It is the practice of turning inward to gain deeper understanding and insight into one's own mental and emotional states.
10. Inwardness as Deep Listening
Inwardness as presence and deep listening involves paying attentive, loving attention to others and ourselves. It emphasizes the importance of being fully present in interactions, listening deeply to others, and fostering connections through empathetic engagement.
- Jay McDaniel
Outwardness
In the context of inwardness, "outward" refers to entities and forces that have power of their own, beyond our direct control. This concept of "outward" is not limited to what is external to our bodies or perceived visually but includes anything that influences us or operates independently of our will. This can be positive or negative, desirable or undesirable.
- Past Events: Events that have occurred and cannot be changed, yet continue to affect us through our memories and their lingering impact.
- Biological Factors: Entities like viruses or bacteria inside our bodies that operate independently of our control, influencing our health and bodily functions.
- Social and Environmental Factors: The presence of friends, family, and other external factors like healthy food or a supportive environment, which play a role in shaping our experience and well-being.
- Other Agents: Individuals or entities, both animate and inanimate, that exert influence or have their own agency, regardless of whether they are inside or outside our bodies.
In summary, "outward" encompasses all factors that affect us but lie beyond our direct control or influence, reflecting their own inherent agency.