"The distinction between past, present, and future 
is only a stubbornly persistent illusion."
Albert Einstein


I. WHAT DOES THE MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE "TEACH"?

The mystical experience primarily "teaches" that 
consciousness is infinite in space and eternal in time. This 
infinite consciousness has been called God, Brahman, Buddha 
mind, nirvana, cosmic consciousness, etc.

During the mystical experience consciousness appears to 
instantaneously span the entirety of space and time, 
consequently it appears that all distances across space and 
time equal zero. This "zero" space-time is the formless 
"void" spoken of by Eastern mystics. So the primary lesson 
of the mystical experience is that distances across space 
and time equal zero. From this lesson arises the theory that 
space and time are "illusions."


II. HOW DO WE PROVE THE MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE?
 
To prove that the mystical experience is valid we must prove 
that all distances across space and time equal zero. Sound 
impossible? Not quite: to prove that all distances equal 
zero we must simply establish that the process of the 
measurement of space and time is * symmetrical.* If the 
process of the measurement of space and time is symmetrical, 
the equal but opposite components of this measurement, 
expressed as equal but opposite numbers, will neutralize one 
another so that the sum equals zero.


III. SYMMETRY OF MEASUREMENT

Distance across space and time is measured by * motion * 
from point (a) to point (b) in either space or time. The 
motion of this measurement is described mathematically by a 
sequential progression from zero: 0 1 2 3 4 -->. Each number 
marks a unit of space or time across which motion has 
occurred. 

The nature of the motion of measurement is * relative.* As 
Albert Einstein said, "Every motion must be considered only 
as a relative motion." 

Relative motion is * symmetrical.* Describing the symmetry 
of motion, Einstein observed that as you fall down to the 
Earth (-), it is equally true that the Earth rises up to you 
(+). Thus, the event of your falling = {(+) + (-)} = 
symmetry. 

Motion through space is mechanically equivalent to motion 
through time: as you move from second (1) toward second (2) 
--> (+), it is simultaneously true that second (2) moves 
symmetrically toward you <-- (-). The flow of time is 
symmetrical: this moment is passing by into the past. Your 
forward motion into the future (-->) *is* the backward 
motion (<--) of this moment into the past. Thus time flow = 
{(<--) + (-->)}. 

As measurement is motion, and as motion is symmetrical, all 
measurements are symmetrical. (For graphics, animations, and 
info about the symmetry of nonuniform motion, e-mail: 
igoddard@cap.gwu.edu.)


	 All measurement is motion
	 Motion is symmetrical
	 Thus: all measurement is symmetrical

As the motion of all measurements of space and time is 
symmetrical, the mathematical description of all 
measurements is symmetrical progressions from zero: 

[-- 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 --]

the structure of all measurements

Every measurement of one unit of space or time is composed 
of *two symmetrical states of motion.* These symmetrical 
states of motion, being equal but opposite, are described 
mathematically by the equal but opposite numbers 1 and -1. 
As two equal but opposite numbers are derived from every 
measurement of one unit of space or time, the complete 
calculation of every measurement of one unit of space or 
time = {(1) + (-1)} = 0.

	All measurements are symmetrical
	Symmetry = 0
	Thus: all measurements = 0

Traditional measurement theory describes only * half * of 
the symmetry of measurement and then erroneously assumes the 
complete calculation of a measurement to be nonzero. If the 
nature of X is (+) & (-), then X = {(+) + (-)}. As the 
nature of motion is (+) & (-), and as measurement = motion, 
measurement = {(+) + (-)}.

IV. CONCLUSION

What was required to be proven -- that the measurement of 
space and time is symmetrical and thus equals zero -- has 
been proven. By proving that all measurements of space and 
time equal zero, all measurements of all physical phenomena 
must also equal zero, for space and time are the basis of 
all physical measurements. That the experience of space and 
time *seems* to contradict an absolute zero sum is a 
consequence of misunderstanding what "zero" means and does 
not alter the logical proof which dictates that space and 
time equal zero.

As all measurements of space and time must equal zero due to 
the symmetry of relative motion, logic clearly dictates that 
the claim arising from the mystical experience -- that all 
distances across space and time equal zero -- is true. 
Unless it can be shown that relative motion is not 
symmetrical, logic dictates that the mystical experience 
must be the experience of the truth.


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* APPENDIX *

I. EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING DONE HERE?

It is already an established fact that relative motion is 
symmetrical. What I am doing here that is new -- to the best 
of my knowledge -- is: (1) observe that all measurements = 
symmetrical motion, then (2) add the symmetrical components 
of this motion, expressed as equal but opposite integers, to 
reach a sum, and (3) apply this sum to all measurements. 
That's all -- it's very simple and logical. This logical 
process is know as * symmetrics,* which is a function of * 
neutral mechanics.* To disprove symmetrics one must simply 
show that one of its three simple functions is flawed.
 

II. THE COUNTER-ARGUMENTS

1. The absolute value of 1 and -1 is 2. 

Indeed, there are two numeric components, 1 and -1, the 
absolute value of each being 1, hence we can say 1+1=2. But 
this does not alter the fact that these two numerical 
components are equal but opposite, and thus that (1+(-1))=0. 

2. Nonuniform motion is asymmetrical and thus non-zero. 

Rotational motion is nonuniform and symmetrical.* The 
differences between two objects one in uniform and the other 
in nonuniform motion are differences of force and time. In 
and of themselves, each of these factors is symmetrical. If 
the force I feel is symmetrical, i.e., equal but opposite in 
nature, its sum is zero. If I feel a force and you feel no 
force, the net sum is still zero, and thus symmetrical.

3. You cannot add the symmetrical components of relative motion. 

If this were so we could not call relative motion 
"symmetrical." Yet we can and we do. By doing so we are 
inherently adding the equal but opposite components of 
relative to motion to reach a sum, that sum is "symmetry" 
and symmetry is zero.

These points and counter points are greatly condensed. For 
complete version, or to post a new argument against the 
logical verification, e-mail: igoddard@cap.gwu.edu. 

Those who have raised these counterarguments have conceded 
that they are not effective arguments against symmetrics 
(the process of adding the symmetrical components of 
motion). Currently there is no effective argument against 
symmetrics and the logical verification. 


* For free graphics and computer animations that teach 
neutral mechanics, e-mail: igoddard@cap.gwu.edu.


"A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its 
opponents and making them see the light, but rather because 
its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up 
that is familiar with the idea from the beginning."  

Max Plank 
Nobel physicist

__________

Copyright 1994 Ian Goddard. You are * free to copy * and 
distributed this material without permission so long as full 
credit is given to the author: Ian Williams Goddard. 

Neutral Mechanics Research Center, 11913 Renwood Lane, 
Rockville, MD 20852. (301) 881-7328. igoddrad@cap.gwu.edu.