The Worldview of William James on the "Atmospheric Presence"

 The Worldview of William James on the "Atmospheric Presence."

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"Thursday morning"

"March 31, 1977"

"(Here begins some of the most fascinating descriptions of afterdeath reality that I have ever encountered; not only does James manage difficult material with extraordinary grace, but as the material continues, he gives invaluable hints as to how we can glimpse this "atmosphere presence" in life. From here on, James soars, his curiosity and intuitions seeking the eternal foundations from which all realities spring.

"(I was very touched by all of this material. I kept trying to sense in everyday life the magic and wonder of James's perceptions, hoping that aside from this manuscript, I could perceive the experiences James was speaking of.)

" . . ."

"Nowhere have I encountered the furnishings of a conventional heaven, or glimpsed the face of God. On the other hand, certainly I dwell in a psychological heaven by earth standards, for everywhere I sense a presence, or atmosphere, or atmosphere presence that is well-intentioned, gentle yet powerful, and all knowing. This seems to be a psychological presence of such stunning parts, however, that I can point to no one place and identify it as being there in contrast to being someplace else. At the risk of understating, this present seems more like a loving condition that permeates existence, and from which all existence springs.

"The feeling of safety mentioned earlier is definitely connected here, in that I know that no evil or harm can befall me, that each of my choices will yield benefits, in that this loving condition upholds me in all my ways. As in life I was always aware of an underlying melancholy, I am here always delightfully conscious of an extraordinary sense of safety that leads, say, too heroic acts and courage - naturally. There is the constant feeling that the universe is with me, for me, and with and for all others at the same time. Not only does it not conspire against me, but it ever lends it's active support.

"This willingness to help is everywhere apparent and promotes, of course, a sense of ease that, at the same time, stimulates the personalities abilities in ways most difficult to describe. While I mentioned this presence as itself, so thoroughly does it pervade everything that attempts to isolate it are useless. All theological and intellectual theories are beside the point in the reality of this phenomenon. I know that this presence or loving condition forms itself into me, and into all other personalities; that it lends itself actively to seek my good in the most particular and individual ways; yet that my good is in no way contrary to the good of anyone else, but beneficial.

"Each person living or dead is somehow a unique materialization or actualization, psychologically "perfect," of this basic loving condition or psychological, atmospheric presence. Each person is himself or herself, and an agent for the universe at the same time. The universe leans in each individual's direction, gives, and is compliant, for each person is part of that psychological fabric, coming to life. It is as if the universe were a multidimensional cloth with infinite patterns, and figures which did not remain flat but sprang alive, lived, moved and died and came back alive again, while the fabric of which they were made never wore out but miraculously revitalized itself and rewove its parts.

"The patterns and figures are constantly changing and the very stitches with which they are made are composed of the basic fabric also, so that there is everywhere communication between all of the parts at that level. Each figure changes the quality of the fabric, however, adding immeasurably to it through experience, for each life multiplies the actions possible to all of the others, on this common level.

"Yet this is not known to me without evidence. That evidence is a kind of direct, built-in-knowing - self-evident - and I realize that I possessed it as a child and let it go, on purpose, so that I could discover it again from a different angle. This somehow puts me in a new position with regard to the universe than I was in before, adding to what I can only call my psychological "thickness."

"Each living person goes through that process to some degree, and what is discovered is not the same truth that was momentarily discarded, but involves a new comprehension of the self from a different angle of reality. Each time we take on a new identity this process is one by which the universe realizes itself anew - as us and as itself - and in which the identity comes upon its invulnerability from a different standpoint. Obviously there is much here that I have not learned, but each new life is begun with the knowledge of basic safety, from a threshold of security large enough to sustain a physical existence."

--The Afterdeath Journal of an American Philosopher: The Worldview of William James, Chapter 10, page 162 - 164, by Jane Roberts