Seven Basic Spiritual Questions
The Seven Basic Spiritual Questions are the seven questions that Timothy Leary says are answered during a typical Connection Experience.[1]
Leary Terms
Timothy Leary > Seven Basic Spiritual Questions, Tuning In, Turning On
Notes
For Leary, these questions may be addressed in a religious manner or a scientific manner. "Now one important fact about these questions is that they are continually being answered and reanswered, not only by all the religions of the world but also by the data of the natural sciences. Read these questions again from the standpoint of the goals of (1) astronomy-physics, (2) biochemistry, genetics, paleontology, and evolutionary theory, (3) anatomy and physiology, (4) neurology, (5) sociology, psychology, (6) psychiatry, (7) eschatological theology and anesthesiology."[2]
Quotes
What are these 7 basic spiritual questions?
1. The Ultimate Power Question
What is the basic energy underlying the universe—the ultimate power that moves the galaxies and nucleus of the atom? Where and how did it all begin? What is the cosmic plan? Cosmology.
2. The Life Question
What is life? Where and how did it begin? How is it evolving? Where is it going? Genesis, biology, evolution, genetics.
3. The Human Being Question
Who is man? Whence did he come? What is his structure and function? Anatomy and physiology.
4. The Awareness Question
How does man sense, experience, know? Epistemology, neurology.
5. The Ego Question
Who am I? What is my spiritual, psychological, social place in the plan? What should I do about it? Social psychology.
6. The Emotional Question
What should I feel about it? Psychiatry. Personality psychology.
7. The Ultimate Escape Question
How do I get out of it? Anesthesiology (amateur or professional) . Eschatology[3]
