David Fontana
on Life's Sacred Dimensions
‘I can’t remember a time when
I wasn’t aware of the unseen dimensions,’ admits
Professor David Fontana of Cardiff University. Although raised
in London, David Fontana describes himself as ‘Celtic and
Latin, with a bit of Anglo-Saxon thrown in. I have an intense
feeling for the Celts and their mystical tradition,’ he
explains. Far from conflicting with his academic work, he believes
his interest in the inexplicable and otherworldly, enhances his
scholarly eye. ‘I’m happy to be a psychologist, and
it is important to approach things scientifically, but we must
never allow science to blind us to other possibilities that can’t
always be explored purely by scientific methodology.’
This desire to push the boundaries led David Fontana into transpersonal
psychology, which examines the more mystical states of consciousness,
deep emotions, creative processes, and the paranormal. This more
inclusive approach isn’t new - it was embraced by a number
of luminaries in ancient times, including Pythagorus. ‘Today
he is only taught as a discoverer of a particular theorum, but
Pythagorus also had a mystery school,’ says David Fontana. ‘It
gave people access to deeper awareness through a variety of mediums,
including sacred geometry.’
For David Fontana this wider approach is especially relevant
to our time. ‘Gurdjieff was right when he said that although
we inhabit a splendid mansion, most of us choose to live in the
basement. Today we live in such a material, consumer-led society.
This is made much worse by contemporary science, that suggests
there is nothing apart from matter. When we assume consciousness
is little more than a series of electro-chemical reactions, that
dreams are simply the dumping ground of unwanted matter, our
consciousness starts to shut down. It is this depth of consciousness
that emerges in accounts of near death experiences, because even
when the brain is pronounced dead, consciousness is still active.’
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