SUMMUM

SUMMUM is the name given to the totality of existence by the Summum philosophy and represents the source from which all things emanate. Whether things be seen or unseen, objective or subjective, tangible or intangible, finite or infinite, inside or outside of space-time, SUMMUM is the essence that underlies them all and is considered to be an infinite, living mind limited by nothing and encompassing everything. cite book
last = Ra
first = Summum Bonum Amen
authorlink =
coauthors =
editor =
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title = SUMMUM: Sealed Except to the Open Mind
origdate =
origyear = 1975
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url = http://www.summum.us/philosophy/ebook/ebook.htm
format = HTML
accessdate = 2006-05-26
accessyear =
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edition =
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year = 2004
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publisher = Summum
location = Salt Lake City
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Meaning of the term

The word "summum" is Latin meaning "highest" or "greatest," [ cite web
last = Mirza
first = Sumair
authorlink =
coauthors = Jason Tsang
date =
year = 1999-2006
month =
url = http://www.classicsunveiled.com/romevd/html/vocabs.html
title = Latin Wordstock - Vocabulary 'S'
format =
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publisher = Classics Unveiled
accessdate = 2006-05-22
accessyear =] and in the context of the Summum philosophy it means "the sum total of all creation." cite web
last =
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url = http://www.summum.us/about/
title = About Summum
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publisher = Summum
accessdate = 2006-05-26
accessyear =] The Summum philosophy appears to distinguish between the names "Summum" and "SUMMUM" to the extent that the former represents a philosophy and an organization with members that espouse the philosophy, while the latter is a name that represents the infinite source of existence far above the highest flights of human comprehension and imagination.

Related titles

According to the philosophy, SUMMUM has been given many names by the numerous philosophies and religions that have existed throughout history. Terms such as "God," "Tao," "Nirvana," and "Cosmic Consciousness" are but a few of the many titles and descriptions people have assigned to it. SUMMUM is the basis for countless deities. "The Kybalion", a book purporting to be a study of the Hermetic philosophy of ancient Egypt and Greece calls SUMMUM "The All," and although "The Kybalion" provides a very in-depth treatise on The All, it offers no explanation as to the source of The All's existence other than to state The All has always been. [ cite book
last = Three Initiates
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
editor =
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title = The Kybalion
origdate =
origyear = 1912
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url = http://www.kybalion.org/kybalion.asp
format = HTML
accessdate = 2006-05-10
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accessmonth =
edition =
date =
year = 1940
month =
publisher = The Yogi Publication Society
location = Chicago
language =
id =
doi =
pages =
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quote =] The Summum philosophy goes further by explaining how SUMMUM or The All came about, and includes additional details about the nature of SUMMUM.

Creatio ex nihilo et posse

The Summum philosophy explains that before there was anything, there was Nothing, and if there was Nothing, then it must be possible for Nothing to be. If it is possible for Nothing to be, then it must be possible for Everything to be. This would have to be so, for at this point, no thing (i.e. force or condition) exists that could limit the possibilities. If all possibility exists, then it must include the possibility of Nothing, or else it would not be ALL possibility.

Summum refers to Nothing and All Possibility as the "Grand Opposites." Automatically and simultaneously, with no beginning and no end, do these Grand Opposites establish each other and, consequently, have an automatic relationship or bond with each other. The bond is such that the Grand Opposites join and break apart in an inconceivably rapid manner as they oscillate between Nothing and All Possibility. The breaking and bonding occurs infinite times within a finite moment, a kind of "cosmic copulation." This produces an infinite vibration whose result is an Infinite Living Mind, an essence which is the basis for the term "spirit," and that is SUMMUM. Thus, SUMMUM is an eternal moment of infinite vibration whose nature is the union of nothing and all possibility, and whose nature is to express the possibilities which subsequently leads to the creation of infinite universes, all held within its infinite mind. In summary, existence comes from creation out of nothing and possibility ("creatio ex nihilo et posse").

Correlation with science

Summum contends that this concept corresponds with scientific investigations into the origins of the universe. cite web
last =
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url = http://www.summum.us/philosophy/dilemma.shtml
title = The Dilemma Facing Science
format =
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publisher = Summum
accessdate = 2006-11-25
accessyear =] Scientists have been examining the idea that there was nothing prior to the birth of the universe, and that somehow the universe came out of nothing. cite web
last =
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year = 2002-2006
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url = http://www.big-bang-theory.com/
title = Big Bang Theory
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publisher = AllAboutScience.org
accessdate = 2006-05-22
accessyear =] In light of the Summum philosophy, the universe was not born out of nothing, but out of nothing and possibility. In addition, scientists state that at the moment of the birth of the universe, a singularity exhibiting infinite heat and density existed. Science through observation has discovered that behind observable phenomena, there appears to be a corresponding vibration (String theory holds that everything in the universe is composed of tiny, fundamental strings that vibrate). [ * cite web
last = Groleau
first = Rick
authorlink =
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date =
year = 2003
month = June
url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/resonance.html
title = The Elegant Universe: Resonance in Strings
format =
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pages =
publisher = NOVA / PBS
accessdate = 2006-05-23
accessyear =] Hence, that moment of infinite temperature and density can be looked upon as a result of the extreme vibration produced by the infinite interaction between Nothing and All Possibility.

ee also

* Absolute Infinite
* The All
* Big Bang
* Chaos
* Conceptions of God
* Cosmos
* Existence of God
* God
* Names of God
* Oneness (concept)
* Summum
* Supreme Being
* Universe

Notes

References

* cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year =
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url = http://www.summum.us/about/
title = About Summum
format =
work =
pages =
publisher = Summum
accessdate = 2006-05-26
accessyear =

* cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year = 2002-2006
month =
url = http://www.big-bang-theory.com/
title = Big Bang Theory
format =
work =
pages =
publisher = AllAboutScience.org
accessdate = 2006-05-22
accessyear =

* cite web
last = Groleau
first = Rick
authorlink =
coauthors =
date =
year = 2003
month = June
url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/resonance.html
title = The Elegant Universe: Resonance in Strings
format =
work =
pages =
publisher = NOVA / PBS
accessdate = 2006-05-23
accessyear =

* cite web
last = Mirza
first = Sumair
authorlink =
coauthors = Jason Tsang
date =
year = 1999-2006
month =
url = http://www.classicsunveiled.com/romevd/html/vocabs.html
title = Latin Wordstock - Vocabulary 'S'
format =
work =
pages =
publisher = Classics Unveiled
accessdate = 2006-05-22
accessyear =

* cite book
last = Ra
first = Summum Bonum Amen
authorlink =
coauthors =
editor =
others =
title = SUMMUM: Sealed Except to the Open Mind
origdate =
origyear = 1975
origmonth =
url = http://www.summum.us/philosophy/ebook/ebook.htm
format = HTML
accessdate = 2006-05-10
accessyear =
accessmonth =
edition =
date =
year = 2004
month =
publisher = Summum
location = Salt Lake City
language =
id =
doi =
pages =
chapter =
chapterurl =
quote =

* cite book
last = Three Initiates
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
editor =
others =
title = The Kybalion
origdate =
origyear = 1912
origmonth =
url = http://www.kybalion.org/kybalion.asp
format = HTML
accessdate = 2006-05-10
accessyear =
accessmonth =
edition =
date =
year = 1940
month =
publisher = The Yogi Publication Society
location = Chicago
language =
id =
doi =
pages =
chapter =
chapterurl =
quote =

External links

* http://www.summum.us The organization and philosophy of Summum