How Quantum Mechanics, Mysticism & Vedanta-Yoga Are
Affecting Western Culture
“The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It
should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology.”
– Albert Einstein
“Those who aspire to the state of yoga should seek the
self in inner solitude through meditation. With body and mind controlled they
should constantly practice one-pointedness, free from expectations and
attachment to material possessions.”
— Bhagavad Gita
Mystics are driven by a desire to grasp and attain the ultimate truth of existence. Mysticism can be defined as a belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension that are central to being and directly accessible by subjective experience. A mystic trusts in these subjective experiences and cultivates awareness of dimensions beyond the physical and intelligible. These levels of consciousness bring light to the vast mysteries of the world around us, the world that we create with our thoughts.
In the Western world today, a shift is occurring in consciousness. This shift is a product of a myriad of factors. These factors range from our scientific progress in neuroscience, physics and psychology all the way to how India influenced us with the practices and tangible spiritual and psychological benefits provided by Vedanta-Yoga. How exactly did this happen? First we must take a look at the root of it all, consciousness.
What
is consciousness? What is the origin of consciousness? What are the limits of
human potential? We are at a point today in the world where we can ask
questions such as these and others like them. With the progress of science such
as the superstring theory and quantum mechanics we now have some ideas about
how to begin to find the answers to such questions. These forms of science
posit that all life is fundamentally one. There exists a unity at the basis of
all of the diversity within life. Mind, body, and spirit create a sacred
trinity that allows us to fully experience life on earth. (Though there is
quite a bit of knowledge about the mind and the body, understanding of the
spirit is actually quite lacking.) This unity, at the basis of mind and matter,
is consciousness, and often referred to as universal consciousness. Quantum
Physicist Amit Goswami says that consciousness is the ground of all being.
Consciousness is theorized to not be created from the brain, but rather it is
fundamental; it is at the core of all nature. (The Quantum Activist)
Superstring theory, which talks of the unified field, identifies a single, universal field of intelligence. Superstring theory is known less formally as the string theory, and is often referred to as the Theory of Everything (TOE.) There exists much debate about whether this field is actually proven science or not, but despite this it is a very stimulating piece of physics. Within this unified field exists quarks, electromagnetism, gravity, consciousness etc. It is a mathematical model that describes all fundamental forces and forms of matter in existence. Everything has a unified source in this field, and this field’s properties are nonmaterial, dynamic, self-aware, and intelligent. It is considered to be pure abstract potential. Many will ask potential for what? That is a good question.
We
(our cosmic consciousness) are just waves of vibrations in this unified
underlying field. The idea of universal or cosmic consciousness posits that the
universe exists as an interconnected network of consciousness, with each
conscious being linked to every other. This essentially means there is only one
consciousness, it is you, it is me, and it is everyone. The individuality of
consciousness experienced by most people is theorized to be produced by the
universal consciousness being filtered through the nervous system.
Understanding that consciousness, or the self, is universal is the first step
to enlightenment.
Experiencing
this enlightenment first hand has been sought after in many cultures and
religions across the ages. In William James’ Varieties of Religious
Experience, he gives the accounts of many different people from across time
and some claim that in their moment of divine existence they felt a perfect unity
and transcendence (of consciousness.) If people continue to believe that we
live in a universe of dead, motionless matter, then it will of course make it
difficult to grasp that our universe is conscious at its roots. The string
theory attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Quantum
mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, deals with physical
phenomena as microscopic scales. It provides a mathematical description of much
of the existing dualism between particles and waves and interactions of energy
and matter. It tries to explain the relationship between how our intangible
consciousness comes about from particles and energy, or if matter and energies
are a product of consciousness. Quantum mechanics is the play and display of
information, of potentiality. (Hagelin) It is considered the world of potential
electrons, not just electrons. The deeper a person looks into what everything
is composed of, the more alive and conscious the universe seems to become. In
the unified field, there exists just pure being. Many cultures and
spiritual practices have discovered ways to transcend to a higher plane of
consciousness, but why are these seemingly very important practices not used by
everybody?
The
techniques to experience a pure consciousness and unbounded awareness are
easily lost because they are so subtle. These are often characterized as being
simple, universal, and most importantly natural. In order to transcend,
consciousness has to calm and slow down. This is a goal of meditative practices.
In efforts to reproduce such an experience, one will find difficulty in
succeeding, because effort calls for too much conscious activity. The
experience of pure consciousness really transcends any one religion or
philosophy, even though it is the desired end result of mostly all religious
and spiritual practices. This is discussed in my section on perennialism later
on. This pure consciousness is theorized to be the direct subjective
experience of the unified laws of nature. The unified field unites the observed
with the observer and provides the experience of one’s true self, or the
Atman. In Sanskrit, Atman means to Buddhists the ‘essential self.’
The
essential self is pure consciousness. Though consciousness, or the essential
self, is intangible, it is the one aspect of experience that has been with us
since childhood. Consciousness gives continuity to our experience, it is the
atman, the self. (Hagelin) Within the unified field exists unbounded
subjectivity, much like the observing self. Quantum Physicist John Hagelin
believes that the world of diversity and the world of unity both exist, not
just one or the other. They are simply different levels of description of the
same reality. On the physical level, you and I are separate, but at deeper
levels we have a common source. Where all of the particles come together as
one, this is the unity of consciousness, the unified field of all the laws of
nature. (Hagelin)
Quantum
physics has many seemingly metaphysical properties; it is also quite mystical
in many ways. Most quantum physicists report highly mystical interpretations to
their findings. Quantum mysticism grew out of quantum physics, and it was a
topic of much debate a just a few years ago. It is essentially an umbrella term
for all of the beliefs that try and relate consciousness, intelligence, or
mystical world-views to quantum physics and its myriad of interpretations.
Quantum mechanics is a quickly maturing science of consciousness, but still has
a long way to go. There is much more to consciousness than an objective
science, subjective inner-experience is where the real truth may lay for many
people.
Many
Americans who practice yoga or meditate are not aware that these primarily came
from India. In the early 19th century, British scholars produced the
first English translations of India’s sacred texts and Emerson, Whitman, and
Thoreau all quickly got a hold of them. Gurus came and gave lectures that made
the message of India increasingly alluring to Westerners. This was the case
predominantly in the white, urban and educated folks who were seekers of truth,
of God and of self-improvement.
Walt
Whitman once wrote, “India represents meditation, oriental rhapsody,
passiveness, a curious schoolmaster-teaching of wise precepts.” The Influence
of India spread slowly, then surged in the late 1960’s due to a myriad of
forces coming together- “mass communication and ease of travel; social unrest;
war and nuclear anxiety; psychedelic drugs; and alienated but idealistic
youngsters with the time and money to explore new ways of being.” (American
Veda, Goldenberg) The portion of India’s spiritual legacy that hold the most
appeal to Westerners are the philosophical system of the Vedanta and the mental
and physical practices of Yoga. Vedanta literally means “end of the Vedas” and
refers to the culmination of the knowledge contained within the Upanishads, the
Brahma Sutras, and the Bhagavad Gita. Yoga usually refers to a
collection of methodologies and practices aimed at achieving spiritual
ascension and experiencing the union of the individual and the divine.
Together, the Vedanta-Yoga practice constitutes an empirical science of the
inner life.
Vedanta
and Yoga are two of the six systems of Indian(Hindu) philosophy. The other four
are a bit more outwardly religious and wouldn’t be taken to as kindly here in
the West. Vedanta is similar to perrenialism, which was brought to public
attention by Aldous Huxley in his Perennial Philosophy. Perrenialism
essentially posits that the mystical components of religious traditions call
forth remarkably similar descriptions of reality across many walks of culture.
This is not to say in any way that all religions are the same, but “While
religious customs, rituals, and dogmas vary, all traditions, if taken deep
enough, can bring practitioners to essentially the same place- our silent
origin, or essence, which transcends all notions of place, all words, all
concepts, all theologies.” (Goldberg)
Organized
religions in the West seem to be lacking in transformation of becoming a more
fulfilled and complete person and transcendence to satisfy the yearning to
enlarge the perceived boundaries of the self. Millions of Americans have likely
been influenced by Vedanta-Yoga without even being aware of it. As stated in
the introduction, the initial draw to Vedanta-Yoga was the promise of tangible
spiritual and psychological benefits. The changes are noted to be improved
well-being: greater peace, self-awareness, happiness, wholeness, and a
connection to something bigger than themselves.
The
Psychology of happiness and well-being says that people are far more resilient
to negative emotions, which expands their thought-action repertoire, when they
have some sort of supernatural order guiding them through life and feeling
connected to something greater. A large part of the appeal of the Vedanta
philosophy is that it is experience-oriented; it offers a way to understand the
divine that does not go against pure reason or require blind-faith in the
nonsensical. (The American Veda, Goldberg)
The
goal of Vedanta-Yoga does not have to be union with God. In fact, the western
view on the purpose of Vedanta-Yoga largely differs from the eastern view in
many cases. Westerners often believe it is good for more active reasons such as
lowering blood pressure, alleviating anxieties and depression, making physical
changes to the brain, and just having a clearer mind. While all of these
benefits are real and have been experienced countless times, Easterners often
use meditation for more spiritual reasons. These can include union with god,
self-realization and transcendence of the ego.
Through
this, comes the elimination of suffering, the realization of the oneness of all
things, a shift in perspective, and the experience of universal consciousness.
One begins turning their attention from the physical and mundane features of
the world where problems seem significant to simply living mindfully in the
present. Many people try to hold onto life, and prevent change from occurring,
even though this is simply fighting the nature of life. Everything is changing,
always, every second. Meditation allows one to experience life through a
broader, more interconnected perspective. It can help change the amount
importance placed upon seemingly prominent discomforts and troubles, whereas in
a meditative state one may realize these problems are just trivial which can
bring about a very peaceful state of consciousness. Meditation can serve for
some as a sort of incubation period for aspirations or goals (both short-term
and long-term.)
People
in the west often lead lives of pure “doing” and little to no being. “Being”
should be understood as truly becoming in touch with the core self. “Being” can
be noted as the observing self. “Doing” is referring to the thinking self. One
of these two is always dominating the stream of awareness. In the East, many
cultures are based around primarily “being” and living through the observing
self to an extent. Living a life combining these two intermittently will prove
to be quite fruitful according to many quantum physicists and spiritual
leaders.
When
one meditates, one can truly connect with the core self and truly discover
one’s core beliefs. These core beliefs are the foundation upon which all
expectations are formed. In this state of “being” one’s decisions and thoughts
are not clouded by the ego or desires, how one desires to be perceived by
others, or poor intentionality. One breaks away from the ego that is ever so
prominent and debilitating at times. It is theorized that as one shifts towards
a goal, the universe will sometimes shift along in accordance. A new action
equals a new creation. This personal power of consciousness is most
powerful when one wholly shifts their habitual centre of personal energy
towards what it is that aligns to their new core beliefs. (William James) This
ability of consciousness is especially effective when what one wants to happen
is what one expects to happen. It is believed that the feeling of
individuality, of disconnection arises when who we are does not align with our
core beliefs. William James talks much of this and one’s habitual centre of
personal energy in his book The Varieties of a Religious Experience.
Western
schools build, emphasize, and strengthen the left brain, which is responsible
for linear thinking. The right brain is not considered to hold an important place
in corporate America. There are many studies done displaying how Western
schools stifle and can even kill creativity. A neuroscientist named Jill Bolte
Taylor had a stroke and watched her mind deteriorate from the inside out. In
her particular stroke, her left brain would shut off intermittently. When the
left brain shut off, she explained she felt pure euphoria, pure transcendence.
She felt one with everything in the entire cosmos and this sense of unity was a
very beautiful experience.
She
even went so far as to say that when her arm was up against the wall, she could
not tell where her arm began and where it ended, she could not differentiate
between her arm and the wall as all of the particles looked the same. There is
a TEDTalk on this woman and her story, and as she discussed the euphoria she
felt she began to cry. Some forms of meditation and other forms of Eastern
spirituality emphasize the right brain, living purely in this very moment,
eliminating all anxieties about the past or future and attaining this oneness
that Jill Taylor spoke of.
“We are at a pinnacle time at which all of our senses are telling us
that we are approaching a turning point. Humankind is (we are) in the middle of
an all-encompassing process of change. In the external world we are
experiencing an increase in the density of events, not only quantitatively, but
also qualitatively in their intensity. We realize that a significant number of
these events correlate with our own inner mental and emotional processes. The
increasingly ineluctable confrontations with these processes inevitably lead to
a change of consciousness. It appears as if each one of us is challenged to his
limits. At the point of our limits, we are faced with a decision. The decision
to either continue to engage with the existing structures, or to take a new
approach. On this new path, we recognize our true and divine potential. It is
the path from the illusion of separation to wholeness. On our journey, our
consciousness is expanding rapidly. It extends to increasingly frequent moments
of insight facilitating this big decision.”
-Dieter Broers
In
modern times, all of the previously described phenomena including spiritual and
intellectual forces are shaping and rewriting personal philosophies on a global
scale. There is a new mystical movement spreading; this movement is known by
many names. Some call it lightseeking, others call it spirit science, while a
large group call it the paradigm shift. More and more people/cultures are
beginning to stand up for their human rights. Thanks to technology and the ease
of the spread of information and the internet, one uprising leads to many and
self-worth is sprouting up all around the globe.
People
are experiencing an awakening, where they are becoming more aware of their
power to change their situations, their life, and not have to be oppressed any
longer. Religion and spirituality were given to many of us by the church. The
church passed down doctrine that restricted our beliefs and gave [false] meaning
to life. They were challenged during the Renaissance and Reformation, and this
is when science truly began to take on these mysteries of the world. Doctrine,
mythology and gods filled in the gaps of what we did not know about the world.
As
our progress in science furthered, these gaps were filled in by empirical
evidence and logical science, rather than blind faith in a mythology. Over the
course of the past one hundred years or so, people sought after accumulating
material wealth to pass the time and provide a transient satisfaction. Now,
people are truly waking up to what is going on in the world. All of these
movements place great emphasis on the Mayan Calendar and what it is predicting
for 2012. There are so many interpretations these days by so many prominent
scientists that it truly is impossible to know exactly what is going to happen.
The
aforementioned movements (there are many more besides these) are predicting a
shift of consciousness rather than end of the world. They believe it will be a
transitional state of frequencies and higher energies. People within these high
frequencies are experiencing a number of coincidences everyday, which are
thought to be synchronistic events rather than coincidences. We are living at a
landmark time in the history of this planet, at a crossroads. We may reach
ascension and move into a higher frequency where more is possible. More would
be possible because once one has transcended their consciousness, which many
religions and cultures have striven for throughout the ages, a sort of
enlightenment is reached. One must stay tuned to a higher frequency, exuding
love and appreciation as the vibrations from these are infectious and will
spread to those around you, eventually manifesting positive auras and phenomena
in the external world. This will build a sense of connection with the
world around you. (2012: Time for a Change)
Happiness
is not a goal, but rather a state that can be attained at any given moment. The
psychology of happiness and well-being states that circumstances do not
determine happiness. As long as your basic needs are met such as food and
water, the man who makes 30,000 dollars a year can be just as happy as the man
who makes 4 million. Likewise, many Americans and now beginning to realize that
material comforts and corporate success do not in any way produce lasting
happiness. The happiness from these comforts is fleeting and unreliable.
As
for the shift in consciousness in 2012, it is my opinion that because so many
believe something grand will happen, we are all essentially manifesting it,
creating it. This ascension of consciousness in the modern day paradigm shift
is all about emanating love, appreciation, and respect. Not identifying trees,
animals and other forms of nature as separate entities, but feeling and truly
knowing that we are all nature, connected through a constantly moving exchange
of energies and vibrations.
Once
this ever-pervading sense of love for everything has been infused into our
consciousness and we become enlightened, the potential of our consciousness is
limitless. If the potential of our consciousness is limitless, and quantum
mechanics is correct about consciousness being the ground of all being and the
unified field being at the base of absolutely everything, then all of life has
unlimited potential in the spiritual, mental, and physical realms.
Sources:
What the Bleep Do We Know- Documentary
The Quantum Activist- Documentary
2012:Time For A Change- Documentary
Jill Bolte Taylor’s stroke of insight- TEDTalk-
http://thespiritscience.net/spirit/
http://www.solar-revolution-movie.com/
The American Veda by Phillip Goldberg
The Bhagavad Gita
Zen Buddhist Meditation instructor in North Shore, Chattanooga
From Collective Evolution @ http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/04/14/the-modern-day-paradigm-shift/
For more information about meditation see http://nexusilluminati.blogspot.com/search/label/meditation
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