Nope, I’ve not lost it, 🙂 Yet. Our understanding of our senses, particularly our eyes, has long been fundamentally flawed. I’m not saying this. Quantum Mechanics (which is at the very threshold of Vedic Science) pushing the dogmatic limits of modern experimental science, says so.
Quantum Theory of Consciousness
According to this theory, our consciousness or mind exists as a sphere or domain of living, or self-aware — energy-information beyond our perceived 3-dimensional reality and cosmos. Our body, which, of course, exists within the 3-dimensional universe, receives the energy-information transmissions of our removed consciousness in the way that a radio receives radio signals from a broadcast station. We experience these transmissions or signals as our thoughts, feelings, mental images, and other forms of mental activity. Sir Roger Penrose explains this theory of consciousness quite well here.
Mainstream scientists like to say that the brain creates consciousness and that consciousness cannot survive without the brain. But, under the quantum theory of consciousness, it’s just as plausible to argue that consciousness exists before the formation of the brain and therefore can exist after the death of the brain.
In fact, it’s possible to reverse the common understanding of the causal relationship between the outer universe and the human mind. We commonly believe that the universe created consciousness, our self-aware, thinking, feeling mind. Vedic/ Yogic Science has always propagated and proved that a preexisting consciousness or mind causes the creation of the universe. In fact, as Sadhguru so wonderfully explains here, it is the only culture that has so simply and clearly said “your life is your own making, it is your own Karma!”
What you see is what you project
If you’re wondering, how could this be possible, this is where things get “quantum.” In quantum physics for the past one hundred years, it’s been famously observed that, depending on the presence or absence of an observing human mind, subatomic entities like electrons and photons behave like pellet-like particles or waves.
When we attempt to observe their behavior using measuring instruments, they appear as particles. But when such instruments are removed, they behave like waves, meaning they don’t seem to be located in any specific point in space at any given moment. Until they are observed, they do not exist in space or time. They are literally dependent on the presence of the mind to attain a position in 3-dimensional reality.
Basically telling us that the physical Universe doesn’t exist at all as a “physical” universe unless the human mind is present.
The Observer is the observed
Coming to grips with this truth, that you are everywhere as consciousness, moment to moment, day in and day out is a life-transforming experience. Science, the way we know it, does not function without duality. The seer cannot be the seen, the experimenter HAS TO BE separate from what she is doing and become the experiment. This is fundamentally based on the premise of known and unknown – ironically, what was unknown yesterday is known today and today’s unknown will definitely be known tomorrow! This simplifies the Quantum Measurement Problem which essentially states that our scientific limitation is a reflection of the kinds of observation we can make.
What we see as nature is NOT nature itself in its entirety but a projection of our limited method of perception, without being aware that we’re part of the observation.
Ergo, QM states that without the presence of the human mind, the physical universe may exist in a kind of superposition — an infinite range of possible modes of occurrence. Which is to say, it doesn’t exist at all as a “physical” universe unless the human mind is present. This concurrence has led to increased research, analysis and practice of the powers of the “aware mind”, where heightened consciousness gives access to inspired knowledge creating our own reality. This is a power if when realised by the persistently inquiring mind opens doors to the Vedantic concept of all all-pervading, infinite, eternal consciousness which is within and without us. Rather excitingly, what we’re seeing in QM is the acceptance and embracing of the powers of meditation towards this end. After all, as J.Krishnamurti so beautifully explains, in meditation, there is no observer or observed.
The future belongs to the Conscious, NOT the Intelligent
If unconditioned/ uncontrolled perception is hallucination, we’re all zombies! The so-called reality that we’re currently projecting out of ourselves and expending so much energy observing and involving in, has to stop. Sooner the better, don’t you agree?! We’re accessing jagged, disturbed signals of the infinite consciousness thanks to our conditioned mind-radio. We’re constantly straining our senses, our ears, noses, eyes etc to not only observe this objectively as something outside of ourselves but also wasting energy involving in its so-called behavior. The irony of it all is that we define this wasted energy as ‘intelligence’!
This conditioning is a result of past lives, while the current act of receiving, observing and involving in this projection, will affect the next life. The saga will continue if not checked. QM experiments have even proved reincarnation as a real phenomena. The foremost Quantum Physicists now confidently state that consciousness does not need a physical body to survive and can find a new host after death. We really need to value this opportunity we have as a living organism that can experience infinite consciousness. Quantum Physics and Neuroscience are well on their way together to define this goal for us. The future quite clearly belongs in this direction and NOT for intelligence (for that we’ll have AI) as Sadhguru rightly predicts. Time to see less and meditate more, don’t you think?