Comprehending consciousness is perhaps the most profound mystery currently facing humanity. The realm of science is vast; however, the focus here is on research about consciousness. Modern science began in the 17th century when Galileo, the father of modern science, discovered that the earth revolves around the sun.
Later, Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists of all time, published his law of universal gravitation. Both of these men were widely known for their belief in God. By the nineteenth century, however, mainstream science had become locked into the materialistic paradigm.
Materialism maintains that anything that is not material cannot exist. Materialism purports, without evidence, that consciousness is produced by the brain, and when the brain stops functioning, consciousness ceases to exist. Materialism is a false, dogmatic belief system that cannot be proven.
In the last century, experiments in quantum mechanics showed that matter exists as probabilities and tendencies rather than absolute things. Current thinking suggests that we might consider matter as energy vibrations rather than actual solid material. Everything is energy, and everything is connected to everything else. Some scientists have theorized that even emotions are energy, so everything we think and feel would have an influence on everything and everyone.
We learned in school that matter is made up of molecules consisting of atoms. Atoms consist of a nucleus with electrons circling around the nucleus. We think of these elements as separate particles. However, appearances can be deceptive. It turns out that solid matter is less solid than it appears. Scientists have calculated that your body is 99.99999999% empty space. So why do things feel solid if everything is energy?
Our electrons are everywhere at once, filling up space with their wave functions. The reality is that nothing is solid and you have never truly touched anything made of solid matter in your life. It is an illusion. It is all simply energy waves. Everything is energy.
There have been highly accomplished physicists who have rejected the materialism paradigm, among these physicists was the founder of quantum physics, Max Planck, who understood that consciousness underlies all matter:
“All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force…We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent Mind. This Mind is the matrix of all matter…I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.” —Max Planck (1858–1947) Founder of Quantum Physics, Nobel Prize for Physics, 1918
The Double Slit Experiment - The Observer Effect
The observer effect is the theory that the mere observation of a phenomenon inevitably changes that phenomenon.
One of the most famous experiments in physics is the double-slit experiment. It demonstrates, with unparalleled strangeness, that little particles of matter have something of a wave about them, and suggests that the very act of observing a particle has a dramatic effect on its behavior.
Aspects of the double-slit experiment (such as the collapse of the wavefunction upon observation) bring into question the possibility of consciousness interacting with matter. Nevertheless, experimental evidence for the interaction of consciousness and matter or the non-locality of consciousness is generally ignored by mainstream science, which limits its investigations to the physical world. The missing link in mainstream science is consciousness. (See Dean Radin, Ph.D., below). Scientists believe that non-local consciousness might be modeled by quantum entanglement. Quantum mechanics is a fundamental and well-established theory.
One of the founders of quantum mechanics, physicist Werner Heisenberg, also recognized the fundamental role of the consciousness of the observer:
“Separation of the observer from the phenomenon to be observed is no longer possible.”—Werner Heisenberg (1901–1976) Nobel Prize – Physics, 1932 for Creation of Quantum Mechanicshe prominent physicist, Neils Bohr, also embraced this reality:
The prominent physicist, Neils Bohr, also embraced this reality:
“The universe may be nothing more than a giant hologram created by the mind.” —Neils Bohr (1885–1962) Nobel Prize – Physics, 1922 for Contributions to Quantum Mechanics
Psi science also supports the existence of nonlocal consciousness. Psi science studies involve parapsychological or psychic ability. Mainstream science does not recognize psi science as being valid because it is outside the materialistic paradigm. Nonetheless, according to Charles T. Tart, Ph.D., there have been thousands of scientifically valid parapsychological experiments carried out over the past 100 years. Dr. Tart authored The End of Materialism; How Evidence of the Paranormal is Bringing Science and Spirit Together. (See his other books listed below).
Mainstream scientists maintain that the brain produces consciousness, and when the brain dies its consciousness dies as well. This is a false belief. Recently scientists confirmed that a single-cell organism can learn, remember, solve problems and make decisions, all without a brain or neurons. This study was published in Current Biology on December 5, 2019. Therefore, consciousness CAN indeed work without the brain. Consciousness is nonlocal. This is explained further in this video: Heather Barnett: What humans can learn from semi-intelligent slime.
As of the publication date of this book, Dr. Chopra had written 85 books translated into over 43 languages including numerous New York Times bestsellers.
The Way of the Psychonaut: Encyclopedia for Inner Journeys by Stanislav Grof, M.D., Ph.D., Volume One – 419 pages, Volume Two – 355 pages (2019) Dr. Grof is a psychiatrist with over 60 years of experience researching non-ordinary states of consciousness. He has published 17 books translated into 22 languages. “To call him the Einstein of consciousness would be an understatement.” – Deepak Chopra, M.D.
This book is a winner of the Parapsychological Association Book Award. Leslie Kean is an investigative journalist and a New York Times best-selling author.
The Revolutionary Genius of Plants: A New Understanding of Plant Intelligence and Behavior
by Stefano Mancuso, 225 pages (2017) Manusco is the world’s leading authority in the field of plant neurobiology. He is a professor at the University of Florence in Italy. Manusco writes that “plants exhibit unmistakable attributes of intelligence with no central brain.”
This groundbreaking book by Dr. Candace Pert, a pioneering neuroscientist researcher and pharmacologist who discovered the opiate receptor, the cellular binding site for endorphins in the brain.
This is a highly acclaimed New York Times bestseller. Rovelli is an Italian theoretical physicist whose previous bestseller Seven Brief Lessons in Physics was translated into 40 languages.
This book discusses transformative experiences and their effects on our bodies, brains, and health. Sheldrake is a biologist and the author of 85 scientific papers and 11 books.
Talbot reveals parallels between ancient mysticism and quantum mechanics. It presents a theoretical model of reality that suggests the universe is a hologram based on the research and conclusions of David Bohm and Karl H. Pribram.