Quantum Physics & Consciousness

“Throughout human history, illusions of knowledge, not ignorance, have proven to be the principle obstacles to discovery” (Daniel J. Boorstin)

Oh geez, where do I start. So this particular post is just going to be the precursor to some of the newer ideas, concepts, philosophies, studies, and practices I recently tapped into. There is such a wide array of topics and theories I would like to uncover as I go along.

I swear, I think I have ADHD because as I discover one thing, I’m onto the next.

I’m just gonna dive into this, probably will not make too much sense for the time being, and I’m using myself as a sounding board here.

The approach to the studies and teachings of “consciousness” in Western civilization to date has been very limited, and has not been explored thoroughly (matter of fact, has hardly been tapped into) within the scientific/medical/psychological fields.  It is usually written off as something that is immeasurable, thus, discounting many of the more radical theories that have emerged within the last half century; majority of the scientists/doctors/psychologists ultimately concluding that the study of consciousness is simply too abstract to extrapolate meaningful definitions, concrete observations, predictable findings and/or answers. In other words, the concept of consciousness is considered intangible and, in Western thinking, bears no real relevance to the scientific and medical fields of today.

However, the continued resistance against the emergence of new wave of ideas, theories, concepts, and teachings related to the study of consciousness are starting to curtail as new theorists, physicists, neuroscientists, etc. seem to have finally found their voices within the scientific community and urging to think of consciousness in radically different, new ways (with strong scientific and mathematical evidence emerging, challenging conventional science). This has perhaps stirred up emotions ranging from dismay, confusion, outright refusal to explore new ideas to excitement, academic fervor, extreme stimulation of minds of the newer generation of philosophers, physicists, neuroscientists, etc.

So in exploring this topic, what really ignited this interest for me was the relationship between Buddhism and quantum physics. As of recently, I have only heard of the term “quantum physics”, but honestly had absolutely no idea what it was, had no clue to the nature of this specific mathematical/scientific field…(will try to explain my understanding of quantum physics in later posts and how quantum physic theories of consciousness is eerily reminiscent of Buddhist philosophies).

Originators of quantum physics > Werner Heisenberg, Max Planck, Albert Einstein, etc.

Philosophies of modern physics (quantum physics) > Michio Kaku, Brian Greene, David Bohm, etc.

B. Alan Wallace > Progressive writer/scholar/interpreter of the Tibetan Buddhism teachings and philosophies

**I’m exhausted, need to get some sleep, will return to this hopefully tomorrow.

An outline for the next few postings to come…

REITERATION from previous postings; Note to Self > Intro to “neuroplasticity” to come

• Cognitive science in Buddhism
• Understanding Buddhism philosophies and all of its intricacies
• Lewis Lancaster, Pema Chodron, Venerable Robina Courtin, Matthieu Ricard, Jiddu Krishnamurti
• The essence of Buddhism centers around the “mind” and that detachment from the mind is the key
• We have this mind, consciousness > not created by anybody > Buddhist asserts that our entire spectrum of consciousness (inner being) is its own entity (not created by a creator) > nobody gave us our mind, we own our own mind > what is in my mind is mine, therefore, I am responsible for it (R. Courtin)
• Neuroplasticity > Buddhism has grasped, explored, and integrated this concept over two millennia ago > Western societies are now just beginning to understand this concept and few has embraced it > Must get back to this topic in the near future (note to self)
• We’re not stuck with what we’re born with (this is in relation to neuroplasticity) > sounds like common sense, but I want to explore why majority of the people I know refuses to change and/or is at least resistent to authentic change, even if it were to mean betterment and enrichment of one’s life (I’ve pondered on this conundrum quite a bit) > Being more observative and introspective yielded somewhat surprising and disturbing conclusions for me
• Buddhist ideas > empowering > do not deny the negative emotions, get intimate with them > if I cannot locate the problem, I will never be able to find the solution > basic common sense but, yet again, this seems to be ironically a concept that most people evade in order to maintain within their comfort zone, to sustain the egoic state of mind
• Every living being necessarily possesses the ability and the potential to be free from suffering > deceptively simple in the Western culture > however, we live in a culture that breeds, maintains, sustains, thrives on suffering (frequently romanticized); Western culture embraces the notion that suffering is necessary in order to thrive in society > Buddhism challenges this notion (will get back to the specifics on later postings)
• We have inherent positive qualities (harmonious feeling, spacious, relaxed) > In Buddhism, it clearly states that our natural state of being is, in essence, perfect > our minds, at its core, is pure > the positive states of our consciousness is the original basis for humans, therefore, our neurosis goes against the pure state of our minds, thus causing us to suffer, riddling our own lives with negativity
• Be your own analyst, knowing yourself intimately and precisely > we need to know our own mind > concentration techniques > in the materialist world, we hardly are tapped into them > practical techniques (i.e. meditation) are vital (R. Courtin)
• Definition of happiness > very simple, it’s not something we need to search for, we think in external terms (this is not practical , it’s primordial) > it’s what you get when you give up the neurosis > in that sense, it’s inside > to the extent in which we are not caught up in neurosis, is the extent in which we are happy > be your own therapist, know your own mind (R. Courtin)
• We are a “work in progress” > learn to focus our mind > the cognitive therapy comes into play > we can learn to hear the millions of voices in our head > we can learn to be more precise, to distinguish between the neurotics voices and positive voices
• We can mold our minds into any shape we like > a cliché? > empowering for me
• Sense of connectedness > when that is cut, neurosis steps in (the neurotic “I”), we revert back to the negative state of mind > I can learn to deconstruct the neurotic voices and slowly, with practice and patience, to cognitively change myself (reiteration)
• Important to change your way of interpreting external things and circumstances > they are not what causes us suffering, it’s our interpretation of them, our neurotic attitudes attached to them
• In our minds, we have, out of habit and neurosis, outright assume that bad things shouldn’t happen > our neurotic mind desperately assume and believe this, but obviously, this is not possible > simple reality is that everything/everybody changes, bad and good things are part of life > it is our overdependence on our neurotic attachment to loved ones and things that causes us suffering