he Dreams Things Are Made Of

After having some fun with the last post offered as a happier reflection of what we generally seem to see as a troubled modern world, I wanted to return to the gist of a previous post, Projecting Reality at the Speed of Thought, and explore just a wee bit further down the reality rabbit hole. There, weaved in throughout the fabric of the quantum universe, lies a great and wondrous treasure just begging for us to rediscover it – a deep and practical understanding of the incredible power of our own mind.

In that post we touched on the importance of comprehending the nature of cause and effect in relation to our thoughts and perceived realities. This knowledge lights the path to a much deeper state of peace and contentment which comes gently and effortlessly with a clear understanding of the role our thoughts play in forming the reality that we experience. Once we understand and accept the causal role of our thoughts, we can then begin to affect wonderful and enduring changes in our state of health, our well-being and our sense of inner peace simply because we’re treating the problems of reality at the level of cause rather than relentlessly trying to force change at the level of effect – in the people, places and things we see in the world.

Article in Review: Projecting Reality at the Speed of Thought
Quantum physics demonstrates how subatomic particles - energy ’stuff’ that makes up our solid physical world – only become  particles upon conscious observation. It establishes that until these particles are observed with our focused attention, they are merely possibilities of becoming particles, and therefore only possibilities of taking on physical form. In this pre-observed state they can be described as undifferentiated energy, having no definable form or location in either space or time.

As a result, quantum physics exemplifies how thought plays a causal role in how and what we perceive in our physical reality. Misunderstanding this causal role leads us to perceive often troubling images in our world without the wisdom and clarity to see ourselves as the image maker, which leaves us to experience ourselves as powerless at the effect of the world we see. We believe things happen to us instead of by us and through us. The key to changing the effect of these troubling images lies in our learning to change our thoughts about the world rather than insisting that the world change first.

The quantum physics model is meaningless without a parallel discussion of the general nature of mind and thought, therefore the post also touched on how:

• the mind never sleeps
• mind is the cause behind the characters, images, scenes and stories that occur in our dreams as well as ultimately being the creative source behind what we perceive in the world
• mind is essentially split:
  • conscious mind remains completely unaware of the images and stories being projected by the unconscious mind, so it misperceives the source of what it experiences as coming from somewhere ‘outside’ itself and therefore believes what it perceives as a reality not of its own making
  • unconscious mind is a bottomless well of thoughts, getting all the ‘creative material’ for both dreams and for the world and stories it projects from the thoughts, perceptions and feelings experienced by the conscious mind
• there are no thoughts that do not affect some segment of what we perceive as reality – therefore there is no such thing as neutral or idle thoughts

The Nature of Thought
Clearly then, the thoughts we choose to entertain on a daily basis are a very big deal if we wish to enjoy a deep and lasting sense of peace of mind as well as experience a new, healed perception of a sick, depleted, beat-up old world. It would appear that if we are to allow any sort of permanent change - permanent correction in our individual and collective experience of the world – then now might be a good time to embrace a practical understanding of the nature of thought itself. This understanding has been given us time and time again throughout human history in countless languages and disciplines common to those times. Quantum physics becomes yet another language that we can add to that rich mixture of teachings to help light the way to enduring peace in the midst of the proverbial storm of these modern times.

With this understanding, we find ourselves empowered to begin to proactively choose the thoughts that we want to identify with much more wisely and thereby experience a much more peaceful, joyful and abundant world. What, if not this, is a proper application of wisdom? When, if not now, do we choose to experience this deep sense of peace instead of prolonging the age-old dysfunctional attachment to thoughts that reflect fear, pain, depression, anxiety and suffering?

“As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about atoms this much: There is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter.”

– Max Planck (1858-1947), German physicist, Nobel Prize winner, founder of quantum theory

Anyone Have a Mirror?
So just how do we acquire this insight into the nature of thought? Well, we’ll need a make-believe mirror for this next part. Now that we are already down the rabbit hole we can take one small step beyond quantum physics, hold up our mirror, and behold… our answer bursts out in every direction with glorious, radiant light, illuminating the entirety of the rabbit hole and extending everywhere outward and beyond. It is here that we discover the great and wondrous treasure awaiting us. We find that when we fix our gaze upon the reflection of the undifferentiated subatomic universe, we discover its cause – the infinite, radiant majesty of undifferentiated thought – pure, open, still, silent, peaceful mind.

The quantum universe is suddenly seen in a whole new light as being both the reflection and the effect of mind in precisely the same way that the world of form is the mirror image and the effect of our thoughts. Here we learn precisely why there are no idle thoughts, because when a thought arises from within the limitless ocean of undifferentiated thought, so must its reflection arise into the world of form. Cause and effect are one and as such are wholly inseparable – we cannot have one without the other. Mind and the subatomic universe are one and wholly inseparable just as thought and physical form are one and wholly inseparable. There is absolutely no exception to this. One cannot observe oneself in front of a mirror without both making and perceiving the mirror image of oneself.

With this illuminated understanding, we now have a solid foundation from which we can see logically why it is so important that we begin to learn to condition ourselves to monitor our thoughts more wisely. Additionally, enlightened by this glimpse into the enormous power of the mind, it becomes all too clear why our world appears to be in the mess that it’s in… because not only are we in denial of it, we also simply haven’t a clue in the world how to manage the incredibly creative force of thought.

Perhaps it was never ours to manage alone in the first place.

As a wrap up to this post, readers are invited to watch this very well done 10-minute video below highlighting comments from leading quantum physicists on the topic of ‘reality’. Additionally, for a deeper read on the history and theory of quantum physics and the concept of a holographic universe, visit this thought-provoking blog entitled “Holographic Universe: The Coming Worldview.”

Projecting Reality at the Speed of Thought

“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”
- Albert Einstein

It’s fair to say, at least from a global news perspective, that a sense of peace and security seems to be eluding a great many of us these days. Collectively we seem genuinely bewildered at how to improve our present reality with concern to our global economy, terrorism, war, and the persistent poverty and world hunger issues continuing to face us. Surely we know by now that if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.

For this post then, let’s approach our present condition from a fresh perspective. A quick drop down the reality rabbit hole should do just the trick. There we can see that indeed there is something that each and every one of us can do to improve the persistent troubling images in our reality rather than sit on the sidelines waiting for someone else to magically fix things from the top down, or from the outside in.

It would appear the world has a new light in leadership, but correction of the issues presently facing us is going to require more than having a noble, well-intentioned U. S. president in office. Barack Obama represents our collective desire for change, and that’s a great start, but getting there is going to be up to us — our open-mindedness, our willingness and our choices. What we now need to learn to do is not just think outside the box, but finally see that there is no box; that the only limitations blocking our way to peace beyond all previous experience and understanding are the limits we put on ourselves.To help facilitate this we’ll take an illuminating glimpse into the true nature of the Law of Cause and Effect.

Quantum Physics – An Ultra-Condensed Review:
Newtonian physics supports the fact that everything in the world of form, our “reality,” is made up of atoms, which are made up of subatomic particles; that these particles are made up mostly of empty space. Quantum physics goes further to say that these subatomic particles are not even particles at all, being entirely formless, until they’re observed by an observer. Until they are observed, they are merely possibilities of being particles. In this pre-observed state they can be more accurately described as undifferentiated energy, having no definable form or location in either space or time¹.

What makes this relevant to the topic and so incredibly fascinating is the fact that the mind of the observer has finally been scientifically demonstrated, at the most fundamental level, to be the cause of that which is observed. How? Because quantum physics demonstrates that the simple act of observing some ‘thing’ in the universe is ultimately the catalyst that forms the ‘thing’ in the observer’s reality. So if mind is causal and our perception of reality is an effect of it, we have a whole lot more influence on the world we perceive than what we previously accepted ourselves to possess.

We perceive deeply troubling images in our world, but we do not see ourselves as maker of these images. Instead we see ourselves as being at the affect of them. We accept that mind is the cause behind our nighttime ‘sleeping’ dreams - making up the characters, images, places and stories that occur in them – but we do not make the connection that mind is also very much involved with the making of our daytime reality as well. Projected from one part of the mind (unconscious) and perceived by another part of the mind (conscious) with no awareness of an open channel of communication between them, the conscious mind is completely unaware of Einstein’s “persistent illusion” as being projected by the unconscious mind, and therefore it ‘believes’ what it perceives. In a sense, it could be said that mind is being deceived by itself, and is literally playing a game of make-believe below its own radar of awareness.

“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
- Carl Jung

In Practical Terms:
To change the troubling images we see in the world then, we must learn to change our minds, our thoughts, about the world. It is ultimately from our conscious thoughts that our unconscious mind gets the ‘material’ for the world and the stories it projects in both our sleeping and our waking hours. Therefore it’s time to accept and learn to understand the causal role we each have as individual contributors in this collective experience, because there are no thoughts that do not in some way affect some segment of what we see.

As “individual contributors” we feel we feel we’re rightly exercising our free will by placing judgment on the world based on our value systems and higher principles of right and wrong. If peace – true, deep and lasting peace – is truly is what we seek, then our addiction to the judgment of people, places and things must be accepted and treated with large daily doses of humility, kindness and compassion for each other. We must learn to make conscious decisions to look upon the innocence that exists in each other beyond what our five senses would try to tell us, until it becomes natural to see this innocence effortlessly. There, beyond this ‘observed’ world of form, we are wholly joined. There, we are still as pure and innocent as God created us. Underneath all our stories and individual life dramas, that is who we are. Deep down we all share this divine spark of memory – let us now be willing to surrender the layers of darkness we’ve covered it over with and finally expose our light.

Some of our greatest spiritual and philosophical teachers and traditions throughout time have taught us that the world we perceive outside of us reflects the state of mind within. Science in the form of quantum physics has come full circle in this age of trials and tribulations to demonstrate that this is precisely the case. This period in time presents a wonderful opportunity to truly begin to “Know thyself.” There are many paths to this understanding, and many of you may see reflections of your path of choice written here. It is my prayer that this may illuminate some of us who are in the midst of choosing theirs. Ultimately, we cannot fail to find our way.

For the next article in this series, visit The Dreams Things Are Made Of. 

1 The ancient Vedanta philosophy originating in India had an awareness of this formless, undifferentiated energy – they called it “prakriti.” Vedanta predates quantum physics by some 2,500 years, give or take a few centuries.