Perhaps some of you have heard that modern physics and eastern religious philosophy are apparently in agreement. This is in part contributing to the consciousness revolution and the exploration of spirituality. Western science appears to be validating eastern religious beliefs about the structure of the universe. That structure is mutable and relative. While there is no hard proof of these assertions, there are interesting and intriguing connections and parallels. These concepts may be new to some of you, but they are not hard to understand. What may be difficult is that they appear to contradict some very basic beliefs of our culture, especially the prevailing religious and some political beliefs.

In quantum physics it has been found that all energy particles are only patterns that form and dissolve, that appear to come into existence and extinguish or metamorphose into other particles. Energy is only patterns or information. We know that that matter is just complex patterns of these energies/particles. Or we can say that matter is just highly concentrated, or condensed, energy. And life is even more complex. Does anything concrete exist? Yes and no. It all depends how you look at it; from what level of consciousness you perceive it or which one is most useful at a given moment. Physical concepts are becoming more abstract. The observer influences the observed and vice versa. Objectivity and subjectivity merge and lose meaning. Information-communications theory and cybernetics have given us the definition of information: “A difference that makes a difference.” Information is inherently abstract and need not exist in space at all. It exists only in space-time. Indeed is the universe more wonderfully strange and complex than we realize.

From the eastern point of view and in information theory, the evolution of existence goes from the material to the spiritual. When systems interact the resulting pattern formed is far more complex than any of the singular systems, therefore, the resulting system is entirely new and follows functions that are not present in the prior systems, it even has a new, totally different quality. It is not like simple addition; the sum is greater than the parts. These higher order systems find stability at higher energy levels. Once there is sufficient complexity of information there need not be any material ground for the information to exist as consciousness, for its pattern to be dynamically stable. Elementary particles are the simplest organization, matter is next, but levels of complexity of organization give rise to life and it gives rise to consciousness, and with an increase in the complexity of consciousness it can leave the material world all together. That is why our sensory apparatus cannot perceive the spiritual. The spiritual can only be perceived by higher consciousness. It is not feeling-emotion, because that exists in the material body.

Physicist, E. R. Eddington said, “The stuff of the Universe is mind stuff.” Literally, all that exists is consciousness. This is a basic conclusion on the forefront of philosophy. It concurs with the eastern belief that existence as we know it is Maya, or illusion. It’s true. We perceive existence imperfectly, limited by our viewpoints that must be by logical analysis incomplete and inaccurate to some extent, and so we can’t perceive it in its totality. The illusion the easterns speak of is real, but incomplete and inaccurate perception. They do not mean that reality doesn’t exist, only that it doesn’t exist in the way we think it does.

Is a thought real?, a dream? We would have to say, yes, because those exist, albeit subjectively, but do the events in them fit reality? Again yes, but with interpretation. Those are sometimes highly complex symbols. Symbols represent information. We only know through symbols. We do not know the universe directly, but through sensors that use various means of communication to transfer information to our brains and minds, and our minds supply the symbols to make sense of it. But is it possible to know the universe directly? Yes, in heightened states of consciousness that may surpass the physical senses.

Even our scientific method is only a reality construct, especially mathematics. There may be other radically different methods to explain the workings of the universe. Science has its limits; it never asks “why?”, but only “how?” Ask God “why?” Sure, it works, but is it the only way to knowledge? There are probably false constructs that do not fit the broader reality. This is because consciousness can literally conceive of anything, things that cannot exist. But who is to know with certainty that some of these imaginings might not exist somewhere/somewhen.

Different reality systems or constructs probably can be made in infinite number. Look at all the previous and current cultures, having different belief systems, that have inhabited the earth - all were right and wrong to some degree, although we tend to think that our culture is the only right and superior one, and it may be in terms of survival and strength to promote itself, but it is not the oldest and may not be the most successful.

Your minds are tremendously complex biocomputers that may have limitless capacity. Why? The mind is not in the brain. The brain is hardware, knowledge is software - programs built upon programs in loops of tangled hierarchies. The mind exists in the interaction of the two within and without you. It does not exist in physical space, but in space-time (time as we perceive it),. Time, as we perceive it, is only a function of our consciousness.

The mind may mirror the universe because it was created and evolved by the universe, so its structure must fit the facts of existence, at least here on Earth, prior to our tampering with it. But the mind has also been called a filter that restricts the greater part of reality impinging on our senses because we can’t handle all that input.

Consciousness is the perceiving mechanism in the universe because only it interprets information from our physical senses and minds and gives it meaning. Consciousness is the prime perceptor, and we can heighten that perception infinitely. Consciousness can transcend space-time. Many states of consciousness can’t be analyzed, only experienced. But consciousness is so flexible that it can make mistakes and must be so if it is to be conscious. If it were perfect it would only be a fixed and inflexible program, incapable of change, and therefore, not conscious. It would appear that consciousness creates consciousness.

Consciousness creates reality. If we are aware of this concept then we can create our own realities and make them work for us. It would not be fantasy, wishful thinking or daydreaming, but a conscious effort of will. I do not mean to imply that we can create a separate reality apart from the one reality, just another within it. Some universal laws cannot be broken; there is a definite structure or function to the universe that is immutable; there must be a stable ground, otherwise nothing could exist, but we can work within it. Consciousness can transform, transmute and manipulate those functions if we learn how. Literally, almost anything is possible, even paradoxes, although there is no such thing as a paradox or a contradiction except from the imperfect understanding of a limited human mind. Either one assertion is false or if both are true then one’s conceptual framework may be incorrect, leading to an apparent paradox.

Reality lies in how you look at it. Each one of us has a belief system by which we operate. So do whole societies. Individual ones are variations of it. These are reality constructs that can be changed. One problem we have is that many dysfunctional and unproductive beliefs were learned in early childhood and we act on them unconsciously. We must become aware of them to change them. That is the most difficult process because it is likely to bring up fear. Otherwise, it is not very difficult. We are self-programming and can be fully conscious of that programming, but most of us are not fully aware of it. We can consciously alter our belief systems to better fit an expanded reality. At higher levels of consciousness many contradictions and paradoxes are resolved. It is broader understanding, a mind expansion. Tolerance of other ways of thinking and other lifestyles is a result of this higher understanding. Each person has hir own way of dealing with reality, the universe, existence, and we must realize that the universe unfolds to each as it should. We need not force it on another. If we reach this higher understanding we will be more loving and open people. That understanding can come through techniques used to open us up to feeling our emotions, working out and releasing the repressed ones. Those held-in emotions are the barriers to being open and loving and prevent our potential higher understanding. We are programmed robots if we cannot express our emotions freely. If we can, we will be able to accept part of the greater reality with that childlike sense of wonder that all of us are born with and lose by social conditioning. In eastern Indian religions these emotional blocks are called Sanskaras, and they must be worked out to achieve enlightenment.

What is enlightenment? It is a state of being centered, fully in touch with and knowing yourself, being open and loving and free to experience and react to the world, not controlled by anything but yourself.

You must place yourself first. There cannot be any other way. You are the most important person in your life. Your reality is the most important to yourself, but you must realize that others have their own reality constructs that are equally important to them. Understanding this is the best way to live in this world. Individualism is the key. If you can achieve this understanding you will be able to live in the world as it is and see it as perfect. You will not want to change the world because of your uncontrolled desires, but you may wish to consciously influence it without wishing to hurt anyone so that only positive emotions and goodwill are created.

The extent that you can love others is only limited by the extent that you love yourself. You must unlearn the negative proscriptions that you have been taught that prevent you from loving yourself. Loving yourself is fully accepting yourself as you are and aren’t. Then you are capable of loving others.

All you see around you is the mind of God. You have a potential to achieve godhood, but first you must achieve selfhood.