Quantum psychology: fallacy of ‘the other’
Quantum physics thus reveals a basic unit of the universe.
– Erwin Schrodinger
Throughout the centuries, mystics, yogis and seers share information, the truth, that modern quantum physics begins to see. Science has come to what some human beings have known for a long, long, long time. Quantum psychology offers an application of quantum principles to the functioning of our mind and consciousness, on levels invisible to everyday operations. Many have found these ideas, sometimes referred to as quantum mysticism or spiritual psychology, to be very conducive to well-being.
One of our more general ailments and illnesses in life, as human beings, social creatures living and working together in various structures and routines with others, seems to be our relationship with each other and often with ‘the other’. ‘That “the other” could be a lover, a best friend, a spouse, a child, a brother, a colleague; It can be an enemy, an enemy, a nemesis; and they can be spirit guides, angels, aliens, and even ‘god’. ‘The other’ can also represent groups, the more universal ‘they’ or ‘they’. And, there is also ‘the other’ that we are not yet aware of, but if it came to our consciousness, ‘the other’ would be his name. ‘The other’ is the world ‘out there’.
The other person, group, situation or whatever seems to be happening ‘out there’ may, with all those others, actually be happening in our own mind and brain (which is the body). It is not ‘out there’. Is here’. It is brain activity. Outside it appears as a projection and a reflection of the here inside. The events that happen in our mind-body system could certainly incorporate a shared reality, as others may experience the same thing, or close enough to agree, as in everyone watching the same movie, sharing the same language, existing in the same gene pool, seeing the same sky. We not only operate within a personal mind-body system; equally, and perhaps more dominatingly, we have an influential collective mind-body system. We are born into a culture. on the planet, at a time and place, laden with ongoing situations, incidents, events and circumstances, which we face and treat as separate and distinct from the operations of our own mind and brain. The important point to keep in mind, and one of the key teachings of the yogic tradition: that “the other” seems to be separate from us, and … not really. The observed “other” is intrinsically connected to the observer, and each influences the other. The observed does not have its own substantial and independent existence. It depends on the observer for its existence. The observer also does not have a substantial and independent existence of its own, depending on what is observed. The observer and the observed are the two sides of the same coin, of Consciousness. Consciousness itself transcends the observed and observed, subjective and objective. Consciousness itself is devoid of an object or subject; it is often described as “not this, not that”. In this sense, Consciousness seems unreal, like subatomic particles. You cannot see it, hear it, feel it, and yet everything you see, hear and feel is rooted in that invisible and unreal realm, transcendent to everyday life in the same way that atoms and subatomic particles are not. visible, audible, tactile; cannot smell or taste subatomic particles; And yet they are those invisible and “unreal” particles on which everything we see, hear and feel as real rests.
That which we perceive as “the other” does not exist without “the self”. And “the me” does not exist without an object to observe, which is perceived as “not me”. And yet that “not-me” exists because of the “me” just as “the me” exists because of the “not-me”, the observed, what is perceived. The self and the non-self, the subject and the object, are ultimately one and the same Consciousness, one and the same mind, just as the heads and tails are of the same coin.
This understanding of subject-object dependence is most evident in dream consciousness. In that state of consciousness, everything we experience seems more easily accepted as a fabrication of our own consciousness, our own mind, our own brain. One of the measurable differences between dream consciousness and waking consciousness is the higher frequency of brain wave patterns in the latter, in which objects appear much more substantial, solid, and real. What we call reality occurs in the waking state of consciousness. In the dream state of consciousness, reality is very different from that of waking. The “laws of physics” do not apply at all. It is a different world. Different ‘things’ make up the material, and the content often appears as bizarre and meaningless scenes and experiences, which are as different from waking as an animated cartoon from a family drama is. And yet, when dreaming, these scenes and experiences can influence us so vividly and emotionally, as “real”, as being awake. These two very different operations of consciousness exist within the same Consciousness. We say that I am awake, I slept. I dreamed Woke up. The “I” identifies with these states of consciousness.
Waking consciousness is represented by a brain wave frequency of plus or minus 20 Hz, and is known as beta waves. Sleep awareness is more in the frequency of plus or minus 6Hz and is known as Theta waves. While dreaming, rapid eye movements occur and the sleep states are often referred to as “REM” sleep. The deepest part of dream consciousness, called delta waves, runs at plus or minus 2 Hz. Alpha waves are some of the most pleasant states of consciousness within mental awareness at plus or minus 10 Hz. Alpha is for Beta what you daydream about is filling out tax forms. More recently, gamma waves have been detected above 40Hz and are indicative of moments of perception, discovery, and that ‘ah-ha’ episode. An ultimate experience of revealing clarity and solidity. Dreams are less solid, less logical, less rational, perhaps even not at all rational, although very creative; Dreams are known to have some predictive value and have been understood as a link to that mysterious land of deep sleep and beyond. Deep sleep consciousness is very amorphous and hazy. And yet critically important. Without adequate and adequate sleep, sleep and wakefulness suffer. These 3 states of consciousness, wakefulness, dream and dream, make up what we call our life.
The yogic tradition speaks of a fourth state of consciousness, ‘turiya’ in their language. A consciousness transcendent to mental and physical activity; it transcends sleeping, dreaming and waking up. It is consciousness itself; impassive, still and silent; a flame in a windless place. Transcendental consciousness is consciousness, without an object, without a subject; pure consciousness, nothing more. Without frequency. No vibrations. Anything else is the mutual emergence of the subject-object relationship, at whatever level, and contains “the other.” When having a nightmare, daydreaming or waking up while walking down the street filled with sensory objects of consciousness, subjective thoughts and emotions, memories and imaginations, “the other” is present; and yet of the same consciousness, the same consciousness, the same mind, happening in your brain, residing in your body, existing in this waking, dreaming, and dreaming world. And yet, without that fourth transcendent state of consciousness, pure consciousness, there would be no waking, dreaming, and dreaming consciousness at all, just as without the invisible molecules and cells of your muscles and organs, there would be no muscles or organs.
This understanding that ‘the other’ can be seen as a fundamental fallacy forms the basis of religious and spiritual sentiments such as The Golden Rule, ‘do to others what you would like them to do to you’, ‘let kindness be your religion ‘and’ love your enemy. ‘ These recommendations are based on quantum psychology and the “others” fallacy. Correct this fallacy that “the other” is separate, disconnected, independent with the understanding that subject and object, self and non-self, are in fact united, connected, and dependent on each other. Quantum psychology is a leap in consciousness towards wholeness.
Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be considered real.
– Niels Bohr