“As is the human body, so is the cosmic body. As is the human mind, so is the cosmic mind. As is the microcosm, so is the macrocosm. As is the atom, so is the universe.”
~ The Upanishads
“Quantum physics thus reveals a basic oneness of the universe.”
~ Erwin Schrödinger
“To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.”
~ William Blake
SAND14 US: The Entanglement of Life
Entanglement, Consciousness and Living
Entanglement is one of the strangest parts of quantum mechanics — so strange, in fact, that Albert Einstein famously referred to it as “spooky action at a distance.” An entangled system shows a property that has been measured for the whole but not for parts. For instance, we may know that the sum of the spins of a pair of two particles is zero, but neither of them is in a definite state (a condition referred to as superposition), particle until one is measured, causing the other particle to assume the opposite state. The effect is instantaneous, even if the two particles reside on opposite ends of the universe.
Curiously, when science drills down into the core of even the most solid-looking object, separateness dissolves, and all that remain are relationships extending throughout, and possibly beyond, space and time, revealing a deeper reality which evokes what sages from all ages and traditions have been describing as one substance — call it consciousness, call it energy — comprising all the universe and giving rise to all appearances.
When we begin to explore the fabric of reality either through the lens of science or through the lens of spirituality, a deeper understanding and experience of what we call reality emerges as infinite, ever present, interconnected whole.
- What is the nature of the universe?
- What is the nature of awareness that makes it possible for us to experience the universe?
- Is there a scientifically viable way to explain consciousness?
- What is the connection between consciousness and the phenomenon of entanglement?
- Is our current scientific paradigm based on a subject/object split equipped to answer the bigger questions of life?
- Is there evidence of quantum entanglement on a macro scale?
These and many more questions will be explored at the next SAND14!
