Consciousness is Everywhere

Throughout the universe

(by Paul Mulliner)

“As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clearheaded science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about the atoms this much: There is no matter as such! All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particles 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 Spirit. This Spirit is the matrix of all matter” — Max Planck : German theoretical physicist : 1944


We’re living in a time when insights from the front edge of science are being joined with insights from the ancient intuitive wisdom traditions to create a new synthesis, a new worldview fit for the 21st century.

These intuitive insights reveal a different world than that proposed by our current mainstream world-view, in which our separate human brain is thought to somehow generate consciousness.

This shift in understanding is important because it helps us make different choices than we might have previously, choices that can change our life for the better.

And making this shift for ourselves has to do with finding the clarity and intuitive intelligence of the universal consciousness inside us, and allowing it to dissolve some of our habitual thinking.


A key change in our understanding of ourselves emerges from the realization that the cosmic energy field researched by physicists over the past century is also a field of consciousness.

A spacious universal consciousness exists inside all of us and throughout all space everywhere.

And the conscious silence we find inside us when we allow our thinking to dissolve away is the presence of this universal consciousness.


A spacious cosmic consciousness/intelligence is experiencing living as countless life-forms on all the planets that support life throughout the Universe.

A universal consciousness orchestrating photosynthesis and bringing sentient life into being everywhere.

A cosmic field-intelligence transforming itself into the choreographed streaming flows of cell biochemistry we see occurring within all living beings.


Our individual human life has meaning and value in a Universe where all life and consciousness are woven into one continuously evolving whole.

We’re all in this together, every moment of every day we’re connected into a universal organism of conscious awareness that’s evolving and changing as a consequence of our own life.


This view of ourselves as always woven into an evolving and intelligent whole is a long way from the previous way we saw life.

For many people in previous generations, life in an apparently indifferent, meaningless Universe with a brief time to be alive, meant a focus on wealth and attempts to dominate others.

The focus was always on separation.


We can maybe begin to see things differently.

We’re born into this world from within an enduring universal consciousness that’s always here, throughout the birth and death of all of us.

Everything we are while we’re alive is woven into this universal consciousness and remains there as part of the continuously evolving whole.

Life is meaningful and we’re all evolving toward being able to find the clarity and intelligence of cosmic consciousness within ourselves more easily than previously.


Our view of reality, our worldview, is often shaped by our preconceptions and assumptions, and can sometimes be an unconscious prism through which we see the world.

The separatist and materialist worldview that so characterized the 20th century has entered deep into mainstream thinking and acts as a sort of foundational myth, a way of structuring and filtering reality.


Materialist, separation thinking has been obscuring the reality that we’re always connected into a conscious and intelligent Universe.

Positive change is possible, but the most fundamental and difficult change needed is change in our awareness, a change in the way we see the world, each other and our planet.


And this change can begin to happen when we tune in to the conscious silence inside us and find for ourselves the intuitive realization that it’s everywhere, inside all of us.

We’re a spacious universal and cosmic consciousness appearing as a separate person.


A single conscious space exists inside all of us, a universal conscious awareness before it becomes thought.

And when we let our thinking dissolve away, we can become aware of this conscious silence inside us.


Unique personal experiences happen inside each one of us, but our conscious awareness isn’t separate from the whole of cosmic consciousness inside all of us.

And it’s our culturally biased separation from the underlying clarity and wisdom of cosmic consciousness that seems to be causing widespread distress.


And though we were probably never taught how to tune in to the inner conscious silence at school, and our culture seems in any case to regard intuition as irrational or unscientific, despite it being central to the creation of art, poetry and music, the scientific worldview could use a more intuitive perspective.


Scientific research during the last century has shown all ‘material stuff’ to be clusters of tiny wave patterns in a field of nonlocal cosmic energy.

This nonlocality, proven by experiment, reveals the foundational, underlying energy field throughout the Universe to be a single connective space joining everything everywhere into one unified whole.

Atoms and molecules are connected patterns of vibration in a universal cosmic field that’s everywhere.

Everything is dynamically woven into and correlated with everything else, revealing an apparent intelligent coherence.


How do we explain the unity and coherence of both living cell biochemistry and conscious awareness without assuming the existence of a structuring, arranging and choreographing field-intelligence throughout the Universe?

A universal cosmic intelligence that’s expressing itself through a spatial-orchestration-field both inside the brain, throughout our body and in all space everywhere?


And as we find the conscious silence that’s always present inside us, we can tune in to this universal field and intuitively realize it to be a single, connected space, a universal consciousness.

We can intuitively realize that the conscious awareness inside us is a universal consciousness everywhere, throughout all space and inside all life.


universal intelligence exists everywhere in the Universe as a primary and fundamental field and it can sometimes seem to be guiding our personal evolution into an ever more conscious awareness of itself.

It guides us through our life with intuitive suggestions for how to proceed with various choices we may need to make, if we tune in to it.

Without this guidance and the sense of trusting in a generous and providential Universe that it helps bring about, we can perhaps begin to feel estranged from life and each other, and express our frustrations in the world in anger and unhappy feelings.


Despite the apparent chaos we can see happening around us, the underlying clarity and wisdom of cosmic consciousness always remains available to us.

We’re making the difficult transition into a new understanding of ourselves as being always woven into a conscious and intelligent Universe.


Paul Mulliner 2022


I’m a writer and digital artist/animator based in London.

Source: https://paul-mulliner.medium.com/intelligence-is-everywhere-e75ec03474e8

Image Paul Mulliner 2022 from a photo by Vidar Nordli-Matheson on Unsplash


Hoe beïnvloedt meditatie je hersengolven?

(uit PsychCentral.com) Onderzoekers tonen aan dat meditatie ontspanningsgerelateerde hersengolven kan veroorzaken, zoals alfa- en theta-golven. Hier is hoe.

Meditatie krijgt veel aandacht in de Verenigde Staten, omdat onderzoek de positieve gezondheidsvoordelen ervan aan het licht brengt.

Studies tonen zelfs aan dat meditatie kan helpen stress te verminderen, depressie te verminderen, de slaapkwaliteit te verbeteren, focus te vergroten en meer.

Onderzoeksdeelnemers die meditatie beoefenen, rapporteren niet alleen verbeteringen in hun algehele welzijn na het mediteren, maar wetenschappers laten ook zien dat je met behulp van hersenbeeldvormingstechnologie, zoals elektro-encefalografie (EEG), fysiek ontspanningsgerelateerde veranderingen in de hersenen kunt zien plaatsvinden.

Meditatie kan ontspannen hersengolven opwekken

Meditatie is de oefening om te vertragen en je geest te concentreren op het nu-moment. Meditatie vindt over het algemeen plaats in een zittende positie met de ogen gesloten. De oefening kan slechts 5 minuten duren of uren duren. Ongeacht het tijdsbestek, het doel van de oefening is om te voorkomen dat de mind afdwaalt.

Waar je je op focust tijdens je meditatiebeoefening kan variëren. Enkele van de meest voorkomende dingen om op te focussen zijn:

• je ademhalingscyclus (in en uit)

• een mantra (een zin herhalen in je hoofd)

• de sensaties in je lichaam

• de geluiden die je hoort

• de visualisatie van een mooie bestemming

Meditatie kan je helpen om je meer ontspannen te voelen, en dit wordt weerspiegeld in je hersenactiviteit.

Wat gebeurt er in de hersenen als je mediteert?

Hersengolven zijn de metingen van de elektrische pulsen in je hersenen. Deze pulsen worden gemeten in een frequentie-eenheid die Hertz (Hz) wordt genoemd.

Er zijn vijf verschillende frequentieniveaus waarop je hersenen kunnen pulseren, en elk frequentieniveau vertegenwoordigt wat voor soort functie je hersenen uitvoeren (bijvoorbeeld slapen, focussen, een herinnering oproepen, enz.).

De vijf hersenfrequentieniveaus zijn:

• Delta (minder dan 4 Hz). De langzaamste hersengolf. De hersenen verhogen deltagolven tijdens de slaap om het bewustzijn te verminderen.

• Theta (3,5 tot 7,5 Hz). Een langzame hersengolf die toeneemt wanneer we wakker zijn maar ons intern concentreren (bijvoorbeeld dagdromen).

• Alfa (8t tot 12 Hz). De frequentie die je hersenen bereiken als ze ontspannen zijn. De hersenen zijn alert, maar verwerken niet actief informatie.

• Bèta (12,5 tot 30 Hz). De hersenen bereiken deze frequentie wanneer ze alert zijn en externe informatie moeten verwerken.

• Gamma (25 tot 140 Hz). Je hersenen bereiken dit frequentiebereik wanneer het zich in de hoogste concentratie bevindt.

Tijdens meditatie zijn de meest voorkomende frequenties die een elektro-encefalogram (EEG) detecteert, theta- en alfagolven in ontspannen toestand. En als gevolg daarvan hebben de gemiddelde niveaus van bètagolven de neiging af te nemen.

In het boek “The Art of Smart Thinking” van Dr. James Hardt onderzoekt hij de voordelen van het verhogen van het opwekken van theta en alfagolven in de hersenen. Hij stelt dat deze twee hersenfrequenties de belangrijkste frequenties zijn voor het verbeteren van creativiteit en probleemoplossend vermogen.

Meditatie kan fungeren als een hulpmiddel om toegang te krijgen tot theta- en alfa-hersenfrequenties. Zodra meditatie een vast onderdeel van je dagelijkse routine wordt, stelt Hardt dat het levenslange voordelen kan hebben voor de gezondheid van je hersenen.

Alfagolven tot je dominante hersengolf maken

Na lang genoeg meditatie te hebben beoefend, suggereert onderzoek dat alfafrequenties de dominante hersengolf van de hersenen kunnen worden.

Een 2020-overzicht van de effecten van verschillende vormen van meditatie onthulde dat het studenten 40 dagen kostte om een ​​vorm van mindfulness, Yoga Nidra genaamd, te oefenen om van alfagolven hun dominante hersengolf te maken.

Toen alfagolven eenmaal tot dominante niveaus waren gestegen, bleek uit het onderzoek dat deelnemers aan verschillende vormen van meditatie en yogapraktijken ervoeren:

• verbeterde slaapkwaliteit

• vermindering van angst en depressie

• lagere stressniveaus

• verbeterd leren en geheugen

Samengevat

EEG-tests bij deelnemers die meditatie beoefenen, onthullen dat meditatie de productie van hersengolven beïnvloedt. Wat zo baanbrekend is aan deze bevindingen, is dat het effect dat meditatie heeft op de hersengolfactiviteit niet alleen optreedt tijdens de meditatiebeoefening zelf, maar lang nadat de meditatie is voltooid.

Met andere woorden, gewone meditatie kan je hersengolfactiviteit voor de komende jaren veranderen. Onderzoek wijst uit dat meditatie de neiging heeft te leiden tot een toename van de productie van theta- en alfagolven, de hersengolffrequenties die geassocieerd worden met verbeterd leervermogen en algemeen mentaal welzijn.

Het lijkt er niet toedoen om welke specifieke type meditatie of mindfulnessbeoefening het gaat. Het belangrijkste voor het veranderen van je hersengolven is om meditatie een onderdeel van je dagelijkse routine te maken. <…>

Bron: https://psychcentral.com/health/meditation-brain-waves


How Does Meditation Affect Your Brain Waves?

Researchers show that meditation can induce relaxation-related brain waves, such as alpha and theta waves. Here’s how.

Meditation receives much attention in the United States, since research illuminates its positive health benefits.

In fact, studies reveal that meditation can help reduce stressdecrease depressionimprove sleep qualityincrease focus, and more.

Not only do research participants who practice meditation report improvements in their overall well-being after meditating, but scientists show that you can physically see relaxation-related changes happening in the brain using brain imaging technology, like electroencephalography (EEG).

Meditation can induce relaxed brain waves

Meditation is the practice of slowing down and focusing your mind on the present moment. Meditation generally takes place in a seated position with the eyes closed. The practice can last for as little as 5 minutes or go on for hours. Regardless of the time frame, the purpose of the practice is to prevent the mind from wandering.

What you focus on during your meditation practice can vary. Some of the most common things to focus on include:

  • your breathing cycle (in and out)
  • a mantra (repeating a phrase in your head)
  • the sensations in your body
  • the sounds you are hearing
  • the visualization of a beautiful destination

Meditation can help you feel more relaxed, and this is reflected in your brain activity.

What happens in the brain when you meditate?

Brain waves are the measurements of the electrical pulses in your brain. These pulses are measured in a unit of frequency called Hertz (Hz).

There are five distinct levels of frequencies your brain may be pulsing at, and each frequency level represents what type of function your brain is performing (e.g., sleeping, focusing, recalling a memory, etc.).

The five brain frequency levels are:

  • Delta (less than 4 Hz). The slowest brain wave. The brain increases delta waves during sleep to reduce awareness.
  • Theta (3.5 to 7.5 Hz). A slow brain wave that increases when we are awake but focusing internally (e.g., daydreaming).
  • Alpha (8t o 12 Hz). The frequency your brain reaches when it’s relaxed. The brain is alert but not actively processing information.
  • Beta (12.5 to 30 Hz). The brain reaches this frequency when it’s alert and needs to process external information.
  • Gamma (25 to 140 Hz). Your brain reaches this frequency range when it’s at peak concentration.

During meditation, the most common frequencies an electroencephalogram (EEG) will detect are relaxed-state theta and alpha waves. And, as a result, the average levels of beta waves tend to decrease.

In Dr. James Hardt’s book “The Art of Smart Thinking,” he explores the benefits of increasing theta and alpha wave production in the brain. He argues that these two brain frequencies are the most important frequencies for enhancing creativity and problem-solving abilities.

Meditation can act as a tool to help you access theta and alpha brain frequencies. Once meditation becomes a regular part of your daily routine, Hardt argues it can have lifelong benefits on your brain’s health.

Making alpha waves your dominant brain wave

After practicing meditation for a long enough period, research suggests that alpha frequencies can become the brain’s dominant brain wave.

2020 overview on the effects of various forms of meditation revealed that it took students 40 days of practicing a form of mindfulness called Yoga Nidra to make alpha waves their dominant brain wave.

Once alpha waves increased to dominant levels, the research revealed that participants of various forms of meditation and yoga practices experienced:

  • improved sleep quality
  • reduction in anxiety and depression
  • lower stress levels
  • enhanced learning and memory

Recap

EEG testing on participants practicing meditation reveals that meditation affects brain wave production. What’s so groundbreaking about these findings is that the effect meditation has on brain wave activity not only occurs during the meditation practice itself, but long after the meditation is complete.

In other words, habitual meditation practice can change your brain wave activity for years to come. Research indicates that meditation tends to lead to an increase in the production of theta and alpha waves, which are the brain wave frequencies associated with enhanced learning abilities and overall mental well-being.

The specific type of meditation or mindfulness practice does not appear to matter. What’s most important for altering your brain waves is to make meditation a part of your daily routine. <…>

Source: https://psychcentral.com/health/meditation-brain-waves