AN INTERCONNECTED CONSCIOUSNESS
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.”
-Rumi
You are not alone. You are the entire universe looking back upon itself — a holographic representation of reality, constantly manifesting and mirroring back what is being reflected in your life and in your mind. The latest scientific thinking and experimental results from quantum physics research support what most ancient wisdom cultures have spoken about for thousands of years — that on a very deep level, you, me, and everything in the universe are connected. Although we have the illusion of being separate from each other and the world around us, in reality, we are all made of the same stu2 stars are made of. We are all composed of the universe’s in#nite energy, wrapped up in a multi-layer bio-body suit — a collection of roughly 40 trillion (40,000,000,000,000) cells working harmoniously together to continually grow, repair, adapt, evolve and reproduce. We are the universe looking back upon and interacting with itself. We are the co-creators of our lives and our experiences. We, along with everyone we meet, are powerful beings who have the power to heal, destroy, create new possibilities, and change the world.
These are pretty lofty statements with massive implications, so let’s take a step back to evaluate how this might be possible. The word “universe” literally means “all turned into one.” This is such a fitting definition, as science tells us that 14 billion years ago — right before the Big Bang explosion — everything in the known universe was concentrated into a single point, about the size of a pea. In that instance, everything in the universe was one “thing” and subsequently spread out over vast distances of space.
We know from quantum physics that once two particles are entangled, you can separate them over vast distances of time and space. And when you alter one, the same e2ects will instantaneously happen to the other.2 Since we are all part of the same universe that came from the same Big Bang, we are intimately connected to one another and everything else in it.
If we are all part of an infinite consciousness and energy, then why do we feel separate from everything else in the universe? This is one of the great paradoxes of life: while we experience the illusion of separateness from nature and others, it seems that we’re really interconnected at a fundamental level. The explanation for this paradox is perhaps attributable to the ego, the part of our brain that filters information to create subjective realities. The ego appears as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it provides our sense of self and justifies our independence from the larger whole, which can lead to remarkable individual achievements. On the other hand, it can encourage us to disconnect and take more than is necessary for our survival by promoting false narratives about how we are better than others. This, in turn, hurts the greater whole. We must therefore find and cultivate a balance between the individual ego and the collective consciousness, recognizing and appreciating the value of each and not getting lost in temptation, desire, and greed.
These ideas have been promoted by many of the great philosophers, mystics, and shamans throughout various cultures around the world for thousands of years. However, only in the last 50–100 years has Western science finally “caught up.” We have been able to glimpse this “oneness” through mind-bending quantum physics experiments that I’ll discuss throughout the course of this book. It’s like Western science has been climbing the mountain of truth for hundreds of years, nearing the summit with all of its fancy technologies and instruments, only to pull itself over the top and discover Buddha and a whole slew of mystics wondering where science has been.
So, how can this principle of interconnectedness inspire us to live healthier, happier, and more meaningful lives? It all starts with the realization that we are not simply visitors on this planet and in this experience we call life. Rather, we are an integral part of everything, just like everyone and everything else that exists. One of the best ways to think about it comes from Dr. Bruce Lipton, a well-known cellular biologist whose work in the 1980s and 1990s helped usher in the #eld of epigenetics — the science of how the environment affects gene expression.
Dr. Lipton suggests that we look no further than our own bodies as a framework for how to organize communities on a large scale. Remember: the human body is a collection of roughly 40 trillion cells working closely together to give us this experience we call life. Some cells form larger communities, such as organs, while others form bone, blood, and every other part of the body. Our cells are in constant communication with surrounding ones, giving and taking what they need to survive and function properly while passing whatever unused fuel they don’t require to the cells and systems that need it. A symphony of 40,000,000,000,000 musicians, or units of consciousness, all functioning cooperatively and harmoniously to ensure the survival and reproduction of the organism as a whole. Can we learn something from this sacred symphony? Can we apply it to our collective lives with roughly 8,000,000,000 other humans on this planet?
Imagine what would happen to our lives and our planet if we were all educated about our interconnectedness. If cooperation and compassion were universally shared values, guiding our decision-making at every scale of life. If we were taught from a young age that we are powerful manifesters with limitless possibilities, and that our only limitations are self-imposed through deeply-held beliefs.
Will we finally accept the knowledge that’s been staring at us for thousands of years? Will we start incorporating the ideals of interconnectedness into our models of education, parenting, and medicine? It is time to start celebrating the interconnectedness of humanity, nature, and the collective universe while also preserving our individual differences and strengths. To do otherwise would only prevent us from reaching our full potential.