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| Photo courtesy of NASA |
Last week I read a fascinating article in Discover magazine (Special Issue, June, 2007). Scientists have formulated theories about souls. Using quantum mechanics, they believe that our consciousness exists within the most basic sub-atomic levels, called the Planck scale.
Physics and Souls
The scientists (Stuart Hameroff and Roger Penrose) postulate that when we are alive, the bits of quantum information of our consciousness are retained within our bodies, but when we die, get released back into the Universe. The article discussed how this hypothesis could be used to explain Near Death Experiences, Out of Body Experiences and Reincarnation. Of course, it's all theoretical, but what an amazing theory.
Time
In the same magazine was an article about the existence of time. Apparently, at the Planck Scale, there is no time. The idea connected me with a book I read long ago (Mister God, This is Anna) in which a young girl (age four, and dies before she is eight) explains the universe to her guardian/teenage friend. She tells him how, if you turn a timeline on it's edge, it's a dot, which is how the past, present and future all exist at once. The Planck Scale would be the dot of the timeline on it's edge.
If we put the two articles together, we can conceive of eternity! What else is consciousness without the boundaries of time?
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| Photo by Benutzer: Conny at Flickr |
We can take these thoughts anywhere we want to. What the afterlife might be like is unbelievable. While we were talking about this post, my husband brought up a concept called monadality, where souls free of the body don't interact until they find another body in which to be contained. Even if this is what the afterlife is like, we wouldn't feel pain or loneliness because we wouldn't experience time. We would die, and then be reborn somewhere, and it would probably feel instantaneous. If, of course, we remembered life before we were reborn.
Where we might be reborn is another fascinating prospect. Suppose there are alien lifeforms on other planets. The next time my consciousness is reactivated (for lack of a better word) into a new body, it could be in an alien!
Death
My father doesn't believe in life after death. This causes him significant grief over the death of my sister. I have to say, the idea of no life after death causes me significant anxiety. I get this claustrophobia feeling at the idea of just being snuffed out.
These two theories would change the meaning of death. We would go on. Better yet, who we are and the experiences we have would never be lost. We would be eternal.
Have you read anything that inspired you this week?
Fascinating stuff. I tend to lean toward the idea, based on physics, that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only altered.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I've always figured the energy would continue, but it still left the door open for our consciousness to dissipate or something, into the universe. What I liked about this article about consciousness was that it develops a way not just our energy, but our consciousness continues on.
DeleteI do believe in life after death, and I find all this very fascinating. It's amazing the things that come along and inspire us. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and commenting! It is funny how we come across things that make us think or shake up our muses!
DeleteThe thought of their being no life after death is too depressing to contemplate. What's the point in all this if it isn't for our progression? We're intelligent beings that existed before and will continue to exist long after our mortal bodies have failed us. THAT is a comforting thought.
ReplyDeleteYeah - I think so too. Thinking of life as being just what we do as a matter of being part of the universe stinks.
DeleteOOH! Fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI am the same way. I have to believe in life after death. Without it life is depressing and yes, claustrophobic. Really, it seems as if there is no point if that is the case. I love what you've shared. Has my mind reeling! Awesome post, Lara!
Thanks, Leigh!
DeleteTHIS inspired me this week! Especially the first part about the souls. That is truly fascinating and right up my alley. Sometimes I think many people need to believe in some sort of afterlife just because otherwise, their anxiety or sadness would be too great to bear. It is really interesting. I love this post.
ReplyDeleteCool, Lisa! I love when I share something that interests me and can connect with other people's interests! I think the belief (or disbelief) of life after death is such an emotional, and I suppose faith based, one. The idea of science walking besides faith/spirituality really draws me in.
DeleteThis is a great post, Lara! Such an interesting theory and I truly want to believe it. After I heard some of Stephen Hawking's theories, I came to a similar conclusion, though not as scientific as this. Like you, I am sad to think that the here and now is all there is to life. I am fascinated by the possibilities.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cindy! Quantum mechanics is so bizarre, anything can happen! The possibilities are endless, and therefore are a deep well of inspiration to me. :)
DeleteYour post is what inspired me! So what is supposed to happen (according to the article) when our souls get released back into the universe? Btw - I agree - the prospect of no life after death is frightening.
ReplyDeleteThanks, E.D.! Apparently, when we die our consciousness hangs out at the Planck scale level until it basically gets picked up by a new person. Who knows how our individual perspectives would interpret the Planck scale awareness. That's what makes it all so fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThey of course didn't go into how getting into a new body would happen. It sounded kind of like chance would play a big part of it. However, in my thoughts, just being re-absorbed into a new being opens up a whole raft of controversial questions about at what point does sentient life begin. When would a consciousness inhabit a body? Would human consciousness be able to inhabit animal bodies, or does it even matter? Would our consciousness have any choices, or is it just a random popping into a new host body. (That sounds kind of freaky!)
I looked up the scientists, and didn't find any new information since the 2007 article. I don't know where they stand now with it. I've got some books to read. My husband has the book The Physics of Immortality, so I'm going to try to wade through that and see if I can figure it out more. If you come up with anything, let's talk!
I believe in life after death. I "feel" and see things that I imagine (want to believe) that are my mother come to remind me she is still watching me. I think deja vu is reincarnation. I remember my mom commenting on a gesture or head tilt of mine, she'd say, "You looked just like Mary when you did that!" (Mary, her dead sister) And I like to believe that time in our bodies is not the end. There are a few people I'd like to haunt. :)
ReplyDeleteHa! I don't want to be one of those people on your haunt list! ;)
DeleteOkay, way to go seriously deep AND scientific on the blog. All in one post. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Nina! I was so amazed at those articles, I just had to share! I get pretty nervous talking science, because it's really a hobby. I don't feel qualified! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lara,
ReplyDeleteI know that life continues after we crossed over into the real world. I am Christian and so believe that death is a curtain that separates us from eternity. As a Christian, I also believe in eternal life and that what we think happens in our life.
So thank you for the confirmation that scientists are finally beginning to believe that there is life after death and that our thoughts play a big role in our lives.
Ciao,
Patricia
Isn't it fascinating? I believe science and spirituality are not as distant from each other as some might think, and so was very excited by the articles, too. Of course, there are scientists out there who totally think it's a ridiculous theory, but I personally love it!
DeleteSo this is an older blog? Wow. it's awesome--it just makes my brain reel with the different pathways it opens. I carry a solid belief in God, Jesus and my faith--but God does not tell us what heaven is and I think there's room to consider that what He's created is far more complex than we realize.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it fascinating? There are many scientists for whom science only confirms the spiritual. I feel that way. :)
DeleteI just noticed I said "Isn't it fascinating?" above, too! Ha! I guess I really do find it just totally amazing to contemplate!
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