Related to this topic. I find the theory that we are all one consciousness reflecting back on ourselves through human experience fascinating. It’s like we’re all waves in the same ocean, thinking we’re separate but actually part of one continuous body of water.
What I find incredible is how this shows up everywhere once you start looking. Eastern philosophy has been saying this forever - the Upanishads literally say “You are That,” meaning you are the universal consciousness you’re seeking. Even some Western thinkers like Spinoza and Schopenhauer picked up on this. And now with quantum physics and theories about consciousness being fundamental rather than just a brain byproduct, science is starting to flirt with these ancient insights.
The practical implications blow my mind too. If we’re really all the same consciousness experiencing itself from different angles, then treating others with compassion isn’t just nice - it’s literally taking care of yourself. It completely reframes empathy and ethics.
Plus, anyone who’s done serious meditation knows that feeling of boundaries dissolving, where “me” and “everything else” start to blur together.
I work in AI and this perspective is fascinating when you think about networked intelligence. If individual minds are like nodes in a universal consciousness network, what happens when we create artificial networks that start exhibiting emergent behaviors?
Are we recreating on a digital level what already exists naturally?
If this interests you, definitely check out “I Am That” by Nisargadatta or Alan Watts’ “The Book.” Sam Harris also explores this beautifully in “Waking Up,” especially how meditation can give you direct glimpses of this reality. It’s one of those ideas that’s both ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science rolled into one.
Great points. Regarding AI, what I find as I study and try to compare it to humans is how little we really understand ourselves and how much we project things that aren't real, like that individuality you mentioned. Sam Harris makes an argument against free will that's interesting. I think he takes it too far, but we certainly have less independent free will than we think.
The question with consciousness I have long pondered, is where does it come from, if it comes from anything? Is it carried by the egg or the sperm? Or is it the union of the two that activates it?
I often remember my dreams, most usually when I wake at night to visit the bathroom. In my personal case, my dreams do not involve elements of my reality, do not involve scenes from say, my home, people I know, my car(s), my fetishes, books I have read, movies/shows I have seen, etc., which I find strange, as I have read that dreams are the brain organizing experiences and data.
One would think that they should include regular things that I encounter or even desire. But instead, my dreams often involve tall office buildings, often where I am stuck on a floor and the elevator doesn't work, so I have to take the stairs up or down and then run into some problem in the dark of the stairs. Also, my dreams commonly involve running or driving up hills. I don't have any fear of heights, so this is all weird.
But now, returning to the beginning, what if consciousness does not get created upon birth of an organism through the union of an egg & sperm? What if instead, it is parceled out from an eternal repository residing in the quantum universe from the collection of all the lives that YOU have lived across eternity? This would nicely explain the unfocused dreams that do not seem to have any connection to my current reality, would it not?
What you just described is nearly very close to the findings in Journey of Souls with the soul group and the selection of a new incarnation: https://amzn.to/4lgQV3c
The idea that “I am you” I think is truer than anyone might realize. If I incarnated at the same time as you, same parents, same upbringing and neuro wiring, etc…. I would be you.
I ask that you do because this is indicative of a larger pattern- the erasure of Hinduism from the practice and discourse on what are technically Hindu ideas, even if reincarnation might also be found in Buddhism and Jainism, which came later. I don’t think you did it intentionally, but this post is an example of it being done.
Whenever we discuss the nature of the “soul”, my mind goes back to the concept of “quantum immortality.” I have an essay on this, but I have held off publishing.
In short, it's an extension of the schrodinger's cat thought experiment, itself an outgrowt of the “double slit” experiment, which illustrates that the laws of physics almost appear to change when we consciously observe them.
When there is a 50/50 chance that the cat is dead, when we open the box, the universe divides in two. In one universe, we open the box to find a dead cat, in the other, a live one.
But quantum immortality asks what happens from the perspective of the cat. From the perspective of the cat, it must always live. It never dies because in one universe is always survives, no matter how many times the experiment is run.
This holds logically, even if it feels impossible. There is some new research to suggest that consciousness itself might be a quantum phenomenon, so perhaps science will one day explain what happens in the afterlife.
That's really interesting and I'd love to see the finished essay. I would caveat that schrodinger's cat was a critique of the Copenhagen interpretation, not an experiment in itself. (I learned this writing my second novel as I explored quantum entanglement)
I think there's connection in there to Nietzsche’s Übermensch except, where Nietzsche went wrong was when he started with 'God is Dead.' I'm a theist but that's where it stops. I think without that accountability in the end and the challenge to learn, to Übermensch can be perverted with power very quickly. That'd be my only caveate. Properly grounded in a reincarnation framework, Übermensch can be very useful.
"Does reincarnation sound awesome? Does the ability to continue to learn, unlearn, and relearn over many lives sound great or terrible?"
----
Reincarnation has been in the news later with the potential passing of the Dai Lama. He says he will be reincarnated but this will not happen until after he passes on and the body he will be reincarnated into will be a specially chosen child, hopefully healthy and with many years ahead to rein as the next Dai Lama.
Reincarnation shouldn't work this way.
Instead, if reincarnation were real, you should be reincarnated into some random living thing ready to be born, whether plant, insect, animal or person. YOU do not get to choose who or what you will live as in your next life.
Interesting point and that's an interpretation I've heard. However, in the book mentioend in the essay, Journey of Souls, the author found that we do, in fact, have a choice in where we go. We get to pick a life that maximizes the lessons we need to learn.
That said, I don't think the Dali Lama has the right answer because I don't think you always come back as the same 'thing.' Meaning if I'm a great military commander today, next time I might be a medic to learn the other side of the equation where I have to patch up and bury those who the general ordered to charge. That's the kind of concept Journey of souls discusses.
It’s no wonder that so many spiritual traditions talk about the soul’s awakening, tearing away the veil of illusion. There are so many phenomena that seem to fit into the journey of souls blueprint. Such as past life memories of children, that are well documented. Near death experiences, and their similarities speaking of life reviews. I personally met a woman who died for nine minutes, went through the tunnel of light, had a life review and was shown portals to other realms all meant to progress the soul. In other words, earth was just one classroom, difficult due to its density and propensity to suffer. And then you have psychedelics such as DMT, which seem to disconnect the body/mind connection to the soul as subjects experience oneness with the divine. This life is filled with so many mysteries! So many fractals! It’s no wonder we build things such as video games, where we choose avatars, or create the internet, or develop AI. We create what we know, fractals of a greater reality.
Related to this topic. I find the theory that we are all one consciousness reflecting back on ourselves through human experience fascinating. It’s like we’re all waves in the same ocean, thinking we’re separate but actually part of one continuous body of water.
What I find incredible is how this shows up everywhere once you start looking. Eastern philosophy has been saying this forever - the Upanishads literally say “You are That,” meaning you are the universal consciousness you’re seeking. Even some Western thinkers like Spinoza and Schopenhauer picked up on this. And now with quantum physics and theories about consciousness being fundamental rather than just a brain byproduct, science is starting to flirt with these ancient insights.
The practical implications blow my mind too. If we’re really all the same consciousness experiencing itself from different angles, then treating others with compassion isn’t just nice - it’s literally taking care of yourself. It completely reframes empathy and ethics.
Plus, anyone who’s done serious meditation knows that feeling of boundaries dissolving, where “me” and “everything else” start to blur together.
I work in AI and this perspective is fascinating when you think about networked intelligence. If individual minds are like nodes in a universal consciousness network, what happens when we create artificial networks that start exhibiting emergent behaviors?
Are we recreating on a digital level what already exists naturally?
If this interests you, definitely check out “I Am That” by Nisargadatta or Alan Watts’ “The Book.” Sam Harris also explores this beautifully in “Waking Up,” especially how meditation can give you direct glimpses of this reality. It’s one of those ideas that’s both ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science rolled into one.
Great points. Regarding AI, what I find as I study and try to compare it to humans is how little we really understand ourselves and how much we project things that aren't real, like that individuality you mentioned. Sam Harris makes an argument against free will that's interesting. I think he takes it too far, but we certainly have less independent free will than we think.
The question with consciousness I have long pondered, is where does it come from, if it comes from anything? Is it carried by the egg or the sperm? Or is it the union of the two that activates it?
I often remember my dreams, most usually when I wake at night to visit the bathroom. In my personal case, my dreams do not involve elements of my reality, do not involve scenes from say, my home, people I know, my car(s), my fetishes, books I have read, movies/shows I have seen, etc., which I find strange, as I have read that dreams are the brain organizing experiences and data.
One would think that they should include regular things that I encounter or even desire. But instead, my dreams often involve tall office buildings, often where I am stuck on a floor and the elevator doesn't work, so I have to take the stairs up or down and then run into some problem in the dark of the stairs. Also, my dreams commonly involve running or driving up hills. I don't have any fear of heights, so this is all weird.
But now, returning to the beginning, what if consciousness does not get created upon birth of an organism through the union of an egg & sperm? What if instead, it is parceled out from an eternal repository residing in the quantum universe from the collection of all the lives that YOU have lived across eternity? This would nicely explain the unfocused dreams that do not seem to have any connection to my current reality, would it not?
And would this then be a form of reincarnation?
What you just described is nearly very close to the findings in Journey of Souls with the soul group and the selection of a new incarnation: https://amzn.to/4lgQV3c
The idea that “I am you” I think is truer than anyone might realize. If I incarnated at the same time as you, same parents, same upbringing and neuro wiring, etc…. I would be you.
No idea about Peterson, but the idea is ancient.
"One way or another: atoms or unity. If it’s God, all is well. If it’s arbitrary, don’t imitate it.” — Marcus Aurelius
I love it. I'm going to add that to the footnote now.
I like how you wove together Thomas Campbell and the soul journey. That makes so much sense.
Thanks, the simulation theory is really interesting and not at all at odds with Journey of Souls.
I am surprised you didn’t mention that reincarnation is a concept specifically from Hinduism.
Great point. Fundamentally I ran out of space :) I should add that in....
I ask that you do because this is indicative of a larger pattern- the erasure of Hinduism from the practice and discourse on what are technically Hindu ideas, even if reincarnation might also be found in Buddhism and Jainism, which came later. I don’t think you did it intentionally, but this post is an example of it being done.
I added a footnote, it was a bit challenging to weave it into the existing narrative. Thanks for pointing it out!
Whenever we discuss the nature of the “soul”, my mind goes back to the concept of “quantum immortality.” I have an essay on this, but I have held off publishing.
In short, it's an extension of the schrodinger's cat thought experiment, itself an outgrowt of the “double slit” experiment, which illustrates that the laws of physics almost appear to change when we consciously observe them.
When there is a 50/50 chance that the cat is dead, when we open the box, the universe divides in two. In one universe, we open the box to find a dead cat, in the other, a live one.
But quantum immortality asks what happens from the perspective of the cat. From the perspective of the cat, it must always live. It never dies because in one universe is always survives, no matter how many times the experiment is run.
This holds logically, even if it feels impossible. There is some new research to suggest that consciousness itself might be a quantum phenomenon, so perhaps science will one day explain what happens in the afterlife.
That's really interesting and I'd love to see the finished essay. I would caveat that schrodinger's cat was a critique of the Copenhagen interpretation, not an experiment in itself. (I learned this writing my second novel as I explored quantum entanglement)
"But I live to learn and grow toward perfection."
----
I'm more of a nihilist myself but your statement sounds similar to Nietzsche’s Übermensch, yes?
I recently came across an article on this at:
https://philosophybreak.com/articles/ubermensch-explained-the-meaning-of-nietzsches-superman/
The website itself is quite interesting also for those who want to learn more about philosophy.
I think there's connection in there to Nietzsche’s Übermensch except, where Nietzsche went wrong was when he started with 'God is Dead.' I'm a theist but that's where it stops. I think without that accountability in the end and the challenge to learn, to Übermensch can be perverted with power very quickly. That'd be my only caveate. Properly grounded in a reincarnation framework, Übermensch can be very useful.
"Does reincarnation sound awesome? Does the ability to continue to learn, unlearn, and relearn over many lives sound great or terrible?"
----
Reincarnation has been in the news later with the potential passing of the Dai Lama. He says he will be reincarnated but this will not happen until after he passes on and the body he will be reincarnated into will be a specially chosen child, hopefully healthy and with many years ahead to rein as the next Dai Lama.
Reincarnation shouldn't work this way.
Instead, if reincarnation were real, you should be reincarnated into some random living thing ready to be born, whether plant, insect, animal or person. YOU do not get to choose who or what you will live as in your next life.
Interesting point and that's an interpretation I've heard. However, in the book mentioend in the essay, Journey of Souls, the author found that we do, in fact, have a choice in where we go. We get to pick a life that maximizes the lessons we need to learn.
That said, I don't think the Dali Lama has the right answer because I don't think you always come back as the same 'thing.' Meaning if I'm a great military commander today, next time I might be a medic to learn the other side of the equation where I have to patch up and bury those who the general ordered to charge. That's the kind of concept Journey of souls discusses.
It’s no wonder that so many spiritual traditions talk about the soul’s awakening, tearing away the veil of illusion. There are so many phenomena that seem to fit into the journey of souls blueprint. Such as past life memories of children, that are well documented. Near death experiences, and their similarities speaking of life reviews. I personally met a woman who died for nine minutes, went through the tunnel of light, had a life review and was shown portals to other realms all meant to progress the soul. In other words, earth was just one classroom, difficult due to its density and propensity to suffer. And then you have psychedelics such as DMT, which seem to disconnect the body/mind connection to the soul as subjects experience oneness with the divine. This life is filled with so many mysteries! So many fractals! It’s no wonder we build things such as video games, where we choose avatars, or create the internet, or develop AI. We create what we know, fractals of a greater reality.
And even if it's all wrong, I find it more motivating than the once and done golden ticket theology.
Just cause you can't see Christian polymaths didn't mean they don't exist. Penrose.
I see a lot of Christian polymaths. Not sure I understand this statement.
https://substack.com/@jonjmoss/note/c-132582502
Well this what I got on this.
See what you think.