The Experience of Unity at the Origin of Religion, Philosophy, and Psychology, and at the Ultimate Horizon of Physics, Cosmology, and Consciousness

Abstract

The experience of unity lies at the origin of consciousness research, of religion, of philosophy, of psychology: Today we note with puzzlement that the horizon of physics and cosmology, too, wants to converge onto unity. Do these parallel developments point to deeper, hidden, meaningful interconnections? Does all this touch on the problem of unification between the realms of the rational and conscious with the realms of the spiritual and hidden? In my own personal experience the unity of physical reality and consciousness reveals itself not in equations nor in a theory but in a way of thinking and living. There is no need to unify mind and matter because they are a unity already. The sooner I realize this, and the sooner I adjust my way of thinking and living to this insight, where-ever I believe I have encountered a conflict, the sooner I experience the healing power of this way of thinking. I used to believe that I am responsible for my way of living, for what I do, for my actions, but not for what I think. But the truth is that we are responsible for our thoughts, because our actions flow out of what we think.