At first glance, quantum physics and spirituality seem to be unrelated. How can subatomic particles relate to our personal experiences? Doesn’t science contradict spirituality? However, quantum theory, with its surprising findings, aligns with Eastern philosophy, suggesting that science can indeed support a spiritual worldview.
The Western Perspective on Science and Spirituality
In Western culture, dominated by scientific thinking, many people need intellectual validation to embrace spirituality, even when personal experiences suggest otherwise. My goal isn’t to delve into complex scientific theories but to show how quantum physics and spirituality can be connected, giving you that intellectual green light.
What is Quantum Physics?
In the early 1920s, Quantum physics first emerged, thanks to pioneers like Erwin Schrödinger, Max Planck, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Wolfgang Pauli, and Albert Einstein. These discoveries challenged classical physics, which viewed the universe as a mechanical system where physical matter (form) was fundamental.
Classic physics arose during the Age of Enlightenment in the 17th century, a time when science, reason, and logic began to challenge religious authority. This shift led to what sociologist Max Weber called the “age of disenchantment,” where magical and mystical views of the world were replaced by scientific explanations.
“As intellectualism suppresses belief in magic, the world’s processes become disenchanted, lose the magical significance, and henceforth simply ‘are’ and ‘happen’ but no longer signify anything.”
— Max Weber
Classic physics seemed to explain away magical forces through objective, data-driven study. However, the philosophy that emerged from these discoveries, known as reductionist materialism, claimed that everything in the universe could eventually be explained through science alone.
The Challenge of Reductionist Materialism
Reductionist materialism became an ideology that permeated Western culture, suggesting that science would eventually answer all questions about the universe. This perspective often dismissed spirituality and subjective experience.
Quantum physics challenges this view. Not only do its discoveries contradict some classical physics theories, but they also provide a better framework for understanding consciousness, something we all experience but that classical physics struggles to explain.
Bridging Quantum Physics and Spirituality
Cultures define reality in various ways. Empirical science relies on external observation and data analysis to draw conclusions. However, quantum physics has revealed phenomena that challenge these traditional conclusions, highlighting the need for a more integrated understanding of reality.
For example, quantum entanglement, which Einstein called “spooky action at a distance,” shows that particles can remain connected across vast distances. This suggests that connections exist across space and time, aligning with the idea that we can stay emotionally connected to others, even from afar.
Quantum superposition, where particles exist in multiple states until measured, introduces the observer effect—implying that observation itself influences reality. This suggests that consciousness is fundamental to the fabric of the universe, challenging the reductionist materialist view that matter is the primary reality.
“It is science that masters the objects, but it is the objects that invest it with depth, according to an unconscious reversion, which only gives a dead and circular response to a dead and circular interrogation.”
— Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation
The Hard Problem of Consciousness
Quantum physicist David Bohm suggested that the observable world (the explicate order) is influenced by a deeper, unseen level of reality (the implicate order). This idea parallels spiritual views and has been discussed by both scientists and spiritual teachers, like Bohm and Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Dual-aspect monism, proposed by physicist Harald Atmanspacher, suggests a foundational dimension from which both mind (mental) and matter (physical) emerge. This model addresses the “hard problem of consciousness,” which traditional physics struggles to explain.
The Significance of Quantum Physics and Spirituality
Reductionist materialism’s attempt to define reality through observation dismisses consciousness, something we all experience. Meanwhile, Eastern practices focus on subjective observation through consciousness, aligning with many findings in quantum physics.
“After the conversations about Indian philosophy, some of the ideas of quantum physics that had seemed so crazy suddenly made much more sense.”
— Werner Heisenberg
Quantum physics and Eastern philosophy both suggest a holistic universe where consciousness is a fundamental part. This perspective challenges the traditional separation between man and nature seen in classical physics.
“The Universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine. Mind no longer appears to be an accidental intruder into the realm of matter… we ought rather hail it as the creator and governor of the realm of matter.”
— Sir James Jeans, physicist
Quantum Mysticism and Scepticism
Sceptics argue that quantum physics doesn’t prove spirituality or the existence of God. However, quantum physics challenges the scientific theories that deny spirituality. The term “quantum mysticism” is often used disparagingly, but it’s important to recognise that spirituality has always been a part of human experience.
Spirituality is an inner, subjective experience, while the empirical scientific method deals with observable data. Both realms offer insights into reality, and quantum physics bridges the gap, suggesting that consciousness might be fundamental to understanding the universe.
In essence, if you’ve felt that the universe is interconnected and that consciousness transcends the physical, quantum theory supports this intuition. The Vedas and many Western philosophers and mystics have long recognised these truths, and science is gradually catching up.
