The Book of Secrets - Deepak Chopra [64]
When people argue that there is no scientific proof that the universe is conscious, my immediate response is, “I am conscious, and am I not an activity of the universe?” The brain, which operates on electromagnetic impulses, is as much an activity of the universe as are the electromagnetic storms in the atmosphere or on a distant star. Therefore, science is one form of electromagnetism that spends its time studying another form. I like the remark that a physicist once made to me: “Science should never be considered the enemy of spirituality because science is its greatest ally. Science is God explaining God through a human nervous system. Isn’t spirituality the same thing?”
A philosopher might argue that reality isn’t truly known until you include all layers of interpretation. In that sense, the theory of one reality doesn’t fight against materialism—it expands it. The driver who ran into the snowbank could have had many levels of motivation: Maybe he was depressed and drove off the road on purpose (emotions). Maybe he was thinking about a poem he wanted to write and his attention wandered (imagination). Maybe he saw in his mind’s eye that an oncoming car was about to swerve into his lane (intuition).
To get to a new level of explanation, you have to transcend the level you are on, to go beyond it. If you can acknowledge that going beyond is something you do every day, there is no great reason to use materialism as a club to beat spirituality over the head. The material world can be your base level of experience or not. The other levels are available by transcending, or going beyond your base level, as you are doing this second when your brain turns chemistry into thoughts.
So the real question is what domain you wish to live in. To me, the ideal life is lived on all levels of consciousness. Your attention is not bounded or narrow; you open yourself to the whole of awareness. You have an opportunity to lead such a life, but by focusing on one or two levels only, you’ve caused the others to atrophy. They have been squeezed out of your awareness, and thus your ability to transcend is much diminished. (On the most mundane level it’s often a matter of finding the time. I rarely meet scientists who have given consciousness a second thought—they are too wrapped up in lab work. Like the rest of us, their plates are full, and if the world could have a profoundly different basis from what they learned as a pre-med or in quantum physics, the typical scientist will look into it tomorrow.)
Each dimension of your existence has its own purpose, offering a level of fulfillment that is not available anywhere else (these are the “flavors of creation”). In completely expanded awareness, every dimension is accessible.
WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPEN
Living in All Dimensions of Awareness
Pure being: When this door is open, you know yourself as the “I am,” the simple state of eternal existence.
Conditioned bliss: When this door is open, you feel liveliness and vibrancy in the midst of all activity. Bliss is beyond pleasure and pain.
Love: The domain of bliss as a personal experience. When this door is open, you experience love in every aspect of life. Love is your primary motivation in every relationship, beginning with yourself. At a deeper level, love bonds you to the rhythm of the universe.
Knowingness: This is the source of the mind. When this door is open, you can access wisdom and knowledge about anything in creation.
Myth and archetypes: When this door is open, you shape your life as a quest. You reach for the same attainments as your revered heroes and heroines. You also play out the eternal dynamic between masculine and feminine.
Intuition: When this door is open, you can shape these subtle forces for healing, clairvoyance, and insight into human nature. Intuition also guides you on your own path, showing you how to decide which path to travel