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It’s no secret that we still don’t know much about how the brain works. But what if we try to look at it from the point of view of … quantum physics — a science that, it would seem, is far from psychology and neurology? It is highly likely that our consciousness and emotions work precisely according to its laws.
Many of us know or at least have heard something about quantum physics (and also mechanics, entanglement, and computation). Let’s try to apply it to our mind and talk about quantum emotions. What if the theory of quantum emotions could rid us of depression and lead us to happiness?
What is quantum physics?
“Let me give you an example so you can understand what I mean. Let’s take an elementary particle that can be in different places at the same time, suggests Alan Chodos, professor of physics at the University of Texas. — If we are going to make measurements, to find out exactly where the particle is, of all the possible positions, we choose only one at a certain point in time. All others cease to exist.»
This example demonstrates two main principles of quantum physics: an object can be in different places at the same time, but it occupies only one of them at the moment when we try to fix it.
Another example widely known outside of the scientific community is Schrödinger’s cat, which can be both alive and dead at the same time, depending on the sequence of events that happened or didn’t happen. Until we look inside the box, we won’t know what happened to the cat and why. But if we open the box, then the alternative will disappear forever.
Now, instead of applying the laws of quantum physics to a particle or a cat, let’s do an experiment and apply this theory to our minds.
The connection between quantum physics and consciousness
Quantum theory says that superposition (superimposed) elements are able to be in many places at the same time. Similarly, we can have superpositional feelings: we can experience happiness, joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, disappointment, hope, and many other possible emotions.
But if we choose one emotion and focus on it, all the others will disappear. If we focus on sadness, happiness will disappear, and if we choose happiness, sadness will fade into the background, because it is impossible to experience both emotions at once. Maybe worth a try?
Quantum Leap For Happiness
Physicist Chris Gilbert shares an example from his life: “When my mother died less than a year ago, I was practically broken. I have no room for happiness. I allowed myself only to experience sadness, mourning for her. I cried not only because I lost my mother, whom I loved very much, but also because I no longer felt safe, I lost my childhood home, where I could return.
Even despite the fact that my mother was 96 years old and she had been seriously ill lately and completely weakened, I always thought of her as the closest person who would protect me if trouble came, about the mistress of the nest where I once grew up. But that safe place is gone. I had to bury my mother and sell her house.
You can make a conscious choice and direct neurons and their synapses towards happiness and love.
At the beginning of this year, I decided to let go of sadness, dry my tears, and focus on happiness. Together with her husband, she built a new nest, and this brought us even closer. I decided to look at everything in life with joy and love.”
The example shows how you can make a conscious choice and direct neurons and their synapses towards happiness and love. Then sadness, anger, fear will disappear, just like a particle stops at one position if we want to measure its performance.
Chris Gilbert is not the first to attempt to compare the laws of quantum physics with the laws of the human brain.
Theory of quantum physics as a source of inspiration
For example, in Quantum Healing, Deepak Chopra describes a high level of awareness and energy that can help the body (and not only it) heal. Bruza and Wong, who wrote about quantum cognition, argued that as long as we do not make any decisions, we have an infinite number of possibilities, but these possibilities disappear as soon as we choose one path.
Perhaps the theory of quantum physics is so perfectly compatible with the laws of our brain functioning because it determines how we think, feel and behave? Maybe our brain and consciousness live according to the laws of quantum physics?
Perhaps quantum mechanics plays a huge role in understanding what human consciousness is.
Neurologists and neuroscientists, together with physicists, are right now opening up a new direction in the study of the functioning of the brain, which, quite likely, works like a quantum mechanism.
The quantum brain, consciousness, memory, and awareness are described in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, which explains how quantum physics works in relation to neurons and synapses. And Sir Roger Penrose, in The New Mind of the King, considers brain activity as a quantum process and hypothesizes that quantum mechanics plays a huge role in understanding what human consciousness is.
And it doesn’t matter if quantum physics can really explain our thinking, feelings and behavior, we can make decisions and choose happiness or sadness, love or hate, joy or depression. “Personally, I choose happiness, joy and love,” says Chris Gilbert. — And you?»
About the author: Chris Gilbert is a physicist, specialist in the integrity and integration of body and mind medicine, and author of Healing by Listening.