Welcome to this week’s Bill Harvey Blog
Created February 6, 2026
It’s fascinating to do deep dives into the people who created our modern world, though unlocking the secrets of quantum physics. It came as a huge surprise to me that the originators had the idea I thought was mine, the idea that the universe is itself a single consciousness.
When I say that it was mine, what I really mean is that I thought no one in the modern world had come up with it before. I learned long ago that the same idea was the core of Advaita Vedanta, going back possibly as far as 6000 BC in proto-Dravidian lore, and more developed by Kashmir Shaivism in the 11th Century AD. Before I studied such things, the idea came to me first when I was 12 years old, in a way that made no sense to me. When I was 32 years old, my complete theory of the conscious universe put itself together in my mind.
If quantum theory had never been put together by these folks, today we would not have smartphones, personal computers, tablets, and if we had computers, they would be gigantic and unbelievably slow, and only the biggest companies could afford them.
Max Planck, the originator of quantum theory, said, “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness.”
Erwin Schrodinger provided quantum theory with an equation to calculate the wave function of a system, such as a hydrogen atom. He coined the term “quantum entanglement,” which explains how particles that were once together share information instantaneously (faster than light) ever afterward, no matter how far apart they are. He said, “The total number of minds in the universe is one.”
Werner Heisenberg, whose famous principle is that we cannot know both the position and the vector of a subatomic particle, stated, “Any observation is an interaction that influences the system being observed.” In other words, the act of a consciousness observing something changes the something which is being observed. This is not the same as saying that the whole universe is one single consciousness, but it is saying that consciousness has a similar effect to touching something – what classical physics regarded as “spooky action at a distance” and ruled as impossible.
John Archibald Wheeler took this idea further in his Participatory Anthropic Principle, which was endorsed by Stephen Hawking. This principle states that all that exists in itself consists of probability waves, which observation by consciousness, causes the wave function to collapse into material existence.
Albert Einstein did not accept the idea that the universe came about by accident because he saw immense intelligence and rapturous beauty in the universe that pointed to a Creator.
Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Gustav Jung proposed a common reality underlying both the physical and conscious realms. They saw synchronicity, meaningful coincidences without a causal link, as a possible manifestation of this underlying unity of mind and matter.
All of these great minds have had stupendous influence on shaping the world in which we live, and yet the world has not been told about their beliefs about the nature of reality. All we have learned in school and through the media about these people relates to their technological implications.
Why does that matter?
It matters because the general public thinks that science has ruled out the possibility of God. That is the impression that is left in the mind by the way the culture has assimilated the equations left behind by these great thinkers. Certainly most scientists today are biased to believe in materialistic accidentalism, or what they call “Physicalism”. Yet the greatest physicists of all time, who were miles ahead of most scientists in their understanding of what makes the universe tick, all considered consciousness to be fundamentally tied in with the actions of the physical realm. The originator of quantum theory, Max Planck stated it most bluntly, “matter derives from consciousness.”
The important thing is that science very definitely leaves room for God in the sense of an umbrella consciousness connecting us all – entangling us together into one entity.
One mammoth mind with so much computing power as to be able to pay attention through your eyes and mine and an infinite number of other “vessels”. A cosmic role-playing video game with one Player playing all the roles.
When you look inside and consider “your own self”, is that actually The One Self there looking at the world through your eyes? In deepest meditation, one is sometimes lucky enough to reach the place where one is just the experiencer, not identifying with the thoughts and feelings that are arising, invulnerable to anything that might happen, and reverberating with an all-encompassing love and joy.
Why is any of this relevant to what is going on in the world today, which might distress all of us? Is there a solution in here somewhere?
Yes. If we wipe our minds clean of all prior assumptions and start our lives anew right now, with our minds open to the possibility that Planck and Jesus and countless other sages are right, that we are all part of a cosmic playland, we can forgive each other for messes made of things which we have all unintentionally contributed to. We can lift the spirits of the people around us that the universe is teaching us a lesson we needed to learn, and although it is painful, it will make us better. We need to work our way through it without focus on blaming because that only makes things worse. Instead of getting stuck in blaming, we need to figure out how to steer toward win/win solutions that will get us out of the mess.
We all have people who represent us in government, we all have email, we all have a few minutes a day to suggest actions to our representatives by email (if we have more time and the inclination, phone is even more effective). Let them know daily what your suggestions are. Keep it up until you see the change you want begin to happen. Be patient, it takes miles to turn around an aircraft carrier, and this situation is much more massive than a carrier.
Beyond the world situation, spend most of your time enjoying the moment. If it is a work moment, put your heart and soul into your work. If you would rather be doing some other kind of work, use the evenings and weekends to plan your life change and then execute it carefully.
Enjoy life itself: nature, children, loved ones, friends, conversations, foods, experiences, explorations, curiosity and learning (use search and AI!), exercise, bathing, dressing well, the stars, smelling, breathing, looking around, taking it all in, looking at it from the possibly cosmic point of view of One Self.
Do things that are good for all parties and watch what happens. Listen for and look for inner clues and hunches that could be coming from the universe or from your own deepest, highest self.
Open your mind to all possibilities and discard all the bias baggage. Restore the awe and wonder you felt as a child. See the potential good in each moment, even if there is a blatant threat. How can you steer it toward the good outcome you can see?
See a presentation on this subject
Watch a one-hour video about this topic
Watch a ten-minute video about my life growing up and having these thoughts
Love to all,
Feature image: “The Universe Is Consciousness” by Christine K. Niver
POWERFUL MIND 12 Simple Keys
will be out in February
