- Is it possible to actually read the thoughts of others, or somehow sense and influence the state of their mood or health?
- Are there really such things as angels, spirit guides, or totems that speak to us or otherwise present themselves in our lives?
- What about clairvoyance, telepathy, precognition and divination?
Certain answers to questions like these lie in the realm of quantum energy theory, which is gaining tremendous traction in the ever merging spheres of science and spirituality. The psychic phenomenon of psychokinesis is defined as the mind’s ability to influence matter, time, space, or energy by means unknown to current science. Interestingly, quantum physics shares this concept in its hypothesis of a universal energy field, also known as ‘unified field theory’ or ‘unity consciousness’, which contemplates reality as all life forces, all existence, interacting within a single, unified framework (see Huffington Post article Global Spirit: The Journey Toward Oneness here).
Organic Sentience
From a quantum physics perspective, psychic ability could be thought of as organic sentience in energy form—a sensory transmission of intelligence—an ambient communion beyond a linear time/space continuum. A primary example of this kind of communication occurs in nature, where very distinct and sensuous forms of ‘language’ exist to remind us that everything is alive, aware and interconnected. In these interactions with the natural world, receptivity manifests in all our senses as a joining of mind, body and spirit; at times we are even held spellbound, and can be moved to profound insights, heightened emotions and enlightened thoughts. Wisdom and deeper knowledge flash before us and we are often motivated to write down or otherwise record such inspirations.
The first prophecies were the word of an oak. ~Plato
The human organism is especially attuned to organic sentience. Eyes, skin, tongue, ears and nostrils are sensory gateways for negotiating the living world. We hear winged chatter in the trees, taste the tangy sweetness of wild-picked berries, feel sand between our toes, see lightning flash in the sky, and smell moisture in the air. Indeed, the wind, the rain, the mountains and rivers, the woodlands and meadows and all their inhabitants animate our psyche. Even in a highly mechanized and information-driven world, these communications call upon our elemental relationship with nature and stir deep empathic responses, luring us into altered states of perceptual possibility.
The Mind’s Eye
Unified field theory considers the electromagnetic field of vibratory energy as a structural matrix that exists everywhere, an organic sentience from which all forces and particles emerge. This energy field is deemed conscious or intelligent because it encompasses the basic behavior of all things within the functioning laws of nature. We individualize perception through our own mind processes, yet consciousness itself is the quantum stuff of the universe and represents the interconnection of all of life.
Therefore, as a manifestation of consciousness, we must deliberate psychic ability as involving the innate interaction between the body’s natural electromagnetic fields and the electromagnetic field of vibratory energy. Since the heart generates and distributes electromagnetic waves throughout the bloodstream, which includes the pineal gland in the brain, let’s take a closer look at the role of this fascinating organ.
As part of the endocrine system, the pineal gland is located between the two hemispheres of the brain and has many unique aspects and functions, including:
- Detection of light (the pineal gland is directly wired to the brain’s visual cortex)
- Allowing more blood flow than any other gland in the body
- Regulation of circadian rhythms which affect our sleep/wake cycles
- Production of melatonin and serotonin hallucinogens that influence mood and perception
- Sensitivity to all types of magnetic fields
Historically considered ‘the mind’s-eye’ and linked to the sixth in the series of seven energy and spiritual chakras of the body (also known as the third-eye chakra), this tiny pinecone shaped organ is steeped in ancient spiritual symbolism and iconography. The interior lining of the pineal gland is composed of rods and cones—photoreceptors just like the eye—and is the only organ besides the eye that senses light. With the vast amount of blood and electromagnetic energy that flow through it, the pineal gland appears to modulate consciousness, catalyzing imagination, visualization and creativity to transform our perceptions into images, the language of the subconscious mind.
A significant body of neurochemical and anthropological evidence suggests that the pineal gland may produce a neuromodulator that enhances a state of consciousness conducive to psychic ability. This research further indicates the earth’s magnetic fields affect the functioning of the pineal gland, and that production and secretion of melatonin and endogenous serotonin hallucinogens impacted by variations in the earth’s magnetic fields could be conducive to the occurrence of psychic states of consciousness. The implications of this research are far-reaching and suggest the pineal gland functions as a neuromechanism by which psychic ability may interrelate with geomagnetic fluctuation. (See publication by Psi Research Centre, ‘Speculations On The Effect of Geomagnetism On The Pineal Gland’ here.)
Trance States
A discourse on physic ability or clairvoyance, even in the context of quantum physics theory, inevitably invokes images of fraudulent practitioners presenting themselves as psychic mediums. Thus, a certain degree of skepticism is warranted. An analysis of the considerable research conducted on the practice of shamanism, however, demonstrates that trance states have a functional relationship with healing procedures, divination, extrasensory perception and psychokinesis.
By virtue of its ancient roots in cultures across the globe, shamanism is distinguished from other magico-religious practices such as mediumship, spiritual healing, or prophesying. It derives from hunting and gathering societies and incorporates biologically based altered states of consciousness, including interacting with the spirit realm and channeling those energies into this world. Shamanism appears to predate all organized religions and has attracted the interest of anthropologists, archaeologists, historians, religious scholars and psychologists, who have produced and published books, academic papers and peer-reviewed journals devoted to its study and interpretation.
The relationship of trance states to divination and healing ability has been demonstrated in a large body of research on shamanism published by the American Anthropological Association
A wide range of experimental laboratory research on shamanistic practices suggests an operative connection between trance states and healing and divination abilities. These trance states are dominated by slow wave patterns of discharge from parts of the brain including the limbic system, frontal cortex, and hippocampal area, which are optimal for energy, orienting, learning, memory, and attention. A review of eighty-seven parapsychological laboratory studies indicates that trance states such as meditation and hypnosis induced relaxation, and sensory deprivation significantly improved extrasensory perception and psychokinetic performance.
The use of trance states functionally circumvents normal cognitive processes to access subconscious information, which may be revealed in dreams, visions, or other intuitive or instinctive manifestations of cognition. Even if extrasensory perception is not involved, trance states may still facilitate divination by providing access to subconscious insight. These studies also demonstrate that humans have the ability to affect and heal a variety of biological systems through psychokinesis.
It has been demonstrated that a common physiology underlies altered states of consciousness induced by a variety of different procedures. Meditation disciplines value trance states as providing the basis for a more objective perception of reality. Yoga traditions indicate that siddhis (paranormal powers) including healing and other psychic abilities, are a by-product of spiritual development which involve direct and profound alterations of consciousness. A large body of research exists suggesting that trance state healing and well-being practices are psychobiologically based. The empirical evidence includes the universal nature of such practices, the psychobiological characteristics of trance states, and the functional relationships and association of trance with the abilities of healing and divination. (See ‘Shamans and Other Magico-Religious Healers: A Cross-Cultural Study of Their Origins,’ published on behalf of the American Anthropological Association [PDF], here).
Conclusion
The Universe Is Alive, Aware & Interconnected
The cosmos itself is a conscious entity populated with other conscious entities, each of which is a quantum hologram, an enigmatic representation of the whole. Consciousness flows naturally from all living beings and shapes the electromagnetic field of light and vibratory energy that connects every organism in the universe. Our ability to ‘channel’ and direct this conscious energy stream is determined by our individual congruency of mind, body and spirit. Many variables effect this equation, including some that elude our comprehension; yet ultimately, everyone shares in an ethereal matrix of awareness which can manifest in transcendent forms such as intuition, instinct, extrasensory perception, and empathic or psychic ability. In ways as unique as the fractal geometry of a snowflake, each of us channels the infinitely mysterious sanctity of creation, this shared life force known as consciousness, in vast and varied ways that defy absolute definition and understanding.
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
~T.S. Elliot
Shawn Quinlivan, C.Ht.
Note: This exploration of psychic ability and unity consciousness is by no means comprehensive and is intended only as an introduction to the power of human potential. Ours is not a world of absolutes and the science of cognition, in particular, is still more about what is being discovered than what is actually known. Developing the ability to recognize and fully trust our powers of perception, to realize deeper wisdom and enlightenment, to experience profound insight and fulfill our journey of purpose, are ultimately endeavors of spiritual self-discovery. Unity consciousness involves opening up to the sacred bond of creation and inviting divinity in its many forms—these are functions of inclusion rather than exclusion, of being liberated from constrained convictions, of embracing infinite possibility rather than limited proof—and of connecting instead of dividing, both within ourselves and to the living universe.
©2015 Shawn Quinlivan, C.Ht. and Cathexis Therapeutic Imagery
May we acknowledge that every day is earth day and reflect upon our unity consciousness, our treasured connection to the skies and forests, the oceans and waterways, the mountains and deserts, to the eternal womb of wild nature and all its magnificent creatures. The earth itself is surrounded by a geomagnetic field, an aura, a source of conscious energy to which we are all linked. Let us embrace and celebrate the sanctity of this interwoven force, the manifest bounty of our planet and its collective spirit . . . the Mind of God.
