After 40 years of active study and practice of the Buddhist teachings and having written four books on what I call Buddha inspired psychology, I recently found a very insightful perspective that elaborated on what I had learned before. The insight is that the Buddhist teachings are a mysticism, which inherently undercuts any easy attempts at codification. Therefore, union with the divine or emptiness is experienced rather than defined and categorized through limited language. such an emphasis on first-hand experience runs contrary to abstract, ‘positive’ cataphatic theology. this book is the unique and cogent perspective that incorporates the Buddhist teachings as a ‘negative’ apophatic theology.
While there are some scholarly books and research articles on the topic of apophatic theology, very few incorporate the Buddha’s teachings. I hope to show in this book that indeed Buddhist teachings and wisdoms are succinctly integrated into this apophatic spiritual tradition that spans cultures and time. Within the larger scope of the typology of ‘via negative’, the Buddhist teachings of nothingness or emptiness or Sunyata are clearly a part of the apophatic spiritual tradition.
Therefore, this book goes beyond what is usually taught in traditional Buddhist texts. My aim is to make accessible from a modern perspective what the Buddha was universally teaching for those who are on their own spiritual path of personal discovery.
–I have always been struck by the universal applicability of the Buddha’s teachings, which transcend geographical and temporal constraints. The integration of these teachings with proponents of apophatic theology has only reinforced my belief in their universality. Despite four decades of rigorous research, temple retreats, lectures, and meditation practice, it is only now that I have uncovered this enlightening connection between the Buddha’s teachings and the apophatic traditions. It is my sincere desire to share this newfound insight with my fellow spiritual seekers.
-I have always appreciated that the Buddha taught universal truths that are applicable everywhere and throughout time. Integration of these truths with other teachers of the Apophatic theology has affirmed my belief in this universality of the Buddha’s teachings. Even with my forty years of research studies, attendance of temple retreats with monks and lay lectures and meditation practice, I have only now found this instructive link between the Buddha’s teachings with other teachers of the Apophatic tradition, and I want to share this with my fellow spiritual path voyagers. I believe they will also find it as interesting and illuminating as I have.
The Apophatic emphasis on firsthand experience hence knowledge, stands in stark contrast to abstract, ‘positive’ cataphatic theology. This latest work of mine presents a unique and compelling perspective that positions the Buddha’s teachings firmly within a ‘negative’ apophatic theological framework.
While there are scholarly works and research articles on apophatic theology, very few incorporate the profound teachings of the Buddha. In this book, I aim to demonstrate how Buddha’s wisdom can be seamlessly integrated into this spiritual tradition that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries. Within the broader context of the ‘via negativa’ typology, the Buddhist concepts of nothingness, emptiness, or Sunyata are undeniably intertwined with the apophatic spiritual tradition. It is my sincere desire to share this newfound insight with my fellow spiritual seekers.
Omniscient Love is unconditional love in its most self-less, objective mode: “A love that is open to and nonjudgmental about all perceptions, cognitions, and intuitions.” It is the ‘enlightened’ state of consciousness sought in the meditative practices entailed in all human disciplines—viz, spiritual, artistic, intellectual, therapeutic, corporal, social, and so forth. As the highest state of love, Omniscient Love is present as an inherent potential in all humans. It embodies our ever-present psychoenergetic interconnection with everyone and everything around us— including the Universe itself, and hence, is the access channel to our highest psychic and spiritual proficiencies.
Bradley RT. Love, Consciousness, Energy, and Matter: The Heart’s Vital Role in Coherence and Creation. Cardiol Vasc Res. 2024; 8(1): 1-25.
We gaze outwardly to the stars and inwardly to the atom, still seeking to measure it all in three-dimensions, which is in direct contrast to what we know the nature of the multi-dimensional Universe to be. This desire to measure and see everything in terms of our three-dimensional world allows a sleight of hand that reduces or collapses, or squashes, what is unified vibration or waves into what it is not – i.e., a particle that behaves as an individual solid, separate from the vast interconnectedness of vibration. And these particles are the building blocks of what we call matter, which we have observed to be separate from each other.
This is not true of course, but simply an illusion, as we know atoms are 99.99…% space, and space is filled with vibration. Even if it has become densified it is still just vibration and still very much connected to all other vibration, whether we like it or not.
We have this perception or need to unify, to come together, however in truth we are already all unified as one, and in this oneness we cannot help but be connected to everything else – such are the mechanics of vibration in space, our universe. Connecting to our oneness comes from a surrender to our multi-dimensional state, as it has been there all along. Whenever we try to unify ourselves, or anything in life, we are actually coming from a point of separateness, and we only ever achieve separateness from this.
In our desire to make sense of the world we seek to create and recreate everything to fit into the image of the material world that we uphold to be. We create the illusion that the world is made up of particles, and we use this to reinforce the notion of the individual. Therefore, it can be said quite clearly that there is no such thing as the individual, and therefore there is no such thing as the ‘I think’. By identifying purely as physical beings, have we disconnected from that which we truly are?
If we are only open to the physical reality with our separate identities, our gaze comes from that individuality and seeks separateness.
Quantum Mechanics simply describes the truth of our Universe.
If we say that it is only describing the atomic-world, are we denying the fact that all our chemistry is bound by the laws of quantum mechanics? This includes all biology, our bodies, the planet and all the stars. QM is not merely a theory, it is the basis of every aspect of life right down to the most practical, it is in fact a very practical science. Without these laws of quantum-physics we would not have mobile phones, GPS, laser, LED screens, MRI scanners, all our computer technology and communication media.
How did our modern-day science become separated into a myriad of very separate parts, often ignoring each other and the truths presented by one another? Quantum Mechanics naturally is central to all of science for it offers absolute truth to how all matter and energy in all sciences relate and interact. Yet the vast majority within the so-called ‘science’ field know very little of Quantum Mechanics. The very foundation of modern ‘evidence-based-science’ is flawed when a basic understanding of Quantum Mechanics is applied, for the ‘evidence’ is always affected by the observer.
We are actually living as a reduced or collapsed version of what we are, gazing with eyes that are blinkered from the truth: we are not individuals as such but rather inextricably connected to everyone and everything – just as every particle in the universe is connected to every other particle.
If we choose to see and recognise individuality we are creating and recreating that illusion, a corruption of the truth, simply a lie. The truth is that our Universe, as the name implies, is one song, or one unified vibration where nothing happens by itself. There is no such thing as individualisation – we cannot be separate from anything, everything is everything, the one is the all, a great oneness.
Our responsibility as scientists, as we all are, is to open our being to our world of space, a space filled with vibration constantly communicating with itself. And to know: I am that I am.
On Human Nature vs. Machines: “Man is not a machine; he is a spiritual being, expressing a depth of consciousness and emotion that transcends mere mechanical function.”
On the Danger of Misconception: “The idea that classical computers can become smarter than human beings is a dangerous fantasy. It is dangerous because if we accept this notion, we will inherently limit ourselves to expressing only a very small fraction of who we are, reducing the rich tapestry of human experience to mere computations.”
On Consciousness and Quantum Systems: “We are not even close to computers in terms of understanding the complexities of consciousness. While comparisons are often drawn, the reality is that the brain functions on an entirely different level. We are quantum systems, embodying a depth and intricacy that far surpasses that of artificial constructs.“
On Free Will: “Humanity stands at a significant crossroads. Either it chooses to return to the belief that it holds a fundamentally different nature than machines, or it risks being reduced to a mere machine among machines, losing the essence of what it means to be human.”
On Meaning and Understanding: “A computer ‘knows without knowing that it knows,’ highlighting a crucial distinction. It processes symbols without genuine understanding; there is no witness, no pause for reflection, and no self that engages in true comprehension of its actions or outputs.”
On the Limitations of AI: “AI cannot truly be empathic. The notion of ’empathic robots’ being developed to care for the elderly is overly simplistic and naive. Such claims fail to recognize the profound human capacity for empathy, which cannot be replicated through programmed responses or algorithms.”
Top physicist and inventor of the microprocessor & touch screen, Federico Faggin, for an intriguing conversation into the nature of reality. Federico once had a materialistic scientific perspective on consciousness and reality until one day a spontaneous spiritual awakening changed his perspective forever. In this episode he shares that very experience and how it has shaped his current view on reality. With this deeper knowing, he spent decades researching reality, today he shares his findings. He reveals why computers can never be conscious, who we are our essence, what carries on after death, and our unbreakable connection to something larger than ourselves. He also discusses the very real force of love that underlies all things, the secret to spiritual growth, and why humans can never be replaced by artificial intelligence.
“Love is the feeling out of which all other feelings emerge.
It’s the force that motivates you to find out who you are.”
– Federico Faggin
The Hard Problem of Consciousness
David Chalmers formulated the “hard problem” of consciousness as the question of how and why neural activity in the brain gives rise to subjective experiences (qualia). Traditional science considers consciousness an emergent property of brain complexity, but Faggin offers a radically different perspective:
Consciousness is fundamental and primary: it is not a byproduct of the brain but exists independently of matter.
The material world is an expression of consciousness: rather than consciousness emerging from matter, matter itself is shaped by consciousness.
The Self is irreducible and unified: each individual is a unique manifestation of a universal consciousness.
Information alone cannot explain consciousness: unlike computers and AI, which process information but lack subjectivity and intentionality, consciousness involves direct experience.
Faggin proposes a reinterpretation of quantum mechanics based on the primacy of consciousness. He builds upon key quantum phenomena that challenge materialist views and integrates them into his metaphysical framework.
Federico Faggin’s Quantum Metaphysics
One of the most enigmatic and debated aspects of quantum mechanics is the collapse of the wavefunction. In the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics, physical systems exist in a superposition of multiple states until they are observed. This raises the profound question: what causes the collapse of possibilities into a single reality?
Federico Faggin’s metaphysical interpretation suggests that consciousness itself plays an active role in this process. Rather than being a passive observer of an already-determined reality, consciousness participates in shaping what is actualized. In this view, observation is not merely an act of measurement but an act of creation, where consciousness determines the outcome of quantum potentialities.
This perspective aligns with interpretations of quantum mechanics that emphasize the role of the observer, such as the von Neumann–Wigner interpretation, but extends further by positing consciousness as the foundational element of reality rather than an emergent property of the brain.
This framework naturally leads to the idea that the universe is fundamentally interconnected, a notion strongly supported by the phenomenon of quantum entanglement. When two particles become entangled, their states remain correlated regardless of the distance between them, even across vast cosmic scales. The speed at which this correlation manifests exceeds the limits of classical physics, defying the constraints of locality.
If consciousness is indeed fundamental, then this interconnectedness might not be merely a physical anomaly but a reflection of a deeper unity within reality itself. The separation between objects, beings, and events could perhaps appears from our limited perception, while at the most fundamental level, all things are interwoven within a single, complex and conscious reality. This evokes the concept of Wholeness which is central to our research in the Science & Philosophy Institute.
However, contrasting with our approach, Faggin suggest that matter itself is not independent of consciousness but rather a manifestation of it. Classical physics treats matter as the fundamental substrate of reality, governed by deterministic laws. However, quantum mechanics reveals a world in which particles do not have fixed properties until they are measured, existing instead as a field of probabilities.
Faggin argues that these probabilities are not mere abstract mathematical constructs but expressions of consciousness interacting with the physical world. In this sense, what we perceive as “matter” is not an independent entity but rather the structured unfolding of consciousness into form. As such, the laws of physics do not emerge from an abstract mathematical framework but from an intrinsic intelligence embedded within reality itself.
This leads to a redefinition of information at the quantum level. In classical computation and physics, information is treated as a purely quantitative measure, devoid of intrinsic meaning. However, if consciousness is primary, then quantum information is not just numerical data—it is qualitative and experiential.
What Faggin proposes is not merely an extension of quantum theory but a profound rethinking of reality itself, where consciousness and matter are inseparably intertwined, and the universe is understood as a living, conscious whole.
A new Model of Reality: Internal and External Reality
Faggin introduces a dual model of reality, which he calls “Internal Reality” and “External Reality”:
External Reality (Material World): the world described by classical and quantum physics, governed by objective laws but devoid of subjectivity.
Internal Reality (Consciousness): the domain of subjective experience, intuition, and creativity.
According to Faggin, consciousness is not a byproduct of the brain but the fundamental essence from which the material universe emerges. Internal Reality shapes and informs External Reality.
If consciousness is fundamental and the universe is its manifestation, several profound implications arise:
Science must integrate subjectivity: the purely objective study of reality is insufficient and a new paradigm is needed that acknowledges the active role of consciousness.
Computers will never achieve consciousness: while AI can simulate intelligence, it will never possess true awareness, or a subjective experience deeply interconnected to its larger context.
Quantum mechanics must be reinterpreted: the observer’s role is not just epistemological (as in the Copenhagen interpretation) but ontological.
Life has an inherent purpose: if consciousness is primary, then the universe is not random or mechanical but follows an evolution guided by conscious purpose.
Federico Faggin’s theory offers a revolutionary perspective on consciousness and reality, proposing that consciousness is the fundamental essence of existence, while matter is merely one of its expressions. His theory provides a possible answer to the hard problem of consciousness and suggests a new interpretative framework for quantum mechanics, moving beyond reductionist materialism toward a metaphysical vision where each individual is a unique manifestation of the universal primeval consciousness.
The Universal consciousness field exists beyond space-time in an undifferentiated state. Through differentiation, it gives rise to localized excitations, which manifest as physical structures or individual consciousness. Following the Big Bang, the universal consciousness field evolves, generating complex systems capable of awareness – sentient beings with individual consciousness localized in space-time. Once differentiated, personal thought shapes individual awareness and perception, producing evolving subjective interpretations of reality over time. This process creates the illusion of separateness, even though all individual consciousness remains intrinsically connected within the universal consciousness field.
Personal thought reinforces the sense of individuality while simultaneously concealing the underlying unity with universal consciousness. An important implication of modeling as a localized excitation of interconnected nature of the field is that dissolution of individuality (e.g., through death) does not imply annihilation but rather reintegration into the universal field. This aligns with perspectives that treat consciousness as a temporary manifestation of a universal substrate.
Maria Stromme, Professor Uppsala University: Consciousness as the foundation – new theory
Science becomes the story that our civilization tells itself. It is a story about the universe, but told in such a way that it supports and gives credence to all that our society holds of value- analysis, prediction, technology, the accumulation of wealth and knowledge, the desire for control, progress, the need for closure and wrapping things up. Science adds credibility to our cultural dream by supporting it a seemingly objective way. We must also remember that other cultures tell different stories. It is a new form of cultural imperialism to claim that the stories of other cultures are no more than myths that must be corrected, exposed for their naiveté, or ‘make more scientific.’ Rather they should be respected, for they represent different possible glances at the universe and different ways of structuring knowledge. The danger arises when a culture takes its own story as the absolute truth and seeks to impose this truth on others as the yardstick for all knowledge and belief.F. David Peat
No creature could possibly sense everything, and no creature needs to. Evolving according to their owner’s needs, the senses sort through an infinity of stimuli, allowing through only what is relevant. To learn about the rest is a choice. The ability to dip into other Umwelten is our greatest sensory skill. A moth will never know what a zebra finch hears in its song, a zebra finch will never feel the electric buzz of a black ghost knifefish, a knifefish will never see through the eyes of a mantis shrimp, a mantis shrimp will never smell the way a dog can, and a dog will never understand what it is like to be a bat. We will never fully do any of these things either, but we are the only animal that can try. Through patient observation, through the technologies at our disposal, through the scientific method, and, above all else, through our curiosity and imagination, we can try to step into perspectives outside our own. This is a profound gift, which comes with a heavy responsibility. As the only species that can come close to understanding other Umwelten, but also the species most responsible for destroying those sensory realms, it falls on us to marshal all of our empathy and ingenuity to protect other creatures, and their unique ways of experiencing our shared world. Ed Yong
We are all Interconnected even with the Universe 