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The Buddha and the Quantum: Hearing the Voice of Every Cell
Buddha and the Quantum is about the connection between meditation and physics. Many books show parallels between consciousness and physics; a few of these attempt to explain consciousness in terms of the physics of everyday experience.
This is the only book on the market that explains physics and the everyday world in terms of consciousness alone. Space and time – and the physical world they define – are a structure of consciousness. We can understand the motion of the planets only by putting the sun at their center; similarly, we can understand modern physics only if we put space and time within consciousness.
Buddha and the Quantum is also unique in that it shows why we think there is a world independent of consciousness. The concept of material substance is explained in terms of the same structure of consciousness that explains quantum mechanics and relativity theory.
Kalapa is a Buddhist term for a subtle a point of consciousness in the body. Barely noticeable most of the time, it fills awareness during meditation. It is the voice of a cell. This book shows that it is also the quantum. Quanta arranged in space-time – photons – are visual the experience of cells in the retina. This explains why modern physics has had so much difficulty understanding light. Light is not in space; space is in light.
Buddha and the Quantum describes how experience in the physical world is built not from objective reality, but from experience within. Avery's brilliant model of consciousness makes difficult and subtle ideas understandable, surprising you with the implications.
This is the only book on the market that explains physics and the everyday world in terms of consciousness alone. Space and time – and the physical world they define – are a structure of consciousness. We can understand the motion of the planets only by putting the sun at their center; similarly, we can understand modern physics only if we put space and time within consciousness.
Buddha and the Quantum is also unique in that it shows why we think there is a world independent of consciousness. The concept of material substance is explained in terms of the same structure of consciousness that explains quantum mechanics and relativity theory.
Kalapa is a Buddhist term for a subtle a point of consciousness in the body. Barely noticeable most of the time, it fills awareness during meditation. It is the voice of a cell. This book shows that it is also the quantum. Quanta arranged in space-time – photons – are visual the experience of cells in the retina. This explains why modern physics has had so much difficulty understanding light. Light is not in space; space is in light.
Buddha and the Quantum describes how experience in the physical world is built not from objective reality, but from experience within. Avery's brilliant model of consciousness makes difficult and subtle ideas understandable, surprising you with the implications.
132 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 3, 2012
The author admits to being neither a Buddhist nor a physicist and it shows. There are a few useful bits but overall it feels at best like an undergraduate philosophy major's thesis project and at worst a new age mish-mash.
December 22, 2018
Spirituality and Science, one more time demonstrated, not so different.
It is just a matter of knowledge and imagination to enable exploration of what we call the unnatural.
What the Buddha considers as the fundamental unit of consciousness is the same thing that Max Planck considers the unit of energy.
It is just a matter of knowledge and imagination to enable exploration of what we call the unnatural.
What the Buddha considers as the fundamental unit of consciousness is the same thing that Max Planck considers the unit of energy.
July 18, 2012
I liked some of the fundamental concepts of this book, which I believe I understand in at least an elemental way--such as "Detatchment from time and space reveals dimensions as fundamental structures of consciousness." and observation often effects what is. I can also follow the idea what we perceive with our senses is more like a certain type of grid or graph of experience--and if other dimensions are taken into account, or a different grid is used--what is perceived could be quite different. However, the mathematical equations in the book were completely beyond my understanding. I'm not saying that math and physics don't hold the key to metaphysics. In fact, I think they probably do--but I just can't understand.
I also don't doubt that some individuals who have meditated long or very effectively, experience perception of the kalapas, or subtle sensations that you feel in your body. I just know that I haven't felt them.
I do think the book could do a little better tying the science in with Buddhist doctrine and the experience of meditation to make the concepts more understandable.
I also don't doubt that some individuals who have meditated long or very effectively, experience perception of the kalapas, or subtle sensations that you feel in your body. I just know that I haven't felt them.
I do think the book could do a little better tying the science in with Buddhist doctrine and the experience of meditation to make the concepts more understandable.
August 5, 2013
This book blew my mind. Well, the parts that I could understand did.
Though Avery states up front that he's not a Buddhist nor is he a quantum physicist, there's a little too much "pseudo-science" in here. Okay, that's not fair - it's not pseudo science, but there are places where he posits ideas with little to back them up save his own reasoning. And as powerful as that is, it's a little hard to take at times - like his ideas on what the 5th and 6th and even 7th dimensions are. It's interesting, for sure, but it just feels to thin of an argument.
All that said: this book helped me with my mediation practice, and made me think about a lot of different things pretty deeply. What more can you ask of a book?
Though I am still struggling with the notion that the entire edge of the universe, all around us, is a single point . . . .
Though Avery states up front that he's not a Buddhist nor is he a quantum physicist, there's a little too much "pseudo-science" in here. Okay, that's not fair - it's not pseudo science, but there are places where he posits ideas with little to back them up save his own reasoning. And as powerful as that is, it's a little hard to take at times - like his ideas on what the 5th and 6th and even 7th dimensions are. It's interesting, for sure, but it just feels to thin of an argument.
All that said: this book helped me with my mediation practice, and made me think about a lot of different things pretty deeply. What more can you ask of a book?
Though I am still struggling with the notion that the entire edge of the universe, all around us, is a single point . . . .
July 13, 2015
Samuel Avery prefaces by stating he is neither a Buddhist or a Quantum Physicist. As an extremely curious student of both these things, I was still interested to see someone take on the connection between such even if they weren't naturally entranced in either. In short, I wanted to enjoy this. I REALLY wanted to enjoy it. I'm giving it three stars for the concept and Mr. Avery's attempt. But, I couldn't get past his heavy-handed approach or the continuing thought that I was reading a beginner's intellectual theoretical attempt in regards to the science.
November 7, 2016
Buddha and the Quantum is about the connection between meditation and physics.
Buddha and the Quantum is also unique in that it shows why we think there is a world independent of consciousness.
Buddha and the Quantum describes how experience in the physical world is built not from objective reality, but from experience within.
Buddha and the Quantum is also unique in that it shows why we think there is a world independent of consciousness.
Buddha and the Quantum describes how experience in the physical world is built not from objective reality, but from experience within.
November 23, 2013
I just can't really understand the quantum. So this isn't necessarily a judgment on the quality of the book itself, which is succinct and well written, just on my enjoyment of it overall and the sad fact that I was not able to get much out of it to advance my knowledge of this subject.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews