寶瓶世紀聖哲曼學院

【量子物理學--縮小科學與靈性之間的鴻溝】

By Zoe Blarowski  翻譯:黎飛翔

“量子物理學”這個詞聽起來像一個抽象的科學概念，與日常生活沒有任何關係。但量子物理學實際上是對生命本身的研究，是什麼使我們所經歷的一切成為可能。

當我們發現更多關於生命本質的東西時，這個科學分支開始發現許多傳統的靈性已經教導了幾千年相同的原理。

什麼是量子物理？

量子物理學，也被稱為量子力學，是物理學中的一個基本理論，它研究自然界中發現的最小粒子和能量。這些包括原子和亞原子粒子，如電子和光子。

這些粒子之所以如此獨特，是因為它們的行為與我們通常認為的物質--如岩石或樹木的行為非常不同。例如，經典物理學只能測量岩石滾下斜坡的速度。而岩石中的原子和亞原子粒子在某些時候可以改變它們的速度、位置甚至顏色。

如果你看得更近，原子和其他基本形式的粒子只是由能量所構成。能量在不斷地運動。這是傳統科學原理經常被打破的原因，因為運動的能量不易被測量和分類為科學目的。相反的，這也為我們留下了一個令人驚嘆的新世界，它開始在更深的層面上解釋自然，這在傳統上一直是靈性領域。 

量子物理與靈性相遇

許多宗教領袖和科學家已經認識到量子物理與靈性的相互關係。達賴喇嘛甚至表示，調和科學和宗教哲學對我們物種的未來非常重要。

如何才能做到這一點？讓我們來看看量子物理和靈性都同意的概念。

1.我們都是一

我們都來自上帝或一個宇宙能量的概念在許多靈性傳統中是常見的。道教稱呼這種宇宙能量為道，它被描述為沒有特徵，但它不是虛無，因為它包含了所有的生命潛能。但是，在物質世界裡，我們似乎都是非常獨立的個體，我們怎麼能成為統一能量的一部分？

答案之一在於原子的中心。

如果你能在一個强大的顯微鏡下觀察原子，你會看到一個小的龍捲風般的旋渦，其中包含其他無限小的能量渦旋，稱為夸克和光子。這些旋渦對於人眼是看不見的，和所有的能量一樣，它們沒有質量或物理結構。

這意味著如果你仔細觀察任何人、植物甚至像岩石這樣的物體，它的基本結構不過是一系列旋轉的能量渦流。而當你看得更近時，物理學家相信有一個能量場滲透到稱為希格斯場的宇宙中。這就是所有物質之下的事情，與希格斯場相互作用的就是讓原子和其他粒子的物理質量。

因此，儘管我們明顯的分離，卻似乎只有一個能量來源，我們都是這樣的。無論是道教還是希格斯領域，科學和宗教都認同它是真實的。

2.你的思想創造現實

很多東方的精神傳統，例如印度教，都斷言我們所看到的世界是幻象。你的頭腦實際上是基於你的思想和感知創造了你的現實。

許多現代理論也支持這一觀點，包括許多自助書籍，描述如何通過思想的力量創造你想要的生活。這聽起來很牽強，但量子物理學已經證明我們的思想確實能影響物質。

科學以前認為物質只含有粒子，光只存在於波中。最近，量子物理學家發現光可以像粒子一樣，在角落裡彎曲或者從牆上反彈。物質可以表現為波，例如電子圍繞著中子在波中移動。

更奇特的發現是，簡單地觀察粒子實際上會改變它們的行為。電子已被證明表現為波。儘管以色列的一項研究顯示它們只有在沒有人注視時才會這樣。

觀察到的電子束越多，它們的行為就越像波。這就像是“強迫”它們表現得像個粒子一樣，因為這正是科學家"期望"它們表現的樣子。

你對生活有什麼期望？你有沒有說過:“我永遠找不到好工作”或是“我永遠不會遇到理想的合作夥伴”的言論？難道這些想法沒有變成真的嗎？這可能是你生活中的量子物理學。

嘗試轉變負面的想法，並期望在你的生活中發生正面的事情。你的期望很可能在你生命中的亞原子粒子上，幫助你創造出你所想像的。

  (原子的能量     Energy of an Atom) 

3.時間是幻覺 

認真想想，你的思想創造了現實，一些傳統也建議你創造你的時間體驗。例如，許多佛教學校教導說，時間從過去到現在流向未來的方式只是一種幻覺。現在，量子物理學提供了一種證明時間不像我們經常認為的那樣絕對的方式。

它開始於所謂的量子糾纏。科學家已經證明，某些粒子可能會糾纏在一起，因此它們的物理特性將始終如一。例如，如果一個光子水平的旋轉，其糾纏的夥伴將是垂直的旋轉。它也被證明這種糾纏與接近無關。當它們相距很遠時，粒子仍然會互相反射。

一項研究甚至進一步採用了這一原理。研究人員糾纏了兩個從未共存的光子。當一個在“未來”，一個在“過去”時，它們變得糾結。儘管它們經歷了一段時間的分離，但物理學家們甚至能夠在不同的時間內顯示出這兩個光子彼此鏡像。

在昆士蘭大學的一項研究中，光子被證明實際上是通過時間來回傳播的。在一種情况下，光子的光能夠在先前的狀態下與自身相互作用。在第二個實驗中，光子穿過時間與未來的另一個光子相互作用。

現在還不清楚時間是否只是幻覺，但這些發現確實表明時間以不同於我們通常所感知的方式運作。我們現在知道的是，我們的思想會影響物質的行動。

我們也可能影響時間。你能改變你自己的過去或未來嗎？也許只有時間才能證明。

4.你的行動會回到你身上

大多數的靈性教導回應了基督教的說法：“要像別人對你一樣的對待他人”。或者類似的說法--你放進宇宙的，業力法則會回到你身上。這些聽起來像是簡單的回應，但量子物理揭示出其背後實際上可能有著科學定律。

事實證明，一個粒子可以同時在很多地方。這種大腦彎曲的事實，在醫生們稱之為雙縫實驗中已被反覆地證實。研究人員已經將原子，光子，複雜分子和其他單個粒子通過一個有兩個切口切入的屏障。每次，每個粒子都顯示出在屏障另一側與自身相互作用的證據。這表明了粒子以某種方式同時穿過兩個狹縫。

在量子物理學的世界裡，微小的粒子存在於恆定的通量狀態中。這使得它們可以同時佔據無數的位置，而不是像我們在我們的世界中習慣的那樣以一種固定的形式存在。

這也引發了世界的許多理論，這表明在這個時刻，存在著無限多潛在的平行宇宙。這也意味著有無限數量的潛在現實、無限版本的你，已經在你無限的生命中實現了每一個可能的行動。

而且，就像可以一次在多個地方的亞原子粒子一樣，你可能也會與自己進行互動。因此，全世界的靈性傳統教導都應該遵循，並始終努力成為自己最好的版本。因為，正如我們從量子物理學中學到的那樣，你可能正在觀看。

By Zoe Blarowski

The term ‘quantum physics’ may sound like an abstract scientific concept that has no relation to everyday life. But, quantum physics is really the study of life itself, and what makes everything we experience possible. And as we discover more about the true nature of life, this branch of science is starting to find the same principles that many spiritual traditions have taught for millennia.

WHAT IS QUANTUM PHYSICS?

Quantum physics, also known as quantum mechanics, is a fundamental theory in physics that examines the smallest particles and energies discovered in nature. These include atoms and subatomic particles like electrons and photons.

What makes these particles so unique is that they behave very differently than what we normally think of as matter, such as a rock or a tree. Classical physics would only measure, for instance, how fast a rock rolls down a slope. Whereas, the atoms and subatomic particles within that rock can change their speed, position or even color at certain times.

If you look even closer, atoms and other particles in their basic form are only made up of energy. And energy is in constant motion. This is where traditional scientific principles often break down because moving energy can’t easily be measured and categorized as science aims to do. Instead, we’re left with an amazing new world of possibilities that start to explain nature on a deeper level, which has traditionally been the realm of spirituality.

WHERE QUANTUM PHYSICS AND SPIRITUALITY MEET

Many religious leaders and scientists have recognized the interconnectedness of quantum physics and spirituality. The Dalai Lama has even stated that reconciling science and religious philosophies may be essential to the future of our species.

How can this be done? Let’s take a look at what concepts quantum physics and spirituality both agree on.

1. We Are All One

The concept that we all come from one God or one universal energy source is common throughout many spiritual traditions. Taoism calls this universal energy the Tao, which is described as having no characteristics, yet it is not nothingness because it contains all potential for life.

But, in the physical world, we all seem like very separate individuals. How can we all be part of one, unified energy?

One answer for this lies in the center of an atom. If you could look at an atom under a powerful microscope, you would see a small, tornado-like vortex that contained other infinitely small energy vortices called quarks and photons. These vortices are invisible to the human eye, and like all energy, they have no mass or physical structure.

That means if you look closely enough at any person, plant or even an object like a rock, its basic structure is nothing more than a collection of spinning energy vortices. And when you look closer still, physicists believe there is a field of energy that permeates the universe called the Higgs field. This is what lies beneath all matter, and interacting with the Higgs field is what gives atoms and other particles their physical mass.

So, despite our apparent separateness, there appears to be only one energy source from which we all arise. Whether it’s called the Tao or the Higgs field, science and religion both agree that it’s real.

2. Your Thoughts Create Reality

Many Eastern spiritual traditions, such as Hinduism, assert that the world we see is an illusion. Your mind has actually created your reality based on your thoughts and perceptions. Numerous modern theories also support this view, including many self-help books that describe how to create the life you want through the power of thought. This may sound far-fetched, but quantum physics has proven that our thoughts can indeed influence matter.

Science previously believed that matter only contained particles, and light only existed in waves. More recently, quantum physicists have found that light can act like a particle, bending around corners or bouncing off walls. And matter can behave as a wave, such as electrons moving in waves around a neutron.

What’s even more far-out is the discovery that simply observing particles actually changes their behavior. Electrons have been shown to behave as waves. Although, an Israeli study revealed they only do this when no one is watching. The more a beam of electrons was observed, the less they behaved like waves. It was as if the observation “forced” them to behave like particles because that’s what scientists expected them to behave like.

What are your expectations in life? Do you ever make statements like “I’ll never get a good job,” or “I’ll never meet my ideal partner”? And do these thoughts somehow have a way of coming true? This could be quantum physics at work in your life.

Try turning negative thoughts around and expect positive things to happen in your life. There’s a good chance your expectations will brush off onto the subatomic particles in your life to help create just what you imagined.

3. Time Is an Illusion

Considering that your thoughts create reality, some traditions suggest you also create your experience of time. For instance, many schools of Buddhism teach that the way time seems to flow from past to present to future is only an illusion. Quantum physics now provides a way to prove that time is not as absolute as we often think it is.

It starts with what’s known as quantum entanglement. Scientists have proven certain particles can become entangled so that their physical properties will consistently mirror each other. For example, if one photon is spinning horizontally, its entangled partner will be spinning vertically. Interestingly, it’s also been shown this entanglement has nothing to do with proximity. Particles will still mirror each other when they are vast distances apart.

One study took this principle even further. Researchers entangled two photons that had never coexisted. They became entangled while one was in the “future” and one was in the “past”. Despite their separation through time, the physicists were able to show these two photons mirrored each other even in different timeframes.

In a University of Queensland study, photons were shown to actually travel both backwards and forwards through time. In one case, a photon of light was able to interact with itself in a previous state. In a second experiment, a photon travelled through time to interact with another photon in the future.

It’s still unclear if time is nothing more than an illusion, but these findings certainly show that time functions in different ways than we usually perceive. We now know our thoughts can affect the behavior of matter. It’s possible we can affect time as well. Can you actually change your own past or future? Perhaps only time will tell.

4. Your Actions Come Back to You

Most spiritual teachings echo the Christian saying “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Or similarly, the karmic principle that what you put into the universe will come back to you. These may sound like simple courtesies, but quantum physics is revealing there may actually be a scientific law behind them.

It turns out that one particle can be in many locations at once. This brain-bending fact has been proven repeatedly in what physicians call the double-slit experiment. Researchers have sent atoms, photons, complex molecules and other single particles through a barrier that has two slits cut into it. Every time, each particle shows evidence of interacting with itself on the other side of the barrier. This shows the particle somehow went through both slits at the same time.

In the world of quantum physics, tiny particles exist in a constant state of flux. This allows them to occupy an infinite number of locations simultaneously, rather than existing in a solid, fixed form like we’re used to in our world.

This has also given rise to the many-worlds theory, which suggests there’s a potentially infinite number of parallel universes that exist in this moment. This also means there’s an infinite number of potential realities where the infinite versions of you have committed every action possible during your infinite lives.

And, like subatomic particles that can be in more than one place at once, you might also have interacted with yourself. So, it’s a good idea to heed the teachings of spiritual traditions throughout the world and always strive to be the best version of yourself. Because, as we’ve learned from quantum physics, you might be watching.