What does quantum theory have to do with spirituality?
To many, quantum physics seems essentially unrelated to spiritual education. Many do not see the relevance of learning and studying the exciting world of the quantum. This is unfortunate as the concepts and ideas introduced by the study of this brand of science are of untold value when it comes to spiritual understanding. As material beings, we rely on material evidence to be sure of anything. If something lies outside of the material realms, we can not necessarily prove it or even accurately study it sometimes. For this reason, we must work with what we currently can. A concept that essentially all spiritual seekers agree upon is The Principle of Correspondence that states, "As above, so below. As below, so above." This simply means that all things are but reflections of other things. All things are simply pieces of a larger whole and every larger whole is made up of smaller pieces. This being true and The Principle of Correspondence being understood and accepted, one can better see how we can benefit spiritually through the study of the Material Universe. By understanding the inner workings and intricacies of the material we can apply those lessons to our spiritual pursuits. On the frontlines of the scientific probing of the Material Universe you will find Quantum Theory.
What is Quantum Theory?
From Wikipedia:
"Quantum mechanics (QM; also known as quantum physics or quantum theory), including quantum field theory, is a fundamental branch of physics concerned with processes involving, for example, atoms and photons. Systems such as these which obey quantum mechanics can be in a quantum superposition of different states, unlike in classical physics.
Quantum mechanics gradually arose from Max Planck's solution in 1900 to the black-body radiation problem (reported 1859) and Albert Einstein's 1905 paper which offered a quantum-based theory to explain the photoelectric effect (reported 1887). Early quantum theory was profoundly reconceived in the mid-1920s.
The reconceived theory is formulated in various specially developed mathematical formalisms. In one of them, a mathematical function, the wave function, provides information about the probability amplitude of position, momentum, and other physical properties of a particle.
Important applications of quantum theory include superconducting magnets, light-emitting diodes and the laser, the transistor and semiconductors such as the microprocessor, medical and research imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging and electron microscopy, and explanations for many biological and physical phenomena."
"Quantum mechanics (QM; also known as quantum physics or quantum theory), including quantum field theory, is a fundamental branch of physics concerned with processes involving, for example, atoms and photons. Systems such as these which obey quantum mechanics can be in a quantum superposition of different states, unlike in classical physics.
Quantum mechanics gradually arose from Max Planck's solution in 1900 to the black-body radiation problem (reported 1859) and Albert Einstein's 1905 paper which offered a quantum-based theory to explain the photoelectric effect (reported 1887). Early quantum theory was profoundly reconceived in the mid-1920s.
The reconceived theory is formulated in various specially developed mathematical formalisms. In one of them, a mathematical function, the wave function, provides information about the probability amplitude of position, momentum, and other physical properties of a particle.
Important applications of quantum theory include superconducting magnets, light-emitting diodes and the laser, the transistor and semiconductors such as the microprocessor, medical and research imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging and electron microscopy, and explanations for many biological and physical phenomena."
Simply put, quantum physics is the study of very small things. So small, in fact, that we physicists have actually began to blur the lines between material and immaterial. In large particle accelerators, scientists have literally smashed matter down to so small of a size that the particles can not truly be considered material any longer. They have broken matter down so far and have discovered that matter is really not made of matter at all. Matter is illusory and to fully understand what that means one must dive into the quantum world and gain understanding of the same. Hopefully, you can see how the illusory nature of matter holds some significant value when pondering the spiritual things so many of us seek to ponder. If not, dive in anyways and you will understand in time.