Cosmic Intelligence

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This week I discuss discernment: What it is, why it’s important, how it can prevent ridiculousness, why that matters, and how to increase our discernment. As part of this discussion, I explore the Yog-Vedantic theory of mind and specific practices that can help us be more discerning, including self study, kriya, classical Tantrik practices, having a teacher you can trust, spiritual community, working with sacred plants, meditation, and good old psychotherapy, including psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

The philosophy, cosmology and consciousness masters program I’m enrolled in at the California Institute of Integral Studies has the following goals:

1. To open our consciousness, through learning and imagination, to those creative and evolutionary energies suffusing the Earth, the Universe, and the deep psyche that will enable us to participate fully in the regeneration of human communities and their enveloping life systems.
2. To analyze the current devastation of planetary life and to strive to liberate ourselves and our communities from the underlying causes of alienation, consumerism, militarism, androcentrism, and unsustainable modes of life.
3. To draw from the deep wells of philosophical, spiritual, and religious wisdom together with other scholarly and scientific insights in order to bring forth a profound vision of a vibrant planetary era.

Other references from the episode:

• Joanna Macy’s Active Hope and The Spiral of the Work That Reconnects
• The full Daily Show / Jordan Klepper segment about MAGA + Gematria
• An example of a discerning analysis of someone like Jordan Peterson that fails to offer a positive ethos
• The podcast episode about gurus and a guru sex scandal
• Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
• The Bhagavad Gita

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In this episode, Chad explores a scientific theory of consciousness first put forth by Nobel Laureate Roger Penrose and Dr. Stuart Hameroff in the 1990s called quantum consciousness. This unorthodox, yet-scientific theory proposes that consciousness arises out of highly coordinated quantum processes occurring in the cells of the brain. This theory combines quantum mechanics, relativity, neuroscience, cognitive science, molecular biology, and philosophy.

It’s different than prevailing theories of consciousness, which suggest that consciousness is an epiphenomenon of the firing of synapses in the neurons of the brain. Instead, Penrose’s theory suggests that subatomic particles collapse of their own accord and thereby create what Penrose calls proto-consciousness. It is an elegant way to bridge the two prevailing theories of consciousness: materialist and idealist.

This theory also has major implications for artificial intelligence because it means that machine learning and neural networks may never achieve true intelligence, strong AI, superintelligence, or anything resembling artificial consciousness.

Chad also explores the idea of computability, computers as universal metaphor, and the possibility that quantum computers might be a more promising avenue for research into artificial general intelligence.

This episode was inspired by Chad's work in the philosophy, cosmology and consciousness program at CIIS under Kerri Welch, for a course called The Epic of the Universe. Thank you Kerri for providing such rich pointers for further study!

The original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa5eRD4lGDA

To learn more, we recommend starting with this Penrose & Hameroff paper https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1571064513001188

For more about quantum weirdness and how nobody really understands what is happening when the quantum and classical worlds interact, check out this explainer from PBS Spacetime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7SiRiqK-Q&ab_channel=PBSSpaceTime

This conversation with Roger Penrose by Lex Fridman is pretty great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orMtwOz6Db0&t=644s

For a great intro to quantum computing, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3fz3dqhN44&t=6s

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In this episode of the podcast I talk about a sex scandal that’s burning through a spiritual community I’m a part of (Sattva Yoga Academy in India) revolving around the founder Anand Mehrotra and some of his teachers such as Matheus Bertoni, including what I know so far, and how it has polarized the community. Then I explore the guru principle and the immense power of disillusionment. Finally, I suggest that it may be time for a new guru archetype.
Then I explore the guru principle and the immense power of disillusionment.
Finally, I suggest that it may be time for a new guru archetype. This episode was extremely challenging to produce and deeply personal for me. I did the best I could to maintain a neutral yet impassioned perspective.

Want to talk about how Chad can assist you with your own transformation?
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Learn more about Chad's newly relaunched meditation course.
Or book a Vedic astrology reading.
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In this episode I talk to Schuyler Brown, a futurist, facilitator, coach, teacher of embodiment and meditation, and a writer. You can find her at artofemergence.com and her essays/poems are on Medium @ schuylerbrown.
In the course of a broad-ranging discussion, Schuyler and I talk about grace; classical Tantra and the descending path; down-home, Kentucky spirituality; roots and rooting down; nature and the lost wildness of Europe; desire and magic; attachment; prayer; late stage capitalism; the importance of community; and the art of embodiment. It was a sort of collaborative riff on the potential of modern spirituality.

As you can probably tell from the recording, we had so much fun talking. I wish we could record all of our conversations!

• Schuyler’s embodiment and coaching offerings
• Schuyler’s writing on Medium
• Wendell Berry, poet, novelist, environmental activist, farmer
• Ramana Maharshi’s Be As You Are
• Bill Plotkin’s books
• The indigenous Bön people of Tibet
• Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Alcatraz (2019)
• Anne Lamott’s book about prayer: Help Thanks Wow
• James Hillman’s lectures on alchemy
• Twilight language
• The poetry of David Whyte

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We live in what seems like the denouement of the age of reason. We feel separate and alienated in a world bereft of meaning. Astrology can be a remedy for that alienation and emptiness. To see why and how, I explore the history of science and European reason, depth psychology, and quantum physics. I then assuage concerns about the implications for free will in astrology, and talk about how Vedic astrology (Jyotish) compares with Western astrology. We go deep in this episode, because the cosmos is deep; we just have to look, and listen.

The Modern Astrology Zeitgeist

Why are Millennials so into Astrology? (Jan 2018)

“Astrology is not a science; there’s no evidence that one’s zodiac sign actually correlates to personality.” [citing a 1984 research paper showing no correlation between astrology and personality.]

Astrology in the Age of Uncertainty (Oct 2019)

“Millennials who see no contradiction between using astrology and believing in science are fueling a resurgence of the practice.”

Exploding popularity, a booming $40 million business for apps (Nov 2020)

The New York Times Modern Love podcast recently featured a story about Vedic astrology.

Influences
Some of the luminaries who Influenced my thinking on astrology, both Western and Vedic, include:

• Rick Tarnas
• Fritjof Capra — I highly recommend reading his now-famous Tao of Physics. Despite being almost 50 years old now, it is still highly relevant today.
• Amit Goswami
• Anand Mehrotra

Learn more about my astrology offerings.

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Want to talk about how Chad can assist you with your own transformation?
Book a free consultation!
Join Chad's newsletter to learn about all new offerings, courses, trainings, and retreats.
Finally, you can support the podcast here.