Why we are what we are

Something worthwhile to think about to create a we-world

Mick van Schothorst

Copyright year: 2011 Copyright notice by: Mick van Schothorst. All rights reserved The above information forms this copyright notice: 2011 by Mick van Schothorst. All rights reserved

ISBN #: 978-1-4709-7455-8

Contents
Preface Introduction Chapter one: About energy and matter What are we, in a few words? Can we perceive energy with our five senses? What is the source, the origin, of energy? What is the nature of energy? What is the ultimate source of energy? How did the earth come into existence? What is the importance of universal energy? Chapter two: About cells What became of the molecules? What happened to the first living cells? Does energy play a role in our development? Chapter three: About knowledge and its use What is memory? How is information transmitted? Can we find an analogy with computer informatics? Chapter four: About our body How was our physical body created? How are we involved in creating our physical body?
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What should we know about our evolution?

Chapter five: About our self and our behaviour Are certain we-feelings built-in? How do we interact? What is good behaviour? What is the role of competition? How do we create our own reality? What is our dream world? What is our consciousness? Do we always act consciously? Chapter six: About our self and higher-self What is reincarnation? What do we mean by the word dimension? Do parallel worlds exist in science? What can quantum mechanics tell us about ourselves? Chapter seven: About changing our world Can our reality be changed? Do collective intentions have power? What is the purpose of our life on earth? Summary Glossary

Recommended books for obtaining more information About the author Acknowledgements

Preface
Communication is an important survival attribute of life on our planet. The singing of birds, the purring of our cat, the wagging tail of a dog, the smile of a child are common manifestations of basic communication skills. We are equipped with our five senses to receive and give meaning to such signals, but there are also extra-sensorial signals that we receive consciously and unconsciously. The feeling of someone staring at you, telepathy and other phenomena are known and/or experienced by many people. Unfortunately, signals may be misinterpreted; for example, a human smile is seen as aggressive behaviour by chimpanzees. The evolution of language in the human species has greatly improved the sensorial means of communication, but this does not necessarily mean an improvement in understanding each other. Our genetic make-up and pre-conditioning and the things we learned at a very young age colour, so to speak, how we perceive the messages behind the signals. People with a strong belief in science as the ultimate source of knowledge may not always communicate well with people who have more confidence in spiritual wisdom. The old story of the six blind men who wanted to know what an elephant is illustrates clearly (to me at least) what I intend to say. They all touched different parts of the animal and came to different conclusions: a tree (leg), a
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rope (tail), a snake (trunk), a fan (ear), a wall (side), a spear (tusk). They could not agree until they carefully listened to each shared other and their

perspectives to reach a consensus. Nowadays, there are many people that are confronted with, or engaged in, events that do not fit into the sciencedominated Western culture. Bio-energetic healers are getting more and more recognition, and the number of people practicing yoga, meditation, shamanic voyaging, and other practices to find peace and well-being is increasing. At the same time, many people are sceptical about the spiritual phenomena behind these practices. They cite lack of scientific proof, dismissing the alternative healing practices as quackeries. Clairvoyance, telepathy, near-death-experiences and other phenomena are disposed of as imaginations and hallucinations. Bio-energetic healers, teachers of spiritual practices and many others are convinced that we are in contact with a universal energetic field. They do not need scientific proof; they have the, often personal, evidence; they know. Many scientific findings and theories confirm that there is more between heaven and earth than what meets the
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eye, but there is still a gap between the world of sceptics and that of more spiritually orientated people This booklet is an attempt to bridge this gap by answering some of the questions one might pose to find a scientific basis for spiritual phenomena. The answers may help to bring the two worlds nearer to each other by providing topics for dialogue; they may bring the reader up-to-date on some of the latest scientific discoveries and theories relating to these phenomena. The style of question and answer is chosen because it underlines the purpose of this text: to give an answer amongst many other possible answers. My personal interpretations and opinions should be taken for what they are: they are stimulants for reflection because many roads lead to Rome. This booklet should be seen as invitation to further research, using the Internet, magazines, books and other sources, for those who want to discover for themselves some of the facts described in the following pages. I hope that some of the facts may help to improve the communication between the more materialistic and the more spiritually orientated people, which may be essential in the creation of a we-world, something I believe to be important for our future wellbeing. Mick van Schothorst

Chapter one: About energy and matter

What are we, in a few words? We are partly materialised energy. To understand what this means, I have to explain what I mean by the words energy and material. Energy makes things happen. Our body, the computer, the TV and the telephone all need energy to work. Energy gives us light in the dark and warmth in the cold. Our universe started with energy; this energy is still everywhere around us. Material is the stuff we can touch and see. Our body, the computer, the TV and the telephone are all made of some material that has substance, weight and volume. moon and, of course, the earth. Partly means that we are not only a physical (material) being, but also an energetic entity. Partly materialised implies that we were once only energy, but that in time, our energy started a process of becoming physical. Our body came into being, but we never materialised all our energy. Human beings are partly spiritual and partly substance. The universe is also full of material: the stars, the sun, the

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This material and non-material unity constitutes our self. Since we know what our matter, our body, feels and looks like, it is good to get first a better understanding about various aspects of energy.

Can we perceive energy with our five senses? When a wood fire is made, we see the flames, we feel the heat, we smell the burnt wood, we hear the crackling sound, and we can taste the effect of the fire when it has been used to barbeque a piece of meat. We saw materialised energy in the form of wood and, during the burning, we saw that the wood was again (partly) dematerialised into the form of energy (some ash remained). Energy is felt when we want to jump over a wall: the energy in the form of gravity has to be overcome. Thanks to gravity, we can walk but we cannot fly, and people on the other side of the earth dont fall into space. Energy changes ice into water and water into steam. We can feel ice as a solid substance and water as liquid. Steam is hot and can burn our fingers. We can see steam coming out of a kettle, but it then disappears into the air.

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You may see it again when it materialises anew in the form of clouds in the sky.

What is the source, the origin, of energy? Let us start with wind. A windmill transforms air moving direction in a into certain the

rotating movement of a fixed axis. This rotation can be used to produce a certain form of energy such as electricity (which is an important source of energy in our daily life). So far, so good, but why does the air move; what is the origin of the wind? When we made our fire, we observed that the air above the burning wood vibrated and moved upwards (the smoke moved up in erratic ways). When the sun shines upon a certain region of the earth, this region warms up. When the region is a desert (or a sandy beach), we can see the air vibrating when we look over the surface. As the surface heats up, the air above it becomes lighter than it was before the heating started. Becoming lighter means that the matter becomes less attracted by the gravity force and thus, the (air-) mass moves up towards the sky. However, because the remaining air becomes thinner, cold air from other
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regions moves in to fill the space left by the air that moved up. This movement of air from colder to warmer regions is called wind. Apparently, the source or origin of the wind is the energy of the sun, but how did the sun get this energy? This question cannot really be answered by scientists. The ultimate origin of energy in our universe is not known. All we know is that most probably, there has been an explosion of some kind, an event that we call the Big Bang.

What is the nature of energy? We can depict energy as waves. Throw a stone in a pond (energy is needed to do that) and watch how the water around the stone forms waves that go in all directions and continue their course for quite a distance (the kinetic and gravitational energy of the stone is transmitted to the water). The stone moves the water, pushing it away and upwards, because the resistance of the air is less than that of the surrounding water. The gravity force pulls the moved water molecules back with more or less the same energy
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that pushed them upwards, resulting in a dip in the water surface. This displaced water in its turn pushes the neighbouring water up and a wave pattern emerges. In short, the mass (m) of the stone was transformed into an energy (E) wave visible on the surface (remember Einsteins equation E=mc ).
2

According to quantum

mechanics, particles are also dematerialised into a wave form of energy (sometimes they are called wavicles). Changing its appearance from particle to wave may be influenced by an observer or the energy sent by an observer; I will come back to this later. The wave nature of energy is well known; we speak of sound waves, light waves, heat waves. Waves can be very different in form and their base (carrier field), shape and frequency determine if and how we perceive them. An example of differences in electromagnetic wave frequencies is given below.

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What is the ultimate source of energy? We can trace the origin of energy and the development of the earth and of our existence back to a single event called the Big Bang. Physicists have discovered that once, long ago, an explosion occurred that led to a many consequences. It was the creation of our universe. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), we do not know what caused the explosion or where the energy before the Big Bang came from. It is not known who or what determined the celestial harmony, the cyclical rhythms of the universe. After coming into existence, the universe started to expand and it continues to do so. We can visualise this by blowing bubbles using a drop of detergent in some water and a frame. A tiny drop of something expands, shows beautiful colours on the surface and starts to float in the air. The energy of blowing creates the existence of a bubble in which our air is omnipresent. The last sentence is important because we also have to realise that the energy that started the universe is still omnipresent; the zero-point field is an expression that
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refers to this phenomenon. The analogy with our bubble stops here. The bubble started with detergent (and a frame) as material that was affected by energy. Our universe started without material; there was only energy (no frame that we know of) in an intensely hot spot. As the universe expanded, the heat diminished and very small particles emerged (like the clouds emerge from moisture cooling down). Many of these first particles have been identified; the experiments carried out by the CERN in Geneva are designed to find even more. These primal particles developed into more commonly known protons, electrons, atoms and molecules as the universe expanded further and cooled down. It is important to know that, during the materialisation of the original energy, part of it continued to be in, or bound to, the material, as will be explained later.

How did the earth come into existence? The primal matter contained energy (positive and negative) and a continuous interplay of attraction and repulsion developed. Moreover, energy continued to materialise; more and more matter filled our expanding universe-bubble. This meant that more and more particles clumped together, forming larger, heavier and cooler matter.

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I can describe what happened next only in very basic terms. positive charge negative A electric attracts electric

charge in the form of an electron. A simple atom called hydrogen (H) is built of one proton and one electron. During the time we are discussing, more protons entered the nucleus of atoms and consequently, more electrons were bound. The atoms became heavier and bigger (lead is a good example) and started to combine to form molecules. The best known is water, consisting of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen; i.e., H O (O
2 2

and H O are both essential for life).

2

The stars, planets, suns and whatever we see in our galaxy are giant clumps of energy and matter (molecules) of different temperatures and age. They all influence each other. For example, we feel the warmth of the sun and our seas react to the moon with what we call high and low tide. Our earth is still hot and fluid inside; the outside has cooled down to such an extent that the water does not completely evaporate or freeze. There is just enough oxygen for us human beings to thrive. Or is it the other way around? Did we come into existence on this planet
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because of the conditions that developed during earths existence? Regardless of the answer to this question, what is important is to realise that we are a follow-up of a long history of development; we started as primal energy and primal matter to develop into what we are now.

What is the importance of the universal energy? Energy is a force in many movements; it can move things and it moves us. Physicists now recognise several forms of energy: gravity, strong and weak nuclear forces and electro-magnetic forces. Another form of energy was wellknown to our wise ancestors and is common knowledge to our present day bio-energetic healers, shamans and other people who have found wisdom that is not fully based on modern science. This energy is omnipresent in the universe; it provokes what scientists call the zero-point field and its nature is not yet fully understood; it is not an electro-magnetic force. This energy (the Chinese call it Ch) is very important to us and I will refer to it as the Field. This energy is everywhere; it is in us and we use it. It is probably the basis of the many of the phenomena mentioned below. Science based on quantum mechanics teaches us that the smallest particles disintegrate, fall apart, and jump back into energy again (the word wavicles reflect this).
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This dematerialisation happens unpredictably, and the energy may again pop up as material at another place. An observer may influence this; its energy is used to trigger the change. Observers may be human beings or measurement instruments, for example. The basic matter of our body also dematerialises and materialises continuously. Normally, we are not aware of this; for example, when watching a film on TV, we do not realise that we are looking at a series of rapidly projected pictures instead of continuous (uninterrupted) movements. Another important phenomenon discovered by quantum physicists is the non-locality principle. When two similar molecules are separated, and one is brought to another lab, they remain in contact. When a change is made to one of the molecules, exactly the same change occurs in the other one, at exactly the same time! remained in the with same people field, also the Experiments The molecules zero-point field. that

demonstrated

instantaneous changes in brain waves occurred in one person when similar changes were triggered in another person, both well isolated from each other to prevent the transfer of the signal via electro-magnetic waves. What has been described in this chapter is based on present day science and can be checked using the Internet or recently published books

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Chapter two: About cells

What became of the molecules? Atoms started to form complexes called molecules. Molecules also started to organise and form complex substances. They became water, air, rocks. Stars and planets, including the earth, are all organised primal energy and matter. Primal particles and the molecules formed by them are the basis of everything we know that has some substance, even if we do not see, feel, smell or taste it. Let us take the example of steam (water, moisture) in the air. Most of it we dont see, but when the moisture forms clouds, we are aware of it and see it. When the clouds become denser and it starts raining, we even feel it! During the many years following the Big Bang, molecules such as carbohydrates (fuel and bread contain a lot of them), proteins (meat, fish, eggs) and fat (too well known to many people!) were formed. These familiar substances also became organised and this resulted in the development of the first cells. Viruses, bacteria, algae, plants, animals and human beings are all cells or collections of cells.
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At a certain

moment in the long history of the earth, something very exciting became reproduce! Some of the earliest living cells (organisms) are what we call bacteria. Bacteria are versatile and ingenious cells who lived (and can still live) under very harsh conditions. To live and multiply, they need energy in one form or another. They take energy stored in whatever they consume for their survival, as well as in the form of temperature or sunshine. apparent: certain cells started to

What happened to the first living cells? The first bacteria played an important role in shaping our planet, using whatever material and energy was available to produce other materials, particularly organic matter. Even today, they play this role and are very useful for our survival; they live in abundance in our intestines and help us digest our food. Algae in particular have been key players in the development of our climate. They were (and still are) capable of using the energy of the sun to produce proteins and, of utmost importance, oxygen. Without oxygen, we would simply not exist in bodies such as we have today! Another reason for our existence is that the first cells started to form colonies; they clumped together, diversified and divided their skills. For example, cells on
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the outside of a colony started to make protective material to enhance their collective survival. Cells underneath started to make a kind of glue to fix the colony to a surface (brushing our teeth is a healthy habit!). Our body is an extreme form of organised cells. Bone cells give us the structure, and muscle cells the strength, to move. Blood cells provide the muscles with necessary energy and oxygen. Blood vessels transport the blood The blood cells can get the cells through our body thanks to the collective pumping action of our heart cells. oxygen thanks to the particular structure of our lung cells, and the energy in the nutrients thanks to the function of the cells in our intestines. Of particular importance are our nerve cells, mostly located our brains, but found throughout the body where they command many of the other cells. Some other functions of the nerve cells will be discussed later. To finish this description of the incredible diversification and specialisation of cells, let me remind you that all living cells, whatever their function, still have a protective and regulatory membrane (skin) as their outer boundary. Before we go further, lets ponder the following question for a moment: Do we call living cells such as bacteria
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(micro-) organisms because they are organised, or did we learn what organising means by looking at nature?

Does energy play a role in our development? I have explained that at a certain time after the Big Bang, when the sun and the earth had come into existence, (with atoms and molecules as building blocks), cells started to organise themselves. According to my version of the creation of the world, themselves means that they took it in their own hands. There was no kid who started to build bodies with living Lego blocks. But what (or who) started the organisation? Darwin would tell us that by chance, two, three, four or more cells were clumped together and that such a clump was better equipped to survive. Survival, as we will see, is a primary driver of life. This has certainly played a role, but I want to go one step further. To survive, a cell needs external energy in the form of nutrients and, for instance, sun rays. However, energy is also part and parcel of the makeup of a cell (E=mc
2,

remember?). An important aspect of this inherent energy is that it facilitates storage of information, as will be discussed later.

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This capability of storing information makes it reasonable to accept that the knowledge obtained during the life of a cell is passed on to its descendants (or fellows, as we will see later). Forming clumps, organising the tasks in a colony of cells, and so on, appeared to be important knowledge in the struggle for life.

Chapter three: About memory and its use

What is memory? Memory is an early function of life. The outer skin of a cell, the membrane, has openings (pores) that can be opened and closed. They will open when a nutrient or water has to be taken up by the cell; they will close against poisonous substances. The cell has developed a memory that, when consulted, tells the cell to open the pores and close them again, or to keep them closed. When a good element comes into contact with the pore, the memory sends a signal: I recognise this element; you can let it in. Memory is stored information, and information is an arrangement of on and off states. There are many ways of storing information but they all boil down to combinations of positive and negative (in electrical systems), 1 and 0 (in computer language), black and white (in images).

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To give an example of how we recognise a picture, we have to start with a grid, a matrix, a field of squares (there are 120 in the picture!).

Signals are sent to this grid, and a few squares light up.

The picture of white dots in a dark field has no particular meaning to us. Another signal is sent. Still, we do not see something that triggers a reaction; however, when more signals are received, we start to see a picture that we recognise, particularly when we reverse the black and white squares. Our memory contained a picture similar to this one and had it labelled as a smiley. Our body contains trillions of cells, all with a memory of their history and how they should function. The primal cells learned the hard way that opening their pores to let a poison in was not favourable for their survival! Our body
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cells learned their particular skills during the long period of specialisation. Our brain cells are particularly specialised in memorising and recognising. When looking at the smiley above, an electrical signal is sent from our eyes to our brain. In our brain, a complicated series of reactions are triggered and one of the results is that a picture of what we saw is stored. This storage is done by switching brain cells (neurons) in our neural network on or off, creating an image as done above.

How is information transmitted? To deal with this question, I have to go back to the subject of waves. When you throw a pebble in a pond, a wave in the form of a ripple appears on the surface. Your friend standing on the other side of the pond sees the ripple coming and, knowing you, will get the information that you are there, throwing pebbles again. When someone shouts, Look out, his voice makes waves in the air; these sound waves are transformed in your ears into electrical impulses that are translated in your brain as information that something may hurt you. By the way, when a second stone is thrown into the water, the waves produced by this stone form interference patterns with those of the first stone. When these patterns are analysed, we can reconstruct the events leading to
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them; the events are memorised. Interference patterns are the phenomena behind the memory storage capacity of holograms; more about this later. The water and the air in these examples were the carriers of the information waves. The Field that, as I mentioned before, fills the bubble of the universe carries and stores the information emitted in one form or another by all living cells. Scientifically, there are still a number of questions concerning this energy to be answered, but people who have well-developed extra-sensory perception, such as shamans, mediums and bio-energetic healers, successfully use the information stored in the Field. Telepathy has been studied extensively. It is beyond any doubt that this phenomenon exists. People can communicate messages and pictures without mobile telephones or other modern means of communication. Our brain waves are picked up by others, particularly when we are in tune. Everyone knows that we have to look for a specific wavelength when we want to receive music from our favourite radio station. What not everyone realises is that
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we

also all

are kind

permanently of waves

emitting

containing information. We just have to look at an ElectroEncephalogram (EEG) to see this. Electrodes fixed on the of our skull receive outside

electrical impulses made by the neurons in our brain and these signals are depicted on a piece of paper or a screen. These (and other?) brain waves go in all directions and go very far! The waves we produce do not just vanish in the Field; they are stored in a kind of collective memory. Its existence has been scientifically demonstrated, using experimental animals. What we call instinct is behaviour using this collective memory. Learned behaviour can be passed over to beings via a shared knowledge base.

Can we find an analogy with computer informatics? Nowadays, we are totally accustomed to using computers, smart phones and the like to obtain and exchange information. Some 35 years ago, this was still more science fiction than reality. Let me try to find some analogies between the development of computer technology and the architecture of our being. This makes

28

it, perhaps, easier for some of us to realise that we are living in a collective, global, we-world. Let us start with the hardware. Our computer is like our brain. It needs energy to work and all kinds of circuits are embedded in its interior. To see what is cooking in its interior, a screen is attached to the computer. Our brain projects virtual images, which can be very explicit and very lively; we have no problem with reading and watching them. The computer needs an operating system, comparable to our basic limbic neural system (the oldest part of our brain). Software such as Windows or Linux is installed to create an interface between us and the machine. The first three years of our life, we also are programmed by our parents and our own experiences to interface with our environment. Additional software programmes can be installed to make the computer even more useful to us, making it our personal computer. During the second period of life, we also add our own preferences to our being, becoming persons with certain specific characteristics. To operate a computer, a keyboard is needed and a mouse can be added. With the keyboard, we formulate a question, which is translated into a binary language by the
29

installed software.

This can be compared with the

rational part of our brain (the pre-frontal cortex). Our computer is part of a global network thanks to the Internet, but it has also its private memory. Our body clearly has its private memory, but it can also tap the collective memory in the same way as is done with search engines such as Google and Bing. We have only to connect with the Field and find the right keywords (to be honest, connecting is not that easy for many of us). Our computer can be part of a wireless network at home. We can share information with our family members and ask them questions even if they are in other rooms. Is telepathy not comparable to this? Experiments have confirmed that telepathy between intimates is not that uncommon and easier than between less emotionallylinked people. Healing at distance is practiced by bio-energetic healers; to have effect, the patient must accept that the healer is helping him or her. Here again, we have a nice analogy with computer informatics. remote assistance. Specific software allows A helpdesk somewhere can fix a

problem with your computer by having access to it. The helper asks whether you allow him to transfer your computer virtually to his desk. When you accept, you see the curser moving, all kinds of programmes appear and (you hope), after some time the problem is solved! Of

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course, you thank him and close the programme that allowed him to enter your computer. The collective before memory can be more mentioned there are

compared with Wikipedia, and certainly analogies to be found. However, the essence of this exercise was to demonstrate that the virtual world created by computers and global networking is not that different from what nature has provided to us. There is an old saying, as above so below, which reflects this. When we see the Field as above and our world as below, we can perhaps better grasp some of the phenomena dealt with in this booklet.

Chapter four: About our body

How is our physical body created? After some (difficult to imagine, for me at least) basic science, lets turn to the basics of ourselves. How did we develop when the DNA in the egg of the mother and the DNA in the sperm of the father came together? Fortunately, the DNAs are complementary; together they
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contain

all

the

genetic

material

pertinent to the construction of our cells. DNA is a very complex molecule; it has its own energetic part and is specialised in making all kinds of proteins, the main substance of our body. The egg starts making stem cells soon after fertilisation. These cells have the capacity of making every other cell, a capacity cells lose after specialisation. But how do stem cells know which cell they have to make, what drives their specialisation, who or what is orchestrating the diversity of cells? When we grow stem cells in the laboratory, they continue to multiply as long as the conditions (nutrients, oxygen, water, waste removal) are correct. This does not happen in the growing embryo; cells start to change and organise themselves. Who is in the drivers seat? To answer this question, we have to accept that science only partly provides the necessary facts. Simply put, spiritual energies, the already mentioned collective memory and the non-materialised part of us, are involved in the process. Our higher self has existed since a long time ago; we have had many earthly lives already. The phenomenon of reincarnation is backed up by many cases; histories of children remembering past lives and providing
32

evidence

of

the

correctness

of

their

recollections. old civilisations,

Reincarnation Eastern,

is, and

moreover, inherent in the religions of increasingly in Western thinking. When it was time for a reincarnation, the higher-self looked for the best conditions to experience what he/she wanted to experience and learn, and (s)he merged with the energy of the embryo of choice. The higher-self has all the knowledge needed to steer the cells and to organise them into what results in a well-functioning and thinking human body. It is important to note here that our self, the earthly being, remains in contact with our energetic origin, our higherself, as well as with the collective memory. earthly realm. The play in the Field by our higher-self is enriched with play in the

How are we involved in creating our physical body? To expand our creation a little, let us make a comparison with a boy who gets a box with Lego blocks. He looks at the instruction booklet and sees that he can build a house with what he got. He looks at the first picture and start to put some blocks (cells) together. This picture is very clear in regard to which block has to be put on which other block, just as the following ones.
33

During the realisation of his house, his creation, he checks all the time on what to do next. them He selects the correctly to right blocks and places reflect the pictures. However, he also wants to change something, make it a little bit more personal. Perhaps he likes the chimney to be higher and the door a bit wider. This is also what happens when we build our individual body a bit differently from the general blueprint. The general information concerning how a human being is built and functions comes from the energetic part of the genes inherited from the parents and the collective memory. Furthermore, babies are from conception exposed to the magnetic fields of earth, moon, sun and other stars, cosmic radiation and so on. These influences factors (and many others such as the interaction between the DNA from the father and mother) cause some genes to be triggered into action and others to remain dormant, resulting in a unique human being. However, it goes without saying that our spiritual, reincarnating self has a say in our physical and mental development. We start our reincarnation with a certain purpose; a famous esoteric message is: create your own reality. Our reality is what we experience, how we see the
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world.

This creation starts at the beginning of our

existence and lasts until we die. Clearly, this topic reflects my vision; I do not pretend that I can substantiate everything with scientific facts. I have included my thoughts because I am convinced that, to create a we-world, we have to start with ourselves, and that we have the power to do so.

What should we know about our evolution? When the first cells became alive, they were already carrying genetic material; viruses are an example. This genetic material got information on how to reproduce; to make cells like itself. This was a comfortable situation; it increased the likelihood of a sustainable form of life. However, sometimes something in the information changed (e.g., due to environmental influences or cosmic radioactivity) and as a consequence, something new was built into the newly developing cell. can also occur during our life time. When this change turned out to be a survival-enhancing factor, it became part and parcel of the new line of cells. When the environment around bacteria became dryer, the more low-moisture resistant bacteria survived and multiplied, others succumbed. In this way, as Darwin Note that modern epigenetics shows that changes in genetic expressions

35

explained, all living beings developed their present form during the millions years of evolution. This can still be seen in the development of human embryos. In our earliest stages of development, we start as if we would grow into a fish with gills (early stages of us and also early stages of gills!) The forms of life most adapted to changes in the environment (living conditions) remain; the less adapted disappear over time. I like to add here that forms of life are mentioned as survivors and not best fitted individuals. The struggle for life and survival of the fittest is not a law for individual beings. This leads to greed, jealousy and misuse of power. The consequences of these negative energies can be seen clearly when we look around us. The struggle refers to the survival of a group (species); the fittest, best adapted to the environment will be selected by nature. In a we-world, we have a better chance of survival than the world consisting of a loose collection of mes. Altruistic behaviour has been studied extensively in animals as well as in man. The results are convincing: actively participating in social behaviour, helping others, acting in the interest of the group are all important to survival.

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Chapter five: About our self and our behaviour

Are certain we-feelings built-in? At first glance, we get the impression that human beings are very much occupied with looking after their own personal interests. Competitiveness is built into our school systems and sports. However, social science research has shown that several traits of our character are serving a we-feeling, the feeling that we are, as individuals, better off when we share our lives and warm feelings. The first living cells were individuals that communicated via chemical or other energy signals. It has been clearly demonstrated that bacteria can, for instance, sense whether there are enough of them to attack the human intestine. Together, they have a better chance of penetrating the body and finding the most favourable environment for their survival and propagation. Cells in our body also function better together; a single muscle cell will not succeed in moving a finger! However, even when a whole bundle of muscle cells are ready to move the finger, they still need nerve cells to trigger them into action. To continue functioning, they need blood cells to provide them with energy. The need to collaborate is inherent in the functioning of our cells.
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This necessity for working together is also apparent in primitive hunter-gatherer societies. We have no chance to kill a bison or catch a whale alone. The script together we function better is inborn, or more precisely, encoded in our collective memory since our earliest existence. To reproduce, the human species needs the collaboration of two people, ideally with love as a binding energy. Love is a very important driver of survival. Love makes us stay together and assures that our children are nourished and cared for. Warm feelings play an important role in keeping members of families, tribes, groups sharing with each other. These feelings can be demonstrated with modern brain research tools. The urge to belong to a group is another trait of the human species. It is a very important one for the development of a we-world. Unfortunately, it may also cause a collective individualism, the creation of them as being separate (and different) from us. The consequences have been disastrous throughout our history and present times are not much better. If we want to have peace on a global scale, we have to find ways to deal with negative deviations from very positive human characteristics. Altruism, putting the self aside in helping the other, is also deeply engrained in human and even animal behaviour, as scientific research has shown. Brain scans have demonstrated that helping gives us a helpers high, and
38

that giving causes the same reaction in our brain as receiving. As a last human trait (it is even apparent in certain animals), I want to mention fairness. We have no problem with the fact that certain people get more, or have more, than we do, but it should be fair. The male hunter in a family needs more meat than the other members, and they accept that he gets it, but he should not get all there is. We accept that our boss receives a higher salary, but it should not be excessive! Whale hunters in Indonesia have a highly developed sense of fairness. For many generations, they have been hunting whales together; it comes totally naturally to them to divide the catch in a fair way. Scientists conducting behavioural studies around the world found the highest scores for fairness in these people!

How do we interact? When we meet someone new, we are quick in our reaction: he/she is sympathetic, unsympathetic or neutral. We use our normal sensory perceptions to form our
39

impression, which is based on the persons looks, smell, talk and behaviour. However, many more signals are He/she sends received that influence our judgement.

vibrations/waves that may or may not resonate with us, the eyes may send a message that tells us more than the outer appearances, he/she says something that touches us emotionally. Several of these signals are the origin of what we call our gut feeling. Many people totally rely on this; others have learned to take a little bit more time before a positive or negative opinion is formed. A quick appreciation of someone else has certainly been an evolutionary advantage since our coming into existence; the animal world from which we originate knew this already. The fight or flight reaction is a very important built-in survival tool. Among the various neural pathways and responses to our first perception of someone, I want to single out the ones that recognise the other as familiar or non-familiar. Familiarity means that we have a memory of someone similar, either as friend or foe. Our earliest experiences as babies already establish important distinctions between good ones and others, but we also rely on our collective memory. Later, we learn to refine and complement our primitive judgements, our memory is enlarged and we become more sophisticated in our appreciation of someone.

40

An important player in human interactions is the phenomenon of resonance. Most humans have experienced at least once the very emotional reaction towards someone called falling in love. It is an irresistible, overwhelming emotion; our normal reasoning (left brain action) has been outwitted, someone stirs something deep inside you, you resonate to something sent by the other person. The physical phenomenon of resonance is well-known and understood. one starts to When a vibrate in tuning fork is hit, another response when it has the same pitch. When you pluck a string on a violin or guitar, it starts to vibrate. This may be picked up by another string, which starts to vibrate as well. It may produce the same tone or one an octave higher or lower. Resonance can be a very strong force: singing a certain tone may cause a wine glass to explode (and people may lose their head). Resonance does not only play a role in love affairs, less intense reactions to vibrations of everything around us are inherent in our response to the environment. We receive all kinds of vibrations/waves; we are not conscious of most of them. However, sometimes you realise that you feel very at home at a certain spot; this may mean that
41

you resonate to the vibrations of the earths magnetic field. Many people react (resonate) to a full moon or the ambiance in a temple or a church. Feelings of sympathy to someone you meet means that you resonate pleasantly to his/her vibrations. We are indeed very receptive to each other; a feeling of distress or of happiness may soon be taken over by someone else. We are constantly sending signals to each other and, for instance, laughing and crying produce vibrations that easily touch emotional strings in others. Resonance is a very important attribute for being in harmony with nature and our environment, including our fellow human beings. It facilitates sharing experiences, acting together, being in tune and in synchrony. Being on the same wavelength with others greatly helps in creating a we-world.

What is good behaviour? As children, we are taught what is good, and what is bad behaviour. This is based on the values accepted by the parents and other people in the direct environment of the child. It is meant to prepare the child for the world it has to
42

live

in,

and

to

make well This

parents proud that their offspring behaved. mentioned a very at are

programming has been several important places in this booklet. It is phenomenon; upbringing is often mentioned in court! However, forgetting cultural, religious and other values, what are good traits in human behaviour? Taking survival as an important driver of our existence on earth, the wefeelings mentioned in a previous section are certainly good characteristics to steer our behaviour. These and several others are summarised in the Golden Rule: treat others as you would like to be treated by them. This ethical code has a very long history; it is found in many old scriptures and is without any doubt a solid basis for good behaviour (also, of course, in a we-world). When we see the purpose of our being on earth as learning something beyond pure survival skills, we have to consider other aspects of good behaviour. Quantum mechanics views everything in terms of probabilities. Since we are made up of quanta (energy packets), many choices are available to us, good ones but also bad ones. Unfortunately, these options are not labelled as such. We have free will to take the one that attracts us; it may turn
43

out to be a wrong one in terms of its consequences for our well-being. Quantum mechanics also teaches that everything has anti-matter, positive has negative, light has dark and so on. This is nicely expressed in the yin-yang symbol. Whether we like it or not, we have to accept that bad exists as well as good, that it has to exist or good could not be an option. This leads us to reflect upon other aspects of human behaviour such as tolerance and forgiveness. Tolerance means that we accept that other people behave differently and have different values, and that we do not pass judgement on them. We may condemn their acts (and they may need to accept the consequences), but we forgive them because, perhaps, they did not foresee the consequences of the choice they made. The positive aspect of wrong-doing is that we can learn from it. I fully realise that this is a difficult philosophy; most of us are not programmed to accept its value. However, I think that Buddhas saying, Hate is never conquered by hate; hate is conquered by love is worth considering. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a good attempt to fix global rules, but it should be complemented with a declaration of human obligations explicitly describing good behaviour.
44

What is the role of competition? The best equipped and adapted group of cells, animals or human beings in a certain environment has the best chance of survival. The best diversified, specialised and organised group has certain advantages over other groups. Within a group, there will always be some cells, animals or human beings who have, within their specialisation, better skills, tools or characteristics than other individuals in the same specialisation. It is again an advantage for the survival of the group that these betterequipped at doing. persons do the job they are the best Competition can be a means to find out who is the star performer. The ones who perform less well can learn from the star and help him/her with parts of the jobs for which they are equally, or even better, equipped than the star. In a we-world, where we respect each other and profit from each other in a positive manner, where jealousy does not have a place, competition can be positive. However, when competition means winning at all costs despite possible harm to others, when competition stimulates, or
45

is stimulated by, greed and the humiliation of the others and leads to jealousy and desire for revenge, competition has a negative impact on the survival of a group. Competition between groups is, unfortunately, something more natural than competition between individuals. When, during our development as homo sapiens, food and shelter were around in abundance, we had no need to compete or make war with others. Being on good terms with other groups meant that cross breeding (marriage between tribes) was possible, preventing inbreeding (which may lead to genetically based abortion, malformation and disease). However, our successful development caused overpopulation and groups started to fight each other for the necessities of life. This survival strategy is still part of our behaviour, whether we like it or not. It is us against them; unfortunately, when we look at our history, or at present day discrimination, we see that religion has not helped to prevent this behaviour. Regardless of this development, I consider that we are meant to explore the various possibilities that life offers and to select the best ones as models for our development. As individuals, we are meant to act in the interest of the collective. Thats why a we attitude, for which we have the traits built-in, serves a better purpose than a me attitude.

46

How do we create our own reality? If we want to eliminate negative competition, if we want to create a we-world, we have to start with ourselves. We will now have a look at how this is done. In simple language, there is a dream world and a real world. In our dreams, we may experience things that we know cannot happen in our real world. We may also daydream about things that we would like to happen in the world we consciously live in, but that we know that will most probably not come to pass. How does our real, conscious world, our daily physical reality, develop? As a baby in the womb of our mother, we start to hear at a certain moment; we feel movements, but they have (most probably) no meaning. We hear words, but they carry no information needed at that moment; this happens after being born. After leaving the womb, certain reflexes are fully developed; we start to breathe and have sucking reflexes. These reflexes are essential for our survival; they are as old as the development are of the mammal species. senses The five becoming

operational; they are the tools used to connect with the out of the womb world and to learn
47

how to behave! Our right brain receives all kinds of information, but our left brain needs to analyse its meaning, determine its significance and, (in close collaboration with the right half), decide whether action needs to be taken. Our left brain is essential for creating our reality: the outer boundaries of our body, the meaning of a smile, and later, the meaning of words, objects, the art of using our hands and how to talk As a baby and during our first three years, we learn a lot from our parents and other people around us, particularly how to behave in the real world of our tribe. We learn many things ourselves by trial and error, but we also learn a lot from our higher self and from spiritual entities that are in contact with us. In our early years, we may also know things that we have learned in earlier reincarnations. Moreover, the channels to our collective memory are still wide open but, unfortunately, we lose most of the channelling years. Much of our adult behaviour and many of our values result from what happens in the early years of life. We are programmed, so to speak, by our parents and their
48

abilities

during the first seven

environment.

We had the possibility to make certain

decisions ourselves, but often there were not many alternative behaviours to choose from; choices were made for us. During the revolution that comes with adolescence (the period between 14 and 21 years of age), we provoke and test what we have learned or are learning. We make opportunities to create our own reality. When we are grown up, we more or less accept to behave socially in a manner that is acceptable to our tribe but that is also, as much as possible, in line with our true selves. Unfortunately, though we are unconsciously programmed by our parents and their environment, their values and the rules of the game they taught us may not be appropriate any more, or not really in line with our character or the choices we make. Once we are aware of this unconscious steering, we can rewrite our programme. In this respect, it is very important to know that nowadays, many so-called indigo children are being (or have been) born. They are spiritually more Their advanced than many of their parents and see the world differently. inborn rules of the game may be different from those learned from, and transmitted by, their parents. Much of their programming
49

is done by their higher selves" and their spiritual helpers, similar to what we call instinct in the animal world. In summary, from our earliest life on we learn that, besides our energetic part, there is a materialised part that is thoroughly programmed to behave in a certain way to survive in the world as it is perceived with the five senses. However, this behaviour may not be the best for us and our global family. Fortunately, there are many possibilities to live a life in the way we want. to change We can ask the advice of our spiritual The programmed competitive helpers (God, All That Is, angels) and we have the power things. behaviour, the us against them, can be changed, thus helping to create a more successful (and necessary for our survival) we-world.

What is our dream world? In dream worlds, we have experiences that are not necessarily obtained through our five senses. They may occur during our sleep, or in moments of deep relaxation or meditation when we are in a state of altered consciousness. types of In our dream worlds, we may be in beings may be encountered; familiar or un-familiar settings; known people or various spiritual premonitions and other messages may be received that can be helpful to us.
50

Since the early days of human existence, shamans have used special techniques dream parallel ceremonies to enter (also or help worlds worlds to or such called other their

dimensions)

people. A much employed technique nowadays is drumming or rattling with a rhythm of c. 4 Hertz, a rhythm that our brainwaves show during periods of deepest sleep. Our dream worlds are virtual; physically, we are still in our real world, but our mind is in contact with parallel worlds, other dimensions or other realities that we have created. At the moment of dreaming, these realities are as real to us as the world we are physically experiencing through our five senses. When we accept that we are on this planet to experience things and learn things, than we have to conclude that our dreams are as important to us as our normal consciousness. Unfortunately, many of us tend to forget what we dreamed soon after awakening, losing important information, but fortunately, we can improve this if we want to do so.

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What is our consciousness? Being conscious of something means being aware of something; realising that something is there. We may reflect on what to do with it, whether to react to it and, if yes, what kind of action it should be. The brain, and particularly the left side, is the main actor in this process. We are constantly bombarded with all kinds of information in the form of waves of energy. Most of the time, the information waves are received and registered only subconsciously; we do not pay attention to them and they do not enter our consciousness. Sounds and pictures are merely noise and blurred dots and lines, coloured or not, until we realise that we hear music or see a book on a table. Through focussing, paying attention to it, we make something real and meaningful. When something enters our consciousness, it is like a radio tuning in to a certain station, transforming noise into music or talk. The human being is capable of self-reflection, abstract thinking and creative thinking. We do this consciously; our mind is at work. Thoughts may come from different sources; we may read, hear or see something that provokes a reaction in our brain and we may want to make up our mind about it. In dreams, all kinds of things happen and thoughts occur that remain unconscious. It is
52

only after awakening that we may remember something and start thinking consciously about it. Many scientists admit that their discovery was initiated by something that entered their mind while waking up. Where did the eureka idea originate? Could it be the good work of the subconscious energies, with or without the use of the collective memory and assistance from spiritual helpers? I leave it to you to make up your mind. For me, if one accepts that living in a we-world is an important concept, it is essential to realise that thoughts, feelings and actions are partly originating in a collective memory. This common data base can be compared with Wikipedia, the web-encyclopaedia, written by all and used by all. When a global set of rules and common knowledge becomes the basis of our behaviour, chances of survival in a turbulent environment will increase.

Do we always act consciously? As mentioned above, being conscious means that we are aware of what we perceive and what we think. of most of it. We perceive a lot with our five senses, but are not conscious We also have a continuous stream of thoughts and emotions, but many are filtered out, an important role of the left brain half, when we are focussing on something. If you want proof of this, put aside your thoughts of the moment and try to think of nothing!
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However, when something enters our consciousness, we know it and memorise it for later use (or not). But, as mentioned before, all of that information is not handled consciously; is stored subconsciously in a kind of data base. This data base is linked to, or part of, the collective memory in the Field. Because of all the information subconsciously available to us and the rapidity of its transfer in this energy field, we have a first reaction to something, a gut feeling, without thinking about it. When asked why it was said or done (or not), we rationalise (later) a prior subconscious reaction! Note that the first reactions are often the best; the conscious, left brain reasoning is often coloured by its engrained programmes, its preconceptions spoon-fed during the early period of life. The heart is also involved in our actions and reactions. About sixty percent of the cells in our heart are neurons, the same cells as in our brain. There are many studies concerning behaviour changes after receiving a donor heart that offer convincing evidence that we also feel and act very with our heart. lady A who remarkable case is that of a religious started to curse and drink heavily after she received a heart obtained from a truck driver, as was discovered
54

after the change in behaviour alarmed her. The heart also participates in the decision making process. Who has not had the experience of doing something with our heart, putting our reasoning on the side track? The role of the heart in our behaviour is clearly articulated by expressions such as let your heart speak. Let me finish with the remark that opening our heart plays an important role in creating a we-world.

Chapter six: About our self and higher-self

What is reincarnation? Literally, it means becoming meat again. It reflects what was said at the beginning of this booklet: we are partly materialised energy. Our higher-self is pure energy; its origin goes back to the energy released at the Big Bang. Stars, planets, rocks, plants, animals and man are all manifestations of partly materialised primal energy. The created material is not eternal, it decomposes in time, but the energy remains. The material is real in the earthly realm; it follows the physical laws discovered by our scientists. An important one is the law of conservation of energy. It states that the total amount of energy in a system (our universe, for example) remains constant (is conserved) over time.
55

Thus, energies produced and used on earth do not disappear, they are still somewhere around. Also, the energy that is released when our material part is decomposed joins the reservoir. When we die, our energy is not extinguished; it is used again during the next reincarnation. It is just (temporarily) outside our conscious realm, it is in the Field or in another dimension where it is part again of our higher-self. The self is a reincarnated, materialised, part of our higher-self; it is self-aware, it sees the world in its own way. During our life on earth, we experience and learn a lot; we gather knowledge and wisdom. This wisdom is saved in the collective memory to the benefit of all human beings living at the same time or later. Acquired knowledge that may favourably serve our survival is, of course, of the utmost importance in evolutionary thinking. Our individual experiences are also memorised by our higher-self, which helps this entity to become wiser in the course of its cycles of reincarnations. Unfortunately, many of us are not aware that we have had many previous lives. Also, much of the acquired knowledge is not readily available; we can make the same mistakes all over again! Fortunately, there are also people that do remember certain things, or have access to the personal and
56

collective

memory.

Mediums,

clairvoyants, holy men, bio-energetic healers and shamans, to name a few, use channels to get information from above. A special category of people are the so-called indigo children. Many of them continue to be in contact with outside space-time entities; they see them, speak with them and consider them part of their normal environment.

What do we mean by the word dimension? The word can mean different things according to the context. In classical physics and mathematics, a dimension has to do with the coordinates of a point within a space or object. The word is also used in the context of the multiverse concepts of quantum mechanics and string theory. I use the term in the esoteric sense, in the same manner, and more or less similar to, the word plane or realm. In my understanding, the purpose of reincarnation is to acquire wisdom to attain higher levels of spirituality or reach a higher dimension. Our higher, non-materialised self is in such a dimension; the wiser it is, the more it can understand, the higher the dimension. To get an idea about this, let me explain it in the following manner.

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Imagine that you are a thread of wool in a carpet. A knot makes sure that the thread is fixed to the backing. You see and feel that other threads are next to you; looking up in the sky does not give much information about your role or why you are what you are. You may notice that your neighbours have the same texture and colour or a different one. This is your real world, the purpose of your being; your place in the larger context is not clear. Now when moving upwards a short distance, a broader view appears; you are part of a vast field of similar threads, or beings. Different colours are seen but they do not make much sense. However, when moving up even further, a picture becomes visible. The picture carries a meaning; in this dimension, you start to recognise that you are part of something greater than just being a single thread. Moving upwards again, it becomes clear that the picture is part of a landscape in which we see rocks, plants, animals and human beings all arranged in a beautiful, meaningful way. A radiant man is surrounded by animals in an idyllic setting. Seen from an even higher level, it becomes The clear that levels the of carpet is used for praying. different

58

observation can be seen as different spiritual dimensions. The higher the level, the more meaningful the observation becomes.

Do parallel worlds exist in science? The world as experienced daily is governed by several physical laws, described a long time ago by scientists. Newton described mathematically gravity force in 1687; gravity keeps our feet on the ground and the stars and planets in their orbits. His laws still describe quite accurately the macro-physical world that is experienced by our five senses. However, for understanding the world of the infinitely small, other laws have to be applied; Newton's laws do not explain all kinds of phenomena. The very small particles that form the basis of the planetary world behave according to other laws, such as those described by quantum mechanics. My understanding of modern physics is very poor; explaining the newer theories goes beyond my capacities. However, what I do understand is that physical laws can be noted down in mathematical equations, Einsteins E=mc is one of them. Using such equations allows us to
2

59

make certain predictions; these predictions can then be validated by experimentation or observation. theories. However, it may be helpful to play with these. They can lead to other equations of these that may explain the very certain phenomena better. Some theories make existence of parallel worlds and multiple dimensions plausible. This fits in very nicely with the existence of dream worlds, altered states of consciousness and other dimensions as experienced by mystics, shamans, Eastern holy men and others. The point made here is that wisdom found in old scriptures and taught by gurus around the world is rediscovered by modern scientists. Can old wisdom validate the newest mathematical equations, or can modern science validate old wisdom? Without validation, the predictions remain in the domain of

What can quantum mechanics tell us about ourselves? Above and in various other answers, I touched upon the working of quantum mechanics as an important discovery of modern science. Several hundred years ago, Newton developed a number of physical laws that still apply; they
60

are pertinent to the world as we see it. It was found that when the scale of our observation is reduced to its limits, Newtons laws have to be changed into those of quantum mechanics. The smallest particles we know are also waves (that is why they sometimes are called mentioned several times the wavicles). I have of phenomenon

materialisation of energy (the emergence of matter) and dematerialisation of particles (their transformation into waves). Particles change at unpredictable moments into waves and back again. Our tiniest building materials are, of course, also these particles, and thus, we move to our wave form and back again. Normally, we are not aware of this for several reasons. First of all, not all particles change into waves at the same time; a lot of them remain in a material form. Second, in our case, the time as a wave is short. The phenomenon of the observer influences the observed also plays a role in why we see ourselves as solid. Considering this continuous play of materialisation and dematerialisation of energy at the quantum level, it becomes easier to understand the principle of reincarnation. Our existence after death means that most, if not all, particles change into the wave form and may stay there much longer (the notion of time becomes
61

irrelevant) than during our physical life. paragraph emerges again. Another phenomenon of quantum mechanics, principle, extra-sensory is the non-locality for important

When we

materialise again, the situation described in the previous

understanding distant healing and communication. When two sister molecules are close together (entangled) and we take one a few (or many) miles away, they still remain in contact. When something in the structure of the one is changed (for instance d-cholesterol into l-cholesterol), the other will change at exactly the same moment in the same manner. Apparently, the energy parts of molecules are in contact with each other in ways that classical physics cannot explain. The discovery of the zero-point field by modern physicists provides an explanation of this phenomenon and thus our capability of telepathy, distant healing (bioenergetic healing of persons without making physical contact) and other human traits. This non-locality principle is also described as entanglement; it underpins again the notion that we are all connected via the Field. The discoveries suggesting that the universe can be seen as a hologram are nice support of the old adage: as above so below. A hologram has the characteristic that
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every part of it contains the information about the whole. The same pattern that makes up the universe also makes up the pattern of the earth and molecules. is a natural extension of quantum mechanics. Lastly, quantum mechanics predict the existence of parallel worlds and multi-dimensions (in physical terms). The existence of these concepts is paramount in Eastern and Western mystic thinking and accepted by natural healers and shamans. Only the scaling changes, not the pattern. The hologram concept

Chapter seven: About changing our world

Can our reality be changed? When we are born, we are subject to the gravitational and other energies of the earth, the stars, sun, moon and other planets. According to astrology, they determine several aspects of our character. We inherit the DNA of our parents, which determines to a certain degree specific traits of the physical body and how some of the energetic influences can be expressed. One organ deep in the brain, the pineal gland, seems to have a function in our communication
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with the energies in the universe. This gland produces hormones that are similar to certain herbal drugs used by shamans to enter other realities, or parallel worlds. Maybe our we feelings, our feelings of oneness, are stimulated by these hormones, because shamans are, during their voyages, in contact with the spirit of all that is. However, there is more to it. The gland contains particles that can be influenced by magnetic fields. It is well known that eruptions of solar energy influence the magnetic forces of the earth. The question now arises of whether solar eruptions may also influence the magnetic particles in the pineal gland and thus, stimulate the production of the hormones mentioned. In this way, the solar winds (or a passing meteorite) could influence us globally to adopt a more pronounced feeling of oneness, helping to create a we-world. This scenario looks very promising; scientists predict an increase of solar activity in the coming years. However, we should not just wait and see; we should, and can, continue (or start) to work together towards a we-world to prevent as much as possible a further degradation of the earth. We have the power; we need only the will to do it.

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Do collective intentions have power? A lot of scientific research has explored the power of thinking, the power of articulating and of expressing an intention. It has clearly been demonstrated that intentions are a source of energy that can accomplish all kinds of miracles. People have been healed, crime rates diminished, pH of water changed, to mention the results of just a few experiments. In general, the experimenters asked a number of people to repeat in their mind or to say aloud a clearly formulated intention such as: I intend that Mrs. Johnson will be cured from her arthritis. A photograph or some object connected with this intention may be used to assist concentration on the intention. A well-known example of this kind of exercise is collective praying. Primitive healing ceremonies may fall in the same category. The basis of this phenomenon is the so-called morphogenetics. An idea or intention clearly formulated and preferably spoken out loud is, so to speak, carving a way in the Field, just as rainfall finds a way to a stream by carving out a watercourse in the ground to reach an already existing stream. The more water that is falling, the deeper and wider the watercourse will become (water follows the path of least resistance). In the same
65

manner, the more people are expressing the same intention, reinforcing each others intentions, the greater the effect. Neuroscience has demonstrated that routine actions also align and reinforce neural pathways and improve the storage of how the actions were performed. When we start learning to ride a bike, a lot of repetitive exercise is needed before we effortlessly and without help master the art of riding on two wheels only. Collective thinking and memorising have created our collective memory, the data base which is also responsible for our development as human beings. Our common intention to create a we-world will be a success thanks to this phenomenon; we have the power to accomplish this.

What is the purpose of our life on earth? Since the higher-self lives, exists, is, in the form of energy in another dimension above, there is we a assume purpose (partly), that for for

materialising

existing temporarily, on earth. To live below we have to survive sufficiently long to experience something. When we dematerialise again (when dying), what has been
66

learned is taken along to the other dimension, in fact it is already there. Survival on earth is not a goal in itself; it is a manner to enrich the spiritual self with more knowledge and wisdom. This way of thinking leads to the conclusion that spiritual enrichment is the driver of our existence; being on earth during a reincarnation is a means of learning. The human being is most probably the only animal (materialised energy) who thinks like this. Moreover, he can create many varieties of reality (the most opportunities for learning); therefore, he regards himself as the most advanced creature on the evolutionary path. Starting with the Big Bang, we went through all the phases of materialised existence, from primal matter to cells, plants, animals, to the current human body. When the non-material self has learned enough from the earthly experiences (the below) it has no need to reincarnate again, it can stay above. Unfortunately, it seems that the way the human species has evolved and acts may, in the long run, destroy the earth as a learning space. Overpopulation, overexploitation, pollution, greed and all kinds of other facts of life are rapidly decreasing the chances of survival of homo sapiens. It is reasonable to assume that changing from a me-world to a we-world increases our chances of survival and it will add new learning experiences.
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The

first

tribes

of

hunter-

gatherers lived in a we-world as long as neighbouring tribes were at a sufficient distance and as long as there was enough to eat for everyone. They were in Things balance with nature. matter of us versus them.

changed when space, food and drink (survival) became a The us versus them feelings were also instigated by religions: believing in our God (us) is the way to eternal bliss; those who do not worship our God (them) will suffer in hell. Fear of not surviving was skilfully employed by people who sought power and wealth, thus using us feelings to satisfy the me. Working towards becoming one global tribe (with tolerance for differences in values) governed by wise and noble people is worth the effort. reality. To paraphrase the esoteric message mentioned before: Create your shared

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Summary
Every period of our world had its challenges as things changed: new religions, new political structures, new scientific discoveries, new communication systems needed to be addressed. Our current period is not an

exception; we are faced with rapid climate change, overpopulation, overexploitation, localised food and water shortages and the need for a global governance, to name a few. To meet the challenges, increasing numbers of people think that attitude change is an option to explore. They take scriptures of old cultures and the wisdom of civilisations living in harmony with nature as guidance. Changes in attitudes are also shown by increasing numbers of young people, who have some of this old wisdom already built-in. According to this wisdom, we are all spiritual entities, but we are temporarily partly materialised to live on the earth, subjected to the physical conditions inherent to our planet. The concept of materialisation of energy is concurrent with the current day science of quantum mechanics. Energy and matter are manifestations of the same thing and they continuously change their appearance from waves to particles and back. Modern science also discovered, but has not yet fully understood, the existence of a zero-point field of energy
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that fills our universe; needless to say, we are part of this energy. This field sustains the carrier waves for universal information exchange and a data base for information storage. A collective memory of everything that has occurred, what was developed or thought, during the existence of our universe has been built up in this field. As human beings, we can tap this memory via our nonmaterialised energy part. Mediums, clairvoyants, bioenergetic healers and shamans use this capacity to help others. Man evolved from primal energy/matter into a highly complex collective of cells with various functions. Neurons are important cells throughout our body; they allow perception and interpretation of the world we inhabit. Our heart and brain receive all kinds of signals, which are sorted, used or not, and memorised. These signals are, for instance, gravitational, electro-magnetic and non-electro-magnetic energies to which we resonate or not. Signals are not only received, they are also sent; we constantly touch and are in touch with everyone and everything around us. During the thousands of years of evolution, mankind developed all kinds of survival skills, memorised in our genes and the collective memory. Acting socially, putting the interest of the group above the interest of the self, turned out to be a major attribute of success. With this in mind, a logic conclusion is reached: the social, built-in,
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traits can be emphasised as a way to meet the challenges mentioned above. We need only to give it a try.

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Epilogue
What are we? We are partly materialised packets of energy, playing in the zero-point field. Why are we what we are? We are meant to survive and evolve as a species on the planet earth, using our physical body as well as our mind (i.e., our materialised and our nonmaterialised being) to learn what there is to learn. How are we performing? Not too well; our current behaviour is most probably not optimal for surviving on this planet and we have not learned how to change in time. Can we do better? Certainly, we are genetically equipped with tools such as altruism and love, and we are highly creative. Can we find help? Yes, we are all connected to our collective memory. In the beginning, we did better. All the information on how to live in balance with nature, including our fellow man, is there to use. We can listen to our inner voice and our heart. How could we proceed? We can create a we-world, starting with applying, for instance, the golden rule, Treat others as you
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would like to be treated, accepting that we are all in the same boat (the entanglement principle). Is there more to know? Of course; for instance, that we have the power to change things, individually but especially together, and that changes can spread very rapidly (the nonlocality principle). Creating a we-world? Yes we can, lets do it!

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Glossary Collective memory: The stored information of all that is and was, used and usable in the evolution of all that is and can be. Consciousness: That part of the self that is aware of the information received from its physical body; its bound and free energy and its sub-consciousness. Energy: A force or field capable of materialisation, information transfer and storage; the source of all that is. Higher-self: The energetic origin of the self; the free energy to which most of the bound energy of the self returns after death; an important player in our spiritual life. Materialisation: The phenomenon of energy becoming matter, responsible for our physical being. Science: A set of rules applied by scientists to decide whether results of experiments and observations are valid and describe the reality in contrast to the imaginary. other
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The

findings need to be accepted by experts representing

mainstream science.

Several facts

presented in this booklet have not yet passed this hurdle (for a number of non-scientific reasons). Self: The body of a human being and its bound energy, in continuous contact with the higher self. Sub-consciousness: That part of the self that is not aware of (not focused on) the information received from its physical body; its bound and free energy

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Recommended books for obtaining more information

Atwater, P. M. H. Beyond the Indigo Children: The New Children and the Coming of the Fifth World. Bear and Company. Bentov, Itzhak. Stalking the wild pendulum: on the meganism of consciousness. Destiny Books. Bolte Taylor, Jill. My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey. Viking. Braden, Gregg. The Divine Matrix. Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief. Hay House. Braden, Gregg. The Spontaneous Healing of Belief. Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits. Hay House. Bryson, Bill. A Short Story of Nearly Everything. Trans World Publishers. Dale, Cyndi. The subtle body. An Encyclopedia of your energetic body. Sounds True. Deatsman, Colleen, Bowersox, Paul. Seeing in the Dark: Claim Your Own. Shamanic Power Now and in the Coming Age. Red Wheel/Weiser. Goswami, Amit. Physics of the Soul: The Quantum Book of Living, Dying, Reincarnation, and Immortality. Hampton Roads Publishing Company. Goswami, Amit. How Quantum Activism Can Save Civilization: A Few People Can Change Human Evolution. Hampton Roads Publishing Company.
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Greene, Brian. The Hidden Reality. Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos. Alfred A. Knopf. Haisch, Bernard. The God Theory. Universes, Zero-Point Fields, and Whats behind It All. Weiser Books. Hanson, Rick. Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom. New Harbinger Publications. Jones, Marie D., Flaxman, Larry. The Resonance Key: Exploring the Links Between Vibration, Consciousness, and the Zero Point Grid. Laszlo, Ervin. Science and the Akshic Field. An Integral Theory of Everything. Inner Traditions. Lipton, Bruce. The Biology of Belief. Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles. Hay House. Lipton, Bruce, Steve Bhaerman. Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future (and a Way to Get There from Here). Hay House. McTaggart, Lynne. The Intention Experiment. Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World. Free Press. McTaggart, Lynne. The Bond. Connecting through the Space between us. Free Press. Multiple authors. Measuring the immeasurable. The scientific Case for Spirituality. Sounds True.

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Sheldrake, Rupert. The Sense of Being Stared At and Other Aspects of the Extended Mind. Three Rivers Press Sheldrake, Rupert. A New Science of Life. The Hypothesis of Formative Causation. Icon Books. Tucker, Jim. Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives. St. Martins Press. Wilcock, David. The Source Field Investigations: The Hidden Science and Lost Civilizations Behind the 2012 Prophecies. Dutton. Wolf, Fred Alan. Mind into Matter. A New Alchemy of Science and Spirit. Moment Point Press.

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About the author Mick was born in 1938 in the Netherlands, the son of a Protestant minister. While still quite young, he realised that his fathers religion did not allow sufficient freedom of thought and he started to seek answers to existential questions elsewhere. After his study of veterinary medicine, he specialised in food microbiology at the National Institute of Public Health and obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Utrecht. In 1980 he was engaged by a global food company in Switzerland, which gave him the opportunity to travel the world and meet people of many traditions and cultures. He worked in many professional organisations, conducted many training courses and has been teaching at the University of Wageningen, the Netherlands. He authored and co-authored over 150 scientific publications including several books. After his retirement, he had more time to continue his quest for understanding how things between heaven and earth work through reading and shamanic voyaging. results are condensed in this booklet. Contact: mickvanschot@hotmail.com The

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Acknowledgements I want to thank my brother Wanne for his comments and suggestions, my sister-in-law Kiek Heeg for improving the language of the booklet and my beach friend Claudia for looking at the physics. I am very grateful to my old colleague and friend Susan Jongeneel who did an excellent editing job. I also wish to thank many unknown people who have put their drawings and pictures for free on the Internet. If I took one for which I should have asked permission, I apologise. Finally, I thank my wife and children for their support and patience while listening to me when I tried to formulate my thoughts. MvS

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