The Romance of Reality is a book that explores how the universe organizes itself to create life, consciousness, and cosmic complexity. It was written by Bobby Azarian Ph.D., a neuroscientist who has been published in the New York Times, Scientific American and The Atlantic, as well as journals such as Cognition & Emotion and Human Brain Mapping. He studies neuroscience as it relates to psychology, often analyzing these connections to help us better understand the behaviors we witness in popular culture.
Should you choose to hear The Romance of Reality as an audiobook, it will expose you to over ten hours of mind bending biology and physics. It requires some heavy lifting for the brain; chapters focus on the emergence of life on Earth, natural selection and knowledge creation, and integrated evolutionary synthesis, amongst other hefty topics. While I cannot claim to fully understand each and every aspect that is described within the book, I have been able to grasp general ideas and concepts after taking the time to slowly wrap my brain around them.
The math that supports these concepts has always been out of my reach, but I enjoy pondering the ideas that describe the universe, how it seems to work, and our role within it. The aspect that I find the most alluring is how, by branching out from the laws that govern the tangible world around us, we can begin to explore seemingly magical qualities like the mind-body mystery or free will. My curiosity turned into delight when I discovered, upon reaching the final chapter titled Transcendence and Enlightenment, that it contained a hidden treasure I’ve been hunting for, even if I hadn’t realized it until now.
Science is not only compatible with spirituality, it is a profound source of spirituality. -Carl Sagan
There is room for wonder and adventure within the confines of science. While many may feel that science and the concepts of religion or spirituality are separate from one another, there are scientists who tend to disagree. It seems to be entirely possible that the path to enlightenment meanders through the forest of scientific discovery. Both Sagan and Albert Einstein believed that a cosmic perspective could be the “religion” of the future. Sagan said that a religion that stressed the magnificence of the universe as revealed by modern science might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths.
This is a compelling suggestion considering our current manifestation of religion. While it certainly does achieve good, it also leads us to conflict and hoarding of resources or wealth. Evidence of this statement can be found in witnessing the conflict that currently rages in the middle east or the excessive collection of art and wealth held by the Vatican. Neither of these are examples that represent a collective benefit for mankind, they simply illustrate policies that favor a small number of individuals. Indoctrination into any specific religion separates us from one another, which moves us further away from the idea of a cosmic perspective.
Under a cosmic perspective, however, there would be no room for us verses them. There would only be consideration for us, consideration for achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
Knowledge is enlightenment, knowledge is transcendence, and knowledge is power. -Bobby Azarian
If we look at our current situation, we can see that knowledge is not trending. We live in a soundbite world. We live in echo chambers. We are not digging for the truth, in fact we are often burying it under narratives. Truth speakers of today tend to be controversial and are often censored by those with different beliefs. This is concerning as it moves us further from gaining a cosmic prospective that would be required to advance as a global society. Those who wage war on information, truth and knowledge cannot hide that they do so to preserve power for a select few.
This leads us to the hidden treasure I alluded to a few paragraphs ago. I do not want to mess this up, so I am providing a direct quote from the book: “A 2017 survey of over 600 people found that psychedelic experiences, by dissolving ones ego and ideological framework, reliably shifted people’s political beliefs and attitudes towards ones that could be described as more compassionate and progressive. Specifically, individuals became more opposed to authoritarianism, more concerned with the wellbeing of others and of nature. So, things like scientific enlightenment and higher states of consciousness naturally bring us closer to the cosmic perspective by revealing the interconnected nature of our society.”
I am always on the lookout for potential solutions to challenges we face. It is easy to identify problems, but difficult to envision ways to solve them.
I certainly would not presume to have all the answers, but I do think the lack of critical thinking in our society is the root of our troubles. I also believe that there is a connection between science and consciousness. And ultimately, I believe that until humans put their petty disagreements aside to realize they are all brothers and sisters, all Earthlings, there will be no significant progress. We must evolve beyond greed, hatred and war, and we must reevaluate our concept of religion. We must shed our differences should we wish to prosper.
By combining the beliefs I’ve outlined above with recent developments I’ll note below, you may begin to see why I was so dramatically affected by the inclusion of psychedelics in a science book essentially exploring the nature of consciousness.
We have seen a growing interest in and awareness of the use of psychedelics for treating depression and PTSD. The use of psychedelics and their effects on us is openly being studied now; in the past, merely mentioning their potential was taboo. The idea of legalizing them has become more commonly accepted. Am I crazy, or could there be something to this?
As a species, we are at a crossroads. We are on the brink of nuclear war. We are on the brink of a financial meltdown. We are on the brink of falling into a dystopian paradigm. It excites me to wonder if we may also be on the brink of escaping these potentially devastating outcomes. Could psychedelics be the key to opening the door to a cosmic perspective? Is this a potential tool we can use to elevate ourselves to a higher level of understanding and communion? It may not be the key to every door, but the author seems to suggest that there is good reason to further research the potential that psychedelics may have on our consciousness, both as individuals and as a society.
This book sounds outstanding! My belief is that psychedelics may hold the key to collective enlightenment. I know that they have helped me overcome depression and have provided a whole new sense of faith that is too new to even discuss yet.