Consciousness as a Manifestation of the Soul of the Universe
PsyArXiv June 19, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/rzc8j_v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Cosmic consciousness Universal consciousness Global consciousness Collective consciousness Cosmic awareness Universal mind World soul Anima mundi Metaphysics Philosophy of reality Ontology Nature of existence Fundamental reality Philosophical inquiry Esotericism Spiritual philosophy Inner wisdom Cosmic spirituality Mind-body problem Nature of consciousness Awareness theory |
| Key points | Proposes that consciousness is not an epiphenomenon of the brain but a manifestation of a universal spiritual field, the soul of the Universe. Argues that consciousness is remembered rather than generated and shared rather than personal, and that mystical experience serves as a form of epistemology. |
Abstract
Consciousness is traditionally viewed as a by-product of neurophysiological processes. This work proposes an alternative hypothesis: consciousness is not an epiphenomenon of the brain, but a manifestation of a universal spiritual field — the soul of the Universe. The study integrates concepts from quantum physics, information theory, phenomenology, and transpersonal psychology to offer a holistic paradigm of consciousness. We suggest that consciousness is not generated, but remembered; not personal, but shared. Through this lens, mystical experience becomes a form of epistemology, and subjectivity reflects the deeper field of existence.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |