‘The Universe is immaterial — mental and spiritual. Live, and enjoy.’
― Richard Conn Henry, ‘the mental Universe’

● Professor Richard Conn Henry, in his article in Nature, argues that quantum mechanics reveals we live in a mental universe, where reality depends on observation by an observer. This perspective challenges the materialistic view that reality exists independently of observation.

● Henry argues that matter emerges from the act of observation, making consciousness central to the existence of the universe.

● While most physicists reject this mental universe theory, considering it alien to everyday physics, Henry and proponents believe it represents a significant paradigm shift, transforming our understanding of existence and the nature of reality.

In 2005, the leading British science magazine Nature featured a publication by Richard Conn Henry entitled ‘The mental Universe’. In it, the professor of physics and astrology at Johns Hopkins University wrote that quantum mechanics has shown us – irrevocably – that we are living in a mental, not a physical universe.

By mental universe, the professor means that for the universe to exist, it must be observed by an observer. This is the opposite view of materialism that states that the universe is always there and observation is merely a passive activity. In the materialistic view, observers are not required for reality to be there, and – in fact – emerge from this material reality themselves. The mental universe turns this around; spacetime and matter emerge out of observer-participants.

Is Henry serious? Has the proof for the existence of an immaterial soul truly been established? Or is this just some confused professor who is grossly misinterpreting his own field of study? But if so, why would a major scientific publication post his article? Nature imposes exceptionally strict requirements on the content it publishes, and they wouldn’t accept an article unless it had substantial merit.

In his outlandish essay, Henry explains that Galileo Galilei not only managed to believe the unbelievable himself – that the earth revolves around the sun – but also convinced almost everyone else that this was the case. An amazing feat. Today we face a similar shift in worldview, the professor proclaims. And one that puts man again from an insignificant side effect of nature back into the center of the universe. The material world we think we perceive is not fundamental. It does not exist outside of our experience, but is generated moment by moment in our shared consciousness. There is never anything that is solid. All that is really ‘out there’ (space, time and matter) is a dynamic, mentally controlled process.

Picture: Essay The mental Universe (Nature, 2005)

Some quantum pioneers have suspected this is the case since the beginning of the study of atomic and subatomic particles, but we now know – or should know – for sure. Experiment after experiment shows that there is in fact nothing material if we do not observe it with our minds. What we consider to be the ‘outside world’ is actually totally intertwined with the one who investigates this outer world.

Picture: Mysteries of the Quantum Universe (Mathieu Burniat en Thibault Damour, 2020)

But, writes Henry, our time has not yet produced a Galileo who has convinced himself and mankind of this crazy realization. There are, however, a number of excellent candidates for this role whose visions and research I will discuss in detail on this platform. They include Robert Lanza, Donald Hoffman and Thomas Campbell. Like Henry, these respected scientists are convinced that the observer – who has been mostly ignored by mainstream science – is absolutely crucial in manifesting our reality. We will call this model on this website ‘the mental universe’ or ‘biocentrism’ (the theory of biocentrism, discussed in a later essay, is a much more elaborate description than Henry’s, but argues for the same thing).

So do most physicists agree with Henry’s suggestion? Definitely not. The professor himself writes this about it: ‘The more recent physics revolution of the past 80 years has yet to transform general public understanding in a similar way (as in Galileo Galilei’s time, ed.). Physicists have not yet followed Galileo’s example, and convinced everyone of the wonders of quantum mechanics. As Sir Arthur Eddington explained: “It is difficult for the matter-of-fact physicist to accept the view that the substratum of everything is of mental character.” Physicists shy from the truth because the truth is so alien to everyday physics.’

So most physicists cling to the material viewpoint and that is fine, but as you have probably noticed by what I wrote so far, I am 100% on board with Henry. And I have created this platform Free-Consciousness to improve the understanding of this new worldview a little bit (including my own!). Because I am convinced that this shift is The Big One. And because this is truly a major paradigm shift, it will take humanity a long time to accept it.

Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642)

Picture: Pixabay (fszalai)

A while ago, I was sitting in a bar with a colleague (I am an editor for a business publisher in the Netherlands) and we were about to get kicked out at closing time. I told him: “When we and the other customers and bartender are gone, this bar itself will be gone as well until a living observer enters the building in the morning.” The guy thought I was nuts. He just couldn’t believe it. It is difficult to grasp because it seems to contradict our everyday view of reality.

Reality may appear solid, but it is more akin to a broadcast, with our minds serving as both the broadcasters and the experiencers of these projected realities. There isn’t a single, unified world; instead, each observer experiences a unique reality. These realities are different yet interconnected, as there is no true separation between individuals. We are all facets of the same conscious entity. The universe unfolds as a series of experiences, playing out within the framework of perceived time. All reality is, therefore, observed. As strange as it may seem, there is no objective world existing independently of us – it exists only because we are observing. The universe comes with observers included.[1]

The realization that ‘things’ consist of nothing more than our own mental projections is a tough, but very important realization. Important, because it can teach us who we really are and why we are here in the first place.

To summarize, the mental universe theory – on this platform also referred to as biocentrism – proposes that:

➥ There is no external world that exists independently of animal observers. Reality is a process occurring in our entangled minds.

➥ Space and time are forms of animal perception: they have no independent existence.[2]

➥ What appears to be the history of the world is created in the present moment. Time is a mental algorithm that belongs to the observer.

➥ Your body – like any object made of matter – is not fundamentally ‘real’. Your body is your mind’s vehicle to navigate the spacetime domain.

➥ In a mental universe, absolute death doesn’t exist either.

In the essays that follow, these rather bold statements will be explained in more detail.

But before we begin, there is another small matter to attend to…

1. I am aware of the objection that what I am saying cannot be the case because the universe has been there way longer than living observers. The rebuttal of this objection can be read in the Q&A section.

2. Lanza, R., Berman, B. Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe. Dallas: BenBella Books, 2010