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Everyday
folks are realizing that they are not alone in contemplating
the nature of reality, exploring the convergence of science
and spirituality, and yearning for something more to the human
experience.
In
fact, What the Bleep filmmaker William Arntz
felt that there were "millions of closet metaphysicians in America,
just hungering for a movie like this." Movie industry insiders
told him there wasn't a market for this kind of innovation,
saying that he was committing "financial suicide". Fortunately
for us, Arntz ignored their discouraging pronouncements-and
this gem of a movie ended up becoming a box office phenomenon,
largely by overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth.
What
the Bleep Do We Know!? blends interviews with scientists, neurobiologists,
quantum physicists, with live action and wondrous special effects.
Oscar winner Marlee Matlin plays a jaded photographer named
Amanda who falls down a metaphysical rabbit hole. Through
a series of mind-bending events, Amanda is forced to confront
what she thought was reality-as well as the source of her boredom,
anxiety, and self-contempt.
In
light of quantum physics (which, in a nutshell, is the physics
of probabilities), the filmmakers explore the concept of multiple
realities existing at once. While parallel, alternate universes
are the stuff of Star Trek, this concept isn't so far fetched
considering scientists have produced a particle of light that
exists in two places at the same time (quantum entanglement).
Not only that, electrons and the nuclei of atoms completely
disappear and reappear all the time. Where do they go? If this
happens on an atomic level, what does this mean for the macro
level?
Rather
than reality happening to us, as the old model assumed, we are
happening to reality. The act of observation ... or "locking
into" something ... actually changes the nature of what is observed.
The act of choice eliminates all other probabilities. If this
is true at the quantum level, how do our choices affect-and
indeed, change-reality?
Everything "out there" is a projection
of our mind's elaborate theater, which is often the result of
complex neurobiology that happens "in here". With vibrant computer
animation and lucid scientific explanations, we are shown what
happens when cells are consistently bathed in neurochemicals
produced by habitual emotions: emotional addiction. "If we can
be addicted to heroin, we can be addicted to any neuropeptide
(emotion)", says one scientist. Another scientist asserts: "Who
is in the driver's seat when we control our emotions or respond
to emotions? We know physiologically that nerve cells that fire
together rewire together. If you practice something over and
over, those nerve cells have a long-term relationship." In other
words, if you get angry on a daily basis ... or feel like a
victim ... you are literally re-wiring your neural net to the
point of creating an "identity". The good news is that "every
time we interrupt the thought process that produces a chemical
response in the body, they start breaking the long-term relationship."
So
what does this have to do with the nature of reality? It comes
back to choice.
We
draw in from the "quantum field"
according to our intention.
If
this is true of the individual, what of the assumptions of a
culture? Every generation has many hidden assumptions that history
ahs proven to be untrue (such as the idea that the Earth is
flat). Many of these assumptions are so ingrained, we take them
for granted as "the truth". Asking questions like "Why am I
here? Where am I going? Who am I? What happens when I die?"-the
questioning of reality and how things "have always been done"
- i.e. Becoming the "observer" (as opposed to an unconscious
reactionary) can result in paradigm shifts, "aha!" moments,
and personal change.
Contemplating
a new way of thinking or seeing is tricky, however. A fascinating
story that's demonstrated in What the Bleep is that of Christopher
Columbus visiting the indigenous people of South America. Because
clipper ships were totally out of the realm of their reality,
these people could not see the ships on the horizon. One day,
the tribal shaman realized there were ripples coming towards
shore. He knew that something must be causing those ripples...but
what? Day after day he strained to see, until one day, he finally
saw the ships approaching. His people couldn't see them, until
he described to them what he saw. Because they trusted him,
they could now see the ships with their own eyes.
This
story illustrates the principle that we can only see in our
brain what we're able to see. In fact, we only see what we believe
is possible. Perhaps this explains why mystics can see angels
and other realities: for them, believing is seeing. Biologically,
the brain processes 400 billion bits of information per second,
but is only aware of 2,000 bits at any one time-usually information
about our environment, body, and time. Just what is the brain
perceiving that we are not "seeing" or integrating?
Whether
you agree with the ideas presented in the movie is not the point.
If individuals at least contemplate an alternative perspective-then
this movie will have succeeded. What the Bleep Do We Know!?
doesn't tell you what to think, but simply offers ideas and
theories for your consideration. At the very least, it opens
up a dialogue between people. And, perhaps, if people start
talking to one another - especially about concepts like reality,
Intentionality, spirituality, choice, and human potential -
there will be enough cracks in individual and collective assumptions
to make way for ideas never before considered as possible.
Excerpts/Edited
from Amazon.com
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