A clear and suggestive reflection on the psychological and theological implications of quantum physics. ( )

Gregg's The Divine Matrix a wonderful book. However, you have to be careful as he refers to some studies as if they are fact when they're unverified in reality. Thus when you read the book you're often amazed at the connections he illustrates but then upon doing any research on the actual event referenced you find that it wasn't actually as solid as portrayed in the book. That doesn't necessarily make his claims unfounded, but caveat emptor! ( )

I read two books on virtually the same topic within days of each other: Lynne McTaggart's "The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe", and Gregg Braden's "The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles and Belief".

Both presented the scientific discoveries made in the last 20 years or so that support what most religious beliefs - whether held by millions or by individual tribal groups - have been saying all along, but with a caveat: those of us who are convinced that our individual beliefs trump everyone else's are in for a disappointment, those of us who believe we are all connected and are headed in the same direction no matter which path we're on are going to feel vindicated, and those of us who hold fervently to the "Us versus Them" worldview aren't going to be happy at all.

And then there are the amusing reactions of the scientists who first discovered that an observor's intent and expectations were the driving force behind their results, many of whom are still scratching their heads and saying, "That can't be right; there has to be a flaw in the data."

Reading the professional skeptics is of little use; they're equally if not more close-minded than some of the "I'll buy anything" crowd and I've seen some of them twist themselves into ridiculous pretzels to argue a point that makes no sense at all. So, I guess my final question after reading all of the scientific discoveries, investigations, theories and interpretations is: "Well? Is this true or isn't it?"

McTaggart is a good deal more scientific, and much more thorough in citing the studies she discusses than Braden, who is far more interested in the spiritual aspects of these discoveries.

But neither of them are proficient at coming up with suggestions as to how any of us can verify what they're proposing. Braden neatly summarizes his key points at the conclusion of his book without at any point offering suggestions for how anyone can "focus one's consciousness", for example. Meditation? Prayer? Frowning and squinting really, really hard? Chanting? An act of will? Clicking your heels together three times? Industrial-strength drugs? All of them combined? If you find mystic mumbo-jumbo to be unintelligible, Braden will give you a headache.

At heart, though, is the underlying accusation that all of us are responsible for everything. Maybe I'm missing some key redemptive point here, but if everything is connected and is a function of our joint conscious and subconscious intent, then why are we always so shocked at the relentless depravity of reality we see around us every single day? My intent is behind Bernie Madoff and his family stealing billions of dollars from charities and remaining free to steal still more? My intent is behind our new breed of mothers tossing their babies into lakes? My intent is behind September 11th? My intent is behind a network of evil, insane pedophiles? My intent is behind our completely unbalanced justice system?

Or - worse than all of that - my intent is behind Microsoft Windows Vista??? Oh - my - god. I don't deserve to live.

This "new science" may in fact be 100% true, but it doesn't make me feel very good. This is almost as bad as the previous scientific theory that we were all just "brain-machines". Now we're actively generating evil all over the world via our collective consciousness.

And if that's true, some specific instructions as to how to stop doing that when we're not consciously aware of it would be really helpful.