Editorial, by Valentina Onisor, MD, PhD,
My collaborator, Amit Goswami, PhD, once posed the question, “What is happiness?” to two renowned psychologists, Stan Krippner and Joan Borysenko, and their responses were intriguing. Krippner viewed happiness as observable signs or “pointers.” For instance, if someone is smiling or shaking hands after earning money, it suggests they are happy or satisfied. However, he felt he avoided a deeper exploration, simply pointing to external cues that may or may not truly reflect inner happiness.
Borysenko, on the other hand, took a different perspective. She suggested that happiness is our natural state, but we frequently block it—like clouds obscuring the sun. Removing these “clouds” could help restore our inherent happiness.
Interestingly, materialists often equate happiness with pleasure. Johnny Carson once quipped, “Happiness is a dry martini.” This reflects the idea that pleasure, driven by dopamine, defines happiness. But is happiness merely a molecular phenomenon? Surely, there is more to it.
In exploring quantum science, Amit and I both sought to better define happiness. When are we genuinely happy? A common answer is when we love. Love expands our consciousness, creating a profound connection. Quantum science explains this as a “quantum leap” into an expanded state of awareness.
While working on The Quantum Brain, Amit and I revisited these ideas. Our earlier theory, detailed in The Self-Aware Universe, proposed that consciousness manifests in two stages. The first is a rare, pure experience of the “quantum self,” characterized by unconditioned, non-local awareness where communication transcends signals. This expanded consciousness connects us deeply with others without exchanging signals. The second stage is the ego, a contracted state that limits this connection except in rare phenomena like psychic experiences.
Recent discoveries revealed the existence of a pre-conscious state, occurring about half a second of preconscious reflection. This state acts as a bridge between the expansive quantum self and the limitations of the ego. Remarkably, meditation can reduce this half-second gap, making happiness more accessible. By meditating, engaging in meaningful activities, loving, and being kind, we can develop brain circuits that sustain pre-conscious awareness, enabling us to experience happiness more frequently.
This pre-conscious state is a key to happiness for ordinary people. By consistently practicing positive habits, we can rewire our brains to dwell in this state more often. Sunita Pathani and Amit Goswami have even developed, while working on their book, The quantum psychology and the science of happiness, a “happiness scale,” ranging from level 0 (psychosis) to level 1 (neurotic recovery), level 2 (normalcy), and level 2+ (positive mental health). Abraham Maslow and the field of positive psychology have explored these levels, but the most profound shift occurs when we make a quantum leap.
Balancing negative emotions with positive ones through meditation and mindfulness can bring emotional equanimity—a hallmark of enlightenment, as emphasized in spiritual texts like the Bhagavad Gita. This equanimity marks the beginning of enlightenment and becomes the test for further progress, let’s call it level 3 of happiness. The more emotionally balanced we become, the higher we climb the ladder toward wholeness—a state free of conflict.
Quantum science refers to this ultimate state as “quantum enlightenment” or “supramental intelligence,” borrowing from Aurobindo’s terminology. It represents a shift from seeing happiness as mere molecular pleasure to understanding it as a capacity we can cultivate and embody. By embracing this perspective, we can achieve greater happiness and fulfilment in life.
In this issue of the journal we have published five articles.
1.Anahata Chakra Practice To Understand Higher Physiology Of The Heart. A Case Report. In the book Quantum integrative medicine, Amit Goswami, PhD, and I have proposed that quantum leaps at the heart produce higher physiology at the heart chakra organs. Sangeeta Nehra, PhD, Ayurvedic physician has empirically verified this idea in this article.
2. Consciousness Calling: Quantum Agency of a Universe in the Making. Patrick Corsi, PhD, has a playful article on the relevance of quantum science and quantum worldview over the current craze about the materialist worldview based on information and artificial intelligence,
3. A Spiritual / Quantum View of Humanity’s History. Amit Goswami, PhD and Greg Kern, MA, provide us with a spiritual history of humanity based on recent anthropological and archaeological data and quantum science.
4. Hypnotherapy: Reframing and Clearing Past Traumas. In this article, Psychologist Cecilia Frei, MA, examines applications of quantum psychology to the phenomenon of hypnosis.
5. Quantum Gerontology – Application of Quantum Integrative Medicine. Finally, last, but not least, Amit and I have explored quantum gerontology: quantum integrative medicine applied to elderly people.
For more on quantum science, take a look at our transformative courses at cqaedu.com, where we explore these ideas in levels of depth – we offer Certifications, Masters’, PhD in quantum science of health, prosperity and happiness. The courses are fully online for the four types of certification. The advanced degrees are also taught entirely online, with a significant annual 10-day intensive proximity requirement component in Jaipur, India, where we put in practice all the quantum principles.
Together with my entire team, we wish you a wonderful 2025, filled with meaning and happiness!