The Universal Mind and You

Have you ever heard the term “the Universal Mind?” It refers to a single, unified consciousness out of which all other consciousness arises—yours included.

The idea of a Universal Mind describes an energy field or life force which permeates all of creation. The philosophers who supported the concept of a universal mind, including the Greek pre-Socratic thinker Anaxagoras and the German philosopher Hegel, wrote that the Universal Mind contained all reality and thought—that all knowledge which has ever existed or will ever exist lies within the Universal Mind. 

Ancient philosophies and religions often understood this consciousness as God, Allah, Chi, Brahman, etc. Baha’is, however, see this source as the all-knowing, all-powerful, and loving series of God’s messengers, ever-present throughout history and in our lives: 

This is the Ocean out of which all seas have proceeded, and with which every one of them will ultimately be united. From Him all the Suns have been generated, and unto Him they will all return. Through His potency the Trees of Divine Revelation have yielded their fruits, every one of which hath been sent down in the form of a Prophet, bearing a Message to God’s creatures in each of the worlds whose number God, alone, in His all-encompassing knowledge, can reckon. – Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 104.

The “Ocean” of those divine messengers, including Abraham, Krishna, Buddha, Moses, Christ, Muhammad and most recently Baha’u’llah, bring humanity the spiritual teachings of the Creator, creating a continuing Universal Mind open to the consciousness of every person.

Genesis 1:26-27 states that “God created man in His own image,” which suggests that within each of us lie the potential attributes of God and the seeds of everything we will ever need or desire. If our mind seeks oneness with the Universal Mind, however, we must harness these spiritual gifts through a life of joy, devotion and service to humanity. Our lives can potentially testify to the virtues of God which lay hidden within us, if we follow God’s prophets. In this manner, the Baha’i teachings say, we access the Universal Mind and all of the treasures of this world:

… the universal divine Intellect, which transcends nature, is the outpouring grace of the pre-existent Power. It encompasses all existing realities and receives its share of the lights and mysteries of God. … the heavenly intellectual power, which is beyond nature, encompasses, knows and comprehends all things; is aware of the divine mysteries, truths and inner meanings: and discovers the hidden verities of the Kingdom. This divine intellectual power is confined to the holy Manifestations and the Daysprings of prophethood. – Abdu’l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, newly revised edition, p. 251.

It stands to reason that in the Universal Mind, if a problem exists, so must a solution. Within the Universal Mind lies untapped creativity and potential waiting to be made manifest. Unlimited possibilities beyond our wildest dreams await. Innovative ideas, inventions, and discoveries are ready to come into the world of existence. Our job: to remove the barriers that prevent us from accessing the limitless knowledge of an ever-pervasive consciousness:

Let us listen to a symphony which will confer life on man; then we can obtain universal results; then we shall receive a new spirit; then we shall become illumined. Let us investigate a song which is above all songs; one which will develop the spirit and produce harmony and exhilaration, unfolding the inner potentialities of life.

Whenever the sun of reality dawns, the lower sphere expresses the virtues of the highest world. – Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, pp. 77-78.

We live in societies that thrive on fear and the illusion of separation, but the Baha’i Faith emphasizes the oneness of humanity as a remedy to the social ills impeding humanity’s progress. By remembering our interconnectedness, we can more readily connect with that Universal Mind. Ultimately, we either operate from a place of fear or love. Love is and has always been the answer. Surrendering to love creates miracles and reminds us that we are not alone. Whether you wish to tap into the power of the Universal Mind or are seeking God, remember that you represent an all-loving energy from which you were created:

Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation. – Abdu’l-Baha, Selections From the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 27.