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Coherent consciousness refers to the phenomenon where multiple individuals share a unified mental state, characterized by aligned thoughts, intentions and cognitive processes. Recent advances in neuroscientific research have highlighted the relevance of brain wave synchronization, where collaborative individuals have similar patterns of neural activity. 

Unified consciousness allows those individuals to reap the advantages of mirror neurons, letting collective creativity prosper. Consciousness as a unified experience is the notion that our experiences and perceptions form a cohesive and continuous reality. All the sensory information, knowledge and environment that we are exposed to, shape our cognition. 

There are multitude of parameters that define our cognitive process, and on this edifice, it is easy to conclude that outcomes of diverse individual cognitive processes are idiosyncratic and unique. When these diverse idiosyncratic cognitive processes merge, they form a unified field of consciousness—a creativity pool with unprecedented levels of creativity and highly enhanced problem solving. 

Neuroscience of like-minded thinking

Mirror neurons and shared mental models play a crucial role in shaping the thoughts of like-minded individuals. It can cause mirrored yawning, which is contagious. When we watch someone yawn, events of us repeating or responding to the person with the same behavior are likely. When a friend of yours cracks a joke in class—though it is not that funny and isn’t worth uncontrollable laughter—you will likely be in a situation of losing control of your behavior and responding to the situation with laughter; this laughing contagion traverses the entire class, and the person sitting on the first desk—totally unaware of the cause of laughter—responds to the circumstance with laughter too.

Mirror neurons’ ability for collective mental states could transcend to a higher degree of cognition. A friend of mine and I were working on a graph theory problem for hours—we lost count of time. Being exposed to one another’s thought process for over two years and, very recently, working on the same project trying to optimize the shortest path between two junctions, our brain could not be called anything other than synchronized brains. We didn’t have to communicate to change a line of code on our computer; no communications were required to increase junction density at specific areas; we both had the same thing in our minds, and at this point, the communication was as if made telepathically. The cognitive productivity becomes superior with diverse thoughts contributed in coherence to a single idea; the result was produced after traversing through diverse concepts of the field and aligning to multitude of theories that one puts forth. 

Advantages of coherent consciousness

The world’s best universities tend to invest tremendously in increasing diversity on campus. The reason for this is to bring ideas, backgrounds, identities, and many more from around the different corners of the world. When diverse and unique cognitive processes, fed with idiosyncratic data, bundled together, forming collective creativity, there is a pooling of creative aura. 

These universities, which are able to achieve coherence out of diversity, reap the advantage of increased creativity due to more dynamic exchange of ideas, innovative solutions, efficient problem solving, etc. They achieve strengthened social bonds, which in turn help prosper more collaboration and develop a familial environment on campus. As a result, they have the highest research activity, the highest number of publications, and the highest scholarly productivity.

Corporations tend to invest huge amounts of time and capital in their workforce to build collective intelligence. They organize multiple programs that demand collaboration, either through recreation or corporate tasks. Formation of collective awareness helps employees to not only build better social relations but also streamline decision-making and help maximize performance with productive collaboration.

Coherent consciousness transcends the limitation of geography

There are numerous examples of inventions that occurred nearly simultaneously by multiple individuals working independently on similar ideas or inventions. Most notably, the formulation of calculus is a prime instance of this phenomenon. Both Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz developed the principles of calculus in the late 17th century, each working independently of the other. Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray both filed patents for the telephone in 1876. Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace independently formulated the theory of natural selection in the 1850s. There are many more such examples, including the discovery of oxygen, X-rays, the law of conservation of energy, the Krebs cycle, etc. Even before the globalized era, most of the independent inventions occurred nearly at the same point in time.

Global coherent consciousness for world peace and advances in humanity 

One of the pioneers of the idea of a unified field of consciousness is the founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM), Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The transcendental meditation technique is proven to have significant neural activity amelioration in a person. It is claimed to enhance individual consciousness for better collective consciousness and strengthen conscious bonds in a unified field. A key aspect of Maharishi’s theory is the notion of “super radiance,” a phenomenon suggesting that a small percentage of the population engaging in TM can influence collective consciousness on a larger scale.

On a global scale, there are multiple efforts for global coherence; for instance, in Dec 2023, nearly 11,000 participants from 139 countries congregated in Hyderabad, India, for the “10,000 for World Peace” assembly to reap advantage of coherent consciousness in achieving global ambitions of peace. Many scientific symposiums, conventions, etc. tend to bring global effort for achieving global ambition via global coherent consciousness. For instance, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), CERN, Geneva, Switzerland is the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, which is home to about the majority of theoretical particle physicists on this planet. The idea of concentrating professionals from around the world is to unify the consciousness of the brilliant minds to support the progress of particle physics. 

In a nutshell, the notion of consciousness is the subject of neuroscience and spirituality together. The idea of coherent consciousness is experienced by people around the globe in their daily routine; there are tremendous examples of global coherence and efforts to manifest this novel idea. This is the pathway for continuing the progress of the most powerful cognitive being on earth. Collaboration and teamwork habits should be developed in students right from kindergarten to achieve new heights for the progress of the human race. Diverse consciousness should be coalesced to pool creativity from around the globe for achieving global ambitions of prosperity for humanity.

Manish Adhikari

St Xavier’s College, Maitighar 

The 4th Chelsea Inter-School Road Race witnessed an impressive display of young talent, with students from various schools across the Kathmandu Valley competing in a 4.7 km race. The event brought together both boys’ and girls’ teams in a spirited competition, with Budhanilkantha School emerging as the overall champion.

High-profile guests, including Mohd Firdaus Azman, Charge’d Affairs from the Embassy of Malaysia, graced the event. In his address, Azman encouraged the participants to pursue excellence, emphasizing the importance of hard work and dedication. Also present were Sannani Lama, Deputy Mayor of Gokarneswor Municipality, Nandalal Shrestha, Ward Chairperson of Gokarneswor-8, Baikuntha Manandhar, Olympian and South Asian marathon record holder, and Kiran Chemjong, captain of Nepal’s national football team. Additionally, officials such as Raju Pandey, Deputy Superintendent of Police from Boudha Police Station, Rajesh Karki, Senior Sub-Inspector from Gokarneswor Police Station, and Jitendra Shrestha, Chief of Jorpati Traffic Police, were in attendance. Representatives from the Nepal Athlete Association and a medical team from Nepal Medical College and Hospital ensured the event ran smoothly and safely.

The competition highlighted the athletic prowess of the students, with the top ten finishers in both the boys’ and girls’ categories showcasing exceptional talent. In the boys’ category, the top performers included Hasta Sunwar from Bright Horizon School, Anuj Mahat from Kankali Secondary School, and Bibek Lama from Budhanilkantha School. The girls’ category saw Sushma Yadav from Budhanilkantha School, Divyata Bhandari from Brihaspati Vidyasadan, and Sushna Thapa from Bright Horizon School leading the pack.

The event culminated with Budhanilkantha School being named the Champion School, a fitting recognition for their dominance in both boys’ and girls’ categories. The race was a memorable celebration of sportsmanship and young athletic talent, further elevated by the presence of distinguished guests and the fierce competitive spirit displayed by all participants.

Imagine you are standing in the supermarket pondering the choice between two brands of biscuits. In any case, this shouldn’t be a big problem because you’ll choose the one that tastes best, or if you want to be economical, you’ll choose the one that is less expensive. But inside this seemingly inconsequential choice lies a lattice of intricate neural processes that neuroeconomics—the field of intersection of neuroscience, economics, and psychology—has been working to unravel.

For more than decades, human choices were thought to be solely influenced by self-interest, curiosity, and the desire to maximize benefit, as explained by traditional theory of economics. In another way, it was inferred that human beings are rational; it is anything but. Today, the field of neuroeconomics is emerging to explain how the brain responds to decision-making and how that mechanism occurs. How can the two completely different fields—Neuroscience and Economics—intersect, and what does that intersecting point imply? This article tries to explain this phenomenon.

What happens in the brain when we try to make a decision?

Understanding the structure and function of the brain is one of the most perplexing yet intriguing aspects of modern science. While most people know the general functions of the brain: memory, balance, perceptions, emotions, personality, and so on, very few people understand how the decision-making process happens in the brain, ranging from simpler customer choices to stupendous financial investments. The emergence of tools such as electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) provides crucial information about what happens in the brain when we make decisions. The discovery of the brain’s reward system props up our understanding along with these tools. Studies have found that the parts of the brain—the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the striatum—play crucial roles in decision-making. When making decisions, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) helps evaluate and integrate various factors, such as costs and benefits. The striatum signals the brain’s expectation of reward, influencing whether we perceive the choice as satisfying or not. The perfect balance between these organs is what decision-making is about.

What drives us to make choices that align with our best interests, and why do we sometimes make decisions that go against them?

There is one famous theory behind its science called ‘reward error prediction theory’, which explains how the brain reacts when our expectations fall short or when our expectations exceed. It says that if we expected the profit from the investment, but unfortunately if we didn’t get it, the brain sends the negative signal. Conversely, when we receive a reward, i.e., our expectations meet or exceed, the brain releases a large amount of dopamine—a neurotransmitter linked with pleasure and reward—motivating us to make riskier or emotionally attacked decisions, such as buying luxury items despite having little money or chasing a stock market on high stakes.

What role do emotions play in decision-making?

Traditional economic theories treated the emotions as unwanted distractions; however, the emergence of neuroeconomics says that emotions play a huge role in the decision-making process. There is a peanut-sized organ called the amygdala on our brain whose functions are 100 times superior to its size, as it is the major processing center of emotions. For example, if you fear loss, the amygdala is triggered, and it stops you from making risky decisions. In one of the neuroeconomic studies, the participants were given the option of choosing between guaranteed small payouts and unguaranteed large payouts. Brain scans revealed that when participants chose guaranteed payouts, amygdala was more active. This explains the extent to which emotions play a role in decision-making, which looks miniscule but is, in reality, a much more complex phenomenon.

Why is the knowledge of neuroeconomics important among Nepali people and leaders?

Though not a single university in Nepal has neuroeconomics as their education program, it is fundamental to understand the concept of neuroeconomics in the context of Nepal. It is quite straightforward that many Nepalese people prioritize short-term benefits over long-term investments, like education and entrepreneurship. Understanding neuroeconomics can explain why people prioritize short-term benefits. In addition to this, Nepal has a plethora of breathtakingly rural parts, particularly in the midwestern and hilly areas. In such areas, decision-making is heavily influenced by traditions, social cohesion, and emotions; expanding the concept of neuroeconomics can increase the financial literacy among such groups of people. Today, the trend of involvement in the financial stock market is increasing among Nepali people. The neuroeconomics can explain why some people take unnecessary risks and why some people don’t. It can also explain why many Nepalese leaders are emotionally driven in implementing large financial-based projects and how it has affected the country’s economy.

Although neuroeconomics is still a young study, it has contributed much to economic theory and psychology. By expanding the knowledge of neural mechanisms on decision-making, simple or complex, it has explained behavioral choices, investment ideas, and financial-based policy. From cognitive biases to error prediction theory, and from the brain reward system to the amygdala's role on emotions, neuroeconomics offers new insights in the fields of cognitive science, psychology, and economics, which in the near future could explain everything from public policy to international relations. As a country navigating through economic disparities and financial illiteracy, neuroeconomics can certainly increase the financial literacy at the individual and national level and can also help the government make more rational policy. 

Ashish Banjara

St Xavier’s College, Maitighar

Nepal’s approach to mental health care is a tragic comedy of errors, a patchwork of underfunded programs, neglected policies, and insufficient services that barely scratch the surface of a growing crisis. Take Patan Mental Hospital, for example. It is the country’s only government-run mental hospital with as little as 50 beds, and is overburdened with the rising number of patients requiring inpatient care. As a result, individuals with severe conditions such as alcohol dependence syndrome, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia are often turned away due to the lack of available beds. This is a dire situation, considering that mental health problems are becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a country where mental illness is still widely viewed as a result of bad karma, and the mentally ill are often subjected to stigmatization and abuse, the state of psychiatric care is nothing short of a human rights disaster.

The main root of this problem is however glaringly obvious: Nepal’s mental health sector is woefully underfunded. Various health forums reveal approximately 30 percent of Nepal’s population suffers from some form of mental health issue, yet over 90 percent of these individuals lack access to appropriate mental health services. This disparity is further exacerbated by the government’s negligible investment in mental health, which receives less than one percent of the total healthcare budget. This lack of funding perpetuates a cycle of inadequate services, leading to dire consequences for those who genuinely need help the most. Similarly, it has also been estimated that the number of psychiatrists in the country is as low as 144 while the number of psychologists in private practice is estimated to be around 30. This statistic is not something to be proud of; it’s an indictment of a system that has consistently failed its most vulnerable citizens.

This is not just a healthcare crisis; it is a human rights crisis. The lack of political will, combined with deep-seated stigma and cultural attitudes amongst people, means that mental health issues will remain on the back burner. Even when action plans are proposed, they are often crippled by insufficient funding, inadequate infrastructure, and bureaucratic incompetence. The government’s neglect has condemned people to suffer in silence, with little to no hope of recovery or social rehabilitation. Without significant reform, Nepal’s mental health crisis will continue to be sidelined, leaving an already vulnerable population even further behind. 

So what can the government do? For starters, let’s talk about funding. Currently, Nepal invests a negligible portion of its budget to this critical area, a figure that pales in comparison to other expenditures. By reallocating even a modest percentage of the funds currently allocated as “miscellaneous expenses,” the government could make substantial progress in addressing the mental health crisis. This additional funding could support the recruitment of more mental health professionals, establishment of new treatment centers, and the expansion of important facilities like the Mental Hospital in Patan. 

But beyond throwing money at the problem, there’s a need for a cultural shift. Discussion among people about mental health must be normalized. The government, alongside NGOs and INGOs, must take charge in education and awareness programs that destigmatize mental illness and seek help. More importantly, every school should incorporate mental health education into their curriculum from primary classes itself. 

More importantly, the government should draft and implement a separate and comprehensive mental health policy that addresses the entire spectrum of mental health care, from prevention to treatment to rehabilitation. It should not only improve psychiatric services but also integrate mental health into primary care, so that a visit to the local health post includes a mental health screening as well.

Another area for improvement is the training and retention of mental health professionals. The government should provide scholarships or some sort of incentives for students pursuing psychiatry or psychology which will help reduce the shortage of professionals in the field as it motivates other students to join the field as well. Furthermore, providing continuous training for existing health care workers would ensure that they are able to handle mental health issues competently.

Similarly, in today’s hyper connected world, tele-psychiatry and online counseling services would be a game changer in a country where many people live in remote areas with limited access to transportation and health care facilities. The government or the concerned stakeholders should consider partnering with tech companies that are able to develop and promote these kinds of services, making mental health care more accessible to those who need it.

It is not too late to change our course. With the right investments, policies, and cultural shifts, our country can begin to address the mental health crisis that has been hiding in plain sight. After all, a nation’s true strength is measured not by the height of its tallest buildings but by the well-being of all its people.

Aishwarya Koirala

BA IIIrd Year

St Xavier’s College, Maitighar