What is Everything Everywhere All at Once?

You most likely know the phrase Everything Everywhere All at Once as the title to the 2022 comedy-drama film written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, that took home seven Academy Awards in 2023. But the phrase is much more than the title to a great film.

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" is a phrase that is often used to describe a state of being where all things exist simultaneously and in a unified manner. It can refer to a spiritual or philosophical concept, but it has also been used in physics and cosmology to describe the idea that the universe is connected in a way that allows for instantaneous communication between all parts of it, regardless of the distance between them.

The phrase can also be used more broadly to describe a feeling of overwhelm or a state of chaos, where there is so much happening that it feels like everything is happening at once. This can refer to a busy day at work or a crowded event where there is a lot of activity and noise.

The Philosophy of Everything Everywhere All at Once

In a philosophical context, the phrase "Everything Everywhere All at Once" can refer to the idea of the interconnectedness of all things in the universe. This concept is often associated with Eastern philosophies such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, which view the universe as a unified whole, where everything is connected and interdependent.

The concept of interconnectedness suggests that there is no separation between things, but rather they are all part of a larger whole. This idea is often expressed through the concept of non-duality, where there is no fundamental separation between things that we normally think of as distinct or separate.

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" implies that all things exist in a state of unity, and that there is no separation or distinction between them. This idea can be difficult to grasp intellectually, but it suggests a deeper understanding of the nature of reality beyond the limited perspective of our individual selves.

Origins of the phrase

The phrase "Everything Everywhere All at Once" has been used in different contexts throughout history, so it is difficult to determine its exact origin or earliest use. However, it has been used in various philosophical, spiritual, and scientific contexts.

One notable use of the phrase is in the book "The Tao of Physics" by physicist Fritjof Capra, published in 1975. In the book, Capra explores the similarities between the philosophical concepts of Eastern mysticism and the scientific principles of modern physics. He uses the phrase "Everything Everywhere All at Once" to describe the non-dualistic nature of reality that is suggested by both Eastern mysticism and modern physics.

The phrase has also been used in spiritual and New Age contexts to describe a state of oneness or interconnectedness with the universe. It has been used in various books, articles, and lectures on topics such as meditation, consciousness, and spiritual awakening.

The concept of non-locality

In modern physics we have the concept of non-locality, which is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics.

Quantum mechanics is a branch of physics that studies the behavior of matter and energy at the smallest scales, such as atoms and subatomic particles. In quantum mechanics, non-locality refers to the idea that particles can be connected or entangled in such a way that their properties are instantaneously correlated, regardless of the distance between them.

This means that if two particles are entangled, a change in the state of one particle will instantly affect the state of the other particle, even if they are light-years apart. This seemingly instantaneous connection between particles has been described as a kind of "spooky action at a distance."

The concept of non-locality suggests that there is a deep connection between all things in the universe, and that these connections exist beyond the limitations of space and time. This idea is similar to the philosophical concept of interconnectedness, which suggests that everything is part of a larger whole and exists in a state of unity.

The phrase "Everything Everywhere All at Once" can be seen as a metaphor for the non-locality of quantum mechanics, which suggests that everything is connected in a fundamental way that transcends the boundaries of space and time.