Richheimer’s Ground Substance of Creation

Scientist and spiritual aspirant Steven Richheimer posits that consciousness is the fundamental and ubiquitous feature of reality. He envisions a cosmic cycle in which consciousness is transformed first into “cosmic mind” and then into the material world. When conditions on a planet allow it, living organisms can arise and evolve as they increasingly reflect the three layers of cosmic mind (objective mind, I do, and I am). Eventually sentient beings may evolve that strive to complete the creation cycle by becoming one with Cosmic Consciousness (Richheimer, 2025a, 2025b).

Richheimer says that unlike materialism, which can be described as a “bottom-up” theory of reality, the idea that consciousness is the “ground substance of creation” can be termed a “top-down” ontology. He says that from a blank slate perspective either model of reality—materialism or spirituality, could be correct. To decide which is more plausible, “we need to consider the credences that support one theory of reality vs. the other.” This is where, he argues, “the spiritual model has the overwhelming advantage. It explains almost all the mysterious phenomena that scientific materialism struggles to explain, ignores or denies.”

Top-Down Ontology

Richheimer attempts to detail the evidence supporting the idea that consciousness is fundamental in his book, The Logic of the Spiritual Worldview: How the Idea that Consciousness is the Ground Substance of Creation Explains just about Everything. He admittedly starts with the assumption that the spiritual worldview is correct, and then tries to show that many of the mysteries and questions about the nature of the physical world and human experience can be explained in a scientific and logical manner by using this model of reality (trying to avoid circular reasoning).

He claims that the “scientific evidence and logical arguments he presents indicate that the spiritual worldview is a better model of reality than materialism.” It provides, he says, “an explanation for the nonlocality and entangled nature of the quantum realm and why it appears that we actively participate in how reality emerges from this subtle domain. It also explains the counterintuitive aspects of relativity theory such as why there is a speed limit for light and why this theory says that our experience of the flow of time is illusory.” Moreover, Richheimer claims that “the model provides a rational explanation for psi phenomena, reincarnation memories, mystical, out-of-body, and near-death experiences as well as how mental state can affect physiological changes in the body—all phenomena that materialism avoids addressing” (Richheimer, 2025a).

From Consciousness to Matter

In addition, he says that this model of reality explains in a logical manner how consciousness is transformed into the material world, how incredible complex living organisms arise from nonliving matter, and why evolution appears to be teleological and gives rise to sentient beings who then seek to become one with Cosmic Consciousness. Furthermore, Richheimer says this model offers a solution to the "hard problem of consciousness," which asks how subjective experience arises from physical matter, and why we have a unified sense of self.

By describing how consciousness is transformed into the material world, he says this model dissolves the traditional dualism between mind and matter, and offers a unified reality where consciousness and the physical world are intrinsically linked. The model describes a universe that has inherent meaning and purpose, rooted in our desire to reunite with Cosmic Consciousness. It describes a universe that is whole, in which the “parts” we commonly observe emerge from a hidden transcendent reality—cosmic mind and ultimately Cosmic Consciousness. He claims that the spiritual worldview offers a new model for how human society can progress in the future (Richheimer, 2025a, 2025b).