Abstract
This essay explores the potential existence of angels through the lens of multiverse theories and the philosophical concept of poiesis—the process of bringing-forth into being. By examining traditional angelological frameworks alongside contemporary quantum physics, multiverse cosmology, and theories of consciousness, I argue that angels may be understood as manifestations of cosmic poiesis operating across multiple dimensions of reality. Drawing from diverse sources including Christian, Islamic, and esoteric traditions, as well as the work of physicists Max Tegmark and Roger Penrose, theologians Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake, and philosopher Martin Heidegger, this investigation proposes that angels represent a form of creative consciousness that bridges different levels of the multiverse through acts of cosmic bringing-forth.
Introduction: The Question of Angels in a Multiverse Context
In an age where quantum physics reveals reality as far stranger than classical intuition suggests, the ancient concept of angels deserves renewed philosophical attention. The convergence of multiverse theories with traditional angelology opens unprecedented possibilities for understanding these beings not as mere religious metaphors but as potentially real entities operating through principles we are only beginning to comprehend. Contemporary philosophy, taking up in its own way a practice common to scholastic theology, likes to use the angelic hypothesis to carry out some very interesting ‘thought experiments’: comparing a given aspect of human existence (knowledge, intersubjectivity and language, sociability, etc.) with the way it would hypothetically manifest in a pure spirit, making it possible to determine both its essence and a better understanding of the specific forms it takes in a human person.¹
This essay proposes that angels can be understood through the concept of poiesis—a bringing-forth into being that operates across multiple dimensions of reality as described by contemporary multiverse theories. By synthesizing ancient wisdom with cutting-edge physics, we may discover that what our ancestors intuited about angelic beings aligns remarkably with what modern science suggests about the nature of consciousness and reality itself.
I. Poiesis as the Foundation of Angelic Being
The Nature of Poiesis
The Greek concept of poiesis, meaning “to make” or “to bring into being,” provides a crucial framework for understanding angelic existence. In continental philosophy and semiotics, poiesis (/pɔɪˈiːsɪs/; from Ancient Greek: ποίησις) is the process of emergence of something that did not previously exist.² For Martin Heidegger, poiesis as a “bringing-forth”, or physis as emergence. Examples of physis are the blooming of the blossom, the coming-out of a butterfly from a cocoon, and the plummeting of a waterfall when the snow begins to melt³
According to Martin Heidegger, poiesis is a Greek term that refers to the process of bringing forth or creating something. Heidegger uses this term in his philosophy to describe the fundamental nature of human existence and activity. For Heidegger, poiesis is not limited to artistic creation but encompasses all forms of human production and creativity.⁴ This expanded understanding of poiesis as a fundamental mode of revealing truth becomes essential when considering angels as agents of cosmic creativity.
Angels as Agents of Cosmic Poiesis
Traditional angelology across cultures presents angels as beings who bring divine will into manifestation. In Islamic theology, Angels (malaika, literally meaning ‘messenger’) serve as intermediaries between God and man. They transmit messages to His envoys, worthy individuals who are specially chosen by God for the task of being His messengers.⁵ This messenger function can be understood as a form of poiesis—bringing the unmanifest divine intention into the manifest realm of human experience.
The Theosophical tradition expands this concept: The whole Kosmos is guided, controlled, and animated by an almost endless series of hierarchies of sentient Beings, each having a mission to perform, and who—whether we give them one name or another, whether we call them Dhyan Chohans or Angels—are “Messengers” in the sense only that they are agents of karmic and cosmic law.⁶ These beings engage in cosmic poiesis by maintaining and evolving the fundamental patterns of reality.
II. The Multiverse Framework: Multiple Dimensions of Creative Becoming
Tegmark’s Four Levels of the Multiverse
Max Tegmark’s classification of multiverse levels provides a scientific framework for understanding how angels might exist and operate across different dimensions of reality. Tegmark’s four-level classification consists of Level I: an extension of our universe, Level II: universes with different physical constants, Level III: many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, and Level IV: ultimate ensemble.⁷
Each level presents unique possibilities for angelic existence:
Level I: Spatial Extension
In the Level I multiverse, space extends infinitely with regions beyond our cosmic horizon. Here, angels could exist as beings operating in distant regions of space, occasionally intersecting with our observable universe through non-local quantum effects.
Level II: Bubble Universes
The level II multiverse – other post-inflation Bubbles is predicted by the presently common theory of chaotic eternal inflation.⁸ In this framework, angels might be understood as beings capable of traversing between bubble universes, each with potentially different physical laws—explaining traditional accounts of their seemingly physics-defying abilities.
Level III: Quantum Branching
The many-worlds interpretation implies that there are many parallel, non-interacting worlds. It is one of a number of multiverse hypotheses in physics and philosophy. MWI views time as a many-branched tree, wherein every possible quantum outcome is realized.⁹ Angels in this context could be conscious entities that maintain coherence across quantum branches, guiding outcomes through what appears to us as divine providence.
Level IV: Mathematical Structures
The ultimate mathematical universe hypothesis is Tegmark’s own hypothesis. This level considers all universes to be equally real which can be described by different mathematical structures.¹⁰ At this level, angels might be understood as self-aware mathematical structures—patterns of pure information that can manifest across lower levels of the multiverse.
III. Quantum Consciousness and Angelic Intelligence
The Quantum Nature of Consciousness
Recent developments in quantum theories of consciousness provide a potential mechanism for angelic intelligence. The notion traces back to Nobel‑winning mathematician Roger Penrose and anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff, who argued that quantum events inside microtubules create conscious moments faster than neurons can fire. Their “orchestrated objective reduction” model claims that each wave‑function collapse sparks awareness, and those collapses might entangle with particles anywhere in space.¹¹
This theory suggests consciousness operates through quantum processes that are inherently non-local. Because quantum entanglement links objects instantly, regardless of distance, every collapse in your cortex might already be braided with particles beyond Earth.¹² Such non-locality could explain how angels, as conscious beings, might instantaneously perceive and act across vast distances.
Angels as Quantum Field Entities
The Kabbalistic understanding of angels as energy fields finds remarkable parallel in quantum field theory. Angels and demons are like the forces of a magnet; they are invisible metaphysical energy bundles. Energy bundles associated with the God realms are called angels, and those with the satanic realms are called demons.¹³ This metaphor becomes more than metaphorical when considered through quantum field theory, where all particles are excitations in underlying fields.
This consciousness field (or morphic resonance field) existing and having the ability to interact within itself, is the fundamental starting point that governs all other ‘rules’ in this system.¹⁴ Angels might be understood as coherent patterns in this consciousness field, capable of influencing physical reality through quantum interactions.
IV. The Physics of Angels: Sheldrake and Fox’s Synthesis
Parallels with Quantum Phenomena
The collaboration between Rupert Sheldrake and Matthew Fox represents a groundbreaking attempt to bridge angelology with modern physics. Rupert Sheldrake posits that if one substitutes the word quanta for “angels,” Aquinas’s angelology addresses many of the same questions that today’s quantum physics asks. “When Aquinas discusses how angels move from place to place, his reasoning has extraordinary parallels to both quantum and relativity theories.”¹⁵
The issues that Aquinas deals with in relation to the movement of angels—continuity, discontinuity, action in place—are similar to the discussion about the movement of photons and other quantum particles in quantum theory.¹⁶ This parallel suggests that medieval theologians, through contemplation and intuition, may have grasped fundamental principles of reality that physics is only now mathematically formalizing.
Morphic Fields and Angelic Presence
Sheldrake’s theory of morphic resonance provides another framework for understanding angelic activity. These fields, which organize patterns in nature, could be the mechanism through which angels influence physical reality. Angels might be conscious morphic fields—self-aware organizing principles that guide evolution and maintain cosmic order.
V. Angels as Multiversal Poietic Agents
Bringing-Forth Across Dimensions
Synthesizing poiesis with multiverse theory, we can conceptualize angels as beings engaged in cosmic bringing-forth across multiple dimensions of reality. They are not merely messengers but active agents of creation, continuously bringing potentiality into actuality across the various levels of the multiverse.
For Martin Heidegger, the notion of technē and technites (or ‘the artist-producer’), tends to reinforce poiesis as a principle of origination, of a ‘bringing forth’ which seeks to be known by being brought into the light (or the clearing) opened up by the created work itself.¹⁷ Angels, in this understanding, are cosmic artists whose medium is reality itself—they bring forth new possibilities from the quantum vacuum, guide the evolution of consciousness, and maintain the harmony of natural laws.
Hierarchical Organization and Cosmic Function
The hierarchical organization of angels described in various traditions maps remarkably well onto the hierarchical structure of the multiverse. Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 1209) divided the angels into eight groups, which shows some resemblance to Christian angelology: Hamalat al-‘Arsh, those who carry the ‘Arsh (Throne of God), comparable to the Christian Seraphim.¹⁸
These hierarchies might correspond to different levels of multiversal operation:
- The highest orders operating at Level IV, working with pure mathematical structures
- Middle orders functioning at Levels II and III, managing physical laws and quantum branching
- Lower orders active at Level I, interacting directly with physical beings
VI. Evidence and Implications
Observational Possibilities
While direct empirical evidence for angels remains elusive, several phenomena might be reinterpreted as angelic activity:
- Quantum Anomalies: Unexplained quantum correlations and “coincidences” might reflect angelic influence on probability fields.
- Synchronicities: Meaningful coincidences, as described by Jung, could result from angelic coordination across quantum branches.
- Near-Death Experiences: Consistent reports of benevolent beings during NDEs across cultures might reflect genuine encounters with angelic entities operating at the boundary between dimensions.
- Evolution’s Creativity: The remarkable creativity and apparent directedness of evolution might reflect angelic guidance of morphic fields.
Philosophical Implications
If angels exist as multiversal poietic agents, several profound implications follow:
- Consciousness as Fundamental: Rather than an emergent property, consciousness would be a basic feature of reality, with angels representing its more evolved expressions.
- Purpose in the Cosmos: The universe would not be a meaningless accident but a purposeful creation continuously brought forth through angelic poiesis.
- Human Potential: Humans might be evolving toward angel-like capabilities, eventually joining the cosmic hierarchy of creative beings.
- Interconnectedness: All beings would be fundamentally connected through the quantum field of consciousness, with angels serving as conscious nodes in this network.
VII. Objections and Responses
The Parsimony Objection
Critics might argue that invoking angels violates Occam’s Razor. However, This is really important: parallel worlds are not theories. They are predictions of theories.¹⁹ Similarly, if our best theories of consciousness and cosmology predict the existence of non-physical intelligent beings, then angels become not an additional assumption but a necessary consequence of accepted theories.
The Empiricism Objection
The lack of reproducible empirical evidence for angels seems problematic. However, this objection assumes that all real phenomena must be accessible to current scientific methods. Consciousness itself remains largely mysterious to empirical investigation, yet we do not doubt its existence. Angels, as higher-dimensional conscious beings, might be inherently beyond certain types of empirical verification while still being real.
The Religious Particularism Objection
The diversity of angelic descriptions across religions might suggest cultural projection rather than objective reality. However, this diversity might instead reflect different cultural lenses perceiving the same multidimensional reality. The core commonalities—intermediary beings, hierarchical organization, creative function—suggest a shared perception of genuine phenomena.
Conclusion: Toward a Poietic Understanding of Angels
This investigation suggests that angels, far from being mere religious symbols, may represent a genuine aspect of multiversal reality. Through the lens of poiesis, we can understand them as cosmic agents of creative becoming, bringing forth new realities across the multiple dimensions described by contemporary physics.
The convergence of ancient angelology with quantum physics, multiverse cosmology, and consciousness studies points toward a reality far richer and more purposeful than mechanistic materialism suggests. In this view, angels are not violations of natural law but expressions of deeper laws we are only beginning to understand—laws that unite consciousness, creativity, and cosmos in a grand poietic dance of becoming.
As we stand at the threshold of new understanding, bridging ancient wisdom and modern science, we may discover that our ancestors’ intuitions about angels were not primitive projections but sophisticated perceptions of multidimensional reality. The angels have always been there, waiting for our science to become subtle enough to glimpse their presence in the quantum foam, their influence in the morphic fields, their creativity in the cosmic poiesis that continuously brings forth our extraordinary universe.
Future research might focus on developing mathematical models of trans-dimensional consciousness, exploring quantum signatures of angelic influence, and investigating the relationship between human consciousness evolution and angelic hierarchies. As our understanding of the multiverse expands, so too might our appreciation for these ancient yet ever-present agents of cosmic creativity.
In embracing a poietic understanding of angels, we open ourselves to a vision of reality where consciousness and creativity are not anomalies but fundamental features—where the universe is not a cold, meaningless expanse but a living, purposeful creation continuously brought forth through the ministry of innumerable intelligent beings. This vision, supported by both ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science, offers hope for humanity’s future as we learn to participate more consciously in the cosmic poiesis of which we are part.
Notes
- “Angels in Christian Theology,” St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology, accessed July 18, 2025.
- “Poiesis,” Wikipedia, last modified June 10, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poiesis.
- Ibid.
- “What is poiesis according to Martin Heidegger,” BSED English (BSED 2), Studocu, accessed July 18, 2025.
- “Second Article Of Faith – Belief in Angels (Malaika),” CPS Global, accessed July 18, 2025.
- Geoffrey Hodson, The Kingdom of the Gods (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1952), quoted in “Angels, Mortals, and the Language of Love,” Theosophical Society in America.
- “Multiverse,” Wikipedia, last modified January 5, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse.
- Max Tegmark, “The Four Levels of the Multiverse,” quoted in Free Essay Example, StudyCorgi, December 11, 2021.
- “Many-worlds interpretation,” Wikipedia, last modified July 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Many-worlds_interpretation.
- “Multiverse,” Wikipedia.
- “Your Consciousness Can Connect With the Whole Universe, Groundbreaking New Research Suggests,” Popular Mechanics, September 26, 2024.
- Ibid.
- David Cooper, “The Kabbalistic View of Angels,” Rabbi David Cooper (blog), October 24, 2010.
- Christina Curley, “The quantum field of everything is consciousness; i.e. God,” Medium, November 28, 2024.
- Matthew Fox, “Aquinas, Quanta & Angels; Darwin, Wallace & Evolution,” Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox, July 1, 2022.
- Ibid.
- “Poiesis and Art-Making: A Way of Letting-Be,” accessed July 18, 2025.
- “Angels in Islam,” Wikipedia, last modified June 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_in_Islam.
- Ruth Dillon-Mansfield, “Welcome to the Multiverse: Sci-Fi or Science?” accessed July 18, 2025.
Bibliography
Primary Sources
Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologiae. Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province. New York: Benziger Brothers, 1947.
Al-Razi, Fakhr al-Din. Mafatih al-Ghayb. Cairo: Dar al-Fikr, 1981.
Dionysius the Areopagite. The Celestial Hierarchies. Translated by John Parker. London: SPCK, 1897.
Heidegger, Martin. The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays. Translated by William Lovitt. New York: Harper & Row, 1977.
Contemporary Sources
Burge, Stephen. Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti’s al-Haba’ik fi akhbar al-mala’ik. London: Routledge, 2012.
Fox, Matthew, and Rupert Sheldrake. The Physics of Angels: Exploring the Realm Where Science and Spirit Meet. Rhinebeck, NY: Monkfish Publishing, 2014.
Hameroff, Stuart, and Roger Penrose. “Consciousness in the Universe: A Review of the ‘Orch OR’ Theory.” Physics of Life Reviews 11, no. 1 (2014): 39-78.
Hodson, Geoffrey. The Kingdom of the Gods. Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1952.
Penrose, Roger. The Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Sheldrake, Rupert. Morphic Resonance: The Nature of Formative Causation. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press, 2009.
Tegmark, Max. Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality. New York: Knopf, 2014.
Articles and Online Sources
Cooper, David. “The Kabbalistic View of Angels.” Rabbi David Cooper (blog), October 24, 2010. https://www.rabbidavidcooper.com/angelology/2010/10/1/2593-the-kabbalistic-view-of-angels-print.html.
Curley, Christina. “The quantum field of everything is consciousness; i.e. God.” Medium, November 28, 2024. https://medium.com/@christina.curley/the-quantum-field-of-everything-is-consciousness-i-e-god-8f82928e9671.
Dillon-Mansfield, Ruth. “Welcome to the Multiverse: Sci-Fi or Science?” Accessed July 18, 2025. https://ruth-dm.co.uk/posts/welcome-to-the-multiverse/.
Fox, Matthew. “Aquinas, Quanta & Angels; Darwin, Wallace & Evolution.” Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox, July 1, 2022. https://dailymeditationswithmatthewfox.org/2022/07/01/aquinas-quanta-darwin-wallace-evolution/.
“Angels in Christianity.” St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology. Accessed July 18, 2025.
“Angels in Islam.” Wikipedia. Last modified June 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_in_Islam.
“Many-worlds interpretation.” Wikipedia. Last modified July 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Many-worlds_interpretation.
“Multiverse.” Wikipedia. Last modified January 5, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse.
“Poiesis.” Wikipedia. Last modified June 10, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poiesis.
“Your Consciousness Can Connect With the Whole Universe, Groundbreaking New Research Suggests.” Popular Mechanics, September 26, 2024.