We are composed of the same atoms as the rocks, soil, mountains and nothing more. They are apparently aware of nothing, whereas we are aware of the physical world, ourselves and much more besides. How is this possible? The current scientific view is that minds emerge from wholly unknowing matter. The idea that mind and matter are, in fact, one and the same has long been considered an elegant, although impractical answer to the question above. This book argues that we live in an intelligent, aware, decision-making universe, and our consciousness grows from the intelligence present throughout nature. It describes recent studies into animal cognition and the sophisticated behaviours of some non-animal life, and examines how Western culture, through religion, science and philosophy, have worked to separate us from nature. It argues the reason mind in nature is seen as an eccentric or mystical notion, is because we humans have wrongly elevated ourselves above all other species. As Charles Darwin once wrote:"He who understands baboon would do more towards metaphysics than Locke."