The Vast Sky

“In some sense man is a microcosm of the universe;
therefore what man is, is a clue to the universe.
We are enfolded in the universe.”
– American Quantum Physicist David Bohm

THE UNIVERSE. Do you know who and what you are? Do you know your role in this Universe?

How often do you think about the world in which you live? I’m not talking about politics or the economy. I’m talking about the power of the Universe – the vastness of the sky, the depths of the ocean, the richness of the earth, the diversity in Nature, and you as a sentient participant.

Whenever I go to Washington, D.C., I hire Mohammed – a very pleasant Ethiopian man – as my driver. I like to give him the business, as well as hear his insights. With a picture of his beautiful wife and children on the dashboard, he clearly misses his homeland – one of the oldest nations in the world, often called “the cradle of mankind.” During one ride, he gave me a view into his life in Ethiopia. He explained that every morning the family would go outside to feel the early sun. It was a way to connect with life and each other. Since I was born in Ghana, and spent time as an adult in Kenya and South Africa, I understood the essence of this ritual and the desire to honor our core connection with creation. Mohammed contrasted that practice to what he had observed in the U.S. He noted that most Americans “get up and go,” they race from the house to the office never really taking time to experience the physicality of the world. When they finally go on vacation, they worship the sun for vanity – seeking a suntan and usually burning in the searing high-noon rays. They miss out on the daily magic of the Universe.

The Universe has been studied by scientists, mathematicians, astronomers, philosophers, and spiritual leaders. From Socrates and Plato to Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein to Ernest Holmes and his holiness the Dalai Lama, we have many thoughtful observations of the nature of this world and our very beings. From a scientific perspective, the Universe is defined as everything that physically exists, has existed and will exist: the entirety of space and time, all forms of matter, energy and momentum, and the physical laws and constants that govern them. In physics, the age of the Universe is estimated at about 13.7 billion years – give or take about 200 million years. The observable matter is spread over a space of at least 93 billion light years across. In other words, the Universe is very old and large, and possibly infinite in volume.

Despite thousands of years of examination, there is still discussion as to the origin of the Universe. Most cultures have their own myths of creation – from a transcendent being creating everything out of pure potentiality to a living organism born from a cosmic egg. Many say that the fact that the Universe is fit for life indicates the result of intelligent design. Even the Big Bang theory continues to be refined from a scientific standpoint. There is general agreement that a great cosmic explosion occurred and that the physical world as we know it came from this fireball of matter and radiation. However, some have asked, “Was the Big Bang the origin of the entire universe or does it mark only the origin of our particular universe system?” Some scientists speculate that this Universe is one of a set of disconnected universes, or a part of a “multiverse.” This perspective actually syncs with many ancient philosophical and spiritual views that the Universe is eternal, ever evolving and changing.

Then, there is the advent of quantum physics. Quantum theory attempts to explain the nature of matter and energy on the atomic and subatomic levels. At that stage, classical physics falls short of actually being able to describe particles and their interactions. According to German physicist and philosopher Carl Friedrich von Weizsacker, both the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics suggest that we must abolish as a matter of principle the separability of subject and object. Austrian-Irish physicist Erwin Schrodinger wrote: “What we observe as material bodies and forces are nothing but shapes and variations in the structure of space. Particles are just appearances. The world is given to me only once, not one existing and one perceived. Subject and object are only one.” Nobel prize-winning Danish physicist Niels Bohr explained: “Isolated material particles are abstractions, their properties being definable and observable only through their interaction with other systems.” According to von Weizsacker, matter cannot be objectively perceived or described apart from the observer – matter and mind are co-dependent. In other words, something does not exist in its physical form until it is actually observed by someone. It is only one in an infinite number of possibilities. Once it is observed, all of the possibilities collapse into one physical manifestation, which is what we actually see. The observer is effectively a participant in the reality being observed.

Quantum physics is now confirming what many ancient texts have said for thousands of years – that we are all connected through a sea of energy (which has been called by many names such as qi, prana, mana, Spirit, One Mind and more), and that we share a consciousness with the Universe and with each other. We are active participants in the evolution of our daily lives and our greater world. The Dalai Lama explains this in the Buddhist theory of emptiness: “Everything is composed of dependently related events, of continuously interacting phenomena with no fixed, immutable essence, which are themselves in constantly changing dynamic relations. Things and events are ‘empty’ in that they do not possess… an absolute ‘being’ that affords independence. The world is made up of a network of complex interrelations.” The Bible expresses this unity of all life in Ephesians 4:4: “There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” In other words, whether you look at it from a scientific or spiritual standpoint, we are one – like it or not!

So, what does all of this mean to you? Whether the Universe originated from a Creator, the Big Bang or a combination of the two, the fact is it’s here and we’re living in it. We can observe the abundance around us in Nature and the inspirations embedded in man-made inventions. There is no limitation to what can be created. We know that everything in the Universe is made up of energy. You are energy. Your thoughts are energy. As energy you emit vibrations which attract or repel. You can control the frequency of your vibrations through your thoughts and techniques such as prayer, meditation, affirmation and visualization. Your perception is truly your own reality. You see what you want to see and experience what you want to experience. It all comes back to the transforming power of choice, which can enslave or liberate you. Swiss novelist Max Frisch wrote, “A human being is a part of the whole, called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty.”

As English novelist Eden Phillpotts said, “The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” No matter what lens you view it through, the Universe is an awesome power. It is bigger than us and yet affected by us. In those terms, we, ourselves, have access to immense power. When things seem tough, pause and think about your place in this Universe – about the bounty around you. If all this is possible, then what is truly impossible? Take time every day to commune with Nature, to raise your vibration, to honor all living beings, to give thanks for the privilege of life. Make a commitment to “go green” and do your part in protecting this planet. Develop your own rituals of connecting. Take time to find clarity regarding your own purpose and vision. Then ask, believe, and be ready to receive. The Universe has been designed so that you can consciously create your reality and manifest your dreams. Honor it. Respect its power. Use it to create good in your life and the lives of others.

Ernest Holmes, the American spiritual leader, explains, “Just as an individual, who is only part of the Whole, can breathe the wholeness of the air and partake of the wholeness of the sunshine. Just as the mathematician, who is not the principle of mathematics but who is in unity with it, has access to the totality of numbers. Just so we individualize the Universal Power. We can have and use as much as we wish… ‘As we believe.’” He goes on to suggest: “For those who have always dwelt on limited thoughts a very good practice is to dwell upon the magnitude of the Universe. Think how many stars there are, how many fish there are in the seas, and how many grains of sand on the beaches. Think of how big the ocean is; of the immensity of space, the bigness of everything, the grandeur of everything… All the power of the universe is with you. Feel it, know it, and then act as though it were true.”

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