THE AWESOME AND THE MUNDANE: A COSMIC PARADOX
At this very moment cosmic gravitational waves are undulating through the air you’re breathing, the seat upon which you sit, and every cell in your body. The waves contain vibrational ripples that were set in motion by everything that has ever happened in the Universe since the beginning of time. Until recently this phenomenon — described by Einstein’s Theory of Relativity — was only theoretical. Scientists have now been able to observe it: Ripples set in motion by cosmic events leave a measurable fingerprint in the space-time continuum for eternity. This is AWESOME.
Yoga philosophy describes the Universe as a shimmering, cosmic field of vibration known in Vedic tradition as Nada Brahmin. Within it we are inextricably entangled. We do not exist as separate individual entities, but as part of an interconnected matrix of vibrational flow. Sometimes referred to as Cosmic Consciousness, this vibration represents a creative principle with which it is possible to spiritually align.
OR… depending on your theological perspective, we (and everything else in the Universe) ARE the creative principle.
Either way, our inability to completely grok our true nature is simply an error of perception. In other words, we are inseparable from The Awesome. We just forget to notice it most of the time. According to the ancients, to truly realize this is to experience a certain kind of peace called sat-cit-ānanda (truth-consciousness-bliss).
The Mundane.
Of course, the majority of our waking hours are spent doing unimaginative and repetitive things such as chores, shopping, scrolling, eating, working, and attending appointments and obligations that mostly don’t feel awesome. This is the MUNDANE.
Though our Universe literally hums with the gravitational vibrations of supernovas, the collision of galaxies, and the flutter of butterfly wings, it’s hard to stay attuned to The Awesome among the distractions and tedium of the everyday. On top of that, animated models like The Known Universe remind us exactly how infinitesimal we are in comparison to say the gravitational pull of a black hole.
From our limited perspective it’s difficult to see how our individual choices ripple through the intricate fabric of our relationships, societal systems, or the delicate ecosystems we tangibly inhabit, let alone the Universe forever and ever. Yet now we know they do.
Our day-to-day plight exists within a labyrinth of interconnected systems and structures that are complex enough to beguile us even without the cosmos in our sights. Feeling insignificant within such complexity is uncomfortable. It’s easy to get complacent. To throw up our hands and shout, ‘Powerless!’
So we swipe up. It doesn’t matter anyway. Among the viral, we are mundane.
You might recall the torture device described in the The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a machine that provides a glimpse into one’s absolute insignificance in the cosmic grand scheme of things. Those who enter don’t usually survive.
And yet, our vibration is everlasting — each heartbeat, each breath, every tear, every argument, and every raucous belly laugh that ever escaped a human is here with us now.
The Paradox
We forget that we are entangled captives of our time. We are born of an era, exist in a moment, and are held by a paradigm we had little responsibility in shaping. We manifest as a vibration that is the direct result of the vibrations that came before us. We are of the Universe and we are in the Universe. Because of this we also change the Universe. But we are so, so small. How can our presence be meaningful?
Our species regularly expresses its capacity to extend hands in compassion, build bridges of understanding, and plant seeds of positive change. We also harbor war, famine, genocide, environmental degradation and hate. The Universe remembers.
Last night I pressed my forehead against the forehead of a beautiful dog –one I had just met that belongs to a new friend. Her demeanor was sweet; she was looking to connect. Black soft fur, shiny eyes, warmth, attention, breath. This morning I’m remembering the moment. It seems private. But the Universe has known it.
With all that is disturbing around us, it seems only a grand gesture will do. In the presence of injustice what else could possibly bring about change? And yet the smallest act of kindness can save a life. It’s a PARADOX.
Connection Matters.
If you strip away all the noise, what’s left is the essence of our humanity — our living connection. In the vast cosmic drama, where our steps seem invisible, connection emerges as the force most significant to us. Not because it will change the Universe, which is vast enough to absorb our minuscule contribution without a hiccup, but because connection changes our experience of it.
At the end of the day when we lay our head down to rest, or at the end of a life when we lay it down for good, can we look back and know someone cared for us? And that we cared for others… indiscriminately, wholeheartedly, and without reservation?
“It is in theory possible to extrapolate the whole of creation — every Galaxy, every sun, every planet, their orbits, their composition, and their economic and social history from, say, one small piece of fairy cake.” — The Guide
How’s your vibration? What will you be rippling out today?