On the Universe, and the Small Things

photo by ImageEditor

I recently read Brian Swimme’s article, “The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos.” In it, he describes how past societies made a point to celebrate the mysteries and wonder of the universe, as a way of exploring the meaning of our existence. In contrast, he explains, modern society has pushed such questions of meaning under the umbrella of religion, and thrust the mysteries of the universe under the umbrella of science. As you can see, that leaves a pretty big gap — our search for meaning becomes disconnected from the wonders of the universe. Swimme then goes on to connect these circumstances with the culture of advertising that now shapes our youth — but that can be a whole new discussion for another time.

As an undergraduate, I took an astronomy course to fulfill one of my science requirements. One day in class, we were discussing a recent school shooting that had happened elsewhere in the U.S.; the professor was too distraught to hold a normal lecture. A student raised his hand and told the professor that, by teaching us that we all come from stardust, the professor was stripping us of all meaning. The student concluded that when we study these things instead of focusing on religion, it’s no surprise that school shootings and such violence are so common.

I was stunned.

The professor responded (very diplomatically, I might add), that in fact his intentions were quite the opposite. “When I teach about the workings of our universe, when I teach that we come of the same stuff stars are made of, I want you to share my profound awe of the universe — of our existence.” The professor had been trying to rebuild that gap between our search for meaning and the wonders of the universe.

In the past few years, I’ve picked up some natural history and science books to read at home. Carl Sagan’s The Dragons of Eden and Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything, for example. I find it beautiful to read about the patterns and processes that shape the world we see, the things we touch, and even the things we imagine. Patterns that sometimes seem impossibly simple, and other times, incredibly complex. I love the things we can’t quite fathom, and the things that make impeccable sense.

This disconnect between our human existence and the wonders of the natural universe scares me a bit. I have to remind myself at times to take a few steps back. It’s not just about spending more time in the great outdoors — to consider even that we are all made of potions, with different proportions of elements, molecules, hormones, chemicals, and that somehow out of that heady mix there emerges spirit. That with all the differences existing among humans, there are connections and shared ingredients that are unquestionably strong.

What I love most about these things is that the more I learn the “answers,” the humbler and more exhilarated I become with life.

Tagged as: astronomy, existence, human, questions, religion, spirit, universe, wonder