We are hard-wired into understanding spatial dimensions (2D, 3D, etc.) as degrees of freedom. The more dimensions, the more freedom. We have similar reasonings for time. Because of this, we generally consider that the concepts of space and time are such that they allow you to “navigate” within them, and the more you have of it (more spatial dimensions; a temporal continuum), the more freedom you have.
A number of enlightened figures, however, have indicated the exact opposite. For example, in reference to the spiritual world, some explain that “it is freed from space and time”. How can something be “freed” from space and time? Aren’t space and time “freedom-givers” in and of themselves?
Some time ago I had a (rather bizarre) epiphany which revolutionised my understanding of this. I happened to be reading a couple of interesting books an articles which had me put in a specific mindset about reality. One day, over lunch, a co-worker said she had an annoying blister on her tongue. My instantaneous mental reaction was “No you don’t, because I can’t feel the annoyance myself.”
This, of course, is quite strange a thought. However, in that very instant this mystery about space and time started to become unlocked to me: sitting at that table for lunch, I immediately understood that physical reality, by its very nature, impeded me from being one with my co-worker and from perceiving reality in the same way she did. After all, she and I had two distinct and separate bodies, tongues, nerve systems. Distinct; separate.
Spiritual reality does not struggle with such separation. In it, we are enabled to disassociate from such limitations and plug in to universality. Be it of understanding, or of cultures. After all, are cultures not inherently physical? Can any two distinct cultural phenomena or belief systems exist without physical reality to shape them?
Time also is a limitation which tricks us into thinking we are navigating the continuum freely. This continuum is in itself a limitation. The past exists and disappears, the future is not yet here. The present evaporates. What freedom is this?
A side note: we believe that the tomorrow depends on the today, and the today on the yesterday. Is it not our understanding and our expectations of the tomorrow which shape our actions of today? Could it be that we are fooled?
P.S: No, I didn’t share my mental reaction with my friend. I don’t think she’d appreciate my lack of sympathy!
Muhammad Ali “Super Bad”
Personal note: could it be that Muhammad Ali’s thoughts changed reality?
Less than 24 hours ago, BBC published an news article on their website which starts as such: “Every star twinkling in the night sky plays host to at least one planet, a new study suggests. That implies there are some 10 billion Earth-sized planets in our galaxy.”
I had two initial reactions:
1) “You gotta be kidding me”: because it’s a literally unbelievable statement.
2) “Wow”: I’ll explain this one. I am a Bahai, and one of the fundamental tenets of the Bahai Faith is harmony between science and religion. In fact, in the Bahai Writings one can read:
“Now, all questions of morality contained in the spiritual, immutable law of every religion are logically right. If religion were contrary to logical reason then it would cease to be a religion and be merely a tradition. Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism. All religions of the present day have fallen into superstitious practices, out of harmony alike with the true principles of the teaching they represent and with the scientific discoveries of the time.”
However, some things are hard to reconcile. Some scientific (or pseudo-scientific, sometimes!!) findings are hard to reconcile with religion, and some religious statements are very hard to believe given science’s understanding at any given time.
One example of a religious statement (in this case, Bahai) that I always had trouble understanding was this one:
“Know thou that every fixed star has its own planets, and every planet its own creatures, whose number no man can compute.”
I always thought that it was maybe metaphorical in some more or less subtle aspect (could the “creatures” be mere minerals? by planets could it be meant meteors?). But, believing that the Bahai Revelation, which started less than 200 years ago, contains divine guidance destined to cast light on mankind’s understanding for a few centuries more, I never totally disregarded one view (planets round every star) or the other (very few exoplanets).
Which is why this BBC news article seems extraordinary to me :) It marks, in a way, the understanding of science (and thus of humanity) of what was formerly only a religious statement - and is a very interesting example of the harmonisation of science and religion, simple interpretations of one very same Reality as they are.
Faaaantastic! :)
I don’t like the websites/programs listed below. Note that they are all very popular, so by definition mine is a very flawed opinion.
In all cases, I think they could and should be WAY better, and in many instances the reason they aren’t is strategic developmental decisions.
/end rant
It annoys me a bit that all of these websites/programs, being popular as they are, get away with some major basic flaws - because we accept them like it’s nobody’s business, and I find that there isn’t enough discussion about it - hence the post.
Love the video and the song. I also found these two awesome “avalanche” videos while looking at this one.
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