For most of the 20th century and into the 21st century the Big Bang theory has been the majority Universe-origin theory for those with a modern consciousness. This theory is not without its difficulties and many new generation cosmologists have questioned some of the gaps and flaws in the theory. Even though the Big Bang theory has withstood much scientific criticism and still holds the primary position for cosmological origins, the recent discovery of dark matter, dark energy and more recently, dark flow has complicated the landscape. The reason these phenomena are called dark is because we cannot see them but we know they are there by their effects on the behavior of galaxies.
Current thinking is that there may be as much as 5 times as much dark stuff in the Universe as the matter that we can see and measure. We do not know what dark energy is, but we can see its effects on expansion of the Universe. The result is that most of the Universe, including all around us here on Earth, is made up of stuff we cannot see with contemporary scientific instruments. This is different from the light energy that we can "see" and measure and use in our everyday technological lives as in radio broadcasts, wireless voice and data transmission and many others.
Another strange thing about dark matter is that it passes through the everyday matter we know about: starts, planets, us. We have very little doubt that dark matter/energy exists - we just do not know what it is. The invention of dark matter theory allowed the standard model of the Big Bang theory to get back on track - allowing us to explain why the Universe is expanding at an accelerating rate rather than being static or shrinking.
Dark energy may be defined as "whatever it is that is causing the Universe to accelerate". Dark Flow is a newly discovered possibility where much of the Universe seems to be moving at a high speed toward a single point. In order to explain this flow, we may need another Universe such that our Universe is not everything - it is part of an even bigger picture. It may be possible that we are part of an even bigger structure, perhaps a bubble created by inflation.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Time Machines
Time passes at different rates depending on where you are in the Universe and how fast you are traveling. If you are near a very large object with great mass and gravity, time will slow down. For example, if you could orbit a massive black hole, time would pass much slower for you than observers on earth. Depending on the size and force of the black hole, time might pass half as fast for you as for the observers. After orbiting the black hole for 5 years and returning to earth, 10 years would have passed. This would effectively be a time machine.
Since black holes are a long way from here and not very practical to orbit, another way to time travel is by moving at the speed of light. If you could travel at the speed of light in space for 1 week, when you return to Earth, 100 years would have passed. This is very effective time travel.
It is impossible to travel at the speed of light, but might be possible to travel at near the speed of light. However, to do that the space vehicle would have to be super-massive. It might take 6 years for the vehicle to accelerate to near the cosmic speed of light. After 2 years it will reach half the speed of light. After another two it will be 90% the speed of light. After 2 more years it will reach 99% the speed of light. At this speed a single day on the spaceship is equal to a year of time on Earth.
Since black holes are a long way from here and not very practical to orbit, another way to time travel is by moving at the speed of light. If you could travel at the speed of light in space for 1 week, when you return to Earth, 100 years would have passed. This is very effective time travel.
It is impossible to travel at the speed of light, but might be possible to travel at near the speed of light. However, to do that the space vehicle would have to be super-massive. It might take 6 years for the vehicle to accelerate to near the cosmic speed of light. After 2 years it will reach half the speed of light. After another two it will be 90% the speed of light. After 2 more years it will reach 99% the speed of light. At this speed a single day on the spaceship is equal to a year of time on Earth.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Abundance
Abundance is a consciousness rooted in faith in the absolute (metaphysical) realm that demonstrates positive contributions in the relative (physical) realm that results in a state of prosperity. Prosperity is not limited to the financial realm. Nor is financial demonstration necessarily one of the physical contributions that results from a particular individual expression.
Abundance is a way of being that is focused on gratitude, giving and creative expression. The absolute physical expression of prosperity by an individual will be consistent with the strengths of the core personality of the person. Advancements all arise from the creative mind that taps into the inner Self and finds expressions in our actions.
We experience lack when we are somehow working in opposition to spiritual law. Lack is not limited to financial resources. We can experience lack in terms of forgiveness, creativity, understanding, acceptance, initiative and especially love. We experience lack when we fail to demonstrate a giving consciousness. Giving more fully allows us to receive more fully and vice- versa.
We can think of affluence as experiencing an abundant flow. When we are in the flow, ideas come to us easier, relationships work better and manifestation of our inner desires occurs more frequently. We can create the foundation for affluence in our lives through many practices including, but not limited to: meditation, introspection, empathy, synergy, forgiveness and love.
The starting point for abundance is to accept responsibility for our own thoughts. We have the power to fuel or stop any thought that comes into our minds. We can encourage the constructive, positive ones and kill the destructive, negative ones. Thoughts are things that produce words which produce actions which produce results which produce consequences. We can act from cause rather than from effect. Working from cause is a much more efficient and effective way to live.
Can you realize what your life would be like if you could actualize your entire potential? Each of us has access to infinite imagination and potential. We can choose to open ourselves up to more of it or to close it down to a trickle or worse, complete blockage. We can always act as if it is impossible to fail or live in worry that we will not succeed. Every moment, every new action, and before that, every new idea is a new chance to accentuate the abundant instead of the limited.
Abundance is a way of being that is focused on gratitude, giving and creative expression. The absolute physical expression of prosperity by an individual will be consistent with the strengths of the core personality of the person. Advancements all arise from the creative mind that taps into the inner Self and finds expressions in our actions.
We experience lack when we are somehow working in opposition to spiritual law. Lack is not limited to financial resources. We can experience lack in terms of forgiveness, creativity, understanding, acceptance, initiative and especially love. We experience lack when we fail to demonstrate a giving consciousness. Giving more fully allows us to receive more fully and vice- versa.
We can think of affluence as experiencing an abundant flow. When we are in the flow, ideas come to us easier, relationships work better and manifestation of our inner desires occurs more frequently. We can create the foundation for affluence in our lives through many practices including, but not limited to: meditation, introspection, empathy, synergy, forgiveness and love.
The starting point for abundance is to accept responsibility for our own thoughts. We have the power to fuel or stop any thought that comes into our minds. We can encourage the constructive, positive ones and kill the destructive, negative ones. Thoughts are things that produce words which produce actions which produce results which produce consequences. We can act from cause rather than from effect. Working from cause is a much more efficient and effective way to live.
Can you realize what your life would be like if you could actualize your entire potential? Each of us has access to infinite imagination and potential. We can choose to open ourselves up to more of it or to close it down to a trickle or worse, complete blockage. We can always act as if it is impossible to fail or live in worry that we will not succeed. Every moment, every new action, and before that, every new idea is a new chance to accentuate the abundant instead of the limited.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Effectiveness
Effectiveness is the ability to get the right things done. We get the right things done when we consider alternate opportunities and choose the best one. We take swift action on the opportunity once the decision has been made. We use feedback from reality to know when the decision and action is no longer relevant or may have been the wrong choice.
Our effectiveness is improved when we thoughtfully consider how we spend our time. What are we doing with our time? What things are we doing that are not necessary? What time wasters are we permitting to occupy our valuable time? What behaviors and elements from the past are we refusing to let go in order to create room for more effective use of our time?
Effectiveness is enhanced when we know the correct order of things to be done. Once we know that order, we focus on one thing at a time. Once the first thing is finished, we then re-evaluate our list of things to do again and then pick the top one off the list again. The scope of the list of things to do here is on the order of major accomplishments rather than mundane daily to-do lists.
We are more effective when we build from our strengths rather than try to remove our weaknesses. Building from strength allows us to put full focus into positive action toward a small number of things rather than trying to do a little bit of everything. We can drop activities that are attempts to eliminate weaknesses - those will be diminished soon enough as we build up our strengths and perhaps stop doing (or no longer have time for) some of the things that were building our weaknesses whether consciously or unconsciously.
Effectiveness may tend to go hand in hand with maturity. As we grow, we learn explicitly or implicitly which of our behaviors result in the more bang for the buck. The truth that we can learn to be more effective in our professional, social and family lives is inspiration for all of us to desire to do better. We can learn to handle ourselves and our situations better by growing our strengths and conditioning our choices through thoughtful decisions and deliberate actions that are consistent with our personal world view and inner consciousness.
Finally, effectiveness is about contribution. In any situation we can increase the value of our actions by asking the question, "What can I contribute?", or, "What is mine to do?". Our potential for broad and deep contribution is enhanced by our own self-development. We experience growth in proportion to what we require from ourselves. Require little and we probably remain stunted. Require a lot and we may develop into giants. We can ensure that we are headed in a productive direction when we require ourselves to pursue the next step in the form of the opportunity whose time has come.
Our effectiveness is improved when we thoughtfully consider how we spend our time. What are we doing with our time? What things are we doing that are not necessary? What time wasters are we permitting to occupy our valuable time? What behaviors and elements from the past are we refusing to let go in order to create room for more effective use of our time?
Effectiveness is enhanced when we know the correct order of things to be done. Once we know that order, we focus on one thing at a time. Once the first thing is finished, we then re-evaluate our list of things to do again and then pick the top one off the list again. The scope of the list of things to do here is on the order of major accomplishments rather than mundane daily to-do lists.
We are more effective when we build from our strengths rather than try to remove our weaknesses. Building from strength allows us to put full focus into positive action toward a small number of things rather than trying to do a little bit of everything. We can drop activities that are attempts to eliminate weaknesses - those will be diminished soon enough as we build up our strengths and perhaps stop doing (or no longer have time for) some of the things that were building our weaknesses whether consciously or unconsciously.
Effectiveness may tend to go hand in hand with maturity. As we grow, we learn explicitly or implicitly which of our behaviors result in the more bang for the buck. The truth that we can learn to be more effective in our professional, social and family lives is inspiration for all of us to desire to do better. We can learn to handle ourselves and our situations better by growing our strengths and conditioning our choices through thoughtful decisions and deliberate actions that are consistent with our personal world view and inner consciousness.
Finally, effectiveness is about contribution. In any situation we can increase the value of our actions by asking the question, "What can I contribute?", or, "What is mine to do?". Our potential for broad and deep contribution is enhanced by our own self-development. We experience growth in proportion to what we require from ourselves. Require little and we probably remain stunted. Require a lot and we may develop into giants. We can ensure that we are headed in a productive direction when we require ourselves to pursue the next step in the form of the opportunity whose time has come.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Existentialism
In the past I had a notion that Existentialism was a negative, depressed philosophy of life created by a neurotic Frenchman. As usual with these kinds of things, I probably formed that opinion by seeing a picture or two of Sarte and making up what I thought the philosophy meant from the pictures and the name. The name, Existentialism, seemed to imply cold, dry existence rather than a life of enjoyment.
The reality is much different. The stream of thought of Existentialism is rooted in individual expression, passion, positive self-esteem, self-realization, search for being, personal freedom, responsibility and authenticity. There can be no excuses for failure to act, take control of our lives or for any particular circumstance we might find ourselves. We are where we are in life because of our choices. There is no one to blame or congratulate but ourselves.
Individuality is admired since it is through self-expression that we experience self-realization. The result of this expression is positive if we approach life from a position of pro-active mastery and self-control rather than slavery and reaction. We are in control of our lives and must accept the freedom and responsibility that comes with that.
Given this, we cannot blame others for situations or our actions. We always have a choice within the constraints of a particular context. No matter what the context, there are choices. Even in a prison situation we'd still have our freedom of thought and consciousness.
We all have a will to self-esteem that leads us to self-actualization. This will can be frustrated if we do not make choices from a position of cause rather than effect. Master morality vs. Slave morality. We should be passionately committed to our choices.
Like any great philosophy, easier read/said than done.
The reality is much different. The stream of thought of Existentialism is rooted in individual expression, passion, positive self-esteem, self-realization, search for being, personal freedom, responsibility and authenticity. There can be no excuses for failure to act, take control of our lives or for any particular circumstance we might find ourselves. We are where we are in life because of our choices. There is no one to blame or congratulate but ourselves.
Individuality is admired since it is through self-expression that we experience self-realization. The result of this expression is positive if we approach life from a position of pro-active mastery and self-control rather than slavery and reaction. We are in control of our lives and must accept the freedom and responsibility that comes with that.
Given this, we cannot blame others for situations or our actions. We always have a choice within the constraints of a particular context. No matter what the context, there are choices. Even in a prison situation we'd still have our freedom of thought and consciousness.
We all have a will to self-esteem that leads us to self-actualization. This will can be frustrated if we do not make choices from a position of cause rather than effect. Master morality vs. Slave morality. We should be passionately committed to our choices.
Like any great philosophy, easier read/said than done.
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