Embrace

“ A human being is a part of the whole called the ‘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 for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in all its beauty.” Albert Einstein.

Scientists believe the universe began with a near instantaneous inflation from a singular dimensionless point to a huge expanding universe - the Big Bang – some 13.8 billion years ago. Moments later the first primordial matter condensed from the energy released. In the billions of years that have followed much of that first matter has been transmuted within the fires of trillions of stars or in their last catastrophic moments when they exploded into supernovas, the force forming all the various atoms and molecules now in existence.

Within each of us is approximately a teaspoon of the original primordial matter. Everything else – everything – has been forged in stars. We are literally star dust.

We are this universe, the universe is us. We are not separate or even a special case. The division of man from nature is only a delusion of sentience. In my hand are atoms formed at the very moment time began. In my eyes atoms that formed as a star exploded. I have within me atoms from dinosaurs, atoms from ancient plants, atoms from creatures large and small that have roamed the earth, atoms from my ancestors, atoms from the moon, atoms from the sun, atoms from everything you can imagine. We are this universe, this universe is us. We must embrace - everything.

Widening our circle of compassion and embracing all that there is requires first the rejection of false human construct and the attainment of true knowledge of our universe and the perspective and resonance with all that there is such knowledge provides.

Religion, wealth, prestige, power, nation, rank - false human construct all - none of them real, all of them divisive, isolating, imprisoning, and appealing to our worst instincts of hate, selfishness, bigotry, separatism, and war.

The attainment of knowledge of our universe through science, mathematics, music, art, love, creativity, and sublime experience in simple moments of life, can only result in a greater compassion for all of life and a greater perspective to behold the incredible beauty of all that there is.

We are this universe, this universe is us. We must embrace – everything and everyone.