SCIENCE & SPIRITUALITY
We set out to explore the connections between contemporary science and ancient wisdom.
Where do the two meet each other and where do they diverge?
What is missing in contemporary science that was believed in ancient times and what does this mean for us?
Scientists, astrophysicists, astronomers, physicists, and engineers over the years have opened the doors to another level of understanding of outer space and the human mind.
In our study group we watched several well-documented series about discoveries, projects, and missions to explore the Universe, to understand the evolution of the solar system and the formation of planets. We read with great curiosity some of the works by Stephen Hawking and also explored mathematics and patterns in nature by reading "Man in the Cosmos" by Christian Wertenbaker.
Contemporary researchers recognise that there is something there in the Universe, beyond their present understanding.
“We began to weigh up information from different fields and search for the thread that unites them.”
We developed questions for ourselves about the Laws of the Universe and their effects on us, as singular individuals, or as communities and countries on this blue planet called Earth.
Stardust
Research experts say that humans and all life on earth are made up of stardust. This is not simply a poetic way to connect with the Cosmos, but a description of a physicochemical reality demonstrated by the most advanced technologies.
Sun Worship
The Cosmos was part of the life of ancient people, and the Sun was worshipped in many cultures. Archaeological sites now exist where there were former fortresses or places of worship, which were built to allow sunlight to enter sacred rooms on a certain month and day of the year.
A Transforming Universe
We can see everything changing on Earth as our predecessors would have by looking around us, for example observing the passing seasons. In contrast, the Universe is often seen as a cosmological constant. In fact, it is also in transformation - like an organism that is evolving. We understand that nothing stands still, including ourselves.
Cosmos
Science explores the evolution of the Universe from close to its birth, using simulations and recognising laws that govern the movement of the planets. Are we curious to know the place we came from?
Maths & Reality
We see and feel how maths, patterns and everyday life intertwine. Those who understand zero and infinity are those who see an order that extends beyond any abstract concept.
“Every meeting of our study group brings forth something new, something that tickles my curiosity.”
Orbital resonance
Depiction of asteroid Pallas' 18:7 near resonance with Jupiter
“The dance made by Earth and other planets moving around the Sun, is a dance of resonance. Venus and Earth “dance” around the Sun and reveal a pattern of a beautiful complex flower, with symmetrical petals. The movement itself is like a pulsed rhythm. I felt so amazed. It was one of those special moments of silence in my head.”
Patterns in Nature
Wherever we look, we discover patterns and symmetry.
We considered the phenomena of symmetry, as well as broken symmetry and asymmetry. Where are these found in nature and what can I learn from them? An element perhaps unites all three creating a "harmony", a process that is difficult to imagine.
We were amazed by the effects of the vibrations on water and how it formed patterns with the beat of a drum.
“Observing nature helped me and I saw an order of things unfold on a trip to the mountains. Symmetry, where there is a moment of silence in nature – in the mirror of a lake. Then the symmetry is broken - raindrops disturb the mirror of the lake. Lastly, there is a moment of asymmetry - beautiful, structured chaos - concentric circles appearing around each drop. Cosmic laws are at work - observable in just a few seconds. At some point, when the rain stops, everything returns to symmetry - yet all is new.”
Symmetry attracts our visual sense, and it plays an important role in our aesthetic sense, in what we consider to be beautiful. We see it in plants, in their leaves, petals, sepals, seeds, patterns on animal skin, beehive cells or snowflakes.
The patterns we see in the microscopic world are also found at the macroscopic level, for example, spirals on snail shells and the vast swirls of galaxies.
“Looking for patterns in nature was strange and unknown at first and led to moments of surprise. Looking at trunks of trees whose barks have different textures helped me understand something – that what is on the surface - visible and palpable, also corresponds with a deeper reality. At that moment, I saw a multitude of things about human nature. By studying nature, I can study myself.”