In several of the worlds philosophies, the universe exists in grand arcs of time. The Great Year, the Ages of Greece, the Yugas of India, the astrological Ages… astronomically marked cycles of light and dark ages like seasons within a larger cycle of creation, destruction and recreation. In the traditional Indian conception of time, this cycle of the life of the universe is on the fifth tier of cycles. In other words, there are 4 cycles of time that are each progressively larger (by about 1000x) than the life-cycle of the universe.
It has been my experience that there are multiple universes in our creation with various lifespans. From the outside, a universe has the look of a golden egg, hiranya garbha. Like pearls on a necklace of Brahma. Each universe has its own distinct set of laws of nature and beings. And each hangs within a slightly oval bubble of self-referral awareness, though it is experienced as an infinite space from within. The space of our universe is nested in the space of its container, which is nested in the space of creation. The space of creation arises from the self-referral awareness of Atman, the cosmic Self. This is part of what begins to be realized in the process of enlightenment.
Note that we may not be able to recognize the form of the universe from the inside, just as the form of the container is not apparent from inside it. Similarly, Atman is typically experienced as infinite and eternal until we discover it’s “edge” in the transition to Brahman.
It’s been fascinating to see science gradually coming to the same discoveries. “Last month, Roger Penrose at the University of Oxford and Vahe Gurzadyan at Yerevan State University in Armenia announced that they had found patterns of concentric circles in the cosmic microwave background, the echo of the Big Bang.
This, they say, is exactly what you’d expect if the universe were eternally cyclical. By that, they mean that each cycle ends with a big bang [not necessarily] that starts the next cycle. In this model, the universe is a kind of cosmic Russian doll, with all previous universes contained within the current one. [sort of]
That’s an extraordinary discovery: evidence of something that occurred before the (conventional) Big Bang.
Today, another group says they’ve found something else in the echo of the Big Bang. These guys start with a different model of the universe called eternal inflation. In this way of thinking, the universe we see is merely a bubble in a much larger cosmos. This cosmos is filled with other bubbles, all of which are other universes where the laws of physics may be dramatically different from ours.”
Not bad. How about both? The article goes on to mention they suggest that the universes have jostled each other (nope – they’re applying physical rules to non-physical space) and that this is proof of other universes.
Note that current images of the universe and galactic clusters show a broad oval – but this is defined by the current limits of our measuring devices (perception), not by the actual shape of space-time. I’ve also seen some describe space-time more like a flat plane but because it does gradually curve, it eventually curves back on itself. In fact, curving back on itself is in the fundamental basis of its existence, as noted in “Self-referral awareness” above.
“the Planck spacecraft that is currently peering into the cosmic microwave background with more resolution and greater sensitivity than ever. Cosmologists should have a decent data set to play with in a couple of years or so.” It will be interesting to see what they make of it.
Davidya
Last Updated on April 10, 2014 by
What they make of it!
Some (few) scientists these days are exploring contemplative means of research – nuclear physicist Arthur Zajonc in particular. He notes that pure quantitative research may provide us with information about abstract relations but can tell us nothing about qualities.
He has written very interesting things about the integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches, and even seems to have some insight about a “knowing” beyond both.
Indeed, what may happen in a few “years”!
Hi Don
Interesting distinction. The Vedic systems of philosophy have one for quantities and one for qualities. Both are considered dualistic pre-waking perspectives.
https://davidya.ca/2009/06/21/qualities-and-quantities-of-being/
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Bernardo Kastrup is another interesting one, using logic to deduce the deeper nature. He’s getting published too.
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The fascinating part is when we have “leaps”, where big ideas sweep through the collective and become the norm. You see smaller scale examples all the time.