I was watching a Discovery Channel program about the Universe. The Big Bang Theory is the leading explanation for how the universe began. The universe started with an infinitely hot and dense single point that inflated and stretched over the next 13.7 billion years to the still-expanding cosmos of today. There are apparently two forces in nature that dictate balance among the heavenly bodies. The Big Bang caused incredible forces of expansion that are still moving out from the center. The complementary force is Gravity, which keeps all things united in the center. Balance between these forces allows the Universe to expand at a reasonable rate.
Comfort Zones
I had taught a lesson recently on the “Comfort Zone,” that place in our experience that resists change. Otto Rank, the famous cohort of Sigmund Freud, wrote about “Life Fear,” (the desire to stay on familiar ground and resist change), and “Death Fear,” (the desire the move out of stagnation and grow).
Doesn’t it sound like life on the human level is both moving out from the center (expansion and death fear) as well as trying to hold on to comfort (contraction and life fear)?
The more we look at the way the Universe functions, the more the parallels to our experience we can find. Too much expansion = not safe. Too much contraction = stagnant/not growing.
We each have our own formula for what is enough familiarity/comfort and what is enough adventure/discomfort. I can see that if we are excessive in either direction, we get a diagnosis!
The reason I’m writing this is to tie some concepts together, namely, our experience as human beings is a reflection of the way things are universally. This may seem like a head scratcher, but if you have a little time to read and reread, maybe you’ll agree. All roads embody singular truths that may look different at one level, but join in Oneness at another level.
Contemplating where we are in our levels of expansion and contraction can be a healthy rubric for self-reflection. Try it!
