I’m fascinated by the world of Quantum Physics particularly the concept of overlapping and interacting universes. I can’t do the math to prove the validity of quantum theory, but I’ve read the studies on particles and waves and can almost wrap my brain around the idea of multiple universes existing, overlapping and interacting.
I wonder if what we call the world or our universe is really only one universe or is our universe made up of many universes with different properties that form the whole of what we are and what is necessary for our universe to function.
While we may feel good thinking we know the nature of our world sometimes it’s fun to question what we think and to explore new ideas. For my parent’s generation time and space were very fixed concepts. While the Great Generation embraced science as the answer, they didn’t fully grasp the Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey stuff. My college science courses where still pretty stuck in a solid, concrete image of the universe despite the fact that we talked about relativity.
Of course we can function as if our universe or at least our own little part of it is subject to linear time and concrete space. Functioning with concrete concepts helps us organize and structure our lives. I have a very detailed schedule for today. I can wish that time would stretch a little so I could finish my chores today, but where would I get the energy? Unfortunately, time will appear very fixed for me and traffic will be horrific. But in the bigger picture, I am not so sure what time and space are all about.
As a social scientist, I see the benefit in embracing the concept of multiple universes that interact. We need to have more elastic minds to engage with the concepts of quantum physics. Elastic minds are better at problem solving, but is there any other benefit to accepting quantum theory other than as an exercise and as a tool for geeks who study esoteric concepts?
When I was a child, my aunt called Mom on the phone long distance to cry and worry because she knew her husband had been hurt. He was working in the middle of nowhere in Alaska where he didn’t have access to a phone. Mom comforted as best she could and finally agreed to go stay with her sister until she heard from her husband or the company he worked for. Hours passed before my aunt got the call from her husband. He explained that he’d had an accident, was bruised all over and had a broken arm. Now how did Aunt Betty know her husband was hurt? According to Celtic legend, she had the gift of seeing. This incident was debated in the family for years. The rational conclusion was that Betty just happened to imagine her husband was hurt on the day he got hurt. Maybe she imagined him getting hurt every day. Maybe her kids drove her particularly crazy that day and she really wanted to hurt him for leaving her home alone with four children. Or is it possible that what the Celts called the gift of seeing has something to do with energy crumpled time and intersecting universes.
What difference does it make what people believe when? I think it makes a difference in how we understand and respond to other people. Mom responded to her crazy sister with love and respect because Mom was humble enough to know she didn’t know everything and thought it possible her sister had some unseen or paranormal communication with her husband.
I think the revelations of quantum physics demand that we re-examine our belief systems to admit, first that we don’t know everything, and secondly to consider that the ancient folklore just might contain some wisdom we can apply to our everyday lives.
Across the globe and through the ages we have stories of immortality. Does the energy that forms an individual person dissipate when that person dies or does it change form and continue to exist in another dimension. This second explanation might better explain the consistent stories around visitations from loved ones who have passed than to dismiss the idea of interacting with those who have died when those stories are found in every culture and belief system.
I’m fascinated by the Celtic concept of Thin Places. The ancient Celts may well have been describing a quantum universe when they described places where the veil between this world and other dimensions is thin enough that we interact with those other dimensions in those places.
What are our ancient stories of gods, and strange lights, and people disappearing and reappearing? Before we dismiss the ancient folklore as superstitious ignorance, perhaps we should open our minds to the possibility that the ancients in their own way tried to describe their interactions with a quantum universe. Before we ridicule the beliefs of our fellow humans perhaps we need to consider that they are attempting in their own way to describe a quantum world. Perhaps Shakespeare was right, “There are more things in heaven and earth. Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
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