The Center for contemplative practice
A Lay Cistercian Looks at Spiritual Reality
Fermi’s Paradox
You have heard of Enrico Fermi, physicist, haven’t you? https://www.space.com/25325-fermi-paradox.html He was having lunch with his friends one day and the subject was life outside of earth. He simply asked, “Where is everybody?” What may or may not be a paradox, depending on who you ask, is a valid question. Based on computations like the Drake Equation, the odds are that there is life out there. But wonder if the opposite is true? What if we are the only ones out there? What are the implications? Think of it! We have no proof that there is even an organic molecule outside of earth’s protective shell. Frankly, I myself believe there must be life out there, due to the sheer numbers of planets in the “safe zone” (not too hot, or not too cold). For a moment, let’s just assume that there is no other life out there. Here are some things I think about, when I think of life on other planets.
- Humans are not designed to travel into or live in outer space. We evolved here on earth and will find it very difficult to spend extended periods of time in space.
- To travel in space, should we have the technology to do it, would demand several lifetimes to reach a world that we haven’t even discovered yet. We don’t know the long-term effects of living in space on aging or how the organs would adapt to weightlessness. Humans don’t live long enough to reach the stars. Why is that?
- If sentient life does exist, does it have free will? The history of how each culture treats each other is not encouraging, if you use earth as an example. Will they have sophistication and religion. Will they have males or females? Will there be marriage and families? Who knows?
- If there are no other living creatures other than earth, why is that? Is there a super creature that make all of reality? Did he sprinkle star stuff throughout the universe which took root on just our planet? Don’t know!
- Is there life on other universes other than our own? Do we go to that universe (Kingdom of Heaven) when we die? Did someone from that invisible universe be made a human so he could tell us how to get to this place? Will humans perish from the face of the earth because of misuse of natural resources? Will they descend into playing games, such as, my god can beat your god?
- I wonder a lot. Here are some of my wonders…
- …wonder if a higher power made only humans to receive the ability to love unconditionally. Why is that?
- …wonder if, out of all the species on the earth, humans are the only ones who have the capability to love. Why is that?
- …wonder if the most powerful energy in the universe is invisible to the eye but can be seen with the mind and the heart, i.e., love. Why is that?
- …wonder if this pure energy became one of us in order to show us the way to another universe, one that is beyond the physical one in which we now live? Why is that?
- …wonder if earth itself is a space ship traveling through time so that humans can reach their full potential to be enveloped and protected..Forever, in a blanket of loving relationship with the source of all energy? Why is this?
- …wonder if there is not only a physical time in which all matter must reside, but a spiritual time that has no beginning nor end and we are headed for that reality when we die. Why is that?
- …wonder if I am just a broken-down, old Lay Cistercian, seeking to find time to fill out his last days, or, are there discernible patterns of thought and energy that transcend our physical universe to include a spiritual one, invisible yet real? Now that is a question I like to wonder about. I am reasonably sure I know what these patterns are. They have been in front of us for centuries.
The Center for contemplative practice 