What if everything was the same?

What if everything was the same?

You know like everything! What if every snow flake was identical to every other snow flake? What if each moment was the same as the last? Could that be possible? What would our world look and feel like if each moment was identical to the last and every future moment?

Is it possible that each snow flake is made of the exact same thing? Could each drop of water in the universe be made of the exact same stuff? No matter where or when we are in the universe, water would be made of the exact same stuff. Here is another one, what if every cell in our body was identical. There would only be one type of cell. So, the cells in our eyes are the same as the cells in our blood. Yikes how could that be?

Each cell would have to contain the exact same information as every other cell. Perhaps this could be true. But that would mean that any particular cell could be anything and for some reason that cell took on a specific responsibility in our body.

Ok, let's look at water again. What about water?  Well, is every drop of water really made of the same stuff everywhere and every time? Then the stuff that water is made of has to be the same thing as well!

So we could think of every drop of water in the universe being made of the same type of atoms. Then that would mean that each atom of water is made of the same stuff. I guess this line of thought could just keep going on and on.

I guess when the great thinkers and scientist say – “Everything is made of the same thing!” They really meant everything!  Then why do things look so different?

Where is God?

Where is God?

Yes, I’m walking into dangerous territory. I am about step into the cosmic dodo. What the heck, let’s just go for the ride and enjoy this discussion. For a few minutes, let’s set aside our current point of view and look at the universe in a few different ways. Why do this? OK, it is just healthy and can be fun.

There are many religions, cultures, sects, ideologies and individuals that have opposing beliefs about where, if, who and how God exists. Let’s look at the famous Allen Watts description of the three most commonly held world views of God.

1. God as a maker of artefacts (the universe). A God who created the universe with “his” hands. Much like you would make a clay pot. This God is outside of the universe and manages everything from a location outside of our experience. “He” is out there or up there, “he” does not live in our universe.

2. God as the dreamer. This version of God creates the universe in “his” dream. There is no distinction or separation between anything. Everything is part of God’s Dream. This view might remind you of the movie The Matrix.

3. God as a living organism. In this view of the universe, everything just exists much like a single cell organism just exists. This Universe exists because it does. It is because it is. There is no understandable meaning that can define the “who or what” of this God. You cannot comprehend what you are immersed in. A fish may experience water the same way we experience the air we breathe. Normally we do not notice the air we breathe because we are immersed in air.



Yes it is a lot to digest. Could you see your version of God in these three generalized views? These three descriptions are not meant to replace a true study or research of religion. These generalizations are being presented here to provide a high level point of reference. Look at these three descriptions as models of how the universe works. We can then experiment with any specific observation in terms of these models. We could test out some observations of human behaviour in these models see if we can predict the result. A good model can simulate a process and suggest a result. For example scientists use models to predict the weather.

So, let’s test a few behaviours against these models and see what happens.

How would people, who believe in God as a Dreamer, view the birth and death cycle? Perhaps if you ascribe to God as the Dreamer, then reincarnation could be a real possibility in your world.

On the other hand, if you believed in God as an Organism, then perhaps a holistic life style would be highly valued. In your universe as a living organism, everything you do has a impact on everything else around you.

What if your God is a creator of Artefacts? How might this person behave or view the world if everything is “made” by God?

Can we predict how two people with different views of God would react to having same experience? Say, look at worldwide war and how two people discussing the impact of World War II might react to each other. The “God as a Dreamer” might tell the “God as a maker of Artefacts” person that in the “big picture” the impact of World War II has no meaning because it is just a dream.

So, where the heck is God? Well perhaps our personal definition of God is more useful knowledge then understanding where God is located.

That’s what I think, how about you?

Steve Oliver
June 2010

Starting a New Life's Project?

Starting a New Life's Project

Oh what fun it is! What a joy! You are starting a new business or creating a significant change in your life? Getting ready to get married or buying your first home? Just completed college or university and looking for your first job?

It is all just so easy, right?  It is a “piece of cake”?  Starting a new life project is just real easy.  Everything goes just the way you want.  No confusion and every decision you make is perfect.

OK, as they say in the computer business: “That’s the demo version!” What is reality?


In reality, you may get frustrated, make many errors and wonder why the heck you started this project. Sometimes people get the “Demo Version” and everything goes just perfect.  However, for most of us, it is really hard to make major changes.  People experience a lot of chaos when making a major change or starting a significant life project.

It seems like the larger the project or the more significant the life change the more chaos we experience. The chaos can be so intense that we may even stop the project or decide the price for making the life change is too expensive. We may “back off”, run like heck and try to avoid the project or change. The chaos may have just become way too intense!   You may even feel physcally bad, not able to eat and feel sick.

Have you ever tried to stop smoking?  Leave a long term dysfunctional relationship?  Hey, these are all good things to do in your life.  So, why do we experience all this chaos when we are trying to do “good” things in our lives?

Ok, let’s look at it a different way.  What if the experience of chaos was an indicator that we are having some success?  The act of experiencing all this confusion, doubt, anxiety and the eruption of chaos may be normal.

Consider these three levels of learning and personal growth:

1. First we are totally ignorant of what we need to know inorder to make the change,
2. Then we become knowledgeable about what we don’t know and we may panic,
3. Finally we gain some understanding and begin to master this new knowledge.

The chaos usually happens in the second level.  If you are at the second level, keep going until you reach the third level.  It has been proven that people on the second level may become totally messed up and confused.  The brain just does not have the neural pathways to complete the tasks.  The process of creating the needed neural pathways or learn the new skills, takes time, practice and patience.  Do not quit!  If this change is important to you than just keep going until to reach the third level.  Just trust that you can do it!

More later..

Steve Oliver
May 2010

Why should I meditate?

Why Should I Meditate?

The art of meditation may seem like a mystery.   If you have never tried to meditate or have not researched it, you may have some vague impressions about the art.  There are many different descriptions about meditation and lots of mis-information about this age old art.   Some people view meditation as a religion while others view it as a science.  There are numerous schools, churches, healing centres  and institutes dedicated to the art of meditation.    

Hey, most if not all of the major world contributors practiced the art of meditation.   Great people like Mahatma Gandhi, The Beatles, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King and the list could go on and on..

Perhaps one good question maybe “What did these great men and women of the world gain from meditation?”.  So, what is the big deal?  Perhaps these great people were born with special “gifts”.  Maybe these great people of the world were lucky and were given special powers and wisdom.  It could be argued that some people have great understanding and wisdom and others just do not.  Some just have “it”. 

Is it really true that some have “it” and others do not?  And what heck is this “it”?  And what does the art of meditation have to do with anything?  Let us just call this “it” ones  Personal Power.  With that, let’s take a deeper look at meditation.

Well, I can see three major types of meditation;  guided, focused and empty.  The guided meditation cover styles like group prayer and meditation for a specific goal or outcome.  Focused meditations styles include chanting, mantras or watching one’s breath.  Finally, the empty meditation is when we detach and specifically avoid “thinking”.

OK, so what does all that mean?  It means that  we can train our mind.  We can enhance the way we think.   From the time we are conceived, we begin to develop our ability to think.  At some point, we become an adult with some level of mental ability.   We end up with our unique level of understanding and ability to comprehend the world.  

Brain research has proven that our ability to learn is vast.  We have the ability to grow new neural pathways all of our lives.  So what is the connection between neural pathways, meditation and personal power? 

The neural pathways in our brains is our programming.   This programming determines everything in our lives.  Perhaps our neural pathways  might have something to do with one's level of personal power?  Here is a basic definition of meditation: “An exercise to enhance on mind.”

And most important, with the practice of meditation, we can continue to change and grow more neural pathways for the rest of our lives, thus continuing to enhance our Personal Power.

What do you think?

Steve Oliver
May 2010