A very unsettling thought

I was thinking about the expansion of the universe. The universe is inflating. I was really trying to conceive of the actual inflation, as witnessed from one single point within an expanding sphere. I imagined the “edge” of this sphere expanding, and then I thought: What is it expanding into?

If you think about it, it is almost preposterous to think that there’s just an infinite amount of – what can it be called? Expanse? It just seems preposterous that there can be an infinite amount of expanse out there, waiting for the universe to expand into it. If you really try to think about this expanse it just doesn’t jive. It is highly unsettling.

I think that there must be some very deep answer that relates to these two things: inflation and infinite expanse. As far as I can conceive, expanse must be an illusion. Space must be an illusion because the only alternative is preposterous. Perhaps it is also the case that the inflation is an illusion.

I also keep wondering if it is all somehow related to black holes, which have their own kind of preposterousness. These two preposterous things, perhaps they fit together. Along with inflation.

If somehow the universe is “inside” a black hole, then it makes me wonder if that black hole is itself inside another, which could be inside another. But then one can ask: Is there some master black hole that is the mother of all others?

Finally, I am thinking about the mind of God. Can you feel the mind of God? Permeating everything? That infinite love that is just like all the stars in the heavens, enveloping us?

I was also thinking about how the precious light is no longer visible in more and more and more places on Earth.

One last thought: I imagine if I were standing on the stage at a TED talk. What would I say?

Uh oh. This is serious. Have to think about this a minute. Of course one wants to give a positive message. Encourage people. If you have a precious opportunity like that, wouldn’t you want to use it to say something positive? To give hope? To do something productive?

Or… would I say something like “America is infected with evil. It has to be cured.”?

I was thinking about the latter, and then I realized that part of the evil is that if you were to stand there and say it, it probably wouldn’t register for the most part. I could see the eyes glazed over.

But maybe I’m wrong. Other people have stood there and discussed serious problems with America. Part of what needs to be talked about is freedom. I guess I would take that opportunity to talk about freedom as Buddha – and I’m sure countless other Buddhas back through time – taught. About the way that beings can give gifts to other beings – gifts of happiness, gifts of freedom from fear, etc.

And I guess I would also want to talk about models and that healthy cultures have healthy models, shining examples of and embodiments of wisdom, courage, and love.