PRSPCTV Series V

Peace! Welcome to PRSPCTV! I'm Cesar; the owner & founder of Elevated Thoughts and the proud writer of this blog series. 

To the new readers; PRSPCTV (short for perspective) is a blog series I created that breaks down insightful, philosophical quotes. I've always been intrigued by quotes and have always tried to decipher their meanings so I can learn from it. Throughout the years, I've been able to gain a deeper understanding of what these quotes mean; at least, my perception of them. The quotes that I like to dissect mainly come from philosophers of the 3rd century BC during the rise of Stoicism. These quotes are usually short but pack quite a powerful punch. 

This is why I bring them to you: so both you and I can gain a deeper understanding of the quote. It's also so we can have an open discussion on the subject at hand. I don't just break it down from personal beliefs and opinions; I also back it with modern scientific research, studies, and theories that support the quote. By gaining this insight, I hope you're able to try to apply it to your lives so you can become a better version of self, as I strive to do the same. As a society, we definitely have the potential to create positive changes in the world; but it all starts with you. 

If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Introduction to PRSPCTV blog, where I break down this blog series and dive into Stoicism a bit more.

"Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion"

- Rumi 

"Stop acting so small."

What I believe this part of the quote refers to is how we sometimes view ourselves. Figuratively speaking, of course. We sometimes think and/or believe we don't matter. We think our opinions don't matter. We believe our actions or decisions won't make a difference. We don't see ourselves as influential or impactful.

But your opinions do matter. Your actions and decisions; it all matters. What we do and don't do causes ripple effects within the macrocosm of time and space. Everything we do and everything we don't do. The actions of one has the power to influence anywhere from one person (micro) to millions of people (macro); it's all through the energy you manifest. Even when you influence one person, that person will carry their experience with you in them, and they'll influence others based on those experiences with you and everyone else as well.

A good example is the impact an adult has on a child. As a child grows to become a teenager and later into adulthood, they carry habits and experiences they were raised with or something they picked up and learned from the adults they grew up around i.e. parents, caretakers, family members, teachers, etc. This includes perspectives that adults they grew up around might've had as well.

In this sense, we're acting small because we're allowing ourselves to believe we're small; that our actions and decisions won't make a difference. Therefore, we make decisions and actions based on that mindstate. Even deciding to not act on something is a decision and action within itself. I believe this is why Rumi lets the reader know; stop acting so small. Give yourself more credit. You've made it this far in life. Your opinions matter. Your feelings matter. You matter. Whenever my impostor syndrome kicks in (different subject to touch on), whenever I start to doubt my purpose and existence, I think to myself...there's over 7 billion people on earth (that's a lot people right?). Over 7 billion people, yet there's only one you.

"You are the universe in ecstatic motion."

My favorite part of this quote! What does it mean that you're the 'universe in ecstatic motion'? Let's dive into it.

My understanding of this part of the quote will be broken down to two smaller parts: a personal, metaphorical standpoint. What I provide will be from a cosmological view (the entire universe) to a quantum view (atoms, particles, etc). I'm going to try to break this down to the best of my ability, so bear with me.

Metaphorically, we're our own versions of the universe. How so? Well, the universe is comprised of trillions of stars and galaxies. In our Milky Way galaxy, planets orbit around the sun's gravitational pull; the sun provides us with sunlight here on earth. From our galaxy to our existence on earth, everything works in unison. From the oxygen we breathe that's generated from trees, the minerals and vitamins we gain from eating fruits and vegetables, the benefits to drinking water, and so on. This is a cosmological view; from an external perspective, it's what's happening around us.

From a quantum view or internal perspective, our thoughts transmit electrical signals to our brain which allow us to have control over our movements. Our lungs help us inhale/exhale, our heart beat pumps blood throughout our body; our stomach digests our foods and helps our bodies gain the necessary nutrients and vitamins. From our organs down to each and every cell; everything in your body was designed to work in unison and is interconnected; just as the universe is interconnected.

In this sense, we are the universe because every cell, organ, and bone in our bodies work in unison just as the stars, planets, galaxies, and electromagnetic fields all work in unison. We're the universe in ecstatic motion, because we're constantly moving! You could say we're mini versions or portable versions of the universe.

Fun fact! Scientifically, we are made up of the same elements as stars. Yes, you read that right: stars. Humans are made up of 97% of the same atoms as stars: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. It's crazy, isn't it? Here's a passage taken from a Space.com article:

"The astronomers evaluated each element's abundance through a method called spectroscopy; each element emits distinct wavelengths of light from within a star, and they measured the depth of the dark and bright patches in each star's light spectrum to determine what it was made of."

According to Merriam-Webster, a star is defined as "a self-luminous gaseous spheroidal celestial body of great mass which produces energy by means of nuclear fusion reactions".

Stars produce energy by means of nuclear fusion reactions. Our bodies produce energy through chemical processes via food and drinks; it uses carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This is possible as foods contain stored chemical energy. The similarities we have with stars and the universe in general are astounding.

But, I believe this pretty much validates what Rumi said; we are the universe in ecstatic motion. We have the power to bend the very fabric of space and time by what what we do and what we don't do.

Everything we do and don't do changes the present moment forever. From then on, it creates the building blocks for the future.