Matter and Energy, Part 3

Matter and Energy, Part 3

“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”

Quote attributed to Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)

What follows is part of an exploration about which I feel abundantly curious and poorly equipped. I likely will get some parts wrong, but the foundational concepts which I attempt to articulate are fascinating. I trust where this falls short in accuracy is compensated for by intrigue.

Is there a correspondence between what we label as energy and what we consider spirit in religious and spiritual discussions? That is the question I danced around last week. On the one hand, energy is typically considered inanimate, unconscious, and random, except when it is controlled and directed by animate, conscious beings like humans. Spirit is considered a conscious, intelligent, animating presence that acts on and within conscious beings. The question is perhaps more clearly stated as whether electricity, as a familiar carrier of energy, is a manifestation of spirit.

Energy, as described by the science of physics, is a force and is measured by the amount of power required to move an amount of mass (matter) a certain distance. The components of an energetic action include power (force or strength), matter (something physical to be acted upon), and space (a distance moved). Spirit, in Christianity, is one person of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), which names three distinct ways we experience God. The Father is the Creator or Divine Parent, the Son or Child is the creation or created world, and the Spirit is the relationship or interaction between creator and created. The Trinity images God in relation to humanity as (1) above or beyond human comprehension (Creator), (2) beside or with humanity (Child), and (3) inherent within creation (relationship). In religious belief systems where God is often perceived in less personal or human terms, like Buddhism and Hinduism, spirit is sometimes described as an inanimate, unconscious force that is present everywhere and that can be consciously directed in various ways – similar to traditional Western views of energy.

Our physical bodies are animated and enlivened by energy from electrical impulses traveling along bundles of nerve running through our bodies, not unlike the electrical wiring in our homes. We can track, measure, and quantify those impulses in similar ways to how we track, measure, and quantify the electricity powering our homes. The electricity passing through our body’s nerves is necessary for every function of our bodies from our heartbeat to respiration to digestion to thinking and more. When the electrical distribution system in our body malfunctions, we are thrown into physical distress.

The provision of energy requires fuel in order to power our bodily functions, our appliances, our cars, and our homes. In our bodies, that fuel comes from two primary sources: the oxygen in the air we breathe and the nutrients in the foods we consume. The fuel providing the energy to power our cars is primarily gasoline, a product from the extraction and refining of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels come from decomposed plants and animals from millions of years ago which are buried in the earth as oil, coal, and other carbon-rich materials. The fuel to power our homes comes from power production plants, most of which produce electricity through the burning of fossil fuels. In other words, our power comes from the conversion of mass (decayed plant and animal life) into energy (electricity), drawing heat from the physical matter by burning it. The unfortunate challenge today is the inefficiency of the matter-to-energy conversion processes for fossil fuels, which release carbon-rich byproducts into the atmosphere. Carbon is a foundational element of all organic matter, so when carbon sources (decayed plants and animals) are burned, much of the carbon is discharged in reconstituted gaseous forms, including carbon-dioxide. Excess carbon in the atmosphere causes changes in atmospheric behavior and impacts the environmental conditions in which we live. This matter to energy conversion is handy, but not healthy or sustainable, at least not on the scale it is being done today.

Because we use fuel produced by transforming matter into energy for our energy needs, internal and external, I return to the equivalence of matter and energy. That matter can be converted into energy that then powers matter is a common reality today. But what about converting energy back into matter? That may be as much a spiritual as a scientific question.

This is the 16^th in a series of Life Notes on Space, Time, and Eternity. The opinions expressed here are mine. To engage with me or to explore contemplative spiritual direction, contact me at ghildenbrand@sunflower.com.