Reconnecting to Nature

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Socially Engaged Spirituality

1.The Emerging, Holistic Worldview
Historical Worldviews	The Emerging Worldview	Attempts at Manifestation	Science and Spirituality

The Holographic Universe

An example of how the implicate and explicate orders might be related can be illustrated with the famous Mandelbrot set. The patterns generated reflect two characteristics that seem to be present in the structure of the universe—a fractal structure and a holographic structure. A fractal structure is one which is equally complex at each level of scaling, and furthermore the structures at different levels are said to be “self-similar” without being identical. In other words, the variations are infinite but similar. A holographic structure is a well-known concept from physics in which each part contains the whole.

The Mandelbrot set is based on a deceptively simple iterative mathematical expression: Z(n+1) = Z(n)*2+C, for n=2,3,...., with Z(1) =0. C is an arbitrary complex constant, and Z(n) is then a sequence of complex numbers that take on a sequence of values as n = 1,2 3, …etc. If the sequence does not approach infinity (i.e. is bounded), and if c is a pixel location on a computer screen, then c is in the Mandelbrot set and its boundary value can be colour coded (colour being a function of time elapsed) and plotted. Together, the plotted pixels form incredibly detailed and beautiful patterns. One of the clearly identifiable patterns has been called “the bug” for its lifelike appearance.

Starting with the “bug” image, we can now zoom in on any point and at any magnification and we will discover a just as complex pattern that is “different but similar”. This illustrates the fractal principle. If we continue zooming in we will eventually find a replicate of the “bug”, illustrating the holographic principle. We can think of this phenomenon as a metaphor for the concept of “the microcosm in the macrocosm” or “as above so below”.

There are several places on the internet where you have further experiences with Mandelbrot’s Set.

Example
Inner Net of the Heart Have a look at Will Keepin’s 2 minute slide show illustrating both the Mandelbrot set, Bohm’s implicate order, and quotations from many spiritual traditions that signify the truth of the oneness of all creation. (checked May 15, 2008)

The "Bug"
Click on image to see a YouTube video about the Mandelbrot Set

Click on image to learn more about the idea of the holographic universe

M.C. Escher, Path of Life