It was amazing to watch these strong, usually invisible forces interact and shape the development of our cosmos as purple, green, and pink energy flowed over the starry sky.
A deep meditation of the connectivity and participation character of our planet was evoked in me as I gazed upon the wonder and beauty of the night airglow. It was both provocative and welcoming.
The existence of electromagnetic and energy fields in space is made evident by the northern lights, which are invisible to most of us until charged particles clash with atmospheric constituents to produce observable displays of color and light.
Seeing this occurrence served as a powerful reminder of the numerous dynamic, invisible social processes that continuously shape and impact the quality of our lives, both individually and collectively.
It appears that we need to be more conscious of what is truly happening in the common places we are participating in now more than ever before, given the ongoing global crises, intense polarization, and the unsettling level of detachment occurring within our local and global communities.
What invisible forces shape our attitudes, actions, and experiences as individuals and as a society?
For instance, there is a lot of implicit and explicit messaging in the many settings we utilize for social contact and public discourse, which affects the caliber of our interpersonal relationships and communication styles.
Unfortunately, the hectic pace of digital engagement, along with constant notifications and interruptions, falsely portrays ideas as mutually exclusive. Everyday information overload prevents us from appreciating subtleties or the merits of different viewpoints.
Deafening calls to give in to the "us versus them" mindset instill anxiety, jeopardize our sense of security, and increase our vulnerability to the purposefully skewed, misleading narratives we are being exposed to. It is understandable why so many of us express feeling worn out, discouraged, alone, and lonely.
As we face the pervasiveness of oppression, violence, injustice, and corruption in the globe, it has been harder to avoid being cynical and disillusioned. It is impossible to overlook these problems. We must, however, figure out a better method to talk about and handle these issues with one another.
Against a backdrop of darkness and destruction, the recent amazing celestial display seemed to be calling us to consider the possibilities of illuminating our communal spaces with peace.