Science has traditionally regarded the universe as mostly made up mostly of inert matter and empty space. At one time this point of view was liberating, part of the Enlightenment-born rationalism that helped humanity free itself from superstition and fear and achieve extraordinary intellectual and technological breakthroughs. 

But this paradigm has outlived its usefulness. It has led to rampant materialism and environmental degradation — if the universe is essentially dead and we are alive, then the inanimate stuff of the universe should be ours to exploit. But we now know that not only is the view of a dead universe destructive, it is also inaccurate and misleading.

In The Living Universe, Duane Elgin brings together evidence from cosmology, biology, physics, and even his participation in NASA-sponsored psychic experiments to show that the universe is permeated by a living field and that we are always in communion with that field of aliveness whether we are conscious of it or not. This is a world-view that, as Elgin explains, is shared by virtually every spiritual tradition, and the implications of it are vast and deep. In a living system, each part is integral to the whole, so each of us is intimately connected to the entire universe. Elgin eloquently demonstrates how our identity manifests itself on a whole series of levels, from subatomic to galactic. We are, he writes, "far more than biological beings — we are beings of cosmic connection and participation."

To confront our ongoing planetary crisis of dwindling resources and escalating conflict, we need to move past an ideology of separation, competition, and exploitation. Duane Elgin asks us to see humanity sharing in the same field of aliveness, to discover how to live sustainably and harmoniously within the living universe.

About The Author

Duane is an author, visionary and speaker, who looks beneath the surface for the deeper trends that are shaping our future. His seminal book Voluntary Simplicity, first published in 1981. His other books include The Living Universe, Promise Ahead, and Awakening Earth. His article The Garden of Simplicity describe a range of approaches to green living that are thriving in the world. The article Voluntary Simplicity that he co-authored in 1977 helped launch the modern simplicity movement. (We thank Duane for allowing us to reprint those articles here on The Simple Living Network -- available on our Home Page.)