My wife and I are watching “Our Universe,” a Netflix show narrated by Morgan Freeman. This show is part nature documentary, part outer space science spectacle. Each episode focuses on a big concept such as “Energy,” “Time,” or “The Seasons.” It does this, on the one hand, with wondrous computer-generated imagery of the cosmos, illustrating grandiose star-making events going all the way back to the Big Bang; and on the other, with a close up look at the lives of Earth-bound animals like you’d see in a National Geographic documentary. This combination of space and nature is not something I have seen before.
The show ties up the micro with the macro in a beautiful symmetry, connecting the life of an animal with the forces that move the entire Universe. For instance, the first episode follows a cheetah in the Serengeti as she hunts for food to feed her family. This terrestrial story is combined with amazing vistas of deep space. Freeman narrates how the cheetah, by looking for food, is in search of energy. This is the very same energy of the sun, the very same energy unleashed by the Big Bang billions of years ago.
In the third episode, we follow a bear in Alaska hibernating for the winter. Through this narrative, the show explores the seasons. Freeman explains how the Earth was knocked off a perfect rotation many millennia ago. This is a good thing for us Earthlings, as our planet’s 23-degree angle tilt is what allows there to be seasons. This ties back to the bear looking for a cave to sleep in for six months, and also the instincts that wake her up to search for food as spring arrives.
I love these big-picture connections.
One thing I also love is how the show discusses the very long time scale of the Universe as it evolves. It takes millions of years for planets, suns, solar systems, and galaxies to form. For me, it’s a reminder to think long-term, to be patient, to not force things. I think of Abraham encouraging us to harness “the power that creates worlds” by seeking alignment and thoughts that feel good. If we stay open to receiving, and let the Universe work its magic, good things will occur.
The Universe’s magic is on full display in this show 🙂