In The Field Eric is connecting to something, some force, when he’s in the goal that gives him a sense of knowing where the ball is going to go before he possibly could. He doesn’t know what it is and struggles to control it. Through the vehicle of story and Eric’s struggles, I wanted to explore the idea that we are all connected by the same energy field, the same power, the same consciousness. Although it may seem like a metaphysical concept, there is real science to back it up.
Quantum physics has shown that at a subatomic level everything is connected. These tiniest of particles only have meaning in relation to other particles, linked by a dynamic web of interconnection, and once in contact with one another, they are always connected. This connectedness transcends time and space. This has been proven in numerous experiments.
What’s been difficult for scientists to determine is how this connectedness translates into the life we see around us. Do these same principals apply to us? Are humans all connected to one another and if so, how?
There is an interesting on-going experiment called The Global Consciousness Project run by an international consortium of scientists and volunteers that measures random white noise occurring in the noosphere to test the theory that humanity itself has a global consciousness. In other words, is there evidence that our consciousness as a species is connected in some measurable manner?
From the website:
“Personal experience is supported by a growing number of good experiments which show that consciousness and intention have subtle but important effects in the world. We know that groups of people sometimes experience a special resonance of feelings and ideas, and recent scientific evidence indicates that effects of coherent group consciousness can be detected with appropriate instruments. The Global Consciousness Project (GCP) is an international collaboration of researchers extending this research to global dimensions via the internet.”
Since 1998 the group has gathered and analyzed data according to rigorous scientific protocols, and has found “strong” and “significant” evidence that certain events, such as the funeral ceremonies of Princess Diana, the terrorist attacks on 9/11, terrible accidents and natural disasters, major religious gatherings, and midnight on any New Years Eve, have a worldwide impact that can be measured as a “spike” on a graph. They state, however that “we do not know whether there is a global consciousness.” Source EGGs in a Global Basket by Wm. Michael Knight
Although the scientists of the Global Consciousness Project don’t purport to draw the conclusion that there is, in fact, a consciousness that connects us all, I believe that there is. What do you think?
Have you ever had a thought or feeling about something that later came true? Did you realize what it was at the time? If you had known that it was a premonition would you have acted differently?
I recently had two separate traumatic occurances where I had a premonition about them beforehand. It wasn’t as though I ‘knew’ what was going to happen, more like a fleeting thought crossing my mind that I remembered after the event.
The first was a car accident. I had been driving all around central Indiana a day in mid-December and was headed home. It was early evening – dark and raining. Visibility was bad and I was concerned about getting into an accident. I had a fleeting thought that I might get rear-ended, but it was just that – a fleeting thought. It occurred to me and then I moved on to other thoughts. I had been in a rear-end collision on a similar dark and rainy night in October, so I attributed it to that connection.
The car in front of me stopped on the four lane, busy road to turn left. I wasn’t able to pull past her into the right lane so I waited for her to turn. After a few moments I heard a screeching sound and then BOOOOOM! someone crashed into me from behind hitting me so hard that I crashed into the car in front of me and hit my knees on the dashboard. It wasn’t until later that I remembered the fleeting thought of the rear-end collision. Could I have avoided it if I had known it for a premonition? I’m not sure what I could have done.
The second premonition was about my nephew breaking his arm. Over Christmas I went to California to visit my brother and his family and to watch his two kids while he and his wife took a little ‘adults only’ vacation. My niece and nephew and I were having a great time on our ‘Auntventures’ going to museums, roller skating and going to the movies and the library – they love to read!! My brother suggested I drop them off at a bouncy-house play center on Friday evening so I could have a few hours to myself. I remember thinking – ‘Ben is going to break his arm’. Again, it was hardly even a solid thought, just a fleeting idea. I dropped them off and went into the little town to shop and have dinner.
Midway through my dinner and into my second glass of wine I got the call. I thought – ‘here it is’ – before I answered. Ben may have broken his arm, they said. When I got there I was met with a fire truck, ambulance and police car all with lights flashing. He did in fact break his arm pretty badly, but I’m happy to report that the cast was just removed last week and he is healing beautifully!
What if I had paid closer attention to my intuition or premonition and not taken them to the play center? Would Ben not have broken his arm? Probably. Was it really a premonition or just me thinking of a possible likely scenario? The doctor who treated him said they see kids with broken bones from those bouncy houses all the time.
In The Field, Eric has frightening dreams that he doesn’t know what to do with. Is he connecting with The Field? The Collective Consciousness? Was I? What do you think?
One of the themes of The Field is the benefits of clean, renewable energy sources versus burning fossil fuels or using nuclear energy. In my research for the book I was surprised to learn that France generates 76% of its energy from nuclear plants and 14% from hydropower. This was a conscious decision for France to become energy independent after the 1970’s Mid-East Energy Crisis. While I’m not a particular fan of nuclear energy and the resulting radioactive waste and potential for reactor breach, it is a clean source of energy.
I recently read that Germany made a decision after Japan’s Fukushima disaster in 2011 to shut down all its nuclear power plants by 2022. See article in the LA Times. Germany also decided to close all of its coal plants by 2038 and to spend millions mitigating the impact on the coal regions. This is the kind of energy leadership we need.
Central Indiana is dotted with wind farms which I find surprising in the coal belt. Both major north-south highways to the east and west of the state pass through giant wind turbines. The one near I-65 is the largest east of the Mississippi.
The subtle beauty of the Midwest features prominently in The Field. I love the big sky and clouds arching over the plains. One of the places Eric and Renee visit is an actual place from my childhood – The Skokie Lagoons. Of course it’s fictionalized in the book, but the inspiration is located in Glencoe and Winnetka, IL where I grew up.
The Skokie Lagoons
It’s a marshy area that was turned into lagoons by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1930’s and is now a wooded recreation destination area. It’s such a beautiful area I wanted to include it in my book.
What do you love about the Midwest scenery? What is one of your favorite places?
“We have to set aside what we think we know about the world around us and open our minds to new discoveries…Just because you can’t see it and you don’t understand it, doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”
Can we really all be connected by the same energy field, the same power, the same consciousness? As Eric Horton learns more about these concepts – in his science classes, from the experiments his girlfriend’s father is conducting, even through his own bizarre experiences on the soccer field he still finds it all hard to believe. But he must open his mind to all the possibilities before him if he is to succeed in saving what he could never forgive himself for losing.
These compostable trash bags and sandwich bags don’t fall apart like the ones I’ve purchased at ‘Whole Paycheck’. I think the brand is a Kroger exclusive brand, but I like their organic products as well. Lowest price option and lots of choices!
What things do you do to try to reduce your carbon foot print and plastic trash?
My books all have environmental themes. I’m passionate about protecting the environment. Sometimes it feels overwhelming, like there is little we can do as individuals. So I do small things that if we were all to do them, would have a tremendous impact.
You’ve probably read about straws showing up on beaches and in the stomachs of sea birds and whales. A few countries and US cities have banned straws. In the Midwest, we’re WAY behind the curve. You get a straw with your water at a restaurant every time and by the time you remember to request NO STRAW, it’s too late. The straw is out of the paper wrapper and in your drink.
A friend turned me on to these camping straws that I found at Target. They’re metal with a rubber tip and for those of you concerned with cleanliness, even come with a tiny brush for cleaning!! I keep one in my purse. It was a four-pack, but I forgot one at a restaurant – easy to do. 🙁 I even request paper cups instead of plastic for my to-go cold drinks and no plastic lids which is a spill hazard, but worth not having the plastic lid. It’s surprisingly hard to remember to do and the sales people give me strange looks, but its a small thing that I can actively do.
What are you doing for the environment? I’d love to hear and incorporate your ideas.
According to the list I try to keep on this website I’ve read 30 books in 2018, but I know I’ve read more. There are at least 5 middle grade books that somehow didn’t get counted.
For 2019 I’ve set a goal of 60 books. That means I really have to keep track, and own up to every title even if it’s an embarrassing bodice ripper! Didn’t your teacher always say it didn’t matter what you read as long as you were reading?
What’s your reading goal for 2019? Do you have a favorite book of 2018? Mine is Firebrand by Kristen Britain.
Friend me on Goodreads so we can share our passion for reading!
I’m thrilled to share that my son, Alex Katsaropoulos, has just released his debut album – Oku!!
The genre is best described as Alternative Rock similar in some ways to Radiohead and Bon Iver.
Check out the music and download your free copy of the album at VerlunaMusic
Here’s an excerpt from the Verluna website:
Oku is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Alex Katsaropoulos originating from the poetic journal of Matsu Basho and other eastern concepts in the lyrics and imagery. It combines minimalist Americana writing with much more experimental ideas such as layers of harmony, colorful samples and dynamic use of drums.
Want to know more about the creative process in writing a song?
Read the article in Anchr Magazine about album cut The Wild What released July 13th.
Read the article in Scapi Magazine about album cut Luscinia released August 10th.
