---

Buckminster Fuller used to say that house construction was a field which had hardly evolved over the last thousand years. In fact, in many ways, construction techniques have regressed.

To understand this, we must look at various aspects of the modern shelter, including the materials used, the efficiency of the structure, the shape of the building itself, energy efficiency, and harmony with the environment. For example, does the shape and position of the house take into account the dominant winds and / or the position of the sun throughout different seasons? More often than not, the answer is no.
Read the rest of this entry »

---

During my recent passage in Paris, I photographed this quote on the Embarcadero, right across from the Eiffel tower…

‘Tout homme crée sans le savoir
Comme il respire
Mais l’artiste se sent créer
Son acte engage tout son être
Sa peine bien-aimée le fortifie‘ 

Loosely translates to:

‘Any man creates without realizing it
Just as he breathes
But the artist feels himself creating
His act engages his whole being
His beloved sorrow fortifies him‘ 

My own distilled and slightly less poetic take: striving to become conscious of our innate creative power is espousing the Way of the Artist, and it is a high ideal, for it allows us to consciously and positively influence reality. Also, allowing ourselves to experience the pain and sorrow as well as the joy and laughter is part of artful / heartful living.

---

Virtual friend Bethany Buffington, who wears philosophy on her brow and has poetry in her heart, judiciously commented on part I of this post (as it appears on Myspace), suggesting that the proper way to create a house is as an outer expression of one’s inner beauty. One who cultivates inner beauty and chooses to let it shine by expressing it in the material realm in whatever form (house, object, performance, etc.) is certainly an artist. And I wholeheartedly agree that a proper dwelling should be a work of art. And this invites a proper digression into the concept of beauty
Read the rest of this entry »

---

I’ve just started working on my house, doing long overdue repairs. The roof in particular is in need of major overhaul. Its a metal roof, still quite sturdy in general, even after 20 some Quebec winters, but there are rusty screws, some holes and yes, minor leaks.

Of course, I tend to neglect these maintenance tasks just ever so slightly too long. My excuse? Well, the house just doesn’t make sense. Or at least, it doesn’t make sense to me. Mind you, it is a fairly good, solid, and comfortable house, entirely renovated 20 years ago (long before we purchased it).

Read the rest of this entry »

---

I have always admired Steve Jobs. For those who might not have heard of him, he is the founder of Apple Computer (now known simply as Apple Inc.) and is currently the head of both Apple and Pixar Animation Studios (bought out recently by Walt Disney, but still independently operated).

Mr Jobs is an idealist and a visionary, and he fits my definition of a ‘creative agent of positive change.’ He is known as a charismatic leader, and his detractors accuse him of being single-minded; they talk about the ‘Jobs warped reality field.’
Read the rest of this entry »

Slowly but surely, the Omniverse Project is getting off the ground and apparently, generating healthy amounts of enthusiasm. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who took the time to write and forward your comments. This feedback is crucial at this early stage and helps to substantiate my sense of purpose. Many thanks also to Marcia, Simon, José, and Richard for offering to get involved.

I found it interesting and encouraging that while all of you have had a positive overall impression, each one has communicated a personal preference for a different article in the first issue of the Chronicles.

Here are some highlights of your comments.

“I am mightily impressed with The Omniverse Chronicles. I particularly like the philsophy of finding connections between things that are, seemingly, very disparate. I often see things in this light as well. [...]”

—Marcia Falconer, PhD
Biologist and Reiki master

“I find the Omniverse Chronicles to be a most refreshing read. I say this in the sense that the information presented therein brings up a series of incisive, very well thought-upon and documented reflexions on the not always evident triple liaison among scientific, social and environmental issues. It is particularly pleasant to notice the importance with which the editorial content refers to the human spirit and its inexorable bond to its surroundings. A remarkably clever feature is the way in which the articles are presented, which allows the reader to build a frame of reference before getting started. Briefly, it is truly an original, high-quality effort on behalf of the Omniverse Chronicles Project addressed to all people willing to broaden their minds and knowledge regardless of their background. I am certainly looking forward to reading the upcoming issues.”

—José Luis Lagunas Morales, M.Sc.
Electrical engineer and PhD candidate

“Finally, last night I had a chance to delve into your mystical musings, the Omniverse Chronicles, and especially enjoyed the section on “Bucky” [...] I’m in line with your “angle” on modern reality, though I am awed by the scope of what you propose to accomplish. I personally like to break ideas into smithereens, build them into diamonds, and then bury them forever–stone by stone [...] On the other hand, you seem to have the vast sweep of a hypermodern philosopher, voice riding the wind out of the wastes of the great Canadian north…”

—Richard Wolfe, M.A.
Businessman and language instructor, UCLA

---

The way we currently design houses, consumer products, and other technological artifacts is obsolete and harmful. While there is a growing consciousness concerning environmental impact and so-called appropriate technology and some progress is noted in the mainstream, the most promising ideas are found at the “fringe,” in the domain of a group of visionaries here called the “outlaw designers.” The inspiration for the right solutions can be found all around us by appropriately drawing from Nature’s design techniques. It requires a profound change in our compartimented way of thinking to properly understand Nature’s systemic and synergetic quality. Applying this holistic view to the design of houses and other products will lead to better integration with the surroundings, with the users, and reduce considerably the environmental footprint. We briefly list architect Eugene Tsui’s principles of Evolutionary Architecture, which represent a Nature-inspired, bold and necessary departure from tradition in building appropriate shelters. In the same spirit, we also propose a series of 12 evolutionary design principles to be applied to small scale technological products.
Read the rest of this entry »

---

 

 

 

 

---

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

 

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people the permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

—Marianne Williamson

---

Modern paint products are known to offgas nocive volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for periods up to several years after initial application. This is especially worrisome in sealed indoor environments, such as modern hyperinsulated homes where such compounds add up to a myriad other household airborne chemicals which collectively impose a significant burden on our immune system. While low VOC commercial paints are now available at a premium on the market, there are also many ancient recipes to make paint from simple natural ingredients. Experimentation in the Omnilab has led to a promising recipe for paint based on milk; the results and advantages of this paint formulation make it an interesting alternative choice for the environmentally-conscious. Read the rest of this entry »

---

Proper nutrition is an old problem where much of the available information to this day is confusing or contradictory. Yet, the quality of our diet is in direct relationship with our health and longevity. We have known since the 1920s that the industrial, large-scale approach to farming led to a progressive decline of seed strains and produce quality. Only recently has the organic food movement become sufficiently important to offer a serious alternative to health-conscious individuals. While a vast number of scientists are becoming increasingly obsessed with artificial means of prolonging life in ways which are frankly creepy, there is a vast body of ancient wisdom which supports the notion that simple changes to one’s lifestyle - with regards to diet, exercise, sleep patterns, mood, and yes, spiritual life and self-actualization - can lengthen life expectancy dramatically. Furthermore, there is ample scientific evidence to validate this claim. Read the rest of this entry »