We’re All Connected

This week I went back to school…not as a student, but as a teacher at a community college where I’ve taught for almost five years.. I teach communication courses, so it’s vital that I connect with students the first week, help them feel excited about the subject, and let them know they are going to learn AND have fun.

This time I had a new tool in my arsenal.; it’s an energy stick sold by a goofy Denver-based scientist named Steve Spangler that I heard speak last week.

The device is a simple contraption that lights up and plays a noise when the circuit is completed. How do you demonstrate it? You touch another person, then make contact again to complete the electrical circuit.

It’s a perfect demonstration of the reality that we’re all connected.

That’s right, WE’RE ALL CONNECTED in ways we are oblivious to. In fact, all living things are connected.

I demonstrated this to my classes by having everyone form a circle and join hands. Then when they least expected it, I slipped the energy stick to a person standing next to me (instead of grabbing their hand) and the stick lit up and made a noise.

But the moment anyone in the group let go of the person next to them, the stick would cease to entertain. Just one person had to disconnect for the circuit to be cut.

We are all connected.

This reminds me of one of my favorite documentaries. I AM was produced by Tom Shadyac, a director of films that made Jim Carey a household name (Bruce Almighty, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, etc.).

After a nasty bicycle accident, Shadyac set out to explore deep truths about the universe, what make us happy, what it all means, and how we’re all connected. He discovered things like philosophy, wisdom, and heart math!

During filming, a scientist hooked Shadyac up to electrodes that touched a bowl of yogurt. When Shadyac was asked questions that provoked strong emotions, sensors were able to register reactions from the bacterial in the yogurt! That’s right, the bacteria was affected by emotions that a person had! It’ was freakin’ cool!

As a communicator, I know that people’s communication tends to synchronize. It doesn’t take long for you to sync your steps to someone you walk with. We even tend to synchronize our movements and gestures within seconds of encountering another person. But (as the film showed), did you know that we also synchronize our heart rhythms with others?

Please, if you haven’t seen the documentary, find it ! Read about I AM here. Find it streaming on Netflix, or get DVD from retailers like Amazon or Walmart.

Just like the electrical current that flows through us when we link hands, so are we connected in this life and journey on this little blue planet. That’s why our thoughts, energy and actions affect everything.

The evidence is clear for those we are physically close to. I await studies that show other types of connections (like through Facebook)!

It’s not just hocus pocus. We really are all connected. And that’s pretty cool to think about.

For some great learning entertainment, Google Steve Spangler, especially for the segments he’s done on the Ellen show. Here is a taste.