On Friday February 8, during one of Ottawa's intense snow storms of the season, over 75 people gathered at the University of Ottawa to enjoy and learn from a presentation given by Dr. Mehrdad Ehsani, a member of the Bahá’í community who has over the past three decades excelled and focussed in studies about energy systems, spiritual aspects of technology, and convergence of scientific and spiritual search.  Dr. Ehsani has received numerous grants and patents for his studies and research.

The goal of Dr Ehsani's presentation is to encourage individuals to reflect on the concept of nothingness, the nature of our existence in the universe, as well as our place in time and eternity; in one sense, we exist, and in another we do not. Dr Ehsani's call to the audience was that we should pause to ponder about the interactions between the universe, the earth, and ourselves, and the progress of beings in this material existence

On behalf of the Campus Association for Bahá’í Studies, Shidan Cummings offered a warm welcome to Dr. Ehsani, and on behalf of the Bahá’í Community of Ottawa, Professor Fred Afagh provided a brief summary of Dr. Ehsani 's great trajectory in the field of science and the contribution to religion as a source of knowledge.

Dr Ehsani touched on many concepts during his presentation; the following were a few of the key topics covered: 
Heart to Heart relationships
Simplicity and complexity
True Poverty
Overcoming your true self
Notion of Eternity and Absolute nothingness

The speaker noted that exploration of such topics should be not only based on knowledge but also on experience (personal and universal). With this basis, we search to find spiritual meaning in scientific facts.

As an initial step, we learn to observe the universe without presumptions from science and religion. The universe is made up of mostly of hydrogen, helium and energy. In order to help us to understand this subject better, a very detailed and visual graphic was presented showing us first a picture of leaves at the microscopic level, and then zoomed out to depict the universe on a macro scale. The goal was to illustrate the continuum from the microcosm to macrocosm, a mathematical proof of our existence and non-existence at the same time. The speaker pointed out that we are mostly nothingness (empty space). We don't exist because we are composed of cells, which are composed of atoms, which are mostly made up of empty space. The atom is made up of protons and electrons; the electron is everywhere and at the same time nowhere. The speaker thus argued that matter is an illusion. What we have for sure is space where everything could happen. Another important subject covered by Dr. Ehsani was time and the relationship to eternity and that in the life after this material one; there is no time and space. 

One of the books cited during his presentation was the Seven Valleys written by Bahá’u’lláh.  In order for us to understand and appreciate the simple things in life, Dr. Ehsani shared the following quote from the Seven Valleys: "His beauty hath no veiling save light, His face no covering save revelation.  How strange that while the Beloved is visible as the sun, yet the heedless still hunt after tinsel and base metal. Yea, the intensity of His revelation hath covered Him, and the fullness of His shining forth hath hidden Him." (p.39) As Jesus Christ stated, "I have overcome the world."  And Buddha, "Overcome the ego, the end of suffering."  This is the beginning of nobility and awareness of oneness of self with all.  This was a new approach towards ego that I had never heard before and that stuck in my mind.  Ego is fine, but we become similar to animals where one can predict behaviour, and where responses are automated. This is the very truth if we look at ourselves and the behaviours of others. 

As a concluding note, Dr Ehsani shared a quote from Bahá’u’lláh, where we are truly forced to pause and start to think about what truly matters in life and what should be our aim in this life.  "The world is but a show, vain and empty, a mere nothing, bearing the semblance of reality. Set not your affections upon it. Break not the bond that uniteth you with your Creator, and be not of those that have erred and strayed from His ways.".