Omorenda: A synergy for flourishing
Om plus Orenda (OmOrenda): The “state of calm” combined with “Will Power”
In the rush of our modern, high-tech world, we often find ourselves staring at chaos trying to find balance. We want peace, but we also want to achieve great things. To understand how we can truly flourish today—especially with technology by our side—it helps to look at two beautiful ancient wisdoms: Om (the universal sound) and Orenda (North American native spiritual concept of “will power”).
1. What is Om?
Think of Om (sometimes spelled Ohm) as the sound of the universe at rest. In classical physics, we thought the world was made of solid “building blocks” like legos. Modern quantum physics tells a different story.
At the most microscopic level, everything in the universe—the chair you are sitting on, the light from the sun, even your thoughts—is made of tiny, vibrating loops of energy called “strings.” This is also called “string theory”.
Just as different vibrations on a guitar string create different musical notes, different vibrations of these quantum strings create different particles (like electrons or quarks). This leads to the physical manifestation of our universe.
The Big Picture: If the universe is a symphony, Om is the “fundamental frequency” or the underlying hum of the orchestra before the music starts. .
The understanding of the “frequency of the universe” begins by simply voicing the sound “Om”. You are now tuning yourself with the orchestra of the universe – ready to make beautiful music. Your manifestation.
2. What is Orenda?
If Om is peace, Orenda is power. This concept comes from the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) tradition.
- The Definition: Orenda is a collective will power or “spiritual energy” inherent in people and their environment. It is the energy used to effect change in the world.
- The Feeling: It is the “power of doing.” It is the force of will that allows us to shape our own destinies and improve the world around us.
The natives believe that the more “good deeds” that you do the more “Orenda” you collect. Bad deeds lead to lesser Orenda. Orenda is present in abundance in the universe. A higher Orenda in one person doesn’t lead to a lower Orenda in another. It is not a “zero sum” game. It is a concept of an “abundant” universe. We can all maximize our Orenda together.
The Bridge: Human Agency
To understand how these two work together, we can look at the idea of Agency, a concept often explored by historian Yuval Noah Harari.
In simple terms, Agency is your ability to make choices and act on them. For a long time, humans have used tools to increase their agency. A hammer gives us the agency to build; a book gives us the agency to learn. Today, Artificial Intelligence is the most powerful tool ever created to expand human agency.
How They Co-exist for Human Flourishing
Flourishing happens when we don’t have to choose between being “at peace” and “being powerful.” We can have both.
Technology as the Ultimate facilitator
If we use it correctly, AI isn’t here to take away our agency; it is here to handle the “noise” so we can focus on our “signal.”
- Om through AI: AI can take over the stressful, repetitive tasks that burn us out. By organizing our schedules, managing data, and solving complex logistics, AI gives us back our time. This “gift of time” allows us to return to a state of Om—to introspect, to contemplate, to connect with family and friends, and to simply be.
- Orenda through technology: Technology, especially AI, acts as a “force multiplier” for our Orenda. If you have a spark of an idea to solve a community problem or create art, AI provides the technical strength to bring it to life instantly. It empowers your will to change the world.
A New Harmony
When we use AI to balance these two forces, we create a life of Active Stillness:
Step 1: Use AI to clear the clutter (finding your Om).
Step 2: Use AI to amplify your creative intentions (applying your Orenda).
Step 3: Exercise your Agency by choosing goals that serve the common good.