Do You See the Signs of the Universe? | Ulla Suokko | TEDxBigSky

The speaker, Amanda Zhu, begins by posing a series of rhetorical questions about life-changing moments and the possibility of receiving clear signs from the universe. She references a quote by quantum physicist Max Planck about the transformative power of perspective. Zhu then shares a personal story from her youth in Finland, where she was deeply moved by Pablo Neruda's poetry about Machu Picchu, which led her to a lifelong dream to visit the place. She discusses how we often view our lives through a lens of limitation and miss the supportive signs around us. She encourages the audience to break free from these limitations with simple yet powerful actions like a physical shake or a snap of the fingers. Zhu emphasizes the importance of self-love and self-compassion as tools to recognize and trust the signs that the universe presents.

Zhu continues her narrative by emphasizing the importance of being present and not being confined by stories of the past, future, or hypothetical scenarios. She encourages self-affirmation and self-love, suggesting that individuals should tell themselves positive messages and breathe deeply to center themselves. She reminds the audience that signs are neutral and it's our interpretation that gives them meaning. Zhu proposes the idea of only seeing good signs and shares a quote from Albert Einstein about the two ways to live life: seeing nothing as a miracle or everything as a miracle. She recounts an anecdote about her stubbornness when interpreting signs, highlighting the importance of being open to the messages the universe sends. The story involves her disregarding a message she received multiple times from different copies of a book, only to later receive the same message from a friend, which she then heeds. This leads to a reflection on her time at the Juilliard School, where despite her success, she still grappled with self-doubt and a sense of being on the wrong path.

In the third paragraph, Zhu describes her experiences playing music in hospitals and for the terminally ill, where she felt the healing power of music and her calling to a greater purpose. She admits her struggle to understand her path and her frustration with career doors that were not opening. In a moment of desperation, she communicates with the universe, asking for a clear sign to confirm her path. After this plea, she finds a book titled 'The Singing Flute' on the street, which she takes as the sign she requested. The book's story about a Finnish girl resonates with her own journey, leading her to trust the sign and continue on her path. Zhu reflects on how she had been seeking signs in others rather than recognizing her own. She shares her habit of speaking to the universe and how it has helped her manifest various desires, including her journey to Peru, fulfilling a childhood promise.

Zhu concludes her talk by emphasizing the omnipresence of signs from the universe and the importance of listening and recognizing them. She shares an instance where she asked for financial assistance as a sign to travel to Peru, which was granted, reinforcing her trust in the universe's communication. Zhu identifies herself as the 'singing flute,' a metaphor for being an instrument through which the infinite expresses itself, and encourages the audience to see themselves in the same light. She references a poem by Kabir to illustrate the concept of love without limits leading to truth. Zhu challenges the audience to live as if everything is a miracle and to be authentic, potentially becoming a sign for others in their own journey. She ends with a call to consider if the moment of the talk could be a life-changing sign for the audience.