The Fractal Universe

We live in a fractal  universe. There is complexity at every level, the small parts are whole in and of themselves, and they mirror the larger parts. You can see this in atoms and galaxies, the pattern of a fern, or the branching pattern of capillaries in the body, mycelium, and trees. 

Human bodies and minds are adapted to a fractal world. In fact, I’ve observed time and again that complexity is actually soothing to the body. We are calmed and even healed by that which is multidimensional, multilayered, fractal. You can see this play out through the senses--the body is intelligent.

Dappled sunlight dancing through the trees puts the mind at ease and uplifts the spirit. Compare this to a narrower spectrum of light: when we stare at the blue light from a screen for too long we start to lose our strength of vision.

The beat of a drum, the harmonies of an orchestra, or the babble of a brook, all have the ability to soothe. They are pleasant to our human ears. These are complex, resonant, fractal patterns of sound. Beeps, buzzers, alarms--all singular in their depth and dimension. All grate on the mind and feel physically uncomfortable, put you on edge. 

Our minds prefer the uneven terrain of the wilderness to the right angles of the city. People who never walk on uneven ground (out in nature) are far more likely to lose their sense of balance in old age. 

Our bodies and spirits were not built for a world of zeros and ones. We were built for complexity. This applies to what we eat and ingest, too. Pharmaceuticals are often one single chemical compound, while herbs contain hundreds of phytochemicals in a highly complex and diverse array. When you drink herbal tea, take an herbal tincture, or cook with spices and fresh herbs and fruits and vegetables, you are soothed. You actually feel better, more vibrant. That’s because the complexity of plant chemistry is life-affirming and supportive of health and wellbeing. In a world that loves to simplify, remember that there is beauty and healing to be found in the organized chaos of fractal complexity. 

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