Embracing Chaos and Decay: Understanding the Natural Order of the World and the Path to Enlightenment"

Chaos and decay are not usually the terms we associate with a healthy, vibrant world, but it's important to understand that they are actually the default natural order of things. While we may view order and growth as positive, they are in fact temporary and require constant effort and energy to maintain. In contrast, entropy, chaos, and decay are natural and effortless.


The second law of thermodynamics states that all systems will naturally move towards disorder and chaos, and this law applies to everything from the smallest particles to entire universes. The universe itself is constantly expanding and cooling, and eventually, all energy will be evenly distributed, resulting in the ultimate state of entropy.

This principle is evident in nature as well. All living things eventually die and decompose, returning their nutrients to the earth to fuel new growth. Ecosystems constantly shift and change, with species going extinct and new ones emerging. Even the most stable and long-lasting structures, like mountains and oceans, are in a constant state of change, eroding and reshaping over time.

Despite this inherent chaos and decay, humans have always sought to impose order on the world. We build cities and civilizations, invent technologies to control the environment and our own bodies, and strive for progress and growth. While these efforts have led to incredible achievements and advancements, they are ultimately temporary and unsustainable. In the end, everything we create will fall apart, decay, and return to the natural order of things.

Maybe the Buddha became enlightened because he came to the same realization we all should: 

that chaos and decay are not things to be feared or avoided, but rather natural parts of the world. By accepting and embracing this reality, we can learn to live in harmony with the natural order, rather than constantly fighting against it. We can appreciate the beauty of impermanence, and find meaning in the fleeting moments of life.

In a world where we often feel the need to control and conquer, it can be liberating to let go and simply allow things to be as they are. To be enlightened is to find peace in the chaos, to find beauty in the decay, and to live in harmony with the natural order of things.

As humans we cannot change this, although we like to try. We're just on the planet to "work on being human."