The Macrocosm & The Microcosm

The Wisdom of Zooming in AND Zooming out

Hello everyone!

It’s weekly post time.

One fascinating concept used in the Vedic Sciences (so this includes Āyurveda, Yoga, and Vedic Astrology) is that of The Macrocosm and the Microcosm.

The idea is that we human beings (and technically any being - cats, dogs, ants, elephants, trees, plants, rocks, etc.) are a small representation of the big picture in our universe. That we are a microcosmic representation of the macrocosm.

Have you ever noticed the similarities between the images of our solar system (super MACROcosm) and those of an atom (super MICROcosm)? Check out these images to get your mind-juices flowing…

The solar system:

The Sun in the middle with all the planets orbiting around the Sun.

An atom:

The nucleus in the middle (filled with protons and neutrons) with electrons orbiting around the nucleus.

Isn’t it fascinating to see a similar pattern from the smallest element in existence to a huge mega system?

I bring up this concept of the Macrocosm and the Microcosm to highlight something powerful about Āyurveda and Yoga - they believe everything is interconnected, and that there is a relationship between the micro and macro.

A simple example is the weather. Have you ever noticed that when it’s hot outside (like in the summer) you feel warmer… Or if it’s a dry season your skin, lips, and eyes might feel dryer. Or if it’s cloudy outside your mind might feel a little cloudy and dull.

This may seem obvious, and yet, is important. So, why does this matter?

If we recognize the interconnection of things, like our microcosm to its macrocosm, it gives us insight into the factors that impact us. If we don’t recognize this interconnection of the organism (micro) to its environment (macro), we miss a crucial component in understanding potential causes and effects on the organism by its environment, and on the environment by the organism.

I like to say that we are a strand in the tapestry of nature, which means that we are not separate from, but part of nature in all her awesomeness… we are a micro-awesomeness to nature’s macro-awesomeness.

This understanding of the interconnection between the macro and micro is a facet of Āyurveda that allows us to zoom in AND zoom out as needed to see the whole picture of someone’s life, health, and well-being. It is immense and immensely useful.

This week I leave you to contemplate this idea of your connection (micro) with your environment (macro). What do you notice? Feel free to share in the comments :)

Thanks for reading! And here’s a giggle for you…

If you are interested in learning more about these teachings, check out this clip about the upcoming Āyurveda Foundations Program.