Lorenz Attractor
We are each, in whole and part, just small segments of a gigantic interconnected system, in which everything we do, every thought, word and deed, changes in some way the course or the unfolding of the universe. In the early 70’s, Edward Lorenz, working on chaos theory, used the example of a flap of a butterfly wing creating a tornado in Texas.
Many people see this as a metaphor, but in fact it is a mathematical and scientific fact. Chaos theory describes how very small differences in initial conditions can have large effect in the eventual development of the system. In fact in terms of barometric pressure, the main value meteorologists use to track weather patterns, what Lorenz realized was that tiny fraction of a millibar change that the flap of butterfly wing might cause, could actually, when plugged into a computer simulation of a weather forecast, be the difference between having a tornado form or not form some days later.
It is in this way that each of us cannot help but “be the board” and that it is always the story of WE that we are each telling. Our individual natures are in so many ways illusions, albeit powerful and seemingly concrete ones, but trying to see the reality of what is, the profound and infinite connection that exists between each molecule within us and without, and to take responsibility for our reality, in whatever miniscule ways we can (and our power is always miniscule when seen from a sufficiently grand perspective) can be very liberating and empowering.
fuddled? 
Nesdon,
I loved your very first sentence in this post:
“We are each, in whole and part, just small segments of a gigantic interconnected system, in which everything we do, every thought, word and deed, changes in some way the course or the unfolding of the universe.”
By the end of this weeks reading, that was the idea I held in my own head. It felt like that idea: of interconnectedness (and the impacts we as individuals have on each other) was the true essence of the book.
While I may have disagreed with certain aspects, ideas and approaches in the book, this overall ideal is one I agree with whole heartedly.
I’ve always been fascinated by the “butterfly effect” of chaos theory, and I too didn’t realize it held it’s basis in scientific theory. Thank you for that.
I also agree and appreciate your last sentence, which seems appropriate that i agree with your very first and very last statements, which deal with a connected nature. 😀
PS – No joke, your images in this post made me crave and then subsequently go find and eat some (gluten free) chocolate chip cookies. Good thing I had some around. 😀
Excellent way of explaining or illustrating how we are the board upon which all of our lives play out. I’m going to have to quote your explanation to future classes (if you don’t mind…).