HEAVENLY MUSIC

The great sage Chuang Tzu compared the Tao to the heavenly music. It is a soundless melody of infinite beauty that vibrates through everything and everyone. It is as if we are all musical instruments, and time is a cosmic wind moving through us to create a metaphysical symphony.

As coincidence would have it, Chuang Tzu’s intuitive leap about the nature of existence has a resonating echo in science. Theoretical physicists have been working on the Grand Unified Theory, the equation of everything that reconciles quantum mechanics with general relativity. They call it string theory.

In string theory, the electrons and quarks in every atom are described as vibrating strings, like the strings of a guitar or violin. Where these strings intersect with our plane of existence, we have the universe as we know it. The totality of existence, therefore, is essential music - heavenly music. Although Chuang Tzu had no access to modern-day particle accelerators and supercomputers, his intuition was not far off the mark.

The Tao Today

Consider the role that the Tao plays in physics today. Scientists say string theory will let them “read the mind of god,” but they are not talking about the god of prayers and interventions. They are referring to the god of harmony, order, simplicity, beauty and elegance. They are probably not aware of it, but what they are talking about is exactly what we call the Tao.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin