Everything is a system and everyone is a part of that system
Scott Miker
One of the more popular pages on my website covers the idea that everything is a system. I find that people often stumble on this concept at some point. It might be that a systems thinker tipped them off. Or, more commonly, it is that the individual put the pieces together to come to this realization.
It usually starts as an idea when they start to see patterns emerge and then the underlying structures that determine those patterns. As they pull themselves out of the weeds to see a high-level view of existence, they realize that everything is a system.
Many spiritual thinkers have this understanding baked into their teachings. There is a book that argues that the Tao Te Ching was written with this systematic understanding in mind. It is called The Tao of Sytstems Thinking.
One of my favorite authors and an expert on spirituality and awareness is Dr. Wayne Dyer. In his book, Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling, he says, “We’re in a system that’s directed by a Supreme Intelligence and we’re a part of that system. Everything is on purpose.”
That means that after we realize everything is a system, we shift to the recognition that we all must be a part of that system. To me, this has been such a revelation and has unlocked my mind to better understand how to traverse my journey to direct its course.
I wrote extensively about this in You Can’t Surf from the Shore because to me it is the difference between living in the darkness unaware of anything else and then stepping into the light.
Systems operate systematically. Life may seem random and meaningless, but Dyer argues that isn’t true. In fact, he says that everything is on purpose. The systems are set up and deliberate, even if we never know why.
Albert Einstein has pointed to this several times. He said, “I believe in God – who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of the universe.” He said, “The more I study science, the more I believe in God.” It is even known that he said, “All I want to do is learn to think like God. All the rest are just details.”
I prefer to study systems because it alleviates us from discussing religion and God, where beliefs and opinions might clash and distract from objective interpretations and understanding. But plenty of religions hold the same core values and views of the systems of the universe.
Once one accepts that everything is a system, then learning how systems work and how to work within the systems to reach your idea of success and happiness becomes paramount. It unlocks a new path forward. It makes clear what was once chaotic confusion.