Over the last six months, the Dragon newsletters have focused on preparing students for navigating the rapidly evolving world around us.
- Welcome to a new world: Pasaporte to the New World.
- Using Taoist teachings to navigate our chaotic times: Resilience and Three Treasures. This newsletter contains the most critical lessons to master.
- Taking control of the games of life: The Game of Life. This newsletter highlights a vital lesson for thriving in these times.
- Being proactive in your actions: Action!
- Be fierce in your actions and love in this new world: Rising in Fierce Love!
- Expand your language and spiritual experiences to find better life destinations that most people miss in life: Words and Destination.
The common theme is lessons for thriving in a chaotic world.
However, no one ever really discusses the nature of chaos. So, we’ll dive into exploring the nature of chaos in this newsletter.
Finally, I also want to reinforce that the nature of our destinations has changed dramatically from the American Dream destination. Instead of working towards repeating our parent’s story, the destination ahead has become an expanded lifestyle.
A Lesson on Chaos – What is Chaos?
In everyday language, chaos means complete disorder and confusion.
In ancient mythology, chaos refers to the primordial void, a state of existence before creation, where everything was shapeless and formless. It’s curious how many cultures have a similar spiritual worldview! In Greek mythology, chaos was the first thing to exist, from which the universe and gods emerged. In Taoism, Chaos or “Hundun” refers to the primordial, undifferentiated state of the universe before it separated into heaven and earth, as well as yin and yang.
Casey Insight #1: As times get more chaotic, focus on our similarities, not our differences. Yin and Yang come after chaos. People will attack the differences as chaos unfolds, for strangely, the core of a Chaotic state is about being undifferentiated rather than being different.
- In scientific terms, chaos refers to actions/events that behave in the following manner:
- End results change tremendously from the most minor of changes in initial conditions (“The butterfly effect“).
- The path and final end results of an action are nonlinear, unpredictable, and random in practice, even when they aren’t random in theory and are following deterministic laws. As an example, weather patterns are chaotic in nature.
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Speaking of butterflies, I once wrote be the butterfly in times of crisis. I still believe this to be a valid lifestyle choice in times of chaos.
Casey Insight #2: Don’t predict the results of your actions in these times. Despite the predictable processes in play, the outcome of your actions will always differ from expectations once you commit to them. Learn and evolve from the results of your actions more than from the actions themselves.
Casey Insight #3: Flexibility and awareness are your guiding principles now. If you can’t react to an opportunity as it arises, it’s a wasted opportunity.
Casey Insight #4: Add extra time to your plans and take advantage of any unexpected changes that always arise from chaotic systems at work. Don’t be surprised by surprises; expect and be ready for the unexpected in life. Use chaos rather than trying to contain chaos!
A fun chaos fact I teach all my students: While humans and society are orderly (without order, our bodies and minds would fail), yet without a seed of chaos in our nature, we each wouldn’t grow into truly unique individuals. Chaos is more important than people realize.
Hmmmm… Chaos Seems similar to Tao!
Tao and Chaos (Hundun) in Chinese philosophy aren’t identical but share deep conceptual connections.
(For fun here are pictures of Hundun as the Beast of Chaos)
Tao
- Tao is the ultimate, undefinable baseline underlying all existence. It’s formless, boundless, and beyond human categorization.
- Tao is “empty yet inexhaustible,” resembling a kind of primordial unity that precedes and generates order and chaos alike.
- It is not chaotic in the sense of being random or destructive but is instead an undifferentiated core from which all things emerge.
Chaos (Hundun)
- In Taoism, Hundun (Chaos) represents a state of undivided wholeness. Unlike the Western notion of chaos as disorder, Hundun is a pre-cosmic unity. A state before the orderly imposition of distinctions (e.g., yin-yang, heaven-earth).
- In the Zhuangzi, the story of Hundun’s death symbolizes how human attempts to impose order destroy natural harmony.
Similarities of Tao and Chaos
- Both represent a state of primordial unity before differentiation.
- Both resist human conceptualization—neither can be fully defined or structured.
Casey Insight #5: Don’t try to control or define moments of chaos. Instead, focus your actions and visualization towards what you want to manifest and use the energy from the situation to assist in your process.
- Both Tao and Chaos are associated with spontaneity (ziran) and the unforced flow of existence.
Casey Insight #6: Spontaneity is your muse for guidance in chaotic situations.
Differences of Tao and Chaos
- The Tao is more of an active, generative principle (the “way” of the universe), whereas Hundun is a symbol of the undivided state.
- Chaos (Hundun) is often something that gets “destroyed” to create the world (as in creation myths), while the Tao is an ever-present, sustaining force.
Casey Insight #7: The destructive energy we associate with chaos is also a form of creative energy. Center upon Tao to maintain oneself while navigating around the harmful elements of chaos. Then, utilize your creative nature to channel and influence the process that follows.
The Tao encompasses both order and disorder, whereas Hundun is specifically the state before order arises.
Casey Insight #8: As orderly beings, we cannot reside within Hundun. However, as Tao contains both order and chaos, we can center within Tao. This truth supports all the stories of how some people lose themselves in chaotic situations while others maintain their center by pausing within the Tao.
Taoist Perspective: Returning to the Uncarved Block
- The Tao is not chaotic but includes chaos as part of its dynamic balance (e.g., the interplay of yin and Yang).
- Taoist philosophy advocates for a state of simplicity and naturalness (pu, the “uncarved block”), which resembles Hundun’s undivided purity.
Casey Insight #9: A Taoist lifestyle provides a person with both the tools and a solid foundation for navigating chaos. By embracing Pu, a person can be one step ahead of chaotic situations. To embrace Pu, practice the pausing exercises I teach, expanding your intuition, the crystal space teachings, and Dragon Fire Meditation
Tao and Chaos (Hundun) are not the same. Tao is the base core principle that supports a chaotic starting point for existence, which then gives rise to an orderly universe. In Taoism, true wisdom lies in embracing the natural flow of the Tao, which transcends rigid distinctions between order and chaos.
What Does It Mean to Be Living in a Time of Chaos?
Chaotic moments in history are relatively rare. They represent a breakdown of an existing ordered state. By definition, such times carry significant implications:
- The future no longer follows the patterns of the past.
- Existing social systems fracture.
- Simple actions no longer produce predictable outcomes. This leads to seemingly random, small events that have profound cultural consequences.
- New rules and systems form quickly, sometimes within just a single generation.
- Old systems resist change, but resistance only accelerates chaos, creating additional levels of social conflict.
The Sage Does Not Bring Order to Chaos
Taoist Teaching – Wen Tzu
When truly chaotic moments occur, Taoism teaches us to take a step to the side. Acting too soon with a desire to impose order can reinforce the very feedback loops that create more chaos. Ironically, chaos gives birth to order, and it’s only when order begins to re-emerge that we step in to help stabilize things.
Timing is everything. Being in a state of Pu (unconditioned simplicity) and spontaneity is essential. Taoist practice emphasizes expanding one’s senses, this heightened awareness allows us to “feel” a chaotic moment before it fully manifests. When I sense anxiety, pressure, chaos, or fear, my first response is to pause and then return to a state of Pu. From there, I can assess the situation and determine which actions are truly appropriate.
Logic doesn’t work well in chaotic times because logic depends on an underlying order. It’s not uncommon for logical thinkers to freeze or feel lost in the face of chaos. Learning first to access Pu and then apply logic once order begins to take form is a more effective process.
Consider your Life Destinations
Chaos can significantly impact a person’s life destination.
Two considerations:
- Don’t confuse your destination as being the same as your Tao (Your Path). If your destination gets shifted by chaotic times, it could then lead to disrupting your Personal Tao.
- Most people set their future destination based on past experiences. Since past experiences won’t match changing conditions from chaotic times, this means many people will be upset when their destination doesn’t match their expectations
The old world is past and gone. Welcome to the starting line where we work together on the new world. One day at a time, evolving into a better world. Embrace joy to avoid letting despair and fear creep into anything you create.
In a time of chaos, the new world doesn’t yet exist. Any steps you take toward your imagined version of the future may lead to unpredictable outcomes. Chaos reshapes both the road and the destination beneath your feet in real-time. Without Pu to guide you, you may find yourself circling to undesired outcomes as everything shifts in unexpected ways.
You all know I love to produce predictions and models of what potentials are unfolding. However, chaos renders most predictions of little worth other than to indicate the location of the more chaotic and conflict based hotspots. While Taoists don’t shy away from conflict, they only engage in battles that align with their Tao (path). As chaotic times will give you plenty of options for conflict, don’t be tricked into engaging in conflict that doesn’t align with your essence.
An interesting thing has happened to Julie and myself over the last year. We have shifted the idea of destination from being a place to live to being about how we live. Julie and I have embraced dynamic experiences, healthy lifestyle and community as our future destinations rather than specific places.
Now for those who still crave a physical destination, consider this truth:
A destination is a moment of pause in your journey
-me
I expect to pause many times in the coming years as chaos unfolds. Rather than waiting passively, I choose to explore fully each place where I pause, treating it as a destination in itself.
The journey becomes just as meaningful as the destination. I will embrace it like a song, adding harmony to my life. A moment of harmony for your journey ahead: Country Roads Video. (Fun fact: I once considered moving to West Virginia before finding Julie, but ultimately passed on that path. I do, however, have fond memories of the Appalachian Mountains. But fond memories should not become destinations for your future.)
How Long Will This Period of Chaos Last?
I suspect this time of upheaval will extend throughout the rest of my lifetime. This makes it all the more important to understand how chaos shifts the very nature of what we consider a “destination.”
I no longer strive for one perfect destination. Instead, I expect to encounter dozens of beautiful destinations in the years ahead, each a moment of meaning rather than a final goal.
People often imagine chaos as the burning wreckage of the past, and forget to see the wonder still unfolding around them.
For myself I will focus on four things.
One: Being with others. As I pause with others, community becomes another destination.
In all our searching, the only thing we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable is each other.
–Carl Sagan Contact (Watch Video Clip)
This scene captures the essence of a shared pause—a moment of presence with another being. We cannot linger there forever, but we can share it fully and move forward again to our next destination.
Two: Rather than seeking fixed places, we’re now focused on concepts as destinations.
Julie and I are currently considering our next destination amidst the growing chaos of our time. One thing is clear: we’re not focusing on a physical place, but rather on a lifestyle. We’re expanding our digital nomad lifestyle and creating a more community-centered home—one that welcomes fellow “dragons” to come and go over time.
So this means our destination has shifted from being a physical location to our LifeStyle. The specifics of where we’ll end up physically will reveal themselves through the journey of growth we undertake over the coming months and years.
Three: Play the Long Game.
In our last newsletter, we discussed taking control of the games of life we play. Let me expand on that: life isn’t just one single game; it’s a series of interwoven games. If we focus solely on winning a single game, we may miss the larger picture, the greater journey of our whole life.
Four: Have fun and be kind.
Let’s face it: kindness is my guiding star.
Don’t let chaotic moments distract you from losing your guiding star.
Life is to be lived, no matter the times, chaotic or orderly.
Live!
Final Note
While Chaotic times can be over the top bad. At times a chaotic day starts like any other day.
Casey Insight #10: Just as a storm may have a calm “eye” or peaceful moment at times, so will chaotic times. When you encounter such moments of calmness, recharge and live fully.