In the past 100 years the disparity between science and mysticism has decreased immensely. The division began in the 17th century with Isaac Newton. Newtonian Physics holds that physical reality is merely the simple interplay of energy and material objects. This view lead to the belief that Nature was nothing but a random machine and it was therefore ours to dominate.
However, this view of the Universe began to be questioned in the first half of the twentieth century, due to the discoveries made in quantum physics. Scientists found that the mechanical view of the Universe didn't hold up when they studied the world of the extremely small. They found that atoms were for the most part non-material and behaved in a way that was very unexpected. It wasn't long before the pioneers of quantum physics; such as Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr; began to see parallels between physics and Eastern mysticism.
The most amazing parallels between science and Taoism are found in the yin-yang principle. The ancient Taoists noticed that everything in Nature had an equal and necessary opposite aspect. For example: it is impossible to have up without down; big without small; light without dark; good without bad; winning without losing; male without female; and life without death.
The yin-yang motif illustrates that all opposites are simply different aspects of the very same thing. Science has also found surprising connections between seemly opposite natural phenomenon. In the past few centuries, science has consistently found that seemingly opposite occurrences are actually an alternate aspect of the same happening.
In 1831 Michael Faraday demonstrated that electricity and magnetism were different aspects of the same occurrence. By moving a magnet inside a metallic coil, Faraday observed magnetism could create an electric current. He therefore concluded magnetism and electricity were part of the same invisible field. From Faraday's findings we can easily see magnetism and electricity as the yin and yang aspect of the same force. This force is now known as electromagnetic radiation and this also includes x-rays, microwaves and visible light to name but a few.
In 1906 Einstein made the link between space and time in his famous "Special Relativity Theory". Einstein concluded that space and time were part of the same fabric called the space-time continuum. He determined that time wasn't absolute as commonly believed and was always relative to the observer. Time and space are now considered to be as interwoven and inseparable as the yin and the yang.
Proving what an incredible genius he really was, Einstein then went even further and made the amazing connection between mass and energy in his famous E=MC2 equation. The equation is in fact saying that mass (material objects) and energy are different forms of the very same thing. Under the correct circumstances energy can become mass; and mass can become extremely liberal amounts of energy. From Einstein's equation we can imagine mass as the yin aspect and energy is the yang aspect of the same phenomena. The most striking example of mass becoming energy is when an atomic weapon is detonated and a tiny amount of uranium becomes an enormous amount of energy. The reverse situation of energy becoming mass occurs when Physicists create subatomic particles in particle accelerators.
Most of us have now accepted that our planet's climate is changing. Taoists explain climate change as an imbalance of our planet's natural yin-yang. Environmental science and Taoism are on the same wavelength in the understanding that everything is part of a finely balanced, interlocking unity. It is therefore little surprise to either Taoists or Environmental Scientists that to disrupt this finely balanced unity with pollutants is having disastrous effects on the earth's climate.
The unity of opposites in Nature has been a fundamental part of Taoism for thousands of years. From the examples above you can see that this unity has now been verified numerous times by modern science. I personally think we should find the connection of all opposites very reassuring. For if death is simply the necessary opposite aspect of life; then death should be no more mysterious or frightening than day becoming night.
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