3. The Mind Changes Matter : All Things Resemble One Another

The fractal theory refers to self-similarity: when a small part of a structure is magnified, the overall shape is repeated. A leaf mirroring the shape of the whole tree is a good example. Going further, there is the concept of the fractal universe, which proposes that a single particle contains an entire universe. The similarity between brain cells and galaxies, between the birth of a cell and the death of a star, and between the human iris and a nebula, is chillingly precise. (See illustrations.)

The human body consists of roughly 60 trillion cells, each functioning like a vast factory with a complete system. Inside each cell’s nucleus is the DNA, and the basic structure of DNA is the same across all living beings. Humans share 33% of their DNA with daffodils, 50% with flies, 75% with dogs, and 98.5% with chimpanzees. A single DNA strand holds as much information as about 3,000 books. But if we go further into DNA, we enter the world of atoms—which are 99.999% empty space, like the vast void of the universe. It is astonishing to consider the wisdom of our ancestors who called humans a “microcosm.” Truly, each living organism contains a full universe within.

Although I am not a Buddhist, I instinctively hesitate to kill even a fly. Is this not a natural feeling?

Each lifeform in nature has its own beauty in difference. Yet, they resemble each other profoundly. We resemble ourselves, one another, other species—and even the universe itself. Later, I will revisit this in Traditional East Asian Medicine through the concepts of “analogical correspondence” (取象比类) and “resonant seeking” (同气相求). These paradigms, rooted in yin-yang, five elements theory, and the I Ching, provide a framework for understanding and applying the interconnectedness between humanity, nature, and the cosmos.

The idea is that when things resemble each other in form, they also share similar energy and harmonize with one another. For instance, consuming the tail of an eel is believed to transfer the eel’s powerful, swaying energy to the person. This belief is not only symbolic—it manifests in reality.

Our ancestors knew that all things resemble one another. They described cosmic phenomena through natural events and built a complete paradigm to explain human physiology and pathology. Unlike Western medicine, which treats the human as a material object, Traditional East Asian Medicine considers the energies of the universe, nature, and the mind simultaneously. That’s why we ask personal questions during medical consultation: understanding both body and mind is essential in diagnosis and treatment.

Body and mind deeply influence each other. They resemble one another—and in some aspects, they are one and the same.

— Jinman Kim, Director of Najeun Maeum Oriental Clinic