--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The universe is continually at its work…" description: "\"The universe is continually at its work of restructuring itself at a higher, more complex, more elegant level. The novelty, the new, more complex order..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/george-leonard-14208_all-things_the-universe-is-continually-at-its-work_2165346.jpg" --- # The universe is continually at its work of restructuring… ![“The universe is continually at its work of restructuring itself at a higher, more complex, more elegant level. The novelty, the new, more complex order, doesn't emerge from the present in a steady stream, nor at all places at the same rate. It comes, as all things do, in rhythmic waves; there will…” quote by George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/george-leonard-14208_all-things_the-universe-is-continually-at-its-work_2165346.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/george-leonard-14208_all-things_the-universe-is-continually-at-its-work_2165346.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/george-leonard-14208_all-things_the-universe-is-continually-at-its-work_2165346.jpg) > “The universe is continually at its work of restructuring itself at a higher, more complex, more elegant level. The novelty, the new, more complex order, doesn't emerge from the present in a steady stream, nor at all places at the same rate. It comes, as all things do, in rhythmic waves; there will always be times and places of scarcity and stagnation and retrogression. Still, the long-term direction is clear. The intention of the universe is evolution.” [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The universe constantly reorganizes into increasingly complex and elegant forms, but progress occurs in uneven, wave‑like bursts rather than a steady flow. **In simple terms:** The cosmos evolves, but change comes in waves, not uniformly. Key Takeaway Embrace cycles of growth and stagnation. Themes evolution complexity growth cycles Mood curious inspired reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scientific research - personal development - creative projects - strategic planning Key Concepts Systems theory emergence non‑linear dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate phases of stagnation? - What patterns of wave‑like growth do you observe in your field? A Different Perspective Progress may be interrupted by periods of scarcity or regression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Elegant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elegant/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Novelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelty/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Scarcity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scarcity/) [Stagnation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stagnation/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [I believe in manifesting the words that are coming out of my mouth. I'm very careful with what I say because the intention is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bozoma-saint-john/i-believe-in-manifesting-the-words-that-are-coming-out-of-my-mouth-i/) [Bozoma Saint John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bozoma-saint-john/) > [“The Universe continually gives us gifts, but we have to open them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-ashley/the-universe-continually-gives-us-gifts-but-we-have-to-open-them/) Nancy Ashley > [I personally feel it is presumptuous to believe that man can determine the whole temporal structure of the universe, its evolution, development and ultimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-n-bahcall/i-personally-feel-it-is-presumptuous-to-believe-that-man-can/) [John N. 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And that is precisely the double standard of atheism! It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-laughter-in-response-to-my-question-unmasked-the-double-standard/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [ABC Family is really restructuring their network because there's a new kind of family, so I think they're really trying to step away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dallas/abc-family-is-really-restructuring-their-network-because-there-s-a/) [Matt Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dallas/) ## More by George Leonard > [Education is... doing anything that changes you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/education-is-doing-anything-that-changes-you/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [What if you're practicing wrong? Then you get very good at doing something wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/what-if-you-re-practicing-wrong-then-you-get-very-good-at-doing/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [“Competition is the spice of sports; but if you make spice the whole meal you'll be sick. The simplest single-celled organism oscillates to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/competition-is-the-spice-of-sports-but-if-you-make-spice-the-whole/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [Mastery is the art of setting your foot on the path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/mastery-is-the-art-of-setting-your-foot-on-the-path/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [In terms of the game theory, we might say the universe is so constituted as to maximize play. 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You don't say "I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/now-here-is-a-key-you-want-to-make-it-real-and-present-in-the-realm/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [“Intentionality fuels the master's journey. Every master is a master of vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/intentionality-fuels-the-master-s-journey-every-master-is-a-master-of/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [At the heart of each of us, whatever our imperfections, there exists a silence pulse of perfect rhythm which is absolutely individual and unique,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/at-the-heart-of-each-of-us-whatever-our-imperfections-there-exists-a/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [What was once impossible now summons us to dismantle the walls between ourselves and our sisters and brothers, to dissolve the distinctions between flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/what-was-once-impossible-now-summons-us-to-dismantle-the-walls/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [Competition is the spice of sports; but if you make spice the whole meal you'll be sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/competition-is-the-spice-of-sports-but-if-you-make-spice-the-whole-2/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [At the root of all power and motion, there is music and rhythm, the play of patterned frequencies against the matrix of time, Before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/at-the-root-of-all-power-and-motion-there-is-music-and-rhythm-the-2/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) > [“Each subatomic particle within you is in touch with all that is. Every particle in the universe takes its characteristics from the pitch and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-leonard/each-subatomic-particle-within-you-is-in-touch-with-all-that-is-every/) [George Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) [Explore all 47 George Leonard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-leonard/) ## More All things quotes > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [Dear God, I trust that no matter what happens in my life, it is for my highest good. And no matter what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/dear-god-i-trust-that-no-matter-what-happens-in-my-life-it-is-for-my/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Moderation, honey, in all things but love and chocolate. That's my motto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bretton/moderation-honey-in-all-things-but-love-and-chocolate-that-s-my-motto/) [Barbara Bretton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bretton/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Standing as a witness in all things means being kind in all things, being the first to say hello, being the first to smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-nadauld/standing-as-a-witness-in-all-things-means-being-kind-in-all-things/) [Margaret D. 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The universal Cause, by knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-dionysius/god-does-not-possess-a-private-knowledge-of-himself-and-a-separate/) [Pope Dionysius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-dionysius/) Browse all 2,486 All things quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The universe is continually at its work of restructuring itself at a higher, more complex, more elegant level. The novelty, the new, more complex order, doesn't emerge from the present in a steady stream, nor at all places at the same rate. It comes, as all things do, in rhythmic waves; there will always be times and places of scarcity and stagnation and retrogression. Still, the long-term direction is clear. 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