Cycles of change are a pervasive theme across various disciplines, from philosophy and cosmology to human behavior and social history. The sources describe these cycles as fundamental to the nature of existence, shaping everything from the smallest biological processes to the grandest historical narratives. Fundamental Nature of Reality as Change and Process Many philosophical and spiritual traditions assert that change is the inherent nature of reality itself12. Heraclitus, for instance, famously stated that "One cannot step twice into the same river," emphasizing that everything is in a constant state of flux and process13. This idea is echoed in Taoism and Buddhism, which view the cosmos as a process rather than a static entity45. The I Ching expounds on the "Tao of Change," recognizing a universal principle that everything is in continuous transformation; only the principle of change itself remains constant67. Similarly, Stoicism, Buddhism, and Taoism all consider the universe to be a process that maintains itself through change rather than stagnation5. Philosophically, change is understood as a way of existing that succeeds another way of existing of the very same object, implying that what alters is lasting, and only its state changes8. The concept of "process" is used to convey qualities such as mutability, provisionality, activity, motion, and development, emphasizing that phenomena are not in a condition of solid completedness9. There's a debate on whether change occurs in discrete, "jerky" jumps between static parts or as a continuous, indivisible, and integrated flow, with some suggesting that dynamic processes compose the world1011. Sartre discusses temporality as the "intra-structure" of being, where the "For-itself" (human consciousness) must be its being in the diasporic form of temporality12. He posits that human reality involves pure and absolute change, a metamorphosis that touches all of being and is actual duration1314. This means that the present For-itself constantly becomes the Past of a new Present, a perpetual recovery rather than a fixed permanence14. Biological and Life Cycles The natural world provides clear examples of cycles of change: • Metamorphosis: The transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly is a powerful symbol of birth, growth, change, and death, representing an inevitable unfolding process1516. This idea extends to the human body, where cells constantly die and are replaced, making us physically new over time16.... • Seasons and Natural Phenomena: Earth's rotation creates day and night, and its orbit yields the repetitive sequence of seasons, serving as natural precedents for cyclical cosmologies19. The I Ching links seasonal changes to the need for social transformations, noting that order and clarity emerge from these "apparently chaotic" natural shifts2021. • Human Development: Individuals go through life cycles from infancy to old age22.... Psychologically, the mind is in constant flux, with thoughts, perceptions, moods, and feelings replacing one another25. The "middle period of life" is highlighted as a time of significant psychological change, where individuals expand their horizons and personal power26. Social, Political, and Historical Cycles Societies and cultures also exhibit cyclical patterns of change: • Societal Evolution: Kames' theory of civilization organizes human history into four distinct stages, each forcing changes in thought, action, and governance, leading to a "continuous vista of secular progress"2728. However, this progress is not linear but involves transformations and reforms29. • Political Orders and Crises: Transitions between political orders are provoked by crises that can feel like "derangements," causing once-settled questions to reopen30. History can be seen as a "molten moment" where old institutions fail and new answers emerge3031. These periods involve a "messy interregnum" where an old structure gives way to a new one31. Such shifts act psychologically, making people identify strongly with their groups when dominance is threatened or injustices are to be rectified3233. • Ibn Khaldun's Four Acts of History: This theory suggests history moves in four acts corresponding to four generations: revolutionaries establishing new values, a second generation seeking order and stability, and recurring patterns of reactions and shifts in values3435. • Revolutions and Transformations: While revolutions signify radical breaks with the past and establish new values, they can also lead to chaos34. Some revolutions, like the Glorious Revolution, bring about significant political change, while others, despite violence, may not recreate the old regime, as seen in the French Revolution36. The concept of "passive revolution" suggests that social formations persist as long as their productive forces can still advance37. Critical theory focuses on historical change as a continual process, exploring the potential for alternative forms of development38. • Institutional Change: Societies experience "institutional drift," where small differences accumulate over time, and "critical junctures" (major disruptive events like the Black Death or Atlantic trade) interact with existing institutions to create significant divergences in development paths39.... These changes are not predetermined but contingent on the balance of power and successful coalitions44. Even inclusive institutions can reverse course and become extractive due to challenges during critical junctures45. • Cultural and Linguistic Evolution: Human culture is in perpetual flux, with power dynamics and social interactions constantly changing4647. Shifts in fashions, styles, and even modes of thinking and theorizing demonstrate cyclical patterns, often influenced by generational changes35.... Language itself is dynamic; while some aspects like grammar change slowly, lexical elements (e.g., slang) can change rapidly5152. New vocabulary and ways of speaking emerge as cultures evolve, reflecting ongoing debates and the shaping of meaning5253. • Psychological and Relational Change: Relationships, including marriage, are seen as systems where partners must adapt to each other's changes; otherwise, the system may fall apart54. Personal identity is also in flux, with changes in thoughts, desires, actions, and even character55. This ongoing psychological change is described as a "perpetually shifting ekstasis"56. Dialectical Nature of Change The idea of dialectic is central to understanding many cycles of change, particularly in historical and philosophical contexts: • Hegel's Dialectic: Hegel described reality as a historical process with an underlying dialectical progression. A notion (thesis) contains a contradictory notion (antithesis), and their antagonism resolves into a new, richer notion (synthesis)57.... This applies to historical periods, like the transition from customary Greek morality to the independent thought of Christianity, and even to internal psychological movements60. This process is seen as a "rhythmic movement of all human thought and history"61. • Marx's Materialist Dialectic: Marx adapted Hegel's model, viewing history as a developmental process driven by conflict within economic modes of production. The conflict between constantly growing forces of production and existing relations of production shatters the old system, leading to historical change and revolution6263. • Jung's Dialectic: Jung employed dialectical method in his psychological theories, viewing individuation as a process where the self is fluid and capable of transformation, embodying the "intermediate possibility" between fixed opposites64. • Gramsci's Dialectic: Gramsci's historicism views historical development as a process of resolving oppositions, with dialectical unity being a historical solution always in the process of becoming6566. This involves recognizing both social unity and disunity and seeking "differences underlying uniformities and for uniformities underlying differences"6667. Human Agency and Control within Cycles While change is inevitable, the sources also highlight the role of human agency and choice: • Capacity for Change: People can change and find happiness, regardless of their environment, though they may resist due to a lack of courage or preference for familiar routines68.... Buddhists emphasize that human beings are malleable and can shape the transformations in their lives72. • Resistance and Intervention: Human nature often resists change because it can be threatening70. However, individuals can choose to intervene to alter meanings, norms, and values, demonstrating agency within cultural and linguistic shifts5253. Even in the face of widespread change, individuals and groups can decide to disrupt the status quo73. • "Let Them Theory": This approach suggests that change in others is driven by their own intrinsic motivation, which can be unlocked by asking open-ended questions, modeling desired behavior, and celebrating progress, rather than forcing change directly74.... • Confronting Historical Crises: Historical crises can be understood as opportunities to invent new political forms and make free use of human capacities, rather than simply accepting them as signs of inevitable progress or decline77. • Navigating Uncertainty: In rapidly changing fields or times of crisis, outcomes are unpredictable, but habitus (dispositions shaped by history) evolves in response to new opportunities, albeit in unpredictable ways78. Unpredictability vs. Predictability The nature of these cycles varies in predictability: • Predictable Patterns: Some aspects of human behavior and societal shifts tend to recur regularly over generations, suggesting a programmed human nature3579. The laws of karma, for instance, describe how present actions create future conditions, providing a simple yet predictable framework for understanding consequences80. • Unpredictable Outcomes: Despite recurring patterns, the actual outcomes of changes can be unpredictable7881. Complex systems, like ecosystems, are inherently unpredictable81. The specific "turning points" in stories and life offer moments of choice that can direct the chain of causation in new, unforeseen directions82. • Fluidity and Openness: While some structures of reality are stable, their manifestation in lived experience is fluid and open to ongoing change25.... The "open" is described as a space where "becoming with" is possible, allowing for unexpected events and a redefinition of relationships85. In essence, cycles of change underscore a dynamic and evolving reality where nothing remains constant, yet certain patterns and transformations recur, influenced by both inherent processes and human agency.