How Modern Systems Disrupted Our Natural Sync with Life

Marriage Aligned with Nature’s Timing

Centuries ago, humans lived in closer alignment with nature, free from the laws, rules, and systems that govern us today. In ancient times, especially in India, boys and girls married as soon as they entered their teenage years, which is arguably the most natural time to marry. Biologically, adolescence is when humans gain the ability and desire to mate and reproduce. By marrying young, people of that era synced with nature, starting families as soon as they were physically ready. Unlike today, where marriage is delayed, people then followed a path similar to other species that begin mating as soon as they reach puberty.

Professional Settlement in the Teenage Years

On the professional front, people also settled into their roles by their teenage years. Most children adopted the professions of their parents, following the hereditary traditions they had observed growing up. For example, a carpenter’s child would start learning the craft early, becoming proficient by adolescence. Similarly, the children of kings were trained in warfare and politics, while Brahmin children learned religious texts and rituals. I’m not advocating the caste or varna system here—quite the opposite, I stand against it—but the reality is that this was the norm for professional settlement in those times. By their teenage years, people had acquired the skills necessary to pursue a livelihood, meaning they were both professionally and personally settled at a young age.

How Modern Systems Delay Life's Milestones

Today, however, the systems we live under have drastically altered this natural rhythm. Laws now impose a legal age for marriage, typically between 18 and 21. The education system further delays this process—students often don’t finish their studies until the age of 22 or 23, and it takes another 4-5 years to secure professional stability. As a result, even those who might want to marry early find themselves unable to do so before their mid-to-late twenties. Financial and professional stability are often seen as prerequisites for marriage, and this shift in priorities has pushed marriage further into adulthood.

The Consequences of Breaking Nature’s Sync

This delay disrupts the natural sync between our biological clocks and modern societal expectations. By the time people marry today, they are often years removed from the age when their natural reproductive urges first arose. Teenagers experience a biological drive to mate as soon as they enter puberty, but legal and social barriers prevent them from marrying and starting families. Similarly, professional dependency on parents extends into their twenties, further delaying the transition to independence. Centuries ago, by the age of 30, one could have grandchildren—having married around 13 or 14, had their first child at 14 or 15, and seen their children marry and start families by their late twenties. In stark contrast, today, many people are just getting married at 30.

The Modern Challenge: Laws and Social Norms

The consequences of this delay are far-reaching. Many young people engage in premarital affairs, driven by natural desires that emerge in their teenage years but are left unmet by the constraints of modern laws and systems. The long gap between nature’s timeline and societal expectations can create emotional and psychological stress, as people feel out of sync with their biological drives.

Additionally, in the past, marrying early meant that individuals typically formed strong, lifelong bonds with a single partner. Today, the delayed timeline for marriage and professional settlement has transformed the nature of relationships. While modern laws were created to protect young people and ensure maturity before marriage, the unintended consequence is that half of one’s life is spent dependent on parents or struggling to establish a career before forming a family.

Seeking Balance

While we cannot—and should not—return to the practices of the past, it’s worth considering how we can better align our lives with our natural instincts. Perhaps creating more flexible systems that recognize the diversity of personal and professional growth would help us achieve a healthier balance between nature’s timing and societal expectations. Finding ways to navigate this modern disconnect could help us lead more fulfilling and balanced lives, in harmony with both our biological and social needs.