“In life you need either desperation or inspiration.”
-Tony Robbins


 

Last week the hubby called from the car repair shop to say he was watching Egypt rioting in the streets on TV, so I tuned into CNN.
 
Wow. Egypt…is desperate for change.  Politics aside, the Egyptian people have captured the attention of the world because they have done something really powerful.
 
They have aligned with each other and united in one voice.
 
Henry David Thoreau said “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation, and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
 
That is not the case in Egypt.

In London supporters of the  uprising made their voices heard near the Egyptian embassy. A sign held up by a young man read: “Riot like an Egyptian.” (The youth of London get it. Students and others recently protested the raising of taxes on college tuition.  They actually pushed back the mounted police by walking toward them instead of dispersing.  The outnumbered police were forced to back off.)

 Perhaps we could take a lesson.
 
A Cairo resident said, “Beware the anger of the patient”.
After thirty years of dictatorship under a tyrannical leader, the people are speaking up for freedom, in  the hope of a better future for their children in spite of discomfort, high risk, and opposition.
 
Creation often involves risk and discomfort. Ask any great inventor, actor, poet or statesman.
 
I have always said that chaos gets a bad rap and peace is often over rated.
 
Chaos is the engine of change --on individual, national and universal levels.
 
Many of my clients are facing difficult life-altering challenges such as bankruptcy, chronic or unexpected illness, serious financial losses, lack of medical care, unemployment, and depression.
 
"We must find a way to become balanced while being unbalanced, uncomfortable and still not be thrown off by the imbalance. No matter how unbalanced we become, no matter what the circumstances, or how unsteady we feel, we can  be at peace, live with purpose and continue to grow by making powerful new choices."  (Off Balance on Purpose, by Rev. Kylie Renner in Truly Alive Jan-Feb)"
 
The idea that order often emerges from disorder is a mind bending, counter-intuitive and troubling idea to many. I encourage you to check out The Secret Life of Chaos, a wonderful documentary that teaches us, through the natural world, that chaos has something to offer. http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/secret-life-chaos/
 
The natural world is actually one big blooming, buzzing mass of lively confusion! From clouds to trees, to the human experience: you will never look at the world, chaos, or disorder in the same way after viewing The Secret Life of Chaos.
 
How does one remain at peace within when the circumstances around us are not orderly or peaceful? What can we do when the external environment currently does not match our dreams?  Why does one uncomfortable challenge after another continue to present itself to us - just as we overcome one, here comes another?
 
Many times the higher self creates difficult, even tragic events, in our lives. The human part of us simply cannot grasp the meaning in it at the time, yet there is a higher wisdom present.
 
Chaos: It is here to stay and it serves a purpose.
 
We are living during an earth cycle of change meant to create a huge jump into the unknown territory of an emerging age of a greater understanding. We are striving to assume our place in a greater universal community.
 
It is no longer so important to fuss over our appearence, to be entertained all the time, or to maintain the status quo of comfort.
 
It is more important that we wake up.  News Flash: Spiritual growth and personal change was never meant to comfortable, or even orderly.
 
Many spiritual teachers and self-proclaimed gurus have created large followings (and equally large incomes) by telling us that all we have to do is 'live' in the emotional heart space, wear a crystal, do the best we can, and pray for the healing of the earth.
 
We know from experience that human feelings can decieve us, overwhelm or mislead us at times.
 
The inner voice and human emotion are often in conflict. It is best to recognize the difference.
 
Chaos, challenge, and confrontation are intrinsically part of human development and growth. It is not possible to heal what you do not confront.
 
Here are a few suggestions that will help you in navigating the rising tide of change and circumstance that surrounds us:
 
Let nothing, and I mean nothing, get between you and Source. The ability to maintain focus, which meditation teaches us, is of vital and critical importance in the midst of emotional upheaval, emergency or anxiety.
 
I personally have experienced the "miracle" of stepping away from myself, disengaging from the emotion of fear or dread, into objective, clear focus when problem solving.
 
This is a powerful inner "miracle" that everyone should experience! Don’t let the simplicity of the concept fool you.
 
Disorder, chaos, change, and revolt are necessary parts of life – when the time is right for it. These growth patterns line the pathway of all great change in society, families, and relationships.
 
These growth patterns are present in nature’s wild and beautiful rhythms.
 
Take the time to speak with and to each other. Gurus, holy robes, talismans, crystals, and other so-called spiritual thing-a-ma-jigs belong to the past. The future is about choice, freedom and healthy alliances with each other.
 
These alliances are a glimpse of future neighborhoods and communities where individual choice, equality and self reliance are present.
 
Many of us are beginning to leave the herd of mainstream society in search of a new watering hole! Be your own guru. Align with and help each other.
 
In closing, I offer you Three Principles:
 
1. Question outer authority.
2. Rely on inner wisdom.
3. Think independently.
 
Change and chaos can serve you well if you choose to go with the flow of it, remembering that above all else: YOU ARE LOVED!