Openings in Crisis
I am in a storm. Will Openings appear and help me through this?
These Times
It seems that the intensity of our lives is increasing exponentially. It is disorienting and sometimes leaves us quivering. Our footing is no longer secure – the ground has shifted beneath us. We find ourselves reaching towards new ways of thinking and being, hoping we can find our way to balance. We need and want Openings and wonder if they will appear.
These times are somewhat like a phase in the process of Chrysalis – when a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. In the cocoon, caterpillar cells start breaking down and are fighting for their lives. The imaginal cells that will form the butterfly start birthing. The dying caterpillar cells attack the imaginal cells – they are alien to them. It’s a mess and threatening to all involved.
We do our best to navigate changing times and challenges. We work to get our bearings within a new environment. We steady ourselves, as best we can, amidst unsettling chaos and change. The future is ours to create. Like the cells just starting to form in the cocoon – the butterfly may eventually emerge for us as well. In the meantime, we must do the best we can.
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A New Context
A worthwhile aim is to find a way to think and to be within the challenge of these changing times. This focuses our minds and emotions on adapting to these times. In doing this, we bring our scattered energies in so that we can act and move forward. Finding our way involves observation of the world around us, assessment of our reactions to it, identifying what is working and not working for us, knowing what we must release and believing in the promise the future may hold.
Here are some questions that may be helpful:
- What has changed in your life in the past year?
- Are you doing okay with the changes?
- Are there things you know you must do to acclimate to this environment?
- Are there aspects of these times that are unacceptable to you? How are they affecting you?
- How would you describe what is happening for you and our world right now?
- Do you see a pattern or purpose in what is occurring?
- What emotional reactions to these times are predominant for you?
- Do you feel threatened? Courageous?
- Is fear present?
- Do you see opportunities awaiting you in this environment? How can you avail yourself of them?
Answering these questions and others can lead us to a context for the times we are in. A context frames our thinking. It illumines the interrelated conditions within which we exist now. A context is a tool, not an absolute. Without a context, we can be scattered. We can feel tossed around by what is happening around us. A context can be a story (We are on a hero’s journey), an explanation (Environmental degradation is threatening our existence and we must act) or a way to describe how we are proceeding (We are making the most of what is happening and will transform).
Different Kinds of Openings
It makes sense that different kinds of Openings will exist in these times. Let’s think about what their nature may be. They may help us navigate tumultuous times. They may provide insights or ways forward for us. They may provide opportunities to take ourselves in a new direction. They may help us release what no longer serves us. They may help us find ways to bring ourselves peace and fulfillment.
Letting Openings Come
Once we open to and center ourselves in these times, new kinds of Openings will appear. The rhythm continues – Openings help us navigate our lives. We can keep our eyes open and embrace them when they come.
Openings haven’t gone away. I just have to look for them.
photo: Tiana, pexels.com
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