The nature of the Openings I encounter seems different. I am wondering why.

Openings Change as The World Does

Openings reflect our individual journeys and the world we live in. They are meant to help us navigate and grow, so they must be in tune with our reality. Our world and, for many, our lives have been undergoing huge changes. It is natural that the kinds of Openings we encounter will be different. Recognizing this helps us to see the Openings that appear and understand what choices they are giving us

One way to thrive amid change is to stay fully in the present moment. Looking back to life as it was, is focusing on a world and circumstances that are no longer here. Where will that get us? Not far. We may not even recognize the Openings that appear, for we are immersed in a world that does not exist in the present. An example – when we pine for something that is already lost but still try to find ways to access it.

When we engage in our current reality, we are ahead of the game. What are the circumstances of our lives right now? What are the circumstances of the world around us? Within this, where are we going or where do we want to go? What kinds of Openings will be helpful now? How much space are we giving to the unknown? Are we letting go of past perceptions that no longer serve us?

What Is Different Now?

Covid 19 changed our world in many ways. We rapidly entered a pandemic situation and lockdown that was unfamiliar to us. We were isolated from ways of being and interaction that had always been a part of our lives. Some of us were fearful of catching the virus. We found ourselves more alone than ever before. There was polarity among people around their views regarding the extent of the threat that Covid posed and how we should prevent its spread.

The rapid rise of technology and artificial intelligence have turned (or will turn) our worlds upside down. They were initially unfamiliar and many unknowns surround threats they pose and how they will change our world. We must learn how to employ them as they change or be at risk of being left behind. Technology is intertwined with our lives as never before, affecting how we receive information and use our brains.

The toll we have taken on our planet is being made clear with changes in climate, increasing storms, fires, changes in water levels and our oceans and increasing tree loss and desertification. We are seeing migrations and refugee situations caused by the impacts of these changes, resulting in a rebalancing of where and how people live in the world. The future is uncertain and there are a wide range of views on how we should handle this. The foundations we knew are not as steady as they once were.

New Kinds of Openings

All this change brings new kinds of Openings. To move us forward, Openings must relate to the world that we are in now. They come amid many unknowns about what our future will be. They may not make sense at times. How can we know what choices to make when so much is unknown? They require a certain level of trust from us, as we decide whether to enter them.

New kinds of Openings require new kinds of thinking. We need to see the changes that are happening around us and embrace them. We need to accept that our lives and world are different and we must be ready to meet the challenges they pose for us. We must grow. We must leave behind what is gone and adapt to a new world. Only then, will we be ready to see the new kinds of Openings that will appear.

Amid it all we must nurture ourselves and acknowledge the enormity of what is being asked of us. We must manage fear and get comfortable with the unknown. We must steady ourselves – not an easy thing to do. We must accept rapid change and, sometimes, the chaos that surrounds us, and learn how to thrive (yes, thrive) in them. Only then, will new kinds of Openings make sense.