Chaos Abounds . . .(so flip your outside in)

I think it's safe to say that pretty much every system on the planet is in chaos right now: environmentally, politically, economically, spiritually . . . We're knee deep in turmoil.

This chaos is a big part of the reason why I haven't written a blog entry in the last several months. I feel like I'm being pulled in so many directions and when I stop to catch my breath - another month has passed. (So, to the four readers of my blog I apologize for making you wait so long for another entry.)

The tension that the chaos creates has been increasing over the last couple of years, but I've noticed that it's been particularly intense during the last 6 months. I've been seeing this both at my day job, where I provide short-term psychotherapy, and in my shamanic healing practice. People's lives are falling apart and they're becoming unhinged. I've been hearing incredibly heartbreaking stories as people speak of one trauma after another hitting them and their families. It's as if throngs of people are being confronted by their worst fears and insecurities. A collective 'dark night of the soul' if you will.

What's going on?

It depends on who you talk to, but something sure seems to be up.


Are we - as a species - headed for disaster? It's certainly possible and may not be a bad thing. We certainly have done an excellent job of fucking things up. But maybe disaster isn't inevitable. At least for the folks who see these challenges as opportunities to grow and get right with themselves, each other and the planet.


The interesting thing I've observed lately is that the typical ways in which people cope with turmoil don't seem to be cutting it anymore. I'm talking about the natural tendency to want to bring order to your external environment (e.g., look for a new job, move somewhere else, end a relationship, clean your house, organize your stuff, etc.). Instead, what seems to be bringing people comfort is when they engage in some sort of practice that leads them within - to where their true power lies. Once you shift your focus inward, you can gain some distance from the chaos. In doing so, you ground yourself spiritually, mentally, and emotionally which enables you to proceed with some stability and clarity. Going within doesn't eliminate the chaos, but it makes it more manageable.

This is why I think I've been so busy lately. People are intuitively seeking ways to bring order to their lives, and shamanic healing can offer an effective starting point. It's a practice that invites people to feel powerful, to treat themselves with respect, kindness and love. And when you're operating from a place of power, love, respect and kindness, the natural tendency is to engage with the world in that way. Sound familiar? (hint: examine any indigenous culture)

So dealing with stuff from the inside out, rather than from the outside in, seems to be potent medicine these days. Which makes me wonder . . . is this the intent of the chaos?