Living Well with Chaos

As each day passes we come closer to the end of the period that the ancient Q'ero people, the Inkas, have called the End of Time. The last date of the current Mayan calendar is December 21, 2012. Some fear this date, others welcome it and yet others ignore it or are completely oblivious to it. I am aware that many of the Mayan predictions of this time are quite accurate – the rising frequency of natural disasters, the crumbling of hierarchical financial systems, increasing labour strife, the increasing awareness of the folly of our earth conquering ways. It seems that something is at work. The Q'ero understand that chaos and upheaval are forces that will continue to grow exponentially until time turns over and the world will be right side up once again.

Yes we have been living in an upside down world for more than 500 years. Previous to this upside down time we lived harmoniously with the earth and its resources and we knew that we were an interrelated part of this planet's living systems. After time turned over we fell into fearful ways which caused us to believe that we were separate from and superior to

these same systems, and that we needed to become conquerors of the land to survive. The earth is turning right side up again and the changes that you have experienced in your own life and that you have witnessed around you are a necessary part of the turning over.

I am writing about chaos today to help you understand it and hopefully reduce your fear of it. Chaos can be uncomfortable and stressful, but it is a force for positive change. If we learn to say centered and grounded and work with it, it can propel us forward and beyond the perceived limitations that we believe exist within us. If we resist it, white knuckle holding onto all of our material things and ways, we may find ourselves exhausted, joyless and missing out on opportunities for growth and positive change. If we spend a lot of time not being grounded in our bodies chaos can blow us around like fallen leaves on a windy fall day.

Several years ago a wise woman friend of mine told me a story about one of her friends. She shared that this other wise woman had experienced many tragedies and hardships in life and yet she remained soft hearted and happy to be alive. She explained that her friend had let her adventurous spirit shine through and decided to learn how to “ride the wild horse of chaos”. That phrase came deep into my belly when I first heard it and it remains a part of the wise counsel that I carry for myself. It has been itching for me to share it with you, and now you have it too.

So how do you ride the wild horse of chaos? You can jump on, close your eyes, hold on for dear life and pray, but the horse will most certainly throw you off because your fear will spook the horse further. Maybe you could approach the horse with gratitude, a healthy dose of respect and a willingness to try and enjoy the ride – you know that feeling that you have just as you board a roller coaster? – and you may find yourself screaming with both fear and delight. And when that ride is over you are grateful that you are still alive and you feel a bit lighter because you left some fear and tension behind you as they escaped with your screams. Maybe chaos is knocking at your door to bring you a new adventure. You might be able to jump in the saddle, merge with the horse, flow and let go of some old rigid ways that are not serving you in a positive way, and find a new way to ride. How will you ride?

These are all nice analogies, but what does it all mean in day to day terms. My suggestions for coping with the dynamic times that we are living in are:

breathe deeply and often – this helps to ground and centre ourselves in our bodies, and when grounded we are like a rooted tree that can flex and bend in the worst of storms but still remain standing

if you don't already have one, develop a good sense of humour and learn to laugh at yourself

slow down and leave room for yourself and others – don't make important decisions in the spur of the moment, sleep on them at least one night, and if anyone is pressuring you to make them, walk away until you are ready, and let others make their decisions in their own time. There is a lot going on right now and we all need time to assess and integrate all of the information in and around us and this takes time. If you are impulsive by nature watch yourself extra carefully or ask a respected friend or family member to watch out for you. This bit of information also applies to your driving style. I have witnessed quite a few erratic drivers and tailgaters lately and know they are accidents just waiting to happen. If you don't slow down and leave room, an accident will force you to.

Cut back or completely eliminate stimulating foods and beverages. There is enough stimulating energy of change about – how are you sleeping lately??? - don't push your luck and burn out your endocrine system by overtaxing it. If you are addicted to sugar and caffeine or other mood upping substances get help to leave them behind and breakthrough into a new life. If you can't function without these things it is definitely time for positive change, and the doorways for that change are open now.

Get clear about the intentions for your life, write them down and think of them often. They act as guideposts along the way when you are clouded by confusion.

Prioritize the aspects of your life. Let things low on your list go and give more attention to the ones at the top.

Be efficient with your time and energy. Take some time to assess where you are wasting either of these resources, and make good changes to increase your efficiency. You are an amazing human being and we need you to share your amazingness. Life force is precious, if you waste it some of it will be taken away. If you don't believe me check out Stephen Hawking's life story.

Go easy on yourself. You are human, accept it, make mistakes, forgive yourself, learn from them and then get on with life.