Likely you have heard about our evolutionary shift, the end of the world in 2012, or some other version of coming events that can either be empowering or depressing. How do you react to what is happening around you? All the systems we have known and trusted are crumbling. What is your response? Overwhelm? Anger? Frustration? Relief? Hope? Excitement? Perhaps, if you’re tuned into the status of the economy, environment, housing, health care, education, threats to our freedom or all of the above, you feel despair. It’s a normal human reaction to our perception of change and loss. Or maybe you see only possibility and potential. We’re in the midst of a paradigm shift, experiencing both the old and new worlds.
The systems, patterns and events we experience today are a function of the paradigms (belief systems) of the past century. To illustrate, let’s look at one of Isaac Newton’s scientific principles that became ingrained in the collective human consciousness (or unconsciousness, as the case may be). Scientific materialism states that only matter matters. Spirit has nothing to do with matter in any way and it does not inhabit our bodies. We can see how this paradigm is reflected in Western medicine and its health care system, where only the body matters. This system uses pills, treats symptoms and virtually ignores spiritual energy or other healing modalities. Insurance, medical education and research, pharmaceuticals and health care delivery all operate from this outdated crumbling paradigm. The result is a population that is unhealthy and getting sicker.
The new paradigm recognizes that Spirit is in our bodies, energy fields are essential and we’re not victims of DNA, to list a few examples. Integrative medicine is an example of a system that operates on qualities of the new paradigm, but this is not yet the norm. Instead, yesterday’s paradigms still dominate, but they are no longer workable. Historically the world has not accepted “new” concepts when they were first introduced, not one. Not from explorers like Columbus, not from scientists like Newton, Darwin or Einstein, not from social change agents like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. or Nelson Mandela, and certainly not from enlightened masters like Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed. These pioneers did not experience the acceptance of their teachings or the social justice they fought for in their lifetimes. But each of these everyday Gurus held the vision and space for the new, during a time when the old was still the norm.
When we experience qualities of the old era (greed, limitation, competition and scarcity) it can trigger fear and despair, which is synonymous with resistance. One cannot allow and resist at the same time. If we resist chaos and change we cannot allow for the new. If we set our intentions on allowing change, allowing the new, we experience qualities of the new era such as unity, community, collaboration, harmony and abundance. Where will you choose to focus?
According to the Mayans, we’re the “in between” people experiencing the “no time.” Literally, one era is dying at the same time a new era is birthing. We’re experiencing both the old and new worlds simultaneously. Picture an iceberg tilting and tilting getting closer to tipping but it hasn’t quite tipped yet. We experience frequent changes during a transition such as this, and that can feel like chaos. What is your relationship with change? How you choose to deal with change and perceived chaos is the juicy place to discover who you are, to live the life you truly desire and share all of your gifts. It’s a point of access to your wisdom, passions and purpose. Embracing change requires intention, attention and a willingness to expand into something greater than you can imagine. This choice is the antidote to chaos.
Caterpillars have cells that are aware the caterpillar is dying, while simultaneously aware it is birthing something new: the butterfly. These cells, called imaginal cells, hold the grief of loss simultaneously with the vision of something new. Can we be imaginal people, simultaneously holding the space for destruction of the old and birthing of the new with love instead of fear? We can. The universe is calling each of us to be an everyday Guru. What does that mean? Being a guru is not a rare and extraordinary experience reserved for a special few that we once thought it was. We’re each being given an opportunity to be an agent for change.
We begin our earthly journey as pure love and joy. In the womb and throughout our developing years, our true essence becomes layered with conditioning that comes from our parents, our ancestors, the collective unconscious, our environment, culture, social and economic status, religion and so on. Up to 98 percent of these layers are not ours. Yet they become ours to uncover, expose and remove throughout our human journey, in our quest to return to our truth, joy, love and authentic essence.
This “stuff,” 98 percent of which we never consciously choose, lives in our subconscious and fuels our feelings, thoughts, beliefs and actions in our conscious mind. Our mind believes its job is to be right; and that can get in the way of us resurrecting the truth. “Life is a school. We are here to learn compassion, non-violence, faith and charity. We are here to unlearn negative emotions like fear, anger, jealousy and greed.” (The Weiss Institute)
We reclaim power and wisdom when we come home, look inward and pull off these layers of lies, exposing our light and truth. This is how to shift from fear to love in order to move empowered through chaos and change. We are not broken. We are whole. To heal means to remove the conditioning, beliefs and fears that are not ours. When we do, we begin to vibrate at a higher frequency, no longer plugging into the drama of chaos, and our response to change shifts. We become change agents, everyday Gurus. We actually look forward to change.
We cannot experience what we are not willing to become in our consciousness. Set the intention to get on your path home and then say, “YES!” to what shows up. Let your filter be anyone or anything that empowers you to discover your inner resources, power and wisdom. Take inspired action daily. Dare to question and change your core beliefs. Notice when you contract and separate from others (especially family and friends) and next time, choose to lean into them; expand.
Find a mentor, a wellness circle of support, a community. Surround yourself with high vibrational food, music and activities. The invitation is there; will you become an everyday Guru? Look inward and learn to love, love to live and live to laugh! Tap into the joyful, pure, incredibly rich person you are regardless of external circumstances. Give all of your gifts; surprise and delight await.
[su_panel background=”#f2f2f2″ color=”#000000″ border=”0px none #ffffff” shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]This article was reprinted from E.P.I.C. (Empowering People, Inspiring Community) Conscious Living Magazine published in Durango, Colorado. Barb Horn is a Hypnotherapist (CHT), Soul Collage Facilitator, ceremonialist, teacher, author, inspirational speaker, cosmic clown, believer in people and an everyday Guru based in Durango, Colorado. For more information on embracing change, classes or other offerings visit www.AllEmbracingChange.com.
Bild 1: The way forward railway via Shutterstock; Image 2: Peaceful woman via Shutterstock
