Dances with Chaos

Listening to Niall Campbell and Nicola Robins in Rain Only Falls into Beauty reminded me of an adolescent awareness I'd forgotten. The energy of chaos held an excitement, an anticipation of something to come. When things appeared stable and orderly, going well, I sensed a possible complacency, of becoming unaware.

I was one of those teenagers that produced their best work under the pressure of next-morning deadlines and the duress of fatigue that clawed me through the night of no sleep and growing anxiety. It appears to be that normal is boring. When things are easy we humans have a habit of 'throwing a spanner into the works'. We ruffle things up a bit to create drama, and with it interest, challenge and opportunities for growth and learning.

The idea presented by Niall and Nicola was that as natural balance disintegrates and chaos ensues, the pressure it creates is an ingenious mechanism for exposing creativity. Diamonds are created under enormous pressure. Switch off the supply of oil to the world and see how quickly the ensuing discomfort mobilises, connects and inspires genius to reveal its creative force. When something is not working it is obviously beyond our current capacity and knowledge. To find solutions we would need to access what is beyond our known.

There seems to be a contradiction when I write of balance. Surely chaos create dis-balance, throwing us off-centre?

Perhaps the answer lies in my star sign: Libra, the scales. Many believe Libra is being balanced and centred. My experience of myself contradicts this. Rather, it seems to sit in the extremes and in having access to the range that exists anywhere between. I can go either way and often do, pushing boundaries at either end.

In our Western society, we seem to favour what we like, what is comfortable, what is good, what we know and understand, what we believe to be true. But this is only ever one side of the range of possibilities. Favour leads to inequality and once stretched far enough breaks down into chaos.

For me then the question is of being a victim to chaos or of embracing it as part of the natural order in which we reveal ourselves. Step into the discomfort of the unknown so we can come to know. It's not an intellectual, thinking process but one of experience. If chaos is allowed rather than avoided it can be experienced with conscious awareness. Rather than being at its mercy we can join it, dance with it and allow for its creative potential a receptivity in which to materialise.

Niall and Nicola reminded me that this shamanistic type work is what I do. As Tantrika I engage with the subconscious and dark underworld of chaos as a pioneer of spiritual development. As Tantra teacher I encourage and support this in others by being present with discomfort rather than judging it or trying to change it to something 'nice'.

Come dance with me.

I would love to read your comments.

Next >