Crisis: The wind of change may come as a gentle breeze, nudging us to move on in order to grow and unfold.
However, more often than we would like, it arrives as a storm, whirling us around like an autumn leaf. And sometimes the wind of change is a violent tornado that pushes us to the very edge of our existence.
There is crisis in everybody’s life. For one person it is a single event, like the death of a family member, or a divorce. For another it is an ordeal that might take years, like a lingering health problem, or money worries.
From the standpoint of Soul -our Higher Self-, crisis occurs when we are ready to move on, when it is time to take another step in our spiritual unfoldment. Just as the butterfly “knows” when it is time to leave the cocoon, Soul strives to break free from man-made boundaries, and the heart sets this agenda into motion.
Crisis does not always stem from disaster, although there are usually plenty of painful emotions attached to it. Sometimes it evolves in slow motion out of our lives, and we have a lot of time to react to it.
Every crisis is the chance to take a giant step forward in our unfoldment as human beings. Many people have experienced this. Under the most dire circumstances, after having gone through the most severe loss and tragedy, they not only survived, but they flourished. They discovered that life goes on, always; that there are beautiful people and experiences waiting for them, even though they believed this could never happen. They fell in love again. They experienced complete physical healing. They discovered their true calling. They received valuable spiritual insights.
Some people take huge risks to change their lives in order to find what they have been seeking for so long. They may walk away from lucrative jobs to live out their artistic side, or they may leave their traditional churches to explore a broader concept of spirituality. Others stay, but change their attitude towards life and the people around them in a quiet, but profound way.
Ultimately, crisis brings us closer to our hearts, closer to love.
The price to pay is often loss, pain, loneliness, sadness, fear, anger and chaos during the time of transition; but if we work our way through the hurt and disorientation, there is a tremendous reward waiting for us: knowing that we truly are who we are meant to be.
There is no substitute for this – not money, not fame, not social acceptance, not power.
Nothing.
Laura Vinddottir Moberg says
Thank you for not claiming that crisis in the kanji is danger plus opportunity! Yes, there is an up side and POTENTIAL for growth, but let us not think that life is only a dance on the roses if we just wear rose coloured glasses. I appreciate the closer translation of the kanji: “incipient moment; crucial point when something begins or changes”. Keep spurring us on, Carna, it is good to have company on what is often a bumpy road :-).
admincarna says
Yes, it is not about denying the immense pain and risk that goes with every major crisis. “Think positive” is superficial and just doesn’t cut it!
Carna