In continuation of my previous entry here on the blog, I'd like to share some more of my reflections and contemplations related to Depth Psychology.
Today's topic is going to focus on "Chaos and Order".
These two fundamental dichotomies exist as the polarized, underlying structures of the cosmos. Allow me to explain.
In Depth Psychology, as we have discussed here, the idea is that the human psyche is built upon a certain "architecture", in that there are patterns existing in Nature from which we build our individuality. Within each of us in that connection to the Source, or the Numinous, which brings about the changes in character that we experience over a lifetime. A baby is born with all the blueprints, you could say, and as we grow and develop into mature adults, our overall success as individuals is related to our ability to source from and connect to these blueprints. To align with the fundamental architecture of our personality. When there are "holes" in the personality structure, as in we are not as effective, productive, fulfilled or happy as we could be, if we take an honest look at how we are being (as in, how our personality is operating) we can see that there are "holes" that need tending. The idea here -- as it relates to healing work, transformational work, or spiritual practice (all of these are/ should be synonymous in my eyes) -- the idea is that we can examine our life experience and notice where we are disconnected from our own inner Source, and therefore losing our alignment with life's innate intelligence. When this happens, destruction occurs.
I.E. -- Chaos.
Chaos is the result of a Life that has gone awry. Where we feel out of control. Or we feel confused, and are not seemingly able to produce a different result than the one we are getting. We can easily becoming dissatisfied with life, frustrated, despairing, or angry with circumstances. Often this happens multiple times throughout our lives. Something traumatic or dramatic may happen and we will suddenly be thrust into a tailspin of "Chaos". Things become disorganized. Life no longer "flows" . Happiness and fulfillment are now fleeting things -- they come and go and we are constantly grasping for them. Our quest for peace is the byproduct of Chaos.
In the world's mythologies, this concept of Chaos is depicted in the Origin Myths. The legends held by multiple cultures across time and geographical location describing the energetic of Creation. What are they referring to? These stories convey the process of the Cosmos "beginning". In modern scientific literature the "myth" here is known as the "Big Bang". In Biblical prose it is the Book of John ("in the beginning there was the Word..."). What are we really seeing here, and why the similarities across so many different stories?
My belief, and the belief that I am seeing verified in science of depth psychology, is that what our early humans and ancestors were attempting to describe to us is a very important theme and spiritual motif. It is the theme of trying to set things into Order. To create from the unmanifest. To turn the formless primordial energy of the Universe into something that has form, structure, and meaning. Basically, the Creation mythology is an attempt to define and describe, in detail, the process a human being undergoes when they begin to awaken their creative essence and the process of "becoming conscious".
The translation here is this: when we "become conscious", we are waking up to the disorder that we see around us, and something within us propels us to take action in order to set things in order. We are attempting to restore the peace and harmony of the Cosmos around us. This restoration of harmony is the great celestial battle depicted in these countless mythological narratives. This is because as soon as we attempt to create Order from Chaos, we are going up against armies of evil (according to legend). What does this mean? We are going up against our own patterns, our own selfish ways of thinking, our own self-limiting beliefs, ancestral karmas, etc... basically, everything that is in place at the time of our inspiration that wants to push back against our inspiration.
Because, after all, what is inspiration????
Inspiration is IN-SPIRIT-ation. The Spirit, or Creator, descends upon us (or into us) and propels us to act. This inspired action IS an act of Creation. It IS the act of organizing the Cosmos and restoring Order. Inspiration IS an attempt to create Order.
Inspired action is the ultimate spiritual revolution .... as it is one person's CONSCIOUS attempt to overcome the forces of inertia (evil, ignorance, disorder) in the world, and to bring forth something great aka LIFE, ORDER, COSMOS, PEACE, HARMONY.... otherwise known as TRUTH.
When we allow inspiration into us, we are accepting the instructions from our own inner Source of Being, we are aligning with that innate blueprint that has been with us since before memory. The blueprint of Life. However, as we know, this brings a tremendous amount of power and responsibility that most of the time, we avoid or shirk from.
Hence, the mythological stories.
The early human beings understood this and attempted to give us maps of meaning. The mythologies and the legends tell this story. We are not alone in our attempt to escape from the despairs of life. And, it seems that we cannot avoid this mission that we are all on.
I heard once that "only brave souls come to Earth". It certainly seems true to me. There is a tremendous amount of courage that is needed to simply live out our time here on this planet. Even more courage is required from us if we are wanting to bring a little more peace, a little more order, a little more happiness to our corner of the globe. We are up against some serious odds. Just like in the Bhagavad Gita when Arjuna looks upon the battlefield ahead of him and sees his friends, family members, uncles, cousins, and the familiar faces of people he must go into battle with and against. When we are sincerely authentically inspired -- to make a change, to bring something NEW to Life -- we are tasked with the same mission. To CREATE. No small feat. But a power that lies within each of us, right at the core of our being.
These are my contemplations today. Thanks for reading.
With joy,
Grant