Spirituality in Uncertain Times

We are living through a time of great change. The ground I thought was solid is fluid, shifting, crumbling beneath me. The political, economic, and societal structures that have held the world together are no longer stable, giving way to new structures that have yet to emerge. I want the spinning chaos to slow, but it seems to be picking up speed. I’m afraid to ask the question, how far will the unraveling go?

I’m unsettled by the changes and the scope of what could be lost. Once the subtle cohesion breaks and the cards are tossed in the air, everything is at risk – our government, our democracy, the norms of civil society, the rule of law, my financial security, my rights as a citizen, my freedoms, and more.

What do I do with my fear? My first reaction is primal, instinctive. I want to lash out, to stop those who are causing the chaos. My fear and anger rise up to protect what is at risk, to stem the damage and stop the pain. But other forces within me are at work alongside my primal instincts. These are my spiritual instincts. When I act in alignment with these greater forces, I can attend to the changes that are coming more effectively and also stay true to the longer project we are all immersed in.

What is that larger project? It’s different for everyone, we each have our unique piece and perspective, but it ties us together in answer to a higher call, looking toward a future when our primal instincts have atrophied and we have grown into our proper selves. It is the task of bringing Spirit into human form. I can’t define it with precision, but I know I am walking in its direction when,

• I act from the positive poles of my nature;
• I am expressing my gifts and talents in service of my life purpose;
• I am assuming good intent, giving people the benefit of the doubt;
• My awareness increases beyond its normal perception;
• I am more prone to forgiveness than revenge;
• I act with greater love, a word that expands to meet the contours of each new dilemma;
• I am serving the highest good for all.

This is the loose description, the incomplete list, the inadequate definition, of the grand project I am committed to. I try to apply my spiritual instincts to this unraveling moment without giving in to my fears. I look to my list and see where I can draw a little wisdom. I try to remember that the fears that drive my primal instincts are rooted in old patterns I learned when I was less mature. Maybe the unraveling is here to remind me that the larger vision is more important than my individual comfort. Maybe the old structures are fading because they have served their purpose – seeded, ripened, harvested, and now decaying, making way for new ones that can serve society in a better way.

My task is to answer the higher call, even when the road is rocky and uncertain. When my actions are guided by this vision, I have access to more information, deeper context, and stronger resilience. I’m more capable of meeting the moment, ready to tend the new structures waiting to sprout.

Photo by Divjot Ratra on Unsplash