When the Shift hits the Fan

I was having a discussion with a client this week.  We were talking about how extreme situations and emotions seem to be these days.  It seems as those everyone, everywhere, is having a lot of "stuff" presented to them that requires them to act, feel and make decisions- some of them quite uncomfortable.  My client said she thought "the shift has hit the fan".  I love that phrase.  It seems to completely sum things up for me.

A lot of people and organizations been talking about "the shift", or "a change" for quite awhile.  Whether you believe things are changing because of increased consciousness, universal laws, end of the Mayan calender, enlightenment, global economy, political unrest, climate change, or polar shifting, we all seem to agree a change is present or perhaps on the horizon. For many, with December 2012 fast approaching, it seems we may be closer and closer to some pretty big change. Maybe to facilitate that change, or because of that change, we are being called to address what's in front of us in a more intense way. No more "fooling around" folks.

I've had some personal "shift hit the fan" in the past couple of weeks. It doesn't seem as though it's so much about changing outcomes, as much as it is about changing my internal being and response to situations. I think that's perhaps what the shift is about. We look to changing external circumstances as evidence of change or "a Shift".  We say things have "turned around for us" when more money comes in, we get the job we want, the new house or car we desired, or we are released from pain, disease, responsibilities, or angst. We measure change by what's outside of us.  And if we don't see that evidence of change we decide the Shift hasn't happened yet. Maybe we are using the wrong measuring stick.

I believe when you see a repetitive pattern it's important to examine that pattern. It's the Chestnut Bud approach to life. http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2012/07/applying-lessons-learned.html Instead of reacting the same way to what seems to seem to be the same situation, you act differently, having learned from the mistakes of the past.  It's your reaction that's important, not the external circumstances.

It would seem if you don't take a look at your internal mapping, the speed of the fan is increased and you may start to feel pretty overwhelmed by the force of the wind and the amount of debris coming towards you once the "Shift hits". That's opportunity.

I think the opportunity is not to resolve the situation differently. I don't think it's about finding different solutions, unique fixes, or alternative methods. I think the opportunity to to feel the situation different and therefore react differently, unattached to outcomes and resolutions.

In my opinion, if the same stuff keeps coming at you, and now the speed and intensity is ramped up, the opportunity is there for internal shifting. This won't necessarily be a comfortable feeling. In fact, if you're feeling comfortable, I don't think you're shifting.

If, for instance, you've always resolved conflict by trying to avoid or deny it at all costs you might benefit from the Bach Flower essence Agrimony http://pixiedusthealing.blogspot.ca/2011/11/new-beginning-facing-conflict.html as you  find "the Shift that hits the fan" right now is a whole lot of messy conflict.

If you try to come up with a plan that resolves the present conflict in a better way for all, involves restructuring for all involved parties, new methods of interacting, more attention to the feelings of others, and just different ways of resolving the issues, you may  find the speed of the fan increases as you try these problem solving methods.  But... that could be just me. Hmm...

Instead, this may be an opportunity to consider how you feel and react to conflict, and a chance to react differently. Stop thinking about the needs of others and focus on your own needs maybe. Stop trying to resolve it comfortably for all and just walk way instead. Change your pattern. Change your reactions. Change your feelings.  Don't expect a different outcome. That's only a measurement of external change

 Expect different feelings. That's the measurement of internal change. Perhaps that's the Shift we're supposed to take.

So when "the Shift hits the fan", maybe it isn't about controlling the fan at all.  Maybe it isn't about shutting it off, unplugging it, changing it's direction, or setting up a bigger fan in the opposite direction.  Maybe it's about personally shifting your position, just ever so slightly, to one side or the other, up or down. Let the fan blow all it wants.  You just won't feel it in the same way. 

Fair winds ahead!