Seeing beyond ordinary

Back in the 1940’s two psychologists set up an intriguing experiment.  They asked a group of people to identify playing cards.  For example, the four of clubs or the queen of hearts.  To make it a bit more tricky, they popped a few freak cards into the deck, like a red six of spades. 

All went well, the cards were shown at high speed and the subjects found it simple to identify and name the cards as they appeared.  Only thing was, they didn’t pick up the anomalies at all, but subconsciously approximated them to what they were expecting, for instance calling a red six of spades as “six of hearts” or perhaps just as “six of spades”.  Just like in the movie The Matrix, they didn’t notice what was going on right before their eyes.

The psychologists then slowed the cards down a bit.  At this speed, the subjects were uncomfortable, feeling that occasionally something wasn’t right, but unable to say quite what it was.

Eventually, as the pace was slowed even more, most subjects were able to see and identify the freak cards.  Some subjects, however, were disoriented. Unable to even consider the possibility that there was anything wrong with the deck, they became anxious and confused.

It’s a bit like that just now.  As our spirits descend more and more deeply into the dense physical realm that constitutes life on earth, we are finding we need to slow down. 

If we continue to push forward at the old pace we become disoriented because we are missing important subtle information.  Those who refuse to see the shifts that are happening can become anxious and confused, trying to piece reality together from what’s left of the old paradigm.

Today’s New Moon is occurring in the very first point of the I Ching – hexagram 1, line 1. This is raw creative yang power that comes into form by making itself available to the feminine yin integrative field.

In other words, if we use that yang power to rush ahead without guidance, we will find it difficult to understand what’s going on.  Life will lose it’s subtle sense of meaning, and we will be plunged back into the old paradigm of robotic impersonality.

We are making a shift from the old mechanical way of being that arose in the 19th century. Based on known quantities, fixed measurements and absolute certainty, this reality has been a safe haven for humanity for a very long time now.  Long enough for us to question our sanity in leaving it behind.

But slowing down brings it’s own challenges.  What do we fill the time with?  If we’re not constantly trying to achieve something, what will we do?  How can we give up our striving to be recognised and appreciated for how extraordinary we are?  What if we stop struggling and people realise we are … well, quite ordinary really.

Isn’t it extraordinary that there are over 6 billion people on this planet and each one of us believes that we are the centre of the universe?  Each one of us believes we are so special, so unique, so destined for great things in one way or another.   And so we are, but we don’t have to strive hard to achieve this.

One of the most extraordinary branches of science today is Chaos Theory, originally ‘discovered’ by a meteorologist and mathematician called Edward Lorenz back in the 1950’s.  It took many years for other scientists to catch up with what Lorenz had done because it was so .. well, so ordinary and simple. 

While those other scientists were smashing atoms and gazing at other galaxies, Lorenz was watching the steam rise from his coffee cup and wondering why it never made the same pattern twice.

What Lorenz discovered was extraordinary, simply because of what he saw in the ordinary. 

When we are aware of the very small and subtle details of life, we are able to see how very minor shifts create massive changes in outcome.  Life is never predictable, always alive and flowing.  We are agents of change in each moment, and with each breath we are creating what will exist in the next breath.

It’s quite easy to miss the random and chaotic nature of life if we are gazing far out beyond ourselves.  We can be lulled into a false belief in predictability.  But random and chaotic is where the creativity is, where the true power of evolution lies.  And for most people, that power is completely invisible and unavailable.  In fact, for most people the fear of random and chaotic blinds them to the truth – that there is an incredibly beautiful fractal patterning within the apparent lack of order.

Today’s New Moon is in Scorpio, in the heart chakra – the G Centre in Human Design.  This is the centre where our self meets our soul, where we can open out and connect in unconditional love with all that is.  Gate 1 is the dragon gate that can create beyond the known limits of space and time when it aligns with feminine wisdom.  In this case, feminine wisdom is in our belly ~ our gut instinct is our earthly self.

The Earth and Mercury connect our hearts to our bellies (Sacral Centre).  We are empowered within our physical beings to follow the direction of our heart, to integrate our power with the collective.

Be very clear about what you choose to take responsibility for.  We are being asked to step away from holding up the old paradigm structures, to check in deeply with our physical bodies to ensure we get clear of any remaining shadow of slavery conditioning.

Don’t succumb to giving your energy or focus to anything that feels wrong for you.  Remember, small effects can create large shifts in collective evolution.

With the North Node conjunct Pluto (10.6) also in the G Centre, expect deep transformation this week that calls your power forth to step out in a new direction.  Dig deep to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.