The Order on the Other Side of Chaos

 For sure, chaos is a potentially generative force.  I learned that there are two states of being, that is, stable and growing.  Growth can and does happen in all circumstances, but we typically grow the most in unstable times.  Stable is rather dead.  It's unstable and even chaotic times that are generative, most alive, and during which there is the potential to grow the most.  I've been in interactions during which I've stayed in the present which became chaos, not having a goal and not knowing where we were going and not trying to make a particular outcome happen, and I find such interactions to be a little scary, mostly exhilarating, and full of growth potential.  Yes, I found order on the other side of chaos, in the sense that things made sense and some wisdom was gained, but I wasn't looking for order, and the order was temporary particularly if I stayed in the present which opened to the next chaos.  I don't think of it as my developing patience to find order on the other side of chaos -- that sounds too goal directed.  What happened is I learned that wonderful growth can come from chaos, so I can at least sometimes allow it to happen, be patient with the process, and trust that growth will likely come from it.

"One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.” Nietzsche. Interesting article, especially given the fact that the rate of change is faster than Ever in history, information now doubles every 20 months, add to that technology changes = chaos. I believe Being With the chaos helps, rather than running from it. Breathing and being and knowing. However, if the author is suggesting Purposefully overloading people with more and more information, I believe that is a form of cruelty. Some people, my Mom as an example, cannot handle change nor cope with it; if someone were to pile that change one on top of the other my Mom would have a complete mental breakdown which serves no one. Others are like this too, and the breakdown does not always lead to solution, but to shutdown. I would say for those who enjoy and challenge and are resilient, it can be possible for the chaos to lead to problem solving and to different ways of thinking about or considering an issue. Depends on the person/group. In my own life, chaos has led to lifestyle change and it has also led to better resilience in realizing, 'this won't kill me.'  

In my experience the person holding space during chaos is of essence.

Just as a natural child birth has to be facilitated by a skillful mid-wife, the birth of new adaptive order from chaos requires a conscious human being - someone who is almost empty to let nature operate through him or her.

Left ONLY to nature, chaos may claim its casualties before order is restored - a compassionate catalyst on the other hand, greases the transition with love and presence which to me make the process worthwhile.

Also, induced chaos will work only when in limited quantities or controlled environment - if the magnitude of the chaos induced (to encourage emergence) destabilizes the system, then we have a problem!

Finally, in my experience, slowing down the process when there is chaos creates space for nature to operate - which as a facilitator I try and do.

As a recent experience, a certain training activity did not go as planned - but holding space for the debrief took to conversation to an entirely new space in similar depth as it would have if the activity would have worked :) So nature is at play all the time!