Are You Feeling Off Kilter? Harnessing and Using the Fiery, Angry, Revolutionary Energy of These Chaotic Times
“Edgy.” “Off-kilter.” “Jittery.” “On Edge.” “Fiery.” These are the words I’ve been hearing from clients, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances this week. Over and over, I’ve also heard: “I’m frustrated.” “…aggravated.” “…mad.” “…resentful.” “…impatient.” “…irritated.” And these are just some of the flavors of anger I’ve heard or experienced just in the past week. The news is full of it too.
What’s going on? Plenty! We are living in very dynamic times. So much is shifting so fast, that it’s hard to keep your bearings. The speed of the waves and the choppiness of the waters can put you off kilter, or set you on edge. Even the breakthroughs can feel destabilizing. These times feel very chaotic.
Context: Understanding and Choices
To give you some astrological context: Mars (the planet connected with anger, aggression, and war), and Pluto (the planet of power and transformation) are very active right now. And when these two energies square off as they are doing right now, it can appear chaotic and you may feel some flavor of anger or feel off kilter.
When you know that’s part of the context of what’s going on, though, it can help you not take the edginess or the anger so seriously. It’s when we begin to act out of that edginess or jitteriness or anger, that we get in trouble.
Knowing the context also gives you choices in how you act. Instead of being flooded with these emotions and going into reactive mode — see them, feel them, and let them move through.
The Buddhists talk about experiencing our emotions like clouds in the sky. You have no control over their coming and going, and you can’t change them, but you can watch them pass by. And if you don’t try to move them through faster or get rid of them, they pass by on their own. Wait 15 minutes, and the clouds will be different, or gone altogether. So it is with emotions when you aren’t holding on to them.
Similarly, Pluto’s focus on power – and the shift from top-down power to shared power — can help you act to empower yourself and to help empower others. Pluto’s emphasis on transformation can help you relax into what seems to be chaos and do what’s necessary to shift.
Fuel your inner fire
Knowing that Mars and Pluto energies are very strong right now means you don’t have to give in to the irritation or frustration or aggravation, and act from that place. Instead use this energy to fuel your inner fire. When you allow that inner fire to rise, it empowers you to act.
Tap into the higher octave of Mars: courage and strength, and the ability to make changes and move. The anger of Mars can give you courage to see what’s really going on, and to take positive steps – steps that come from your heart instead of your fear.
There are two more aspects of the astrological context that can help you not only understand what’s happening, but can empower you to act in positive ways.
From Revolution to Transformation
At the moment, there’s a lot of revolutionary energy as well, which is fueling both the edginess and the chaos. Once again, the astrological context can be really helpful. Not only are Pluto and Mars really active, but Uranus and Eris are in the mix too. Both of these archetypal energies are revolutionary, and can be eruptive. However, both are also always in the larger service of awakening, which links them to Pluto and transformation.
Once again, allow that inner fire to rise. That may lead you to stand up for people (or yourself) whose rights are being removed or taken away. The inner fire may lead you to speak up for justice.
But there’s more! I’ve referred to chaos several times already. That’s no accident. I was talking with my friend Liz tonight, and said we were living in seemingly chaotic times. She immediately corrected me: “No. These times are truly chaotic!”
And she’s right. We are living in the most chaotic times any of us have ever experienced. However, rather than seeing chaos as a bad thing or something to get rid of, what if you embraced it?
“Embrace it?!!,” you may be asking.
Chaos Igniting Creativity
Yes! You see, science has proven that chaos is necessary for anything new to be born. Chaos actually ignites creativity!
Once again, the astrological energies provide context. I’ve written a lot about Eris, who is the patron of creative chaos. Eris wants every voice to be heard. She wants everyone to have a place at the table. The chaos she is associated with is the chaos that is always in the service of awakening and transformation.
Instead of identifying with the lower octave of Eris (fighting, divisiveness, etc)., as you ignite your inner fire, connect with Eris’ strong emphasis on justice for all. Embrace the creative chaos that allows you to transform yourself and the world around you.
Last, but not least, there is one other astrological context that is beautiful and expansive. It fosters creativity and abundance in all aspects of life. That energy is Jupiter. This is the planetary energy that helps you dream big and find your vision. It’s the planet that develops your intuition and creativity.
Make no bones about it. These are very chaotic times. It’s natural to be on edge. It’s also natural to feel off kilter.
Harnessing and Using these Energies
Rather than stay there, however, take courage from the larger context. Use these very potent energies of fire, courage, even anger, to ignite your inner power to get creative – to find a way through that is both grounded and heart-centered. Historically, it’s often the most chaotic and difficult times that see the most creativity and new birth happen. Here is a blog post that talks about how chaos can be positive.
If you would like some practices to help you, please see my last blog post, “How You Can Move from Reactivity to Responsiveness.” Here is also a heart practice to stay centered in chaotic times.
This is the time to do your own inner work – to have courage to allow that fire come through you in new creativity, to make sure your fieriness is grounded. In that way, you can act for the benefit of others, make the changes necessary in your own life, and work for the changes necessary in our world for this chaos to bring forth something new and magical.
If you’re finding these times challenging, I would love to support you. I have some spots open for individual clients, and I have some upcoming group attunement and healing sessions to help you make the best use of the very potent astrological energies of this year. Reach out to me here and let’s talk about how I can help you.
