Chaos theory is probably something many of us rarely think about in our everyday lives, but have likely heard of. The metaphor of butterfly wings causing hurricanes is an example of this, how seemingly unrelated, random actions may have, in actuality, underlying patterns and interconnectedness.
Our world is suffering, its people are suffering. News stories about freak weather phenomena and civil unrest are so commonplace that their individuality is almost meaningless, just another horrific event happening somewhere. Even before this pandemic, our society has never felt more divided than it does in the present day, uncaring of the world and the people around it.
It’s clear that the world needs to change and, fundamentally, I think change must come at the individual level first. We cannot expect systems of government or society to shift around us if we ourselves cannot be persuaded to alter our point of view. It is this initial change that gives the impetus for forward movement, and the drive to further action.
I think platforms like YogaEcology are the next step in bridging the divide between the intent to see change and making change occur. Unlike reading motivational books or seeing motivational speakers, there is an element of closeness, of community. You are not separate from the motivator, you are able to connect with them and, in time, you can become a person who motivates others.
This change will not necessarily happen immediately, maybe not even in your lifetime. While we cannot change the mind of every person that we meet, we can plant the seed. A seed that makes them stop and think or alters the actions that they perform so that, some time in the future, they too might start to see the world around them a bit differently.
All it takes is for you to become those butterfly’s wings.