by Caroline Myss: Paradox is one of the languages of the Divine, an apparent contradiction that nonetheless contains the truth…

The power of a paradox, by its very nature, cannot be captured in a single definition. Paradoxical dynamics are currents that animate the wild cards of our lives, sometimes with such a dramatic force that it gives us pause to consider, “Who could possibly have masterminded such an event?”

Ironic events along with paradoxical ones stand out in our lives, calling us to notice them. They come together with rare, once-in-a-lifetime ingredients that may never coalesce again. These facts alone beckon us to take notice that unusual forces have consciously gathered around us to make that one event happen.

How often has something happened to us that in the moment we think is devastating, only to discover six months or a year later that it was the proverbial “blessing in disguise”? Sometimes the blessing is simply that these events draw us out of our ordinary “sleeping” state; that is, they cause us to wonder about the greater cosmic map, and that’s purpose enough.

The ego is always frightened and cannot discern a blessing from a tragedy, because its only compass is its own survival. As a result, it bases every decision on either what is already knows and its familiar with or what it views as safe. Times of change are about exactly that – a need to change. But changes of circumstance are the illusion, not the intent. You are always the object of change, never your situation. When life presents you with a crossroads and you are not sure what to do, the ego will always fall back on what it has already done. The ego pulls out its resume, which is, paradoxically, exactly the wrong thing to do. Change arrives because you need to move forward, not retreat to the past.

People who look to their past will not do well, because the past is no longer relevant. We can only go forward and toward the fact – and it is a fact – that learning to rely on divine paradox and wisdom will become a great survival grace.

What you can do:

To fall into harmony with divine paradox, irony and synchronicity remember:

• What is big is really small; what is small is really big.
• What is frightening is really the safe path; what looks safe is your fear talking.
• What looks like chaos is actually a future blessing in disguise.
• Your greatest power is humility; your greatest weakness is humiliation.
• The mustard seed (one clear soul) has more power than the mountain (a group of people in chaos).
• The power of prayer and grace – knowing how to work in harmony with the cosmos – influences the whole of life, whereas tying to dominate one person destroys you.
• Your ego – and not someone else’s – is your most ruthless adversary.

Live these truths. Take them into your life and act on them. Look for these mystical energies in your life and note that they are not accidental but represent dynamics that are cause for a conscious response.