When the magic of chaos hits

On Monday night during our second session of BEYOND FACILITATION, Maria Scordialos told two stories of working at the edge between chaos and chamos.

Chaos is something we all think we know about. But the deeper sense of this Greek word points to the new potential that arises when a fertile disturbance arises. 

For something new to be born there needs to be a disruption of the norm, a break in "business as usual", an opportunity for things to be turned on their head. A Greek storyteller once told me that three elements are needed for this new birth -- Gaia (earth, or the materials to shape something new), Chaos (a fertile disturbance) and Eros (the passionate spark). 

Chamos, on the other hand is the edge of destructive breakdown. Here there is nothing to grasp and no clear pathway. So many of us mistake the nature of chaos and swiftly try to bring things back into order. Chamos will not be tamed so easily.

Maria's first story was about a facilitation inside a healthcare system at the breaking point. A third stakeholder assembly was nearly derailed by a participant in deep upset and yet skillful presence by the team and compassionate holding by other participants brought things back on track. 

This moment points to the importance of building trust in any process and the deep inner work we need to do to be as conscious as possible while working on the edge. Here's the question I harvested from this story:

What does it take for us to stay grounded and honour the magic of chaos hitting?

Her second story about supporting a family to relocate from Gaza may not seem like a story of facilitation, but it points to some important reminders about acting in chamos:

• Form a core team. Many skills, talents and perspectives are needed to navigate in the unknown.
• Move at the pace you can. The unexpected will always arise and help may come from unusual places -- stay together.
• Do whatever you can, but leave the decision making to those who are most affected. They may choose differently from you and that's okay.