But… Where Did Our Rhythm Go?
After this forced or voluntary break, finding your rhythm at work might feel difficult. Our vital energy also senses the deep uncertainty around us. What will happen with work or school? What does tomorrow hold?
The Principle of Rhythm states: “Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates.” In the universe, everything moves like waves, advancing and retreating.
The same movement that occurs in the physical plane also happens in the mental and emotional planes. This means our mood and thoughts also respond to this rhythm.
What Can I Do?
In one word: Trust. Trust in what? In the universal principle of rhythm. Let us accept that we are part of this eternal, universal flow. The world is constantly changing, and so am I at every moment.
Consider this: our skin cells renew every seven days. Each breath restores our internal energy. Every meal gives us vital strength. Whether we see it or not, this is true. Stopping to realize that this happens without our effort is key to building trust.
Okay, But… What Will Happen Now?
However, our current reality is highly complex and uncertain. The pandemic accelerated a massive paradigm shift. It directly impacts how we connect, work, and play.
We see how quickly cases flare up when we lower our guard. We can deny reality and search for data to prove “normalcy” is back. Or we can dance to this new rhythm. It challenges us personally and professionally. It urges us to look at ourselves differently, questioning our priorities and what success truly means.
As Byung-Chul Han noted, every era has its illnesses. Ten years ago in The Burnout Society, he described a silent paradigm shift in the West. Our excess of positivity was leading to collective exhaustion. He argued this was causing an epidemic of neuronal diseases.
Finding Your Rhythm Again: Which Rhythm?
Han did not foresee a viral epidemic, but a neuronal one. He used the term “neuronal violence” to describe our reality. This includes depression, ADHD, personality disorders, and occupational burnout.
He brilliantly described the “achievement society.” In it, individuals become self-exploiting entrepreneurs driven by “Yes, I can.” This mindset replaces the duty-bound “You must” of the old disciplinary society.
Yet here we are today. Ten years later, the neuronal epidemic has merged with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rereading this philosophical gem, I see this reality as a unique opportunity to reflect as human beings. We are the only species capable of self-awareness. We can recognize what exhausts us and change what we previously ignored.
Why not decide now to choose what excites us and gives us meaning and purpose? This will truly bring rhythm to our days, far beyond any viral or mental illness.
The Heart and Exhaustion
Since “exhaustion has a great heart” (Maurice Blanchot), let us use our hearts to face our immediate challenges. Let us consciously decide how we can contribute and add value. It does not matter if we are big or small, young or old. What matters is that you look within and put your heart into it.
Only those who sowed seeds of love and hope without caring about the harvest are making a new world possible.
Shall We Dance the Next Dance?
At WHI-Institute, we have used these weeks to live from the heart. This quiet time allowed us to reflect on how we can contribute to our current and future reality. We asked ourselves: What can we do to help individuals face the significant demands of our changing world?
Soon, we will share some exciting updates with you. Though we are small, we remain committed to dancing to the rhythm of the music NOW, embracing Burke’s inspiring words:
What a pity to do nothing just because you think you can only do a little!
Burke
References Used for This Post
- “The Burnout Society” Byung-Chul Han, Herder
- “La fuerza de la palabra” Blogspot. Federico Mayor Zaragoza
