Chronos & Kairos: Embracing The Moment

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Image of Ancient Greek mythological figure Kairos in relief
Ancient Greek mythological figure Kairos with his head shaved at the back, long forelock and winged feet

When we think of time, why is it we always think of it as a quantitative process?

How come we immediately think of it as clock time?

That time is only measured in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years?

Many people spend most of their time thinking and planning for the future and then worrying about the past?

The past has gone, never to return, and the future is yet to come. There is little you can do about any of it.

During my recent foray into Greek culture, I have stumbled upon a concept that the Ancient Greeks use to describe time.

They use two words.

You might recognise the first word: Chronos.

We use it in words like Chronometer, Synchronous, chronological and so on… These are words and concepts that we are very familiar with. We seem to base our very existence on this idea of time.

The other word the Greeks used was Kairos.

This is a qualitative idea of time. It refers to the perfect moment. The right moment in time. It can be difficult to describe it, but when you have had it, you will know. It is something that has probably happened to most of you but you failed to recognise it and when you did you tried to hang onto it. When you did that it slipped from your grasp like water sliding through your fingers.

When you meditate or engage in a task that requires focussed concentration you might have experienced Kairos. You feel like you are standing outside of chronological time, in the space between the in-breath and the out-breath.

Recently I have been using my chronological time to learn more intricate picking on my guitar and when it comes together, I experience a moment I can call Kairos. I am playing in the moment, experiencing that stilling of time. Everything seems… well… just right. There seems to be a balance and I just stay with it. I relax. Not forcing it and not grasping it. If I do it slips away and the moment is lost.

Painting of ancient Greek mythological figure Chronos with his scythe
Ancient Greek mythological figure Chronos with his scythe also known as Saturn in Roman mythology

The Ancient Greeks loved to personify everything. Look at the constellations in the night sky and there are names for them all. The Greeks personified even the heavens above and created a narrative with characters inhabiting the stars. The Great Bear, Mighty Orion with his sword and Taurus the Bull. You might know more if you have ever been into astronomy.

Chronos was a cruel master. A weary, bent-back old man with a long beard holding a scythe in one hand and an hourglass in the other.

To the Romans Time was represented by Saturn, which takes everything away and then consumes you too.

Kairos however has a very different personality and is represented as a young man, supple and athletic in build and statues can be found all across the Greek peninsula. You can see the image in the text here. See how his hair is long at the front and shaved at the back.

There is often an epigram along with the statue and it reads:

“Who are you? Time who subdues all things.

Why do you stand on tiptoes? I am forever running.

Why do you have wings on your feet? I fly with the wind.

Why do you hold a razor in your hand? As a sign to men that I am sharper than any sharp edge.

And why is your hair hang in your face? For him that meets me to take me by the forelock.

And why is your head bald at the back? Because none of whom I have once raced by on my winged feet will now, though he wishes it sore, take hold of me from behind.

Unlike Chronos, Kairos cannot be planned and it can’t be forced. It’s about paying attention on a daily basis. We call it mindfulness or awareness and when we learn to switch on our senses and experience the world in this moment, there stands Kairos.

When you learn to embrace life in this way, you learn that everything is subject to change and you let go of any idea of past and future. That is Kairos.

It’s about taking a risk. Doing something that may seem foolhardy and maybe it is not working out. I’ve done it a few times and can still recount the moments of balance that this could bring.

I had a motorcycle business that didn’t work out, and yet I remember the experience and the excitement it engendered; the friendships I made and the madness of the four years.

It’s about embracing the possibility of being disappointed. Ask anyone who has set up their own business and they will have experienced Kairos at some point. Many people don’t recognise Kairos and end up having a terrible time, instead of embracing the moment for what it is, just a moment.

The Greeks talk about Ataraxia, which is a state of tranquility often experienced in the middle of the battlefield. In the midst of the madness, the violence and the confusion Kairos appears.

Being open to new experiences means risking boredom, loss, fear and anger. These are just emotions that have been generated by the way you have learned to perceive the world. You attach labels to your experiences, positive or negative, when in fact these are all just relative terms.

The trend in society to homogenize experience, to manufacture everything to a formula, is to ensure that nothing too strange or disappointing ever happens. The way to keep safe is to avoid any risk of a surprise.

When life is like this, you won’t experience the spontaneity that brings forth creativity. Creative people often experience Kairos. That’s how great art is created. It’s about having the perfect moment and going with the flow. That is all one can ask for.

Perfection only exists only in that moment, and that is all we can expect. Just make sure you recognize Kairos in your everyday experience and there will be a balance in your life.

Perfect!

Like A Pebble In A Pond – 8 Ways To Create A Splash

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Image of ripples on water

So, every Tuesday night I run a meditation session online. It’s not like any other meditation group I have ever attended, and I for one am proud of that. We never sit around being ‘holier than thou’ and we do like a laugh… Often at ourselves and more frequently the laughter is directed at me!

I like that. It Keeps me grounded and balanced and reminds me to take life lightly. To not grasp onto ideas, concepts and beliefs. To let them go.

A bit more often than not, people seem to want answers. They want a direction to head in and a plan as to how they live they can live their lives and feel fulfilled.

With those concerns in mind, I came up with an 8 fold path (very Buddhisty!) that one can use as a regular way of checking in. A way of staying alert in the world and making the most of your time..

As always, you don’t have to follow it dogmatically. These are not truths, just simple ideas culled from a variety of sources and influences I have found useful over the years.

1. Awareness: Practicing meditation is a good way of developing focus and attention, and if you take it into your everyday life it enables you to experience the world directly. Regular meditation practice allows you to notice those moments when you have knee-jerk reactions to situations. It gives you control over your thoughts and actions.

In NLP we talk about sensory acuity. Switching on the senses fully. All five if you can. Next time you see an apple, really look at the apple. Its shape, colour, form, where it is in regard to its background. When you pick up and apple, really feel it as if for the first time: its weight, texture and so on… Do this with all of your senses if only for 20 minutes a day and you will start to feel connected with the external world. You will start to notice things you had previously not been aware of in your surroundings or in your life.

2. Openness: Be truly open to new ideas. Try them on for size and see how they make you feel. If they feel uncomfortable, where is the feeling? What’s it doing? If the feeling is in your stomach then move it into your chest or your legs. If it is spinning reverse the direction and see what happens.

Pick a belief you might have and see it from a fresh perspective. Challenge it fully. Try it on for size and then once you have examined it, let it go. Drop the Belief. It is after all, only a thought and thoughts are not real!

3. Flexibility: If something doesn’t work out, do something else. If you find yourself in a rut, take on a new challenge. Learn to play guitar. Learn a martial art. Having flexibility in your behaviours changes your approach to life. It gives you more choices and having choice is better than not having choice.

4. Resilience: There is no Failure, Only Feedback. When things don’t work out the way you planned then move on to the next part of the plan. If you accept that everything that happens is simply feedback, that there is no good or bad, you can then respond to the situation in a better stage and therefore be able to carry on with the activity effectively.  If you repeatedly beat yourself up thinking that you’re a failure then you will be right. But if you simply accept what has happened as feedback and treat it as a lesson, your life will be more fulfilling.

5. Pragmatism: This fits in with the previous paragraph. When things don’t work out the way you thought they might just ask yourself:

“What would be the most useful thing to do now?”

6. Responsibility: By being pragmatic and resilient, you take responsibility for your actions and how they affect those around you. Being in the moment allows you to see the bigger picture. Ask yourself: “How will my actions impact those around me?”

7. Creativity: I remember being given this technique years ago by I believe Richard Bandler. He said to use your imagination to come up with something new. To pick three things or ideas that were very different from one another and to produce something new. Just give yourself 30 minutes and see what happens.

8. Curiosity: Without curiosity, we wouldn’t have the world we live in today. The world is full of things and ideas created by people who were curious. Keep your sense of curiosity no matter what…

If you wish to grow, have an attitude of intense curiosity and let it propel you through life. Read new books and listen to new ideas. Learn new skills and languages. Become a smarter individual and create useful change for yourself and others. When you find yourself doubting an action and find yourself saying:

“I’d better not do that in case it doesn’t work out”

Say instead:

“What would happen and how would I feel if it did work out!”

It’s just a thought…

Use all or any of these ideas every day and let me know how you get on. Remember that when you make a small change in yourself, it will affect those around you too. Like a pebble dropped in a pond, the ripples spread out!