Surviving a Near Disastrous Riot-True Story for Chaotic Times

Have I told you about the dreary, cold March night in 1972 when 3 friends and I went to hear Alice Coltrane and Sun Ra perform a sold out tribute concert to jazz legend John Coltrane in an old Boston theater? We had tickets for the 10 PM show but arrived a little early, finding ourselves in a swelling crowd waiting for the 7 PM show to end.

Time passed and no one knew what was happening. The mood shifted from upbeat to anxious—then to menacing. The crowd became unruly as 100s of people pressed forward  shouting, "I have a ticket! Let me in!" while those in front screamed, "I can’t breathe! I’m getting crushed!" The glass doors loomed ahead, and we feared they would shatter. The chaos surged. The crowd pushing forward and back - It was terrifying—we could have been trampled.

My friends and I were beginning meditators and practitioners of Aikido-  a Japanese martial art. In that moment of panic, we instinctively formed a tight circle, standing strong, aligned with heaven above and grounded in the earth below. We concentrated on our hara (dantien), the energy center in our bellies. With our arms wrapped around each other's low backs, we became a pillar of stability amidst the claustrophobic storm of fear.

The pressure mounted, physically and psychologically-- people were screaming and falling. It felt like an eternity. And then—the side doors burst open. The dark night flooded with light as people from the earlier show poured out. The crowd dispersed. We entered the theater, shaken yet intact—and the concert was fabulous!

I hadn’t thought of that night in decades... until recently. As I observe today’s escalating conflicts, I wonder: Did our small pillar of calm help stabilize the energy that night? We will never know--but I believe it did. And now, more than ever, we need to cultivate that same alignment within ourselves....and together!

How Can We Survive, Thrive and Serve Now?
Practice Alignment – Breathe deeply, connecting with the vast cosmos above and the ground of  earth below. Cultivate a healthy body, clear mind, and benevolent heart.

Strengthen Connections – Stay close to beloved family, friends, and communities that resonate with your values and sanity.

Share Your Gifts – Contribute in your own unique and heart-full way—and have fun while doing it!

As Nobel Prize-winning chemist Ilya Prigogine said:

“When a complex system is far from equilibrium, small shifts of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to shift the entire system to a higher order.”

And may that higher order be Wisdom, Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Peace!

Does this message resonate? Reply back if you'd like help with cultivating your Health and Sharing Your Gifts at this exciting time.

Peace, Love, and Blessings-
Johanna

P.S. If you know someone who could benefit from this, please share it with them!