Word of the Day: Change
At a moon circle this week I witnessed a common theme of transformation and change in our current community experiences. As we held space for one another, we shared feelings that rise in times of change. It was wonderful witnessing a group of people in vulnerability, surrendering to the winding paths we are each walking.
At the same time, we acknowledged that there is often fear and discomfort in our experience of change. To help bring this into perspective, let’s explore the true meaning of change through etymology.
change (verb) :
make (someone or something) different, alter or modify
replace (something) with something else, especially something of the same kind that is newer or better; substitute one thing for (another)
change (noun) :
the act or instance of making or becoming different
coins as opposed to paper currency
money returned when a payment exceeds the amount due
Change comes from the Old French word changier meaning “to change, alter, exchange, switch” and the Late Latin word cambiare meaning “to barter, exchange.” These are believed to originate from Celtic. The PIE root is *kemb- meaning “to bend, crook.” A related word from Old Irish is camm meaning “crooked, curved” and from Middle Irish is cimb meaning “tribute.”
Meanings of change that relate to alterations and becoming different, especially as they relate to money, are considered an abbreviation of exchange.
Because the word exchange comes up in the root of change, let’s define exchange. An exchange is an act of giving one thing and receiving another (especially of the same type or value) in return. Exchange, and change, involves a balance of giving and receiving. In change, we give up one experience of reality and receive a new experience of reality in return.
I notice that the early PIE roots of change mean to bend and crook. The Old Irish word camm means “crooked, curved.” The imagery that comes to my mind when reading these words is one of a winding river. The relation of change to currency is a reminder that it is also rooted in flow. Like currency, exchange involves circulation. A river is always changing as it bends and crooks.
There are various reasons why change might feel difficult. One is the fear of the unknown. Unlike a direct sales exchange, where we exchange money for a good that we can see and feel, we don’t always know what we’re receiving in the process of change. Sometimes change calls on us to leap without seeing the full picture, to bend like a river without knowing what’s around the curve.
Given the relationship between change or exchange and currency, fear around change might also be related to buyer’s remorse. We may fear that what we receive in the change won’t be equal to or greater than what we experience now. Exchange is a practice involving trust, trust in the integrity of those we trade with.
Trauma and scarcity can sometimes make it hard to trust. We might experience difficulty in giving or difficulty in receiving. Exchange asks us to trust in this balance of being able to give, at times triggering scarcity, and to receive, at times triggering our sense of worthiness.
There is wisdom in returning to the full meaning of change as we experience transformation. As you move through changes, remember the relation to exchange. Notice what you are being asked to give, and what you might receive through this process of giving. Remember also that change is rooted in bending and curving. Like a river, change asks us to surrender to flow.
The universe is constantly changing as it expands. As part of the matter and space that make up this universe, we too will experience change. The more comfortable we get with the process of change, the more peace we will feel in inevitable times of transformation.
