Where we became the Star that we are~

 

"Becoming the Star you are"

8 x 8 collage on watercolor paper, since sold-honoring our youth. 

South Inner Compass, Medicine Wheel

 

Summer -Many cultures and spiritual traditions around the world celebrate the summer solstice as a time of renewal, abundance, and manifestation. Some people observe this day by spending time in nature, performing rituals or ceremonies, or setting intentions for the months ahead. Whether you choose to mark the occasion in a traditional way or simply bask in the warmth of the sun, the summer solstice is a reminder of the beauty and power of the natural world around us.

 

The summer solstice is abundant in energy. It occurs only once a year and you shouldn’t miss your chance to soak up this powerful energy and let it fuel you for the coming months.

We feel ourselves becoming more outward and emotive, and we begin to become more external with our thoughts, our feelings, and our actions. Our days are longer, lighter, and full of life. We can’t help but be affected by the presence of the season yearly and within our life cycle of our youth which is where we move to on the medicine wheel for the south.  North is our elder years; East is our Birth and now we move to the South and look at our adolescent times in our lives.

 

What does the word Abundant mean to you?

 

Can you think about your youth and recall times of abundance?

 

Do some writing about a time when you were between the ages of 10-14 years old.  The bitter sweets of our youth and the rapid changes going on, is abundance in there? Can you recall any moments?

Abundant, abundance in a spiritual meaning

 

Some think it equates to material wealth, possession, and a lifestyle it can provide. The inner compass approach with the Medicine wheel might have us looking at the energy of the south-abundant with more meaning. True abundance is a life that lacks nothing. Though this doesn’t mean we won’t face challenges from time to time. That wouldn’t be the bittersweets of life. With a spiritual mindset abundance helps us recognize that something greater is at work and whatever is need is already out there somewhere.  Looking at life when we were in our adolescent years, we might remember it as a lot of problems/changes and that we wanted to explore our lives we might have the confusion of being still small and limited. Rightly so.  

 

How could we know all the opportunities of growth and learn to trust whatever is needed is already waiting for us?

  If we look at life from the level of problems, our world will become small and limited and anxiety ridden, however, if we see everything as an opportunity for growth, we will learn to trust that whatever is needed is already waiting for us.  Yes, in our times now it’s a challenge for sure to have an abundant mindset. 

 

The South has us looking at our Physical Bodies

 

In the South we look at our Youth-Adolescent times of life, there is an energy that pushes us all to grow and sometimes way too fast. Vulnerable to this change going on in one’s own physically body, uncertainty is upon us most of the time on how to function with a natural dysfunction going on. We all experience it but so differently as the individuality in each of us steps forward. It can also be a time to explore and test new things out. Venturing out, new territory, or taking steps in ways to separate from the safety of the home can be risky and exciting for us.  Our world really starts to look bigger than we ever thought. Seeing the abundance mentioned during this time of life, season of summer it can be scary too, though we can see more than we ever thought possible.   At this stage of our life, we begin to experience the sexual side of ourselves too, puberty is in the mists with hormones leading the way. Where is the instruction manual to handle these changes?

 It may or may not been advised by our parents or elders.  Being able to look at our past in a way of great learning is what we are making ourselves aware of. This may feel like we are looking at our shadow side. Now that side is part of you too.  Becoming whole in a way we never thought possible can happen as we continue to keep growing no matter how old we are.  The journey inner ward leads the way outward in just this manor.

 

Looking back at this as an adult how were the physical changes for you?

 

Many things happen as we continue this journey of life, and this is the time when we might form behaviors and patterns to cope with life, some healthy and some not so healthy.  Our adolescent is an important time of human development and time for laying the foundation of good health. Our rapid growth is physical, cognitive, and psychosocial which effects how we feel, think, and make decision along with our interaction with the world around us.  

 

Ways to cope are created during times of great survival, they slide in unexpectedly and helps us deal with what life is offering us at the time. By looking back at our youth, we can be brave and see these patterns and behaviors forming.  Greater understanding is all that is asked which can lead to new awareness.

 

Who were the people in our life that offered information for you during this time? If none who do you wish offered information to you? 

This information would be about age-appropriate comprehension sexuality education, opportunities to develop life skills along with appropriate, effective, and safe supportive environments.

Some of us might not have had appropriate guidance and were left on our own to figure it out all this wonky stuff happenings. Most adolescent don’t consider the whole process of growing up and how they oversee creating habits of living that determine probably behaviors when they journey out into independence.

 

Being in the moment is about all a youth can handle during the changes and it’s very hard to see any kind of bigger picture. Becoming use to acting in the present we might become comfortable with the newfound behaviors, forming habits for good or not so good.

 

As an adult we hear now all the time to be mindful and in the present moment…how’s that all working?

 

Might this be the time when the good morals and values can be established with the help and guidance of adults and elders?

 

Good habits of being industrious, exercising and planning are big shoes to fit into but can be the foundation steps for good growth. 

 

 What where some of the good habits offered for you to follow? What were some not so good habits that were offered to you? 

 

Bad Habit of self-defeating and self-destructiveness like quitting, cheating, and lying can form too and carry on. At this point it’s really amazing we’ve made it to adulthood; we forget how challenging life was for all of us during this time. The support given we might have turned away, early teen years of knowing it all slides in, though it’s so important to still give the information to the youth around you.

As human beings we are not simply creatures of habit, we are captives of habits.  Much of how we behaved yesterday, today is how we are going to behave tomorrow. We may think we have free choice, but conscious thoughts determine only some of our decision-making. Blind obedience to habit, automatic functioning, acting without thinking become second nature. Sticking to the familiar is at the unground root of much of our personal muck. Be it eating, drinking, personal hygiene, managing our feelings, our approach to work, our communication, etc.…all are affected and until we are willing to do the looking into these directions around the medicine wheel old habits will continue to be hold us hostage, cementing habits in the comfort of our own repeated pain.

 

As you become aware of all the past from this age of 10-14, continue to look at 15 to 19 and later adolescence 19 to 23 years of age.  Yes, this is a lot of inner work, but it is sure worth it for the growth you seek.  No instruction manual was given to our parents when we were born, and the same for their parents and I hear each generation seems to not want to be like the one before, but somehow repeated behaviors are still showing up.

Too much to look back on, in a inner circle this would be shared with others and we would gain great insight on our own lives and of course the isolation of our past will become a welcome friend of learning. 

Disclaimer:

I am of strong East European descent with a connection to the earth and nature. The spiritual work of our inner being is one of the individual persons.  A lifetime of seeking to continue to connect to what is true has led myself on a learning path in great respect for all. There is no claim of being a decent from a Native American tribe. The natural ways of the Medicine Wheel are gentle and all-encompassing for growth of our spiritual self.  I share this because I'm only sharing gifts pass through me from working through my own life's experience and listening and learning from all those that gather in the circle. A student of life is a great grounded place to be as our teacher are everywhere.  Any trail that leads you to look within is always going to lead you through a journey of self-discovery on so many levels.  No one says it going to be easy or without pain, but the reality is we become who we are meant to be as we heal our own wounds for service of others in our life.   Keep showing up, you are worth it!