What's Your North Star? Answer and Shine Bright....

I'm a writer who absolutely loves metaphor. One of my favorite Inner Constellation metaphors is the idea of North Star. In ancient days of navigation before the use of sophisticated equipment, routes to uncharted territories were plotted by first locating the--

North Star-that which is unmoving in the midst of the ever rotating star field. 

The body was the compass, using observation to identify the North Star before heading in the direction one wished to go. Let's check in with your Inner Constellation and ponder a few questions to help locate your personal North Star--that which is your highest ideal or priority for life. Your North Star will serve as your solid guide and orientation through the changing storms, clouds and winds of life:

1) What has value and meaning to you above all else?

When I ask this question about half of all people can answer it without hesitation. If you hesitate, keep asking:

2) How do you ultimately wish to respond to the challenges in life, we're talking your highest ideal state?
3) If you could choose one person dead or alive to emulate, who might it be and why?
4) What have been the most impressionable experiences in your life? What did you learn from them?

It can take some deep exploring to discover True North. Check out the North Star category on this blog to further your exploration. When answering question #1, many people will respond, "my kids," or "my sobriety," however, these will change and could even be gone one day, that would mean your North Star would fizzle out, no good. North Star is eternal, it's your essence, that which can not be taken away or destroyed. One of my greatest joys is exploring individual North Stars and then once identified, Charting Course to get a person heading in the direction they wish to go. Contact me if the above questions generate ideas or if you want to share your North Stars. In this way I can support you on your journey and be blessed in seeing you shine bright!

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Out now, an Inner Constellation read

I adore Malala Yousafzai. She did it again, spoke clear, unquestionable ideals that rendered Jon Stewart and her audience practically speechless. Below you'll find links to her interview on The Daily Show. Here's a transcript describing her approach to her Taliban persecutors:

"I used to think that the Talib would come, and he would just kill me. But then I said, 'If he comes, what would you do, Malala?' Then I would reply to myself, 'Malala, just take a shoe and hit him.' But then I said, 'If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there will be no difference between you and the Talib. You must not treat others with cruelty and that harshly. You must fight others, but through peace and through dialogue and through education.' Then I said, 'I tell him how important education is and that I even want education for your children as well. Now do what you want.'"

Interview part 1  (6:16)

The "take a shoe and hit him," comment got lots of laughs, however, in Arab culture it's a deep insult to do such a thing. Feet are the lowest part of the body and anything in association with them are considered unclean (thus the big hubbub when Jesus attempted to wash the feet of his disciples, it wasn't just the stink).

Malala speaks her North Star of equality so clearly and her Charted Course, with all its challenges, one of which was the attempt on her life, derailed her, but ultimately she's back on course. In fact, her North Star seems to be shining even brighter making Arrival eminent. Her message is full of hope and inspiration, and I wish now to share the rest of her interview so you may equally allow her words to wash over you, resource you and encourage you on your Inner Constellation journey.

Interview part 2 (5:28)

Interview part 3 (4:10)

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A busy, busy week was a reminder to reconnect with my North Stars this weekend. It was a blow-me-off-course kind of week, if you know what I mean. So here I sit with candle light and restorative music playing, sweet Yogini and hubby, both snoring softly beside me, and I'm beginning to feel a bit of nostalgia for a woman in history who helped me tease out one of my primary North Stars--establish compassion as the #1 condition. In 2008 I authored a book, Child of God: The Humble Beginnings of Joan of Arc, that in the writing and creation truly helped me formulate the metaphor of North Star--one's personal highest ideal. It was Joan's inspiration that enabled me to identify and then strengthen my personal North Stars so they could shine brighter and brighter in my life.

I'd like to share a few quotes from Child of God that were monumental in my own personal development. In this first quote, Joan was struggling to understand the devastation and suffering she saw all around her as a result of foreign occupation, and her Voice posed this pivotal question, inspired by a journal entry I had written earlier that day:

“Where do you permit your mind and heart to take you?  Do you allow the vice of discouragement to wind its way inward, or do you allow the Voice of guidance to provide sweet consolation? Do you listen to language of sad earth, or language of hope?”

Like many, I came to the spiritual path after a tremendous amount of suffering. After years of drowning in it, I deeply desired to pull free and chose a more peaceful existence. Compassion often has its roots in suffering and my early beginnings indeed laid the ground work, cracking me wide open. I didn't know how to repair the situations around me, but I knew I didn't want to perpetuate more suffering, and in fact, I yearned to lessen suffering in whatever way I could. But how to do this? As Joan's story progressed (and mine too, as it's prone to do when authoring),  the question of how to alleviate suffering was answered, the wisdom of this next quote from Child of God was also extracted from a journal entry I recorded at the time:

My Voice explained the three steps thus, "Child, cast down your doubts. Why do you limit yourself? Limitation does not have its root in the Divine. Commit three things as your focus:

"Firstly, every day position your heart toward the good; then, be still and listen. Spirit will instruct and guide you. Next, fill up with holy and virtuous things. Allow nothing to disturb your peace. Lastly, end each day with thanksgiving so the spirit of discouragement finds no home in you. No matter what situation you find yourself, or your country, come with gratitude and thanksgiving."

These three steps seemed like a tall order at the time, however, I must say, since putting into practice what I wrote as Joan's formula, suffering has been alleviated, and one of my brightest North Stars shines with crystal clarity--establish compassion as the #1 condition--establish, meaning to set it firmly. Resource a state of compassion within myself: build it, sustain it, anchor it above all else, no matter what outward source might present otherwise. The choice to exercise love over the need to be right, choosing love over impatience or overwhelm has been my prescription for a happy life. Where do I permit my mind and heart to take me? I listen to and speak the language of hope. I allow and nurture the Voice of sweet consolation. Thank you, my dear sweet Joan, for your never ending inspiration.