Gifts of August

Ah, a time of reflection is upon us! Several astronomical events occur in early August that, each in its own way, offer an opportunity to pause, check in with ourselves, and both celebrate what we have accomplished and engage in any course corrections we feel are due. 

The Sun has swept us through the height of summer, depositing us at a cross~quarter time. Solstices and equinoxes are known as quarter days, as they divide the year into four segments. Cross~quarter days fall at the midpoint within these quarters and further refine them. We are now roughly halfway between the Summer Solstice and the Fall Equinox. The ancient Gaelic festival of Lammas was observed on August 1st. Other cultures, such as Japan's Risshū festival on August 8th, also mark the first harvest and our progression toward autumn. 

As human beings with busy, demanding lives, it is helpful to pause at regular intervals to note where we are on our life trajectory and assess any needed modifications to keep us in harmony with our soul's purpose. Seasonal observances are perfect opportunities for this. We don't, though, only have the cycles of the Sun to guide us. We have the Moon as well. 

The New Moon occurs just before sunrise on Sunday, August 4th, affording us another pause point and an ideal time for turning inward. We won't see the Moon because its orbit has placed it directly between Earth and Sun. Her reflected light is invisible to us, as she has turned her face away. Sun in Spanish is sol, a homonym for the English word soul and a clue to the gifts of the New Moon. Metaphorically, the times when the Moon turns toward her Sol are encouragement for us to turn to face our own soul, to listen for its guidance, and to move into better alignment with it. Cultures throughout the world and across the ages have placed value in practices such as this. 

The impact of Sun and Moon cycles upon us Earthlings is well~documented. We are affected by the changes in the strength and angle of sunlight, and by the path of the Moon through its waxing and its waning. This next event, though, is solely for the woo~woo inclined. 

The Lionsgate Portal opens yearly on July 28th, peaks on August 8th, with its effects felt through August 12th. It marks our own Sun's alignment with the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, also known as Alpha Canis Majoris, Greater Dog, or simply the Dog Star. It is also known as our spiritual sun, and has figured prominently in both ancient and esoteric faith traditions. When the Sun of our solar system comes into alignment with Sirius, an energetic gateway for spiritual healing, transformation and manifestation is believed to open. 

No matter how these three events sit with you, it's hard for even a committed skeptic to argue against the benefit of taking a timeout from the hubbub of summer's busyness to reflect on one's life, determine if it is progressing as intended and, if not, to make needed adjustments. It's human nature to become unbalanced, to not live always in accordance with our values, to be so carried away by the demands of life that we forget what truly matters. Having practices in place can help us stay on track and return more easily when we become derailed. If we can accept the possibility that we could be affected by what goes on in the skies above, then syncing our own efforts and intentions with those greater forces might offer an energetic assist, so to speak. 

And we arrive back where this column began. In these dog days of summer, so called because the Dog Star is visible in the east just before dawn, we have a superb opportunity. Poised halfway between Solstice and Equinox, we can make like the Moon, turn toward our own soul, and open ourselves to guidance and renewal. Let's do that now. 

Take a few deep breaths, as you come into this moment, just as it is. Feel the rise and fall of chest or belly as the breath moves into and out of your lungs. As you do so, settle into the truth of how things stand in both your outer life and your inner world. Ask yourself any or all of the following questions... 

In what ways is my life working well? Am I effectively greeting the challenges presented? What shifts are available to me that might help me better meet those challenges? 

Am I living in accordance with my values? Am I living wholeheartedly, and being the change I'd like to see in the world? Am I a voice of kindness or am I lending my precious energy to negativity? 

Is there some new facet of my being that wants now to be expressed? Am I ready to honor that impulse, and if so, what one or two small actions can I commit to that will offer it safe passage into the world. 

Sit quietly for a few moments, opening yourself to any additional questions that come. Consider exploring these further through journaling, artwork, or speaking with a trusted companion. Be open to additional insights that may come over the next few hours and days. 

One more thing before we say goodbye. The energy of summer naturally lends itself to exuberance, so rejoice in the harvest of all you've accomplished. Give yourself credit for showing up in the world as yourself, doing your very best, and persevering when things get tough. 

Thank you for all that you are and all that you do. Blessed be, my friend, blessed be.

Much love,

Leia

The Robin, The Book and The Dream

I had a delightful experience on my early morning walk today. I was on the gravel road leading from our house to the lake when a robin landed atop what just yesterday had been tall grasses on the verge, mowed now to lay flat and feathery upon the earth. As I drew near, the bird flew a few yards ahead and landed on the edge of the road once more. As I came close, he flew ahead again...and again, and again for nearly a minute of my footfalls. For all the world, it felt as though he were leading me forward. 

That made me think of two things simultaneously. One was a passage I read yesterday from the third book of Juliet Marillier's Sevenwaters Trilogy, in which an owl led Fainne's horse in much the same way. The second was a dimly remembered dream from the night before, in which I was part of a large indoor circle of people engaged in discussion of how best to make the many choices necessary as we move through our lives. The last two speakers had shared their sense that, if only we pay attention, we will be guided forward. 

The thing most fascinating about all of this is that, just before the robin touched down the first time, I had been wondering what this blog post would be about. Usually I have at least a germ of an idea, but this morning I had bupkis. The robin, the book and the dream, though, turned that nothing into a something. A theme that has called to me throughout both my personal and professional lives flew from the verge of my awareness and landed at the center of the road. 

After the message had been received, the real~life bird's job was apparently complete. Having helped me find this essay's focus, he flew off to resume his personal trajectory through the day. So with a nod of thanks to Mr. Robin, let's see where this might go. 

As a psychotherapist, I have sat with hundreds of individuals in moments of great change. Significant pain was often part of their experience, but not always. Sometimes it was just a niggly sense that something was not quite right or that an aspect of their lives needed to shift. No matter the particulars, there was always something in their felt experience that offered a clue, some robin leading them on. It was for us to search for that messenger and, in finding it, let it lead us where it would. 

Just as my dream companions suggested, I am convinced that if we listen carefully, a direction will always call us to it, guiding our next steps down the road. How we express that guidance in our lives, though, is more complex and not always clear. Such choices are part of the art of being human, and it is through interacting consciously with life that we become more fully ourselves. 

It's largely accepted now that we don't arrive in the world unformed. Anyone who's raised a child knows they do not begin life as a blank slate waiting to be written upon, but appear with their own personalities, inclinations, and opinions as to how to move through the world. And yet, those bare bones we began with need to be fleshed out. This happens as we meet and make sense of the experiences we encounter. Our innate capacities interact with what life dishes out and between the two, we gather a sense of how to proceed. We also grow in awareness of who we are, an identity that is continually formed and reformed. Each experience we have and choice we make in response shapes us, creating the self we are ever in the process of becoming. 

The eminent psychoanalyst Carl Jung explored and elucidated this process in his work on the archetype of the Self. Jung saw the development of Self as the essential psychological task of our lifetimes. He described Self as encompassing all parts of us: our personalities, egos, histories, personal unconscious, disowned components of our psyches, and aspects of the Collective Unconscious as well. This Self must become intimately familiar with each of these disparate elements and find a way, always hard~won, to hold them in a unified harmony. Quite a mission, one Jung described as highly creative and never complete. 

The development of Self is the work of a lifetime. It is an endeavor requiring great courage, as we must ultimately do it alone. And yet, there are cairns on the path, companions and guides that can assist. 

I wish you a whole flock of robins to grace your way, my friend. And I wish you, too, a deep and unwavering faith in your ability to hear their avian wisdom and let it guide you on down the road. Blessed be.

💜 💜 💜

Leia