The Stars

4/14/21

Have you looked up at the stars lately? What did you notice? Did you sit and breathe in the night air? Were you inspired? Distracted? Bored? Did you notice the twinkle. The wonder. The awe.

A few weeks ago I was listening to Rob Bell’s podcast entitled the South Star (ep. 303). Rob has been a teacher of mine for some years now and each podcast houses major gems that I chew on for weeks, if not longer. This particular podcast or Robcast as he calls them, touched on the idea of a South Star. Now we all know about the North Star - how it can be your beacon or guidepost. Our North Star can lead us in the direction of our dharma, our truth. But what about a South Star? It can be anything; a person or group of people, a situation, a political group … Typically the opposite of how you’d like to act, live, and BE.

Can we use this idea of opposition or aversion to create a sense of stillness in us? A stillness that allows us to feel on the deepest level, our truth. It can inspire us, it can cause reflection and healing. Compassion and understanding. Faith. We can use this stillness as an energy boost, a call to action or an alarm clock. We can look deeper and seek higher.  We can shift into looking at everything as our teacher. Pain, guilt, zeal, deep darkness, joy. Not only do we learn the lesson of the pain but we can also learn to the dance in the shadows. Uncover the beauty.  The pause encourages us to open our eyes and our heart. Can we stop in the moment to see our breath in the winter air during a challenging time? We can use these moments as self-care, self-love.

About a year and a half ago I had an experience where I’d thought I lost my joy.  I honestly said that aloud to a friend as we lie side by side on our yoga mats (pre-covid). She let me cry and offered only love. I was deep in my own pain and I missed the beauty of the friend holding space for me, exactly as I needed. I did feel it. I melted into it. I absorbed it. The sacred space was embraced. But it wasn’t until recently that I could look back and use the pain I was in as my South Star. To use my own words to fuel my art and my growth. To inspire me to see the beauty in moments that otherwise might be forgotten or rushed through. The lesson for me was to pause, look around and embrace the pain as it was … raw, beautiful, terrible, challenging and still. To notice the joy in the liminal spaces. Joy was everywhere. This was a huge tool for me when Covid struck, and still is as it persists. This is something I use daily to live a fuller life.

How can your life be fuller? Can you use your South Star as a tool to get there?

We are stars

wrapped in skin

The light you are seeking

has always been within

Rumi