This week feels like a fresh start. On Friday we experience a new solar cycle and on Saturday we begin a new lunar cycle both in the sign of Aquarius.
One way to acknowledge these new beginnings is to look at the context in which they are happening.
Both the solar and the lunar cycles occur in the middle of the winter season, a time of the year when growth is dormant and focus is inward. Winter is the opposite of outward expansion, rather winter invites us to go within and listen.
Another consideration to enhance our understanding of this time of year is to reflect on the archetypal energy embodied in the sign of Aquarius.
Aquarius is an air sign: the element which refers to our mental capabilities and functions. Aquarius is often referred to as “The Genius” or “The Revolutionary”: two archetypes which invite us to use our intellect to listen for the truth and to think outside the box.
As we move into the week, I invite you to spend time in reflection and to use discernment as you listen for the truth.
Earlier this week I attended an Unity Program and Walk to honor the work of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. During the program and along the walk, local ministers and community leaders were invited to pray. As I listened to the prayers offered, I paid attention to what was being said…and not said.
While most people prayed for unity, one of the biggest differences I noticed was how each supplicant addressed unity. Most prayers were very ambiguous and did not provide any instruction on how our community would surmount barriers to equity and equality. Even more telling, most of the people who spoke, and had the most privilege, did not acknowledge implicit bias or the intersection of racism with other forms of discrimination.
It is very difficult to create change if you do not know or acknowledge what is preventing change.
This is why we need to seek truth and to notice what lies beneath the surface of emotions.
I know for myself that I tend to respond to discomfort in one or two ways: I either move away from it or I get angry. If I limited my observations to my initial response, then I would miss the deeper meaning. Staying with my feelings, giving myself time to cool down, identifying observable facts, and listening to other people’s perspectives are some of the techniques I use to explore what lies under the surface of my reaction.
One of the advantages, besides uncovering the truth, to staying curious and digging deep is you learn where you hold pain. Pain makes us do things we don’t want to do. If we want to stop engaging in behaviors that do not align with our values and beliefs, then discovering where our pain lies is key to healing it.
Dr. King embodied the archetype of the Aquarian Truth Teller. He not only was revolutionary: he gave us a dream for which to reach.
In the spirit of Dr. King, I invite us to set intentions for the new solar and lunar cycles that encourage unity within ourselves and among each other.
If you desire, then sit with the following questions:
- Where do I feel disconnected: either with myself or others?
- Where in my community is more freedom needed?
- Where do I speak my truth? Where do I not?
- What do I need to show up in my power as a Truth Teller?
Notice what direction your answers point you toward. Share your reflection with a trusted friend or mentor and hold yourself accountable for creating loving change.
If you would like additional support, then please consider attending Julia Thie’s Gene Key workshop this Sunday. Julia is a good friend and a wise counselor to me. Her work helps me show up in integrity and would support intention setting.
Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Shadow Work: Uncovering our Unconscious Needs
A 6 week series
To support emerging leaders, the Shadow Work series is being offered this fall to build resilience and freedom. The goal of this series is to unearth your unconscious needs so you may eliminate limiting beliefs and healthily address your needs.
Kim Bushore-Maki is a soul-driven entrepreneur who understands the undeniable urge to create a business and a life filled with meaning and purpose. Her vision of opening a center where people could heal and grow led her to open Shakti in the Mountains in Johnson City, Tennessee: a place where the creative, feminine energy is nurtured and valued.
Kim is a licensed professional counselor and a yoga teacher. She completed the Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy program as well as the Shake Your Soul Yoga Dance program. Kim is very interested in somatic expressive therapy, archetypal psychology, gardening, herbalism, astrology, wisdom traditions, and regenerative economics.
Kim continues to build and to support inclusive, vibrant communities. She spends most of her time mentoring leaders, guiding healing programs, and providing mental health counseling.
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