SeaHeart~
Friday, December 11, 2009
Following the Star
Once upon a time, as these old stories go, there was a star. It was bright and beautiful, and because of its light, we were given everything we needed--food to eat and warmth to live. We followed the star on this little earth boat with great courage through space, revolving about it like a child dances about its mother. We revered it and sang to it and offered to it, loving it unconditionally, as it did us. We followed our star, wherever it led through this vastness...because of it, we were never alone.
Sometimes, I forget the sun is a star. It's not obvious, if you think about it. It gives us day, an alien landscape when compared with night, when you see the stars twinkling overhead, warm and soft in the chilly glow of a December evening. When the sun stays with us such a short time during the day, we are lulled by the night, made sleepy by the darkness, thinking on soft, contemplative things, veritable bears in our caves, ready for that long winter's nap. I go to bed so much earlier in the winter, hardly see the sun because I work all day...if I did not pay attention, if I became unaware of daily moments, I would forget it existed entirely. It might be that way with a lot of us. We have day jobs, we're busy with the kids, we have Too Much To Do, and the sun slips away from us sooner and sooner, until it's just a deep orange memory along the horizon.
These days grow shorter up until the edge of the year, at the Winter Solstice, when the longest night comes to wrap us in dark arms and hold us close through the spin of stars. The night can make us forget--but now is the strongest time to remember.
We are still following a star. It's distant, it's hard to catch a glimpse of, the gold, elusive thing, but it's there. I make a conscious effort every day to acknowledge the sun. I thank it silently, I blow it a kiss, I tell it my deepest gratitudes. And at night, I make a conscious effort to remember that I am still following a star...and I meditate toward it.
Meditations are powerful tools...whether you're a Witch or no. Now, in the darkest time of the year, is the perfect time to try meditation if you've never done it before, or if you're a seasoned expert, try to do it more often. I've been meditating since I was seventeen and love the calm, quiet space it gives me in my heart, ready and waiting to receive any messages the gods are willing to give me. Guided meditations, in particular, are a good way to celebrate the sun, and--proverbially--help us remember to keep following the star.
Following the Star Meditation
Make yourself comfortable in a darkened room where you will not be distracted. Soft music, incense or a candle are all lovely compliments to a meditation, if you wish to use them. If you believe in casting the circle (a circle of protection and guidance) before your meditation, please do so.
Imagine yourself in a darkened meadow. The air is crisp and cool, and there is a rolling blanket of white extended before you in all directions. The snow sparkles in the light of a crescent moon overhead, and everything is calm and bright. Now, imagine the stars and moon moving over the sky at a stately pace, until the first edges of dawn curl along the horizon. Watch the stars disappear slowly and the moon become ghostly white as the sun begins to peek over the edge of the world.
Reach your hands toward it, feeling the great pull of its grace and fire. Feel the gravity of this star within you, all around you, holding you close enough to receive everything you need, but far enough away to never feel burned. Bask in the warmth of this light, feel it filling every bit of you, from top to toe. Talk to the sun, this star.
Tell the sun about the star you're following in your own life, the passion that fills every bit of you. If you're a writer, tell it why you must write words. If you're an artist, tell it why you must paint. Speak your heart to the star and tell it your greatest dreams and wishes, your greatest aspirations, and your gratitude for that which you've already accomplished. Thank it for always being steady, for always being there...for being the perfect star for you to follow.
When you are ready to bid it farewell, do so gently, with gratitude, feeling full consciousness return to your earthbound body. But carry the light of the brightest star with you, burning brightly in your heart. It is always there. It will always be there.
Release the circle, ground and center. Welcome back~
by micaela_ivette
Sometimes, I forget the sun is a star. It's not obvious, if you think about it. It gives us day, an alien landscape when compared with night, when you see the stars twinkling overhead, warm and soft in the chilly glow of a December evening. When the sun stays with us such a short time during the day, we are lulled by the night, made sleepy by the darkness, thinking on soft, contemplative things, veritable bears in our caves, ready for that long winter's nap. I go to bed so much earlier in the winter, hardly see the sun because I work all day...if I did not pay attention, if I became unaware of daily moments, I would forget it existed entirely. It might be that way with a lot of us. We have day jobs, we're busy with the kids, we have Too Much To Do, and the sun slips away from us sooner and sooner, until it's just a deep orange memory along the horizon.
These days grow shorter up until the edge of the year, at the Winter Solstice, when the longest night comes to wrap us in dark arms and hold us close through the spin of stars. The night can make us forget--but now is the strongest time to remember.
We are still following a star. It's distant, it's hard to catch a glimpse of, the gold, elusive thing, but it's there. I make a conscious effort every day to acknowledge the sun. I thank it silently, I blow it a kiss, I tell it my deepest gratitudes. And at night, I make a conscious effort to remember that I am still following a star...and I meditate toward it.
Meditations are powerful tools...whether you're a Witch or no. Now, in the darkest time of the year, is the perfect time to try meditation if you've never done it before, or if you're a seasoned expert, try to do it more often. I've been meditating since I was seventeen and love the calm, quiet space it gives me in my heart, ready and waiting to receive any messages the gods are willing to give me. Guided meditations, in particular, are a good way to celebrate the sun, and--proverbially--help us remember to keep following the star.
Following the Star Meditation
Make yourself comfortable in a darkened room where you will not be distracted. Soft music, incense or a candle are all lovely compliments to a meditation, if you wish to use them. If you believe in casting the circle (a circle of protection and guidance) before your meditation, please do so.
Imagine yourself in a darkened meadow. The air is crisp and cool, and there is a rolling blanket of white extended before you in all directions. The snow sparkles in the light of a crescent moon overhead, and everything is calm and bright. Now, imagine the stars and moon moving over the sky at a stately pace, until the first edges of dawn curl along the horizon. Watch the stars disappear slowly and the moon become ghostly white as the sun begins to peek over the edge of the world.
Reach your hands toward it, feeling the great pull of its grace and fire. Feel the gravity of this star within you, all around you, holding you close enough to receive everything you need, but far enough away to never feel burned. Bask in the warmth of this light, feel it filling every bit of you, from top to toe. Talk to the sun, this star.
Tell the sun about the star you're following in your own life, the passion that fills every bit of you. If you're a writer, tell it why you must write words. If you're an artist, tell it why you must paint. Speak your heart to the star and tell it your greatest dreams and wishes, your greatest aspirations, and your gratitude for that which you've already accomplished. Thank it for always being steady, for always being there...for being the perfect star for you to follow.
When you are ready to bid it farewell, do so gently, with gratitude, feeling full consciousness return to your earthbound body. But carry the light of the brightest star with you, burning brightly in your heart. It is always there. It will always be there.
Release the circle, ground and center. Welcome back~
by micaela_ivette
posted by Sarah at
2:53 PM
2 Comments:
This is beautiful ~ and so true! I tend to think of the sun as separate from the night, but the dichotomy is unnecessary if I remember it's a star. It's a peaceful reminder that we can experience cycles - daily, monthly, or seasonally - without losing the fundamental quality of divine energy that surrounds us. The sun doesn't disappear when night wraps us - it just moves out of our line of sight. And the night isn't really gone with the dawn, either - it exists around the flaming star that lights our days. I love the sense of constancy... :)
And the meditation you've included here is beautiful.
Thank you so much, Jen! :) That sense of constancy is key...it's strange, but sometimes the most constant things are the hardest to remember. I'm glad you resonated with my own reminder, too!
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