21 December 2016, 05H44:

Summer Solstice for the Southern Hemisphere.

Today is the summer solstice – it is the longest day of the year for the Southern Hemisphere and the shortest for the Northern Hemisphere. Recognition of the solstices have been done since neolithic times as such astronomical events would mark the important times for saving of food for winter or the sowing of summer crops. The most famous archeological structures to celebrate the solstices is Stonehenge (England) and Newrange (Ireland), since the primary axis of each structure is aligned to either the sunrise or sunset on the day of the solstice.

As such, the summer solstice is aligned with the element of Fire. In nature fire is responsible for both the creation and destruction of life. A symbolic representation includes the concept of willpower, that which drives us forward in life and allows us to reach our goals. It is a catalyst for change from both an oppressive (shadow) and assertive (light) perspective. Thus, it leads the main theme of today’s article.

 

 

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Our society has a spiritual disconnect. Traditions, culture, global over consumption and even religion has set up boundaries to our individual development and our way of soul expression. There are a handful of people who are able to re-establish this connection to the soul, but often time it comes at a great cost, especially to those with very conservative cultural – and traditional family backgrounds. Spiritual development is repressed by our current ways of living and thinking, since it not only defies and rejects the mainstream definition of what it means to live life fully, but also cultivates individuals who think for themselves, question everything and are not susceptible to manipulation. These individuals aspire to nurture great compassion for all other living things, not just the human race and who seek to establish harmony with the environment and people around them.

Getting to the place where you are at peace with who you are and being happy with your current situation is a constant journey. Another challenge it to speak out against judgement and prejudice while firmly keeping your own identity and chasing after your dreams. Seeking this harmony very often becomes a process of eccentricity and quickly leads down the rabbit hole and into the wonderland of metaphysics. Where we are not only defined by the physical world, the material, but by the origin of our thoughts (consciousness) and our quest for spirit (the soul). Here is where you learn what is the true source of happiness and how to maintain fulfillment. Yet, society sees it mostly as a place of pseudoscience and quackery.

The modern society that we have created for ourselves is one that would have you believe that the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment lies in the accumulation of status, of stuff, of worldly pleasures, of seemingly ‘selfless’ deeds and most of all: guilt. You must feel guilty all the time, because you have a guilty filthy soul. [Awolnation: Guilty Filthy Soul]. You must spend your life repenting for your guilty filthy soul and maybe you will be rewarded with happiness or fulfillment in the sense of all the worldly possessions or pleasures you ever wanted will be granted with enough money, status or selfless deeds. If you have given away enough of your soul to this lie you may even be rewarded with an unverifiable place in the ‘good’ version of the afterlife.

It is only the journey towards the spiritual, the soul, that leads to the truth. You create your own happiness. By freeing the shackles of you mind and emotions. By embracing who you really are (even if it is the crazy fruitcake cat lady that likes crystals and meditation!) and expressing that which cultivates your soul. Because happiness cannot be found, faked, bought, packaged or repented for.

So, take a chance and make the choice: climb outside of the box. It’s beautiful here. There is a whole new world to explore out here and you will wonder why you didn’t decide to climb out sooner. [Suzanne Vega: Unbound] Embracing and expressing that which truly defines you will bring you happiness, gives you new perspectives and set your soul free. It is not easy, there is no clear-cut path to take and there is no one-size fits all step-by-step instruction guide. There will be obstacles and you will have to actively work at keeping your peace, but the reward is lasting happiness and true fulfillment in everything you do.

Creating Happiness

– All Natural Spirit –

 

Recommended Reading:

Setting Science Free from Materialism, Rupert Sheldrake, PhD. 2013. Explore. 9:211-218.

Quantum Meta-Physics by Paul Levy

The Handbook of the Soul. Editors: Richard Carlson, Benjamin Shield. 1995. Library Journal.