Imagination and storytelling are part of the beauty and sacredness of childhood. Keeping this alive in our adult lives helps us to minimize anxieties, stresses, and sorrows so we can feel more innocent and lighter. Archetypes that appear in fairy tales, ancient mythology, science fiction, and the tarot provides us with the symbolism and treasures that awaken our imagination, feeding our emotional appetites and enhancing our mystical nature. Films and television help us explore patterns of human behavior where heroes and heroines face their fears in their search of emotional wholeness and spiritual growth. Sometimes with humor, sometimes with sorrow, but always with the potential for rewards.

Archetypes represent the positive and negative qualities within us, and when we look into these mirrors we can see a range of emotional qualities in our lives. Strength and weakness, hate and love, courage and fear are some of the themes contained within these patterns.  Recognizing aspects of ourselves in storytelling helps us emotionally understand our motivations and behaviors to better illuminate the shadow parts of ourselves.

There are countless times I am reminded of Dorothy’s journey to the land of Oz. Her journey was full of benevolent and malevolent creatures and a self-imposed desire to return to the safety of her home, only to discover that everything she ever needed to learn was within, waiting to be accepted and understood. However, she needs this journey and the emotional tornado to provide a stage for her growth. We make journeys all the time, especially towards self-awareness.

Like Dorothy, the power lies within, ready to be awakened. These layers of awakenings happen over time helping us to unravel more of our emotional selves.

From the fairy tales you loved or feared as a child to the mythology you now enjoy learning about, the films you watch and the cultures you gravitate to assist you in your emotional journey and reveals the timeless nature of who you are. What stimulates your imagination?

Parenting is an art. Whether you have children or not we all parent. We are all the guardians of our own spirit which needs to be nurtured and brought out to play, but this is its own topic. For now, I want to address the parenting of our flesh and blood.

Remember that life is full of mirrors. Karma is an unavoidable energetic truth that reflects deep aspects of ourselves through all of our relationships. A child lives and grows with us and our home becomes as Barbara Hand Clow refers to it an  “alchemical kitchen” for our greatest transformations.

Our children teach us much about ourselves and this is even more evident as the years go on. When a baby is born there is so much hope and innocence in their bodies, and as they grow so does the family unit. It is an intense journey and it is important to be aware of how we steward their lives and our own.  

The Human Design system was created for this journey. It allows us to see our children’s gifts and challenges. This helps parents minimize external conditioning and comparisons to others or our own lessons and limitations. When you understand your child’s Human Design chart, you have an accurate manual helping you nurture, encourage and raise your children well.

The sacred teachings of animal wisdom are a foundation in many cultures.  Animals in our environment or evening dreams communicate mystical wisdom and insights that words cannot achieve. Mother Nature provides many signs for us, but we often ignore them. When we understand these signs, life is a little more clear and there is a lot more flow. Examining the animal’s qualities, colors and lifestyle help us understand this language.

When studying the animals that cross our paths, either awake or in our dreams, we find that our pressing questions are answered and our path forward becomes more miraculous. The spirit world likes to help us this way. When a feather is discovered, or ants infiltrate your kitchen, there can be a deeper significance. As a child, if you had a favorite stuffed animal or an animal that you always had to see at the zoo, this too would tell you something about yourself. And of course, our personal pets also teach us many of life’s lessons.

When you cultivate an understanding of the natural world, you learn when an animal is hungry and just passing through, or when it has a spiritual message for you. One of my most profound experiences occurred 20 years ago when I observed a Hawk following me around. I discovered Hawks are spirit messengers and it was there to announce my pregnancy with our youngest daughter.  

More recently we have had the privilege of a family of Owls living in our trees. I have been grateful for their trust and magnificence. One day, when I was working outside, I saw one of the baby owls off in the near distance. Approaching with caution, and my camera, the owlet let me take many photos and returned for the next few days for more of my admiration. The owlet’s appearance was helpful, insightful and utterly joyous. Besides feeling otherworldly love I was reminded of a greater order to life.

It is not about initiating the search. It is about responding and interpreting what you see, how it makes you feel and what you learn by studying an animal’s characteristics. Sometimes in this modern, stressful world, we can forget this basic truth. When we are in tune with this sacred wisdom it can help us navigate these turbulent times with a little more ease.

~ Julie

The I’Ching, the Book of Changes, is an ancient Chinese oracle based on the intricate interplay between yin and yang, internal receptivity and outward activity. Through observations of patterns in plants, animals, seasons and the human body the I’Ching evolved into a metaphoric language using 64 hexagrams, composed of 6 lines each, creating a total of 384 lines.

There is intelligence in these patterns. It is not about absolutes, but rather about the description of life’s organic nature. The language of the I’Ching brings time to life and helps us understand the flow of events. It is not about should I act, or about knowing what lies ahead, rather when it is the natural and harmonious time to act. The underlying principles are the inter-relationship among all that exists and the ever-changing movements in life.

This everlasting wisdom of the ancient I’Ching has evolved over time and its origins can be traced back as far as the 8th century BC. Both Taoism and Confucianism have their roots based in this ancient system. Taoism teaches us The Way of nature and The Way of the world and how to achieve balance to create harmony.

Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, used this system as a manual to live a life of virtue. It is told that, when he was an old man, he regretted he had not studied this oracle more. If he had, he believed he would have avoided committing great errors.  Carl Jung, who founded modern analytical psychology, studied the I’Ching and understood the psychological truth and value found in this oracle.

The Human Design system uses the Rave I’Ching which also finds its roots in the I’Ching. In this system, the 64 hexagrams are correlated to the astrological planets and our physical body which are purposefully placed in the Human Design Bodygraph. Human Design professionals use the language of Rave I’Ching to describe our lives, gifts, lessons and stumbling blocks in a deliberate, impactful and transformational way. Through these vast descriptions, we capture aspects of ourselves and humanity in precise words. These words effectively illustrate the many facets of who we are individually and collectively, guiding us and our loved ones in the next steps on our journey.

Yet there is more- in Human Design, we correlate this ancient wisdom contained in the 64 gates in the I’Ching with the 64 codons found in our genetic code, creating a detailed roadmap of who we are in our present life. We use this ancient language to describe our unique and collective DNA. This proves to be key in understanding our present and future selves.

Through the Human Design system, we are greatly assisted in our understanding of life’s great mysteries, the ebb and flow of energy in our inner and outer worlds.

Pretty cool.

~ Julie

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