SAGITTARIUS NEW MOON MEDITATIONS

Exactly one month before Christmas, the sun and moon are joined together in the fire sign of Sagittarius, signaling the start of the holiday season. The lively crackle of conversation; the warm humor and expansive goodwill; the generous giving of gifts: these are among the qualities of Sagittarius. Yet like the sparkly wrapping that conceals a precious gift, the real treasure at the heart of this outgoing sign is its devotion to truth.  Ruled by Jupiter, the ever-roving ruler of Olympus, those born under the sign of Sagittarius are, as the poet Yeats wrote, "pilgrim souls" -- lifelong seekers in pursuit of the priceless pearl of eternal wisdom. Thus it is that time of year to follow in the footsteps of the wise men and embark upon our own pilgrimage, guided by the star of truth that shines the way forward. 

The Pilgrim Soul Within

The mystical traditions of the world teach that life is a journey - a passage to a mysterious destination. The ancient Sufis pictured the journey of life as a caravan of seekers content to live lightly on the earth, storing up instead the treasures of the soul. "God's creation is vast -- why do you sit all day in a tiny prison?" wrote Rumi, "Go beyond your little world and find the grandeur of God's world." From the practical CEO to the responsible parent, there is a part of each of us that is a happy wanderer, a pilgrim soul in search of truth. 

To connect to the pilgrim soul within, picture yourself shedding your everyday clothes and, along with them, the outer persona that you rely upon to interact with the world. Stripped of all pretense and guise, imagine next that you don a pilgrim's robe - plain, sturdy, and hooded to symbolize your freedom from the strictures of individual identity.  Released from the cares and responsibilities of your daily life, a feeling of unbounded possibility descends; you feel gripped by a state of readiness. Departure on the trip of a lifetime is imminent. 

Then, imagine that a call comes: it could be the sound of a bell ringing in gentle overtones; the tinkle of camel bells signalling arrival of a caravan of Sufi dervishes; the echo of a summons to join a band of wandering monks and nuns. Next, imagine that you have joined up with a band of like-minded pilgrims. Together, you are setting forth on a journey with no end and a path with no destination. Taking up your staff, and girding up your robe, place your foot on the trackless road that opens wide before you. As you do this, a feeling of expansive freedom suddenly envelops you. Everywhere you look - to your right and to your left, behind you and before you - stretches an open horizon. As free as air, a happy wanderer, you traverse the cities and towns, mountains and meadows, of the wide, wide world, encountering fellow seekers and drinking in wisdom from earth's sacred places. 

After spending some time on this visionary quest, imagine that suddenly, you find yourself arriving at the place from which you first began. Taking off your robe and folding it as a keepsake talisman, you step back into your old identity and resume once again the challenges of the everyday circumstances you left behind. As the imagery of your spiritual pilgrimage fades, however, something lasting remains - an expansive, unfettered state-of-consciousness. Those situations that once seemed to restrict you, now appear altered when viewed through the new, broader perspective you bring to them. For though you may assume once again your former roles and responsibilities, there now dances within your heart the laughing soul of a pilgrim, for whom life is an endless, delightful journey toward God. The only proof that this is so, is the smile that lingers on your face. 

The Star of Truth

What compels perfectly ordinary people to abandon the safety of their lives for the uncertainty of the spiritual path is the search for truth. Amid the sparkle and flash of life, they feel, exists something real and enduring. Like the heavenly star the wise men followed to the Christ child, so, too, does the star of truth guide us to our own eternal nature. 

Yet as all true teachers teach, the truth we seek is hidden within our own hearts - the buried treasure found right in our own back yard. To connect to the star of truth within your own heart, begin by centering within a deep, quiet, true, place inside yourself. Concentrate on going deeper, deeper, deeper, as if you are descending down stairs to the basement of your psyche. Suddenly, at the bottom of these stairs, a trap door opens upon a vast universe. There, against the backdrop of a midnight-blue sky, shines a brilliant star - it is a revelation, a five-pointed blaze of diamond-clear illumination. Allow yourself to bask in its light; feel the very cells of your physical body penetrated by its wisdom. Absorb its truth into the center of your being.

Then, begin the journey back up the stairs that lead from the depths of yourself to the upper world of your everyday life. For a few moments, sit quietly, concentrating on this star of truth as it continues to illuminate your heart center. Give thanks to your "north star" - the permanent pole of truth that guides you and that provides a source of limitless wisdom and knowledge.