The world, weary from all the challenges of the year, is full of hope that today's Winter Solstice Great Conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn is the portal into a more harmonious, healthy, and inspired age. The Age of Aquarius.
Look, no one loves a good mystical viewpoint more than I do. I am partial to poetic ruminations about life, and welcome the idea that cosmic forces and planetary alignments move us in certain directions, both as individuals and as a conscious collective. But I believe that there is already a force much stronger than any planetary pull, capable of transforming our life into a fuller, more meaningful one.
I am talking about our ability, as creatures of Mother Earth, to change, adapt and innovate. Take, for instance, the phenomenon of the Grey Wolf. The Grey Wolf, predator to the Elk, was introduced back into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in 1995. Now, upon first impression, you would think that this it is a catastrophic move to introduce a predator back into the wild. "Those poor elk," you think.
But in a strange plot twist, the introduction of the Grey Wolf back into its natural habitat actually caused the revitalization of the greater ecosystem of Yellowstone Park. Beaver colonies flourished, fish and songbirds came back to the area, and the amount of useful biomass has increased. And the year-round supply of Elk carcass is feeding other forager species that would otherwise only have Elk meat when they died during the winter. The Elk population has not decreased too much - they are far too innovative for that. They simply gather together in smaller, less conspicuous groups. They graze in less accessible areas and have become nomadic feeders. They learned how to survive and continue to thrive.
While I do not wish to minimize the terrible impact of these challenging times on most of us, I do want to remind you that you are made of the same stuff as the shiniest stars in the sky. Our guiding principles, our internal drive, and our natural tendency to evolve and transform will help us survive, and, in time, thrive during these times of difficulty and challenge. We will help each other find new ways of creating a sense of security. Perhaps we have changed the way we relate to one another, certainly gathering in smaller and more meaningful groups. Maybe our priorities have shifted now to our health, our families, our homes - you know, the basics.
I can't help but think of the Yin and Yang symbol. At the apex of Yang, the circle of Yin emerges (and vice versa). Perhaps we reached the apex of the Yang of complexity, and this complexity produced a more complex predator in this virus. In order to achieve balance, we have called the Yin of simplicity. As we open ourselves to the greater unknown, to the mystery of our connection to the cosmic universe, remember that you already have the simple tools to create the most profound transformation: sleep well, eat clean, practice kindness, and connect with your family (safely, of course).
In Native American mysticism, animals carry a certain medicine for your life. As I was drawn to the Grey Wolf for this missive, I thought it might be interesting to look up its symbolic meaning. This article is the most profound and relevant that I've seen. Enjoy!