Navigating Life by the Stars – Not as Easy Anymore

The ancients depended upon the clarity of the night sky to guide their way.  They knew how to read the stars as the seasons changed and reliably arrive at their destination.  Even when making their way across the high seas from island to island with no landmarks in sight, they charted a path with precision.  Our modern lives have replaced these tried and tested ways with GPS, mapping applications, and a plethora of other tools.  For most, the ancient ways are more a novelty than a necessity.

If modern tools did not exist, navigating by the beacons in the sky would be nearly impossible in many places on our planet today.  The combination of light pollution and poor air quality has created an opaque filter on the sky.  Imagine if you thrust natives from 150 years near a major metropolitan area and challenged them to navigate a path through or around it.  The inability to view the beacons overhead would present them with a formidable task.  The stars are still there but shrouded by haze.  If we could only turn out the lights and clear the air, we would restore clarity and once again be able to chart the path forward.

There is a clear analogy to our personal journeys.  The noise in our lives has dimmed the beacons we need to chart our path.  We have polluted our minds with garbage and useless chatter.  The quality of our environment acts as a filter blocking the signposts that point the way ahead.  Like the bright city lights that drown out the night sky, we have crowded out the signals that could reliably guide our souls.   We are so busy that our mind's sky is lit up like Las Vegas at night.  With so much crowding into our thoughts, is it any wonder that we feel mired in a brown haze?

I remember growing up when you could look up and see the Milky Way as if you could hold it.  I was mesmerized on a trip to Fiji to see the Southern Cross.  As humans, we have always been drawn to the stars.  Even today, we still marvel at pictures from the Hubble telescope and wonder at the universes that lie beyond.  We can experience similar curiosity and excitement if we could clear the skies within our own minds.  When we push aside the junk that clouds our thoughts, we open a path to the soul.  In solitude we find connection with the universe within and find synergy with eternity.

Our roots as humans are to explore.  Despite all the modern technology and the ability to tour our world from the comfort of our homes, the journey within is one that relies on old ways.  Clear the air in your life, remove the noise that drowns out the view, and boldly chart a course to your authentic self.

Duane Grove is founder of Connect2Action and an aspiring quiet, reflective servant-leader.  Curious sage in perpetual development connecting us all on a journey of discovery of our highest purpose.  Follow Duane on Twitter @connect2action and connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+.  Learn more about Connect2Action by visiting www.connect2action.com.

You can follow his blogs at:  mindfulperspectives.blogspot.com and connect2action.blogspot.com