West is the direction associated with autumn. West is the path of wisdom. Consider this wonderful distinction between knowledge – so highly prized by our society and wisdom. Knowledge is the understanding that water is two molecules of hydrogen and one molecule of oxygen – H20. Wisdom, however, is being able to make it rain. Wisdom is knowledge applied for the good of all.
Full Moon Rising over Nisqually Wildlife Refuge
Wisdom comes from within. Wisdom is tempered by all our life experiences – good, bad, neutral. Wisdom is the ability to listen to that still, small voice within and take action on what we hear. West is where that voice lives and thrives.
West is the home of teacher energy. We are fortunate when we find a teacher who is wise and willing to teach us. However, we know that teachers are human and fallible. When we don’t have a teacher or when our teachers disappoint us, we must cultivate the teacher within – the teacher in the west. West teaches us to listen to our intuition. To value and practice introspection. To dive into the deep, still waters within.
West is the watery world. The home of sea creatures, the whale, the dolphin, the Orca. It is the world of emotion. E•motion is energy in motion. Emotions need to move and flow – just like water. If they don’t flow they get stagnant. Stagnant water and stagnant emotions are not safe, not healthy, not life giving. Emotions change quickly. We never see the same river twice – the flow is ever-changing. In our emotional world, when we’re healthy, we’re never in the same place twice. We may revisit familiar territory but from a higher perspective on the evolutionary spiral.
When we are in alignment with the energy of the west, we practice stillness, silence, and receptivity. We create structure(s) for growth. How often do you experience stillness and silence in your life? Where can you cultivate that nourishing energy? Getting up earlier than the rest of the household can insure some of that cherished time. Stopping at a park on the way home from work can be a way to schedule that time. To close your door at work for 20 minutes can reset your mind and spirit. If you don’t have a door at work, can you get up and out of the office for a few minutes to create that needed break?
Receptivity is a “yin” quality that can be rare in our “go getter” culture. When our only strategy is hard-driving, we can exhaust ourselves in our efforts to get ahead. Letting life bring you what you want and need is a receptive strategy that beautifully complements the goal-oriented approach. Receptivity asks that we be clear about what we want and align our energy with it. That creates as resonance where our desires are fulfilled easily and quickly – miraculously it seems.
Structures for growth are a natural outgrowth of a strong west. Have you created environments that support your growth? If you are training for a marathon, you need to get out every week for runs of increasing distance and time. You need good running shoes, adequate nutrition and hydration. These are all necessary structures that support your growth as a runner. The same principles apply to mental structures for growth, which might include school or reading; emotional structures for growth, which might include therapy or journaling; and spiritual structures for growth, which can include connection to nature, meditation, ritual and ceremony.
When our west is out of alignment, it might seem that we are in muddy waters, nothing is clear. We might personalize events causing problems with other people. We might be indiscriminant in our choices. When we go through periods of loss – which are inevitable – we especially need the strong, healthy energy of the west. These losses could include any of the following:
• attachments • turf • structure • meaning • future • control • timing
Befriend the west this season. Go to water – fresh or salt – and listen to what it has to say to you. Let yourself feel your emotions without judgment. Notice how quickly they move through when they are not dammed or suppressed. Design and set up at least one structure for growth in your life – physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Get to know the powerful teacher within you. Everything you need to know is already within you.
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