The reason why why we find ourselves in the middle of superficiality, untrusting of others, and finally wanting to detach ourselves from the world is because we have forgotten that the universe (or That which you call by any name) exists.
September 2023 offers us the grace of 7, the archetype of the hermit and the philosopher.
We need to retreat. We need to tune into our intuitive mind, not just our intellectual mind. In fact, we have been listening to our rational, logical, and intellectual mind so much that we need to step off a bit and let our intuition speak. We have stuffed down our curiosity and our own wisdom out of the fear of survival. Our intellect keeps us afloat in a world that asks us to prove who we are and what we are worth. And so we do. Or at least we spend our lives trying to do it. When we are so focused on survival, we come across some shiny objects – things, people, experiences – that help us keep that physical, psychological and social self alive. We need to fit in. We need our groups to love us and accept us. It could be wearing a certain brand, or being obsessed about a certain exercise regime or diet – a lifestyle that fills our outside, but fails to replenish our insides.
The superficiality will then take us over (in which case we will be blinded by it in all our decision-making) or it will repel us enough to give up on the world. We’ll isolate ourselves. But what we really need to do is not isolate out of cynicism or disillusionment, but simply retreat the way one would if one were to sit and meditate for some time alone, or the way one would if one were under the weather.
So, 7 is calling us to find within us the hermit energy. We can use some soul searching, some tuning in. Because when we do that, we will find ourselves discerning what is right and wrong for us. We will find ourselves making some shifts in what work we do, who we hang out with, what we put in our bodies, etc. We will get insights from our wisdom about what nourishes us and what we need to let go. We will quit things, people and places that don’t understand our hearts.
If we do this self-introspection honestly by completely surrendering to the divine / universe / god, then we will step through the hermit energy to embody the wisdom of a philosopher. This is when we will come back to the world with gifts to share. And suddenly, we’ll find that the world has gifts to share with us too.
What can you do if you are experiencing superficiality around you / your own intellectual superiority / feelings of detachment?
- Find out what things you are curious about. Do you suddenly find yourself interested in a new subject / or was there something in your heart all along, but you’ve been too scared to pursue it? Connect with your heart.
- Invest in your curiosity. Once you come across the things you’re curious about – whether it’s a subject you’d like to study in college, a new certification you’d like on your resume, starting gym or yoga, taking up philosophy or spiritual studies, starting or quitting something, whatever it is that your heart has whispered to you – take an action. Honour that curiosity.
- Release your grip on life. We don’t control everything. Yes, we put the seed in the mud and water it. But that’s about it. We must step back, rest, and watch the sun and the rain do their thing. We must not forget that the sun exists, that the rain exists.
Whatever comes to us this month, no matter how heart-wrenchingly difficult, the number 7 tells us that a little bit of rest and surrender go a long way.
