Freedom Through Growth

This week, we enter the month of Sagittarius, the month of Light and expansion. Sagittarius is one of the two signs ruled by the planet Jupiter, which is the largest planet in the solar system (about twice as large, in fact, as all of the other planets combined). Not surprisingly, therefore, this planet brings the energy of progress, vision, and of enlarging one’s scope of influence.

Because Sagittarius is a sign of learning and growth, people born under the sign are often thinkers, writers, and scholars. For example, Mark Twain and George Elliot are both beloved Sagittarians. With an appreciation for people and animals as well as a simple directness in their approach to situations, Sagittarians tend to carry a certain lightness in the way they navigate through life. Unafraid to push the limits or to go where others do not dare, Sagittarians love and thrive on freedom and adventure.

This month, each one of us will able to bring this expansive energy into our lives to forge a new direction for ourselves.

In comparison with this past month which may have been a bit heavy and challenging, Sagittarius will be like a pleasant breath of sweet air. If we are open to it, each day in the next four weeks can be a breeding ground for change. The cosmos will support us in approaching the areas in our lives that we usually leave untouched. We will have the ability to say to ourselves: “I’ve had enough of this worry, this addiction, this limitation... I want to transform!” We will be supported this month to become “free agents,” less enslaved by the fears and doubts that usually keep us bound.

So how do we get there?

First of all, we need to understand that the only thing that blocks our expansion is our own negativity—that tunnel vision created by our individual Desire to Receive for the Self Alone. Until we are awakened to the fact that there exists in the universe a continuous battle of consciousness, a battle about being able to restrict one’s Ego, we will never be able to break out of this tunnel. No matter how much we try to read, learn, or study, if we don’t venture into the unknown, in spite of our fears, we’re never going to reach our next level of spirituality.

So each day this month, let’s focus on turning our energy away from the “me.” When we want to give in to the pressures and challenges of the day, we can find a way to do something for someone else. Let’s remember, too, that if we want to share happiness on the outside, we first need to be happy on the inside. Have you ever heard of laughing therapy? Many people sit in a room and laugh with each other. That’s really all there is to it. It seems so simple, but it’s amazing how it can completely change the energy in a room. Now I’m not saying we need to this everyday, but what I am saying is that there are many little things we can do throughout the day to expand our energy so we can share with others.

This month, we also need to remember to bear in mind that spiritual work is not always so easy. There must always be some type of a struggle. This doesn’t mean that we all should go home and hit ourselves in the foot with a hammer. What it does mean, though, is that when problems confront us—uncomfortable situations, a lot of work, an angry boss or spouse—we need to remember that we all—each and every person on this planet—have a spark of the Creator within. We’re all part of those little candles that flicker and burn and go out. How brightly our own candle will shine depends on how much effort we put into lighting the candles of others and how much we decide to battle our own negativity. For when we really engage in this battle of consciousness, nothing and no one can put out our flame.