16 Jun2020

Looking Up: Father Sky

Many of our Yoga Philosophy students had difficulty with our topic this month, which was the Divine Masculine archetypal energy. We have long known there is an overly-developed Wounded Masculine energy in our world, but not until recently did we see how embedded it was within our psyche. Regardless of our gender, seeds of its energy are within us when we are governed by our Ego, resulting in a tendency toward judgment, dehumanization, division, control and harm.

More than ever, in addition to balancing the Divine Feminine (which also has a wounded side), we need to shine a light on the Divine Masculine in order to successfully lift our world out of darkness. As I recognized my student’s resistance and confusion with the Divine Masculine energy, and with Father’s Day in our midst, I knew we had another chance to understand this energetic half of the whole! As always, I took this study to my daily walk in the woods, to my evening meditations, and to a practice of listening for Wisdom in all events around me.

Indian cucumber copy Not always found in the biological Father, the ‘Divine Father’ is available to us via the work of living and past Monks, Saints, Priests, Fore-fathers, and Guides, from the spiritual path of our choosing. The fundamental archetype of this Spiritual Father is to protect us from evil, harm, deceit and any force that will come in the way of our freedom to return to our GodSelf.

The Divine Father has the soul’s freedom at heart. With discerning mentorship, he shines light on the obstacles and dangers around us, demonstrating a seemingly passive but ultimately loving, compassionate, honest, focused and clear guidance, as he aligns and directs us on our sacred pilgrimage with complete faith.

starflower copy This Fatherly quality of knowing us deeply, and keeping us on track amidst a world of chaos, is the flower essence of the Indian Cucumber root. Many mythologies, including Native American, speak of Father Sky, which represents the atmosphere that surrounds the earth, giving his children air to breathe, rain to refresh, and light to banish the darkness.

The bright light stars of Father Sky bring us oxygen, nitrogen and carbon, the elemental building blocks for our earth as well as our bodies. We are made of the “stuff of stars” and the Starflower’s essence reminds us that we are “spiritual beings living a human experience”. This is what the Father lifts us up to see, showing us a path or bridge, and illuminating the darkness.

It is this same bright Light that he shines upon us with focused patience while we become ready for our next step. He knows that we have free will. When we find our flow, he relaxes with a smile and steps out of the way. The greatest Joy is when the Father’s children return home, no matter what has transgressed, accepted with a loving heart.

Though fearsome, this Spiritual Father is not to be feared. The only thing to fear is our separation from our Soul’s destiny, the forgetting of our divine spark. The only judgment is our own, reflected back to us in order that we can be True to who we are. Any dismissal of emotion by the Spiritual Father is merely an invitation to step up into the discerning intellect, and then further up into the spirit of vast and ancient consciousness. We have to allow for some “unknowingness” in order to be lifted to our spiritual heights.

We are so much more than we think. The Divine Father can help us assure the humanity of all individuals, despite differing ideology, blocking out all the evil that threatens to close our heart to ourselves and others. May you feel this abiding Light, Wisdom, Focus, Patience, Protection and Faith in the freedom of each Soul to reach its destiny.