January is the month for Capricorns and I always tend to think about this sign every January. The reason isn't really as random as it may seem, I have two Capricorns in my family. The are amazing men; assertive, intelligent, self-disciplined, driven, hard-working and hard on themselves. Their Saggitarian brother (born only a few weeks earlier) is my "surfer son" whose laid-back approach and live-in-the-moment attitude is a flagrant contrast to his sibling brothers.
As I researched this month's moon and planetary signs for the Pirate Prophecy (yes...I really based the piratical horoscope on actual planetary predictions for this month), I realized the personal trait of being hard on oneself isn't relegated to just Capricorns. We all do it. In fact, we tend to be so hard on ourselves as human beings that we drive ourselves to placate the guilt and injury that results, sometimes in self-destructive ways. Why is that?
Once upon a time...I heard a speech that changed my life. The speaker asked us to visualize ourselves at a very young age, say 3 or 4 years old. Once that image was captured and we were looking into the eyes of our very young selves, we were asked the question: "Would you treat that child the same way you treat your adult self?" Powerful! I wept when I thought of it and vowed to never be cruel to that little girl with big blue eyes again. Of course, it's been difficult because she's tucked away deep in my spirit, but she's still there and she still cries when I hurt her. So, the task is to protect, respect and love ourselves. Value who we are and know we are precious. Our actions could shift to a more spiritual awareness of ourselves when approached this way.
There is a famous saying that sailors are known to recite (you all know it):
Red skies at morning, sailors take warning
Red skies at night, a sailor's delight
Perhaps as we look for our own Red Skies, we can recognize the signs that fall with the "Red skies at night" and look for those delightful times. Should the morning raise crimson, it is my hope we will protect, defend and love that which is most dear - choosing joy and kindness for ourselves.
