You Do You (and if you don't know who that is yet, better hurry up!)

​First of all, I'm coming from a place of Storytelling here, Storytelling as a deep and ancient human urge. How old are stories of why, who, where, when, how, in attempts to explain human experience (all the good ace reporter questions)? Probably older than that. Folks have been ​trying to explain this wonderous experience in this wonderous place for a long long time. Stories called Philosophy and Religion, Creation Myths and Cautionary Tales. Even Anecdotal Evidence, Scientific Study, Shamanic Journey, Union with the Divine. How about The Truth and Fantastic Imagined Lies? A never-ending list born around the fire. 

Expression through language, sure, that's the foundation of Storytelling. From my perspective, so much exists outside the realm of words and much of that very well addressed by Pictures and Sounds (and by any of the other sensory ways we receive information). But I'm not here to present a Storytelling sociological survey. It's my little story of the moment to tell here, prompted by small words that carry big questions. You know the why-am-I, what-and-why-do-I and how-the-heck-do-I posers. Let's see where it goes today, you never know!

A little background: I'm using the Story of an astrological natal chart* (specifically looking at the Moon's North and South Nodes, more on them later) to formulate questions and generate answers. This gives me a context within which to explore and roam around, an armature to build upon as thoughts fall together. Creators in any medium generally set up a premise or a set of parameters beforehand, at the very least to keep potential solutions manageable. Otherwise, you're out there in the wilderness with too many choices and too few meaningful maps at hand. Anyway, back to the Moon's Nodes, they're less physical structures or celestial entities and more about places and moments in life. Briefly, South Node is where you are coming from, like what you already understand and know. Conversely, North Node is where you are headed in this life, aka life purpose or mission statement for this go-round. That's just one facet of the natal chart story and again, small words bringing big concepts. Where have you been and where are you going?

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Rather than discussing my particulars, interesting mostly only to me, what interests me here is how the story of (or  more politely phrased, the conversation around) how free will verses predetermination play out in one's life. I like astrologer Steve Judd's phrase for it; he says the stars impel, they do not compel. He is a self-admitted free-will camp member as am I, although there is a part of me that really likes to hedge my bets. I mean, who really knows? On the face of it, a simple question, should be a simple answer, right? For those on either end of the statistical big bell curve, it most likely is. But for us huddled masses in the center, well, we might want to talk about the added influence of nature, nurture, DNA, will power – all sorts of things that enter the mix - on who, what why, etc. 

But isn't that the point? Don't we all have the ability to choose our stories as we see fit? Some like to custom create theirs from scratch (or even whole cloth), others prefer a narrative  straight off the rack, ready to wear. As they say (I do too, it's good advice), You Do You.

That reminds me of another sort of fun thing (meaning conundrum) I've noticed over the years. Isn't there a sameness to one's self over time even while personal narratives and perspectives evolve? Plots twist. External circumstances shift. Internal responses get smarter (or at least more experienced). AI learns through experience, how about us, with all our woulda, shoulda and couldas, do we learn? And isn't learning one form of stretching? Stretch wisely my friends, body mind and spirit, to be in good condition for all those Karma Stories, because who knows?

          You gotta ask yourself, do you feel lucky?
                  Are we having fun yet?
                            Can you hear me now?
                                      What's your Story?
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Postscript
I'm one all for avoiding blanket and “closed” definitive pronouncements, kinda never-say-never. I like to leave room for the what-ifs, the unexpecteds and the unconsidered. That being said, and as this blog appears on the Inner Harbor Acupuncture website, in reality, Inner Harbor Acupuncture is closed for the foreseeable future. I've been deeply furloughed for the past 2-3 years, spending time re-acquainting and bringing forward long hibernated aspects of myself.
Let's say those threads had been woven into the back side of my life's brocade.
Time has come for new patterns.
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* I'm neither advocating or denying astrology as a life guide. You do you.