On some level we all feel it, that underlying cycle of life. It is pervasive, awe-inspiring and mysterious. At the core of all Indian spiritual practices is a concept known a Samsara. This is a Sanskrit word that means “wandering” or “world”. It is the cyclicality of all life, and matter. It is linked to the karmic cycle. It is our passage through successive states of existence.
There have been a multitude of models developed to examine, understand and explore this wheel of life. My preference is the astrological lens. In the tropical zodiac, the four cardinal directions are incorporated into the natal chart. These represent the solstices and equinoxes. The natal chart itself, contains twelve houses, which in turn have a sign associated with them; the twelve signs of the zodiac. Additionally, each house deals with an aspect of life. It is on this wheel, that we all go around and experience stages of evolutionary growth.
When we look deeper, we see there is a rising and falling motion taking place in the background of one’s natal chart. This is known as declination, a vertical dimension similar to steps. As we all know, the equator runs directly through the center of our earth. With our imaginations, we can picture this line extending upwards into space. As we look into space, we see the Sun. This Sun, the provider of life and light for this planet travels a very defined path each year. When travelling north, it reaches its highest point the Tropic of Cancer, or summer solstice here in the northern hemisphere. When travelling south, it reaches its lowest point (from our perspective in the north) the Tropic of Capricorn, or winter solstice here in the northern hemisphere. And at its midpoint, we experience Spring and Autumn equinoxes.
What is fascinating about this is that it can be illustrated by a sine wave. This universal pattern, set in motion by our Sun, is replicated down through all of creation. The process works something like this… At the winter solstice, dark and rising, the Sun is at its southernmost point, from here it begins to rise up, similar to a plant germinating in the earth. At the spring equinox, bright and rising, it reaches the equator, the point in time where plants begin to burst forth with new life and the light steadily increases each day. The Sun reaches its peak declination (highest point) at summer solstice, bright and descending, when plants are in full bloom. Life at its fullness, abundant light. The Sun then begins its fall, reaching the autumnal equinox, dark and descending, where plants begin to surrender to the decrease in light, and they let go. These four phases permeate all life. This coincides with the concept of Samsara, birth-life-death-rebirth. The seasons provide a valuable context to our own unfolding.
The Sun goes through this seasonal rhythm in a year, the moon in a month, and all the planets in our universe on their own respective schedules. We can even see this pattern in a single day. Sunrise is spring, noon is summer, sunset is autumn and midnight is winter. What this rhythm is teaching us is that we can’t always be at a peak experience, basking in full sunlight, life is comprised of both the light and dark. And we don’t need to see a lack of light as negative, it’s a time when new things can germinate, preparing for the return of the light. From a Shamanic view, it is when we become partners with this universal pattern that we achieve peace and harmony within; and perhaps achieve our release from Samsara.
This rhythm can also be found in our own psyche. An idea comes into our mind, the Winter. It begins to germinate and take shape. Then at some point, we take action on our idea, what was germinating in our mind springs forth into existence, it emerges. The idea eventually becomes realized, we manifest it into its fullness, the Summer. Once this phase is reached, we celebrate our success, and soon this idea begins to fade, falling from our awareness. It’s Autumn. We then head back to the drawing board, germinating new thoughts and ideas, in moments of quiet reflection. We are back at winter. It’s the same sine wave, cycle, it’s the universal pattern. There is no beginning and there is no end.
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