Who are you? Can you
identify yourself? What is it that establishes your identity? You might
say you have an identity that starts with the name you were given at birth.
I would say your identity began the moment you were born. But that is
from my astrologer’s perspective. First let us define the term identity.
Identity is the way
we perceive ourselves to be.
How important is
our perception of who we are?
The way we perceive
ourselves as human beings greatly influences every decision we make. A
friend of mine, Cecil Wright, once said, “There is no power that has more
significance in its effect on our life style than our identity.” Identity
affords us the foundation upon which we base all of our decisions. The
decisions we make determine to what degree we are able to get what we
want out of life.
If a clear perception
of who you believe yourself to be is that important, and I think it is,
then it would be beneficial to understand how you developed your current
identity.
You might start by
listing the various roles you play during the course of an average day.
You may discover that you present a different “face” or identity to friends,
mate, and co-workers. Are you really the person that you project or is
there a separate part that you keep to yourself? Do you show your authentic
self to anyone in your life at this time? One client told me that when
his grandmother died he felt that no one else “really knew him” That kind
of loss of identity validation could be very traumatic. On the other hand,
when you find a best friend or lover who seems to know who you really
are it is life affirming.
Next you may want
to explore the process that you used to create your present identity.
If you discover that some of your decisions about who you are no longer
apply to your present situation, you will need a process to create a more
accurate view of your self. You may ask yourself how your concept of who
you are had influenced your lifestyle. For example: your choice of friends,
partner, job, and even the neighborhood in which you live are dependent
upon who you think you are.
A short quiz: List
10 adjectives that describe you. Examples follow:
I am assertive I
am lovable
I am intelligent I
am sexually stimulating
I
am
fun I
am wise
I am generous I
am powerful
You can make your
own list and grade yourself on a scale of 1 to 4.
Example: 1.Strongly
Agree 2. Agree 3. Agree somewhat 4. Not sure
Part of personal
identity is the interaction with people you have known in your life. It
will help to make a list of two or three people who have had the greatest
impact on your life. It may have been a parent, a teacher, a friend, or
even a public figure or character in a book or movie.
Many people list
institutions as having shaped their identity. Some name Scouts, 4-H clubs,
and coach of a team sport, the army or military service. When you make
the list you may realize that often a particular person or leader gave
you positive feedback about how you were doing. This can have a strong
effect on your view of yourself. Conversely, a critical or controlling
person can leave lasting scars and lower your self-image.
This brings us to
the final point. Are you happy and satisfied with the person you believe
yourself to be? Is there anything you would like to change? You will need
a process that will replace an old image and replace one that is in harmony
with your new picture of yourself.
Imaging: There is
Power in Imaging: Gather pictures, write down traits you admire, imagine
life situations in which you are successful.
Mediation: Meditation
or any Spiritual practice that aligns you with the Source of your Power.
Affirmations or Decrees:
Look at your list of adjectives that you made earlier. For example: I
am generous. If you were not sure, a positive affirmation would state,
“ I am becoming more generous with every opportunity!” You can make your
own decree of the image you want to express. A strong desire to claim
the full Power of your Identity will alter your behavior.
Knowing your true
identity through the information to be found in your birth pattern or
chart is one way of achieving more of what you want out of life.
