The Great, archetypal Mother can be incredibly inviting. She draws us in, comforts us, nurtures us. But what images can be conjured of the father?

The point of individuation is not to be happy. It is about developing a clearer sense of ourselves and the callings unique to our souls of which Joy is a byproduct, one of many. But the act of constriction, forcing on that too small shoe, is in direct violation to our greatest asset: the expansive and dynamic soul.

Fear is a precarious thing. A figure stands in a shadow and we constrict, a parent wounds us with a word–the way only a parent can–and we’re ready to explode. We remember an old embarrassment while humming on our morning walk, and we’re suddenly overcome with those same feelings, undiluted by time or distance.

The spiral is often understood as a spiritual symbol exemplifying the idea that one will continuously circle through seemingly similar phases, but experience them differently with each pass. In that way, our cycles are circular, repeating like seasons, but never with the exactness of a mirror’s reflection.

It is often said that beginning is the hardest part. Perhaps this is because we are naturally inclined to seek horizons. After all, there’s a lot of beauty in the big picture.