JULY 2026 YARO BLOG

 

"Wisdom can reveal the light hidden in dark times, but it requires that we face the darkness in ourselves."

                                                                                                                            LIVING IN DARK TIMES

Dear reader,

Welcome to JULY. 

The healing and transformation needed now, both individually and collectively, require going into the exact places that look darkest to us. In following this path, we encounter hidden resources and an inner gold that connects us to sources of wisdom. During this time of division and isolation, Meade suggests that whereas simple knowledge tends to divide things, genuine wisdom makes meaningful unity possible.

July is the seventh month of the year and has long been associated with the height of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Its name comes from Julius Caesar, after whom the month was renamed in 44 BCE in recognition of his role in reforming the Roman calendar. Before that, it was known as Quintilis, meaning "the fifth month" in the ancient Roman calendar.

From a mystical perspective, July symbolizes abundance, vitality, and personal transformation. The sun reaches its greatest strength, representing life force, confidence, and the illumination of both the outer world and the inner self. Many ancient cultures regarded this period as a sacred time to celebrate the fertility of the Earth, the ripening of crops, and the fullness of life.

Fire has always been one of July's central archetypal symbols. Bonfires, solar festivals, and ceremonies honouring the Sun were common across Europe and other ancient civilisations. Fire represented purification, courage, passion, and renewal, inviting people to release what no longer served them and embrace new beginnings.

Spiritually, July encourages us to stand in our authentic power as we face the chaotic world we live in today. Many call them THE DARK TIMES.

Dark times are part of every human journey. They may cloud our vision, but they can never extinguish the light that lives within us. Sometimes, finding that light does not mean feeling happy—it means taking one small step, choosing hope over despair, and remembering that even the longest night eventually gives way to dawn.

Our inner light grows each time we accept ourselves with compassion, reach out for support, create, love, forgive, or simply keep going when everything feels difficult. We do not overcome darkness by fighting it alone; we transform it by becoming present to it, allowing it to teach us resilience, wisdom, and gratitude.

Trust that the light you are searching for is already within you. Sometimes it only needs a little patience, courage, and kindness to shine again. 

If you'd like, I can also make it more poetic, more Gestalt-oriented, or shorter for Instagram.

JUNE 2026 BLOG - FEAR

 June 2 BLOG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflecting on FEAR,

 

"Fear would have us respond from the depths of our own self and soul where the core pattern of our life continually tries to grow and open the way before us," Michael states:

 

We are all aware of this inner feeling as we perceive danger. This behaviour was probably part of early Man in caves protecting families and tribes. From there, we developed the “WARRIOR” aspect of our self, and due to that fear, we destroyed many cities, countries and people. Michel Meade is very wise in his writing on fear, and I suggest you read his essay and reflect on your own fears.

I want to describe a scene in which I learned a whole lot about fear, including the sense that fear is an intimate emotion, and that what we fear the most is connected to who we already are at the core of our lives.

The moment in which fear becomes almost overwhelming begins backstage in a theatre where over 500 people are waiting for an event to begin. I am one of several presenters. And I’m expecting to be the last one to speak. And therefore, imagining that I have plenty of time to decide what I’m going to present. What I really want to do is tell a story that I had only recently found and had not really prepared to tell. The truth is that I don’t rehearse stories before I tell them, I read them or listen to them, and let them inhabit me, usually for quite a while before I ever tell them. While I was still casually considering what story I should tell, the host of the event suddenly came up and said, “something has happened, I’m going out and I’m going to introduce you first.”

 

I was suddenly flooded with fear, almost paralysed by it, not simply because I felt unprepared in the moment, but also because something in me insisted that I tell the story I also felt I had not yet fully learned. In what seemed like barely a moment I was on stage, still feeling deeply fearful, still feeling unprepared, and definitely feeling that I might not measure up to the occasion. And then something in me that I now realise knew more about me and what I should be doing than I did, began telling the story regardless of my fears and insecurities.

 

"A common fear is that we will be unable to deal with the issues in the circumstances that confront us. And of course, the voice saying that comes from our ever-fearful ego or little self."

Strangely or maybe not strangely at all, the story has a key scene in which the youngest of three brothers has to find his way through a set of iron gates that can suddenly close and crush you, and on either side of which there is a huge lion with a gaping maw that could swallow you in one gulp. In other words, I found myself describing a scene which was very similar to the fears I had when I learned that I had suddenly gone on stage and began a story.

 

Looking back, I can see how the stage was set for me to trust the presence of the story and the spontaneous style of storytelling that turns out to be natural to me. And it wasn’t simply that fear was in the way, it’s more actually that fear was part of the way, because it turns out that our greatest fears are connected to our deepest sense of self. A common fear is that we will be unable to deal with the issues in the circumstances that confront us. And of course, the voice saying that comes from our ever-fearful ego or little self. In my case, it was the ego voice inside me saying, if you try to be spontaneous, you’re going to mess everything up. You’re going to fail miserably. And you’re going to do it in front of a large audience. And yet, you can say that the hidden purpose of fear involves bringing us close to the deep resources of our own self and soul.

In other words, the question was not whether I could spontaneously tell a story and trust the images and the symbols in the story, and the dynamic of the story to connect to the lives of the people in the audience, and if those same images and symbols could give me guidance about how to interpret the story, and even direct knowledge in terms of the kind of wisdom that can come directly from a story. That was not the issue. The problem was, would my terrified little self allow this greater sense of self and soul to pronounce itself, to appear, to be present. Would my little self risk that so that I might grow and learn something about who I already was inside myself?

There’s an old Spanish proverb that says, “to live in fear is to live a life half-lived.” In other words, the life that is driven, restricted and controlled by the ego or the little self turns out to be a half-life and turns out to be the thing that is keeping us from living more fully and finding the healing and guiding moments of wholeness that we are intended to experience here on earth.

MY BUCKET LIST - 2026

                                                                        

                  

                                                 

Regretting the Earth

Some day we will be saying, „That was the time of the sun,

Do you remember its light fell on the slightest twig,

The elderly woman or young astonished girl,

As soon as it touched it gave their color to things,

Kept pace with the galloping horse and stopped when he did,

That unforgettable time when we were still on Earth

Where if we dropped something it made a noise,

We would look around us with our knowing eyes,

Ans our ears would catch the slightest nuance in the air,

Wehn the footsteps of a friend approached, we knew,

We used to gather flowers or smooth pebbles,

At that time we never could take hold of smoke,

Ah! What else can our hands do for us now?“

Jules Supervielle

Tanslated by Patricia Terry

My Bucket List

Many people have dreams, goals, and experiences they hope to achieve before they die. A list of these wishes is often called a "bucket list." The idea is simple: write down the things you want to do, see, learn, or experience during your lifetime.

A bucket list can include travelling to beautiful places, learning a new language, skydiving, writing a book, seeing the Northern Lights, helping others, or spending more time with family and friends. For some people, it may be about adventure and excitement. For others, it may be about personal growth, meaningful relationships, or making a positive difference in the world.

Creating a bucket list can inspire people to live with purpose and make the most of their time. It encourages us to step outside our comfort zones, explore new opportunities, and focus on what truly matters. Whether the goals are big or small, a bucket list reminds us that life is precious and that our dreams are worth pursuing.

My Bucket List

1. Visit Rome, Venice and the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

2. Explore Paris, Normandy and the French Riviera in France.

3. Visit Santorini, Athens and Crete in Greece.

4. Travel to Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa in Ukraine.

5. See the Northern Lights.

6. Attend a football match at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.

7. Watch a UEFA Champions League final live.

8. Continue developing Gestalt Art Therapy training around the world.

9. Publish more books and resources for counsellors, therapists and helping professionals.

10. Visit the places where my family originated in Spain.

11. Create and curate international art exhibitions.

12. Support my son in achieving his football and study goals.

13. Travel with my family and create lasting memories together.

14. Learn more about different cultures, traditions and ways of life.

15. Continue helping people through counselling, education and Gestalt Art Therapy.

A bucket list is not just a list of destinations and achievements. It is a reminder of what gives meaning to our lives. Every step taken towards these goals becomes part of a unique and rewarding journey.

MAY BLOG - SOLITUDE

                                                                                             

Dear reader,

Have you ever been alone or felt lonely? 

We all need solitude at times, and it can even be healthy. 

Yet many people begin to feel nervous and seek company to close that gap. 

This short reflection may help you become a friend of solitude, rather than fear it.

 

Embracing Solitude and Resilience

Solitude as an Invitation

This May, as my family travels away, I find myself entering a space of solitude, not as isolation, but as an invitation. Solitude has always been a teacher in my life, guiding me through moments of loss, transformation, and renewal.

I have lived through war, broken marriages, and the quiet ache of starting again. Each time, solitude became the ground where resilience could grow. It taught me that being alone does not mean being incomplete. It means meeting yourself fully, without distraction, without masks, and without the noise of other people’s expectations.

From a Gestalt perspective, solitude can become a moment of awareness: an opportunity to be present with what is. When we stop running from silence, we begin to hear the voice of our own truth. We notice the sensations in the body, the emotions that rise and fall, and the thoughts that are asking to be seen. This awareness is not always comfortable, but it can be deeply healing.

As I sit in this quiet May, I remind myself not to take anything for granted: the laughter of family, the warmth of shared meals, the simple act of waking up beside someone. These are gifts, not guarantees. Life has shown me that everything can change in an instant. And yet, even within change, there can be beauty.

Solitude invites gratitude. It reminds us that wholeness is not found only through others, but also within ourselves. It asks us to slow down, to breathe, and to reconnect with the parts of us that have been waiting patiently to be heard.

If you find yourself alone this month, let it become a time of discovery. Listen to your heart. Feel your strength. Remember that resilience is not about never breaking. It is about learning how to rebuild, again and again.

You are whole. You are enough. You are resilient.

APRIL REFLECTIONS YARO

AGE AND AGEING IN MODERN SOCIETY

 Age and Ageing in Modern Society 

Ageing has always been a universal human experience, but the way we understand and navigate it has changed dramatically in the 21st century. Longer lifespans, shifting cultural values, and rapid technological change have reshaped what it means to grow older — and what society expects from people at every stage of life.

 

The Changing Demographics of Ageing 

Modern societies are ageing faster than at any other point in history. Improvements in healthcare, nutrition, and living standards have extended life expectancy, while declining birth rates have reduced the proportion of younger people.

 

 Key demographic shifts 

- Longer lifespans: Many countries now see average life expectancies well into the 80s. 

- Ageing populations: Nations like Japan, Italy, and Australia face rapidly growing senior populations. 

- Multi‑generational societies: It’s increasingly common to have four living generations within a single family.

These shifts create both opportunities and challenges — from a more experienced workforce to increased pressure on healthcare and pension systems.

 

 Rethinking Age: From Decline to Potential 

Historically, ageing was associated with decline, dependency, and withdrawal from public life. Today, that narrative is being rewritten.

 

 Modern perspectives emphasise: 

- Active ageing: Staying physically, socially, and mentally engaged. 

- Lifelong learning: Older adults returning to education or mastering new technologies. 

- Extended careers: Many people work well past traditional retirement ages, by choice or necessity. 

- Healthy ageing: A focus on prevention, wellness, and quality of life rather than simply longevity.

 

The shift reflects a broader cultural recognition that ageing is not a single, uniform experience but a diverse and dynamic one.

 

 Ageing and the Workplace 

Workplaces are becoming more age‑diverse than ever before. This brings benefits — such as experience, stability, and mentorship — but also exposes persistent biases.

 

 Challenges 

- Age discrimination: Older workers may be perceived as less adaptable or technologically capable. 

- Hiring bias: Younger applicants may be favoured for roles requiring digital fluency. 

- Retirement pressures: Some industries still push workers out early, despite their capability.

 

 Opportunities 

- Intergenerational collaboration: Teams combining experience with innovation often outperform homogeneous groups. 

- Knowledge transfer: Older workers play a crucial role in mentoring and training. 

- Flexible work models: Remote work and part‑time roles support longer, healthier careers.

 

 Social Attitudes and Ageism 

Ageism remains one of the most socially accepted forms of discrimination. It affects both older and younger people.

 

 Common stereotypes 

- Older adults: “frail,” “out of touch,” “resistant to change” 

- Younger adults: “entitled,” “inexperienced,” “unreliable”

 

These stereotypes oversimplify complex realities and can limit opportunities across the lifespan. Modern society is slowly challenging these assumptions through media representation, policy reform, and public awareness campaigns.

 

 Health, Technology, and the Future of Ageing 

Technology is transforming the experience of ageing in ways previous generations could not have imagined.

 

Innovations shaping the future 

- Telehealth and remote monitoring improve access to care. 

- Smart homes support independent living for longer. 

- Assistive robotics helps with mobility and daily tasks. 

- AI‑driven diagnostics enhance early detection of age‑related diseases.

 

At the same time, digital divides persist. Ensuring older adults have access to — and confidence with — technology is essential for equitable ageing.

 

 Community, Connection, and Purpose 

Ageing well is not just about physical health; it’s deeply tied to social connection and meaning.

 

 What supports positive ageing 

- Strong social networks 

- Intergenerational relationships 

- Community involvement 

- Creative and intellectual engagement

- A sense of purpose

 

Loneliness and isolation, by contrast, are major risk factors for poor health outcomes among older adults.

 

 Towards an Age‑Inclusive Society 

To build a society that values people at every stage of life, we need to rethink how we design our institutions, communities, and cultural narratives.

 

 Steps toward inclusivity 

- Promote age‑friendly cities and public spaces 

- Encourage flexible work and lifelong learning 

- Challenge ageist language and stereotypes 

- Support policies that ensure dignity, autonomy, and care 

- Foster intergenerational collaboration and understanding

 

Ageing is not a problem to be solved but a natural, meaningful part of the human journey.

 

 Conclusion 

Age and ageing in modern society are undergoing a profound transformation. As we live longer and more varied lives, the boundaries between “young” and “old” are becoming increasingly fluid. The challenge, and opportunity, lies in creating a world where people of all ages can thrive, contribute, and feel valued.

A POEM ABOUT AGEING

As I grow older, I can wear purple

As I grow old, I shall wear the bottom 

Of my trousers rolled up

Should I turn my ear around?

Do I dare to eat a peach?

I shall wear white flower shorts

And walk along the beach.

I have heard the river maidens singing

But they will not sing to me

I am living and am not among the dead

Though I am getting more forgetful

And more mixed in my head

Sometimes I don’t remember when I stand 

At the foot of my stairs, if I must come up

For something, or I'm going down from there

And standing before the fridge, I often

I often forget if I put something in

Or just am to take it out.

There are times when, in the evening, standing with a cup in my hand

I do not know if I am retiring or just got out of bed

If this is my turn to write to you, there is no need to get sore

As I do not remember if I have written before

And do not want to be a bore

Remember, dear, I do love you, and I wish you were here

It is nearly mailing time, so I'll say “goodbye”, dear

There I stood before the mailbox, with my face so very red…

That, instead of mailing you the letter, I opened it and read

I love my new bi-focals, my hearing is perfect, my dentures fit me fine, 

 BUT  LORD,  I LOST MY MIND!

 

 

 

 

MARCH 2026 - CHANGE

 

Dear Reader,

This month, I invite you to pause and reflect on Change.

In my work as a counsellor with couples, the theme of change is often at the centre of our conversations. One partner hopes for something different, the other resists, and many find themselves repeating the same patterns for years. The desire for change is present, yet the movement towards it can feel incredibly difficult.

I would like to share some reflections from my mentor, Michael Meade, and encourage you to sit with your partner and consider what these words might mean for your own relationship and life journey.

“When it comes to change, the point is not self-improvement or simply a change in status. Changing one’s fate means awakening to another way of seeing and being. Not simply doing things differently, but becoming a different person, both more aware within and more alert to the mystery of life. The point of change is to become as another, to become the other that was hidden inside all along.

For such a thorough change to happen, people must let go of who they think they are. Letting go of one’s habitual self turns out to be one of the greatest difficulties in life. If that were not so, many more people would escape the common traps that keep life small and self-confining.”

Meade illustrates this idea through a story once observed by sages in ancient India.

Hunters discovered a simple way to trap monkeys. They hollowed out a coconut, cut a hole just large enough for a monkey’s paw, fixed the coconut to the ground, and placed fruit inside. The monkey would reach in and grasp the food, but once its hand was closed into a fist, it could not pull it back out. Freedom was possible at any moment. All the monkey had to do was release what it was holding. Yet most would not let go.

The trap was not the coconut.

The trap was the refusal to release.

How often do we do the same?

We may cling to old roles, familiar conflicts, outdated expectations, or even long-held resentments. Sometimes we hold onto ways of being that no longer nourish us simply because they are known. It can feel safer to remain in a familiar discomfort than to risk the uncertainty of true transformation.

“Any meaningful change must begin with recognising and letting go of what entraps us… Often it seems better to cling to a familiar pain than suffer a genuine change of state.”

In Gestalt work, we speak of awareness as the first movement toward transformation. Change does not happen through pressure, blame, or forcing the other to be different. It begins when we notice what we are holding, and gently allow ourselves the courage to loosen our grip.

So this month, perhaps the question is not

“How do I make things change?”

but rather

“What am I holding onto that I might be ready to release?”

We always have a choice.

To remain caught in the habitual mind, or to surrender, let go, and allow something new to emerge.

 

FEBRUARY 2026 BLOG

                                                                                                                   Irish festival in February

Dear reader,

We are entering the second month of 2026, and here is a reflection about the current events that are creating much chaos in the world and especially in the USA. I am following the teachings of Michael Meade, the mythologist with much wisdom.

“While often being considered the leading nation in the world, the United States increasingly finds itself on the cutting edge of cultural upheaval, political polarization and increasing violence that includes mass shootings and politically motivated killings. The recent tragedy of a political activist being shot and killed by a radicalised young man, while appearing distinct in the sense of being a political assassination, can also be seen as part of the larger tragedy of young men acting out cultural violence.

Whether we like it or not, young people tend to manifest, express and even act out the psychological and emotional symptoms of the culture in which they must grow. If young men are not fully invited into social life and given a genuine sense of meaning and purpose, something volatile and potentially destructive inside them can drift towards the darker areas of the psyche and in the modern world, can pull them into the darkest parts of the World Wide Web.

While specific causes and motivations for shootings by young men are complex, there are familiar patterns to the trajectory that leads to acting out violently. Research indicates that there is often a strong sense of grievance that comes from a disconnect between the lives they lead and the lives they think they should have. This inner disconnect can lead to fantasies of having unlimited power along with intense desires for recognition and admiration. Aided by the extremes of social media, their sense of grievance and their violent visions take up more and more of their mental and emotional lives.

While modern societies lack clarity, understanding and wisdom when it comes to issues of men and violence, traditional cultures developed rites of passage in order to directly engage and temper the wild energies of youth and the reckless urge to battle with both life and death. For there is an inner volatility that cannot be denied or be ignored without consequences that can turn inward as depression and self-harm or erupt outwardly in violence and destruction aimed at the society that failed to recognise, accept and include them.

It seems to me that in this group, we also have to include those who appear to be grown men, but who demonstrate untampered emotions, reckless, immature attitudes about violence that contribute to the tearing apart of society. In many ways, we are all during a collective rite of passage that requires that we awaken to the deeper issues that can turn a society against itself, while leaving young people in growing gaps of isolation, alienation and despair.”

 

The author is also a very positive person and gives us all the HOPE we are looking for:

” Each personal crisis and life transition can evoke the esoteric pattern of the soul and the deep Self waiting to awaken within us. The presence of the greater self is what shifts the ground of trauma and heals the aching soul. As things fall apart all around us, the deep self seeks to awaken our primary impulses towards creativity and the essential urge to become who and what we are at our core.”

 

2026 January Reflections Yaro

 

2026: A Year of Shifts, Tensions, and Conscious Choice

As we move into 2026, the world feels both accelerated and fragile. Alongside innovation and economic growth, we are witnessing humanitarian crises, environmental pressure, and geopolitical tensions that demand more than passive observation.

The ongoing situation in Venezuela continues to expose deep humanitarian, political, and economic fractures, reminding us of the long-term cost of instability and inequality. At the same time, growing tensions around Greenland highlight a different but equally significant reality: how climate change, access to resources, and geopolitical interests are increasingly intersecting. What once felt distant or symbolic is now central to global power dynamics.

Against this backdrop, 2026 is expected to bring significant changes across multiple sectors.

From a political perspective, the United Kingdom faces a critical moment. Local and devolved elections in May may prove pivotal for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party, with serious consequences if control of the Welsh heartland is lost. In the United States, the midterm elections are expected to be challenging for incumbent Republicans, with current projections indicating a strong, potentially double-digit lead in voting intention for Democrats. These shifts may reshape domestic agendas and international alliances.

Economically and culturally, global trade patterns continue to evolve. The Middle East travel sector is projected to grow by around 40 per cent, while Southeast Asia and India are expected to become the most valuable luxury and beauty markets in the Asia Pacific region. These changes reflect broader shifts in consumer behaviour, wealth distribution, and cultural influence.

Environmental challenges remain one of the most pressing issues of our time. Without decisive action, environmental supply chain risks could cost companies worldwide up to USD 120 billion. This is not only an economic warning, but an ethical one, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable, responsible practices that respect both people and planet.

At the same time, technology and innovation continue to advance rapidly. Global production of low-emissions hydrogen is expected to increase by approximately 25 per cent, signalling momentum toward cleaner energy systems. Institutional investors are also likely to allocate around 5.6 per cent of their portfolios to tokenised assets, reflecting changing concepts of value, trust, and ownership in a digital world.

Taken together, these projections point to a year of profound global transformation. Political uncertainty, economic realignment, environmental urgency, and technological innovation are not separate stories, but interconnected threads shaping our collective future.

And yet, we are not alone in navigating these times.

Ancient Andean prophecies speak of a moment when humanity would be invited to step into a new way of being. A way rooted in awareness, responsibility, and respect for the intelligence of the body, the Earth, and one another. Many people feel this call today. Not because a calendar tells us it is time to change, but because our bodies, our communities, and our planet are asking us to remember how we were designed to heal, to connect, and to live with consciousness.

Perhaps 2026 is not only about prediction, but about presence. About staying informed without becoming numb, thinking critically about the future, and speaking out within our communities with clarity and care. The choices we make now, individually and collectively, will shape far more than a single year.

Happy reading.

Yaro Starak

DECEMBER - 2025 REFLECTIONS YARO

 

Dear Reader,

This blog is aimed at the most sacred time in the life of humanity. We are celebrating - again,the birth of a holy child and one that has been among us for more than 2,000 years. We've celebrated CHRISTMAS for all those years and will do so for many more centuries. The holy child is within all of us!

I am quoting my mentor, Michael Meade, as he is a mighty guide to our Souls. THE CHILD OF JOY is my inspiration for the next celebration of Christmas.

" Our souls are secretly tuned to the world, and the storms of radical change and upheaval that affect both nature and human culture easily become overwhelming waves of emotions inside us. And as accepted patterns of all kinds dissolve around us, we become more vulnerable to feelings of insecurity, anxiety and fear. Even if we live in relatively secure places, a common refrain I hear from friends and even casual acquaintances involves a sense of constantly feeling the weight of the world. And I hear from therapists and counselors how most, if not all of their clients are on the edge of overwhelm. So the first idea is that we are collectively experiencing both a greater sense of uncertainty and also a deeper sense of anxiety. And the next idea is that we each suffer that sense of stress in our own unique way. Another way to say it is that the widening divisions in the outer world tend to activate splits that exist inside ourselves. Being faced with existential issues tends to activate our own early life experiences of feeling abandoned, rejected and overwhelmed. While feeling the weight and the challenge of that idea, I recalled a recent dream in which I was talking with someone while we sat on the floor next to a fireplace. The open hearth of the fireplace was clean, almost white, and where there might be a fire or some logs, I suddenly realized there were two small infants. I was shocked at the condition of the infants and immediately sought to pick them both up. There was a further shock when I realized that one of them was inert and seemed to be dead, the other was bare and thin and had some wounds, but his eyes were open and clear. I held him close and carried him carefully as I looked for whoever had coldly abandoned the infants, while at the same time, I considered how to nourish the child that was alive. The bare stone hearth seems to speak for itself, as it symbolizes a lack of warmth and a cold sense of abandonment. And of course, drop one letter from the word hearth, and we have heart, and in this case, a troubling sense of heartlessness. I have had other dreams about the abandoned child, but this one depicts two infants, similarly abandoned, as if to suggest that I have to let one go in order to be able to bring the other further into life. And that reminds me that the core issue when it comes to truly changing or transforming our lives involves letting go of that which is inert, as well as being willing to commit to taking up and nourishing that which is trying to be born.

Abandonment turns out to be an archetypal condition, so that everyone born has abandonment issues in one form or another. We cannot simply change what happened to us when we were completely dependent and unable to defend or even speak for ourselves. We can recognize the nature of our own abandonment issues and reclaim essential levels of vitality and liveliness that still reside deeply within us. A core psychological idea is that each person enters the world both gifted and wounded, and that at each genuine crisis in our lives, we face the limits of our accepted identity as well as the fears of being abandoned again and or being overwhelmed by troubles beyond our control. Meaningful change occurs when we become willing to suffer again the fears, the angers and the sorrows connected to this early life experience of separation and abandonment. Inevitably, at various times in our lives we become stuck and we reach places where we simply can no longer hold it all together. We then collapse or explode. We lose it, not because we are inherently bad or simply ill-fated, but in order that we may find again and make more conscious to ourselves essential connections of the soul that we lost early on. If we are willing to follow the motions of the emotions we have, we find the trail that takes us down and back in order that we might break through to something hidden and deeply meaningful within us that seeks to become more conscious to us. In that sense, the inevitable trials and seemingly immovable obstacles we encounter in our lives are not there simply to block us or defeat us. Rather, a genuine crisis will activate those early life experiences of rejection and loss in order that we find ways to heal our inner wounds and at the same time reveal our deepest gifts. At each genuine turning point in life, a revelation of self and soul is close at hand, and yet at each crossroads our false sense of self and our ego defenses stand in the way. As in my dream of the two infants and the cold hearth, we each lose, to one degree or another, some of our natural sense of being connected to the source of life. Later in life, we fall apart, or we even choose to descend in order to refind and remember those exact rejected parts of ourselves that are necessary for us to feel and be whole again. And that brings me to an old idea that has become a key theme in some forms of modern depth psychology. The old idea states it this way - joy is the true parent of each child. The psychological point is that each person has an inborn innate connection to joy that can be the source of natural buoyancy, and especially in dark times, a source of inner resiliency. However, finding again our connection to that inborn innate joy requires that we work through the exact wounds that keep us from fully feeling what was once our natural joy at having the gift of life. Instinctively, it seems we expect our innate connection to the joy of being alive to be recognized and be confirmed by our parents. However, just at the point when we as infants begin to feel the presence of joy in a distinct way, something tends to go wrong. At crucial moments our joyous sense of self is met with indifference or avoidance or some lack of relatedness on the part of our parents, particularly on the part of our mother, or whoever is playing the role of mother to us. Although this comes as a great shock to each child, the indifference or neglect our parents show to our joyous inner self is an early life disappointment that turns out to be an essential aspect of the human condition. And I am suggesting that when the collective human condition has most of us feeling the tension of opposite forces and  rejection that we each carry. There comes a time when we have to let that go in order to make more room for the child of joy to become more present and grow. In that sense, the problem is not simply the fact that there is an original betrayal that leaves us wounded, but also that we keep betraying ourselves in the same way. Eventually, the issue is not simply who did what to us and why, but rather how we manage to stop abandoning ourselves when we become stuck in life again. None of this is simple, and I am roughly sketching out descriptions of what can take years and years of inner work in order to understand both the nature of our wounds and the unique inner qualities that are most important when it comes to living a life of meaning and genuine purpose. However, as I stated at the beginning, we are all implicated and all impacted by the troubling times in which we live, and although our ego or little self may repeatedly feel that it is about to be overwhelmed and insist that it can't handle this, our deeper sense of self and soul is actually closer to the surface and trying to make us more conscious of both how we are uniquely wounded but also uniquely gifted. In psychological terms, the passage through the critical stage of early life where we feel great fears and a trenchant sense of abandonment is never fully navigated, so that at each critical turn in our lives, we need some sense of mirroring and being genuinely seen by others. Think of all the young people currently facing a world flooded with uncertainty, surrounded by not just distractions, but a seemingly endless stream of things that are inauthentic. The crisis that they feel inside individually is a reflection of the original crisis and wounding and trauma that they experienced as an infant or child. It may be the last thing on the minds of those creating more distractions and those trying to profit from all the divisions, but what each young person needs is to be genuinely seen and therefore to be truly blessed. But the same is true for all of us, regardless of our age or status in life. In the current world, with all its many divisions, imagine all of those who tend to be living longer and longer, who themselves have never been truly seen or fully blessed, thus leaving us with an ever-growing population of olders and an ever-increasing lack of elders.Towards the end of his life, the great psychologist Carl Jung became more and more interested in this imagination of the child of joy. Reflecting on the course of his own life, he wrote, "If you have fulfilled the pattern peculiar to yourself, then you have loved yourself. You have accumulated inner abundance, then you can bestow virtue and you have luster. You can radiate from your inner abundance and overflow from within. But if you hate yourself, if you have not accepted the inner pattern, then there are hungry animals in your constitution which keep getting at your neighbors like flies in order to satisfy appetites that you have failed to satisfy within yourself. Failure to live out the true pattern of our souls generates disorientation and neuroses and deep psychic pain that continues. If a person does not fulfill the inner pattern, the bestowing soul within them remains missing, and there is no radiance, there is no real warmth, there is only hunger and stealing from life." Renewal of the individual and genuine change of the collective both require touching the original splits again and healing the wounds that lie near the divine connection that continues to exist even when we deny it. In the ancient languages of myth and poetry, the child of joy was also called the child of God, for it is the divine connection and the ecstatic essence within us that waits to be found, that waits to be felt again, that wishes to be nourished, and that is capable of seeing healing where others only see  division and finding joy that can serve as an antidote to the weight of the world, while also being a unique source of resiliency and renewal. And that brings me to the voices of poets who repeatedly undertook the journey into darkness in order to continuously recover elements of imagination and energies of joy and spontaneity. "What can I tell you but the good news from the invisible world that I heard last night, saying hoard each joyous moment and every loving touch that comes to you, for no one knows how this dance will end." That's Hafiz, who also offered this: "Listen wayfarer, your body secretly is a prayer carpet, and I can see in your eyes that you are exquisitely woven with the finest threads of silk and wool. And I can see that the pattern upon your soul has the signature of the Divine upon it. And all your moods and all your colours of love come from the Divine vats of dye and from the veins of gold. Listen wayfarer, your body, despite its pains and its uncertainties, is a shrine, and if you had the eyes of a seer, you would see Hafiz kneeling right by your side, humming playful tunes and shedding joyful tears that poured down upon your wondrous inner, hidden crown." And one more poem that captures both the joy and the spontaneity that keeps trying to awaken to each of us in the depths of our own self and soul. It goes like this, "Running through the streets, screaming, throwing rocks through windows, using my own head to ring great bells, pulling out my hair, tearing off my clothes, tying everything I own to a stick and then setting it on fire. What else can Hafiz do to celebrate the madness and the joy, the delight and the inspiration of seeing the divine everywhere?

way or another, for over 2,000 yeras.

REFLECTIONS YARO - OCTOBER 2025 BLOG

 

Blog - REFLECIONS ON HUMAN LIFE

 

The Stage of Human Life: From Ancient Greece to the Present

This episode of Living Myth takes us back to the origins of theatre in ancient Greece, a time and place where many of the foundational ideas of democracy also emerged. In that culture, the stage was not simply a form of entertainment, but a sacred space where citizens could collectively witness the dramas of life, death, and the human spirit. Tragedy began as a ritual lament for the fatal flaws inherent in human character—the hubris, the envy, the blind ambition that so often lead to downfall. Comedy, by contrast, wielded the sharp edge of humour to reveal the hypocrisy of those who misused power. Both forms served as mirrors to society, inviting reflection, dialogue, and catharsis.

Throughout history, satire has continued to function as an instrument of the powerless against the powerful. It has been one of the few reliable means through which truth could break through oppression. From the biting comedies of Aristophanes to the political cartoons of modern times, satire has always embodied the essential freedom of both imagination and speech. Its presence reminds us that humour, far from being trivial, is one of the deepest expressions of resilience and truth-telling in the human condition.

Taking a Stand: The Deeper Meaning of “Stage”

The very term stage arises from roots that mean “to stand” or “to take a stand.” This points not to passivity or the role of a mere stand-in, but to the profound act of embodying truth. To stand on a stage is to take responsibility for one’s presence, one’s role, and one’s voice. Life itself, then, becomes a stage on which each soul must take a stand for something meaningful, beautiful, and enduring—especially during times of great uncertainty or tragedy.

In this sense, the stage is not just a wooden platform but a metaphor for the existential drama of living. To act is to declare one’s values, to reveal one’s character, and to express the hidden truth of the soul. In moments of crisis, this standing becomes even more vital. Without individuals willing to take such stands, societies risk collapsing into apathy or tyranny.

The Tension of Opposites

Psychological maturity—whether in an individual, a political party, or an entire nation—depends upon the ability to endure the tension of opposites. To live in that tension without rushing to judgment or collapsing into extremes is a sign of wisdom. From that holding, a “third way” can emerge: an unexpected synthesis, a deeper truth that transcends the rigid categories of “us versus them.”

By contrast, when life is reduced to a zero-sum game of winners and losers, the result is polarization and division. Those in power may demonise others in order to maintain a false sense of superiority, while those without power may fall into despair. Such dynamics erode both democracy and the human spirit.

Hidden Unity Beneath Duality

Though the poles of any polarity appear irreconcilable, they remain part of a hidden unity. Existence itself is an indivisible whole that manifests in dual forms—light and shadow, life and death, joy and sorrow. Ancient philosophy and spiritual traditions remind us that the opposites are not enemies but partners in the dance of creation.

In times of sharp polarization, meaningful debate is not about proving one side right and the other wrong, but about creating space for catharsis. This emotional and mental release clears the heart and mind, opening the possibility for genuine healing and transformation.

The Power of Catharsis

The Greeks saw catharsis as an essential function of both tragedy and comedy. The aim was never merely to provoke emotion, but to guide the audience through feeling into insight. Strong emotions—grief, laughter, indignation, awe—were meant to lead to purification and renewal.

Through catharsis, people could recognise not only the inevitability of conflict and suffering, but also their shared humanity. Despite differences of opinion or perspective, every person carries within them both wounds and longings—for meaning, for unity, for peace. Art, theatre, and myth serve as bridges to this recognition.

All the World a Stage

As Shakespeare later echoed, “all the world is but a stage.” By virtue of being alive in this critical time, we are the players available to enact the essential freedom and imaginative possibility of the human soul. To refuse our role is to leave the play unfinished; to embrace it is to shape history.

Each soul, surprising as it may seem, is born carrying a genius self—an innate seed of wisdom, creativity, and purpose. When awakened, this genius reveals layers of understanding and offers ways of healing and creating that can alter not only a single life but the trajectory of the world. The task of life, then, is to discover and embody this inner genius on the stage of existence, taking a stand not merely for survival, but for truth, beauty, and freedom.

SEPTEMBER BLOG- LIVING YOUR DYING A DYING YOUR LIVING - THE BUDDHA WAY

 

Portrait of Duncan Sreward 

by Yaro Starak

LIVING YOUR DYING A DYING YOUR LIVING - THE BUDDHA WAY

By Yaro Starak

Dedication

This essay is dedicated to my friend Duncan Stewart, who passed away a week ago. We often spoke about the nature of dying as he endured his struggle with melanoma and required blood transfusions three times a week. After each transfusion, Duncan’s spirit would return—full of life, ready to share dinner out or cook at his place. On the difficult days, when his body failed him, he would reflect deeply on death and dying.

I once gave him a book titled MOKSHA, which contained teachings of the Buddha. Duncan told me it helped him immensely as he faced a key decision: to stop treatments and simply “let go.” And so, with courage, he did.

Introduction

The word Buddha means “awakened one.” One of the Buddha’s great insights was that most of us spend our lives trying to avoid reality—especially the difficult truths of sickness, ageing, and death—or trying to bend it to our desires, which rarely brings the fulfilment we imagine.

The Buddha also awoke to the true nature of existence: an open, compassionate, intelligent energy that is shared by all human beings. He saw that our sense of being separate from the world is an illusion. To uncover this truth, the Buddha offered a tool: mindfulness and awareness meditation. This practice helps us connect directly with the facts of life, including death itself.

Death and Continuity

In Buddhist teaching, death is not an end but a transition. The energy of our being continues into an intermediate state before taking rebirth. If, during life, we are trapped in self-absorption—lost in beliefs, concepts, and habits—then, through karma, we are carried into a rebirth shaped by this momentum. Our destiny continues.

But if we have learned to rest in the present, to realise our true nature of being awake, then what carries forward is awareness. In that awareness lies some freedom of choice. Just as meditation reveals impermanence and continuity in each moment, being mindful at the time of death allows one to rest in the vast nature of existence and step outside the karmic cycle.

As Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche said in a 1972 seminar in Barnet: “The basic impact of the experience is the same whether you believe in reincarnation or not: it is the discontinuity of what you are doing.” Life as we know it ceases.

Reflection and Farewell

I dedicate this writing to Duncan—to honour his journey and the lessons he shared with me during his treatment and in the time we had together. His courage in facing death on his own terms remains a gift.

You are gone now, Duncan, just as you wished—on your own terms. I will carry with me the lessons you gave, the moments we shared, and the truth you embraced: that letting go is also a form of awakening.

AUGUST BLOG - THE NATURE OF SUFFERING

 

The Nature of Human Suffering

Reflections on Pain, Growth, and the Human Condition

Dear Reader,

It is no wonder that we are undergoing a challenging time in the world today. The Gaza humanitarian crisis, war in Ukraine, conflicts in both Asia and Africa, clearly define the human suffering at an unprecedented scale since the world wars.

In the tapestry of human existence, suffering is a thread that weaves relentlessly through every life, binding us together in a silent, universal kinship. Across the sprawl of continents and centuries, from ancient philosophers to modern psychologists, the nature of human suffering has been the subject of contemplation, debate, and, above all, empathy. To examine suffering is not simply to dwell in darkness, but to seek understanding and perhaps, through that understanding, to find meaning.

The Many Faces of Suffering

Suffering, at its core, is a deeply personal experience, shaped by the contours of our unique lives. Yet, in its forms, it is as varied as humanity itself: the acute sting of physical pain, the slow ache of loss, the anxiety of uncertainty, the heaviness of regret, and the existential dread that sometimes shadows our brightest days. We suffer because we are vulnerable - subject to the frailties of our bodies, the whims of circumstance, and the unpredictable tides of fate.

But suffering is not merely an individual burden. It is a collective inheritance. The stories we tell - myths, legends, sacred texts—are filled with trials, tribulations, and the enduring hope that follows in their wake. From the lamentations of Job to the tragedies of Shakespeare, suffering is presented not as an aberration, but as a fundamental aspect of what it means to be alive.

The Roots of Suffering

Human suffering arises from many sources, both external and internal. Illness and injury inflict pain upon the body. The loss of loved ones brings sorrow to the heart. The yearning for connection, for purpose, for security - when unmet - gives rise to a restlessness that gnaws at the soul.

Yet, perhaps the sharpest edge of suffering is found not in what happens to us, but in how we respond. The philosopher Epictetus observed that “People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.” Our interpretations, our expectations, and the stories we tell ourselves can magnify or soften the blows life delivers. A setback can become a reason for despair, or a call to resilience.

Buddhist philosophy teaches us that suffering, or dukkha, is intrinsic to existence. It is born from desire and attachment - the wanting of things to be other than they are. In this view, to live is to suffer, but also to have the opportunity to transcend suffering through mindfulness and acceptance.

Suffering as a Catalyst

While suffering is often unwanted and feared, it is also a force that shapes character, fosters empathy, and kindles growth. The adversity of illness may awaken gratitude for health. The pain of heartbreak may deepen our capacity to love and be loved. The anguish of injustice may galvanize us to seek a fairer world.

Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Holocaust and a renowned psychiatrist, wrote that “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” In the crucible of suffering, we discover reserves of strength and resilience we might never have known. Suffering can strip away the superficial, revealing what is essential and real.

But it is important to acknowledge that suffering is not always ennobling. It can also break spirits, entrench wounds, and perpetuate cycles of harm. The challenge lies in how we, as individuals and societies, respond—to ourselves, and to one another.

Empathy and the Bonds of Suffering

One of the paradoxes of suffering is that, in its isolation, it can also draw us closer to others. To suffer is to understand, in some measure, the pain of another. Empathy is, in large part, the recognition of suffering in another soul. It is what stirs us to reach out, to comfort, to share a burden.

Communities and cultures have long sought to contain and transform suffering through ritual, art, and storytelling. Grief shared at a funeral, solace found in a song, or catharsis experienced in the theater—these are ways we make sense of suffering together. In reaching out to one another, we weave a safety net of compassion that can soften even the hardest falls.

The Search for Meaning

Suffering asks us questions that happiness rarely does. Why me? What now? How do I go on? In seeking answers, many find meaning in faith, philosophy, or creative expression. Others draw strength from relationships, or from the simple acts of living: tending a garden, caring for a pet, watching the sunrise after a long night.

In his seminal work, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” Viktor Frankl argued that meaning can be found even in the depths of suffering—not because suffering is good, but because the act of finding meaning is an assertion of human dignity. We are not merely passive recipients of pain; we are authors of our response.

The Ethics of Suffering

If suffering is an inescapable part of life, it is also a call to action. To ignore the suffering of others is to deny our own humanity. Compassion, charity, and justice are the ethical responses to the suffering we witness. Whether through personal acts of kindness, social movements, or public policy, alleviating suffering is perhaps the noblest expression of our shared condition.

At the same time, we must be wary of diminishing the suffering of others by insisting it always has a purpose. Not all pain is redeemable, and not every story has a silver lining. To listen without judgment, to accompany in silence, without fixing - that is sometimes the greatest gift we can offer.

Conclusion: Living with Suffering

In the end, the nature of human suffering is both simple and profound. It is the shadow that makes the light possible, the sorrow that lends sweetness to joy. To suffer is to be alive, to care, to hope. It is a teacher, a companion, and a challenge.

We cannot banish suffering from the world, but we can choose how we meet it - in ourselves and others. Through understanding, compassion, and the search for meaning, suffering may, in its own way, become a path to wholeness.

As we walk this path, may we remember that though the road is hard, we do not walk it alone.

    

HOW TO BE INDIVIDUAL - JULY 2025

 

"Becoming a genuine individual requires learning the oppositions within oneself. Those who deny or refuse to face the oppositions within themselves have no choice but to find enemies to project their inner conflicts upon."

Michael Meade

 

My reflections for the Month of July refer to the meaning of being an individual in a world of mass crises and difficult times. We may feel overwhelmed by fear and anxiety as the tension in life becomes greater and problems seem to grow in size as time runs out, but what life wants is meaningful change. Either we face the way that life roars at us and become wiser and more of a friend of the world, or else we run in fear and shrink from life, mystery, and love.

Thus, this reflection invites you to consider the meaning of being an individual who can stand out from the crowd and be unafraid to speak his or her mind.

 

How to Become a Genuine Individual

Embracing Authenticity in a World of Conformity

In a society that often emphasizes conformity, becoming a genuine individual can feel like an uphill battle. However, the pursuit of authenticity is not only empowering but also transformative. Being genuine means living a life aligned with your true self—your values, passions, and beliefs—while embracing vulnerability and self-awareness.

Understanding Authenticity

Authenticity begins with understanding who you are. It’s not about perfection or adhering to societal expectations; rather, it’s about embracing your unique qualities and imperfections. Genuine individuals are those who act in accordance with their core values, even when it’s challenging or unpopular to do so.

Self-Reflection

The first step toward becoming a genuine individual is engaging in self-reflection. Ask yourself:

•              What are my core values and principles?

•              What makes me feel truly alive and fulfilled?

•              What do I want to contribute to the world?

Reflecting on these questions can provide clarity about your identity and guide your actions.

Embracing Vulnerability

Authenticity involves showing up as your true self, even when it feels uncomfortable. This requires vulnerability—being open about your struggles, fears, and aspirations. Vulnerability fosters deeper connections with others and helps you build trust, both in relationships and within yourself. 

Cultivating Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the key to understanding how your actions, thoughts, and emotions align with your values. To cultivate self-awareness:

•              Meditate: Spend time reflecting on your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

•              Seek Feedback: Ask trusted friends or mentors for their perspectives on your strengths and areas for growth.

•              Journal: Writing about your experiences can reveal patterns in your behavior and thoughts.

The more self-aware you become, the easier it will be to make decisions that reflect your true self.

The actual end of the world seems most possible when the power of imagination becomes diminished and people cannot envision creative ways to handle the inevitable conflicts and dilemmas of life. The emergence of the third thing requires an act of imagination and becomes an act of creation as something that was unknown or unseen becomes manifest and consciously known. The eruption of the third thing coming between opposing poles creates a quantum change that changes everything. This imagination requires a sense of maturity and creative imagination.

 Maturity, however, is related to a person’s ability to withstand and even understand the tensions that come with growing up and facing up to the issues at hand. To mature means “to ripen,” not simply to take on responsibilities but to be exposed to the weather of life and become fully grown, well-rounded, and finally ripened. In order to withstand the stress of life, a person must become who they truly are - as a seed - and ripen into the unique individual they are intended to be from the very beginning.