Twinkle, twinkle…

Several years ago, when I set out on this journey that has become the Guiding Star Project I had a vision of comprehensive wellness centers that could meet the varied needs of all women. These centers would be places where women of all ages and backgrounds could come together and be served. They could be fulfilled and uplifted. They could be encouraged on their own journeys.
As we set out to spread this vision it became obvious very quickly that we needed a name for our project. The vision for these centers was clear, but what should we call them? Where would we find a name that conveyed our desire to inspire and uplift women by connecting them to the beautiful gift of their bodies? The answer came in the form of a book about women’s spirituality, and was captured in a poem included in that book. The opening stanzas went like this:
A Star rises in the silence of the night
And shatters the deep darkness of my heart’s
Loneliness and longing.
A star breaks away from the lowly horizon
And climbs in the heights
Where its brightness sings forth in glory and hope.
A star’s shining song wakes the dawn
And my dull and sleeping spirit
And fills my blind eyes
With new light.
A Guiding Star. That is what we knew we needed to be. Guiding Star centers will be places of hope that awaken those of us who are experiencing a “dull or sleeping spirit”. And so many of us are! We desperately need places that will reconnect us to our humanity and remind us how good it is to created women.
We live so often in solitude from our families and neighbors. We feel alone in the middle of a million people and long for authenticity of interaction. We know our work is needed because the messages we receive from women and from others interested in our Project speak to an existence that is often unfulfilling and more common than it should be. But people with hope and the desire to change that are coming together and they are finding common ground in the Guiding Star mission and vision.
We receive several messages on our Facebook page, our Twitter page, and to our contact email each week that express the longing of people to bring together the amazing resources in their communities and create comprehensive Guiding Star Centers. These messages come from all over the country and sometimes we’ll receive 3-4 messages from people in the same city who do not know each other yet desire the same thing! We’re starting to work harder on connecting these people because we know the time is here to bring this vision to every corner of our country. All it takes is people who are willing to work with one another proclaiming a message of goodness and beauty!
We’ve launched a new Facebook group called the National Network of Guiding Stars to help people more easily find one another. We hope to provide ideas to rally support in your community for a Guiding Star Center. We all want these amazing centers in our towns and if we know we’re not alone and have a team to work with it will be so much easier and more fun to begin the journey!
We’re beginning to add cities to our map that have a designated contact person and a growing team so that you can see how our movement is growing. These cities do not yet have an official Guiding Star organization, but they do indeed have twinkles that are growing brighter and stronger. We want to add a twinkle to your area so don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know you’re interested. It might be easier than you know to get a Guiding Star Center going in your community.
To join the National Network of Guiding Stars Facebook page follow the link, then request to join the group. We are screening requests to assure that we keep the group dedicated to opening new centers. To assure that you are added quickly send us a message on the contact form at our website as well and we’ll get you in ASAP.
Thank you for stopping by!