Your Inner Compass

Male musk deer are one of the most endangered species on Earth. They are also called melanistic deer because of the large amount of melanin they produce, which explains why their fur is so dark and shiny. Their bodies also create the most expensive scent in the world known as Kasturi.

There is a legend that tells the story of a musk deer that was roaming the Himalayan ranges in India when he smelt a mysterious and beautiful scent in the air. He was so attracted to this fragrance that he went from jungles to forests to hills in pursuit of this perfume. He seemed to have fallen in love with a ghost. He no longer ate, drank or slept. Finally, starving and exhausted, he slipped from the top of a rock and was mortally wounded. As his horn pierced his belly, the mesmerizing scent filled the air and, in that moment, the deer realized that the fragrance he had been after all his life was coming from within himself.

Similarly, many of us spend our lives seeking something that is actually inside of us. We spend our lives looking for inspiration in others and in the outside world, disregarding that the most powerful source of wisdom lies within our own souls. Many times, we fall into the trap of feeling unworthy and, just like the musk deer, we ignore our inner guidance. If we could only pause, take a conscious breath, deepen our attention, and open ourselves to our own heart, we may discover and align with our own source of light, understanding, and compassion. This does not happen overnight. It is a process of gradual unfolding until we make ourselves at home with this truth, and can trust our own intuition and inner compass. Like Rumi’s wisdom teaches us, your heart knows the way. Run in that direction.