The Magician's Cloak In Winter

In winter we are concerned that we keep our core warm so that we can survive the cold. Let us follow this as a metaphor. In the cold of life, emotional warmth can be lacking. So we really need to protect our core with something warm. Our core, or essence, is what drives us to make the decisions we do. We are all involved, whether we realize it or not, in a hero's journey. We are living a life that moves towards the goal of the happiness of living true to our higher nature.
First we start out slightly aware of ourselves, mainly through the perception of us by others. If our mother doesn't gaze lovingly down at us when we are babies we are blocked right there. But let us suppose that we grow to the point that we recognize ourself by name, in the mirror, and by some sense of self identity. When we get that far along we may think we need to wander down the paths ( in our winter walk)of identifying ourselves by labels or go down the paths of experimenting with what entertains us. Those are not necessarily bad paths. But they are not complete. The junction of the pathways is where I was thinking of the importance of the "jacket" or "cloak" which nurtures the core. The core is that which must make the "I am" decision, the part that is at home with itself and happy with self love. Part of that development might take place in the learning to keep track. We are aware of our body, where it fits in space. Then we become aware of what is outside of us. We learn to count and keep track. That evolves in learning to take responsibility. I Am. Then "I Will". We go through stages of perception and behavior. First it is "I am as others see me" until we can get to "I am as I see myself and it is in self love and acceptance". We also go through the behavior stages of "I act as I think others want" until we can get to the stage of "I act as I choose and I stand behind my actions." The way we nurture and protect ourself as we go along these paths or stages is with a jacket, or cloak, of self acceptance, which becomes self appreciation and self love. The magicians of old wore wondrous cloaks. Your protection and nurturing can take any form you want. Soft red velvet. Golden silk. Bright woolen plaid. Imagine what you will. It is yours to help you work your magic. Wrap yourself in a wondrous cloak and go forth. May the spark be with you.