Keeping a Personal Journal

This is an excellent first session activity. The journal is given to each girl at the end of the ceremonial circle time. She can use the journal for the duration of North Star and long after as a place to record personal feelings, write down a favorite quote, song lyric, etc.

Objective

By recording their personal thoughts and ideas, young girls are encouraged to respect themselves. The personal journal can be thought of as an analogy to a person, i.e., decorated on the outside for the world to see, but the inside holds the true self, the inner private thoughts.

Questions

How would you describe yourself?
Which animals did you choose and why?

Quotes

“You are in a boat that is being tossed around by the winds of the world. The voices of your parents, your teachers, your friends, and the media can blow you east, then west, then back again. To stay on course, you must follow your own North Star, your sense of who you truly are. True freedom has more to do with following your North Star than going whichever way the wind blows. Freedom is sailing towards your dreams.”
(Pipher, 1994)

“The North Star — Stella Polaris — is a fixed point that can always be used to figure out which way we are headed. Explorers and mariners can depend on Polaris when there are no other landmarks in sight. The same relationship exists between you and who you truly are. Stay focused on your own North Star and you will find true happiness”
(Beck, 2001)

“In the beginning of all things, wisdom and knowledge were with the animals for Tirawa, the One Above, did not speak directly to man. He sent certain animals to tell men that showed himself through the beast and that from them, and from the stars and the sun and the moon should man learn…all things tell of Tirawa.”
(Eagle Chief, Pawnee)

Component

I am unique