28/10/2025
Exciting news- a new addition to my gong family, The North Star, a nickel silver 36’’ Gongland gong created in Germany by Rolf Nitsh. I will be bringing it to Water Orton this Saturday and Shustoke on Sunday… come and experience it for yourself! Book via the link below.
The North Star, aka Polaris or Stella Polaris is the closest star to the North Pole in the night sky and the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor, also called Little Bear.
The special feature of the star is that it does not change its location so is always in the same place. It is therefore often used as an orientation aid in the night sky and has guided sailors, explorers, and dreamers for centuries.
The star (in fact a system of 3 stars) is significant in various cultures. In Greek mythology, it is linked to the story of Callisto, whom Zeus transformed into the constellation Ursa Major. Norse traditions considered it the "nail" that held the heavens together. In the US, the North Star guided enslaved people to freedom and thus became a symbol of liberation. In the Arctic, the Inuits regarded the North Star as a spiritual guide.
In contemporary times the north star continues to inspire and act as:
- Guide, to help with finding our true path and maintaining values
- A beacon of hope and symbol of constancy and stability in challenging times
- A symbol of higher wisdom and purpose, many traditions regard the north star as a connection to the divine
