When the Universe Gazes Back: Staring at Stars Helps Us Find Ourselves

Starlight Becomes Inner Light

I’ve been amazed by the idea of ‘outer space’ since the Apollo days. As a kid, I’d lie in our backyard, squinting at the moon, convinced I could see the astronauts’ footprints.

Fast-forward to today: I’m still that wide-eyed kid, now exploring the Webb Space Telescope website for new images. Those swirling galaxies, neon gas clouds, and glittering star nurseries? They’re stunning. But here’s the thing: the more I marvel at the universe’s vastness, the smaller I feel.

Sound familiar?

It’s like that moment when you’re staring at a starry sky and think, “Who am I, really? What’s the point of my tiny existence in all this… cosmic confetti?” Humans have looked up for millennia, wondering, “What’s out there?” 

But every time we ask, we’re also whispering, “What’s in here?”—inside our messy, complicated selves. That tension—between awe and insignificance—leaves us feeling untethered, like specks adrift in an indifferent universe.

Why Your Mind is the Ultimate Deep Field Image

Here’s where my two interests—space and self-inquiry—collide. Because here’s the secret: you’re as mysterious and expansive as those galaxies captured by the Webb Telescope.

The key isn’t to “solve” life’s big questions. It’s to approach them with the same curiosity we bring to those glittering celestial bodies.

Astronomers don’t shame stars for being confusing. They lean in, study the light, and ask, “What’s happening here?” What if we did the same with ourselves?

Questions like:

• Who am I when nobody’s watching?

• What gives my life meaning in a chaotic world?

• How do I hold both my smallness (in the universe) and my significance (in my own story)?

This isn’t about answers. It’s about wonder. That same awe you feel staring at a galaxy 13 billion light-years away? That’s the fuel for exploring your inner cosmos.

Becoming a Constellation: How Chaos Creates Meaning

I gaze in awe at Webb’s Carina Nebula image—a storm of newborn stars and dust pillars. It looked chaotic, almost violent. But astronomers called it a “stellar nursery.” A place of creation.

That’s the shift!

When we stop resisting life’s big questions, we start seeing ourselves differently. Our struggles become part of our “cosmic weather”—storms that shape us but don’t define us. Our past? Just light from an old star, still guiding us forward. Our flaws? Textures that make us human, like the craters on a moon or the rings of Saturn.

You don’t need to “figure it all out.” You just need to keep looking.

Your Mission (Should You Choose to Accept It):

Next time you’re scrolling Webb’s latest photos, try this:

1. Let yourself feel small. It’s okay!

2. Then ask: “If I’m a tiny speck in the universe, what kind of speck do I want to be?”

That question? That’s where purpose begins.

Final Thought

The Webb Telescope shows us galaxies born 13 billion years ago. But your inner world? It’s infinite too. And unlike distant stars, this universe is yours to explore—no NASA budget required.

At Inner Counsel Therapy, I support individuals cultivate balanced, compassionate relationships with their goals and self-expectations. Together, we explore ways to embrace growth with kindness and authenticity. Book a free consultation and begin your journey back to yourself.

Photo: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

#SelfDiscovery #MentalHealth #InnerSpace #NASATelescope