A lifeline is one of the most important tools to be used in your quest for self-discovery. By learning what the patterns of your life have been, you will know how to make sense of why you have done things this way or that and how relevant these events have been.

A simple definition of a lifeline is a horizontal line on which you will put the dates of the most important events that have occurred throughout your life so far. Of course, in most cases, the older you are, the longer your lifeline will be, and the younger you are, the shorter it will be. This does not necessarily mean that your life has not been presented with crucial events that have promoted a great change in your life, that have not turned your direction in this or that way. On a lifeline, everything is important.

Since you know your life better than anyone else, you can find out what is really important. However, don’t dismiss other things as silly and unimportant. One never knows. For example: you moved from one city to another. Perhaps this is not too memorable, until you see that there have been many such moves and thus a pattern formed.

To prepare, make sure you have a large sheet of paper for that, or take several sheets and tape them together. Draw a line down the middle of the paper. You will want to write both above and below the line. Hang the paper on an empty wall. Markers, not pens or pencils, are best for this project.

Then, on a separate sheet of paper, make a list of the events in your life. Here are some examples:

1. Start with your date of birth, the dates of birth of your siblings, if you have them.

2. Add the death of your family members and pets or anyone else you care about.

3. Write down your health problems and “challenges” such as your childhood illnesses, your surgeries, the occurrence of major illnesses.

4. Add the dates of your physical sexual development, for example, the first time you had your period or your first ejaculation, the first sign of pubic or facial hair, breasts, etc.

5. Add the dates of your first sexual experiences.

6. Write the name of your boyfriends/girlfriends, lovers; beginning and end of relationships.

7. Add your wedding/divorce dates (those are the main beginnings and ends of relationships).

8. Add the birth of your children.

9. Add your education and graduations.

10. Add the date your children left home.

11. Add the jobs you have had, etc.

The list can go on and on depending on what is important to you.

When you have finished making a list, categorize and color code your list: for example, all births are red; all relationships are blue; all health challenges are green; all works are turquoise (do not use yellow as it is not as visible); etc. Remember to leave black for the line itself.

Now, you can divide your life line into 7 or 9 year chunks so you have a nice even distribution of years. The ratio of 7 or 9 years, instead of the common 10 years, is explained by some metaphysicians as the dates when significant life changes occur. You will notice this pattern and decide which one to use.

Finally, draw your artwork, writing the events perpendicular to the lifeline.

When you’re done, look at the patterns in your life; your ups and downs, your challenges, your grievances, your surprises, etc. Finally, take a look at what this all means and where the main changes have taken place. Mark them on the lifeline. This will help you determine how to approach the next phase of your life and will also help you understand yourself better. You are done for now.