The Story of Northern Star College

So, to be fair, let me tell you a bit about our story – and how Northern Star came to be.

Starting out in the 70’s and 80’s there was no map on how to learn what we wanted.

Catherine Potter

Teachers were spread out all over the globe and we needed to bring together the threads to create the fabric for our own journeys. And so we did. We traveled around, weaving together our education as best as we could.

We often say that Northern Star College aims to be a place where knowledge meets intuition. We put an emphasis on intuitive development and body wisdom, but also honor the wealth of information in our fields. You learn the tools you need to be competent in your fields, but also to attune to clients and your own insights.

We were looking for our own true north, and our search was in motion.

In early 2000, Catherine was teaching meditation, feminine-masculine development, and astrology, while Skye offered courses in dream work, and body feng shui.

Robert Rogers. Robert’s hat is made from the same type of mushroomthat he is holding.

Meanwhile, Robert and Laurie offered classes in aromatherapy, iridology and herbology at their college, Prairie Deva, which catered to Robert’s clients and the knowledge thirsty customers at Self Heal Herbal Center, which he and Laurie ran.

Robert and Laurie sold Self Heal. Robert gave up his herbal practice because they were increasingly more drawn to running a wholesale business in essential oils and flower essences and teaching and consulting.

Laurie migrated to Catherine’s Center, for inspiration and collaboration and continued to take in some dream work and flower essence clients. The experience of being at the Center was good, but something was pushing to be born.

Laurie Szott-Rogers

The one day Laurie and Robert saw “What the Bleep” (movie) and in a flash of inspiration Laurie knew that a bigger college was ready to manifest, something magical and extra ordinary, within the mystical fields.

Catherine was picking up a similar message and with Laurie shaped the concept for the Northern Star College. Robert was supportive since conception and Skye soon joined in. Edmonton was ready and within just a few open houses we had enough students to make a go of it. It came together with much ease and excitement.

In our first year, we offered three programs: Astrology, Feng Shui and Earth Spirit Medicine.

We have been great inspiration for each other. We are always taking each other’s classes and having consultations with each other.

Of course, we’ve had our own learning to do too.

Skye MacLachlan

We’ve had to learn how to deal creatively with situations where students, feel scared and insecure about exploring or expressing certain things (which is usually a huge sign that there’s a breakthrough just on the other side). And with running a college comes the administrative aspects (e.g. scheduling courses, accounting – monotonous, but necessary).

We are all entrepreneurs used to creating on our own so sometimes working as a team presents challenges. We are not funded by any outside source, so we take our own financial risks. And we are still learning how to promote ourselves in ways that feel fun and easy for us.

The curriculum has now been tested over time, but as we continue to learn more courses evolve with us.

Our knowledge seems to deepen as our own students grow.

And this college gives us the space to explore the questions that we are so passionate about:
What is meaningful and true? What makes life sing? How do we match soul purpose with making a living? How do we keep spirituality vivid amidst relationship, family and societal pressures? How do we find our own true north and know what our intuition and instincts are telling us in every situation?