“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (28/40), Avondale Presbyterian Church – Charlotte NC:
I had a delightful walk and talk with my son Jack. Beautiful day, wonderful conversation. Alaska’s good. He’s good. All good.
3.30.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (27/40), St. John’s Episcopal Church – Charlotte NC:
This was a shared walk with two dear friends, Carol and Toni. Carol I have known for thirty years and Toni for maybe 5. Carol introduced me to Toni because of our shared interest in labyrinths.
Tonight’s walk was facilitated by Toni. She orchestrated her church’s labyrinth ministry which includes a Chartrd-esq canvas 7 circuit labyrinth, a smaller labyrinth for the children’s program and soon an outdoor labyrinth.
Toni is a trained labyrinth facilitator. And her facilitating is excellent. She began with an introduction and then walked with us setting the mood with her shanti chimes. The chimes were lovely and refocused my anxious mind. I need some!
We walked the Circumference of the labyrinth counterclockwise in order to close down Kronos time.
Before entering had us take a dark stone on our journey inward. At the center we released that stone and then journeyed outward with a clear stone.
This venue at the church was the former sanctuary. For years it have been closed off and was very dark. In the last year, it has been renovated with the beautiful glass interior windows. Today, as we walked, the sun was setting. It was a gorgeous time to walk.
Toni closed out Walk with a blessing from The Book of Common Prayer.
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-The Book of Common Prayer, p. 832
It was a blessing to walk tonight.
3.29.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (26/40), Myers Park Baptist Church – Charlotte NC:
I walked today with a friend that I made through Red Boot Way. Jinny is one of the wisest and most grounded people I know. And she asked to join me.
She knew this labyrinth well. She knew Tom Schulz the artist creator. She knew about the Chartres stone at the center. She knew it was good for children and people with ADD.
But still she let me talk about what I had learned.
She noted that it was a little worn. And I commented about the lamps in the corners that are “chaos” in contrast to the sacred geometry of the labyrinth.
She is a person who is gifted at holding space for someone. But I feel she was teaching me to hold space.
It was a beautifully cool spring day. The sky was blue. A few more trees have blossomed.
We walked and we shared the space with her 13 year old puppy and a mom and her two kids and our fathers.
I thought of this recent article I read about holding space: What it means to “hold space” for people, plus eight tips on how to do it well – Heather Plett
https://heatherplett.com/2015/03/hold-space/?fbclid=IwAR27zwuYEXvE7NB4zcKG1l27cCksZAJNttRhYEvDqUJCkVSnU-s_VgvJZUg
“What does it mean to hold space for someone else? It means that we are willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they’re on without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome. When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support, and let go of judgement and control.
Sometimes we find ourselves holding space for people while they hold space for others. In our situation, for example, Ann was holding space for us while we held space for Mom. Though I know nothing about her support system, I suspect that there are others holding space for Ann as she does this challenging and meaningful work. It’s virtually impossible to be a strong space holder unless we have others who will hold space for us. Even the strongest leaders, coaches, nurses, etc., need to know that there are some people with whom they can be vulnerable and weak without fear of being judged.
In my own roles as teacher, facilitator, coach, mother, wife, and friend, etc., I do my best to hold space for other people in the same way that Ann modeled it for me and my siblings. It’s not always easy, because I have a very human tendency to want to fix people, give them advice, or judge them for not being further along the path than they are, but I keep trying because I know that it’s important. At the same time, there are people in my life that I trust to hold space for me.”
Holding space on the labyrinth …
3.28.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (25/40), MorningStar Lutheran Chapel – Matthews NC:
Today was a sensory day … sight, sound, touch …
The wind chimes were singing loudly this late morning. It was beautifully sunny, but a little bit cool. We had a 33 degree freeze last night…
Albert came with me, but I forgot to bring his tether. And for some odd reason there were dogs barking in the distance. They must be a nearby house in the yard. They kept Albert on red alert.
I had wondered if anyone used this Lutheran chapel for services. And today, I see there are quite a few cars here. It is really a beautiful chapel, very simple with red doors. There’s a sign up that is available for wedding and other special occasions. It would be the perfect chapel for a wedding…
The gumballs were out in force. How do you get rid of gumball trees? Asking for a friend.
There was new growth on the hydrangeas and the tall sea oats.
I always look for one of the painted rocks around the periphery. Most were moved to the prayer garden that was created a year or so ago. But today I found just one at the labyrinth. It said “Welcome.”
As I left the garden I smiled at the Japanese Cherry tree in full bloom.
And someone posted this Louise Penny quote:
“The four sayings that lead to wisdom:
I was wrong
I’m sorry
I don’t know
I need help”
― Louise Penny
Seems like I’m saying all 4 frequently!
What a beautiful day!
3.27.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (24/40), Chartres finger labyrinth @ Charlotte NC:
One of my favorite blessings is found in the the Old Testament. When I regularly attended worship with my mom at Lenbrook, the chaplain would close the service with this blessing from Numbers 6:
24“The Lord bless you and keep you; 25The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’
And then I found this yesterday. It is how the Vulcan salute in the Star Trek series was created by Leonard Nimoy. And it relates to number 6:24–26.
In many interviews since the beginning of “Star Trek,” Nimoy has recounted the origin of the Vulcan salute, which he introduced into the series. In one such interview (with The A.V. Club in July 2010), he explained, “The gesture that I introduced into ‘Star Trek’, the split-fingered Vulcan salute, we will call it… that came from an experience — I’m going all the way back to my childhood again — when I was about 8 years old, sitting in the synagogue at high holiday services with my family. There comes a moment in the ceremony when the congregation is blessed by a group of gentlemen known as Kohanim, members of the priestly tribe of the Hebrews. And the blessing is one that we see in the Old and New Testament: ‘May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord cause His countenance to shine upon you’, and so forth. When they give this blessing, you’re told not to look! You’re supposed to avert your eyes. I peeked, and I saw these guys with their hands stretched out – there were five or six of them, all with their hands stretched out toward the congregation – in that gesture, that split-fingered gesture. Some time later, I learned that the shape that hand creates is a letter in the Hebrew alphabet, the letter shin, which is the first letter in the word Shaddai, which is the name of the Almighty. So the suggestion is that they’re using a symbol of God’s name with their hands as they bless the congregation.”
So today as I “walked,” I listened to John Rutter’s version of the blessing…https://youtu.be/QcYzO8Y4PH0
3.26.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (23/40), small pewter finger labyrinth @ Charlotte NC:
I had a small window tonight, but not quite enough time to make it to a full labyrinth in afternoon traffic. So I pulled out my smallest finger labyrinth and pondered a few things …
Did Francis of Assisi ever visit Chartres? As far as I can tell, no.
Did Jane Austen have any awareness of labyrinths?
“It would be very pleasant to be near Sydney Gardens; we might go into the labyrinth every day”.
Jane Austen to Cassandra, Wednesday January 21, 1801
But I am assuming she meant a maze!
Wow … I am watching the St. Peter’s v Perdue Sweet Sixteen game. And St. Peter’s wins! The first time a 15 seed has made it to the elite 8. GO PEACOCKS!
3.25.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (22/40), Sharon Academy (Wedgewood Campus) – Charlotte NC:
A storm’s a brewin’…
It was 64° when I got out of the car, but there was a quick wind that made it seem much cooler. And it was getting dark quickly.
As I prepared to enter the labyrinth, I realized that I was rushing. And that goes against the very idea of a labyrinth walk. One purpose is to slow down for a few minutes. But the quick cool wind and the impending rain have the opposite effect on me. Regardless, I was determined to slow down until it started to rain. And it never did.
Sharon Academy’s labyrinth is a newly installed, actually reinstalled, labyrinth on the campus of the former Wedgewood Church. It is less than a month old. And I was amazed to find several red ant holes. They were quick.
And a Kate Bowler Quote:
“If I were to invent a sin to describe what that was—for how I lived—I would not say it was simply that I didn’t stop to smell the roses. It was the sin of arrogance, of becoming impervious to life itself. I failed to love what was present and decided to love what was possible instead.” – Kate Bowler, Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved
Learning to love what is present … learning to smell the roses.
3.24.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (21/40), Avondale Presbyterian Church-Charlotte NC:
Today was a walk and talk with my eldest. Jack lives in Alaska and in the summer is a backcountry guide. He works primarily in one national park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. It is gorgeous there … true back country!
So as I walked I was updated on his world … days are nice … 12+ hours of daylight … today it was 39° and overcast, but he’s had several beautiful sunny days, perfect for outdoor activities.
In Charlotte it was about 50° and raining. I carried my umbrella. I can’t complain.
As I walked and talked I was reminded of Rabbi Jamie Korngold’s “God in the Wilderness: Rediscovering the Spirituality of the Great Outdoors with the Adventure Rabbi.”
“Those of us who love wilderness excursions know that when we are open to a spiritual experience, hiking also exposes the layers of the soul. Perhaps this is why God chose to give us the Torah in the wilderness, to ensure that we were spiritually prepared to hear the teachings. With each mile of distance from civilization, as packs seem to grow heavier and the footing more tenuous, we embark on an internal journey into the core of our selves. What is it about nature that provides such a rich spiritual experience? Why historically was wilderness an integral part of Judaism?”
— God in the Wilderness: Rediscovering the Spirituality of the Great Outdoors with the Adventure Rabbi by Jamie Korngold
My mind also went to Rabbi Heschel: “No one can sneer at the stars, mock the dawn, ridicule the outburst of spring, or scoff at the totality of being. Away from the immense, cloistered in our own concepts, we may scorn and revile everything. But standing between heaven and earth, we are silenced.”
I think Jack gets it.
3.23.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (20/40), Myers Park Baptist Church-Charlotte NC:
I was so excited today to open up my mailbox and find my new book about labyrinths and sacred geometry, Patrick Conty’s “The Genesis and Geometry of the Labyrinth: Architecture, Hidden Language, Myths, and Rituals.”(United States, Inner Traditions/Bear, 2002).
I ordered it from Better World Books which means I paid $3.98 including shipping. It’s a bargain.
I browsed my new book today. And if the first paragraph of the Preface is any indication, this book is way over my head!
“The labyrinth, that most ancient and fundamental symbol of our human condition, remains an enigma that has still not been explained in a complete and coherent way. This shortcoming represents a missing link in our knowledge of ancient wisdom and in our methods of interpreting and elucidating myths and rituals. Semiology and the science of interpretation, or hermeneutics,appear from this point of view to be limited and incomplete, and their methods must be reconsidered.“
It will take a lot of work for me to get through it!
Back to my labyrinth walking.
I was sitting in the car waiting for a family member and it was downright hot in the sun. But as soon as I got over to the campus of Myers Park Baptist, it was really quite pleasant. I hopped out of my car and immediately was welcomed by the birds.
Some days when I walk I try to play. I may spin, I may power walk, I may sit and meditate in the center. Always I get curious looks since most passersby have no idea what I am doing. I am here to amuse.
I have been reading a book about my enneagram type. It tells me my type needs to play!
The only other noticeable thing is the first trees are greening out! Pollen Index is high. Welcome, Spring.
3.21.22
“Solvitur Ambulando” – It is solved by walking, 2022 Labyrinth Walks, 2022 Lenten Labyrinth Walks (19/40), Providence Presbyterian Church-Charlotte NC:
I intended to get up this morning and walk at sunrise. Ha, that did not happen. It is the vernal equinox. Don’t you love those words “vernal” and “equinox”?
I was out and about and I wanted to find a labyrinth. I pulled up one of the locators and realized I had not walked Providence Presbyterian yet this year. This is a small labyrinth, but charming one. An added plus, however, is coming to the campus of Providence Presbyterian. It is really a joyful place. I truly love the old historic churches with the beautiful trees. Places like this just feed my soul.
As I got out of the car, I was immediately engulfed in a light cool breeze tempered by the warmth of the sun. And the birds were singing loudly.
I quickly walked to the labyrinth as this was the church hour.
The sky was a perfect blue. I love the old trees here. I wondered what these old trees think of me walking in their space?
And now a blessing …
Spring Equinox Blessing
From its winter sleep the earth is awoken,
The cycle of nature, true and unbroken.
The promise of spring, of life, a new start,
To fill you with faith in mind, body and heart.
The perfect wheel of nature keeps spinning,
With proof that an ending is just the beginning.
Rejoice in this season may it fill you with peace.
And may the blessings of nature, for you, never cease.
3.20.22
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