March 2009

There have been two additions to my life this snowy season that have really improved winter for me.

One has been the purchase of light-weight snowshoes. They opened up the world in unexpected ways. Suddenly deep snow is not a hindrance to getting out and going for a good walk. Until now getting exercise meant following ski trails. Now I can head out at lunch, alone or with a friends, and head for a river or park or mountain and just go. If a dog is with me, I can let HIM lead the way for a change and have a a new adventure every time I go out.

The snowshoes also helped me to create a snow labyrinth on the property, which was the second addition to my winter fun.  A friend came over and we set about  making a beautiful seven-ringed labyrinth. The snowshoes made it easier than ever to make the design, and the shovel was kept for digging out the center, where we set up a snow altar with pink quartz, water, seeds and a lantern. It seemed that the more we concentrated on our task the more birds arrived, until the oaks and maples surrounding the rings were filled with chatter and comments from on high.

Originally it was to celebrate midwinter with friends in the neighborhood, but as the snow stayed so did my opportunity to walk the labyrinth and deepen my understanding.

At midwinter we smudged and called in the directions and each took turns walking into the center with an open heart and an unlit candle. As we walked we thought about what we wanted to cultivate in our lives this coming year and, just as importantly, what we were no longer interested in manifesting. Once we reached the center we lit our individual candle from the lantern in there, to symbolize the energy of the sun's light that would be helping us to nurture these seeds of intention in the coming year. We also took a handful of seeds, which each of us interacted with differently. Some put them in each direction as they returned, another placed them at the base of a tree which was within the rings of the  labyrinth, others took them home as a reminder, and I scattered them wildly in all directions from the center as I spoke my intentions. We had a lovely meal afterward and agreed it should be a regular occurrence.

I mentioned to others it was there, and they each dropped by when they had a window to set some time aside for themselves, and walked the shape. It was quite profound for many people.

It was so much fun having this mini snowhenge close at hand.  I tend to get 'doing' very early in the morning, and by the time I can possibly meditate, people have arrived to work, which is also part of my house, so I find myself out there at lunch or after work, to meditate. The more I interact with the space, and the more familiar I am with its movements, the more I let go and deepened my experience. In the beginning I was imagining physical things I wanted to manifest in my life, like health and wealth and happiness. Over time I moved away from  those more ego-based visions, to a simpler  and more meaningful letting go of fears, which I would identify as I walked into the center, and then walking out I just surrendered, allowing whatever might come as a result of me not being hindered by those fears.

As time passed, it became an opportunity to explore my relationship to the divine, and to understand how to merge with all that love. I felt better able to take responsibility for my life, with all its circumstances, as I saw how my fears had hidden the divine love that was and is always within myself.

Valentine’s Day proved to be more fun than expected, being newly singled. I was thinking about how Dads, for most girls, are really their first king of hearts. My dad died about eight years ago, but I have been sensing him over my left shoulder recently. A native friend was visiting and was saying how much relatives that have 'passed over' love 'spirit plates' of their favorite food.  So on Valentines Day, I had a date with my dad. I made a plate of some of his favorite foods, like stilton cheese and wild salmon and ginger jam and carried it down to the labyrinth. As I walked in I found myself repeating over and over "only love is real, only love is real", and I placed the plate in the center, where we chatted for a while, and then on the return walk felt filled with love and chose to tone 'ah' and 'om' as I slowly walked out.

What I have most enjoyed about  having this beautiful space outside has been how intimate it feels to walk on the earth in a sacred way. Each time one makes the effort, one is rewarded with a deepening connection and friendship with the earth. The trees themselves seemed attentive and appreciative. Likewise, initiating these sorts of dialogues with the earth’s energies empowers our own endeavors , both personal and planetary.  Merging with the earth allows us to merge also with the cosmos. We are each of us star seeds after all, floating in a universe of possibility. Happy spring.