Today’s labyrinth walk was mostly an exercise in being present. One of the lovely things about doing this in the Fall (and fall seems to have finally begun here in Southern California), is that I get to walk the labyrinth barefoot. In the summer months, the concrete is just too hot.
The labyrinth I walk most frequently is on top of a hill in the Glendale branch of chain cemetery, Forest Lawn. It is an eleven-circuit labyrinth, a replica of the on in the cathedral at Chartres. When they first installed it, it was made is white and black marble. The problem was, cemeteries have a lot of grass, and grass needs to be watered. Marble gets very slippery when it’s wet. Personally, that just made me walk it more carefully, but there are people who walk across it, probably to visit deceased relatives, who aren’t as conscious, and it became necessary to change the surface of the labyrinth.
It is now cement, with some sort of smoother substance, which might be paint, for the markings. It may not be as attractive, but it offers me the opportunity to practice being very very present when I walk it barefoot, feeling the nuances in texture with the soles of my feet. I find I can do significant sections with my eyes closed, just by feel. It makes me walk much more slowly, but Spirit has been urging me to slow down lately, so it’s a feature, not a bug.
The inward pathway is about releasing, and I took the opportunity, as I always do, to consciously release all my attachments. While it’s challenging for me to be exquisitely present, it’s almost impossible if I don’t release my attachments first. We’re in a Leo moon right now, so my lower self has been indignant the last few days, wanting me to be recognized and honored for this and that. In other words, I had plenty to release.
My contemplation at the center was simple mindfulness. I allowed myself to feel everything that was going on in my body, my interaction with the breeze and the sun and the ground and my clothing. The best word I have for that experience is “soothing.”
My mantra for the outward path, that of receiving, was “I open myself to receive all of the gifts of the Universe, which come to me freely and easily, without struggle.” Same as always. I found myself playing with emphasis and interpretation, all while focusing most of my attention on the physical sensations of walking slowly, barefoot. Eventually I just returned to focusing on just the walking – I didn’t feel like I was receiving anything, and my mind started to get too involved. Before I was finished, I managed to find a place of compassion for someone I’ve been feeling negatively towards, and “I open myself to receive” had become “I allow,” with nothing after it.
My next labyrinth walk in Glendale will be on the day of the Solar Eclipse and New Moon in Scorpio, Thursday, October 23rd, at 1pm. All are welcome.
