Labyrinth Walking

Len, Willa, and I are currently in Big Sky Country—Montana. One of our stops is Redsun Labyrinth, located near the spectacular Bitterroot Mountains outside Victor, Montana.

Labyrinth walking is an ancient practice used by many spiritual traditions for the purpose of centering, contemplation, and prayer. 

Contrary to popular belief, a labyrinth isn’t a maze. It has one path to the center and back—that path is a unicursal (meaning one line). A labyrinth doesn’t have blind alleys or dead ends. The path twists and turns back on itself many times before reaching the center. Once the center is reached, there’s only one way back out—the same way one arrives.

A labyrinth symbolizes a journey to a predetermined destination (such as a pilgrimage to a holy site), or the journey through life from birth to death.

A labyrinth walk is done slowly, with deliberate and thoughtful steps. Many times a person begins a labyrinth walk with a prayer or spiritual question to contemplate during their journey to the center. 

When the center is reached, the person pauses to reflect, pray, and listen for an answer, or for an even deeper revelation. On the return journey, the person continues to pray and reflect. Most people find labyrinth walking to be a calm and clarifying experience. 

Even if the walk isn’t tied to anything spiritual in nature, the slow, intentional walk is a quiet place on a set path with a level of focus that’s hard to come by elsewhere. 

Due to travel, I’ve turned comments off this week. If I were here, though, this week’s internal inventory question would be: 

[bctt tweet=”What question or prayer would you contemplate on a labyrinth walk?” username=”@TuesWithLaurie”]

“What question or prayer would you contemplate on a labyrinth walk?”

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

Best Foot Forward

Best Foot Forward by Laurie Buchanan

Best Foot Forward by Laurie Buchanan

It is my personal belief that each of us has an undeniable responsibility to our self and the rest of the world to be our personal best – to put our best foot forward – on any given day. The ripple effect is far too-reaching to do otherwise. I have a client who has determined her purpose to “Be Extraordinary.” She says, “Being extraordinary is not being a ‘bigger’ person. It’s a soul-based life that keeps Spirit in the driver’s seat. It’s waking up in the morning and saying, ‘Thy will be done through me.’”

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
               ~ Laurie Buchanan

www.HolEssence
Copyright © 2010 Laurie Buchanan — All Rights Reserved

Heading Home

 

Bahamian Sunset by Laurie Buchanan

Bahamian Sunset by Laurie Buchanan

Tomorrow we head home. The term “home” is used all the time, but what does it really mean? Maybe there’s as many different meanings as there are people. For some it’s a geographic location … the place they were born, grew up; or perhaps the place they currently reside. When my mom was alive, wherever she was is where I considered home. Does that mean when she died I no longer have a home?

Being married to a now retired military man meant that we moved a lot. Does that mean we changed homes each time, or does it mean we simply changed geographic locations? It’s been said that “home is where the heart is.” I have the sneaking suspicion that once this journey’s over—this journey we call life—I’ll be heading home.

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
               ~ Laurie Buchanan

http://www.holessence.com/home.html
Copyright © 2010 Laurie Buchanan — All rights reserved.

The Journey

The Journey by Laurie Buchanan

The Journey by Laurie Buchanan

We are getting ready to take a journey; one that’s been planned for over a year. Am I excited? Certainly. But in a way, I’m saddened too. You see for me, the anticipation—the journey—is equally important, if not more so, than the destination. 

This is just as true about how I view life and its events: births, marriage, moving, anniversaries, promotions, publication, graduations, retirement and even death. It is purposeful living—being present in each moment leading up to the destination—that is essential.

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.
               ~ Laurie Buchanan

www.HolEssence.com
Copyright © 2010, Laurie Buchanan — All rights reserved.