Poem from the Inward Journey

At our mid-week service today on 'The Pilgrimage through Lent' I  was mindful of the inward journey we so often neglect are we scurry here, there and everywhere. I was reminded of this poem by Robert K. Hall. For me, it is a reminder to 'bathe in the immediacy' of God, through Holy Week and beyond.

 

CALL OFF THE SEARCH by Robert K. Hall

I walk upstairs.
I walk downstairs.
I wander into the kitchen
and look through a doorway into
the living room with all its books
and oriental carpets, but I can’t
find the point of it all,
can’t reach into what I’m looking
for until I sit down in the corner,
pull my blanket over my head,
close my eyes, look into the
interior rooms and listen for what
is moving in there, and again be
amazed that there is a river,
constant and uncreated, flowing,
announcing itself with the sound
of life everlasting, bursting into
this wrinkled brain substance,
translating itself into muscle,
bone, fat, connective tissue and dreams.

When I bathe in the immediacy,
I never have to search for
anything again.

Copyright 2000 Robert Hall
Out of Nowhere: Poems from the Inward Journey by Robert K. Hall

Coming Soon...

"Wayfarer, the only way..." a poem

From Leah Rockwell, Wilson College Counselor
As I have been thinking about your labyrinth project and the film, I kept hearing a poem in my head (an old Spanish poem by Antonio Machado) that I wanted to share with you. I think it makes sense with the labyrinth concept, too. I prefer the word, “walker” or “wanderer” instead of “wayfarer” as this translator uses, but still, it’s a beautiful poem, especially when read in Spanish. Here you go!

"Wayfarer, the only way..."By Antonio Machado
Translated by A.Z Foreman
Wayfarer, the only way
Is your footprints and no other.
Wayfarer, there is no way.
Make your way by going farther.
By going farther, make your way
Till looking back at where you've wandered,
You look back on that path you may
Not set foot on from now onward.
Wayfarer, there is no way;
Only wake-trails on the waters.

The Original:

Proverbios y Cantares: Poema VI
Antonio Machado

Caminante, son tus huellas
El camino, y nada más;
caminante, no hay camino,
se hace el camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante, no hay camino,
sino estelas en la mar.  

 

http://poemsintranslation.blogspot.com/2010/12/antonio-machado-wayfarer-only-way-from.html

Recipe for Tarta de Santiago

Tarta de Santiago  - Have a Slice of Heaven
This is the cake mambers of the Spanish club made for "The Way" event

http://www.squidoo.com/recipes_galicia_spain

Tarta de Santiago, also called "St. James Cake," is an almond cake named in honor of the apostle. It's very flavorful and, rather than being of the light and airy cake variety, it's dense, making it almost fail-proof for me to bake!

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups ground almonds
3/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
8 tbsp butter (at room temperature)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup water
Zest of 1 lemon
Powdered sugar

Preparation:

·         Blanch almonds, then grind them until fine in a grinder or a food processor. Set aside.

·         Heat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease a round 8" spring-form pan.
·         In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar together. Add butter, flour, baking powder, and water and continue beating. (If you have an electric hand mixer, so much the better.)
·         Add almonds and lemon zest into batter and stir until thoroughly mixed.
·         Pour batter into cake pan.
·         Bake on the middle shelf for about 45-50 minutes. (Cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.)
·         Allow to cool.
·         Decorate with powdered sugar.

Decoration:
The traditional way to decorate the Tarta de Santiago is to sprinkle powdered sugar around a cut-out of a cross. To make one, fold a clean piece of paper in half, draw a half-cross vertically along the folded edge, and cut out. When the cake is cool, place the cross in the center and sprinkle powdered sugar around it.

The Way: Reflection

“We are One. We are all the same people” ~Camille Baughman

We had a great time at the “The Way” event on Friday evening. There were 37 people for the meal and over 40 for the presentations by Camille Baughman and Asunción Arnedo. A sincere thank you, gracias, to the Spanish club who designed the menu of traditional bean and ham soup from Galicia, chicken paella, vegetarian paella and St’ James’ cake. Thanks, especially to Katelyn and Heidi who made all the cakes! Also to Professor Córdova and Professor McMenamin of the Spanish department for their support.

The Spanish club began the after-dinner presentation with a brief introduction to the history and geography of El Camino de Santiago which has been attracting pilgrims since the 9^th century. There are different routes for El Camino de Santiago, the most popular being the French route which is about 800 kilometers long. Wherever the route originate, they all end at the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, Spain (http://www.catedraldesantiago.es/)  The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of St. James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus. Just as with the scallop shell, the symbol of the pilgrimage, all points lead to a central point.

Camille and Asunción shared beautiful slides and stories from their experiences on El Camino. Camille walked the French route in 2012 and Asunción in 2000. There was lots of useful advice for prospective pilgrims (pack light and pack earplugs, and know how to treat blisters!). They shared stories of heart-stopping generosity and hospitality experienced through the trek. Apparently, it is a tradition dating back to the ninth century for Spanish people to welcome ‘peregrinos’ (pilgrims) into their homes. People can complete the pilgrimage on foot, on horseback, on bicycles and on bus. Of course the most common way is on foot either in one pilgrimage (about 6 weeks) or broken down into stages over a longer time. Pilgrims stay in very affordable hostels, or albergues, which are meant only for pilgrims. One needs a pilgrim passport to stay in one. Each albergues has its own stamp which pilgrims collect as they journey along the route. There can be many people to a room (hence the earplugs) and Camille was introduced to the three-story bunk bed! Pilgrims can eat out or cook in the hostels, leaving food supplies for the next pilgrims to come along. It appears one is never too old to attempt the walk. Camille met and 85 year old man and his daughter en route. They both met people from all over the world and described a great sense of community. Yet, as Asunción stated, “It is YOUR Camino. You may be with many people but you are responsible for your own Camino. Everyone has a different path to take.” People walk El Camino de Santiago for many reasons, spiritual, religious, health, familial, perhaps just to go for a really long walk. Whatever the reasons for embarking on the pilgrimage, pilgrims who complete the journey seem to get much more than their ‘compostela’ (certificate of completion) at its conclusion. They have the gift of experiences that can change a life forever. The pilgrimage continues……..

above is a map of El Camino

The Way: Pictures

"The Way Event" on Friday had a marvelous turnout! To the left is the gathering for the presentation.

Here, attendees paint rocks for our (temporary) labyrinth, to be built on World Labyrinth Day (May 4, 2013)














Attendees enjoy a meal together

  Students (Heidi, Lindsey, Katelyn) enjoy St.James cake, made by the Spanish Club.

 St.James cake has the cross of St.James in the center and is traditionally eaten on El Camino.

 

Katelyn '16 presents our speakers, Camille Baughman and Ascunción Arnedo, with a token of appreciation.

 

Thank you to all who attended and supported the event, including: the Spanish Club, the Diversity Team, Rebecca Hammell (Associate Dean of Students), Paul Miller (International Student Director), Marybeth Famulare (Director Alumnae/i Relations Office) and SAGE Dining, who provided our wonderful meal.

 

 

Being on Pilgrimage

The stories of God’s people, ancient and contemporary, remind us that pilgrimage is a way of life. On the life journey we undertake as God’s people we do not wander aimlessly like nomads but walk toward the Holy One as pilgrims. The labyrinth is a model or metaphor for life which replicates our spiritual journey. Even though we rarely foresee its twists and turns we progress toward the eventual goal of union with God. The labyrinth is a symbolic journey towards an encounter with God.

Labyrinths provide sacred space where the inner and outer worlds can connect, providing a glimpse of other realms and other ways of seeing. Just as the disciples on the road to Emmaus walked with Jesus without realizing it, we sometimes forget that we never journey alone. In Celtic churches a fire was kept burning continually to represent God’s Spirit in the midst of the community – reminiscent to the pillar of fire by night when the Hebrew people moved through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21). They were a disparate group with diverse expectations and levels of faith. The people faced enemies, hunger, thirst and homelessness as they traveled. They doubted God’s presence and purpose for them. Yet there was God’s abundance in the midst of scarcity. God told Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you” (Exodus 16:2-4). From Jacob we learn that the desert is more than a place of struggle; it is also the location of holy encounter. As we hear these stories God invites us to find our place in the narrative. Like Moses, when past failures haunt us we can we can come to realize that we stand on the holy ground of our lives, take off our shoes and worship the God who never left us.

 

Pilgrimage Through Holy Week

'The Way' events today!

We are looking forward to "The Way" events later today. Thirty-seven people have signed up for the Spanish meal at 6pm with more expected at the movie and talk. Several folk contacted me who are considering walking all or part of 'El Camino' so they are excited to hear Camille and Asuncion share their experience. As our thoughts re-turn to the theme of "Pilgrimage" the following quote seems appropriate:


"The pilgrimage is a spiritual quest for a change, a transformation of oneself and relief from profound suffering, distress, anguish and illness.  The pilgrimage begins as a response to a crisis.  It may begin with a crisis of personal disintegration.  It may be motivated by the remembrance of a lost integrity and by the hope of regaining it.  The pilgrimage implies the refusal to accept the present condition of confusion and suffering as final; it implies that conviction that there is a way of transcending this condition, despite all the evidence to the contrary." (Paul Ricoeur, "Memory, Nativity, Self"10)

Announcing Labyrinth Workshop with Lauren Artress

I hope to attend the following workshop. If you are interested in going please let me know: rosie.magee@wilson.edu

Nourishing the Soul: Feeding our Spiritual Hunger by Walking the Labyrinth

Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church

April 19, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (lunch included) Cost: $60

Spiritual hunger is just beginning to be recognized in Western culture. Many of us struggle with the feeling that there is more to life than we are experiencing, while others feel generally bored with life and drained. Our imagination is not igniting and few symbols carry meaning for us. Walking the labyrinth is a profoundly effective practice to nourish our souls. Whether you are new to the labyrinth, or an experienced walker, this day will bring refreshment, new perspective and enliven your spiritual life.

The day will consist of a morning talk, discussion, questions and answer and a labyrinth walk with group reflection at the end of the day. This workshop is open to all and serves as a “qualifying workshop” for any two day Veriditas facilitator training.

Lauren Artress

 

The Labyrinth Soceity

It is a small (labyrinth) world. I was on The Labyrinth Society website, www.labyrinthsociety.org/, and discovered that their HQ in in Trumansburg, NY. It so happens I will be in Trumansburg next week-end so I hope to visit. I contacted David at the society and in true labyrinth-mindset he invited me to pop in for a visit when I am up there and review resources. He has worked with both Helen Curry and Lauren Artress in the past. I hope to get our Wilson College ‘pop up’ labyrinth registered on their Word Labyrinth Day site list.

Penn Hall joins the Labyrinth Project

Thanks to Aly Arnold for involving Penn Hall in the Labyrinth Project. We hope to have members of Elder Care paint stones to be placed on the labyrinth and some residents join our campus community on World Labyrinth Day itself.

Tea on Tap Reflection

Yesterday’s now was the perfect time to enjoy a hot cup of tea together. I tried making scones for the first time and, although I say it myself, they weren’t too bad.

Several staff and faculty dropped by Harmony Cottage and it was so pleasant to have an opportunity to chat with people about topics not related to work. We are all so much more than our job titles! It is challenging to take ‘time out’ from the business of our day to be with each other with no agendas, minutes, or ‘to do’ lists – but so refreshing! Thanks to all who faced the weather and my cooking!

 Here’s to ‘way stations’ on the way.

Tea on Tap--Today!!

Measuring for our Community Labyrinth

Sonja Hess and Kotchaphorn Mangkalaphiban along with the rest of the Wilson College Math Club have volunteered to help calculate the dimensions and exact location of the labyrinth we hope to build for World Labyrinth Day ( May 4th). Labyrinths are created to specific geometric patterns so we thank them for their input. Ours will be a seven circuit Cretan labyrinth as pictured on The Labyrinth Project logo.

Labyrinths FAQ

ABOUT LABYRINTHS

- adapted from ‘Pondering the Labyrinth by Jill Kimberly Hartwell Geoffrion, Pilgrim Press, 2003.

WHAT IS A LABYRINTH?

A labyrinth is a symbol, a pattern that contains a single pathway that turns back on itself at least once.

IS A LABYRINTH DIFFERENT TO A MAZE?

YES! Unlike mazes, the labyrinth offers one route to the center, one path that leads ever inwards to a central place. Mazes, on the other hand, have multiple paths and myriad choices, most of which lead nowhere. In a labyrinth there is no competition; we can relax and be present with the journey itself. The overarching difference is that "a maze is designed to lose your way, a labyrinth is designed to find your way."

IS THERE JUST ONE LABYRINTH PATTEREN?

There are a great number of labyrinth patterns. Some are ancient; others have been created recently.
The Chartres labyrinth pattern, which comes from a medieval cathedral in France, and the Classical or Cretan seven circuit labyrinth pattern are the two patterns most readily recognized today.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A LABYRINTH?

There are many. Different purposes have surfaced throughout history including:

decoration,

prayer,

protection,

inspiration,

amusement,

guidance,

meditation,

distraction,

creation,

dance,

problem solving,

symbolic reminder of death and rebirth,

psychological exploration,
ritual,

ceremony,

The possibilities goes on…..

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE LABYRINTH?

No one is certain of the entire history of the labyrinth. Clues that lead us towards its origins include: a labyrinth doodle on a Greek clay tablet dated 1200B.C.E.; the older Greek key pattern (also known as the Greek meander pattern) that can be stretched into a labyrinth; the orbit of Mercury as observed from Earth; and mythological stories such as the one involving Theseus and the Minotaur. We know that over time labyrinths of various shapes and sized have appeared on every inhabited continent.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE USE A LABYRINTH?

For many reasons:

To gain clarity.

To break old patterns.

To explore.

To connect with God.

To receive help.

To become more open.

To relax.

To find wisdom.

To celebrate.

To turn a new corner.

To pray.

To integrate inner and outer realities.

To heal.

To wonder.

To see if anything is going to happen.

To meditate.

To center

The purposes goes on….

BEFORE USING THE LABYRINTH WHAT DOES A PERSON NEED TO KNOW?

Nothing.
Many suggest experiencing a labyrinth Is the best introduction possible.
Willingness to engage the pattern and be engaged by the pattern is all that is needed.

Foundational Quote for the Labyrinth Project

This quote gets to the heart of the Labyrinth Project

“Labyrinths are unicursal, having a single path. With no choices or intersections, that path leads unfailingly (though circuitously) to the center. Mazes, on the other hand, have multiple paths and myriad choices, most of which lead nowhere. As a literary motif and allegory, the labyrinth is almost universally confused with a maze as a symbol for difficult entry or exit, for disorientation and complexity, or as a metaphor of the human condition. This confusion between labyrinths and mazes is evident in most dictionaries, which define each one as the other.

There is, in fact, a big difference experientially. Life-as-maze and life-as-labyrinth are opposite concepts, mutually exclusive, with vastly different metaphysical premises. In a maze we lose our way, in a labyrinth we find our way. A maze often involves a physical and mental contest between the walker and the maze designer, in the end producing not just losers but victims, failure at the hands of someone else. In a labyrinth there is no competition; we can relax the intellect and be present with the journey itself, establishing our connection to the sacred.

 Although most of us acknowledge the desirability of labyrinths, when it comes down to it, we generally see our lives as mazes, not labyrinths. It is easy to feel that we are off the path, that success in not assured, or that it comes only with luck and struggle. We see many of the decisions or events in our lives not as turns but as dead ends, time wasted, money lost, opportunities missed. We reprimand ourselves when we are divorced, or downsized, or if we fail as parents. Our rational minds work overtime. These are all traits of a maze, not a labyrinth.

Our spiritual quest, I feel, can be summarized as this single obligation: to switch from life-as-maze to life-as-labyrinth. The transformation from maze to labyrinth requires us to dismiss much of our conditioning, to reevaluate our identity, and to apply a new context to our lives. With life-as-labyrinth, we discover that all paths are part of the One Path, leading unfailingly to the center, where, despite appearances and differences, we will eventually all meet. No one will be lost. If we are alive, we are on the path.” (Helen Curry, The Way of the Labyrinth)

Reflections from our day of R.E.S.T. at Bon Secours

Thirteen of us travelled to the beautiful Bon Scours Retreat center on Saturday for a day of R.E.S.T. (restore, explore, sacred time).

What a wonderful place. We were made to feel at home from the minute we arrived with a sign at the end of the rod that read ‘Welcome Wilson College.’

Andrea had thoughtfully set up our space on a close in porch that had beautiful view over the countryside.

Andrea lead us in a welcoming prayer and invite us to identify the blocks that we experience in our relationship with God and throughout our lives. She asked us to welcome this naming as a means of clearing the path on our life.

“It is said that the reason a bird sitting on a hot wire does not get electrocuted is simply because it does not touch the ground to give the electricity a pathway. That is what I am asking you to do. Stay like a bird, sitting on the hot wire, holding the creative tensions, but do not be ground it by thinking of it, by critiquing it, by judging it. Actually welcome it in a positive way. Hold on to it. I think that is what Jesus was doing on the cross. He was holding all the pain of the world, at least symbolically and he refused to hate back.”

As we considered points of struggle in our lives, Andrea referred to Joan Chittister’s book, Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope and invited us to see that the gift of struggle is conversion. That though struggle we find out who God is and who we are as individual an community. How do we want to BE in the world?

The labyrinth was introduced as a means of journeying from struggle to hope. We do not walk the labyrinth with our thinking minds. We travel in with the struggle and the intention of traveling out with renewal. The work is God’s.

As we prepared to walk the labyrinth, Andrea repeated Edwina Gately’s words, ‘Waiting’

I need simply and only

to wait upon God

without expectation

and God, all longing,

moving within me

will breath in me

the music of my soul.

Our facilitator, Andrea Springer

 Painted rocks that will help create our community labyrinth on World Labyrinth Day, May 4

 Walking a Labyrinth

PREPARE

Take a moment to release and reflect

THE JOURNEY IN

Release concerns and quiet the mind

THE CENTER

Recieve what this moment offers

THE JOURNEY OUT

Review and reflect

EXIT

Carry the experience into your life 

The Labyrinth

 

Blessing Andrea used at end of retreat (from Psalm 107, Praying the Psalms by Nan Merrill)

 

Yes, attune yourselves to the small

still Voice within,

stay true to your heart's Center.

For through your inner being Truth

and Wisdom are heard;

the resource to break all bonds

is found there, too.

Has no one ever told you that

truth is written on the scrolls

of your heart,

that the Beloved dwells therein?

 

And know yourself! Let your aim be

to recognize who you are.

Aspire to live as sons and daughters

of Divine Love,

to enshrine the earth with,

divinity,

To honor all relationships as sacred, and

to live in peace and balance with

all living things.

Acknowledge the sacredness of

every path,

albeit different from your own;

In this way honor the Great Mystery

and the wonder of all life!

 

 

Day of R.E.S.T. tomorrow

Hi everyone,

 

I am so looking forward to our day-away tomorrow.

 

A reminder that we hope to leave from behind Sarah’s by 7.30am sharp. There will be water and girl scout cookies to share on the ride to Bon Secours. We aim to get there for breakfast at 9am. Our first gathering with Andrea will begin at 10am so we will have plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast and give ourselves time to catch our breath and let our spirits catch up with our bodies :)

Here is a blessing as we prepare for our pilgrimage

Peace on the journey, I look forward to traveling with you

Rosie

                                    Blessing for the Traveler

Every time you leave home,

another road takes you
into a world you were never in.

When you travel,

a new silence
goes with you,
and if you listen,
you will hear
what your heart would
love to say.

A journey can become a sacred thing:

make sure, before you go,
to take the time
to bless your going forth,
to free your heart of ballast.

So that the compass of your soul
might direct you toward
the territories of spirit.
Where you will discover
more of your hidden life,
and the urgencies
that deserve to claim you.

May you travel safely, arrive refreshed,

and live your time away to its fullest;
return home more enriched, and free
to balance the gift of days which call you.

John O’Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us

The Heart Labyrinth

Rev. Margee Iddings lead us in our Wednesday worship on the theme, “Deep Listening.’ We were blessed by her spirit and presence with us. Magee has extensive experience with labyrinths including creating labyrinths at a community college, a church and a hospital. She was one of the co-creators of the Heart Labyrinth at Ghost Ranch, NM, so it was appropriate that she lead us through the spiritual discipline of walking a hand-held heart labyrinth. We focused don our ‘walk’ on the word ‘tears’ after listening to a story on the ‘tears of the world’ by Theophane the Monk. For me, the phrase that bubbled up was ‘every tear is counted.’ Whether tears of joy or pain, none are insignificant and walks with us through them.

Here is the heart labyrinth and some questions for contemplation. Remember: within every question is a quest trying to emerge.

What words or phrases would describe your labyrinth journey today?

What bubbled up in you as you came to the "heart of hearts"-the center-of eh labyrinth?

Going deeper, did you hear the sound of the tears of the world? What tearful joys did you identify? What sad tears were evident to you?