In a previous article, I shared my private thoughts and wrote about the reason for my stay at the lovely Golden Door Spa in Southern California. But I didn’t share my experience connecting with a sacred labyrinth and the clarity it brought me. After musing about my unease and stress, I am amazed how many of you connected, in a positive manner, with my feeling that it is OK to think about yourself and your needs. Many of you promised me you would take the time to care for yourselves. I truly hope you do.
Spiritual self care is important! I found peace in a sacred labyrinth.
OUTER SELF CARE BEFORE THE SACRED LABYRINTH
Initially, I planned to take care of my outer self at the Door. Friends, I can assure you, I accomplished my goal.
At this heavenly retreat, I spent my time taking supervised daily walks in the meadows; through small bamboo forests; down dirt roads lined on both sides with avocado, lemon, lime, and orange trees; into the gardens with all kinds of organic vegetables and fruits; and past the chicken coops where freshly laid eggs were collected for breakfast. I ate healthy food, nourishing my body and mind, took daily stretching and Pilates classes on mats, and participated in dance classes. My stay included a daily facial, massage, and a manicure and pedicure. It was bliss!
As I nourished the outer me, a contentedness found its way back to the inner me. Each new breath I took was laden with peace.
On the fourth day of my stay at the Golden Door Spa, a sacred labyrinth and I connected, and I found a solution to a serious situation I had been dealing with for years.
DISCOVERING THE SACRED LABYRINTH
At the Golden Door there are two sacred labyrinths.
The labyrinth my husband and I went to required us to first drive, and then hike the rest of the way. It was primitive, made of rocks, and high up in the mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean. When I saw it, I didn’t feel an emotional pull to enter.
Fortunately, one of the leaders of the Golden Door, Carol, stood beside me and prompted me to enter. My response to her, “I have not one question whirling through my mind that needs an answer. I don’t feel drawn to this labyrinth.”
WALKING TO ANSWERS
“Just start the process and see what happens,” she said in her very calm voice. “After your walk, I have a bag of rocks with inscribed words, and you will put your hand into the bag, and without looking choose your rock with your personal message.”
I walked away from her, entered the sacred labyrinth without a thoughtful intention and began.
As soon as I took three steps, darlings, my mind drew me to a 25-year-old serious problem. This sacred labyrinth and my mind in some manner connected. By the time I reached the center, I was in awe that I found my answer.
During my journey out of the labyrinth, I felt powerful, and hoped my rock inscription would be the word “power.”
THE INSPIRED INSCRIPTION ON MY ROCK
I was overjoyed with positive emotion as I shared my feelings with Carol. As I left the labyrinth, I was fully prepared to choose my stone, and knew it would say something inspired. But it did not say “power,” as I wished. If I’m telling the truth, I was disappointed and did not like the stone I chose.
Carol assured me I would come to love its message in time.
And she was absolutely right.
Fast forward to the present, my stone sits on my perfume tray. I see it each day and every night. The word “acceptance” and its message is far better than the one I wanted. I wanted the word “power” on my rock to give me the emotional strength to take the action I decided upon in the labyrinth.
Instead, the word “acceptance” gives me that power to accept my decision. I am grateful.
After my experience in the sacred labyrinth, I have connected to a many crystals and rocks, some even with inscriptions.
ACCEPTANCE IS POWER
And now for the moral of my musings. Each of us is beset with possibly one unsolvable situation. No kind words, gestures, or anything else will solve the problem unless there is action on our part to lay the problem to rest. And, we must find our way of doing this and then accept our decision. This is our power.
For myself, I found my way in the sacred labyrinth. My strong action, which I took, finalized my 25-year-old problem without one word. I found my power, and I accept my decision. I am smiling.
How do you find answers to difficult questions? Share your wisdom in the comments!
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Beautiful words from your soul!
Thank you for sharing your inner journey at Golden Door! You express yourself so artfully; both in person and in writing. The labyrinth can be a powerful tool and I am grateful to have been your “guide on the side” and witness it with you. Yes – “accept” was the perfect stone. I hope our paths cross again in the future. Be well…XO
Thank you for sharing your experience. We have a beautiful labyrinth at our Episcopal church which I used to stop and walk every Thursday morning on my way to teaching third grade. I have gotten out of that spiritual habit. I “need” to return to that place of spiritual nourishment. Thank you for reminding my of the gift I have right in my own “neighborhood”! Blessings!
I hope you are having a happy holiday season Karen!
You are so welcome. You are lucky to have a labyrinth in your neighborhood. Enjoy it into 2018. Warmly, Honey
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Thanks
Hi, Honey,
We have a new labyrinth in our area at the Bow Sanctuary. I will check it out! Thanx for recommendation!
Please do. I don’t think you will be sorry. Warmly, Honey
“Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation, some fact of my life, unacceptable to me, and I can find no peace or serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation, as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.” This quote, and practicing acceptance, really does give me serenity. Acceptance does not mean I have to like something , it just means it is out of my control to change it.
The most important line in your comment is : “it just means it is out of my control to change it.” Your comment sad but true. Therefore, we must turn to the wonderful parts of our life and accept what we have no control to change. Warmly, Honey
Beautifully shared story…I love the word “acceptance” especially in the Serenity Prayer…”accept the things we cannot change”. I very much believe in spiritual serenity which helps me through each and every day.
To accept is often hard but it is the reality of life. Having the resilience to stay focused on the positive is a key to acceptance. Warmly, Honey
How lovely! Here in St. Louis, one of my favorite places is Mercy Center, a retreat and conference center. (I always feel at home when I see the Mercy logo NY the front door – it’s the same logo from my blazer pocket when I was in grade school with the Sisters of Mercy back home in Nashville!) They too have a labyrinth on their beautiful grounds. Also, as an engineer (retired!) I know that sometimes I have worried over a problem I “should” solve (that engineer hubris where you think you can fix anything!) and eventually you have to accept that not every problem cannot be solved, at least not by you, and you just leave it to God’s providence.
I agree with you. Warmly, Honey