mindful monday: walking the labyrinth

ghost ranch labyrinth

yesterday i walked the labyrinth at ghost ranch. am i transformed? i don't think so. however, i'm basking in a newfound sense of awareness. raw awareness.

early friday i gathered le pug and headed to taos, new mexico for a weekend with family followed by a week of meditation and writing with dani shapiro. i was on the waiting list for months and was delighted when a spot opened in the taos summer writers' conference. after reading still writing, i felt i'd found a kindred writing spirit and was eager to study with her.

before settling into day one of the writer's conference this morning, i said my goodbyes to mom and pops. they're en route back to oklahoma as i type. we hit lavender fields, taos plaza, kit carson museum, numerous cafes, farm to table dining, and ghost ranch during our short adventure together. most with le pug in tow.

ghost ranch labyrinth was designed off chartres cathedral. thus, i knew the experience would offer a reality shift. before stepping into the maze, you may ask a question or use the walking as a meditation practice. however one chooses to interact with the labyrinth, there seems to be a calming, an opening, a quieting.

i dragged mom and pops along a dusty trail promising "fun." mom meandered along for a bit and then decided to rest on the bench while pops snapped photos of the landscape where georgia o'keefe painted. i felt overflowing gratitude while walking. despite a time filled with numerous raw emotions, i was overwhelmed with feelings of presence and completion.

sometimes life offers a little sliver of tranquility in unexpected ways. a contemplative walk, a warm smile or gentle touch just when you need it, a refreshing lavender iced tea, a "thinking of you" love note. you may not have the opportunity to walk a labyrinth today, but i hope that you have a few moments of contemplation to savor a sense of much-deserved spaciousness. it's found between the notes. between the breaths. between the lines. bisous. x