I walked a labyrinth today
The entry becomes the exit
Rock lined paths running side by side
One way weaves in and back again
I pondered in a labyrinth today
It seems a maze upon one’s first gaze
But dead end options do not appear
Walk in then out the sole choice no doubt
Motion in chorus body and brain
My mind wandered in a labyrinth today
Confuse or muse or time for inner views
The time was mine to be and see all gifts
I notice life’s nonlinearity
It is the same as the path’s winding trail
Life’s path seems to also bounce at random
Fifteen minutes was all it took
Concentration on winding paths
Freed my mind to further insight
I walked a labyrinth today
So, I visited a labyrinth today, if you somehow missed the introduction. A friend told me about this one in particular. I didn’t start the day with this on my agenda, but spending some time in morning meditation this plan became my reality. While I was walking and thinking it seemed like hours of thinking was occurring in what turned out to be fifteen short minutes. Fifteen minutes! We get four of those periods in every hour. If my walk around this labyrinth path were played out like this March Madness basketball stuff, I would have been out there for hours. But, I walked for fifteen minutes. I thought about what I want to do. I wrote parts of the verse above. I kept repeating, “I walked a labyrinth today.” The words for my verse just appeared. While walking the path, clearing my mind, repeating my mantra, creating new projects, and seeing career paths, a friend (different from the labyrinth recommending friend) came to mind a few times. When I finished the path and a text buzzed into my phone, (of course I had the ringer on silent…I was busy walking a labyrinth today) it was that friend. WHOA. That co-incident is for another blog (I think I say that every entry).
My mind was all a jumble this week because I have spent the last two weeks traveling to teach and speak at another college campus and going to a conference. I was also able to spend a long weekend with my cousin and her family. Over these two weeks, many ideas and thoughts about “what I want to be when I grow up” flooded in from many sources. New projects and new collaborations have seemed to drop from all over the place. It is very exciting to think of these opportunities. They are thoughts now…. but as we know those WILL become action. Cause and Effect is in action in tremendous proportions. In Nichiren Buddhism, we learn about conspicuous benefit and inconspicuous benefits. The conspicuous are the things you are hoping for, working, on and expecting. The inconspicuous are the things that just happen while you are busy working and living. I say “just happen” but it is all about the energy of action and thinking from a perspective of abundance rather than lack. Things happen when you are busy making [other] things happen.
When I got home from the trip to my cousin’s house, I was emptying my suitcase. I pulled out this small dish; you would put rings or earrings in it. There is a small peace sign in the bottom. I didn’t remember picking this up anywhere and forgetting it was in my suitcase. Upon texting my cousin to ask if she left it for me she said yes. Her text said, “I put it there! You bring me peace!” The visit was a great time to begin with, and now small present and 8 words made it even more special. The gift is, that no matter how long it has been since spending time we pick up at the same page, in the same moment, with the same energy, in the same love, bringing each other peace.
Labyrinths, conferences, trainings, and family oh my. How does all of this come together? The small things have huge impact. Fifteen minutes to ponder HOURS of work. I find a small dish with a huge meaning. Cause and effect is something we all have the ability to create and transmit through conspicuous and inconspicuous effort. What small thing has happened to you? What small thing have you planted?
RawAbility 