Walking the Labyrinth using the Lord's Prayer

Today is Friday.  The day that the labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral in France is uncovered- chairs removed so people from around the world can use this spiritual tool, which has been walked on for over 800 years.  There is something mystical and magical to think of all who came before...and all who will come after.

I had a restless night and awoke at 8a without the help of an alarm.  I had an alarm set.  What is amazing is that since I've been in France, I haven't awoken before 9:30.  I jumped out of bed and prepared to go.  The church opens at 8:30 and I wanted to be one of the firsts.  I got there with 5 minutes to spare so I sat down on a bench in front of the royal portal.  I glanced up at a clear sky and a bright sun.  The sunlight lit up the 2 towers in parts, some in darkness while others shining with the sunlight.  I loved the way the light played with the architecture. 

At promptly 8:30, a person unlocked the Iron Gate and welcomed us.  Three of us walked into the nave where itwas a hushed darkness.  Around the labyrinth stood a group with candles saying prayers.  I have to admit that my first thought was "no fair, why wasn't I invited to this special event?"  Then I laughed.  Isn't it like us to want to feel special as we participate in special events only for a select few?  God gently said, "your journey is a private one between you and I.  You don't need this to feel special".  People started to move around in preparation for walking the ancient stones.  A handful of people entered before me and quite a few were behind me.  My heart sunk as I acknowledged that I didn't want all these people around.  Again, I laughed.  This is life.  People are always around.  Their presence can bother us and dampen our experience OR we can learn to walk our journey with all these people around, keeping fast to our inward walk.  So I started.  It was slow going at first b/c people walk at different speeds.  The woman before me liked to stop often and gaze upward.  I decided to go with the flow and do likewise. This bothered some women behind us so they quickly past us on the quest to reach the center.  I wonder if the center is your only focus, what you will miss in getting there so quickly.  I am learning to be humble, observe and not judge so I am only making an observation.  I do realize that we walk this in different stages of our lives; with different focuses.  One author said: "All who walk the labyrinth are on the same path with the same goal. (I think the goal is not to reach the center, but for GOD to reach us) There is always a time when you go by someone moving in the opposite direction.  Don't be fooled by appearances.  Whether heading into the center or heading out from the center you are both on the same path."  In this way, labyrinths can be used as a tool of compassion.  As I passed beside people going along a further part or when I was walking out of the labyrinth, I used my time to observe others and smile.  It is amazing what a smile can do- meaning without words:  we are in this together. 

As I walked towards the center, I constantly pulled my mind back into the present.  It is so easy to allow our thoughts to roam and rob us of the present experience.  Stopping, feeling the stones beneath me, looking up at the stain glass windows and saying a prayer of thanks were ways to bring me back.  I was concerned that when I reached the center, it would be too crowded for me to say the Lord's Prayer using the 6 petals of the rosette.  "Do not worry" was the answer.  So I let that go.  I focused on just being. 

There are many curves, which take you on a 180-degree turn.  There are times you feel you've just been there, but you are going a different direction.  The beauty of this is that you can see what you missed when you were walking the other way.   Potentially the same place, but different perspectives.  What a wonderful way of looking at life.

 I like thinking of the worn path, composed of many stones.  All having beginnings and endings.  Where one ends, another begins.  Saying goodbye to one chapter opens you up for the next chapter.  Whether it’s a wonderful time in your life or the most difficult, these chapters do have a beginning and an end.  Living in the moment allows us to get the most out of each chapter.  There are lessons and silver lining experiences in every day living.

When I am relaxed in where I am going; knowing that the path is planned out, I feel at peace.  Many turns make it impossible to see past the next turn, but I can be assured that there is a path.  I believe this is the answer to successful living.  Walking the steps in front of you as they open themselves, armed with confidence allows you to live this day to the fullest.  Someone knows where you are going and it doesn't have to be you. 

I reached the center as the only person left.  I was alone in the rosette.  This was truly amazing.  I had pictured myself bumping into lots of others as I prayed.  To be alone was glorious and an answer.  I quietly went through my prayer of faith, surrender, service, abundance, forgiveness and strength.  As I walked out of the 6th petal, I was drawn to the center circle.  I stepped in and realized that I wasn't finished.  It felt right to say "For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen."  Now I was done.  I was ready to take the curved path back to the beginning.  As I met others going towards the center, I paused and smiled.  It was a wonderful feeling to acknowledge each of our journeys with a smile.  So easy to give, so easy to forget to give.

I left the cathedral with a joyful smile plastered on my face.  I couldn't have frowned at that moment to save my life.  I was too right with the world to frown.

I plan to go back later today, hopefully when the crowds have diminished so I can do it again.  I feel more alive and open to life than I have ever felt.  So many possibilities.  The future looks bright.  And you know how long I've waited to get here!

A side note:  How are labyrinths a spiritual prayer tool?  I have wondered this and think that God uses anytime we are quiet and still to show up and be with us.  What makes a labyrinth beautiful is this; it allows our bodies to move while our minds can be still; walking and meditating without running into any walls.

A prayer at the center of the labyrinth

Using the Lord's Prayer as a guide

inspired by Kathleen McGowan

Use the rosette in the center of the labyrinth as the model of the Holy Spirit. 

Working left to right, embrace the first petal of the holy rose - FAITH and pray,

         To our Father Who is Benevolent and Reigns in Heaven

         Your names are hallowed and sacred. 

Contemplate here your faith in the Lord God and the grace of the Holy Spirit, while giving gratitude for the presence of the trinity in your life and on earth. 

         Thank you for the presence of the trinity in my life.  I give thanks for the faith You have given me.

Embrace the second petal - SURRENDER, and pray,

         Your kingdom comes to us through obedience to Your will.

         Thy will be done.

Listen to the voice of your Father that you may hear His will and carry it out without fear or fail.  Stay in this petal for as long as it takes you to submerge yourself and find the blessed release of surrender to His will rather than your own.

         Help me hear Your voice and carry out Your will without fear or fail.  Bless me with the release of surrender. 

         Your will not mine will be my mantra.  Let me carry the peace, which comes from surrender into all aspects of my life.

Embrace the third petal - SERVICE and pray,

         On earth as it is in heaven

Here you will reaffirm your promise to God and to yourself, which is your purpose on earth.   Pray for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to your purpose. You will confirm your commitment to create heaven on earth by acting in accordance to Jesus' teachings of love by loving God above all else and by loving your brothers and sisters on earth as yourself, for they are a part of your family.

         I promise You, Father that I will continue the purpose you chose for me.  Allow the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to this purpose.  I commit to creating heaven on earth by acting in alignment with Jesus' teachings of love by loving You first and then loving my brothers and sisters as myself.

Embrace now the fourth petal - ABUNDANCE and pray,

         Give us this day our daily bread, the manna,

Give thanks to the Lord for all he has provided you and know that when you live in harmony with His will and honor your promise/purpose to His service, you will know the bounty of abundance on a daily basis.  When you live in the flow of God's grace and you are aligned with God's will, you will have all your needs met. TRUST

         Thank you for all that You have given me.  Help me live in harmony with Your will and trust Your bounty on a daily basis.  Give me the ability to stay in the flow of Your will knowing that all my needs will be met.  Give me the trust of a child.

Embrace the fifth petal - FORGIVENESS,  and pray,

         And forgive us for our errors and debts

         As we forgive ourselves and all others.

Here you must list those who have harmed you, who have given ill witness against you, or who have otherwise caused you pain.  And you must forgive them, while praying that they will one day find their purpose in God's plan and realize their own connection to God.  You must ask that anyone you have offended forgive you in the same way, and most of all you must forgive yourself for all the actions and thoughts that have brought shame upon you.  For while all forgiveness is the balm of our compassionate God, self-forgiveness is needed most of all.

         Father, give me Your grace to forgive.  You call us to forgive ourselves and others to cleanse our hearts for a better life.  Help me list all who have injured me and to forgive those offenses.  In the same way, show me where I have offended and help me right a wrong.  Lastly, wipe away my sins and help me forgive myself.  You are giving me the gift of freedom from guilt and shame.  Help me accept this gift with gladness and joy.

Embrace the sixth petal - STRENGTH, and pray,

         Keep me on the path of righteousness and

         Deliver me from the temptations of evil.

For temptation is that which keeps us from becoming the butterfly God wants us to be.  It prevents us from keeping our promise to God and to ourselves and to each other.  They are the temptations of avarice, hubris, sloth, lust, wrath, gluttony and envy most of all.  Contemplate these sins and pray for your release from any that tempt you from the path of God.

         After forgiveness, help me learn the lessons of my mistakes and the mistakes of others so that I may live life to the fullest.  Keep me on Your path and when I do veer from it, show me so that I may trailblaze back to You.

Stand in the MIDDLE of the ROSETTE in AWE and pray

         For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory

         Forever and Ever.  AMEN

 It is through living the Lord’s Prayer that all of us have the potential to create heaven on earth.  It is through this prayer that love will be expressed.

LOVE CONQUERS ALL

FAITH

SURRENDER

SERVICE

ABUNDANCE

FORGIVENESS

STRENGTH

IN AWE

De-stressing Christmas

Check out this article on the Charleston Mercury website:

http://www.charlestonmercury.com/index.php/en/lifestyle/religion

Happy Holidays!

julie

A Texting Thanksgiving

Hey kids, I am working on a new column and I would like your help.

 Over the next ten days, will you please text daily something you 

are thankful for. Would like to see what happens!

 Love you four, mom

            When my kids were young, our bedtime ritual included recalling our blessings of that day. It was a time to reflect and be thankful. Life was unhurried, maybe not always peaceful, but the flow of our days begged to be taken slowly.

            Now that they are in their teens, I find it is harder to create family time.  Bedtime has evolved. Sometimes it is a prayer and a backrub, but mostly, as their needs and expressions change, our nightly moment consists of a quick hug as “sweet dreams” float through the almost closed door.

           I miss exploring their personal feelings before bedtime. For months, I debated on how to bring this intimacy back. Could it be done around the dinner table? Yes, that is a tradition-honored time, but it is a challenge to gather daily with their busy schedules and my eldest son lives far away.

            Time slipped away while I brainstormed. Finally, I came upon a modern day solution:  We would text one another what we were thankful for each day.

            I began with a group text to my four children. I asked them to participate in an experiment over a span of ten days. I wanted us to connect everyday with one event, idea, or epiphany that we appreciated. Would they join me in this endeavor to see what would happen?

            Ok, my sons texted back quickly, but my daughter, always a bit more discerning, wanted to know why we were group texting like this. My eldest son, ever the big brother, reminded her that group texting was the point of the exercise. She responded with an Ohhh haha, I didn’t even read the first text.  Then she added, I’m thankful for my life, my family and my health. We were off to a start, maybe a simplistic one, but a start, nevertheless.

            By day four, the texts were specific as we were thankful for our furry friends, baseball, good food and a “gret” school. We chuckled at the spelling error in the same quote as good education. I saw glimpses of their personalities. I asked my thirteen-year-old son William what he thought of our texts. He said that he didn’t mind and it was actually good. He liked having to focus and come up with a specific thing.

            Day five went with only my text. I sent another text on day six. I feel sad that our Thanksgiving text is petering out. Any particular reason?

            William, the easy going one, immediately texted back. I’m thankful for mom keeping us in line and always checking in on us all the time.

            The other three chimed in with thanksgivings of music, technology, living in a place of peace and family support. Day six ended with a fulfilling tone.

             On day ten, as I considered our interactions, I realized I had gained more than expected. On some days, all of my kids responded.  On other days, only one or two.  In the end, it didn’t matter that they had participated occasionally. The bond was there regardless, and when they did share, it was powerful.

            I will continue to send my daily thanksgivings. My words and feelings positively impact my mood and encourage my kids. In our busy world, every thread, even text messages, keeps us linked. 

Bring Your calabash

            Sometimes in travel, I feel God’s presence in the moment. Other times, I see it through reflection. But both happened to me in Okurase, Ghana during a mission trip with medical students from MUSC and pharmacy students from Albany, New York.  We had different reasons for being there, but we all found a joy in feeding hungry children.

            Hundreds of children- tots to teens- sat quietly as they waited for a free breakfast of porridge with a splash of condensed milk, bread, and a sachet of clean water. They were asked to bring a calbash (a bowl), but half of them came empty handed. We quickly found plastic bags, which were messy to fill and burned our fingers. We were determined to give every child a meal so we took turns scooping the hot porridge and tying the bags.
  
As I wiped away tears flowing down my face, I made a promise. Next year every child will have a bowl. I didn’t know how this would be accomplished. All I knew was my desire to help these people obtain the necessities of life- clean water, food, and a small plastic bowl.

The lyrics of a song we learned upon arriving in Okurase,   Ghana ran through my mind as the scene played out.

Everybody, everybody

Bring your calbash

Bring your calbash

Everybody should bring along their calabash

We are going to eat porridge

            The Holy Spirit's presence encouraged my family to travel to Africa to be God's hands and feet. He created a passion to share our good fortune in a way that blessed others. Mission trips are important because when we work side by side with new friends, amazing accomplishments happen. Time allows for a greater impact to our lives and spiritual growth.

            Water Missions, a company based in the Charleston area, whose mission is to bring safe sustainable water systems to remote areas all over the world, found a well site while we were there. Fundraising has begun. Until then, the villagers continue to drink from water contaminated by human and animal waste. This process takes many years of community and international resources. Now I appreciate the water that flows through my house- water I can drink from the faucet.

            Where was the Spirit of God in this covered open-air market that provides the villagers a place to gather? His presence was in the hope these kids feel for a better future, where people care about them.  He was in my tears and my promise. He was present in the students who traveled far distances to bring health care to people who otherwise would go without. He was in our faces as we served hot porridge and love. A beautiful new understanding grew between our two cultures. Language barriers couldn’t stop the connections made with smiles.

         
      Inspired by her visit, my 15-year-old daughter, Annie wants to do something. She has a mission. Can it be OUR mission? Can each of us reach out to one other and make a significant difference whether it’s locally or internationally. The place doesn’t matter. God can work through us anywhere. Do you want to join us?



             If you need suggestions, email me. I will send you a list of possibilities. If you know of a reputable nonprofit organization that needs our help, let me know and they will be added to the list.  We don’t need to go far to find neighbors in the lowcountry that need a helping hand. Together we can change the world one person at a time.

The necessity of visiting Elmina Castle, Ivory Coast, Africa

Standing in the dark claustrophobic space, my heart breaks. African men died in this tiny room in the Castle Elmina on the Coast of Ghana.  Their struggle for freedom ended tragically. The idea of such brutality inflicted by one group against another overwhelms me.  

The Portuguese built Elmina Castle along the West African Coast in 1482. Sao Jorge da Mina (Saint George’s of the Mine) began as a trade settlement, specializing in gold and ivory.  Later, El Mina became an important stop in the Atlantic slave trade. The Dutch seized the castle in 1637 and continued the lucrative slave trade. During the 18^th century, 30,000 men and woman walked through the Door of No Return each year. Many died on the passage. The Dutch ended this practice in 1814 and the Gold Coast was transferred to the British Empire in 1872. In 1952, the Gold Coast became independent and declared Elmina castle a historic world site under UNESCO.

For centuries, African tribes enslaved captives from war, often selling them to foreign slavers who treated them like bartered goods, only caring whether they lived or died by the financial gain or loss they would experience. The plaque next to the Door of Death reads, In Everlasting Memory of the Anguish of Our Ancestors. May those who died rest in peace. May those who return find their roots. May Humanity never again perpetrate such injustice against humanity. We, the living vow to uphold this. Against the walls are wreaths left behind by family members who come here to honor the dead and mourn their tragic loss. In forgetting, history will repeat itself and as fellow humans, we must stand up to injustice wherever and whenever we see it.

I walk down the long lightless corridor to the Door of No Return. Sunlight streams through the narrow opening at the end of the tunnel. I image proud African men and women pushed past the door, through the harbor and into the slave ships waiting to transport them on the Middle Passage to the Americas.

As a part of our medical mission trip, we toured Elmina Castle, a white washed three-story castle located at the end of a sandy point. Our first full day in Ghana was spent traveling four hours to visit the historical site. Some medical students from MUSC and College of Charleston undergraduates joined my children and me in this pilgrimage. We came together to offer health care to a poverty stricken area. Okurase was our final destination, but to understand the history of slavery in West Africa and its ties to the Charleston area, we visited this emotionally painful site.

The dungeons consisted of numerous cells, each of which housed up to two hundred people at a time. A ship would come by every two months. With the anticipation of its arrival, slaves were packed into the cells without room to lie down. Illnesses, especially malaria and yellow fever were a common occurrence. Hundreds of thousands of slaves shared these close quarters even before the appalling accommodations on the ships bound for the Americas.

The topic of slavery is not new to my children or me. Stories of planatations worked by slaves of West African descent are common here. For me, touring the castle makes the cruelty and brutality of slavery palpable. When asked, my fifteen-year-old daughter Annie says, “There is nothing as powerful as standing in a place you studied in school and feel the emotion welling up. You can’t get that in a book. It changes you.”

Near the birthplace of many of South Carolina slaves, in dank places where the walls still echo with anguish and grief, families were separated, never to be reunited. As I reflect on my time there, I am still uncomfortable with the sadness that remains in those stones. In the presence of my children, I am encouraged that a new generation will begin to feel the outrage and sadness. My hope is that each of us continues to fight injustice in our lifetime. Only by passing on these painful lessons will our world become a better place for us all.  

Solitude in the Face of Fear

    White mist hovers over the lake as the sun breaks through the morning horizon. Leaves, starting to appear on the limbs of the trees that hug the shore, give proof of spring. Soon my clear view of the blue water will be replaced by green. The temperature is cool with a hint of warmth that will arrive later in the day. The fresh mountain air begins to revive me as I sit on the deck with a cup of hot tea.

     I come to this cabin to escape my life. I am physically isolated and it symbolizes the bigger picture of being alone in the world. As an extravert, I don’t “ do alone” well, but I am determined to learn. My life has made a drastic turn and I am working hard to keep up. I fear this loneliness. I have conquered my past fears and I believe this one can be overcome as well.

     Years ago, a quote caught my eye Go towards your fears, for that is where you will grow. I grew up afraid of heights so at the age of 20, I parachuted out of a Cessna single engine plane. Another time, I dogsledded in Alaska to get over my aversion to cold weather. I spent two nights on the Yukon trail at 20 below. When my glass of wine became slushy, I knew that nothing would ever be that cold again.

     I decided to tackle this new situation in the same way, head-on. I rented a mountain cabin in Cashiers for a year. When my kids are with their father for a week a month, I seek peace in this isolated retreat. I force myself to spend days in seclusion. I knew I could find solitude, the joy of being alone. The unexpected gift is a profoundly deeper relationship with God. He shows up in amazing ways, just when I need him the most. I begin to read, meditate, and take long hikes with my dog Oscar. God speaks to me through the space that is often filled with busyness. His presence surrounds me and I begin to write. His thoughts inspire me and guide my fingers across the page. I began to see the blessings of my broken-heart. I open myself to Him and He honors my vulnerability.

    Studying Jesus’s life and how He often withdrew to be with His Father, I realize that retreat is vital to deepening a relationship with our Creator. It is challenging to find space, but absolutely necessary for growth. If Jesus needed frequent time with Our Father, then how much more do I need?  While being in the quiet, I receive clarity and the big picture is revealed. By Jesus’s example, I have found a way to connect and this knowledge encourages me.

     Running towards my fear was a success. Since those early weeks in the mountains, I’ve traveled to Europe on my own. Traveling with companions is still my first choice and I frequently make trips with my kids and friends, though I see the value of solitary travel where life is experienced in unique ways. And the bonus: God shows up every time.

                 

                    This Cabin on Lake Glenville, 

                       near Cashiers,  North Carolina

                             was my refuge for a year. 

                        A place to heal and a place filled 

                      with many memories 

                     that I will cherish always.