journey to the centre...

approach the entrance of the labyrinth.

go pass the fluttering dragonflies.

aaaah, this is peaceful.

walk slowly through the gates.

om.

as you enter, check the time first please.

it's easy to lose track of time in here.

walk mindfully through the circular path.

you'll see a sign that says

"may peace prevail on earth"

you're getting very close now

for soon you will come to the spot

where you will meet the Buddha.

*This post is dedicated to my kindred spirit m.heart, author of secret notebooks. wild pages. Last weekend, we met for the first time in person. Location? Deep in the woods. For those who already know me, it comes as no surprise that I am a little geographically challenged. So when m.heart told me to meet her at the stairs in front of the labyrinth, it was no easy task. But I eventually found her after taking a few scenic alternate routes. (and yes, I did have my trusted GPS and it was turned on and talking...it was just a little tricky to follow along).

So, we decided it would be a good idea to calm our spirits and take a mindful walk through the small, nearby labyrinth. A labyrinth, similar in design and conception to the mandalas of South Asian Buddhism, has long been used as a tool for meditation. The purposeful path represents a journey to our own centre and back again out into the world. It is said that there is only one unicursal path - the way in is the way out. (well, at least it is for most people. exhale).

In the spirit of openness, I will now share a tiny, little secret with you...but only you, okay? We got a little lost in this single-path labyrinth. In time we found our centre, but we just happened to take a different single path. And so m.heart and I shared a deep laugh at ourselves and we shook our heads in bewilderment at our very blurry sense of direction. It was a good moment.