Wisdom Walk


Lily Lake Labyrinth

When I received an invitation to walk a labyrinth under the full moon on the last day of August (thank you Crystal!), my curiosity was piqued. I have walked many labyrinths over the years and I find them calming when I am in need of comfort and supportive when I am in need of clear direction.

This full moon was a ‘blue moon’. (A blue moon happens when there are 2 full moons in one month. This is a rare occurrence that happens once every 2 or 3 years, hence the ‘once in a blue moon’ saying.) Just the idea of walking under a blue moon (even though it wasn’t actually going to be blue) added energy to my desire.

When I arrived the horizon was silhouetted with a group of women gathering in the twilight. I was greeted by friendly voices and the visual of the labyrinth rimmed with torches, twinkly lights illuminating the centre. A woman with a gentle voice asked us to form a circle and suggested our time of walking to the centre be a time of letting go. She encouraged us to linger in the middle as a time of receiving. Then walking out would be a time of synthesis. The labyrinth was blessed and then one by one we began our journey.

I am left with beautiful images of my experience of that full moon evening… the smell of the sage and the sound of the feather moving through the air as I was being smudged, the rhythm of my steps one following another, the rustle of the others moving with me on the path, the calm that entered me in the centre, the illumination of the moon rising over the fields and the feeling of gratitude as I stepped out of the labyrinth. I cherish this memory of walking with others on that warm summer evening.

Walking a labyrinth can be a powerful tool to tune into a quiet place inside yourself to receive wisdom from your intuition or Spirit, the Energy of Love or whatever speaks to you.

I believe that there is a great source of wisdom inside each of us. You don’t have to wait for an invitation to walk a labyrinth to hear it. You can begin your journey just outside your front door.

I want to offer you a practice I call ‘Wisdom Walk’ to help you find that place of wisdom that resides within you.

Wisdom Walk

Begin by setting a clear intention for your walk. Is there a decision you’ve been grappling with and would like some clarity on or does your state of mind need shifting? Is there an emotion that is lingering and you’d like to let it go? Are you in need of comfort?

Choose a place to take your walk. It could be on the sidewalks right outside your front door or in a nearby park or in a forest outside of town.

Take a deep breath and set off on your journey. Clear your mind by noticing everything around you. Clear your heart by breathing into it encouraging your heart to gently open to receive. Let your senses come alive and enjoy the heightened sensations. This is your time to be present.

Be patient. If you believe that your intention will be fulfilled, it will be. It is as simple as that. Look for signs of love and support and let the insights arise. They might come in the form of a ray of light, a whisper in the wind or in the clarity of an inner ‘ah ha’.

As you come to the end of your wisdom walk offer gratitude for all that you have received.

I would love to hear about your journey. Write a comment on Creating Space.

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2 Comments

  1. Rachael Simpson
    Posted September 21, 2012 at 11:46 pm | Permalink

    Last night I took out my camera and did a little “slide show” in reverse. My camera holds a lot of shots so I have captured summer in this little black box- including lots of pictures of how my garden looked throughout
    spring til now (the last day of summer). It was a great surprise to me and I plan to take these photos more intentionally in future. A different way to journal!

    • Jovanna
      Posted September 22, 2012 at 12:13 pm | Permalink

      Hi Rachael, I love your idea of a visual journal. It must be so much fun to frame your garden and remember the beauty. I’d love to see some of your photos. I love it that you came here for a visit!

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