Labyrinth in Sweden

If you've read my blog, you know I am such a fan of labyrinths.  I encourage my clients to have the experience.  Steve, being the great sport he is, has helped me find many throughout our state.  So, when on day one of our vacation and we were in Sweden and he said, Beck you won't believe what I can see.  I laughed and knew that he had found a labyrinth.  We had to quickly get a picture -- no time to walk the labyrinth with our group waiting, however.

So Alive

Recently, we had a little time to go to the Golite Sale downtown. My new favorite running shirt is a Golite brand. As often is the case with our shopping, we enter to find Steve something and somehow leave with him not finding what he needed, and I have something new and fun!  I realized we were close to another labyrinth on this journey!   We stopped by, but it was locked.  Steve says it is a beautiful one.  We emailed to find a time to go inside.  I am probably the only one from the conference that is searching out all the labyrinths in our state!   

Some interesting questions for Crickers from this shopping trip.  Is she really able to turn on lights?  She is pretty amazing, but that isn't one of her talents.  The clerk where Steve was trying on his shoes had several questions about when I used the harness handle and when the leash.  Basically, Cricket is guiding when I am holding on to the harness.  When the harness is down and heeling her with the leash, she is off guide duty. 

Have I mentioned how excited I am about this new course my colleague and I are going to offer at the office in the Fall?  Mindfulness and Self-Compassion. 

A quote for the day:  This kind of compulsive concern with "I, me, and mine" isn't the same as loving ourselves ... Loving ourselves points us to capacities of resilience, compassion, and understanding within that are simply part of being alive. 

Sharon Salzberg, The Force of Kindness

More details to come. 

Another Labyrinth & Amazing Husband

We were in Logan on Sunday for a special gathering of three ladies - ages 97, 93 and almost 89. They are incredible women and such examples of 'accentuating the positive' in their lives as the theme of the gathering.  I wish I had a picture to post of Steve with his mom and two aunts.  All his brothers and sister were also there - very nice. 

This drive put us passing through another labyrinth from my list! On the way up we stopped in the beautiful town of Mantua and were driving around trying to find the location. Finally, we stopped and asked and a man helped direct us to the location. As we drove there, we realized it was a home. We were late for the reunion and a little nervous to stop and knock on a stranger's door. If we had more time I would ask Steve to do so and perhaps the conversation would go something like - Hi, I'm with my crazy wife that is super driven and you see when she sets her mind to something she doesn't let up and so if I want to sleep well tonight it would really help if she can cross this labyrinth off the list. The labyrinth list had emails on so I emailed her, and we agreed if we had not heard back from her by the time we left Logan we would not stop. If we did hear back and it was okay we would! Well, after our lovely time in Logan, I checked my email and yes! she had replied that we were more than welcome to stop by. As we knocked it was pouring rain, we were greeted by a lovely, very kind lady who invited us to go to her beautiful backyard and see the amazing labyrinth she had created.  We took a picture of the whole labyrinth, then began to walk through and that is when I realized no disc in my camera. So sad. I tried to stay in the moment and enjoy while wanting to capture it on my camera to share.  Steve took one as we reached the center but if you can see, you will realize half of the picture is cut off.  However, you will see a happy couple that had an adventure including an amazing husband that supports his wife in her journeys.

I left inspired by the hard work of this beautiful creation, gratitude for the kindness and warmth of a stranger, and deep love and appreciation for my husband.  And yes, I did some letting go in the middle of this lovely labyrinth. 

Happy Monday.  A busy day at the office and hopefully a ride on the bike this evening. 

Labyrinth

Sorry, Cricket I need to interrupt your birthday announcement  to tell about our visit to the Young Lavender Labyrinth in Mona, Utah on our drive home from St. George, Utah.  I am on a trek to learn more about labyrinths and my sweet husband is a super great sport and is actually enjoying it too, I think :). The St. George bright sunshine had my poor eyes so sore.  I wore sunglasses the whole time but it may just be time to have those cataracts taken care of or the macula edema is back.  (Just so you know, the option is NOT to stay indoors or off the bike. I hope not for steroid injections in my eye - that was a memorable, not in a good way, day - thanks for your support Lacey. ) I have an appointment on Tuesday am. at the Moran Eye Center.   I guess there has been an advantage of all our rainy weather.  Anyway, on to funner items:  the Lavender Labyrinth!   (I enlarged the picture so maybe some of you could read the sign.) 

A labyrinth represents your life journey.  Each person that walks along this path will have a different experience.   You walk in carrying the weight you are feeling, reflecting, and trying not to talk (okay, I had a hard time not saying anything)  and in the center you try to let go of something and walk back out a little lighter.  It can be something simple or something heavy - depending on what your day is like.   

This will be amazing and purple we were told in June/July.  Also, they are having a 5K run down there, too.  If it was a longer run, I'd be tempted.  Its still about two hours from our house. 

There were kids playing all around, a sweet little pond with paddle boats, and super helpful ladies in the gift shop.  We just had to buy some lavender lotion, spray, and lozenges for Steve's throat, because they were so nice!  I thought of you, Natalie , when they told us they had Lavender Honey.