IMI Blog

Labyrinths are not mazes

A labyrinth is a pattern, usually in the form of a large circle, that has only one path beginning at the outer edge and leading in a circuitous way into the center. Unlike a maze which is designed to make you lose your way, a labyrinth is created to help you find your path.

Labyrinths are archetypes for wholeness, and labyrinths are found all over the world. When Erin was in Austria last year, she was hiking at the top of a mountain, and came upon a labyrinth made with grass paths outlined with stone. The simplicity of the labyrinth against the incredible beauty of the view from the mountain was breathtaking. Cara enjoyed walking one when she was in Sedona last year, and was surprised to find one in a park in Lewes, Delaware. In recent years, people have been rediscovering labyrinths as tools for spiritual transformation and for contemplative meditation. Like sitting meditation, walking invites you to enter into the experience with an open heart and open mind. It asks you to be present while letting go of each moment and releasing what arises in the body and the mind.

There is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth. You may walk it at any pace, you may pause and stop in certain places, you can even dance if you’d like! Some people walk labyrinths to reduce stress and some to inspire creativity and imagination.

One of the ways to approach a labyrinth walk is to pause before entering the labyrinth and allow yourself to focus on an intention for the walk, such as “what is the next step on my path?” or “ how can I deal with this difficult situation?” Once an intention is made you can step onto the path of labyrinth and start walking, and in following the path towards the center you can release or let go of the distractions. When you reach the center, pause for several minutes to receive clarity or illumination. When ready, follow the path back out. As you do so, this is a time for integrating what has been discovered about your intention, and gathering a renewed sense of direction.

If you are interested in finding a labyrinth in your area or when you travel you can go online to the world wide labyrinth locator on the web at www.labyrinthlocator.com

Share your stories about walking a labyrinth.

Lovingkindness

In the Unconditional Presence of Sound workshops we offer as a day retreat, the Lovingkindness meditation is always a highlight of the day. Lovingkindness is a meditation practice that cultivates a sense of compassion for yourself and others. It is simple and prayer-like in offering well wishes for peace, happiness, and emotional and physical well-being. Interestingly, at least one person will find it difficult to send Lovingkindess to themselves. Perhaps they feel undeserving in some way, that others are more in need. Others will find it difficult to send Lovingkindness to all beings, feeling that a particular person or group is unworthy. This is to be expected, as our minds tend to judge ourselves and others very harshly. And that is precisely why Lovingkindness meditation is so valuable, so that we have a way to reduce judgment and cultivate compassion.

We invite you to share with a post… What would you like to develop compassion for?

Reflections from the Reluctant Bloggers

We have been having a great deal of fun doing biweekly podcasts on a variety of topics including various meditation practices, poetry, creativity, music and sound healing, and archetypes and our life stories. We have been so grateful for the positive feedback we are receiving from our listeners. We will venture to the studio in a few days to record two more podcasts to air in the coming month.

Now we turn our attention to our blog. We would love to connect with the larger community of people interested in the healing power of music, imagery and the healing arts. We hope you will engage with us as we explore questions and ideas. To get started, here’s a question for all of you… How have you engaged when you have been reluctant?

Music

Music makes our professional and personal world go round! We are so fortunate! Our work involves bringing the power and healing potential of music to the people we work with. We have both witnessed the ability of music to bring strength, comfort, inspiration, and healing to people dealing with anxiety, depression, health problems, and work and family stress.

The composer Edward Elgar stated “My idea is that there is music in the air, music all around us; the world is full of it, and you simply take as much as you require.”

How is music a part of your life? your world? and how do you get your daily requirement?

Podcasting

Podcasting. We both dreamed of being on the radio one day. Of course, we were thinking it would be as Grammy winning vocalists! Fast forward to 2011 – we are on the new version of radio, through our biweekly podcast on the internet. We show up every week or so at our local radio station, WINA in Charlottesville, Virginia. There, our podmaster, Mike Bisceglia serves as our producer, editor, coach, and therapist!

We enjoy being part of the Charlottesville Podcast Network and encourage you to visit the website, www.cvillepodcast.com to listen to our previous podcasts. Each is about 10 minutes in length, and can be downloaded very quickly. We have covered topics such as Sound Healing, Lovingkindness, Poetry as Meditation, and the Power of Music. And while you are there, check out the other great podcasts from a variety of interesting people.

What did you dream years ago that has come true, though not in the way you had imagined?

Transformation

Transformation. To some degree, we are all in the process of transformation. In our workshops, we delight in witnessing our participants as they transform limiting perspectives and open to wider possibilities for themselves and the people they work with.

So, it seems very ﬁtting that we ﬁnd ourselves in a process of transformation as well. This second attempt to start a blog represents a big step for us in creating our dream of an ongoing, meaningful connection with all of you that we have met through our workshops and trainings. Of course, it meant we had to stretch once again to grow into bloggers!

We hope you will engage with us on the journey, and lend your voice to our community.

What is in the process of undergoing transformation in your life?

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