Meditation on the Labyrinth

July 24, 2019 joanna seibert

Guest Writer: Gary Kimmel

“The rhythm of the turns flowed into me as I found my pace and walked where the path would take me.” —Twylla Alexander in Labyrinth Journeys: 50 States, 51 Stories (Springhill, 2017).

This evening we walked the labyrinth in memory of Les Hunton, a wonderful friend, a fellow singer in the bass section, and a person who always presented a positive attitude. He will be missed.

Each time I walk the labyrinth, I come away with different thoughts. Tonight, the labyrinth blessed me with the following:

The paths we follow are a mixture of short, medium, and long. Most of our busy lives are spent in short paths: going to the grocery, taking kids to school, getting over a cold. But some are much longer: taking an extended journey, dealing with a terminal illness. We can walk fast or slow, but we can’t avoid these different paths. It is our challenge to focus on the path we are on, not on the path we just left or the one coming up.

Those who are also on their journey are not always on the same path I am. They may be on a path of a different length; or if they are on the same path, ahead or behind me. Consequently, they may not appreciate where I am in my journey and vice versa. I need to guard against judging their journey based on mine.

My path is not better or worse than another’s. They will be different at a point in time, but not better or worse. All of us will walk these paths, but each of us will be affected in different ways.

Richard Rohr points out that there are two stages of life: the building of the ego and the incorporation of that ego into Creation. Likewise, as you enter the labyrinth, you must work a little to come into a contemplative mood. As you walk toward the center, this mood becomes more a part of you. But when you reach the center, you are only half way. At some point you turn, retrace your steps in a fully contemplative mood, and leave the labyrinth with a new/renewed perspective.

I look forward to my next journey through the labyrinth and what it will bring me.

Gary Kimmel

Dreams and Spiritual Direction

July 23, 2019 joanna seibert

Hyde: Dreams 2

Guest Writer Bridget Hyde

“What I have continued to find … is that dreams are sources of wisdom for problem solving and life enhancement. They put us in touch with dimensions of ourselves that are normally hidden and that we need in order to grow toward our full potential.” —George R. Slater in Bringing Dreams to Life (Paulist Press, 1995).

The first dream that I took to spiritual direction was a dream about walking barefoot in the snow. When my foot touched the ground in the dream, I became aware that I was dreaming, and then I started to pray. Now, as I reflect on that dream, I see a person who is becoming conscious of the divine nature of dreams. When my bare foot touched the ground, I became grounded in the grace of the unconscious.

I had been recording my dreams, sharing them with friends, and honoring them with symbol work, but I had not sought discernment in this work from a spiritual director. When I told a friend this dream she begged me to work on the dream with a retired Episcopal priest and spiritual director named Allen Whitman.

I followed her stern invitation and began a five-year study of my dreams with Allen. From this inward study, I became aware of many different aspects of my character. My work in dreams began to show me how to connect the symbolic language of a dream to the circumstances of my life. For example, during a time when I was making a big decision, I had a dream that my airline flight was interrupted. The dream plane was grounded and I was forced to wait before boarding another plane.

When Allen and I worked on the dream, we both realized that I had come to a time of waiting in the decision process. Because of this dream, I waited to take decisive actions. I am so glad I did. It was a wonder to see my work in dreams as a kind of spiritual direction. I started to trust my dreams and their divine nature. Looking back, I see how God has guided me through my dreams, and I honor spiritual direction in dreams as a holy gift.

Bridget Hyde

Bringing Dreams to Life

July 22, 2019 joanna seibert

Hyde: Dreams 1

Guest Writer Bridget Hyde

Dreams are a very dynamic form of spiritual direction. They come to us in the service of wholeness. A visit from a dream brings unconscious information to our consciousness. Dreams carry a divine desire to make us whole, to integrate the conscious and unconscious worlds and find a balance between soul and persona.

There is much talk in spiritual direction about “ego” and how it keeps us from God, from our truest self. My experience has taught me that ego is not in and of itself bad. It is an ego out of balance that does harm.

Don’t we all need egos for our basic needs? It is our ego that drives us to get dressed and go out into the world. My faith tells me that God gave us our egos so we might have the confidence to put forward our gifts, and accomplish necessary, daily tasks. Sadly, some of us fall into situations here on earth that sap the vitality of our egos, our self-esteem. During dark or denigrating times, people often dream of kings and queens. Here, the dream seeks to balance a personal sense of worth by calling forth a regal, powerful archetype.

When an ego is out of balance the other way, it becomes inflated and sees itself above others, immune from harm or wrongdoing. If this happens to a person, the unconscious will sometimes bring a dream of falling from a high place to land on solid ground. The dream will seek to bring the person “back to earth.” Thus, a person may have a dream that a plane crashes, yet they land safely somehow; or another example is a dream where a car stalls and the dreamer must get out and walk. The main thrust of such dreams is to help the dreamer feel grounded, to avoid the fate of Icarus.

Bridget Hyde