Balance and Turns Lessons from The Labyrinth

Balance and Turns Lessons from The Labyrinth

Guest Writer: Gary Kimmel

“The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.”–Thich Nhat Hanh

Labyrinth All Saints Episcopal Church Southern Shores North Carolina

One September, I joined our church’s Labyrinth Walk for the Fall Equinox and Racial Reconciliation. A word that caught my attention from the brief service bulletin was “balance.” And that is what I focused on.

As I walked the labyrinth, I noticed two things: the stones that lined the path and the turns at the end of each path section. 

The stones keep one “balanced” during their journey. You can’t go too far right or too far left without the stones reminding you that you will be leaving the path. I remember how my parents, teachers, and other mentors were my “stones” growing up—never insisting or forcing, just reminding and encouraging. As I left childhood, I had to find my “stones,” a journey unto itself. I have been blessed with a loving wife, close family, and friends who make that journey worthwhile. My faith journey has been filled with challenges that have shown me the limits of my path, while travels and experiences have shown me how wide my path can be.

The turns at the end of each labyrinth section change direction and require you to focus on staying balanced. Turn too quickly, and you may stumble or fall. In life, I am often challenged with turns and changes in direction. Many are uninitiated by me and often take me out of my comfort zone. Those turns can throw me off my straight-line balance. I must be particularly aware of listening for God’s intention at those times.

All this reminds me that I am not in control – God is. So, the challenge is to discern the limits of my path – what God intends, not me. I am comfortable with what I have been called to, not coveting what someone else has been called to, and being supportive. And especially for me, to welcome the “turns” in my life that set me on paths I had never dreamed of.

Gary Kimmel

Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/

Movements to Start the Day

Movements to Start the Day

“In the quiet of this morning, I recall the prayer and gestures of the deacon as he or she stands ready at the lectern before reading a gospel narrative each week. I make the sign of the cross on my forehead and say, dear God, may your Word be upon my mind; and then the gesture again on my mouth, may your Word be upon my lips; and then across my chest, may your Word be upon my heart.

I add the sign of the cross on my belly, and I am aware of my feet on the earth. I pray your Word be upon all my body and soul, grounding me in your Spirit, guiding my every step. I begin my day.”—Trish Stefanik in Overlook Retreat House at Dayspring from InwardOutward.org, Church of the Savior, Washington, D.C.

Trish Stefanik reminds us of the meaning of our gestures before reading the gospel. Making the sign of the cross during my more than twenty years as a deacon has become a habit. However, I usually gesture my hands and fingers without thinking about what I am doing. I typically am more concerned about whether I will pronounce words correctly in the gospel.

How wonderful to be reminded why we habitually do things. However, I often count on God to remember the meaning. I am moved when members of the congregation also make these movements before hearing the gospel read by the deacon. They may also be unknowingly praying these same prayers silently for themselves. Perhaps they are also praying for the gospel reader.

Trish Stefanik also adds a fourth movement to her belly, grounding her feet to the earth. Our bodies, especially our feet, ground us to the present moment. God most often meets us in the present moment.

Finally, there is one more gift from the author. She recommends these prayers and gestures to begin our day.

Today’s reading is a rich blessing, reminding us that our liturgical gestures have an even deeper meaning. When we remember why we are doing them, they introduce us to a deeper communion with God. The movements can be even more powerful if done in community. The gestures and prayers can also wake us each day to connect to the God of our understanding, who has been there all along.

Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/

Nouwen:Zero-Sum

Nouwen: Zero-Sum

“Fearful people say: ‘There’s not enough food for everyone, so I better save enough for myself in case of emergency,’ or ‘There’s not enough knowledge for everyone to enjoy; so I’d better keep my knowledge to myself, so no one else will use it’ or ‘There’s not enough love to give to everybody, so I’d better keep my friends for myself to prevent others from taking them away from me.’ This is a scarcity mentality. It involves hoarding whatever we have, fearful that we won’t have enough to survive. The tragedy is what you cling to ends up rotting in your hands.”—Henri Nouwen, “Temptation to Hoard,” Henri Nouwen Society Daily meditation, May 6, 2017. From Bread for the Journey, Henri J. M. Nouwen (HarperSanFrancisco 1997).

Nouwen first describes our life as a zero-sum mentality. We can only do well, win, or succeed if someone else loses, so we will not share because there is so much food, love, and land to go around.  

There is one pie. If someone takes a slice, there is less for the rest. So, one person’s gain is another’s loss. This theory describes situations where total wins and losses add up to zero. Thus, one party benefits at the direct expense of another.

There is only so much and not enough for all. Some must lose for others to gain. It is a competitive scarcity worldview. It leads to a fear-based society.

 The opposite of the scarcity mentality is a positive-sum situation or abundance mentality, which occurs when the total gains and losses are greater than zero. A positive-sum plan occurs when we see resources as abundant. We plan an approach where the desires and needs of all concerned are satisfied.

One example would be when two parties gain financially by participating in a contest, regardless of who wins or loses. Positive-sum outcomes occur in distributive bargaining, where different interests are negotiated to meet everyone’s needs. With an abundance mentality, there is enough for all.

How we view our neighbors, ourselves, and the world is totally different in these two views. A zero-sum lifestyle is isolated and lonely, with our own self-interest guiding us. A positive-sum life sees abundance and gives away food, love, and knowledge to those in need. Consequently, Nouwen reminds us, “There are many leftovers.”

Jesus’ feeding of the 5000, found in all four gospels, is a story of a positive-sum experience.

 My experience is that I live in fear with a zero-sum lifestyle when I compete with others for the love, attention, or support of some entity or person. However, there is peace in my life when I live, knowing there is enough love, support, or attention for all.

Joanna      https://www.joannaseibert.com/