I saw the same moon rise the night before while I was walking the labyrinth one last time. Most of the retreatants, including my two friends, had already gone home. In our Sunday morning session, one of the retreat leaders told us of his experience walking the labyrinth under the full moon, and I felt this regret that I hadn't thought of it--but then I realized I still had one night left.
Watching the light drain from the sky after the sun set while seeing the glow from the rising moon was very cool. Was it mystical? No, not really. I knew that I was fairly safe, but I still felt a bit uneasy. Plus it was a bit humid and buggy. But I do love a good moonrise:
The moonrise walk was not my only walk in the labyrinth. I also walked with a group on Saturday morning. We got to the center of the labyrinth and sat in silence together. I looked at a dragonfly and marveled at its eyes. I don't often sit and gaze at something--oh, let's be honest, I never do that. It was wonderful.
Other highlights of the long week-end at Mepkin Abbey:
--I did get some writing done. I had an idea for a poem about Noah's daughter, and I wrote it. I also got an idea driving home about Noah's descendants selling the ancestral lands that once grew citrus fruits. This morning, I wrote that poem.
--The weather was amazing. I got out of the car on Friday and was struck by the lack of humidity. It was warm, but I could walk from place to place without breaking a sweat. On Saturday morning, it was downright cool. What a treat to sleep with an open window.
--The retreat was a structured retreat, which is different from the majority of retreats that I've made at Mepkin. Although I enjoyed our time together, it was strange to have less time for all the worship services.
--One of the retreat leaders is a specialist in a Japanese form of energy alignment and realignment, Jin Shin Jyutsu. I had never heard of it before. She called it accupuncture, but with fingers instead of needles. I had a session on Sunday morning. I stretched out on my back (clothed) on a massage table, and for an hour, she put light pressure on a variety of points on my body. I felt interesting tingles on whole sides of my body, and at one point, my right hand fell asleep. At various points, I fell asleep. For hours afterward, I did feel energized beyond my normal after-nap feeling.
--I read most of a book of academic essays, Balm in Gilead: A Theological Dialogue with Marilynne Robinson. It was wonderful, and I felt my brain come alive. I plan to reread Gilead, which I read in 2005 and loved it. Maybe I'll read the whole trilogy again--and there will be a 4th book soon.
--The best part of the retreat was the chance to reconnect with old friends from my past. We often meet at Mepkin, but it's been harder with the new retreat center and the new approach to retreats--the slots fill up fast. I hadn't seen them in 2 years, and we agreed that we need to get together more often, even if it can't always be Mepkin.
--One of these friends is the one who said to me, "You've been talking about being a spiritual director for some time now. Maybe you should look into that more seriously." That was years ago. This year I'm looking into programs and making plans and also considering seminary. This same friend said to me this year, "You really come alive when you talk about these plans."
--I worry that I'll make decisions based on how I can fit them into my current life, rather than making decisions that will lead to the life I really want. I feel like I've been fitting my true passions into the crooks and crannies of what's left over after I do what I need to do to pay the bills. There's less and less time these days, and I mean that in all kinds of ways.
--I loved having long walks and beautiful gardens to see. The hydrangeas were in full bloom--breathtaking!
--It was good to have time away. It made me sad about all the reasons why I get so desperate for time away, and also sad about all the people whom I love and whom I wish I could see more often.
--I have returned home resolved to get some affairs into order. It's been almost a year since I boxed up everything and moved it into the cottage. I need to make some decisions about all that stuff.
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