What does one do when they reach the Centre of The Labyrinth and stand atop the Heart found in the Middle?
Smile!
From the Bridge,
Through branches and budding twigs,
The Heart I painted in the centre of the Labyrinth at the Mouth of the Humber River,
Which I painted the same colour as the rest of the Labyrinth,
Now looks like it’s been re-painted in Red…
Mindfulness Dog Walking in Downtown Toronto’s Trinity-Bellwoods Park Labyrinth Walk . . .
“Day 15 of my Gratitude journal:
🙏
Today I am grateful for my path in life.
It’s been full of twists and turns with many unexpected changes and circumstances.
🙏
Of the millions of steps I’ve taken to reach this point of my life, I can’t say I loved every step of the way.
Some were painful.
Some were frightening. Some were easy, breezy.
Some were forgotten.
Despite the fact that I have my collection of regrets, not all of them were meaningless.
If not for some missteps, I would not have gathered valuable life lessons and experiences.
🙏
I don’t think I could’ve ever conjured up the current life I live, as I wasn’t one with lots of plans and dreams.
Mainly, many others have projected what they thought my life should look like, onto me.
Early on, I tried to fulfill those unrealistic lifestyles to make them happy, to seek their approval.
Sadly for them, I couldn’t make them happy.
In return, I also wasn’t happy.
🙏
These days, I might not be 200% certain each of my steps are perfect but at least each was my own decision.
Mistakes are part of life.
Most often than not, we don’t realize if a step was a mistake or a victory until we’re past it and further down the road.
However, we’d never know if we don’t take that step. We can start small, each baby step still counts.
This is empowerment.
This is life worth living.
🙏
Let’s start giving gratitude to what we have each day!
This will help us think more positively in challenging times like right now.
🙏
What are you grateful for?
🙏”
During this Pandemic, dogs still have to be walked.
And Liesel, a weimaraner, went Labyrinth Walking in Budapest Park, Toronto . . .
“With everything shut down the boardwalk was busy.
Plus,
It seemed like a good day to finally walk the Labyrinth.”
My most recent Labyrinth . . .
“Today I found the Labyrinth to my heart and soul during an urban hike with my hiking group.
So much so, I ditched them and did my own thing half way through.
☀️
It was sunny. The lake was glistening.
The light breeze was perfect.
The wildlife were everywhere.
🧘♂️
This Labyrinth has plenty of twists and turns.
There was a couple of times when I wanted to throw the towel in and take the short cut – to get right to it.
🏃♀️
But I stuck with it.
👉
Because deep down I know if I skip the necessary steps in life, I’ll miss certain intended life lessons.
Then instead of growing and evolving, I’m just bypassing the real stuff.
The stuff that makes life interesting and challenging!
🙌”
So many people step onto the Heart I painted in the Centre of my Labyrinth in Robson Square, I thought to re-paint several coats of Red so it may last a while.
It’s in need of a re-paint faster than I thought !
Hearts.
I now place them in the Centre of almost all my Labyrinths.
I add them to turn-arounds at the ends of the Lines which make up the outline of my Labyrinth Designs.
This Heart centre of my pass-through Labyrinth painted on Kensington Avenue during the July 2019 Pedestrian Sunday in Kensington Market.
Without a Heart somewhere in my designs, my Labyrinths now feel incomplete.
Emotion is absent.
Adding one or more hearts, changes the entire feeling, meaning, and experience of a Labyrinth . . .
Love Button indeed.
“I had the privilege of attending the “Crossing the Threshold” weekend from Birthing from Within in Vancouver.
I am in love with their philosophy and approach and I couldn’t be happier I attended.
As a First Nations woman and physician, it isn’t easy to ever feel fully “at home” in any type of training I attend, but this one had all the feels.
It informs not only how I work with birthing families, but my entire way of practicing medicine and being a human.
I was blown away by the weekend and the amount of reflection, compassion, and transformation they packed into such a short period of time.
I am standing in the middle of this Labyrinth in this photo, and I have loved learning more about the symbolism of this ancient path.
The First Nations Health Authority generously sponsored my attendance to this training without question.
It is serendipitous and perfect everything came together for me to attend, as it is exactly what my soul needed in this moment. 🌀🌱✨”
Something different.
Black and white photos of the subject sitting on a chair in the centre of my Multi-Colour painted Labyrinth in Robson Square in Downtown Vancouver . . .
Can’t recall seeing my Labyrinth in Black and White this way.
Every time someone walks a Labyrinth, the exploration, the experience remains unique and never quite repeats.
Likewise with me seeing how people interact, use, reuse, walk, the different Labyrinths I make in Vancouver and Toronto . . .
Thumbs Up for the Blue Heart painted in the Centre of my Labyrinth located in the middle of Grange Park, Downtown Toronto . . .
This is the moment I arrived in the Centre after finishing painting a Sky Blue Heart into each of the Aglets of the Labyrinth.
The presence of Hearts transforms the experience and meaning of walking The Labyrinth.
This remains true even for me, the Labyrinth’s maker!
