Tuesday, October 20, 2015

My Very Un-Zen Meditations in the Omega Labyrinth

My husband and I enjoyed two days of R & R at Omega in Rhinebeck, NY last week. The retreat was a great way to take time out to reconnect with myself and reassess how I spend my (mental, emotional, and physical) energy.


We unplugged, ate wholesome food, and made new friends. We did lots of scheduled group activities like JourneyDance, improv, tai chi, yoga and meditation. We connected with nature by sleeping in a tent cabin surrounded by the sounds of nature, relaxing in a hammock while watching colorful leaves fall, canoeing in the lake, and walking in the woods. We even took a workshop to learn how to strategically align our lives with the phases of the moon.

Our last activity was a group meditative walk through a labyrinth. Labyrinth Society defines a labyrinth as "a single path or unicursal tool for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation." It's also important to note that, unlike a maze, a labyrinth has one path and no dead ends. You slowly walk the winding path, get to the center, and then follow the path back out. You're encouraged to bring a question you would like answered with you.

Here's what the labyrinth at Omega looks like:

photo credit

Frustrated would best describe my state of mind while walking to the center of the labyrinth. You might not be able to tell from the photo but it's probably about 4 yards wide in diameter. It's not that big. Still, it took what felt like forever to get to the middle. Also at some point during the walk in, I decided the question I had brought in with me ("What should I do about my coaching practice?") was completely wrong and insignificant. I was also angry and jealous because everyone else seemed to be in such a peaceful and meditative state. Grrr! I alternated between fantasies of leaping into the center and just walking out (because what was the point anyhow?).

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