Trees at Highlands Nature Sanctuary, the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System, in Ohio, my heart/soul place in Ohio (taken 09/08)
I think about the woman I have become lately, about the life that I am now living, and about how much I always wanted to be this person and live this life, liberated from the farce of pretending to be anyone other than myself. I think of everything I endured before getting here and wonder if it was me - I mean, this happy and balanced me...who pulled the other, younger, more confused and more struggling me forward during all those hard years.
The younger me was the acorn full of potential, but it was the older me, the already-existent oak, who was saying the whole time: 'Yes - grow! Change! Evolve! Come and meet me here, where I already exist in wholeness and maturity! I need you to grow into me!'
...Knowing already that everything would be OK, that everything would eventually bring us together here. Right here, right to this moment. Where I was always waiting in peace and contentment, always waiting for her to arrive and join me."
from Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
A dear friend celebrated her 55.6 moon nodal birthday this weekend — a special time that occurs every 18.6 years. It's when the sun and moon are in the same position as when you are born, and according to biography, or life cycle, work, as given by Rudolph Steiner, your soul purpose and lessons are highlighted during this time as you are called on to meet your soul's tasks in deeper ways.
My friend marked this momentous event by going on a three-day vision quest on a beautiful 100-acre farm that is being turned into a sacred retreat center. (She gets extra points of doing it in Wisconsin, in the chill of March!)
On Saturday evening, we gathered to mark the end of my friend's quest by walking the stone labyrinth at dusk.
Then each of us four women who gathered to honor our friend shared a blessing around the fire. I wanted to share something about how wonderfully perfect the journey of our lives are, and so I selected two quotes from Elizabeth Gilbert. The one above and this one:
I’ve come to believe that there exists in the universe something I call “The Physics of The Quest” – a force of nature governed by laws as real as the laws gravity or momentum. And the rule of Quest Physics maybe goes like this: “If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting (which can be anything from your house to your bitter old resentments) and set out on a truth-seeking journey (either externally or internally), and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared – most of all – to face (and forgive) some very difficult realities about yourself….then truth will not be withheld from you.”
from Elizabeth Gilbert's FAQ on her website
Tell me, what is your wise oak self calling you to grow into?
P.S. Another message from the universe came at this gathering: When I got to the center of the labyrinth, I asked for guidance to find my direction and my right place in the order of things. And, magically, overhead a line of geese flew in a straight line, and two who had been out of line fell in. Head toward your true north. Your instincts know the way, I heard. Go and all will fall in place. Thank you, universe, for the quick answer!
P.P.S. You've probably already seen this amazing talk on a different way to look at creative genius that Elizabeth Gilbert gave at TED. But if you haven't seen it, you must — it's amazing.
Direct link to talk here.