Radical Trust

This past weekend I attended a creative art retreat as part of a coaching certification program.  Three days filled with many different processes - writing, meditation, jungian sand play, labrynth walking, mandalas, dance, claywork, and lastly creating a joy altar.  All of this shared with a small cohort of fellow travelers who were exploring their inner terrain and outer possibilities.  

The first night we were passed a basket of stones from which we were to select one that called to us, that we would use to set our intention for the retreat on.  I spied an orange one as others were making their choice but soon that was claimed.  I glanced into the basket to see a slight heart shaped rock beneath a smooth flat ivory quartz.  I picked up the flat stone wanting it to be the one for me - it was bright, and perfectly oval.  But the beat of the one beneath it could not be denied.  I picked up the charcoal heart to find it more a smooth seed with a notch in it.  I knew it was my heart-seed that would hold my intentions.  

We were then guided through a meditation to set our intentions - the word that pulsed through me was trust.  Trust myself, the process, the growth - the teacher, the fellow students - everything..

I found myself struggling caught up in old patterns, in comparisons and judgement.  My art was not flowing.  Just before noon, the instructor took us outside to the labrynth where we would walk at our own pace, observing.  A heart stone marked the entrance where we were to call into rememberance - our intentions, our struggles.  Release, resolve and renew as we walked the spiral paths.  Along the way, I took note of the plants, the statues or hanging feeders with hummingbirds flitting about.  And then I turned the corner and before me a stone along the border which read radical trust.  I stopped in my tracks, to breathe and to absorb the message.  

(I plan to write more of the retreat experience in a few days.  I need to sit with it for a while but wanted to share small bit as part of my Sunday check in)

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I officially signed up for the NaNoMo coming up (soon!!) and started on plot research.  I did come up with a working title of Louche but after this weekend I am feeling that may need to change.

Wabi Sabi - the retreat was rich in writing opportunities.  I have used the freewrite, poetry soup and distilled poem for this. (*please tell me your thoughts)

Freewrite - Walking in the Dark
Poetry Soup - Dark Hours
Final Poem - My Darkest Hour

My Morning Pages the past three days have been spotty - the retreat taking over for this.  I am returning to them first thing in the morning

Fences has been neglected. I am going to spend time tomorrow mending, painting and weeding - so that I can reach the goal of 1st edit before NaNoMo.