Spirit of Peace Meditation Walk Continues!

Greetings, all,
You all are due a wrap-up post from Day 4-6 from the pre-Inauguration Meditation Walk schedule.  And more background about the Spirit of Peace and its 1989 pilgrimage to Russia and its sister US tour in 1993.  Soon, I promise!

My partner Patti and I are continuing the Meditation Walk with twice a week frequency.  Join us*!  We're aiming for every Tue & Sat afternoon, but it shifts due to conflicting appointments and life commitments.  Here's the dates for February: 

• Fri, Feb 3
• Tue, Feb 7
• Sun, Feb 12
• Tue, Feb 14 (I love this falling on Valentine's Day!)
• Sun, Feb 19
• Tue, Feb 21
• Sat, Feb 25
• Tue, Feb 28 (Arts Advocacy Day!)

* Learn the song and read more background here.

Mid-point Reflections on Spirit of Peace Walk

My partner and I have really enjoyed our daily hour of intention together over the past three days. Here's a few of our reflections:

Day 1, Sunday, January 15

It's a beautiful sunny day. We gotta wear shades (I'm evidently a child of the 80's). 

Check out that amazing blue sky!  (No filter) Photo by Points of Light Music.

And look there's another labyrinth popup! 

Fresh snow canvas = snow labyrinth potential.  Glad someone used it!  (Photo by Points Of Light Music)

There's a few visitors touring the new finished renovations of the capital building. One guy asks: "Are you guys drunk?"  I reply, "No, we're stone sober." 

Start with setting intentions in front of the Veterans Service Building. We walk down the right side. Shuffle across the street. Restart again. The sidewalk has a pattern of a darker on-point square in the middle of the typical concrete and I enjoy watching my shadow spread my justice and peace energy as I walk up using the angles as my guide.  We find ourselves in front of the steps and sing a reminder of the light and love in every person. End with gratitude. 

Then we ventured inside for a look-peek. Do a little impromptu humming in the rotunda. And then walk back the other side of the mall. 



Day 3 walkers:  Patti, Saleem, and Conie

Day 2, Monday, January 16, Martin Luther King Jr holiday

Weather: overcast but not windy or freezing. I didn't wear my snow boots or extra cushy socks so my toes get cold. 

Walkers: Patti, Saleem, and I 



 

As we three are chatting by the Gold Star Table, I notice capital security has pulled into the parking lot. Since it's a federal holiday, we're the only ones parked there. We trot over to ask if it's ok and confirm the holiday and that the meter doesn't need to be fed. We're fine, he reassures us. 

 

Convening in front of the Veterans Service Building I notice the beautiful lotus-like sculpture in the center of the fountain(?). Does anybody know its background or its creator? There's so much beautiful and meaningful memorial installations on the Capital grounds. If you haven't had a chance go and explore! 

Today we decide to walk the left side up to balance what we did yesterday. It's lovely having another person to add to our harmony. As we make our way across the lower quad, I notice another (the same?) security vehicle in a different lot. They seem to be watching us? When we reach the street, we sing but don't walk the slow pace across. Over the course of the chant we advance 8 steps so crossing a four lane street would take at least 4 repeats. Not worth risking our safety or inviting question. 

I've been watching two group of folks milling about on the capital steps since we started. Now that we're closer it seems like some are logistics organizers for the Women's March and another group is live streaming a promo of the musical acts appearing at the March ... But we don't know that until we've photo (video?) bombed part of it. Oops! 

Today's trio ends by climbing the steps to the capital doors (locked due to the holiday) and then sending out prayers of blessings for all people from that incredible vantage point that views the river straight ahead and the Cathedral of St. Paul slightly to the right. 

Day 3, Tuesday, January 17

Weather: overcast like yesterday. It rained overnight and at home I slipped on the slanted, wet icy sidewalk (triple threat, can't win!) and fell on my tush taking out the recycling last night. Fortunately, the capital grounds folks are totally on it and the sidewalks are well salted for the opening of this week's session. Thank you! 



Our feet stepping out at the Vietnam War memorial installation at the Capital.
(Photo by Points Of Light Music)

Walkers: it's just Patti and I. We walk the labyrinth that appeared the other day, check in, and then head to our starting place. Today there are folks working in the buildings and walking here and there. A different vibe than the last couple days. But we begin again. 

Setting our intentions we recognize the cloud of witnesses surrounding us and this place, all people from the past, including the indigenious, and future as well as the thousands planning to be attending the March on Saturday. It is a bit awesome to behold. 

Today's variation: after we cross the street, instead of remaining in a single file line, I wave Patti to join me so we are side-by-side. A year and a half ago, I was leading this Dance at Village Fire with one other person. We modifying it for the two of us and I was floored by the feeling of strength I felt walking side by side as we crossed a field. That experience has stayed with me and continues to prod me with this public practice. The dream has evolved to include variations of groups of people walking toward each other and becoming a partner dance where they meet, turning together as they move through each other. Some day...

We reach the lower steps and move through our closing ritual. Our closing song are the words of Joe Miller, a Buddhist blessing: "May all beings be well / May all beings be happy / Peace, Peace, Peace."

But I know another version of it with an additional line and it was calling to me on my drive home yesterday. Saying "I need to be said." The line is "May all injured be healed." Telling my partner this, she affirms it is important to recognize this. We gloss over trauma in so many ways and the only way to move forward is to recognize it. Otherwise it gets stuffed down and remains undealt with causing unforeseen problems in the future.

May all beings be well,

May all beings be happy, 

May all injured be healed.

Peace, Peace, Peace. 

May we be open to the vulnerability required to admit our mistakes and learn from them. To rise over and over again. One step at a time 

We step forward again for the next three days. Join us at 2p in front of the Veterans Service Building or from work, home, or wherever you are. More details here.  Peace and blessings. 

Spirit of Peace Walk

I've been getting nudges to do Dances in public places for months.  It's a bit daunting, to step out, but I've been accruing support from friends and ancestors to do it.  And yes, it is time. 

Spirit of Peace Walk

When:  Starting Sunday, January 15, 2017.  Everyday at 2p until Inauguration Day, Jan 20.*
What:  Walking/singing Spirit of Peace (see below).  If this calls to you, please join me in person or in spirit where you are. 
Where:  Meeting at Gold Star Table west of the courtyard in front of the Veterans Service Building. (map)

 

Gold Star Table with the Minnesota State Capital in the background.

* Depending on interest, this may continue daily for awhile with a transition to a different frequency (weekly, monthly?) after that.

Song words: 

Spirit of Peace

To your cause we give our strength

That love may reign and wars may cease

Mir, Miru, Mir*

* "Mir, Miru, Mir" is a Russian play for "Peace, peace on earth."  (There's a lot more history about this song that I'll share at a different time)



Movements:  Please follow the leader for variations on following.  Each line corresponds with a line of the chant.

1. Start with hands cupped in front of heart, spreading/opening arms out over phrase and walking
2. Continuing to Walk, hands on shoulders with people next to you
3. Make one Turn in place
4. Make a Slow Bow over the course of the phrase

Dance Doodle:  Spirit of Peace

Labyrinth Updates

2016 has been filled with labyrinths more than ever before ... Here's a skinny chronology of what's happened so far and what's coming ahead:


Walking the labyrinth at Wintermission.

• Jan-Feb 2016:  Invited to make a snow labyrinth for the Friendly Streets Initiative and their Wintermission event at the planned site for the Rondo Commemorative Plaza. 

The huge snowfall from the previous week melts during an incredible mid-winter thaw!  Oh no!  Brainstorm a stanchion-based rectangle design from materials from Ax-man that also can multi-task as dreams and concerns collector. 

• Mar-Apr 2016:  Submitted poster session proposal to The Labyrinth Society's annual meeting based on the Wintermission labyrinth.  It is accepted!



Two little people walk at the Backyard Farm Fair

• Apr-May 2016:  Invited to install a temporary labyrinth by The Trust for Public land at Frogtown Farm's Backyard Fair. 

Adapting Tom Vetter's Flower in the Seed design, I develop the stanchion based labyrinth idea from February and add pennant flags for more presence.

• Jun 2016:  Submit a proposal to Springboard for the Art's Ready Go mobile art tools to continue developing the stanchion based labyrinth idea.  I find out in a couple of weeks if it's accepted!

So, what's ahead?
* Prepare my poster and handouts for The Labyrinth Society gathering, make travel plans for Houston, TX, and go!  (Sept-Nov 2016)

* Attend Veriditas' labyrinth facilitator training in North Carolina.  It occurs to me that if I was going to install and facilitate labyrinth walks, it might be a good idea to get the stamp of approval by "the experts." (Aug 2016)

* Bring Field of Reflections to fruition if my Ready Go proposal is accepted!  (Jul-Aug 2016)

* Round up financial support. (Now) Although I'm hopeful about receiving a scholarship to attend training and the poster presentation comes with a stipend, I need to raise more funds for travel, lodging, and registration.  And if the Ready Go! proposal is not accepted, I already know I want to move forward with the project and will need to raise funds to buy material and commission an artist to create a centerpiece (intrigued?  more on that later!).  Would you be willing to consider supporting me in one of the following ways?

• Hire me to install a labyrinth (either the simple rectangle or Flower in the Seed design) for an event at church, workplace, or family/friends gathering.  Since I already have the materials, you pay for the setup/teardown and time facilitating during the event. 
• Or hire me for one of my many other interests: 

1. a Full Voice workshop with friends, family, or co-workers (ask me for details!)
2. a 1:1 Full Voice lesson,
3. lead Dances of Universal Peace for an event
4. lead community song at an event or worship service or team building session
5. facilitating other community art projects for your neighborhood or organization
6. providing music for funerals, weddings, other services, and events from the piano and organ bench, voice, flute, baritone ukulele, shruti box

• Contribute to my GoFundMe.com campaign. 

Thanks so much for reading my Labyrinth Update!  It's an exciting time and I'm grateful to have you along for the company!

Can't beat them? Join 'em!

What do you do when your snow labyrinth attempts are thwarted by enthusiastic dogs, aloof or single-minded strangers who walk through your design (and not on the path you've created)?  Is the only answer to give up and not make one? 

Nah. You gotta work with it! 

This winter the walkers in my neighborhood have cut across the church yard as the aloof mailman and the hungry teens walking to Chipotle in the Village. It's funny. In past years I've seen their paths encounter the labyrinth path and they go around. This year not so much. Over New Year's I was walking on a frozen lake with friends' dogs and well, you can imagine their enthusiasm for being outside. 

So, what did I do? 

With the dogs, I realized two things. 1) I wasn't gonna be able to distract them away and 2) their tracks and my tracks are completely different! Unless the dogs were rolling around in the snow (and thankfully they weren't!), the trail I was blazing would be clear enough for anybody walking on the lake. If they could navigate the lakeshore, they could figure out and keep to the human path if that was their choice. In the picture below a 7-circuit classical is farther out on the lake (and harder to see) to the left of this noodly spaghetti spiral labyrinth. 

As for the church yard, short of putting up signs of invitation (which crosses my mind lots; I just get stuck on the wording:/), I realized this is just another classic public art design issue: knowing your site, how it's used, and deciding what kind of statement your installation will make as there are times to be harmonic and times to push the dissonance. 

Here I wanted to be harmonic so I incorporated the cutting paths into the walk to the labyrinth entrance and cut the number of circuits from the standard 7 to 5, so the modified Classical design would fit the smaller space. 

The design is now on a diagonal and seems more intimate. Previously the entrances were off the sidewalk and aligned with the cardinal directions. There's a few trees to the left of this picture which I previously thought were part of the "gateway" and now seems to act like privacy shield. 

I would love others to walk it and share their experiences.