Thursday, November 12, 2009

Life Run




Tuesday, 10/27, started with my first dip in the water at 7:00am and then later, a "Life Run" (which I described earlier as a "Spiritual Amazing Race").  It was a wonderful, solitary, tour of parts of the island. We weren't just exploring Iona though, we were exploring our souls.

The rain was coming down, but it didn't matter. We all made our way from spot to spot with our journals...opening little envelopes to find out our writing tasks before running off to our next post. I can't tell you how meditative I found the whole morning.  I have a clear memory of hearing my breath mixing with the wind as I left "The Bay at the Back of the Ocean."  Some new understanding had been reached within my heart.  It was very magical.

I didn't take my camera with me, amazingly.  I found that I really just wanted to be completely present and part of the elements. All the images of that day are special and just for me and my new friends...who were all working together in spirit if not physically so.  Another favorite memory I have is coming upon my new friend Bev as she was just going under the water and applauding her as she emerged.  Team building at its best.

The race ended with another "swim."  I feel very grateful for the different energies I was able to experience over the 3 different dips.  Tuesday morning it was just me, Philip and Neil...so I was "one of the guys" and there was a definite sense of "Let's Do This Thing!" In the afternoon I went with three of my new lady friends...so it was more like, "Wheee!" The third dip was on Thursday morning with Neil and my friend Cindy...so it was a balance...not sure there was a lot of "whee!" in the air but the expectation was different since we'd all done it already.  In some ways it was harder without the rain to sort of ease me into being all wet again...but the sense of achievement was always there.

What a way to spend a day.

XOXO

4 comments:

Alison said...

Enjoying reading about your experiences of Iona, it really is a magical place.

bobbie said...

How amazingly awesome and life-giving!!!

Unknown said...

So glad you are going back! Greet the chilly waters at Martyr's Bay for me! I won't ask you to take a dip for me knowing what a huge undertaking it really is! Maybe not so bad in April?

The Lion's Share said...

Yeah...I'm not planning on swimming this time...but who knows!?