Right

I stand staring at the ocean, with a sturdy long piece of driftwood in my hand. As I look at the horizon, I scan eastbound toward the snow capped west coast mountains clearly visible on this morning. I breathe a breath out, and feel a grave sense of calmness wash over me.

I turn my gaze downward, to the moist squishy sand of low tide that my blue crocs slowly sink into. I begin by carving a cross into the sand with a half circle and a dot in each of the four quadrants. The dot looks like an eye observing me, and the half circles look like the moon that's been barely visible behind clouds these past few days, as it waxes toward the fullness of itself.

Slowly and methodically I bring the lines to join each point of extension together in large convex arches toward the ocean, beginning to see the cross, half moons, and eyes turn into a unified creation of a labyrinth.

I learned how to draw labyrinths in the sand from my dear friend Jally during my time in Australia. To Jally, the act of drawing and walking the labyrinth has been a great source of calm meditation, contemplation, awareness and presence over her years of walking the labyrinth as a daily meditation. Since she shared how special this ritual was to her, and after I had the chance to experience what it is like to walk this sacred, ritualistic, historic and culturally significant path, I have felt how special these paths are. A symbol of a pilgrimage, a chance to twist and turn, always knowing that you are on the path, the correct one, and losing track of the outside world, the labyrinth invites you to go within and contemplate a question, speak your truth, or just let go of it all. 

This particular morning, after spending 24 days here at Hollyhock, the labyrinth felt stronger as I slowly walked the path towards the centre, and back out again. I've experienced much over the past days here at Hollyhock. I've met some really interesting people, connected so specially with my fellow karma yogis. As I shared in a recent talking circle, that we have each week in the Sanctuary, (a special, grounding, sacred cob structure here at Hollyhock), there are these little bottles inside me. They look like medicinal potion bottles, and there are a few of them, filled with different coloured potions. Since being here at Hollyhock, some of these little bottles have had their corks slowly pulled off, and have been nudged by the universe, so that the colourful potions of emotions, feeling, and awareness, have sloshed over the edge. It's put me in a very amazing but very vulnerable place.   

One of these little bottles spilled completely over this morning, during my walk of the labyrinth. Pink beautiful liquid flowing out, spilling out, washing over me, and spreading onto the sand, and out into the universe, away from me. 

And it felt so good. 

I've shared a lot with people here over the past 24 days. They've shared a lot with me too. A number of themes continue to come up in conversations, in books I pick up, and in presenters and workshops that I encounter at Hollyhock: mindfulness, presence and being aware of the moment you are in. Feeling all my feelings deeply, because I'm allowed to feel whatever is real in my heart, and it is indisputable. Seeking my truth, my true self, learning to listen to that truth, and always speaking it with strength, power and vigor; let my actions follow from my true self. Letting go of the uncontrollable is a valuable practice that immediately brings such peace within - and happiness too. The divine essence resides within each of us, we are all full of this divine light, and so we all have an innate organic connection with one another - amazing! These are just some of the themes, lessons, and conversations I've been having with folks here. There's been oh so much more...

The bundle of energy that is Andria, our volunteer coordinator, meditated on our group and a phrase came to her that she feels resonated with our group purpose or mission during our time here: Inspiration into Action. So I've been thinking about that a lot as well, curious how that looks for me

The amount of love I've been receiving and giving is so magnificent. Other emotions I've been wading through are gratitude, joy, love, fear, vulnerability, confusion, judgement, anger, love, support, fullness, wonder, awe, curiosity, knowledge, and more love, love, love.

As the full moon grows near, I know time has passed and that I will cherish the moments and days I have left here at Hollyhock. It will come time to move on from here, and it will all happen perfectly, just like its suppose to. 

After all, I'm in the right place, at the right time, having the right conversation with the right people.

On purpose?

Are you living in the place you belong, with the people you love, doing the right work, on purpose?

A (loaded) question that was asked at the evening presentation form a workshop facilitator here at Hollyhock who is running a multiday series titled "Repacking Your Bags: Lightening your load for the good life". A really very interesting slew of thoughts and ideas and conversations have been coming up for me over this past first week since I arrived at Hollyhock...

But wait, let's back up some days. Amazing time I had riding the bus across Canada, stopping and visiting with friends en route. Culminating with bright sunny days spent cycling, swimming and eating my way around Vancouver with three familiar faces from my Ottawa days last summer. As far as cities go, Vancouver gets me. Something about it fits like a real good pair of Birkenstocks.

Next I rode my bicycle all loaded up once again to Horseshoe bay, where I ferried my way across to Nanaimo, and was greeted by two super special Otesha friends who have been working real hard at their newly opened community bike shop: Hub City Cycles. I was so excited for them, and to see that indeed the bike co-op is becoming quite a hub in Nanaimo. After some great harvest soup, a walking tour of town and even a race around town on two wheels and down a waterslide or two, I soundly slept and woke early to ride 120km to Courtenay. Here I was greeted by both a friendly bicycle cafe as well a friendly cyclist herself, whom I was so graciously hosted by. We had an absolutely delicious dinner as we chatted about bicycle coalitions, touring and environmentalism. My new friend even rode me out of town the next day en route to Campbell River, the ferry port which would take me to Quadra island, and further on to Cortes the next day. I had one more wonderful stay with super generous people, from whom I loved hearing about adventures in homeschooling, bicycling in Mexico, life on small town Quadra island, and crafting and selling their handmade bicycles (Click here to see more about their company). 

Alas, October 1 came, and as a new month started, it was time for me to cycle home for the next month: Hollyhock education and retreat centre on Cortes Island. After some steep island hills and a bit of warm rain, some momentary confusion about why I'd  chosen  to come so far for something so unknown, oh, and a lot of almond butter, I arrived. And as soon as I met Andria, the volunteer coordinator, and she embraced me in a big hug, I felt that I had come to the right spot, purposefully, at the correct time. As I was set free to explore the property for the next few hours, and I saw the ocean, the unlimited tea bar, the hot tubs, the beautiful kitchen, the garden, I continued to feel at ease with my choice to come here. I met my fellow volunteers: 8 of us all bunking down in the same big house, all coming to Hollyhock  from our own worlds, varying in age between 22-60. Each person is so interesting and we've been sharing really meaningful interesting conversations about the experience of life. I've been asked tough questions and having my eyes opened bigger and wider.  

Besides all that I have been swimming in the invigorating sea, went on a couple hikes-one where I was bombarded and stung by wasps multiple times, I've cycled up and down the Cortesian hills, been to the Cortes Island market, made a local friend or two, I've stargazed and wandered in the garden, played frisbee and soaked in the hot tubs, meditated and practiced yoga, eaten so much delicious food; oh, and done lots of dishes, chopped some veggies, cleaned many rooms, and made many a pot of coffee and tea. 

Gratitude has been filling me up this past week, and it seems fitting since it is the time where many folks give thanks for the harvest, for the gift of love and life. I feel very lucky to be in this place of extraordinary abundance, where I can pick apples from trees, walk into the woods in ten steps, fill my belly full of nutritious food at each meal,  go within myself, and feel supported doing so, connect and learn from new friends, and be happy doing karma yoga through labour. 

As I return to the theme that I started with in this blog post about realizing your life purpose, a theme which I am sure I will continue to come back to time and time again over the next weeks, and a theme many people come to Hollyhock to explore the idea of, I offer you another quote that fits so well within my life at the moment:

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day"  EB White