Bloedel Reserve's Stroll for Well-Being

You have likely read here about the Stroll for Well-Being at the Bloedel Reserve - how much I enjoyed the pilot program in 2014, how it inspired me to photograph, write and draw from nature, and the peace and healing which I experienced as a result.

Part of the reason I loved this program is expressed by Mark Nepo in his Book of Awakening, in the passage for March 12th (titled "In the Likeness of Everything"):

In truth, we each carry within our own innate makeup, like chromosomes, the minute aspects of everything that forms the Universe. And so, the art of freedom becomes the necessary adventure of grasping the secrets that are everywhere in the open and stirring their aspects within us, in such a way that we come alive: learning from the fish how to surface and dive, from the flower how to open and accept, from the stone how to crack and let the light in, and from the birds that wings are more useful at times than brains.

I'm thrilled to report that I have been invited to be a facilitator of the program, starting next month. The founder of the Stroll for Well-Being at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is Dr. Ruth G. McCaffrey (a professor at Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University). Dr. McCaffrey facilitated the pilot program for us last year, and it will be a privilege to work alongside her and to learn from all of her experiences.

If you live in the area and are interested in joining the program, please contact Erin Jennings at ejennings@bloedelreserve.org - we'd love to welcome you!

Creativity in Healing & Spiritual Growth

Grace Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island, WA

is hosting a series called

"Spiritual Practice Saturdays."

On December 6, from 9:30am - Noon, 

I'll be leading "Creativity in Healing and Spiritual Growth,"

and you're invited to attend!

Here is the description, from Grace's email:

 "God as Creator has made us creative. Inviting that creativity into our spiritual practice can be daunting, and an authentic pathway into healing and growth. Come spend a morning with us as Karen Gerstenberger, author and speaker, guides us as we write and walk and draw mandalas as spiritual practice. Together, we will playfully and skillfully encourage our 'unencumbered self' to authentic expression - the kind of expression that leads to healing, growth and joy. 

To help us plan, please contact Robin Livingston robin@robinmlivingston.com if you wish to attend."

The Stories We Tell

The woman and the young boy sat on the grass, relaxing together. They appeared to be picking something - perhaps the daisies that grow plentifully among the blades of grass in the park.

I thought, That's what kids need - adults who will lie in the grass with them and make daisy chains. They don't need electronics; they need time outdoors, to relax in the fresh air and use their imagination.

As we continued walking toward them, the boy stood up, and I noticed that he had something in his hand. It was a metal detector. The woman (his mother?) held a trowel. He was searching the ground with the metal detector. We heard a high-pitched noise as the detector found something. When it did, the woman dug up patches of grass with the trowel.

They weren't just enjoying sitting and imagining in the fresh air; they were using electronics.

My husband said, Someone fell for a sales pitch - they must have listened to an infomercial and bought that metal detector. I replied, Or someone found the metal detector in Grandpa's garage.

 And then I thought, So many assumptions in the stories we make up from the things that we see. How often are we correct? How many times are we mistaken? Does it matter? What makes a good story?

Holy Beauty

Photo by David Gerstenberger

On Wednesday, David and I had the pleasure of going to one of our favorite places: a former U.S. Army fort, built at the end of the 19th century, which has been turned into a state park. How thankful I am that someone had the bright idea to gift this place back to the people when it was no longer considered needed for coastal defense!

Though we have been exploring Fort Worden for over 20 years, we are still discovering places within it which we haven't seen before. The panorama at the top of this post is the view from one of those places. It provides a lookout over the former parade grounds, all the way back to Point Wilson (where the Wooden Boat Festival is headquartered each year).

The view from the same spot (when we first discovered it, on a cloudy day). The park has woods, meadows, cliffs, beaches, campgrounds, a marine science center, a museum, and more. These wide-open vistas invite me to slow down, stop and drink in the beauty of nature.

 “The world is holy. We are holy. All life is holy. Daily prayers are delivered on the lips of breaking waves, the whisperings of grasses, the shimmering of leaves.” - Terry Tempest Williams

When I got up yesterday morning, this is the sight which greeted me. Such holy beauty deserves to be shared!

“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest thing right and doing it all for love...Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love.” - Thérese of Lisieux

The Great Outdoors

I am an avid walker, but do not consider myself a hiker. I don't own a good pair of hiking boots or trail shoes. Because of this, I didn't intend to hike at Rancho La Puerta, but I tried it, ended up loving it - and wanting to do more.

Hikes at the ranch start out between 6:10 and 7:00 A.M. I thought that I would want to sleep in on this trip, but after one hike, I found myself waking before my alarm each day, because I was so excited to do it again!

We always met in the cozy lounge (above) where coffee and tea are available around the clock. Before the hikes, staff would have thoughtfully prepared trays of freshly cut oranges, grapefruit and bananas so that you didn't have to go out on an empty stomach. The ranch also provided pedometers and re-usable water bottles. Wearing a pedometer can be very motivating, especially if you keep a log of your steps (avg. 2,000 steps = a mile).

As a beginner, I started with a super-easy two-mile hike called "Woodlands." We walked past the labyrinth and set out through the woodlands a good pace. It was fun, and I saw that I could easily do more.

 The next day, I went a little further with the "Quail 2" hike, and after that, tried "Alex's Oak Tree."

Alex's Oak can be seen in this photo, standing by itself at the top of the hill behind the vineyard.

It is named for the founders' son, Alex Szekely, who was president of the ranch before his death.

  Another view of Alex's oak tree, a mile's hike above the ranch. This hike was so pretty and enjoyable that I did it twice.

 The oak tree at the top.

 View of the ranch from the top.

 More of the ranch from the top.

Yours truly, under Alex's Oak Tree.

 

I was advised not to miss the four-mile round-trip breakfast hike to Rancho Tres Estrellas (Rancho La Puerta's six-acre organic farm), including a gourmet meal served at La Cocina Que Canta (the ranch's cooking school) and a short tour of the garden. This was indeed a special treat.

Because we set out at 6:10 AM, we were able to see the dawn light as it touched Mt. Kuchumaa.

Our guide, Maya (also a wonderful yoga instructor) told us how the local Kumiai indians used the large stones (like the one on which she is standing) as metates. They ground grain and nuts in the natural bowl shapes in the rocks, making the hollows larger over time.

When we arrived at La Cocina, we saw artwork and crafts in blazing colors - more examples of ways in which the ranch addresses all of the senses.

The head gardener who usually leads the tours was away at a conference - I think he was receiving an award - but I could have listened to the ecological specialist (handsome Enrique), for hours. He seemed lit from within as he explained his approach to – and his obvious joy in, and love for - organic farming. His talk had me enthralled, and made me want to learn more.

On the hike back to the ranch, we saw the same landscape, but in a different light. The ranch has a way of inviting one to see many things in a new light. 

In response to a question in yesterday's comments about the labyrinth, here are a couple of links to more information:  

Rancho La Puerta's page

Chartres Cathedral's Labyrinth