Time Apart

We are "invited" to spend some time apart before every residence in our spiritual direction program (Columbia Theological Seminary). I use the quotations with "invited" because we also have an assignment to turn in from our time apart. :)

We are to spend a minimum of 8 hours apart, in silence and solitude, listening, praying, etc.

For the first residence, I went to a tiny home community in Marion County and hiked the trail there to see their beautiful waterfall. I started the day off with a bike ride on the Riverwalk.

For another one, I used the 5 Day Academy I had attended and added up all the silence and solitude time I accumulated. Not exactly the same, but it was time apart and there was much to that time apart.

Last spring it snuck up on me and I planned a day apart at Chester Frost Park-- from sunrise to the mid afternoon. I took my coffee, my hammock, etc. and hung out in two different spots that day. It was good.

For this last residency, I planned a short time away at Hinton Retreat Center in Hayesville, NC. Riley actually suggested the Hinton Center. I have only been to it once-- driven through, taken a short tour, seen the labyrinth. It's in Riley's hometown of Hayesville, it's a Methodist retreat center, and it's on Lake Chatuge. It has a trail, a labyrinth, water views. It is near lots of other nature.

On the way up yesterday, I stopped in Murphy, NC to walk along the Murphy River Walk. I found one of the Trail Heads, off Thomas Street and walked to the right 1/2 a mile and then back. There was some dirt path and some small gravel path. Some of it went right along the Valley River and other parts were a bit off the river, as far as the view goes. Walnuts had fallen off a tree and made great baseballs to throw into the field and woods. :)

I checked out a new coffee shop and went to the Murphy Chamber of Commerce for information before heading to Hinton Center.  The Buzzed Brew Coffeehouse had pastries, along with coffee and tea. I wasn't disappointed with my choices.

Not being sure what the weather would be the rest of the weekend, I made the most of my Friday after checking in and settling in to my hermitage-- home away from home. I walked the nature trail that was by the hermitage and led to an outdoor chapel. It was a beautiful spot. There were two wooden benches along the way, put there as an Eagle Scout project. There were two rock benches at the garden vista spot. I heard a deer snorting up there, but could never see it. I imagine that was the deer's intention-- for me to NOT see it. I wasn't there to bother the deer or disturb its spot, so I didn't stay too long and headed back down the trail. I took the loop trail on the way back that went by the creek. There wasn't much water running through the tiny creek at all, but there was some.

After the nature trail, I went to the labyrinth and spent some time walking and praying it. It was a good time of listening and praying for me. Here is what I jotted down from that time:

"Not sure what about this prayer journey today caused me to reflect on going away from the center to get to it, but it was the focus. I have often thought about how we are near the center, yet we are not quite there yet. As I noticed that I was going away from the center, it felt counter-intuitive, almost "wrong". How can I arrive at the center if I am moving away from it?!?! Yet, I also knew to trust the path. I have prayed labyrinths before. Today, the message that came to me was "trust the path". As I sit in the center, in the shade of surrounding trees, I breathe in the truth and trust of following the path and breathe out any worry or anxiety that sometimes creeps in. I am grateful for the prayer labyrinth and the reminder to trust the path."

After the labyrinth, I walked around the property and found the bookstore/gift shop (closed), the swing garden that contained a swing and beautiful flowers with butterflies and bees, then I headed down to the lake and found the dock and pavilion and a cross that lights up with solar lights.

The weather has shifted so I am able to get outdoors more than I thought I would be able to today. For that I am glad.

It is good for my soul to be in nature, to be in the trees, to walk.

I posted a photo of the trees from the labyrinth for Bamboo Encounter today with a quote from Dr. Jane Goodall: "The forest is for me a temple - a cathedral of tree canopies and dancing light."

I added a few words of my own:

"Tree canopies have a way of calming my soul, whether I am sitting in them or walking through them. They are restorative for me."

The motto or tag line at the Hinton center is "retreat, reflect, renew". I am leaning and living into these words during this time apart.

Peace on this first day of October. 

May the adventurous journey continue!

Debra

Other random photos: 

Beautiful breezes on this first day of September

I am sitting outside on the deck enjoying these incredible breezes this mid-morning. It was 63 degrees when I first came this morning for coffee time with Cliff. I decided I needed some more fresh air, so I cam back outside.

I'm reading Parker Palmer's The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring in preparation for the next and final cohort for our Spiritual Direction program. I am finding the information on contemplation and action insightful. 

I am reading about contemplative action and active contemplation, being fully alive, how action is risky, etc. I am only up to page 30 so far, so I don't have lots to share yet. Parker Palmer has influenced my life since my teaching days at Bryan College when I attended a language seminar at then Lee College where he led our workshop and shared from his book The Courage to Teach. That changed how I taught. I have read other books of his throughout the years and followed him on Facebook.

I can see, hear, and feel the effects of the wind as the breeze blows through the trees rustling the leaves and the wind chimes. Somehow, there is peace and calm in this experience. I watch leaves fall in a dance-like state to the ground, joining the other leaves that have been there for about a week now. There is one tree that turned red early, at the end of August (28th) and dropped some of its beautiful leaves on the grass. Brown and green leaves are joining those leaves. 

It isn't really possible to capture the breeze in a photo, so I won't try. It's not something we can see, only the effects of it. We can hear it, we can feel it, we can see the leaves and branches move. 

I wonder what in my life can not be seen right now. What is not visible, yet still offers movement and/or sound? Something for reflection and contemplation. Just because it isn't seen, doesn't mean it isn't there. 

Today, with its clear blue sky and great breezes, is looking to be a great hammock time day. I think I will make some time for that later. To be under the tree canopy and to hear and see the leaves blowing above me will be a good time. We will see.

My energy level is fairly low, so I may not be able to put up the hammock today.  For now, the deck and the breezes is good enough. Good enough. Sometimes we can rest in the 'good enough', be content with what we have and are experiencing.... or we can learn to be.

These are my reflections for this morning.

Peace on this first day of September, 

Rev. Debra

Soul care quote

This quote showed up in my memories in my Facebook feed today. It is something I wrote on this day four years ago.

Interestingly, it still resonates with me and rings true. 

"Some days are more difficult than others to maintain a whole soul.  These are the days I need more time in creation, silence, solitude, prayer, rest, play, or other spiritual practices. Soul care is crucial to living well." ~Debra Dickerson, August 28, 2018

I don't remember what was going on during that time to prompt that reflection.  That was pre-pandemic, a time when I needed much more self and soul care to fill an ever emptying "tank". 

This past week I have been able to engage in several life-giving practices, among them:

• hammock time at the lake
• morning quiet time with coffee outside
• attend and facilitate outdoor worship
• bake and cook various dishes 
• attend worship at my sending church 

Silence and solitude are big parts of my spiritual practices, as are listening to and observing creation. Creation helps me draw nearer to the Creator.

How do you take care of your soul?

What spiritual practices are meaningful to you these days?

I invite your response. 

Enjoy the adventurous journey!

Rev. Deb

Lessons from a hummingbird

I haven't seen many hummingbirds this year at my house. However, this morning, one "buzzed" by me as I sat on the deck drinking my coffee. That was a not-so-subtle reminder for me to change out the hummingbird feeders.

It has been on my mind and to-do lists for a while now. But, the food looked healthy enough, so I refrained from changing it. Nevermind that I didn't see hummingbirds ever eating it. I allowed what seemed to be real enough to rule my actions.

When I got the two feeders down, I realized that the "healthy" looking food was just a mirage. It had been there too long. 

I cleaned out both feeders and made some fresh food.

It wasn't very long at all after I had hung the two feeders that I noticed a humming bird drinking from one of them. Ah, it knew. The food was fresh again. 

This was a cause for a pause for me. It made me think, in other words. First, it made me think about the hummingbirds: A change in the sustenance was what was needed to bring the little guys back. The food had gotten old and wasn't healthy. They knew it and stayed away.

Then I started thinking in terms of my spiritual health:

• What spiritual food looks healthy enough but is no longer providing sustenance to/for me? 
• What do I need to change up or to change out in order to have healthier sustenance in my spiritual provision?

I remember the statement that was made at the 5 Day Academy this fall: 'the spiritual practices that got you here are not the spiritual practices that will carry you forward'. I don't think this means that we are to throw away and scrap all of our practices. I do think it is an opportunity to look at them, to discern which ones are life-giving and which ones are not in the moment. The life-giving ones are good to keep on doing. The others can be put aside for now. We may or may not pick them back up at a later time.

I have made changes in my spiritual practices throughout my journey and have added some new things to my tools and resources. I have also kept some things that seem to work well.

As I watch these hummingbirds feeding this morning, the biggest reminder is this: I am reminded to keep things fresh.

As I ponder that, I wonder how that freshness will play out in my spiritual journey?!?! Time will tell.

Peace on this day!

Rev. Debra