Half Moon Bay Walk #6 with Charie: Labyrinths and Gifts

Everyday for the past 13 days I have been meditating for at least 20 minutes...and as days go by the time gets longer and the kundalini yoga exercises get longer and it takes me about an hour to get finished up on everything. I have started chanting a few days ago. It is an amazing amazing feeling one day and the next day I croak out my Saaaaaaa-a-a-a-a-at-naam out for 3 minutes. I knew I had my walk with Charie at Noon. So I got myself out of bed and into my self appointed meditation room. Still I was still doinking around on the computer in my pjs 20 minutes before Charie was coming by. I hurried but hadn't eaten when Charie arrived. I quickly ate half a banana and ate an apple in the car while Charie and I went to the local labyrinth near Mavericks beach. On the way we drove down the street where all the huge pumpkins for the upcoming pumpkin festival was. It was really awesome! I look forward to walking main street and eating fatty foods this Saturday. Then running it off on Sunday.

I had imagined the labyrinth hidden on a misty hill hidden from everyone. It was in the bay and on the path to the beach. Charie and I decided to walk the labyrinth one by one before going for our walk. I set my intention to continue to open up to my authentic voice. As I am learning from my meditations I have been stifling my own voice. I know hard to believe as I am one of the most outgoing vocal people I know. Well I haven't been speaking from truth...but from fear...so I have some work to do.

Charie is someone I immediately liked upon meeting. She is connected to her voice. She laughs freely and engages with strangers in a free manner like I used to do when I was younger. Charie is retired and an artist. She is learning about the healing power of sound at CIIS and we spoke about this some. 

Charie and I were both a bit nervous to walk around all these folks but Charie picked what hand she wanted to hold and launched into a story about how she loves handing her hands massaged during a massage session. So we held hands intertwined...which I immediately thought...cool we are going to massage our hands while walking...

And away we went walking down the path. Folks smiled. Some people were uncomfortable. Mostly we just chatted away, took pictures. Charie spoke of feeling she has a gift to give that she needs to give with the time she has left and is just wondering how to give it to others. So Charie and I are grappling with the same thing! how do we give our gift to others?!?! I mentioned that I am getting some training about arts and the aging. And it was funny cause Charie is around 65...and I guess that puts her in the elder category. We are equals. And that was a really good reminder for me. Charie doesn't need my help! We have so many things in common and when we spend time together we feel awesome Cause we can talk about art, sound, perofrmance, life, and how we both love to travel and MOVE (as in move cities). Charie makes me feel normal. Like wanting to go to Poland to hold hands isn't a silly idea....but it sounds FANTASTIC.

Charie and I both realize not all elders are mobile or high-functioning...I wonder what I can bring a vital community of elders? how can we work together. So this was an important walk. Learning healing is a life long process and it is up to us to make life engaging and exciting in a healthy way. I always laugh loud and long with Charie. She allows me that space. Charie's soul shines through when you spend time with her. She was nervous to walk. But she took the lead and took us to her labyrinth and took the lead in where we walked. It was a hot day and we returned to the car after petting dogs and taking photos of our hands sweaty and alive. 

On the way home we stopped down on Miramar Beach cause there is an adorable set of homes a local guy made including a boat you can rent to sleep in as a retreat. There is a great garden and one of the buildings as a geodesic roof!  it feels like a beacon of a bygone era...a sort of 60s/70s feel. That uncontrolled creative energy that created hideaways and special corners of the world. 

Charie wrote on her reflection that she wasn't sure about walking. After telling me she would, she wrote "I thought when I got home that night, Oh my god, what did I just get myself into? Now that I have walked I feel -- 

calm

relaxed

peaceful"

What a gift to walk with Charie. What a gift to know that we both on the journey to finding our gift and giving it to others. Charie gave me a gift. Her guidance and friendship feels natural. That we vibrate at the same wave length. That being vocal and warm to others isn't something to be ashamed about. 

I'll end with a story Charie told me. She walks in the morning in her town. One morning there was a rainbow (or two) with the sunrise. She saw two women on the hill as she saw this amazing sight. As she passed the two women she mentioned how lucky and blessed we are to be here to experience the glory of nature. (charie said it better...sorry that was my best shot). Five years later, she saw one of the woman. She is a wellknown motivational speaker. Charie didn't know this at the time. Charie was just sharing her wonder of the world. This woman told her that, that morning at 3am her mother had passed away, and that her words were more powerful than she could have known. Charie's connection to the moment, to nature, to speaking truth...gave solace to this woman. There was nothing pre-meditated, nothing gained...just a beautiful moment on earth.
Charie has her worries. I have mine. But when you can step out into the world and be open. It has lasting effects of the positive kind. Charie wrote that she isn't sure "what will shape our live by our walk but I know things will change for the both of us." And I have to say I agree.