Bless the Tangle

Bless the tangle
Whether it unravels or not—
It has brought me here

— Diane, from the spiral labyrinth retreat at Shalom Prayer Center

On May 12, I joined with seven other women in Mt. Angel, Oregon, and we created sacred space together.

We built a double-spiral labyrinth, decorated it with objects that had meaning to us from our separate paths, then walked the labyrinth together.

We wrote and mused about sacred places in our lives. The places ranged from the Grand Canyon to the bedside of a dying person. From a high school’s exposed flat roof to the interior of a Gothic cathedral.

One of the participants said that her “sacred place” was a service dog, her constant companion during a difficult period of recovery. “He watched over me,” she said. “He created a safe place for me to be. He was my sacred place.”

We closed with blessings for our time together and each other.

Because the day’s prayers and blessings can offer meaning any time and place, I asked the women for permission to share them with you.

Here they are:

Bless this tangle
Whether it unravels or not—
It has brought me here.
— Diane

Thank you God for the sacred day. Bless us with mindfulness and just being. Bless us with the courage to change and become more spiritual, loving, and hopeful. Renewed, let me walk more humbly in the path of justice.
— Christine, Portland

A blessing of this day is being part of the larger Communion…with God, with these women, with Creation, with the source of all that is. Thanks be to God.
— Carol, Lebanon

O Heavenly Father, bless all of us who are here today, so we may offer to all, each injured soul we meet, peace and serenity through your grace & love. Amen.
— Amarilis, Independence

My prayer to day is To Remember the lessons of this day.
— LeNoi, Portland

O holy Lord,
Help me live the actual moment. Listen, listen to the world of God.
God loves you!
Stay close to the earth the mother.
Stay close hold sacred the time God gives you — slowly, reverently, evenly — like the dogged steps of the “Shepherd,” make haste to be our “Shepherd” — dog our steps.
— Clara Jean, Falls City

Oh Holy. . . thank you for the blessing of this day.  thank you for  the women who have gathered here. . . SEEKERS.. . and  thank you for their stories.  Together our  stories are woven together into a grander tapestry and we  are joined.  Be with each of us as we continue our journey. . . safe travels  to each of us.  Amen.
— Bonnie, Eugene

A blessing on the robin’s song.
A prayer for each of our journey’s home.
— Margaret, Port Townsend

Today, may I remember that I am standing on holy ground.