Sundays at Shekina Garden

We love hosting our traveller friends for Community Lunch at Shekina Garden on Sundays!

We sing and pray thanks for the food in a big circle. We feast of yummy vegetarian food (most of us take turns to cook each week, sticking to things that can be made for big groups like dal and rice, curries, soups, bean bowls, rainbow brown rice salads). I make big batches of kombucha at home each week and bring it to share. Sometimes friends bring other things to add to the meal; Michael from Wales usually brings some fresh fruit.

Then we have a Sharing Circle, where each person has the opportunity to introduce themselves. We usually ask our friends to share a little about themselves and answer an interesting question. This week we asked people to share a story of the worst place they have slept or spent the night…there we stories of camping misadventures, truck stops, bathtubs, train station and airport floors, hitchhiking woes…just what you would expect from 50 world travellers!

After our Sharing Circle we share chai and dessert, and the afternoon rolls on. Usually there is music, often there is dancing. Together we enjoy acro-yoga, contact improvisation, art making, handiwork, jewellery making, good conversation and of course doing the dishes.

It is a very, very good way to spend a Sunday.

(A post by Ro)

The Unseen Path of Faith

We begin by laying on the floor of the saalah, letting our bodies sink onto the cool concrete.

Placing our hands on our bellies, we breathe deep and take a moment to arrive at this morning's Movement Meditation. A special practice, a time to connect with the Divine. With the creator of our amazing, intricate bodies.

Our focus this morning is on this verse from the Sacred Scriptures:

The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Our guide, Naomi, reads this verse again and again during the Meditation, letting the words sink deeper and deeper.

We slowly begin to stretch and move, as soft rhythmic music flows around the saalah. We take up space. We squeeze ourselves into little balls. We play and stretch like little kids.

Naomi suggests that we slowly make our way to standing. She describes to us the image of walking a slack-line or tight-rope, and we all begin to pretend to walk, on unseen lines, around our space. Some close their eyes, some walk backwards or on all fours.

We are using our bodies to go deeper into the concept of faith, of walking a spiritual path which we cannot see. Of believing in the unseen.

"The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes."

What does it mean to walk a path we cannot see? How do we journey with the concept of faith, or trust? We walk and move and meditate, enjoying the experiment - how do our bodies and our souls interact?

"The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes."

Later in the meditation, we are guided to create a figure-8, or 'eternity' symbol with our hands. Following the music, we create this shape with our shoulders, hips, or feet. We dance our own dance around the saalah, not caring what others think of us or our movements, just free in the moment to dance with the eternal Divine.

I begin to trace the eternity symbol on my body. With my forefinger, I write eternity on my hands, my arms, my chest, my belly, my legs. The verse comes to my mind:

...God has placed eternity in the hearts of humankind... (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

and I imagine God's hand tracing eternity over my heart. In my heart. The concept of forever and ever, beyond what I can see or imagine.

I keep tracing. On my feet and toes. On my face. A big, swooping eternity symbol over my eyes... 

'Christ, be over my eyes today. May I look on people with compassion.'

I trace a small eternity symbol over my lips...

'Jesus, May my words today reflect you. Help me speak loving words. Words of grace.'

I think of another verse, from Jesus' prayers in the biography by his friend John:

...I am in you and you are in me. (John 14:20b)

The eternal Christ lives in me! I am hidden with Christ in God! As I continue to trace the shape again and again, I consider this deep, deep mysterious truth.

"The path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes."

Eventually, we again make our way to laying on the cool floor. We breathe deeply. We consider the eternal Christ. We consider his presence with us here and now. 

Then we sit in a circle and drink ginger lemon honey tea, and share of our experiences of the morning's Meditation.

I am thankful for this practice. For the space and the music. For my sister guiding us with gentle prompts and ideas for movement. For other seekers and wanderers to walk this Path with. This Unseen Path of faith.

(A post by Ro)