It’s about 6:30 p.m. as a fellow minister and I arrive at Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens to attend the Festival of Light celebration that includes a short workshop entitled “What is Grace,” followed by a candle-light labyrinth walk. The front of this historical mansion is brilliantly decorated with garland and red bows, white twinkle lights strategically placed so that it looks like a beautiful scene from a fairytale. The red poinsettias are a nice touch as well. We approach the door, and are greeted by welcoming assistants at registration.
We go to the main dining room and find that dinner is still being served. Yum! After a light dinner, we mingle in the room where the workshop is to take place. We are called to our seats at 7:00 p.m. by Carol Jones, the Program Director of the Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens. Carol tells us a little bit about the programs they have regularly and invites us to future events for the rest of this month, one of which includes a New Year’s Eve Sacred Tones Workshop (I participated last year and it was the best way to welcome in the new year and wake up so refreshed and peaceful the next morning).
Carol next introduces Dr. Pauli Sanderson, co-author with John-Roger of the book “When are you coming home?” We all welcome Pauli and are delighted with her wit, charm, warmth and fun sense of humor. She calls forward the Light and the presence of Spirit for us and we chant an ancient name of God three times to bring us into a quality of grace and empathy with each other.
Pauli talks a bit about how we might experience grace, and asks participants to share examples, and there are quite a few good ones. We get to look at the ways we have experienced grace in our lives. One for me is just being here tonight — that’s grace.
The group is so into the grace stories that it takes Pauli a bit of hand waving and speaking loudly into the microphone a few times to get our attention for what’s next. It is apparent we are indeed having fun.
Next on the program is the candle-light labyrinth walk. This is very exciting for us. Pauli gives us a brief look at how to walk the labyrinth as a prayer, or how to walk with a question and how to do that inwardly and peacefully. We are shown a drawing of the labyrinth for those that have never walked one. Pauli then asks us to come into a quiet and relax. She guides us through a meditation with her soothing and reassuring voice. After the meditation is complete, we all head down to the labyrinth quietly. There are over 60 participants so we are guided as to when to start our walk as we patiently wait our turn in line to step onto the labyrinth. The beautiful and loving assistant, Hesperia Blackburn, hands us our candle as we enter the labyrinth. We inwardly prepare ourselves.
It is so wonderful outside. The sky is clear, it’s the nippy California Christmas weather. Watching everyone with their candles is like something out of ancient times. I love walking the labyrinth. I get the giggles normally. Tonight, I am peaceful, happy, and grateful. I know just what I want to walk with.
As we finish our inward journey, we go to the dining room where refreshments are being served. Delectable desserts by the French chefs Claudie & Guilluame Bott
