Artists’ Contemplative Retreat, Day 5, 14 June 2016, by Lisa Zuercher
Sunset Blanketing Mariandale. Photo credit, Lisa Zuercher, 2016.
Can another day be done? It’s 9:05pm and I am sitting in the artists’ work room. I, for some strange reason, decided to work here rather than my bedroom. I just came in from a walk. I thought it would be a nice idea to capture a picture of the sunset. Oh my, the bugs were ferocious and I swear they were dive bombing me, I feel like one is in my ear. So my sunset observing lasted all but ten minutes.
The day started out like the others. I was up very early again today, 5:00am or so. I showered, dressed and went to the work room. I figured I’d get a jump on the day, send the Daily Thought about giving thanks and complete writing the blog from day four. I am happy to report that I had no technical difficulties today – meaning technical difficulties with myself and my understanding of technology. Writing and editing took about 3 hours. Ah, the writer’s life… Breakfast and group prayer interrupted the process and before I could blink it was 11:30am. The storytelling around the meal table was quite fun, the group was animated and I found myself with a lighter heart after leaving the table.
Afternoon Stroll at Mariandale. Photo credit, Lisa Zuercher, 2016.
After lunch I strolled along the property. Spirit was urging me to take it slow, concentrate on each step and listen to all that was being said in between. The mystical presence of faeries was prevalent today and the trees were quite vocal. Everywhere I looked sheer beauty rested upon my heart. The smile stretched across my lips caused my cheeks to hurt. For how long had I been smiling during this walk I wondered? What was going on in this place? All that talk from the group on days one and two about how special this place was, I hadn’t felt it or witnessed it until day three and with each step now it’s getting stronger.
So here I am on day four and the magic of the place is filling every cell of my body. It is reaching me energetically and communicating with me. The trees comforted me today and I knew I was being guided. Guided to open my heart as wide as the ocean and bare my soul so that the eternal life-energy shared by these trees was being absorbed by me. Their beautiful bodies rooted in the earth and majestic branches dancing up to the sky. Firm and flexible. Balanced.
Old Barn at Mariandale. Photo credit, Lisa Zuercher, 2016
As I walked across the expansive lawn toward the old barn enjoying all that spirit was whispering to me a dragonfly dove in front of me and flew around me. His color appeared to be golden. The wings shimmering from the sunlight. What a beauty. Instantly I knew another message was being placed before me and within me. The symbolism of dragonfly is change, adaptability, lightness of being, finding joy in life, connection with spirits and faerie realms and understanding the deeper meaning of life. Wow. Just moments before, the massage therapist texted me that she was stuck in traffic and didn’t know when she’d be able to start our appointment. I texted back that she could text me when she arrived to her studio and was ready to see me. After all I was only a ten minute drive away. She was delighted by that. Everything was good. Was dragonfly crossing my path confirmation about the message of adaptability and change or what? I’d say 100% yes.
The massage and energy work I received on day two of the retreat helped to open my energy fields and the deep tissue work began releasing kinks from my muscles and tendons. Pressure points touched unleashed blockages and I felt like I was floating on a cloud. At the massage session today the knots in my neck and back were removed after much care. I could feel the blockages melting and the negative energy flowing out of my body. Toward the end of the session I could sense a great deal of energy around my head when suddenly my third eye burst open and I saw a scrumptious giant ball of golden light, and then an eye appeared and it was staring at me stare at her. This energy center is known as an area of intuition and may lead to an inner wisdom if you let it. Seeing the eye of God see me reminded me that when you look into the eyes of God it is you that is reflected back. This is powerful and deep rooted in my journey. It was an answer to many questions.
The squirrel totem also surfaced during the massage when I was asked to breathe into a point near my clavicle, where the therapist was pressing, and receive a gift. I was to imagine I was just handed a gift. I laughed at what it was. An ice cream cone. I don’t eat ice cream cones any longer, although diving into a vat of ice cream sounds divine at the moment. I couldn’t accept this cone. I laughed. The massage therapist asked me what the cone might mean to me. It reminded me of the delight of childhood, of being a kid, smiles and laughter. My parents would treat us to cones and as I’d balance my chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles atop my sugar cone I’d have to, at some point, lick furiously to keep the ice cream from dripping down the cone, across my hands and ultimately onto my shirt. And the next challenge was to bite a hole in the bottom of the sugar cone and suck the ice cream through the hole before it had a chance to drip out. Deliriously brilliant memories. So this ice cream cone message was to bring playfulness into my life, continue to persevere and not to let obstacles stop me. This was the second day this message was being brought to the forefront.
After the session I drove back to the retreat house and what do you know, a squirrel was waiting for me at the side door. I stopped dead in my tracks. I couldn’t believe it. The little guy was just sitting, waiting. I got about 2 feet from him, he gazed at me, as if saying, “It’s about time you listen to what I have to say,” and then walked very slowly across the lane and onto the grass. I thanked him and went inside.
Mystical experiences appearing. God tickling my ribs. Laughter, peace, and the waltz continues.