elcome to the Fall Newsletter,

We have chosen the theme Sole to Soul to highlight the amazing experiences many people have in the labyrinth that result in some form of radical change; some form of spiritual transformation. This is not an easy theme to talk about because it happens—for the most part—internally. And it is deeply personal.

I believe that the creators of the Chartres labyrinth—formally called the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth—knew something about transformation through the interweaving of the mind, body and the Spirit. By placing the soles of our feet on the winding path of the labyrinth, walking with an open mind and a trusting heart we gain insight through the still small voice within, revelation through amplified metaphors that speak to us, or a feeling of peace that assures us we are on the right path. When we articulate these experiences, we find that each is unique yet stands upon a universal understanding of the soul.

I remember a wise supervisor telling my class of psychotherapists in-training to listen for the longing in our clients. To listen to the person's longing is to listen to the soul. We long for health, we long to be in right relationship with our spouses, our family, our friends and we long for the Divine to be revealed in our lives.

Soul Walking Photo: © Cindy A. Pavlinac, sacred-land-photography.com

Western culture is beginning to realize that the soul is not only in the body; more accurately the body is in the soul. There is a world soul and our task is to en-soul the world. We have lost connection to that unseen force that unites us. We have lost sight that we all have the same concerns: good health for ourselves and our families, financial stability, good friends and not to suffer pain or hardship due to others' cruelty or ignorance. It is truly a transformative moment in the labyrinth when we realize that "my pain" is "the pain". We all carry this human condition together and this realization is both a freedom and a burden in the same moment.

In this edition we offer an excerpt from Phil Cousineau's book The Art of Pilgrimage highlighting the journey. Our Little Miracles on the Path story illustrates walking to the light of the soul. And we have sharings of en-souling the world in different life locations: jail labyrinth work by Ellen Meuch, hospital labyrinth work by Dr. Kay Sandor and Dreamquest soulwork by Judith Tripp. For your pleasure, we have included an original poem written by Tom Elder as he finds soul after rehab.

On the Path,

• Sole to Soul: Exploring physical and spiritual journeys brought about by the labyrinth experience...main.

• Sole to Soul as Medicine: How can the labyrinth be a part of the medical world? by Kay Sandor...page 2.

• The Art of Pilgrimage: An excerpt from Phil Cousineau's book...page 2.

• Sole to Soul in Jail: What can inmates find in the labyrinth? by Ellen Meuch...page 3.

• Little Miracles on the Path: Walking to the light—of the soul...page 4.

• Sole to Soul: Ceremonies and Rituals Using the labyrinth to heal and connect with Mother Earth...page 4.

• Sole to Soul: a poem by Tom Elder...page 5.

• Return to the Land of the Soul: Dream Questing for your soul, by Judith Tripp...page 5.

Announcements

Upcoming Events

Quickening the Spirit, Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, November 10-11, 2006

Winter Retreat 2007, IONS Retreat Center, Petaluma, January 19-21, 2007

Walking a Sacred Path, Chartres, France, May 2007

Complete Calendar Download

Books

New books by Lauren Artress: Walking A Sacred Path (Revised) and The Sacred Path Companion

Journal Navigation: Main - p. 2 - p. 3 - p. 4 - p. 5