Sunday, Graduation day in the KSMOL program, was no exception to the profound energy of the KRIPALU property and the the KMOG training itself.
https://kripalu.org/schools/kripalu-school-mindful-outdoor-leadership
On Saturday, we were informed that our normal morning “Forest Meditation” practice would be optional on Sunday, this last day of our training. I no sooner heard this when I realized that I had another destination on the property calling for my attention. I had felt the attraction to the stone walls and site of the original estate mansion on the property, which I had first noticed a few nights prior, while out for a walk with a few of my training partners.
The Sunday morning light rain in no way deterred me from being up at the usual early hour and heading over to the site of the old estate. Arriving there, I paused long enough to get a feel for what it may have been like, in the days of the original edifice. What it might be like to be part of the family who lived there, or servants/employees of the estate. It was about the era.
Heading down the stone steps I felt the intention to walk along the walls, following their outline to a small grove of Trees. Entering this triangle of Forest, I was drawn first to the continuation of walls along the backside. Then out into more of the center of this gathering. There are a few more grand dames in this collection of several Tree species. As I stood in the midst of this grove I began asking the question, “Where are We going? Where are we going? Where are we going?”
First of all, this sense of “We” was of myself included in the collective of Tree Spirits, Universe, Angels, Guides, and just about any other entity that travels with me in this lifetime. This sense of a unity of all of these entities has long been important to my knowing of all that is included in our lives. This was the first time I ever really included all in a question concerning this my own life. “Where are we going?”
The question seemed most immediately about a geographical location, as much as anything else. It is a question before me as I trail behind the departure of my sons from Oregon, wondering where I want to or need to be in the coming last third of my lifetime. It is a question that deliberately has me drawn first to the location of my Love, my “Twin Flame” and secondarily to a sense of permanence in location (whether that be the same aforementioned, or somewhere else that we are drawn to as a partnership). This question of where is also about that place that I can best serve or be a part of something much bigger than a simple employment or lifestyle. It seems to be about something bigger that we are drawn to in order to best be a part of the larger order of things.
Continuing on out of this small grove and into more open grown old growth Beech, Oak and Maples, I again asked the question, “where are we going?”. From there I headed out into the lawn area below the stone walls where resided a fabulously large and ancient Red Oak which must have been here at the time of the original mansion. Standing under its massive canopy again the question rang out loud. “Where are we going?”
By now there was almost a light hearted glee peeking out from under the shadow that is my heart. With an obvious smile on my face and twinkle in my eye I ascended another stone staircase to a point at the top of the old stone foundation or garden edifice. Turning round, looking out over the landscape and Forest, the grand old dame of an Oak immediately before me, I asked one more time, with squinted eyes and some sort of kinship bearing knowing, “where are we going?”.
Bidding this place good bye for now, with a bow and humble acknowledgment, I headed out onto the road in the direction of the main Kripalu building. Knowing that an intention had been set to receive whatever the Universe cared to offer in response to my query, I walked. Then, like some sacred revelation I felt my heart warm and expand, drawing my hand to rest over it, with the words resounding through me, “where are we going in here?”. “Where are we going, in here?”
To me, this simple shift from the physical realm to the inner, the heart, the spirit, spoke of the Love and Energy that was now present as a result of a major clearing and release brought about through the training we had just received and all of the Love and Energy shared by the very special group of attendees to this training. Where are we going in here speaks to me of the intention to nurture what has opened up in my own heart and is connected to all of the Trees, Mountains, Oceans and Nature itself, the very Universe.
Walk with Me.
Peter J Quandt