Dear Cubbie, Dodger, & Rex, Today I turn 40 years old. To you, that sounds ancient I know. But trust me, once you turn 40 it won’t sound or feel old at all. In many ways, it will feel like life has just only begun. For now, I’m thrilled to be your middle-aged auntie who loves zip-lining down old Welsh…
Off the Edges of the World
I walked off the edge. And I jumped. And I was pushed. And I sat teetering on the brink. I don’t know why particularly. I wouldn’t refer to myself as a thrill-seeker (unless, of course, you count mixing four kinds of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream together in preparation for a Lord of the Rings Director’s Cut marathon; but even…
A Bardesy Blessing
I was able to spend some time on Bardsey Island/Ynys Enlli on the tip of the Llyn Peninsula, Wales. Known as the Island of 20,000 Saints, it is fabled to be one of the resting places of the elusive Holy Grail. Three pilgrimages to this island are equivalent to one pilgrimage to Rome. Apparently I’m one third of the way!…
Jumping Off
The day is gray and cloudy outside, but the drizzle has stopped. I’m going through all of my things, packing up again, and preparing for my few days on the fabled Bardsey Island. There won’t be any wifi out there, so I’ll be off-grid for the duration. It’s been a week of steep challenges. On Saturday I went coasteering off…
Ancient Steps, Thin Spaces, New Life
I walked a portion of the North Wales Coastal Pilgrimage Trail today — Aber Falls. . An old area of Britain, with ruins littering the landscape. Some of these archeological wonders are around 4000 years old, some date back to Roman times, others to the medieval era, and few from around the time of the Enlightenment. These paths have been…
The Loss of Light and The Coming of Fire
As you read this, I’m trekking about the ancient lands of northeast Wales. I’ve arrived just in time to celebrate Lammas or Lughnasad on August 01. Lugh is the Celtic Sun god and August is his sacred month often celebrated in lively Fire Festivals. As I come to understand more the connections between Christianity and paganism, the more I…
Changed for the Healing of the World
I have a bad habit (one among many). Whenever there is conflict, I need to run. Any disturbance in the Force is a reason to flee — a true Jedi I am not. If there’s something someone else has done that has hurt me or bothered me, I’ll often ignore it for the sake of keeping the stasis (calling it…
Patriarchs and Prophets – The Voice of Hildegard von Bingen
We need prophets today. We look for the clairvoyants who can somehow test the shadows of the future and, returning to the present, assure us of what is to come. We look to those folks claiming to be able to discern shades and spirits of future events, displaying power and control over the uncontrollable. No. We need those blossoming…
The River Valley Squirrel Man
Mindful walking has become an intergral part of my self-care and practice. Wherever I am, home or away, I look for suitable walking routes that eventually become daily journeys of letting go, miniature pilgrimages of sorts. Music or no music, podcasts or no podcasts, the little camera on my iPod, I’m lightly equipped to sing, dance, move, take photographs,…
Going to Wales!
For those of you who don’t know, I’m headed off to Wales, UK, in just two short weeks. Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to visit this land of Merlin and Arthur, of castles and coracles, of monasteries and pilgrimages, of paganism and Christianity. My last name is Thomas (rather Welsh, wouldn’t you say?) and, if the…