When you close your doors, and make darkness within, remember never to say that you are alone, for you are not alone; nay, God is within, and your genius is within. And what need have they of light to see what you are doing? – Epictetus
It occurred to me when I read this quote that since I took on the contract work in the Cities two months ago, I’ve taken very few SOSs — few walks in the woods, few mornings quietly sitting for 10 minutes, no time on the couch doing nothing but petting the dog.
I clipped out an article in the paper a week ago about the increading popular use of labyrinths for meditation. I’ve not done one yet, but I can see why they’d be helpful.
Since there’s no problem to solve (labyrinths are not mazes), nor physical challenge to get to the end (they’re flat), and they don’t lead anywhere, you’re presented with an experience not typical of everyday life. Paths are just not like this. So your conscious mind has a better chance of focusing strictly on the present vs the usual noise in one’s head about the past and the future. And, as the quote implies, that gives God, genius, wisdom, and whatever else lurking within us a better chance to have some helpful influence.