Walking the Labyrinth on Snowshoes

What to do with 15 inches of snow? One of my neighbors decided to snowshoe a labyrinth in the snow.

A labyrinth was, historically, more like a maze--a complex pattern, which, once you enter it, is difficult to escape. Perhaps you feel this way about a particular situation or relationship in your life.

Yet, if you keep walking, keep following the path, the answer finally comes. You reach the center of the quest, the center of the question, a small still point. Honestly, there's no need for rancor or impatience, frustration or hurt feelings. The answer is right there in front of you, if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other with an open mind.

The Topography of Snow

People are beginning to ask me about my garden. "So, how's your garden?" they say.

It's a joke. This morning it's 10 degrees--again. All flowerbeds are still covered by two feet of snow that is so crusty with ice, snowshoes barely leave a track on top.

I'm starting to admire the topography of the snow, which is no longer smooth, but sculpted into hills and valleys as it melts from below. My yard looks like a relief map.

In other words, i'm desperate. The hyacinths have finished blooming; my forced tulips have not yet begun. I've given every houseplant a haircut, and i have 25 jars of cuttings sitting on a window sill.

I would go into hibernation if i could, but the sun heats our passive solar house up to tropical by 11 a.m. It's time to wake up and move. Squirrels scamper across the snow and devour the bird seed. New birds, more birds are showing up at the bird feeders--purple finches, flickers.

Restlessness. One of the 5 hindrances to our meditation and to our life.

The earth is moving. The birds are moving. The snow is moving.
And so am i.

Coldest 90 Days

It's snowing.

December 9 begins the coldest 90 days of the year. So here we go, on the downhill slide into winter. Whee!

The ground is locked up. The snowfall covers a multitude of sins--undone projects, unkempt flowerbeds. Out of sight and out of mind.

Now there's nothing to do but walk in the snow, snowshoe on the snow, ski on the snow, sled on the snow (even if you're 70), and skate on the ice. Our possibilities have narrowed down to this for the coming 90 days.

Goodbye, Gardening. Farewell, Flowers. Das Vidanya, Vegetables. There is a season to everything, and now the seasons have turned. Everything ends. Everything.

Photo from cntraveler.com