Walk This Way…

I learned how to walk all over again in Sedona.

I’ve always had a problem with strolling… for me, the purpose of walking was to get somewhere as fast as I could. I needed to have a destination and a reason, like exercising. There’d also be a timeline and a route already planned, so this strolling stuff would really make me nervous.

One of the reasons (a very big reason!) I love going to Sedona is to experience the inevitable “change” or transformation that always happens to (for?) me. So on this latest retreat (to reiterate what I explained in the last blog, I was going there for 4 days with no phone/computer/tv/radio/books, etc.) I was actually looking forward to an epiphany of any sort to slam me up side of my head… and it did.

I was walking along in the downtown touristy area, speeding by the people and the shops not really noticing what it was that I was passing by. All of a sudden I had a very strong image of a couple of men I see sometimes on my usual walking routes back home. They’re both quite elderly; one is Chinese and the other Russian, and the only reason I even noticed or remembered them is that they both walked in a very (to me) peculiar style… their hands clasped behing their back, and moving soooo slowly… it always made me wince to watch them!

But along with this image came a direct order to “Walk this way…”. And so I did. I felt a little uncomfortable at first; very out of my element and actually self-conscious about it. My God! What if people can see me? Of course they can see me, I’m in the middle of a damn tourist mecca!

Right as I was about to give up with embarrassment I got an equally strong command to “Just relax… and surrender to the flow… ” So I did (I’ve been a very obedient little boy lately!)

My hands were knotted behind me, my pace was painfully deliberate and oh, so snail-like, and I allowed Guidance to do just what it does best… guide me!

What happened after a few minutes of doubt was so worth all my perceived fears of what a fool I was making of myself, and what a waste of a perfectly good walk this could be. I started to settle into the gentle rythm of this little meandering way of motion and I became aware of several very important aspects of the funny little stumble I was doing.

Truly important, and paradigm changing… and I can’t wait to tell you about ‘em…

Next time. I’m not trying to hold out on you, but I am tired and I’ve gotta get some sleep!  I just hope I don’t sleep walk… the neighbors hate it when I do that.

Jerry