Travelling Light

Because sometimes we
travel heavy
and those heady times we
can barely
imagine the freebody
movement of
dance.

Because sometimes we
travel dark
and from those hard paths we
can’t even
conjure an image of
sunrise
or moonrise
or starlight
or fire.

Because sometimes we
travel solo
and those lonely times we
forget all the others
we’ve travelled with
lovingly
travelled with
home.

Because sometimes we
need to be
travelling lightly
because sometimes were in need of
regular reminding
that light comes in circles
and waves
and small moments

and light
comes to find us
and light comes with hope.

Pádraig Ó Tuama

We are creatures of comfort
we like to be safe and secure
to be surrounded by what we know
to be in control
we want our journeys mapped out for us
itinerary decided
tickets booked
time of arrival guaranteed
refreshments breaks at regular intervals
and a credit card for unforeseen circumstances

But Jesus said ‘follow me’ without saying where he was going
Just promising transformation along the way

the Israelites in the desert, rescued from slavery and oppression, were tired and homeless, hungry and thirsty, insecure and unsettled
and their minds went back to what they had known.
they yearned for the structure of predictable slavery
rather than the broken walls of unknown freedom
Liminal space is the pace of inbetweenness, of insecurity
it is uncertainty and chaos
it is a place of discomfort and unrest
this is the invitation of God
to move
from comfort to insecurity
from what we know to what we have yet to discover
from what we are good at to what we might fail at
from safety to a place of risk

On the journey of faith ,
Far I have come, far I must go.

words taken and adapted from: Grace – Pocket Liturgies.

The prayer station took inspiration from part of a blessing called
For the Traveller by John O’Donahue

When you travel,
A new silence
Goes with you,
And if you listen,
You will hear
What your heart would
Love to say

A journey can become a sacred thing.

Make sure, before you go,
To take the time
To bless your going forth,
To free your heart from ballast
So that the compass of your soul
Might direct you towards
The territories of spirit
Where you will discover
More of your hidden life;
And the urgencies
That deserve to claim you.

May you travel in an awakened way,
Gathering wisely into your inner ground;

That you may not waste the invitations
Which wait along the way to transform you.

My friend who goes on cycling holidays manages to take all her luggage in a couple of cycling panniers. She says it takes careful planning and leaving behind the things that take up too much room and weigh you down. Bearing in mind the need for essentials like food and water there is little room for much else. When she sets off she has enough for her journey and nothing for just in case.
On the contrary many of us pack huge suitcases with far more than we need when we travel. These weigh us down and make travelling cumbersome and difficult. To make matters worse we often arrive back home with much of what we have carried unused.
Life is a journey and we sometimes carry things along with us that needlessly weigh us down;
• Experiences from the past that we cannot forget or let go of
• Worries of what the future might hold
• Relationships difficulties
• Planning for the just in case it happens
• Negative memories
• Embarrassing moments
• Unforgiveness
• Resentments
• Bitterness
• Regrets
Take a piece of paper from the table;
Write down anything you feel is weighing you down needlessly that you are carrying on your life’s journey. Be determined to try to leave it behind.
Screw it up and throw it in the bin – leaving it behind
Take a luggage label from the suitcase;
Write yourself a blessing for the “going forth in your life”. Take it away with you to remind yourself.

The sailors ditty box contained both found and made objects which were associated with memories and past experiences. Recently contemporary artists have been using them as a space to explore ideas and themes.

“On the deck of a boat the sky is immense, the horizon uncluttered. The individual seems small and the ocean infinite. By contrast, below decks there is no private space, everything is commonly owned and occupied. For seamen it has always been thus, hence the need for a small token of one’s own individuality; one’s history, maintenance and hopes sealed within a hand-sized box.”
John Cumming

Joseph Cornell (born 1903, died 1972) was an artist who was fascinated by fragments of objects. It is said that he was a navigator of the imagination who created shadow boxes which are “visual poems.”

Joseph Cornell was inspired by both the ideas which form in childhood and resonate with us throughout our lives and contemporary ideas in art and culture.

A metal spring from a discarded wind up clock could represent the passage of time and a ball could represent a planet. In this way boxed assemblages from found objects could “create poetry from commonplace objects.”

What objects would you like to put in your ditty box?
What memories and ideas would you like to represent?

Jesus says “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)