What was wrong with me? Here I walked on the remote island of Iona where for thousands of years, Christians experienced God and I felt nothing.
I was disappointed.
What was I missing?
I wrote in my journal that last full day on Iona: “Thank you Lord for this walk on ‘ancient paths.’ The beautiful hikes have physically blessed me and I felt joy with the wonderful discussions filled with laughter among friends.
But spiritually something is missing. What does my soul need from this sacred time here on Iona?
I know I felt a ‘quickening’ of my spirit, the touch of your hand, the closeness of your breath when I saw the Scottish landscape, the villages and people. I experienced your presence in the Edinburgh Castle and my surprise discovery of the Writers Museum. But Iona remains bare. I don’t want to miss it, ignore You nor do I want to demand its arrival either. Help me see the gift you have for me here on Iona.”
On our pilgrimage to Scotland and England we spent two full days on the Island of Iona. Iona is the heart of Celtic Spirituality and site of pilgrimage for many ages.
Iona is also what is called a “Thin Place.”
A thin place is a place where the boundary between heaven and earth is especially thin. It’s a place where we can sense the divine more readily. An old Celtic expression says that heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in thin places that distance is even shorter.
“A thin place is where two worlds meet, where heaven kisses earth and eternal times brushes against ordinary time.” Liz Budd Ellmann
Ok God I am here. Where are you? I’ve come all this distance and not hear You?
We hiked south that morning, then west to the Atlantic Ocean. I watched the sheep graze and I gazed at the breaking waves from the same hill that St. Columba sat and meditated. We walked back into town to eat fish and chips at the pub we adopted as our own, nestled on Martyr’s Bay.
I saw it as we near the pub. How did I miss it before?
There on the beach, north of the pub, someone created a seaweed labyrinth.
I heard You call.
The quickening of my heart knew Your voice.
My spiritual invitation arrived.
No one joined me on the beach after lunch. I slowly and silently savored every second of my journey into, within, and outward from its winding path. The only sounds were the waves lapping the shore. My only sights were the white-capped waves in the bay dancing to the cold, northerly winds.
Have you ever walked a labyrinth? A labyrinth has only one path so there are no tricks to it and no dead ends. It is not a maze. The path winds throughout and becomes a mirror for where we are in our lives. It touches our sorrows and releases our joys.
A seaweed labyrinth on Iona opened the door for me to experience a thin place. I walked with God that day. I knew He listened to my wondering about this empty place my soul has lived since June. I understood it was time to let go of my way of seeing things. I sensed I would linger in this space longer, learning a new language and way to hear Him.
God whispered, “This is the language of silence, of the wind, of the surf, of the dolphins playing in the bay. I speak on a different frequency that what you are used to. Learn. Listen.”
I felt peace leaving this thin place. I don’t have all any of the answers but God will guide me.
Iona is a thin place where we connected with ancient hallowed paths and sacred wisdom and left transformed and renewed for the journey ahead. Yet God speaks all the time and in all places when we pay attention and are open to His voice.
Thin places occur wherever we are. Pilgrimages to sacred places certainly hold invitations to experiencing God but no matter where we journey, God opens the veil between heaven and earth, enters our hearts and tenderly caress our souls.
Where have you experienced thin places in your life?
Thanks Katharine. I could probably blog forever about the trip but think I will just a do a few more then move on. I know illustrations will come up though in the future. Traveling does that, doesn’t it.
Thanks for the mention Anna and glad that post continues to linger with you. I know my pilgrimage continues to teach me. I left you a comment on your blog and tweeted it too. Happy Thanksgiving
Hi Jean, I wanted to let you know that I’ve continued to think about this post and thin places. I wrote about it on my blog today and linked back to you. Thanks again.
What a beautiful post! I am so enjoying all of your trip stories!
So much beauty and glory in this post. Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience. Your prayer and seeking was beautiful.
I have found that in order for any place to be a thin place I have to be prepared myself. I have to be seeking.
Happy Sharefest. I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Thanks…so appreciated 🙂
ok all out war for you and this lingering bug you have. lots of prayers now and the next coming days!!! May you get some rest and good health this weekend!
Thanks for your prayers: I went to my small group & an event for our girl yesterday, and now I feel like I took a step backwards…prayers to avoid antibiotics would be greatly appreciated…hoping to make it to a labyrinth once I’m better…blessed weekend to you, dear one 🙂
Thank you for your kind comments and the award. How awesome. I did go to your site and answer them very thought provoking. enjoyed meeting you this way.
I do hope you revisit the blog again. I too am a journaled and find it such a good spiritual practice. Writing this blog does that too – when I wrote this post, it was like I was experiencing that while trip again. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
Hi Dolly. Glad you are starting to feel better. I have been praying for you! When the weather changes is always a sicky time for many people. Something told me you would know about labyrinths. I have walked several and most of the time, have heard God deeply. Neat way to center isn’t it? Have a great weekend and keep on the mend!
Hi Roberta. Thank you for commenting. Iona has long been on my bucket list and I didn’t think I would ever get there. It is really off the beaten tract but God is good and the opportunity opened. I am grateful.
Hello Jean
What a beautiful post and lovely pictures. I do envy you…I hope someday to visit these places that have always had a place in my heart.
I wanted to let you know that I have nominated you for the Leibster Award. If you choose to accept it please follow the link for the details:
http://shinebrightlyforjesus.blogspot.com/2012/11/more-than-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about.html
God bless!
I love the pictures you included here and the discussion of thin places. I bookmarked to come back to later. I want to journal about this-where are the places where heaven meets earth. Thank you.
oh, so happy to read how God met you in a special way through your time walking the labyrinth…your words and photos make me long to go there…the first time I walked a labyrinth last year in another town, I was skeptical but it was so special and now I love labyrinths…miss it…hmm…thanks for your prayers…slightly less congested today, and I made it to my small group but I did not hug anyone…Hugs to you, Jean 🙂
Great post. love the seaweed labyrinth. Iona is on my “must” list….hopefully soon….thanks for the honesty…
Most of the time that I have walked a labyrinth, I have heard God in a new way. Not always but most so I encourage you to try this practice someday. Yes, yes you can find thin places in the ordinary – in fact I think that is a wonderful thin place that so many of us ignore or are blind to. Thanks for commenting today!
Sandra, this trip filled me in so many ways. I am grateful for the experience.
Walking a labyrinth has been a great spiritual practice for me. Most of the time, not all, I heard God in a new way with this practice.
I just have to get to the Laity Lodge someday. It sure does sound like a Thin Place to me.
I’ve never walked through a labyrinth, but now I want to. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. I like the idea of thin places. I often feel closest to God in the most ordinary situations: in my home, talking to my husband, being with my children. I’ve been to great cathedrals overseas, I expected to feel something powerful. Sometimes I did, but more often it was when I stepped outside that I really felt God. It is in the simple spots – the natural cathedral of the beach, in your story – where I feel God most intensely.
He speaks in a different frequency…
I’ve never walked a labyrinth. Someday. My thin places? Almost anywhere outside, but especially anywhere where sky and water meet, or surrounded by woods. Or most recently–Laity Lodge.