The heart yearns and the soul listens. The response is a pilgrimage to a place where the song of your spirit sings with unfettered joy. With a yearning heart, a listening soul, and a joyful spirit, I undertook such a pilgrimage on my birthday.
Into the sunrise, I drove the almost three hours to the Great Serpent Mound, the largest earthen effigy in the world. My eager anticipation, mimicked the lightening of the sky lightened and the sun peaking over the horizon. I wondered if the Serpent Mound of memory would be as wonderful as reality.
Of course, Siri decided to direct me down a different path. But, what is a pilgrimage unless it is tinged with the unknown and unexpected? As I turned onto Tranquility Pike, I chuckled. Did I ever need tranquility! The road was scarcely bigger than a path and had so many twists and turns. It felt like I was riding the serpent to the mound!
Once I arrived, I breathed in the beauty of the place. After weeks of hot weather, I was graced with a fall day. I walked the mounded, practiced Tai Chi, and journaled, but mostly I let its serenity permeate my bones. I felt a resolute connection to the land and the mystery that pulsed from it. My jagged edges were soothed. I connected to my sacred spark and my spark connected to that of the Mound.
Was the pilgrimage a magic balm that made everything right in my world? No. The pilgrimage allowed me to touch upon the sacred created by an unknown community from the past. The energy of the snake twined around me and rooted deeply into my heart igniting the sacred spark within.
That is the true nature of a pilgrimage. We travel outside of ourself not expecting a miracle, but as a means of paying homage to the divine spark within. This spark connects us to not only the the sacred but to all of creation. The pilgrimage is less a panacea for what ails us and more a gentle reminder that within us is the capacity to live our sacred purpose in the many ways we are invited.
Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is an Intuitive Coach, who uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for personal and relationship transformation. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Contact Vanessa (vanessa@intentandaction.com) for life coaching, keynotes, programs, and intuitive consultations.
Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2019
Hi Vanessa, What a lovely meditation of your birthday trip to serpent mound. I've been there just once a long time ago, and it was so nice to have it recounted from your 'gentle reminder that
ReplyDeletewithin us is the capacity to live our sacred purpose in the many ways we are invited. Thank You. God's Peace and Love, Caro