Whilst I was away on holiday, I had time to do some thinking. I've been pondering the dreams about cottages and woods and trails, about quiet places to pause and think. It's a change of mindset from moving - travelling and exploring the wide world - to pausing.
After some investigation I've (re)discovered a beautiful, hilly, part-wooded and quite spiritual place. It's a very small Orthodox monastery that owns some land and in fact already has a couple of horses grazing to keep the vegetation down. I should have thought of it - I passed by there some fifteen years ago. But, back then, I was too busy rushing about to notice stillness.
I've a little while to wait - it isn't especially accessible in winter. Plus work will be quite mad for the next few months. So spring will be my target to go there for a week. It's about four hours away.
This does give me hope, even to have a place to try out as a retreat with Brena. I'm not quite sure how it will work out seeking quiet and time to think with a horse. However it seems like the sort of place where the outside world need not exist whilst I'm there. That will suit me well, as there's a whole wide world inside to explore. Meanwhile the renewed hope gives me something good to hold onto.
i like this goal of a place and time. i wonder if they'll accomodate you or you'll have to rough it nearby?
you all know what i have to look forward to, only one thing: riding again.
Posted by: lytha | October 29, 2011 at 08:26 AM
Wow! That place sounds like a perfect meditation retreat for you and your horse. What a wonderful thing to look forward too while these days get shorter and colder.
Posted by: Horseideology | October 29, 2011 at 01:56 PM
Lytha: there is a hut to stay in. The hut has a gas ring to cook on, but no toilet - the instruction is to "dig a hole in the woods". I'll be happy with that. As for you, I do hope that you get to ride again soon. I'm sure that you will.
Becky: it took a while to get around to thinking of that place. When I did, the answer seemed "obvious". It does sound like a good idea. Orthodoxy has the advantage of seeing God's hand in the created world, therefore nature and animals are important. Being somewhere wild and quiet is something to look forward to. It's strange to me that I didn't do more (or, to be honest, any) meditation in Transylvania where there was so much space. Well, now the time to make amends is drawing near.
Posted by: White Horse Pilgrim | October 29, 2011 at 11:28 PM