Walking

I was in Edinburgh early yesterday. spotthegerbil drops me off on the way to his work, the wee star! After visiting the library (and embarrassing myself by not being able to work out how to leave - spot the fresher!) I decided I wanted to walk the Edinburgh labyrinth. I don't know why I felt compelled to do so (I suppose God does!), especially as I've always thought "That isn't really for me".

As I started, I didn't know what to do. Yes, I know it's walking the path, but what to do while I walked. Talking to myself was out of the question. Not only would they be sending the men (why is it always men?) in a padded van and a straight jacket, but there was someone sitting on one of the benches chilling. (Must admit, that did make me a little self-conscious).

So, there I was, just walking at a gentle pace, listening to the birds. In itself, that was pretty meditative. Then I started saying (in my head, I hasten to add) Deuteronomy 31:6, my favourite bible verse. Over and over I said it. All the way to the centre of the labyrinth. All the time wondering exactly what I was up to. All the time wondering if there was any point to it.

Until I got to the centre. It was a great feeling. One of enormous calm and peace. Like the words were becoming reality for me. As though God was saying, yes, "I will not fail you. It's okay".

I continued saying the verse as I retraced my steps to leave the labyrinth. Now they had taken on a while new dimension. A brilliant and amazing thing that is so hard to put into words, but is real presence of God with me. I mean, just how cool is that? I love it.

Now I know what was compelling me to walk the labyrinth. I was guided by the holy spirit. Part of the God I follow, but the God who is preparing the way for me. Brill.

The birth of civilisation?

I was reading an interesting article in this month's National Geographic about what is thought to be the oldest temple site in the world at Gobekli Tepe. As there is, as yet, no signs of occupation/settlement at the site this is an indication of the site being used for some religious-type practice, rather than palace or small city.

The especially interesting thing about this place, for me, is that from the evidence gathered, the earliest parts of the site pre-date permanent settlements and agriculture. So, suggesting nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes of no more than a few dozen gathered to build this temple and, ultimately, use it as a worship site.

Given the dates, this temple appears to indicate religion was the trigger for permanent settlements and, with that, agriculture. All so these disparate bands of hunter-gatherers could begin to worship God.

I find it amazing that the spiritual need to reach out to something beyond ourselves, the need for God in our lives pre-dates the wheel. Even in as Homo Sapiens was first working out their place in the world, they (we) had an ingrained spirituality and sense of something bigger in control.

Even now, millennium later, people are still searching for meaning. Searching for something to explain who they are and why they are here. Just looking at the reaction after a road-crash or death of a child shows the search goes on, even in this post-Christian society we're (supposedly) living in.


Wow. It's as deep a need, I believe, within us as food and water. As life gets more and more cluttered, it can be difficult to see God and feel his presence, even for the best of us. And he's been there all among. Loving and caring for us. Helping us grow but also giving us the free-will to choose.

And the photos in the magazine are pretty fine too.

Oh, and this is my 300th post!