I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference.
--Robert Frost
I have returned from a short break, in which I headed up into Canada for some time at a beautiful lake. I went with a phenomenal group called Two Roads Maine. Their name is a reference to the Robert Frost poem above. The whole premise of their organization is to encourage us to look beyond what it is we see or tell ourselves is the story but to go within ourselves to find out what the story truly is inside of us that needs to be told. Also, an integral part of the experience is opening the connection to the wilderness. Here is the blurb they have on their website:
Two Roads supports people at those
critical crossroads,
when they must
make choices about new directions
involving their health and well-being,
by providing
opportunities to enter
and experience the natural world.
After a thought-provoking gathering in the morning and then time for a solo to explore the fields or the lake, we reconvened to something called a "council". This is the heart of the experience in which participants are able to share their experience and journey without a dialogue. Instead, each person gets a chance to share their thoughts and then it moves on to the next speaker. Afterwards, there is a greeting time so that everyone can connect with each other about what was shared. I found this format very powerful and it offers an amazing way to effect healing, change, and growth in one's life. How often do we have a place in our lives where we can share, be vulnerable, and ponder without fear of repercussions, inconveniencing another, or wondering how our thoughts will be interpreted?
Since my retreat, I have been thinking about the concept of "juicing the experience". When we are in the middle of an incredible life experience, it can be challenging to grasp the rigor and the ripple effects the experience is going to leave on our lives. Sometimes, it takes a little distance from the situation to begin to reflect on the mark left upon us.
If you have ever juiced a lemon or orange by hand, you know that it takes a little muscle power and time to get all of the juice out. And often, just when you think you have gotten all there is to get...out comes a little more. The same is true when we are going through a transformative experience whether it feels like a positive or a difficult time. There is a flood of new ideas, ways of looking at things, and perceptions that are opening before us. Then, over time, if we are persistent we are able to feel the ripple effects or the last drops of juice spill out offering us even more lessons gained from what we have been through.
I love the idea of "juicing the experience" because it encourages us to take time and bring consciousness to how we are living our days. And in gathering this awareness, we are better able to effect the kinds of change we are looking for. As we tap into what the juice of the experience is offering us, our inner voice of intuition is given a platform to express the vision it sees. And this allows us to make our way into living healthy, connected, and fulfilling lives.
For more information about Two Roads Maine, go to www.tworoadsmaine.org .
