1001 Places: Sacred Paths--Australia

Now that we here, in River City, are in the midst of yet another winter storm (roughly 8-12" since midnight), I thought it might be time to revisit the copy of the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die to find some psychological relief. As previously posted, I enjoy the daily ritual of tearing away yesterday to reveal an interesting location for the new day. Some of the daily notes and accompanying photos that I like best are saved in a pile under my computer keyboard at school.

Friday, February 23, focused on the idea of walking, and inldues the following info-blurb: "Labyrinths and sacred walks provide an opportunity to slow down and reflect on the divine..." Among the six suggested walks one might take is the "Aboriginal iwara or 'sacred paths,' Australia," which brings to mind for me the idea of walking meditation and on a larger scope, the Australian walkabout.

As defined on Wikipedia, a walkabout is:

an Australian term referring to the belief that Australian Aborigines "go walkabout" at the age of thirteen in the wilderness for six months as a rite of passage. They then trace the path of the ceremonial ancestors of their tribe, following the exact route that those ancestors took, and imitating in a fashion, their heroic deeds.

It seems like here in the USA, it is acceptable to use one's entire life as a walkabout... some folks never moving past being thirteen years old, which with few cultural rites of passages, except getting a drivers license or drinking alcohol, to evidence having matured.

Even if it is snowing out, I think I'll go for a walk...

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!