A baby giraffe’s life begins with a six-foot drop

— a head-over-heels tumble to the earth —

where she’s caught by tall grass, tended by her mother, and

soon begins the intrepid act of standing and walking on her brand-new, wobbly legs.

I am happily home from my Paris/Chartres trip for my Labyrinth Facilitator training, and I have to say it was a wonderful experience. Being back at Chartres Cathedral felt more like home this time. It was as if I never left! There is a beautiful timelessness there that I find very comforting. 

And yet once again, I was struck by my body’s response to the space and to the labyrinth. 

As I walked the labyrinth the first time, I couldn’t believe how shaky my legs were. Yes, it had been a journey to get there and I’m sure I was tired, but this level of shakiness was something else. From my sacrum down I felt jittery, weak, and wobbly. I knew I wasn’t going to fall – I was safe – but there was a tremble within me that spoke of new life.