Sabbatical for the Soul | Janise Witt | May 9, 2024
“Do you know the origin of that word “saunter”? It’s a beautiful word. Way back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would replay, “A la Sainte terre,’ ‘ To the Holy Land’. And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers.
Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.” – John Muir
Yesterday I took an amazing sauntering hike through a hidden gem in the Verde Valley with a friend of mine, Joyce Killebrew. It was an area I had not visited in over 20 years and it was indeed magical.
The rocks gave me the opportunity to go slower than I would naturally, yet this was actually perfect for the meandering I was intending to do. I had the privilege of observing aspects in nature that I may have previously missed.
Then I found an area in the rocks and laid down to do a meditation. Yes, at first you would think the rocks would be hard, yet I seemed to find a space where I felt like they embraced me; truly a wonderful feeling!
I invite you to take a sabbatical for your soul; even for an hour – it makes such a difference – and I also feel it ripples out into our world.
– Janise Witt
Content Source/Owner: Janise Witt
