Circumambulation

Circumambulation

It feels like you’re going in circles. Because you are. But what if we accept the repetition as sacred rather than a tedious annoyance?

I had a wild week making and unmaking a presentation for this Friday, all-in-all I made a half a dozen projects— spending hours each night trying out dead ends—before I circled right back to my original idea. This part of my creative process feels familiar, and still frustrates and surprises me. I can’t skip to the end when I magically get it. I’ve got to take the journey.

The indigenous people of the Sierra Nevada off the north shore of Colombia, the Cogí, are weavers. They spend a lot of time walking up and down the peaks, making offerings (pagamentos) to the land and weaving mochilas. 

Their movement is sacred. They are carrying a particular frequency with them as they walk to the coast, the jungle, and even the city. They are consciously informing the weave of the cosmos. 

And we all are. Some of us are nomadic, and some of us specialize in a certain area, but our movements are sacred. Reflecting on this past year, I’ve found myself on three different continents in four different countries. When I landed outside of Vancouver this summer, I was ready to rest, to settle down and put down roots. And yet, just a few months later I find myself dreaming of the Mediterranean climate and new adventures once again. I’ve decided to go easy on myself this time. 

I’m all for freedom of movement and  open borders. And I also recognize my extreme privilege in being invited to travel so freely. Not all who wander are lost.