Between Muspell and Niflheim was a void, an empty place of nothingness, without form.
So begins a Norse myth of creation as told by Neil Gaiman. The gap between these two places, one of intense cold and the other of fire and heat was called the Ginnungagap. This story became a grounding for our fall retreat in Tennessee a couple of days ago. All of us in the group were middle aged and at a stage in our lives where we can easily see that we are no longer in our youth, some would say in our prime. Yet, all of us were there knew that being in one’s prime is a subjective thing, that that what is to come as we age can be an exciting time of creative living.
We spent time walking the woods of Narrow Ridge and walking the woods of our own hearts. We pondered what it meant to be in an in between spot in our lives, where we are letting go or have let go of roles that once anchored our very beings. Most of us in the retreat were parents to adult children no longer needing the kind of guidance little ones need. Many of us had lost one or both parents and were no longer children to parents. Some of us were the oldest, now in charge of holding family memories. All of us were in our own Ginnungagaps.
For the four days we spent together, we shared from the heart and took care of ourselves and one another. We ate the most delicious food Maribel prepared and as we did, we savored life itself. We reminded ourselves of the communion of saints that spans the gap between heaven and earth in one great big party and celebrated the deliciousness of life. We noted that the Ginnungagap is not bridged through language, it is bridged through the body and senses. Pleasure heals.
We share this little bit of our experience with you to entice you to come to our next gathering in Narrow Ridge. The work we do together is powerful beyond words. Many think that Miami Firm Body is all about workouts, bootcamp and yoga, but, in fact, our work is so much more than that. Our mission is to remind ourselves that no matter our age, this is a good time to be a human being on this planet, that all of us are called to do work that nourishes the soul, enlivens the heart, and heals and renews the world. We affirm we can live wholeheartedly.
Look for our announcement for the spring retreat. Come with us!