Clear creek water is flowing musically in my direction, over the rocks below the bridge, upstream of where I sit. It follows the stream banks toward the confluence, one of several sacred spaces tended here and there by faeries, elves, and the occasional nature worshiper. I place a special rock on the altar and then just chill out on a hot afternoon.

Weeks ago, Rainbow and I went to visit the Peace Garden, sat on the bench like I’m doing now, and imagined a “Refresh the Peace Garden” party. That got me eager to welcome Moe and Juanpa back from Argentina and propose a date. Kaitlin, the sacred site steward of the Peace Garden, was all about it. I was excited to think of the kinds of art projects and landscape sculptures that might result in a new gathering among the boulders and the bamboo.

At the last Peace Garden work party that I attended, about a dozen folks spent hours in this shady and slightly hidden retreat space behind the hedges, rerouting overflows, rearranging sit spots, cleaning up fallen branches, stopping to appreciate what a lovely thing it is to make an art project out of a chosen responsibility! Juan Pablo hung the swinging bench I’m sitting on, so that it faces the oncoming flow, facing exactly where the creek rushes through the giant culverts. You have to really sit here to appreciate it!

Drinking in, through all my cells, the perfection of this place, it’s actually possible for me to put aside the temptation to dwell on the thoughts and reflections that weave through our intentional lives in this ecovillage. I’m looking forward to another work party here soon, such a graceful way to balance all the mental and emotional efforts our minds and hearts take on to keep this complex boat afloat!

In a place like this, where a wooden bench dangles above a flowing creek, the view and the sound actually soothe the remaining tension of an after-meeting concern. I return to stillness; balance is possible.

Where is your peaceful place? Please share in the comments.

The post A Place Like This… The Peace Garden appeared first on Earthaven Ecovillage.