Guest Blog by Regina Ress: Spiraling into the Center and Outward Bound

JoAnne’s Introduction:

When I opened my email a few days ago, I was thrilled to see a message from my good friend Regina Ress, sharing a poem she wrote back in 2013 after we led a workshop for women inmates at the Santa Fe County Adult Correctional Facility. It resonated with me for two reasons. First, the work I have done in prisons and jails since 2002 has been very meaningful, and sometimes Regina and I worked together in those settings. Secondly, I recently built a labyrinth on my property, and walking it is something I do daily as well as encouraging guests to enjoy it.  Regina’s poem was written in a follow-up workshop with the women on writing about our experience together walking a labyrinth (which I helped create) in the barbed wire encircled yard of that county jail.

Thank you, Regina!

About Regina:

Regina Ress, award-winning storyteller, actor, writer and educator, has performed and taught for over fifty years from Broadway to Brazil in a wide variety of settings from grade schools to senior centers, from homeless shelters and prisons to Lincoln Center and the White House.  To learn more about Regina visit her at:  www.reginaress.com/about.html

Spiraling into the Center and Outward Bound:

A Reflection on Walking the Labyrinth with the Women

Santa Fe County Corrections Department Adult Correctional Facility

October 3, 2013

                  by Regina Ress

Being in the Center.

Being is the Center.

Walking slowly

Entering, Centering.

 

The Path winds and doubles back

In and out into the Wider Path

Which winds and definitely doubles

Back upon itself; upon myself.

 

I encounter myself

In all the others

On the Path.

 

I love these women who, willing to walk,

Stay with me, with each other, with themselves

In the Center of this labyrinth.

 

Knowing what?

That we share the space

That we share the grace

Of the Center.

 

What is the way in?

That first step supported by the breath,

Moved forward on the breath;

Forward, spiraling gently in,

And gently out again.

 

The Center awaits us all.

As does the sun glistening on barbed wire.

An oddly beautiful spiral of circles,

Of spiraling circles,

Endless circles reaching out

To the blue sky beyond.

 

An odd gift, this cage.

A glimpse of moving wire

Meant to keep us in

But when looked at from

A different perspective,

It is a Trail, a Path

Of outward bound.

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