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Creation in all its Glory
Tuesday 2nd April 2019
Adele Trapnell
"Praise to the holiest in the heights and in the depths be praise". This line from the well-known hymn is the essence of what Journeying means to me and brings to mind my first 'Pilgrim Adventure' in June 2002, as well as my most recent in April 2014. My first adventure took me to the tiny island of Skellig Michael, off the south-west coast of Ireland, where 6th century monks lived and worshipped their creator. Wishing to live a life of sacrifice and faith, much in the spirit of St Anthony going out into the desert, they built tiny 'beehive' huts on the top of this remote rocky island which are still standing today... As we climbed up the dizzying steps I had one of the most wonderful experiences of my life - a puffin landed on my foot!
A high point of our journey on Anglesey Island in April 2014 was the descent to the deepest part of the earth that I am ever likely to visit - the amazing Parys Copper Mine. We had to dress up in heavy protective clothing and boots, like the miners would have worn, and after a lot of safety instructions, Ollie, a former miner, led us down, down, down, clinging to rickety ladders, until we reached a huge cave. Our headlamps illuminated the most glorious colours of the rock; the sound of dripping water and the half-foot of water we were standing in all brought us something of the atmosphere of what it must have been like for the workers in the mine, which Ollie told us dates back to the Bronze Age.
St Davids, The Scilly Isles, Isle of Man, Skellig Isles, Anglesey; what links these great Journeying experiences for me is the excellence of the leaders, the camaraderie of the other participants, the beautiful walks in nature, the worship outdoors at so many special places, the prayerful atmosphere of evening worship and the fun we shared as we prepared meals, washed dishes, or did other small tasks together. For me the spiritual path is the most important path in life, and as I get older it fascinates me more and more. Thanks and congratulations to the Journeying team for these wonderful adventures. I am so looking forward to my next one, to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, this coming summer, 2019!