Walking on Holy Sand

Wednesday was a much needed down day at Iona, after three that had been packed pretty solid. Most of the group opted out of the formal morning program for rest and more personal exploration of the island – hiking, wandering a beach, doing yoga, or simply taking a nap. By late morning, about half of us made our way back to the McLeod Centre for an art project that grew out of the morning Bible study. We were invited to create some large multitextured/colored murals with paint, fabric, newspapers, yarn, and various other materials that told the stories of Coming of the Magi, the Good Samaritan and the Road to Emmaus. The three teams came up with very imaginative renderings that helped to bring the stories to life and provide large canvases that became part of the evening worship. As part of the liturgy, each of us was asked to locate ourselves at a particular place on the storyboards that spoke most powerfully to us, marking it with a shell on the artwork spread over the Abbey floor.

The laughable highlight of the afternoon was all of us making our way down to the village for an elegant Cream Tea at the Argyle Hotel (though Nicole had an interesting interpretation of exactly what cream to put where). We caught them just before they finished serving and sat outside on benches in the gardens near the water – and then came the only real sustained rain of the day. It didn’t last long (perhaps fifteen minutes) but just long enough to have us

huddled together eating our scones and brownies under cover of our shared umbrellas. We garnered a lot of smiling stares from passersby and had a good laugh about the whole thing. On Wednesday night, six of us got to exchange meals and dine at the Abbey Refectory which allowed us to interact a bit more fully with the other group of pilgrims we had been worshiping, but not living in community with, all week. We ate at long wooden tables on benches in this ancient dining hall and one could almost picture the monks eating beside us. We all agreed that we preferred our "home" dining arrangements better (the oval tables at the Mac) which seemed to allow for easier and closer conversation. Still, quite a unique experience. Both groups joined together for a wide-ranging Guest Concert (talent/variety show) which showcased a very British humored Olympic Toilet Cleaning sketch, several songs, poetry, and participation by both children and adults. Little Aiden, a seven year-old Brit with an adorable accent, stole the show with his rendition of "The Noble Duke of York" and we closed with a rousing American Sacred Harp piece led by a very passionate and talented Dutch woman – go figure!

Thursday morning, Mary led a session of yoga out on the Abbey grounds and that afternoon we assembled on the beach to create our own prayer labyrinth out of shells, rocks, and seaweed. A labyrinth, while it looks like a maze, is really a path – there is no way to get lost. The goal is to meander slowly to the center in quiet meditation, making way for fellow travelers on the path so it is both a communal and very personal experience. The mist eventually drove us into the Martyr’s Bay Pub to dry off and warm up, but as we huddled together for a closing prayer, we all confirmed that it was well worth taking on a little moisture.