Map of a Life

We get lost. It is a given. It’s almost built right into the story of our lives. You are not a total failure to get lost. In a way—you are right on track. It’s the getting lost and then finding our way that is this great adventure we are all on. 

But, what’s the deal? What really is it to be lost? There’s a sense of panic. Not knowing which way to return home, but knowing it’s around here somewhere. Can’t be that far because I got myself here somehow, but I just can’t figure it out. It’s chaotic. It’s swirly and confusing. It can even be pretty terrifying.

Sometimes you even have a map, but it doesn’t matter because you don’t know how to read it or you’ve gotten so far off that the map is irrelevant.

But something remarkable happens when we are really lost, truly lost. So lost we toss out the map we had been looking at. We get out of our heads and into our gut. We find what we’ve really been longing for—our intuition. We take a step and check in with ourselves and our own deep wisdom. We get present and ask, “Does this feel right?” We may even reach out for relationship and guidance from the land and spirit.

We begin creating our own map and, eventually, we find our way.

It has taught me a great deal to look back at the map of my life and see where I’ve “gotten lost” and where I’ve placed a cairn turning a new direction. 

If you want to find out a lot about yourself—where you’ve been and where you’re going—map out your trail. Map it on paper, or try mapping it on the land.

What has your trail been like?

Where have the major hills and valleys been?

What is the significance of the turns in your life?

How have you found your way to the cairns on your path?