Journey to the end of the universe: Laugavegur
May a flock of colors,
Indigo, red, green
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight. — John O’Donohue*
Come walking into the truly breathtaking.
Skogar to Landmannalaugar
This 5 day walk to the end of the universe, that’s what it feels like, takes you into the truly spectacular.
From Skogar:
- along a mind-boggling series of waterfalls,
- between glaciers, over volcanoes,
- across braided glacier melt rivers
- and through into sulfurous lunar Landmannalaugar.
Pronounce it as it is spelled and you’ll be close:
Land Mann a Lau gar!
Laugavegur
The trail in pictures follows.
Follow along for a new beginning.
For a new beginning
by John O’Donohue*
In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.
For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.
It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.
Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you.
Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life’s desire.
Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.
Resources
Links and posts
John O’Donohue’s quote/poem above are from To bless the space between us: A book of blessings.
For more poetry on this site 🙂 see:
- Come with me across this field here>
- Behold: The sky is on fire here>
- A Deep but Dazzling Darkness here>
- Inversnaid here>
- The Summer Day. Audio here>
- sp/ns: simple please, not simplistic here>
- Think, are you thinking? here>
- Plan B: when I die here>
- Stuff me in a backpack: hike as far as you can here>
- Why I eat late here>
Photos by Festina Lentívaldi, (be) Benevolution. Reuse: Creative Commons BY-NC 3.0 US.
For the traveller
Every time you leave home, Another road takes you
Into a world you were never in.
John O’Donohue read by Kari King
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Hey, I would just like to say marvelous post and a all round enjoyable blog (I
also love the theme/design). I will be back to read much more. Please do keep up the excellent work.
These photographs are stunning, Simon. Uplifting! Thank you for sharing them.
Thanks Alastair! And I love sharing these. Get to relive it through everyone too 🙂
Glorious memories surfaced whilst viewing the photographs, listening to Kari’s voice and Malcolm’s music
Magnificent, Simon!