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.
![Skögafoss 1](http://be-benevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Skögafoss-1.jpg)
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.
![Laugavegur - 3](http://be-benevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Laugavegur-3.jpg)
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.
![Laugavegur - 10](http://be-benevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Laugavegur-10.jpg)
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.
![Laugavegur - 12](http://be-benevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Laugavegur-12.jpg)
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.
![Laugavegur - 13](http://be-benevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Laugavegur-13.jpg)
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.
![Laugavegur - 18](http://be-benevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Laugavegur-18.jpg)
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!