View allAll Photos Tagged Grounding
Crocuses in the park. They just waiting for some sun to open :)
W parku już pojawiły się krokusy. Teraz tylko trochę słonka i pięknie zakwitną :)
Our Daily Challenge - theme: "Ground or grounding"
Parked at Ontario since the FAA grounding of all MD-11s following the deadly crash of UPS/5X 2976 at Louisville.
SN/NC: Portulaca Grandiflora, Portulacaceae Family
A beautiful pair of portulacas accompanying the pink, orange, yellow and wine colours -- also in the street as grounding plant carpet for the taller plants. But always nice, delicate, so beautiful -- and can still be used in salads (edible) and also medicinal (intestines problems). A truly beautiful low growing ground cover type plant is called the portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora), or sometimes known as the sun rose or moss rose. Portulaca plants are native to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Portulaca flowers are easy to grow and enjoy.
Um lindo par de portulacas acompanhando as cores rosa, laranja, amarelo e vinho -- também na rua como tapete de plantas de aterramento para as plantas mais altas. Mas sempre agradável, delicado, tão bonito -- e ainda pode ser usado em saladas (comestíveis) e também medicinal (problemas intestinais). Uma planta de cobertura de solo de crescimento baixo verdadeiramente bela é chamada de portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora), ou às vezes conhecida como rosa do sol ou rosa musgo. As plantas de portulaca são nativas do Brasil, Argentina e Uruguai. As flores de portulaca são fáceis de cultivar e aproveitar.
Una hermosa pareja de portulacas que acompañan los colores rosa, naranja, amarillo y vino; también en la calle como una alfombra de plantas de base para las plantas más altas. Pero siempre lindas, delicadas, tan hermosas; y aún se pueden usar en ensaladas (comestibles) y también medicinales (problemas intestinales). Una planta de cobertura del suelo de crecimiento bajo verdaderamente hermosa se llama portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora), o a veces conocida como rosa del sol o rosa musgosa. Las plantas de portulaca son nativas de Brasil, Argentina y Uruguay. Las flores de portulaca son fáciles de cultivar y disfrutar.
Une belle paire de pourpiers aux couleurs rose, orange, jaune et bordeaux – également dans la rue comme tapis végétal pour les plantes plus hautes. Mais toujours belle, délicate, si belle – et peut toujours être utilisée dans les salades (comestible) et aussi médicinale (problèmes intestinaux). Une très belle plante couvre-sol à croissance basse s'appelle le pourpier (Portulaca grandiflora), ou parfois connue sous le nom de rose soleil ou rose mousse. Les plantes de pourpier sont originaires du Brésil, d'Argentine et d'Uruguay. Les fleurs de pourpier sont faciles à cultiver et à apprécier.
Ein schönes Paar Portulakpflanzen, die die Farben Rosa, Orange, Gelb und Weinrot begleiten – auch auf der Straße als Bodendecker für die größeren Pflanzen. Aber immer schön, zart, so schön – und sie können immer noch in Salaten (essbar) und auch als Heilpflanze (bei Darmproblemen) verwendet werden. Eine wirklich schöne, niedrig wachsende Bodendeckerpflanze ist die Portulakpflanze (Portulaca grandiflora), die manchmal auch Sonnenrose oder Moosrose genannt wird. Portulakpflanzen sind in Brasilien, Argentinien und Uruguay heimisch. Portulakblüten sind leicht zu züchten und zu genießen.
Una bella coppia di portulache che accompagnano i colori rosa, arancione, giallo e vino, anche in strada come tappeto vegetale di base per le piante più alte. Ma sempre belle, delicate, così belle, e possono ancora essere utilizzate nelle insalate (commestibili) e anche medicinali (problemi intestinali). Una pianta di tipo tappezzante a crescita bassa davvero bella è chiamata portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora), o talvolta conosciuta come rosa del sole o rosa muschio. Le piante di portulaca sono originarie del Brasile, dell'Argentina e dell'Uruguay. I fiori di portulaca sono facili da coltivare e da apprezzare.
Een prachtig paar portulaca's die de kleuren roze, oranje, geel en wijnrood vergezellen -- ook op straat als grondingsplantentapijt voor de hogere planten. Maar altijd mooi, delicaat, zo mooi -- en kan nog steeds worden gebruikt in salades (eetbaar) en ook medicinaal (darmproblemen). Een werkelijk prachtige laaggroeiende bodembedekker is de portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora), of soms bekend als de zonneroos of mosroos. Portulacaplanten zijn afkomstig uit Brazilië, Argentinië en Uruguay. Portulacabloemen zijn gemakkelijk te kweken en te genieten.
زوج جميل من نباتات الرجلة يرافقه اللون الوردي والبرتقالي والأصفر والنبيذ - كما يمكن استخدامه في الشوارع كسجادة نباتية للنباتات الطويلة. لكنه لطيف وحساس وجميل للغاية - ولا يزال من الممكن استخدامه في السلطات (صالح للأكل) وأيضًا في العلاج (مشاكل الأمعاء). يُطلق على نبات الرجلة الجميل حقًا الذي ينمو على الأرض اسم الرجلة (Portulaca grandiflora)، أو يُعرف أحيانًا باسم وردة الشمس أو وردة الطحلب. نباتات الرجلة موطنها البرازيل والأرجنتين وأوروجواي. أزهار الرجلة سهلة النمو والاستمتاع بها.
ピンク、オレンジ、黄色、ワイン色の美しいポーチュラカのペア。背の高い植物のグランド カーペットとして街路にも植えられています。しかし、常に上品で繊細でとても美しいです。サラダ (食用) や薬用 (腸の問題) にも使用できます。本当に美しい低木地被植物はポーチュラカ (Portulaca grandiflora) と呼ばれ、サン ローズやモス ローズとも呼ばれます。ポーチュラカの植物はブラジル、アルゼンチン、ウルグアイ原産です。ポーチュラカの花は育てやすく、楽しむのも簡単です。ポーチュラカの手入れに必要なものを見てみましょう。
Thick, textured clouds stretch across the sky like a rippling curtain, with golden light breaking through in scattered beams. Silhouetted mountains rest quietly on the horizon, grounding this dramatic and ever-changing display of nature's atmosphere.
Strength and power, solid grounding. Travelling into infinite perspective grasping at the meaning of this metal structure. A slightly different abstract image of something everyone takes pictures of. I wanted to do something different with this image.
Seen here grounded at Tenerife South airport April 2019 due to the on-going issues with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
March 2019 saw the grounding worldwide of all Boeing 737 MAX 8 series aircraft after 2 separate crashes in five months - an Ethiopian Airlines on March 10th 2019 and Lion Air back in October 2018 sadly killing everybody on board both flights.
After the Ethiopian Airlines fatality back on March 10th 2019, this then saw airlines starting to ground their B737 MAX 8 fleets until eventually Boeing announced there would then be a worldwide grounding of all versions of the aircraft.
TUI Airways (G-TUMF) B737 MAX 8 aircraft seen here grounded at Tenerife South airport (TFS) had its last operational flight back on March 12th 2019 operating the service 'BY2202' from Manchester Airport.
Norwegian Airlines (EI-FYI) B737 MAX 8 aircraft seen here grounded at Tenerife South airport (TFS) had its last operational flight back on March 12th 2019 operating the service 'D8510' from Helsinki.
On Tuesday 16th April 2019, an FAA ( Federal Aviation Administration) panel has said that after a review of the an update by Boeing to the B737 MAX 8 aircraft software, it is now operationally suitable. It will be interesting to see what will now happen going forward.
Tenerife South Airport (TFS), 15th April 2019..
'Like' my Facebook Page --> www.facebook.com/AdamRyanAviationPhotography
Check out my website! --> www.adamryanaviationphotography.com
Ever since the US Federal Aviation Administration lifted the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX in December 2020 after prolonged testing and recertification, numerous countries have also began lifting the restrictions allowing the aircraft to fly in commercial service with the necessary modifications in place.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority and the European Aviation Standards Authority both lifted the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX on 27th January 2021, with the affected aircraft having software updates to MCAS, pilots undergo further training and rewiring of avionics.
TUI fly Belgium became the first European carrier to operate the Boeing 737 MAX since the grounding was lifted on 17th February 2021, and their reintroduction has been steady with little incident.
TUI Airways began reintroducing the majority of its Boeing 737 MAX fleet during July 2021 as the UK began easing restrictions to international destinations, which has been constantly changing. The carrier has been concentrating their MAX's from their bigger bases such as Birmingham, London Gatwick and Manchester.
Currently, TUI Airways operates 46 Boeing 737s, which includes 31 Boeing 737-800s (one currently in storage) and 15 Boeing 737 MAX 8s. TUI Airways have 2 Boeing 737-800s, one Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 14 Boeing 737 MAX 10s on-order.
Tango Uniform Mike Tango is one of 15 Boeing 737 MAX 8s in service with TUI Airways, delivered new to TUIfly Nordic as SE-RNB on 28th December 2018 and later leased from SMBC in January 2019. She was placed into storage at Stockholm-Arlanda following the two fatal accidents involving the Boeing 737 MAX on 12th March 2019 to 3rd May 2021 where she was positioned to Brussels for re-entry into service and was duly re-registered for TUI Airways as G-TUMT on 4th June 2021 and finally re-entered service on 24th July 2021. She is powered by CFM LEAP-1B27 engines.
Boeing 737-8 MAX G-TUMT 'Chania' on short finals into Runway 15 at Birmingham (BHX) on BY7489 from Corfu-Ioannis Kapodistrias (CFU).
Planet Stories / Magazin-Reihe
- Eric Frank Russell / Design for Great-Day
- Bryan Berry / The Imaginative Man
- Bryan Berry / The Final Venusian
- Bryan Berry / Grounding
- John Jakes / War Drums of Mercury Lost
- Stanley Whiteside / The Sun-Death
- Roger Dee / Oh Mesmerist from Mimas!
cover: Allen Anderson
Editor: Jack O'Sullivan
Love Romances Publishing / USA 1953
Reprint: Comic-Club NK 2010
ex libris MTP
The past 3 years have not been kind to Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer coming under intense scrutiny following the Boeing 737 MAX groundings and quality control concerns and defects from their Boeing 787 manufacturing facility at Charleston, South Carolina which has lead the US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Authority to revoke Boeing's ability to self certify brand new Dreamliners, with it well over a year since the last new delivery.
There is certainly light at the end of the tunnel as the FAA is to approve Boeing's resumption of 787 deliveries following scrutiny of their proposed modification and inspection programme. Prior to resumption, a large portion of Boeing 787s have been built but placed into storage mainly at Victorville, California where Boeing has a maintenance facility, as well as in Charleston, South Carolina and Everett, Washington.
American Airlines in particular has been largely affected by the delayed deliveries as most of its long-haul expansion programme had been largely reliant on the Boeing 787, and the withdrawal of their ageing Boeing 777-200ER fleet put on hold. Following on from the FAA approval to restart deliveries in August 2022, American is expected to be the first carrier to receive their first example and are expected to take delivery of as much as 9 examples in 2022 alone.
Restarting deliveries will come as a sigh of relief for Boeing, albeit the company has had to payout large sums of compensation to airlines for late deliveries.
Currently, American Airlines operates 46 Boeing 787s, which includes 24 Boeing 787-8s and 22 Boeing 787-9s. American Airlines have 12 Boeing 787-8s and 20 Boeing 787-9s on-order.
November Eight Three One Alpha Alpha is one of 22 Boeing 787-9s operated by American Airlines, delivered new to the carrier on 5th October 2017 and she is powered by 2 General Electric GEnx-1B engines.
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N831AA on short finals into Runway 27L at London Heathrow (LHR) on AA98 from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD), Illinois.
Scientists studying Antarctica have gained new insights into how the world’s biggest ice sheet is reacting to warming sea temperatures. The study uses three decades of radar satellite observations to map changes in grounding lines across the Antarctic continent from 1992 to 2025. It found that grounding lines were stable along more than 77% of Antarctica’s coastline, including major ice shelves such as Ross, Filchner-Ronne and Amery.
However, the research also detected significant retreat in vulnerable regions. These maps zoom in on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and, in particular, around the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, which are two of the most affected regions.
The study is based on data from several satellite missions including Copernicus Sentinel-1 and ERS.
Credits: ESA (data source: Rignot et al, 2026).
Fleet No: "903".
First flown in Aug-19, during the 'MAX' grounding, with the test registration N1786B. This aircraft was stored after first flight. It also carried Boeing test registrations N1799B and N1782B.
It was originally ordered for lease to Jet Airways, India but they had ceased operations in Apr-19. The aircraft was delivered to BOC Aviation Leasing and leased to Flair Airlines as C-FLHI in Jun-21.
It was due for sub-lease to Bonza Airline, Australia as VH-8AV but this was cancelled. Instead it was wet-leased to Bonza in Dec-23 and returned to Flair Airlines in Apr-24. Current, updated 27-Jul-25.
© 2012 Pallab Seth
Gross National Happiness
The Bhutanese grounding in Buddhist ideals suggests that beneficial development of human society takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each other. The term "gross national happiness", a concept of a quantitative measurement of well-being and happiness, was coined in 1972 by Bhutan's fourth Dragon King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who has opened Bhutan to the age of modernization. The four pillars of gross national happiness are the promotion of sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.
In a 2007 study from University of Leicester, Bhutan ranked eighth out of 178 countries in Subjective Well-Being, a metric of happiness that has been used by many psychologists. In fact, it is the only country in the top 20 "happiest" countries that has a very low GDP.
White, A. (2007). A Global Projection of Subjective Well-being: A Challenge to Positive Psychology? Psychtalk 56, 17-20.
data360.org/pdf/20071219073602.A%20Global%20Projection%20...
The Mask Culture Of Bhutan
The performance of mask dance is a deeply spiritual affair in Bhutan. Dancers wear masks which may represent fearsome male or female protective deities, animals, skulls, saints and sages, and legendary personages like the manifestations of Guru Rinpoche or just plain human beings.
In Bhutan, mask dances are numerous and have different names according to their types. In few important dzongs, two festivals take place every year: Dromchhoe, which is dedicated to Mahakala (Yeshe Goenpo) and Mahakali (Palden Lhamo) - Bhutan’s two principle protective deities and a Tshechu, the best known and most popular, that is dedicated to Guru.
Both the religious and secular dances prevalent in Bhutan have originated from Buddhism. Beside entertaining people, the dance performances reaffirm the devotion and commitment of human beings to leading morally sound and honest lives. At supreme or ultimate level, it is a spiritual exercise and helps human beings to acquire spiritual merit which serves as the cause for liberation from the earthly woes and gain final enlightenment.
Read More (written by Tshewang Gyalpo):
St. Hilda’s By The Sea is a small Anglican church in Sechelt. Set among the verdant green trees of the temperate rainforest, it is an eclectic mix of old and new: retired British pensioners polish the altar crystal and set out flowers for Sunday services, presided over by a gay Chinese-Canadian priest. Tai chi mixes with Celtic mysticism in a melange that is somehow stronger than its parts. And isn’t that what community is all about?
From the official website:
Walking the labyrinth is an ancient spiritual act that is being rediscovered during our time.
Usually constructed from circular patterns, labyrinths are based on principles of sacred geometry. Sometimes called “divine imprints”, they are found around the world as sacred patterns that have been passed down through the ages for at least 4,000 years. When a pattern of a certain size is constructed or placed on the ground, it can be used for walking meditations and rituals.
Labyrinths and their geometric cousins (spirals and mandalas) can be found in almost every religious tradition. For example, the Kabbala, or Tree of Life, is found in the Jewish mystical tradition. The Hopi Medicine Wheel, and the Man in the Maze are two forms from the Native American labyrinth traditions. The Cretan labyrinth, the remains of which can be found on the island of Crete, has seven path rings and is the oldest known labyrinth (4,000 or 5.000 years old).
In Europe, the Celts and later the early Christian Celtic Church revered labyrinths and frequently built them in natural settings. Sacred dances would be performed in them to celebrate solar and religious festivals. During the Middle Ages, labyrinths were created in churches and cathedrals throughout France and Northern Italy. These characteristically flat church or pavement labyrinths were inlaid into the floor of the nave of the church.
The Chartres Labyrinth
The labyrinth constructed at St. Hilda’s is an 11-circuit labyrinth. It is a replica of the one embedded in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France. The design of this labyrinth, and many of the other church labyrinths in Europe, is a reworking of the ancient labyrinth design in which an equal-armed cross is emphasized and surrounded by a web of concentric circles. As with many Christian symbols, this was an adaptation of a symbol; that is known to have predated the Christian faith. This medieval variation is considered a breakthrough in design because it is less linear than the preceding, more formal, Roman design that developed from quadrant to quadrant. The medieval design made one path as long as possible, starting at the outer circumference and leading to the centre. Fraught with twists and turns, the path’s meanderings were considered symbolic representations of the Christian pilgrim’s journey to the Holy City of Jerusalem and of one’s own journey through life. This classical design is sometimes referred to as “the Chartres Labyrinth” due to the location of its best known example. The labyrinth was built at Chartres in the early 13th century (~ 1215 A.D.). No one knows the source of this classical 11-circuit labyrinth design, and much of its spiritual meaning and use has been lost.
The Chartres Labyrinth is located in the west end of the nave, the central body of the cathedral. When you walk in the main doors and look towards the high altar, you see the center of the labyrinth on the floor about 50 feet in front of you. It is approximately 42 feet in diameter and the path is 16 inches wide. At Chartres, the center of the Rose Window mirrors the center of the labyrinth. The cathedral is perfectly proportioned, so that if we put the west wall of the cathedral on hinges and folded it down on the labyrinth, the Rose Window would fit almost perfectly over the labyrinth.
Labyrinth or Maze?
The difference between a labyrinth used for meditation and mazes can be confusing. Mazes often have many entrances, dead-ends and cul-de-sacs that frequently confound the human mind. In contrast, meditation labyrinths offer only one path. By following the one path to the center, the seeker can use the labyrinth to quiet his or her mind and find peace and illumination at the center of his or her being. “As soon as one enters the labyrinth, one realizes that the path of the labyrinth serves as a metaphor for one’s spiritual journey. The walk, and all that happens on it, can be grasped through the intuitive, pattern-discerning faculty of the person walking it. The genius of this tool is that it reflects back to the seeker whatever he or she needs to discover from the perspective of a new level of conscious awareness.”
The Labyrinth is a Universal Meditation Tool
Anyone from any tradition or spiritual path can walk into the labyrinth and, through reflecting in the present moment, can benefit from it. A meditation labyrinth is one of many tools that can be used for spiritual practice. Like any tool, it is best used with a proper, good, intention. A church or temple can be used simply as a refuge from a rainstorm, but it can be so much more with a different intention. The same is true of the labyrinth. The seeker is only asked to put one foot in front of the other. By stepping into the labyrinth, we are choosing once again to walk the contemplative spiritual path. We are agreeing to let ourselves be open to see, to be free to hear, and to becoming real enough to respond. The labyrinth is a prayer path, a crucible of change, a meditation tool, a blueprint where psyche meets soul.
The best way to learn about the labyrinth is to walk a well-constructed one a few times, with an open heart and an open mind. Then allow your experience to guide you as to whether this will be a useful spiritual tool for you.
The Chartres Labyrinth and the Pilgrim’s Journey
Pilgrims are persons in motion – passing through territories not their own – seeking something we might call completion, or perhaps the word clarity will do as well, a goal to which only the spirit’s compass points the way.
Richard R. Niebuhr in Pilgrims and Pioneers
“The tradition of pilgrimage is as old as religion itself. Worshippers on pilgrimage traveled to holy festivals whether to solstice celebrations, to Mecca to gather around the Ka’aba for the high holy days of Islam, or to Easter festivals in the Holy City of Jerusalem. Pilgrimages were a mixture of religious duty and holiday relaxation for the peasant, the commoner and rich land owner alike. The journey was often embarked on in groups with designated places to stay at night. The pilgrims were restless to explore the mystical holy places, and many were in search of physical or spiritual healing.
The Christian story, which emphasized the humanity of Christ, fascinated the pilgrims. In the Middle Ages, most people did not read. As a result, they were much more oriented to the senses than we are today. They learned the story by traveling to Jerusalem to walk where Jesus walked, to pray where he prayed, and to experience, in a solemn moment, where he died. Unlike today, Pilgrims encountered the truth of the Christian mystery through an ongoing intimacy with all their senses.
When a person committed his or her life to Christ in the early Middle Ages, they sometimes made a vow to make a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Jerusalem. However, by the 12th century when the Crusades swept across Europe and the ownership of Jerusalem was in tumultuous flux, travel became dangerous and expensive. In response to this situation, the Roman Church appointed seven pilgrimage cathedrals to become “Jerusalem” for pilgrims. Consequently, in the pilgrimage tradition, the path within the labyrinth was called the Chemin de Jerusalem and the center of the labyrinth was called “New Jerusalem”.
The walk into the labyrinth marked the end of the physical journey across the countryside and served as a symbolic entry-way into the spiritual realms of the Celestial City. The image of the Celestial City – taken straight out of the Book of Revelation to John – captivated the religious imagination of many during the Middle Ages. The wondrous Gothic cathedrals, with painted walls either in bright, even gaudy colours, or else white-washed, were designed to represent the Celestial City. The stained glass windows – when illuminated by the sun – created the sense of colourful, dancing jewels, allowing the pilgrim to experience the awesome mystery of the City of God.”
The Journey of Life
A fundamental approach to the labyrinth is to see it as a metaphor for life’s journey. The labyrinth reminds us that all of life, with its joys, sorrows, twists and turns, is a journey that comes from God (birth) and goes to God (death). It is a physical metaphor for the journey of healing, spiritual and emotional growth and transformation. Following the path is like any journey. Sometimes you feel you are at or nearing your destination, and at other times you may feel distant or even lost. Only by faithfully keeping to the path will you arrive at the physical center of the labyrinth, which signifies God, the center of our lives and souls.
Applying the Three Fold Mystical Tradition to the Labyrinth
In the Christian mystical tradition, the journey to God was articulated in the three stages. These stages have become recognized as being universal to meditation: to release and quiet; to open and receive; and to take what was gained back out into the world.
The Three Stages
The first part of the Three- Fold Mystical Path is Purgation. This archaic word is from the root word “to purge”, meaning to cleanse, to let go. Shedding is another way of describing the experience. The mystical word is empting or releasing. It is believed that monks journeyed the first part of the labyrinth Purgation on their knees as a penitential act. This was not done for reasons of punishment as we might think, but as a way to humble oneself before God.
The second stage of the Three-Fold Path, Illumination, is found in the center of the labyrinth. Usually it is a surprise to reach the center because the long winding path seems “illogical” and cannot be figured out by the linear mind. After quieting the mind in the first part of the walk, the center presents a new experience: a place of meditation and prayer. Often people at this stage in the walk find insight into their situation in life, or clarity about a certain problem, hence the label “illumination”. As one enters the
center, the instruction is simple: enter with an open heart and mind; receive what there is for you.
The third stage, Union, begins when you leave the center of the labyrinth and continues as you retrace the path that brought you in. In this stage the meditation takes on a grounded, energized feeling. Many people who have had an important experience in the center feel that this third stage of the labyrinth gives them a way of integrating the insights they received. Others feel that this stage stokes the creative fires within. It energizes insight. It empowers, invites, and even pushes us to be more authentic and confident and to take risks with our gifts in the world. Union means communing with God.
The Monastic Orders experienced a union with God through their community life by creating a fulfilling balance between the work that was assigned, sleep and the many hours of worship attended daily. Our times present a similar challenge: we struggle to find balance between work, sleep, family and friends, leisure and spiritual life. The lack of structured communities in which people share work responsibilities and the “every person for himself or herself” mentality (or every family for itself) prevalent in our highly individualistic society makes the task of finding balance even more difficult.
Monastic communities offered a mystical spirituality that spoke to highly intuitive and intensely introverted people and (paradoxically to some) at the same time provided an economic structure throughout Europe. Monasteries during the Middle Ages provided schools and hospitals managed by monks; yet, at the same time, cloistered life helped the monks stay inwardly directed. Today, without any reliable structure directing us, the way of union needs to be re-thought. Our times call for most of us to be outer-directed. We are called to action in every aspect of our society in order to meet the spiritual challenges that confront us in the 21st century. Gratefully, there are still people in religious orders holding the candle for deep contemplation, but the majority of people involved in the spiritual transformation are searching for a path that guides them to service in the world in an active, extroverted, compassionate way. The third stage of the labyrinth empowers the seeker to move back into the world replenished and directed – which makes the labyrinth a particularly powerful tool for transformation.
Walking the Labyrinth: The Process
The purpose of all spiritual disciplines – prayer, fasting, meditation – is to help create an open attentiveness that enables us to receive and renew our awareness of our grounding and wholeness in God.
The Experience of Walking Meditation
Many of us have trouble quieting our minds. The Buddhists call the distracted state of mind the “monkey mind”, which is an apt image of what the mind is frequently like: thoughts swinging like monkeys from branch to branch, chattering away without any rhyme or conscious reason. When the mind is quiet, we feel peaceful and open, aware of a silence that embraces the universe.
Complete quiet in the mind is not a realistic goal for most of us. Instead, the task is to dis-identify with the thoughts going through our minds. Don’t get hooked by the thoughts, let them go. Thomas Keating, a Cistercian monk who teaches Centering Prayer (meditation) in the Christian tradition, described the mind as a still lake. A thought is like a fish that swims through it. If you get involved with the fish (“Gee what an unusual fish, I wonder what it is called?”), then you are hooked. Many of us have discovered through learning meditation how difficult it is to quiet the mind; yet, the rewards are great.
In the labyrinth, the sheer act of walking a complicated, attention demanding path begins to focus the mind. Thoughts of daily tasks and experiences become less intrusive. A quiet mind does not happen automatically. You must gently guide the mind with the intention of letting go of extraneous thoughts. This is much easier to do when your whole body is moving – when you are walking. Movement takes away the excess charge of psychic energy that disturbs our efforts to quiet our thought processes.
Two Basic Approaches to the Walk
One way to walk the labyrinth is to choose to let all thought go and simply open yourself to your experience with gracious attention. Usually – though not always – quieting happens in the first stage of the walk. After the mind is quiet, you can choose to remain in the quiet. Or use the labyrinth as a prayer path. Simply begin to talk to God. This is an indication that you are ready to receive what is there for you, or you allow a sincere part of your being to find its voice.
A second approach to a labyrinth walk is to consider a question. Concentrate on the question as you walk in. Amplify your thoughts about it; let all else go but your question. When you walk into the center with an open heart and an open mind, you are opening yourself to receiving new information, new insights about yourself.
Guidelines for the Walk
Find your pace. In our chaotic world we are often pushed beyond a comfortable rhythm. In this state we lose the sense of our own needs. To make matters worse, we are often rushed and then forced to wait. Anyone who has hurried to the bank only to stand in line knows the feeling. Ironically, the same thing can happen with the labyrinth, but there is a difference. The labyrinth helps us find what our natural pace would be and draws our attention to it when we are not honouring it.
Along with finding your pace, support your movement through the labyrinth by becoming conscious of your breath. Let your breath flow smoothly in and out of your body. It can be coordinated with each step – as is done in the Buddhist walking meditation – if you choose. Let your experience be your guide.
Each experience in the labyrinth is different, even if you walk it often in a short period of time. The pace usually differs each time as well. It can change dramatically within the different stages of the walk. When the labyrinth has more than a comfortable number of seekers on it, you can “pass” people if you want to continue to honour the intuitive pace your inner process has set. If you are moving at a slower pace, you can allow people to pass you. At first people are uncomfortable with the idea of “passing” someone on the labyrinth. It looks competitive, especially since the walk is a spiritual exercise. Again, these kinds of thoughts and feelings, we hope, are greeted from a spacious place inside that smiles knowingly about the machinations of the human ego. On the spiritual path we meet every and all things. To find our pace, to allow spaciousness within, to be receptive to all experience, and to be aware of the habitual thoughts and issues that hamper our spiritual development is a road to self-knowledge.
Summary of How to Walk the Labyrinth
Pause at the entry way to allow yourself to be fully conscious of the act of stepping into the labyrinth. Allow about a minute, or several turns on the path, to create some space between yourself and the person in front of you. Some ritual act, such as a bow, may feel appropriate during the labyrinth walk. Do what comes naturally.
Follow your pace. Allow your body to determine the pace. If you allow a rapid pace and the person in front of you is moving slower, feel free to move around this person. This is easiest to do at the turns by turning earlier. If you are moving slowly, you can step onto the labyrs (wide spaces at the turns) to allow others to pass.
The narrow path is a two-way street. If you are going in and another person is going out, you will meet on the path. If you want to keep in an inward meditative state, simply do not make eye contact. If you meet someone you know, a touch of the hand or a hug may be an important acknowledgement of being on the path together.
Symbolism and Meanings Found in the Chartres Labyrinth
Circles and Spirals
The circle is the symbol of unity or union and it is the primary shape of all labyrinths. The circle in sacred geometry represents the incessant movement of the universe (uncomprehensible) as opposed to the square which represents comprehensible order. The labyrinth is a close cousin to the spiral and it, too, reflects the cyclical element of nature and is regarded as the symbol of eternal life.
The labyrinth functions like a spiral, creating a vortex in its center. Upon entering, the path winds in a clockwise pattern. Energy is being drawn out. Upon leaving the center the walker goes in a counter clockwise direction. The unwinding path integrates and empowers us on our walk back out. We are literally ushered back out into the world in a strengthened condition.
The Path
The path lies in 11 concentric circles with the 12th being the labyrinth center. The path meanders throughout the whole circle. There are 34 turns on the path going into the center. Six are semi-right turns and 28 are 180° turns. So the 12 rings that form the 11 pathways may symbolically represent, the 12 apostles, 12 tribes of Israel or 12 months of the year. Twelve is a mystical number in Christianity. In sacred geometry three represents heaven and four represents earth. Twelve is the product of 3 x 4 and, therefore, the path which flows through the whole is then representative of all creation.
The obvious metaphor for the path is the difficult path to salvation, with its many twists and turns. Since we cannot see a straight path to our destination, the labyrinth can be viewed as a metaphor for our lives. We learn to surrender to the path (Christ) and trust that he will lead us on our journey.
The path can also be viewed as grace or the Church guiding us through chaos.
The Cruciform and Labyrs
The labyrinth is divided equally into four quadrants that make an equal-armed cross or cruciform. The four arms represent in symbol what is thought to be the essential
structure of the universe for example, the four spatial directions, the four elements (earth, wind, water and fire), the four seasons and, most important, salvation through the cross. The four arms of the cross emerging from the center seem to give order to the would-be chaos of the meandering path around it.
The Chartres labyrinth cross or cruciform is delineated by the 10 labyrs (labyr means to turn and this is the root of the word labyrinth). The labyrs are double-ax shaped and visible at the turns and between turns. They are traditionally seen as a symbol of women’s power and creativity.
The Centre Rosette
In the Middle Ages, the rose was regarded as a symbol for the Virgin Mary. Because of its association with the myths of Percival and the Holy Grail at that time, it also was seen as a sign of beauty and love. The rose becomes symbolic of both human and divine love, of passionate love, but also love beyond passion. The single rose became a symbol of a simple acceptance of God’s love for the world.
Unlike a normal rose (which has five petals) the rosette has six petals and is steeped in mysticism. Although associated with the Rose of Sharon, which refers to Mary, it may also represent the Holy Spirit (wisdom and enlightenment). The six petals may have corresponded to the story of the six days of creation. In other mystical traditions, the petals can be viewed as the levels of evolution (mineral, plant, animal, humankind, angelic and divine).
The Lunations
The lunations are the outer ring of partial circles that complete the outside circle of the labyrinth. They are unique to the Chartres design.
Celtic Symbols on the St. Hilda’s Labyrinth
The Celtic peoples have given us seven enduring spiritual principles:
1. A deep respect of nature, regarding creation as the fifth Gospel.
2. Quiet care for all living things.
3. The love of learning.
4. A wonder-lust or migratory nature.
5. Love of silence and solitude.
6. Understanding of time as a sacred reality and an appreciation of ordinary life, worshipping God through everyday life, and with great joy.
7. The value of family and clan affiliation, and especially spiritual ties of soul friends.
To show our respect for such wisdom, two Celtic designs adorn the St. Hilda’s labyrinth.
To mark the entrance to the labyrinth is a Celtic zoomorphic design painted in red. Traditionally, Celtic monks used intricate knotwork and zoomorphic designs (odd animals intertwined in uncomfortable ways) as mere filler for their illuminated gospel texts. They had no discernible meaning.
However, because of their unique design components, zoomorphs are now associated with transformations.
Transformation, change, action, and passion are also associated with red, the colour of fire. Therefore, this entrance symbol may well be an appropriate sign for the journey ahead.
At the labyrinth’s centre is a Celtic triquetra. This interlocked knotwork design of three stylized fish (whales) is often interpreted as the Trinity knot. It is a perfect representation of the concept of "three in one" in Christian trinity beliefs. Having the design enclosed within the centre circle further emphasizes the unity theme.
The triquetra can also be considered to represent the triplicities of mind, body, and soul, as well as the three domains of earth- earth, sea, and sky.
Final Reflection: The Labyrinth as a “Thinning Place”
In Celtic Christianity, places where people felt most strongly connected with God’s presence were referred to as thin places. It was these places in nature (forest groves, hilltops and deep wells) that the seen and unseen worlds were most closely connected, and the inhabitants of both worlds could momentarily touch the other. Today our churches, temples and sacred sites are the new thin places to meet the Divine. Here, at St Hilda’s, we have opportunities to encounter many thinning places – whether it be during Eucharistic or Taize services, while singing or praying, or through the love of a welcoming inclusive community. The labyrinth is a welcome addition; and with the right intent can also become a new thinning place for the modern pilgrim/spiritual seeker.This outward journey is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It can serve to frame the inward journey – a journey of repentance, forgiveness and rebirth, a journey that seeks a deeper faith, and greater holiness, a journey in search of God.
This 360° High Dynamic Range panorama was stitched from 66 bracketed photographs images with PTGUI Pro, tone-mapped with Photomatix, processed with Color Efex, and touched up in Aperture.
Original size: 20000 × 10000 (200.0 MP; 1.04 GB).
Location: St. Hilda’s By The Sea Anglican Church, Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada
tails of some of the Heavy Brussels Airlines A330's parked on the south remotes of Brussels Airport due to Covid19 grounding.
BRU, March 2020
Preserved steam locomotive, Class 7, 70013 Oliver Cromwell is making its way to the Great Central Way Railway Quorn station.
Grounding out happens quite often at this location looking the number of scrapes and grooves in the tarmac.
"On 3 March 2018, 70013 hauled its final main line charter from Ealing Broadway to York via the Midland Main Line prior to the expiry of its boiler certificate. It was last steamed at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway on 11 March 2018 before moving to the GCR for storage."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BR_Standard_Class_7_70013_Oliver_Cr...
"Grounding"
Pointe de Saint Mathieu (Finistère)
"Copyright © – Patrick Bouchenard
The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained here in for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved
While Corey Seager gets the barrel on the ball in the second inning, he winds up grounding out to A's second baseman Abraham Toro. This was during the first game of the scheduled doubleheader. I was shooting for the Hobbs News-Sun out of Hobbs, New Mexico.
To see my blog post with more shots from the doubleheader, please click on the link below.
douglasbawdenphotography.wordpress.com/2024/05/17/texas-r...
Camera: Canon EOS 1D X
Lens: Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM
Exposure: 1/1600 sec @ f/4 ISO 400
This image is © Douglas Bawden Photography and licensed to the Hobbs News-Sun. Please do not use without prior permission.
Enjoy my photos and please feel free to comment. The only thing that I ask is no large or flashy graphics in the comments.
Visit My Website - Visit My Blog - Visit Me On Facebook
If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can rent my equipment on Sharegrid. Please note that you must sign up and rent through Sharegrid.
Dublin Airport, 04/04/2019.
Operating services for Norwegian due to the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max fleet.
NASA image acquired February 5, 2012
A record-breaking snowstorm struck Colorado in early February 2012, closing an interstate highway, grounding flights, and dropping more than a foot of snow on the Denver area. After moving out of northeastern Colorado, the storm left heavy snow across Nebraska.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this natural-color image on February 5, after skies had largely cleared over the region. Snow and mountain peaks create a mottled appearance in western Colorado. Elsewhere, the snow cover forms a wide, uneven track over parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska.
This snowfall did not break all-time records in Colorado, but it did break records for the month of February. The National Weather Service explained that northeastern Colorado generally experiences storms of this magnitude in March or April, and the February storm showed some of the same characteristics of powerful spring storms, including a system from the Pacific Northwest converging with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The storm set a new record for the heaviest storm snowfall for February, depositing 15.9 inches (40.4 centimeters) in Denver, and 22.7 inches (57.7 centimeters) in Boulder.
Colorado ski resorts welcomed the precipitation after suffering from below-normal snow cover so far in the 2011–2012 ski season, but the new snow raised the risk of avalanches. As of February 6, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported “considerable” avalanche danger across much of the state.
Heavy snow was not limited to Colorado. The National Weather Service reported up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) of snow west of Omaha, Nebraska.
NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team
Caption by Michon Scott.
Instrument: Aqua - MODIS
Credit: NASA Earth Observatory
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
Garden quartz is a powerful grounding stone that is used extensively in healing and meditation work. It is one of the fundamental grounding stones. It is known to be able to establish a clear path to removing negativity by passing it back into the Earth where it can dissipate naturally.
SN/NC: Portulacca Grandiflora, Fam. Portulaccaceae
In Av La Capilla, these beauitiful portulaccas are decorating the street and serve as "revestment" for other flowers of higher sizes. Not so like, so delicate and sleeps until the sun is shining high and go to sleep again around 5 -- like an old cat in a warehouse. A beautiful pair of portulaccas accompanying the pink, orange, yellow and wine color -- also in the street as grounding plant carpet for the taller plants. But always nice, delicate, so beautiful -- and can still be used in salads (edible) and also medicinal (intestines problems).
La famosa verdolaga es bastante usada hoy para fines gastronómicos. También tiene usos medicinales (estreñimiento) además de forrar bien los pisos de plantas mayores. Foto hecha en las Calles de San Benito, San Salvador,
No Brasil, 11 horas... mas também alguns somente a chamam de beldroega..
The No13 bus comes to a 'grinding' halt on Woodside Road, Nottingham after the driver took a wrong turn, grounding the bus out on the central reservation, resulting in inevitable traffic delays.
Friday 10th May 2013.
Dublin Airport, 24/03/2019.
One of two Norwegian Max-8s parked on the west apron after the worldwide grounding of the type on March 12th.
we went to a butterfly garden today and it was so peaceful and serene. my beloved took the kids so I could take a moment and practice my mountain in that setting. I chose this photo for grounding because even though my feet were planted, I tend to find my grounding in my breath. I feel calm and centered when I listen to and truly tune into my breath.
Trompe Loeil - Kamlai Tropical Ranch
.:NATURI:. Zen Garden Pool & Deck
.:NATURI:. Garden Lamp
CHAI. Grounding Planter
CHAI. Grounding Cocoa Chair
CHAI. Grounding Table Cocoa
Valentine & Sons of Dundee were Scotland’s most successful commercial photographers. In the early 1900s, at the height of the postcard craze, they published cards showing scenes from a number of countries, including the U.K., Canada, Australia, South Africa and the United States of America.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Princess May was a steamship built in 1888 which was operated under a number of different names and owners. The ship is best known for having been involved in a grounding in 1910 which left the ship jutting completely out of the water, which became the subject of a famous shipwreck photograph.
This ship, although it served under other names, is best known as the Princess May. The Canadian Pacific had a fleet of ocean-going ships with names beginning with “Empress". It was decided that the planned fleet of coastal liners (which in 1901 did not yet exist) would have names beginning with “Princess.” Princess May was named after Mary of Teck, who was known as “May”. Later Princess ships were not named after actual princesses, however.
In 1901, the newly formed Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service, operating in British Columbia under superintendent James W. Troup, wanted a steamship to meet the high demand for traffic on the route to southeastern Alaska, but did not want to wait for a year or more to build a new ship. Cass, by then operating under the name Hating (or Ha-Ting), was available. The Coast Service purchased Hating, and in May, 1901, under the command of Capt. A.O. Cooper, brought it across the Pacific to the west coast of Canada. Princess May was the first ship acquired by then-newly formed Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service.
Beginning on 27 May 1901, Princess May was placed on the 800-mile (1,300 km) route from Vancouver, British Columbia along the British Columbia coast to Skagway, Alaska, running on alternate weeks with Islander. At this time, the demand for fast travel to Skagway was high, and steamships, including Princess May competed with each other to see which could first reach the port.
In 1906 the superstructure was rebuilt and the passenger accommodations were enlarged and improved. In 1907, May ran in alternate weeks with the newly completed Princess Royal. These ships served the many small mining, fishing and lumber settlements along the coast.
On 5 August 1910, Princess May, having departed from Skagway under the command of Captain MacLeod with 80 passengers, 68 crew, and a shipment of gold, was proceeding south down Lynn Canal in heavy fog. At a speed of about 10 knots (19 km/h), the ship ran aground on rocks near the north end of Sentinel Island, where there was a United States lighthouse station. It was high tide (the tidal range being about 16 feet at this point) and the momentum of the ship forced it well up onto the rocks, with the bow jutting upward at an angle of 23 degrees. This produced a number of photographs of the ship's predicament which were sold all over the west coast.
The engine rooms were flooded, and the ship could not move on its own. To remove Princess May from the rocks, the ship's owners hired Capt. W.H. Logan and the Seattle-based salvage tug Santa Cruz, as well as the William Jolliffe, one of the most powerful tugs on the British Columbia coast. Temporary shipways were built and rocks were blasted, and after several previous attempts failed, on 3 September 1910, the salvors were able to refloat the ship and tow it to port. This was the 32nd time that Captain Logan had successfully salvaged a ship. The cost of the salvage and the subsequent repair was $115,000.
In 1911, while undergoing repairs from the Sentinel Island stranding, Princess May was converted from coal to oil fuel. The ship was the first of the Princess fleet to be so converted. Oil-fueled boilers had many advantages. In 1919 the ship was sold to the Princess May (Steam ship) Company and transferred to the Caribbean. In the early 1930s the ship was deliberately sunk.
Scientists studying Antarctica have gained new insights into how the world’s biggest ice sheet is reacting to warming sea temperatures. The study uses three decades of radar satellite observations to map changes in grounding lines across the Antarctic continent from 1992 to 2025. It found that grounding lines were stable along more than 77% of Antarctica’s coastline, including major ice shelves such as Ross, Filchner-Ronne and Amery.
However, the research also detected significant retreat in vulnerable regions. This map shows the areas with most extensive grounded ice retreat are on the West Antarctica side of the continent, with substantial retreat also around the Antarctic Peninsula and on the East Antarctica coast.
The largest detected grounding line retreat was observed along the coast of the Amundsen Sea, in West Antarctica, where the ice withdrew in some places by up to 43 km over the study’s period. The most affected regions were near the East Getz, Smith, Thwaites and Pine Island ice sheets.
The study is based on data from several satellite missions including Copernicus Sentinel-1 and ERS.
Credits: ESA (data source: Rignot et al, 2026).
Seen here grounded at Tenerife South airport April 2019 due to the on-going issues with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
March 2019 saw the grounding worldwide of all Boeing 737 MAX 8 series aircraft after 2 separate crashes in five months - an Ethiopian Airlines on March 10th 2019 and Lion Air back in October 2018 sadly killing everybody on board both flights.
After the Ethiopian Airlines fatality back on March 10th 2019, this then saw airlines starting to ground their B737 MAX 8 fleets until eventually Boeing announced there would then be a worldwide grounding of all versions of the aircraft.
This TUI Airways B737 MAX 8 aircraft seen here grounded at Tenerife South airport (TFS) had its last operational flight back on March 12th 2019 operating the service 'BY2202' from Manchester Airport.
On Tuesday 16th April 2019, an FAA ( Federal Aviation Administration) panel has said that after a review of the an update by Boeing to the B737 MAX 8 aircraft software, it is now operationally suitable. It will be interesting to see what will now happen going forward.
Tenerife South Airport (TFS), 15th April 2019..
'Like' my Facebook Page --> www.facebook.com/AdamRyanAviationPhotography
Check out my website! --> www.adamryanaviationphotography.com