This year’s Waymark event, which was hosted by St Petroc’s Church Bodmin, was entitled Unfurling: shaping a peaceful way of life and was led by Ian Adams.

waymark event 2
Over 50 people attended and were led by Ian through six ‘unfurling waymarks’ on the journey to a peaceful way of life.
Ian used poetry, music and photography to help those present engage more fully with the content. There was time spent in quiet and stillness as well as movement and exploration. Pauline Burdett, Discipleship Co-ordinator and Waymark participant, said: “We talked, shared and experienced God’s presence together in ways that were frequently quite different to our usual experiences of worship. I was encouraged, enthused, challenged and uplifted by the experience.”
The story of Mary and Martha was read and considered using the Lectio Divina method of Bible reading which helped to underpin the teaching.
The poetry Ian performed enhanced and highlighted what was being discussed and for some it was particularly moving. As was the experience of ‘Terra Divina’, a spiritual practice that encourages people to consider that the natural world comes full of gift, offering wisdom and insight. Lectio Divina means sacred reading, Terra Divina encourages a ‘close up’ and sacred reading of creation which reveals truth.
All that was presented was beautifully crafted. Pauline added: “Ian helped us to consider how we might slow our pace and become what God is calling us to become. We were encouraged to wonder about how our intentional walk with God, as followers of the Way, might bring light, joy, peace, love and salvation to those around us.”
During the day, the time spent together allowed space to explore six ‘unfurling waymarks’ and for those present to apply them to their daily lives and also to link them into the Way of Life experiences within the diocese.
The six Unfurling Waymarks were:
Unfurling into your ‘still point’: Stillness is the place of awareness of self, other, and God, a state of being rather than a physical place, a place where our connectedness is revealed to us, stillness is awkward, the cave of the heart.

‘The peaceful place from which everything becomes possible.’

Unfurling into your belonging: Coming home to yourself, to others, to the earth and to God, be here be now. ‘Stop trying to prove yourself.’ Practice ‘Terra Divina’; open up to the truth, wisdom and gift of God’s creation.
Unfurling into darkness: Facing light and dark, finding and losing, rising and falling, engaging with fear/darkness and not running away. ‘…and the darkness has not overcome it’, John 1:5

‘What practices hold us when it all goes wrong?’

Unfurling into joy: Is the ever increasing one-ness with the Christ, joy is a gift, it is abundance, it is choosing a path of fulfilment, joy is a choice it’s tough and it’s liberating, choose to take part – to reach for joy, become what God is calling you to become and joy will follow.

‘Seek out beauty- commit to adventure.’

Unfurling into intention: Nurture a Christ way of life, be intentional, give life our focus and shape it for good, you can’t do everything but you can do something, how will you bring your goodness to the world in Christ’s name? ‘…..you are the light of the world.’ Matthew 5:14

‘Devote yourself to your intention.’

Unfurling into love: What if it’s all about love, love of God and of our neighbour? Slow our pace, walk together in the present, our counter to fear is love, ‘… perfect love casts out fear.’ 1 John 4:18, reflect love back at fear.

‘Life should be prayer and prayer should be life.’

Quotes from participants:

“Very inspiring and worthwhile.”

“This was beyond my expectations.”

“A real opportunity to engage spiritually.”

“My spirituality was re awakened.”   

“A truly enlightening experience which I believe will help me on my journey of discipleship.”