Walking into the Solstice: A Statewide Labyrinth Walk on December 21st

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By Emily Syal

Blessings this winter season to you all!

Are you longing for the contemplative? You are invited to join the New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light community all over the state for a contemplative walking/wandering reflection on the Winter Solstice. On Monday, December 21st, the day of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, we invite you to find an outdoor labyrinth in your area (or even a hiking trail) and wander with us in spiritual solidarity as we enter this necessary season of darkness together.

As you wander, we invite you to reflect on the importance of this season. How do we honor this dark time while also hoping for the coming of the light?

At NM IPL we hold with everyone else the many pains and tears of this year from COVID to the challenging transformation invitations to address racism, economic inequity, divisions in our country, families and beyond and the fires, floods, droughts, and enormous storms multiplied by climate chaos. We also know people are feeling sad, stressed, weary, and maybe hopeful as we all work for the Common Good in this mysterious moment. What do you grieve this day? What do you hope for in the dawning light that tomorrow brings?

As you make each turn in the labyrinth, or along the hiking trail, you are welcome to pray these words and consider where the Sacred may be as you wander the darkness of this season:

whichever way I turn, there is the Sacred
in the glow of the moon and stars
in scarred mountain rifts
in the wandering arroyos
in the dancing desert dust
in the salt of the tears I taste
in the light of eyes I love
in the people striving for justice everywhere
whichever way I turn as I wander this dark season
there is the Holy surrounding me
– a prayer inspired by John Philip Newell and our enchanting New Mexico landscape

Below are outdoor public labyrinth locations in New Mexico. When visiting, please practice all COVID guidelines, take only pictures, and leave only footprints.

All Saints Church Labyrinth (Farmington)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines

2171 Mission Avenue  (located north of the church on the San Juan Mission)
Farmington, NM 87401

Anglican Church and Retreat Center Labyrinth (Silver City)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
Located North of church building
1801 Alabama St
Silver City, NM 88061

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis Labyrinth (Downtown Santa Fe)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
Located outside main doors of the cathedral
131 Cathedral Plaza
Santa Fe, NM 87504

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Labyrinth (Santa Fe)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
Located South of the parking lot
1701 Arroyo Chamiso Rd
Santa Fe, NM 87505

First Christian Church Labyrinth (Las Cruces)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
1809 El Paseo Rd
Las Cruces, NM 88001

Frenchy’s Field/Santa Fe River Trail Labyrinth (Santa Fe)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
Located near buildings along Santa Fe River Trail
2001 Agua Fria St
Santa Fe, NM 87505

New Life Presbyterian Church Labyrinth (Albuquerque)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
5540 Eubank Rd
Albuquerque, NM 87111

Riverview Park Labyrinth (Carlsbad)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
1061 Mission Ave
Carlsbad, NM 88220

Rockhound State Park Labyrinth (Deming)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
To the right of the visitor center at the park
9880 Stirrup Rd SE
Deming, NM 88030

St. Chad’s Episcopal Church Labyrinth (Albuquerque)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
7171 Tennyson NE
Albuquerque, NM 87122

Walking the labyrinth at St. Paul Lutheran Church (2018)

St. Paul Lutheran Church Labyrinth (Albuquerque)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
1100 Indian School Rd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Shrine of the Little Flower, St Therese Parish (Albuquerque) A granite, 8 circuit labyrinth located at 4th and Mildred just east of the church building.

Trinity Turtle Healing Labyrinth Park (Alamogordo)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
7440 US Hwy 54/70
Alamogordo, NM

Trinity United Methodist Church (Roswell)
Open dawn-dusk, please practice social distancing and all COVID guidelines
Enter courtyard from South Parking Lot on Chism St.
1413 South Union Ave
Roswell, NM 88203

Praying/Advocating with San Carlos Tribe for Protection of Oak Flat

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The San Carlos Tribe in Arizona is asking People of all Faith to join in prayer and sacred action by calling your Congressional Staff and asking to protect Oak Flat during this season of holy days.

These actions are in response to the Trump administration’s plan  sell off this sacred places for exploitation. This includes opening up the Oak Flat site to promote copper mining.

Background: Chi’chil Bildagoteel (Oak Flat) is a sacred site for the San Carlos Apache—a place to pray, collect water and medicinal plants, gather acorns, honor the people who are buried there, and perform sacred ceremonies.
In 2014, the United States government promised the land to a copper mining company to build a two mile wide mine.
Wendsler Nosie Sr. returned home to this space in November 2019 and asks us to join him in prayer and action to prevent the destruction of Oak Flat.

There will be a day of action/prayer on the ground, on December 21, Winter Solstice.
PRAY Find a prayer practice that fits you—take a walk, light a candle, sit quietly…
• Pray for Wendsler’s safety, the San Carlos Apache Nation, the fresh water that runs at Oak Flat, action in Congress, the trees, plants, and animals in danger, Resolution Copper’s repentance
ACT
• Visit Oak Flat• Visit apache-stronghold.com• Sign the petition on the website•Contact your Senators and Representatives
The Mennonite Coalition of Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery is also planning a webinar with the tribe’s elders.

Public Regulatory Commission Approves 100% Clean Energy Replacement Plan  for San Juan Generating Power Plant

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New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light is grateful for good news !  The Public Regulatory Commission this week approved a replacement plan for the San Juan generating power plant of 100% renewable energy with battery storage. This effort was possible through hard work of many including a large coalition of Four Corners community and tribal organizations, social justice groups, ordinary people and many faith leaders and faith communities.

This decision is an important ethical and moral choice to care for our communities and our sacred land, water, air and future generations. In these challenging times we celebrate this decision and the years of hard work, vision and efforts to cherish all that we are given.]

Thank you to all who have written comments, testified at hearings, made phone calls, engaged in educating friends and neighbors and your faith communities over the years. Our work and ministry can only happen together and that is a joy as we pray, meditate, and work together for the Common Good.

Please thank your Public Regulatory Commissioners for their work and decision.

The plan approved by the PRC has Renewable energy investments includes: 300 megawatts of solar and 130 megawatts of battery storage in the Central Consolidated School District, 300 megawatts of battery storage in McKinley County, and 50 megawatts of solar and 20 megawatts of battery on Jicarilla Apache lands in Rio Arriba County.  All of the projects account for over $1 billion in the respective areas and will create about 1,200 multi-year construction jobs in these counties.

This plan helps the state meet the goals of the 2019 Energy Transition Act for state public utilities to reach the goal of 100% carbon-free sources by 2045 for utilities to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050.

Back in April,  a large coalition of New Mexico community, faith, tribal, and environmental advocates on April 1 welcomed the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission’s (PRC) decision to approve Public Service Company of New Mexico’s (PNM) request to abandon or exit the San Juan Generating Station and use low-interest bonds through the Energy Transition Act (ETA) to finance its remaining investment in the plant. The Commission voted unanimously to approve both the abandonment and financing orders.   Read More