I was fortunate enough to take a great trip to Bruge Belgium, part of a long tour through the United Kingdom, British Isles and Holland in April (2025).

Bruge is one of those beautiful European cities that charm you from the moment you arrive.  It is a World Heritage Site of UNESCO which makes it a must see when you are in the area. It is a Port City and a Canal City.  Luckily damage was spared from both World Wars so the architecture throughout the city is amazing.  Our group took the walking tour of the city and the canal boat tour as well. The history is fascinating and one 5 hour tour is not enough time.  Easily, you could spend a week and enjoy every moment!

One of the places that was a favorite of mine was a Convent where group meditations were held.  The garden within the Convent grounds was full of wildflowers and chairs were placed in a circle around the grounds.  One chair had a large gong to start and stop the meditation period(s). 

This sign is interpreted as LISTEN HOW SILENCE TELL A STORY.  It is most appropriate in the meditation garden. People came in and took their seats and sat quietly with their meditations.  (it is a shame the tourists were not as quiet!). When the meditation time was completed, the gong would sound and those meditating would quietly stand and walk orderly out of the garden. I wanted to be a part of it but there was just no time to stop.

Then my mind starts ticking, which is nothing new.  My mind is always ticking.  I wanted to figure out a way to bring this experience home with me…to MY community.  In my mind, it doesn’t matter if people want to participate, it is more about sharing the idea and then experience with those who DO want to try it.  

TICK TICK TICK.  My first instinct is to recreate what I saw, which is impossible on so many levels.  Our community does have a convent or a place where we could grow wildflowers and they would bloom and be delicate and beautiful.  We live in Florida, and we have sand and weeds and ants. The possibility of us placing chairs in a circle on a vacant lot is slim.

And who would maintain the space IF we found one. And completely forget the gong! But all that is for the naysayers!  

After I returned home I started doing some groundwork within the community to see exactly what could and could not be done.  Of course, HOA Rules and Regulations needed to be reviewed, and I was pretty sure there would be no conflict there as long as we were orderly and left no messes for others.  I asked about vacant lots within the community that were unbuildable, as that might be usable space.  Then I started walking around the community and low and behold, there were several areas already here that could be used with no issue.  

Green space areas are all around the community with large shade trees and nice views.

Our Gazeba arfrea is beautiful, lots of shade and a nice lake, on e of many quiet spots that coul be utlized and not intrrupt the daly flow of the community.

Whether a meditation group will ever form doesn’t really matter because I can always find my SPOT and be alone in the moment. What does matter is looking at my community with a new set of eyes and finding what I am looking for in my own back yard!