Two steps forward one step back… is a catchphrase that references an anecdote about a frog that is trying to climb out of a well. It means that as he climbs up two steps he then falls back one, and the whole process of climbing out of the well is long and arduous.
When I think about that phrase I admit I cringe. It just feels like struggle is embedded in the words…two steps forward, one step back. It feels like the chain gang in a black and white movie or the task of cleaning out the basement before moving. Or maybe not.
A labyrinth was first noted in Greek Mythology and has been in use in some Christian Churches for more than 1000 years. It represents a journey along a single path. One method for using a labyrinth is to set an intention for something that you are working toward, then, to meditate or pray as you walk the path from the outside to the heart of the maze and to walk back out. Many people use a two-step forward and one-step back walk. This walk serves to keep you totally focused on the present, on the task at hand and on the journey.
Sometimes the first temptation when we realize that our efforts aren’t producing the results we planned, is to respond negatively. We want to throw in the towel, to complain that things will never change, to feel hurt, to be defeated and to give up. If we take the lesson of the labyrinth, we focus on the goal (which could be anything from, a civil relationship with my ex to new friends that are healthy for me), the steps to get there may be many. The steps may not all be forward moving, yet by focusing on the steps themselves, even when they are two steps forward and one step back, we support ourselves in the journey to a better place while living our lives at the same time.
In what part of your life are you taking two steps forward and one step back? What can you do to be present during the journey?
This post was written by Mary Burns Hoff.
