Sally Quinn, Walking the Labyrinth
Sally Quinn, author and journalist, discusses her spiritual memoir "Finding Magic," her transformation from atheism, and her unique meditation practice involving labyrinths. She shares how caring for loved ones and finding meaning in everyday moments brought her profound happiness.
Deep Dive Analysis
17 Topic Outline
Introduction to Sally Quinn and 'Finding Magic'
The Enjoyment and Bravery of Writing a Memoir
Caregiving, Grief, and the Search for Meaning
Ben Bradlee's Legacy and the Book's Structure
From Atheism to a Personal Spirituality
Discovering Labyrinth Walking as Meditation
Transformative Experience with the Labyrinth and Her Son
Building a Personal Labyrinth and Daily Practice
Detailed Labyrinth Meditation: Focus and Rituals
Creating a 'Religion of One's Own'
Ben Bradlee's Unique Form of Meditation in Nature
Quinn's Current Life and Advocacy Work
Defining Magic and the Evolution of Faith
The Limits of Science and the Nature of Belief
Love as the Core of Meaning and Happiness
The Sacredness of Dinner Parties and Community
Washington D.C. Social Scene and Political Division
6 Key Concepts
Labyrinth
A labyrinth is a large circular path, not a maze, where one walks in and out to a center without getting lost. It is used as a meditation tool to focus the mind on a problem or issue.
Meditation (Sally Quinn's definition)
For Sally Quinn, meditation involves trying to blank her mind, often by concentrating on her breath, to achieve a trance-like state of nothingness or clarity. This personal practice brings her calmness and happiness.
Religion of One's Own
This concept describes a personal spiritual belief system created by 'cherry-picking' appealing aspects from different faiths, rather than adhering to a single organized religion. It emphasizes an individual's unique relationship with the divine and what personally resonates.
Magic (Sally Quinn's definition)
For Sally Quinn, magic is synonymous with faith and encompasses anything one believes in that requires belief to be seen, including elements of traditional religions (e.g., miracles) and less institutional beliefs (e.g., psychic abilities, astrology). It represents finding meaning in life's moments.
Theodicy (Problem of Suffering)
This is the theological question of how an all-loving, all-powerful, omniscient God can allow suffering in the world. Sally Quinn finds no satisfactory answer to this problem, which influenced her shift from traditional concepts of God.
Faith (Sally Quinn's definition)
Faith, for Sally Quinn, is not about empirical proof but about belief in something unseen or unprovable. She describes it as needing to 'believe it to see it,' and it can manifest as a transcendent feeling or a sense of being in touch with the divine.
9 Questions Answered
A labyrinth is a large circular path, not a maze, that you walk in and out of to reach a center. It serves as a meditation tool where you focus on a problem or issue while walking.
For Sally Quinn, meditation involves trying to blank her mind, often by concentrating on her breath, to enter a trance-like state of nothingness or clarity, which brings her calmness and happiness.
Sally Quinn defines 'magic' as synonymous with faith, encompassing anything one believes in that requires belief to be seen, including elements of traditional religions and less institutional beliefs like psychic abilities or astrology. It represents finding meaning in everyday moments.
After being an atheist since age four due to the problem of suffering, Sally Quinn was encouraged to study various religions. She realized she couldn't deny God's existence and began to embrace rituals, ceremonies, and a personal sense of 'magic' and transcendent feelings, leading her to define herself as a person of faith.
Both Sally Quinn's personal experience and the Harvard Grant Study (as cited by her) conclude that the ultimate source of happiness and meaning in life is love, particularly loving and caring for the people you love.
Ben Bradlee's form of meditation involved spending hours alone in the woods, clearing brush, cutting down dead trees, and burning. He described this activity as 'mind-emptying' and found it gave him a sense of peace, even during stressful times like Watergate.
Sally Quinn believes all religion is magic because any faith requires belief in phenomena that cannot be scientifically proven, such as miracles, divine dictation, or supernatural events. She argues that her personal 'magical' beliefs are as legitimate as those in institutional religions.
Sally Quinn prays not to a specific God or person, but by sending out positive thoughts, energy, and wishes. She finds it makes her feel better, regardless of whether it objectively 'works'.
Sally Quinn observes that Washington D.C.'s social scene has become more rancorous and hostile, especially under the Trump administration, compared to earlier times when Republicans and Democrats frequently socialized together. This is partly attributed to politicians no longer living in D.C. full-time.
24 Actionable Insights
1. Seek Meaning for Happiness
Prioritize finding meaning in your life, as this pursuit is presented as the path to genuine happiness, rather than seeking happiness directly.
2. Find Meaning in Love
Dedicate yourself to loving and caring for the people you love, as this can be the most spiritual and meaningful path, leading to profound happiness.
3. Be Truthful and Authentic
Be truthful and authentic about yourself, especially as you age, because it makes you more accessible and helps people respond better to you.
4. Meditate Daily for Calm
Meditate daily for at least 10-15 minutes to feel more centered, calmer, happier, and less bothered by things that previously caused distress.
5. Develop Personal Spirituality
Create your own spiritual practice by ‘cherry-picking’ elements from different faiths that resonate with you, rather than adhering strictly to one organized religion, to find what truly works for you.
6. Engage in Mind-Emptying Nature Work
Spend time in nature performing physical tasks like clearing brush or cutting wood, as this can serve as a ‘mind-emptying’ form of meditation, bringing a sense of peace.
7. Gain Perspective on Problems
When upset, consider if the issue will matter in the grand scheme of things (‘when the history of the world is written, this is not going to be in it’) to reduce distress and gain perspective.
8. Practice Outcome Acceptance
Do your best, be proud of your work, and then accept the outcome, understanding that ’life goes on’ regardless of external success, fostering a calmer mindset.
9. Prioritize Love for Happiness
Recognize that love is the ultimate source of happiness, and prioritize cultivating and experiencing it in your life.
10. Use Labyrinths for Clarity
Walk a labyrinth to gain a unique sense of clarity and always come away with new insights or perspectives.
11. Labyrinth Meditation Technique
Walk a labyrinth while focusing on a specific issue, then sit in the center, close your eyes, concentrate on your breath, and aim to clear your mind to achieve clarity.
12. Create Supportive Rituals
Surround your meditative or sacred space with meaningful, non-monetary trinkets from loved ones to create a sense of support and connection during your practice.
13. Host Sacred Gatherings
View entertaining as a sacred and spiritual act, creating a communion with loved ones around a table with good food, wine, and meaningful conversation.
14. Host Purposeful Celebrations
Organize parties and gatherings with a specific purpose, such as honoring someone, celebrating an event, or fostering community, to give them deeper meaning.
15. Invite People, Not Status
When hosting gatherings, invite people you genuinely like and care about, rather than focusing on their professional status or ‘jobs,’ to create more authentic connections.
16. Foster Community Amidst Division
Create opportunities for people to gather and connect, especially during times of division or fear, to build a sense of community and reassurance.
17. Process Grief Actively
When experiencing grief, actively concentrate on it during a meditative practice, asking how to deal with it and move forward.
18. Walk Labyrinth Slowly
Walk the labyrinth very slowly and methodically, focusing intently on your chosen issue, to deepen the meditative experience.
19. Educate Yourself on Beliefs
If you hold strong beliefs (e.g., atheism), educate yourself thoroughly on alternative perspectives before solidifying your stance, to ensure your position is well-informed.
20. Embrace Rituals and Ceremonies
Recognize the value in rituals and ceremonies, even if previously dismissed, as they can provide profound spiritual or meaningful experiences.
21. Cultivate Belief to See Magic
Embrace the idea that ‘all religion is magic’ and that believing in something (faith) is necessary to perceive its existence or impact, rather than needing to see it first.
22. Send Positive Thoughts/Energy
Engage in a form of prayer by sending out positive thoughts, wishes, or energy, primarily because it makes you feel better, regardless of its external effect.
23. Respect Diverse Beliefs
Accept and respect others’ beliefs and faith, provided their practices do not cause harm to anyone.
24. Embrace Life’s Mysteries
Be comfortable with and intrigued by the unexplained aspects of life, as there are limits to scientific understanding, and some things are best experienced as mystery.
9 Key Quotes
You get to a certain age and you sort of think, I have nothing to hide. There's nothing that I'm ashamed of and I don't feel bad or guilty. And as long as I can be truthful and authentic, that's what matters to me.
Sally Quinn
I came back and looked at Quinn, and I thought, he is more beautiful than all of the others. He's just different.
Sally Quinn
The word meditation, as has been said before, is a little bit like the word sports. It describes a whole range of activities.
Dan Harris
I don't know and you don't either.
Sally Quinn
All religion is magic, and that anything that you believe, any kind of faith you have, is all about faith. You have to take it on faith.
Sally Quinn
It's not that you have to see it to believe it. You have to believe it to see it.
Sally Quinn
You don't look for happiness to find meaning. You look for meaning to find happiness.
Sally Quinn
Happiness equals one thing and that is love full stop.
George Valiant (quoted by Sally Quinn)
When the history of the world is written, this is not going to be in it.
Ben Bradlee (quoted by Sally Quinn)
1 Protocols
Labyrinth Walking Meditation (Sally Quinn's Practice)
Sally Quinn- Start by performing a ritual of embracing friends and asking for their support, often by interacting with buried trinkets around the labyrinth.
- Focus on a specific problem or issue (e.g., health, grief) that requires clarity or resolution.
- Walk very slowly and methodically into the labyrinth, maintaining concentration on the chosen focus.
- Upon reaching the center, sit, stand, or lie down, continuing to focus on the issue.
- Close eyes and concentrate on breath, allowing the mind to clear of distracting thoughts.
- Remain in the center until a sense of clarity or an insight regarding the focused issue comes to you.