Labyrinth

Walking a labyrinth is a meditative experience. It can be used for cleansing oneself spiritually. As you travel inward, you release the past and clear your mind of any negativity. As you reach the center, you mind clears and you spend a few moment in quiet contemplation. The walk out of the labyrinth allows you to be filled again with good energy and good feelings.

The labyrinth is a sacred space, grounded and connected to the Earth. Walking through the paths of the labyrinth is a walk into the center of oneself and into the center of sacredness. It can be a very healing journey as you release all that does not serve you. The energy from the Earth and the energy from the labyrinth work with each person's own energy to bring about exactly what they need in that moment.

Ceremonies can be held in the sacred center of the labyrinth, including blessings, name ceremonies, weddings, or anything else that would be enhanced by the sacred circle of the center.

This week we are building a labyrinth on our land. It is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time, and now we have the space to do it. We chose a simple spiral, which can represent the path of time in and out. Time is circular, not straight. The spiral is a simple and direct path into the center.

Richard, raking out the labyrinth path

Richard measured out the outlying circle and then he raked out paths for the inner circles of the labyrinth, leaving a central circle that is relatively large. In the center we will plant a tree and place a bench for meditation. We were trying to figure out what to line our paths with...something that would not vanish into the sand. My first idea was to used lumber scraps that I could paint in beautiful colors, but then, as I was relocating some old beer bottles we found on our land, I thought, we should use bottles! What better way to re-purpose all of the bottles we have been collecting and saving for building projects. And so the labyrinth was born!

The beginning of the labyrinth

It went pretty fast. We tried to dig the bottles into the sand a bit so they would not fall over. We got most of the outline of the labyrinth done--enough to be able to walk the labyrinth. I cleansed and blessed the space with sage and prepared it to be used.

I envision the finished labyrinth with paths lined with a kaleidoscope of colored bottles. In between the paths we will plant herbs (and other plants), so that the spiral of the labyrinth will become our herb spiral as well. It will be a beautiful place to walk and heal (and harvest herbs).