Labyrinths are found all over the world, and come in all shapes and sizes, but this is my favourite- the Chartres labyrinth, as seen on the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France. People have been walking them for thousands of years, as a way of meditation and personal reflection. Unlike a maze, you can't get lost in a labyrinth- there is one continuous path which guides you slowly but surely to the centre, and back out again.
I fell under their spell ten years ago, and travelled to San Francisco to train as a labyrinth facilitator with Dr Lauren Artress, creative director of Veriditas at Grace Cathedral, and author of 'Walking a Sacred Path'. Back home, I made my own portable version of the Chartres design, a 40ft wide canvas hand-painted with my good friend Briege McClean.
Since then the portable canvas has been well trod. Apart from my regular walk sessions at the Tara Centre in Omagh, and more recently the History Park, I have taken it to schools, community centres, district councils, conferences in Belfast and Dublin, and events as far away as Cork European Capital of Culture 2005. I've also discovered a great day-long workshop is to make a temporary labyrinth with a group and walk it afterwards. This can be done very simply indoors with masking tape, or outdoors by marking grass, as I did in Belfast's Botanic Gardens for Mela International Festival 2007, or even traced in sand on a Welsh beach. I'm even making one in my back garden from cobble stones, with an ash tree in the middle.
light and warmth
I keep a Comments book for all the walks and workshops, and the feedback is priceless. Many of the comments read like poetry:
'the centre gave birth to light and warmth, and the journey home was a dance of lightness and joy'
'an awakening, a realisation that I do know my own pathway and will find my way home'
'i felt refreshed and light hearted'
'coming to the centre felt like coming to the end, then it turned into a beginning; pure happiness'
And my favourite one, from a five year old after the Mela day in Belfast:
'it made me think of god'.
The labyrinth welcomes people from all faiths or none with openness. Children respond to its deep simplicity immediately, and will run around it, while concentrating intensely on keeping to the path. People may find it relaxing, comforting, challenging or deeply moving. Walking the path even in a group, is a very private experience, but there is also a completely unselfconscious dance taking place, as people are sometimes near, sometimes far away, sometimes walking the same direction, sometimes the opposite, all heading to the centre and back.
new twists and turns
In 2003 I made links with Iwan Brioc's Sensory Labyrinth Community Theatre company (Cynefin). Based in Wales, the company makes original community theatre in purpose built labyrinths. Have a look at their excellent website. These links led me to take part in three fascinating theatre projects, two in Wales and one in Bulgaria. Since then a whole European network of like-minded groups has been set up (INFACCT) with exciting possibilities for cooperation, education and exchange. My dream is to expand on my own labyrinth projects at the History Park, by bringing this European dimension to Omagh. More about the exciting things bubbling under at the History Park on the transition page.
labyrinth news
I run regular labyrinth events at the History Park Omagh, based on the seasonal Celtic celebrations. Programme will re-start in Autumn '10
labyrinth links
www.veriditas.org
www.labyrinthsociety.org
www.cynefin.org.uk
www.infacct.org
I also run specially tailored labyrinth walks and workshops, both 2-hour sessions and all-day events. If you would like more information about a taster session or a full event for your group, organization or business, get in touch.
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