Creating a Special Space at the Health & Wellness Show

How satisfying to have pushed myself out of my comfort zone!  Yesterday was the first time Marie-Chantale, Amanda and I got to practise doing the basic presentation we had learned in the Veriditas Labyrinth facilitator training. We introduced people at the Health & Wellness show in Ottawa to our temporary classical labyrinth "under the willow".  We all felt nervous and anxious about the day - but those feelings fell away as we started to tell the story about this ancient and powerful meditative tool!

The whole process has been very energizing.  From having the initial idea, planning the event and how to promote it, to building the labyrinth out of rope and garden stakes in less than 2 hours!  The moment I saw the suggested location for the labyrinth I knew it was perfect.  I could even see circles and a spiral pattern in the grass.  We only noticed yesterday as people were doing the first labyrinth walk - the lovely statue of Mary - that could be seen through the trees.  It seemed as if she was also pointing right to this spot!

After we finished building the labyrinth on the Friday evening - I stayed on - and was setting up the signage for the event...  A young family came by and were having fun lying on the grass watching a hot air balloon fly overhead.  Their young son saw the labyrinth and immediately leapt up and ran over to the entrance.  He skipped and ran joyfully to the centre and back out - while his family went on ahead.  Our labyrinth was officially opened and ready for more visitors the next morning!

Throughout the day people started to make their way to the labyrinth.  Some on their own, a family with young children, a mom and dad with their grown daughters, a group of young professionals, a couple that had travelled the world, girlfriends, and so on.  Many people didn't understand the difference between a maze and a labyrinth.  Everyone seemed to have time to have thoughtful, meaningful conversations. They all interacted with the labyrinth in their own individual ways - and came away feeling calmer, more centred, and grounded. 

We found that we were very energized by the day and many creative ideas for future labyrinth experiences and events were flowing!

Lessons Learned on the Labyrinth

Several of our Carleton Place Community Labyrinth committee members were really pleased to participate in the Sacred Pattern, Sacred Path labyrinth workshop held at St. John's Anglican Church in Kanata on Sunday May 2nd.   The workshop was facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress, author of THE book about labyrinths (Walking a Sacred Path: The Rediscovery of the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practise) and the person responsible for reintroducing the ancient labyrinth to our modern world!

Lauren is a wonderful facilitator, teacher, spiritual director and human BE-ing!  We were all enthralled as she took us through a presentation on the history of the labyrinth, different labyrinth designs and meditative ways of walking the path.  Lauren teaches by story-telling - and sharing some of the many deep, rich experiences she has had over the years introducing the labyrinth to people around the world.

There were several opportunities during the day to walk the indoor or outdoor labyrinth ourselves.  We were encouraged to take time to journal, reflect, rest, really take a break from our busy and hectic lives!  Everyone was really present and in the moment...  We met new friends, had wonderful conversations, laughed, even stretched out on the grass to rest and spend some time cloud-gazing if we felt like it!

Lauren provided the comprehensive labyrinth facilitator training on May 3rd and 4th  and I was thrilled to take this course.  We were able to deepen our knowledge of labyrinth during the course and some of us may go on to become Veriditas Certified Labyrinth Facilitators.  Rather than trying to describe what we learned in detail -  these random phrases give a flavour of the experience...

nourshing our souls

help you find your way

come home to yourself

be present

 feel connected

the soul needs beauty 

take the time you need

whatever happens, happens

teaching self-reflection

 

Do not ask what the world needs.  Ask instead what you need and what makes you come alive and fills you with passion. Because the world needs people who are alive and filled with passion!