Labyrinth/Zen Garden

“The beauty of a labyrinth is that it can do so many things, like a string bass that can fit into a jazz band, a string quartet and then a symphony,” Lauren Artress

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Building a labyrinth

When I first purchased the cabin, one of the things I wanted on the property was a labyrinth. I thought it would inspire me to keep up my daily practice of meditation and help ward away anxiety.

The following is a brief description of the legacy of the labyrinth taken from an article in the WashingtonPost:

“The labyrinth is an ancient idea made new. The spiral design has been around since before recorded history, though no one is sure where the pattern originated or why. In Neolithic times, labyrinths were scratched into rocks. In Cretan tradition, a labyrinth imprisoned the mythical Minotaur. For medieval Christians, walking a labyrinth at a cathedral such as the one in Chartres, France, substituted for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Over the past few decades, labyrinths have been repurposed to aid in meditation, healing and inspiration, and have been established at churches, schools, parks, museums and hospitals. They’ve also been making their way into private yards for homeowners seeking a spiritual retreat, a striking landscape element or both.”

The idea I followed was to do the complete task myself and thus infuse my labyrinth with my energy – mellow – I hoped.

It was a project I enjoyed very much, in spite of having to “gear up” to keep the black flies at bay.

Not many people in this area are familiar with labyrinths and most called it a miniature maze or a Zen Garden. The spiritual aspects made some people uncomfortable.

Quote: “The philosophy of Zen Gardens is to bring health to people, to harmonize their life, and to return balance in nature.” 

So I don’t dwell on any right or wrong idea about my labyrinth. As far as I am concerned it represents whatever you want it to be.

Hopefully sitting beside it will give some feeling of contemplation or simply
a peaceful place to be on a warm summer’s day.

You decide.

Until next time

Ellecee