Labyrinths, Labyrinths Everywhere
November 2020
On a snowy weekend in late October when the Arctic front surprised us all, we visit a school family and the conversation eventually turns to the community labyrinth. I discover the story of how it came to be as this school mum’s mother was its very builder! I am shown her mother’s guide book (Labyrinths of British Columbia: A Guide for Your Journey by Aryana Rayne in 2010).
The Bralorne Labyrinth was built in 2004 by a crew of international and local volunteers under Aryana’s direction. It is a 96’ diameter Medieval style labyrinth and is made of grass and stone. I have been drawn to it at every Bralorne visit. While kids busy about at the park nearby, I walk it and feel more settled. I am always amazed it is here and love that someone cheekily added a carved Crone to the centre (one bosum is coming undone).
In the classroom a few days after our off-the-grid-visit, I spot a beautiful wooden labyrinth of the Chartres Cathedral style in the library corner (for tracing with your finger).
In the play yard at school, there is a small scale grass and stone labyrinth, clearly a loving project from years ago: the kids had personalized stones, painted and decorated even with drill core (only in a mining community) and had built their stone rimmed paths with colour and flair.
Labyrinths, Labyrinths Everywhere!
Aryana says:
Unlike walking on the beach or through the park where the imagination can run hither and yon in the past or future or many scenic diversions can arrest our attention, winding one’s way back and forth in the repetitive pattern of the labyrinth--with the intention of just being there--sets up the inner message centre, or expands our mental bandwidth for receiving information without distortions, perhaps downloading directly from a divine source, our source, The Source. This can happen at the beach, but the labyrinth is more specific as a destination. We tend to have a stronger intention just because we step into the form. We surrender.
How interesting that one individual’s passion can be so visible and impactful in a smaller place like this.
I hear that the role of Keeper-of-the-Labyrinth is open and available.