A year of change, of letting go and creating, of helping and waiting.
Our lovely magnolia that anchored the seven circuit classical labyrinth came down and a slab went to Martha Capo at her request. Friends helped mark the center and create the five circuits in a dual entry format. In May we dedicated the Phoenix Harmony Labyrinth A thrilling part of the labyrinth is the burn! Thus Phoenix, because after the burn both spring and fall, life began anew.
January 20th, 2017, Unity Center, The Interreligious Council of Linn County, Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist, and Winding Pathways, teamed with several singers for the “Light One Candle” service and labyrinth walk to dispell the darkness of the season and emotions.
Advent in March welcomed St. Stevens labyrinth program and a simple Maundy Thursday walk at Christ Episcopal Church.
Not all walks and programs worked out. Some labyrinths are in need of attention and some programs fell through. One because experienced counsel was rejected and another because the timing seemed off.
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- Community Center garden and labyrinth in need of attention
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- The importance of using resources wisely
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- Forest Hills Cemetery, Duluth, in need of attention
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- Austin, MN in need of attention
Joyfully, spring, summer, fall, and winter walks at the Phoenix Harmony Labyrinth inspired pilgrims. We dedicated our work on May’s cross-quarter day. Bankers Trust folks walked on a hot August day and a surprise breeze cooled them down in the center. The yoga classes released tears, found joy, and experienced community when they walked. The Anamosa Garden Club women chatted, explored and discovered wild edibles when they visited Winding Pathways. Our neighbor’s children know they can playfully interact with the labyrinth and a young boy ran then walked and then sang with his grandmother as they walked on the Winter Solstice.
Other trips this year: Duluth, MN; New York City; New Jersey; Washington state; Phoenix and Sedona, Arizona areas; and Cedar Rapids and Muscatine, IA. The most spectacular view was from the Holy Rosary Church in Duluth where several Outdoor Writers of America conference attendees walked on a brisk day. The McCabe Renewal Center’s simple grass labyrinth showed how easily a small space can be converted to a sacred path. The annual Unity Center Prayer-a-thon with initiating labyrinth walk always delights me. The people are willing to try different ways to walk and they create community spirit. the most amazing find this year was the Muscatine Labyrinth in the Arboretum. So an impromptu walk found a half dozen of us trekking to SE Iowa for a barefoot walk and lunch at Mi Tierra in Tipton. Amy coincidentally that morning had found a card in an old box that caught her eye. Lo and behold! Wild Angel Expressions sits right next door to Mi Tierra! Synchronicity. Spokane, WA, is home to several labyrinths. One at a community center reflects the “dreamy” of enthusiasm for a project without the long-term plan to realistically continue maintenance. The other two were completely different. One was a simple path through the woods, again in need to some attention, but defined enough for now. The other a lovely circuit at Spokane Community College along a side road with handy parking along the Spokane River. Set aside, yet visible and comfortable.
Enchanting me in November were two labyrinths in the Phoenix, AZ, area and a lichen labyrinth in Sedona, AZ. I was in AZ to help a sister sort, pack and move back to New Hampshire. So, one afternoon, to give us both space, I found two labyrinths that soothed the soul. Circle of Peace Church, Peoria, AZ and Unity Center, Sun City, AZ.
Most refreshing was the unexpected licen labyrinth design in a shaded spot on a trail in Sedona, AZ. Moments of quiet in a harried world.
Now the year ends with daily walks in the Phoenix Harmony Labyrinth as I welcome the adventure and privilege of joining the Veriditas Council to promote labyrinth walks and support labyrinth facilitators.
Phoenix Harmony Labyrinth
Marion Patterson 