Today, May 1, 2021, is World Labyrinth Day.
The motto for the day is
“Walk as one at one.”
Wherever you are walk a labyrinth at 1 p.m. your time.
Join people all around the world as footsteps journey in and journey out on this ancient mindful path.
Wonderful!
Actually, any day is a good day to walk a labyrinth.
Walking a labyrinth does wonders for your tired brain. It gets a rest as your feet follow the path. You can’t get lost. One way in and one way out. Let go of worries and concerns. Focus on one step at a time. The circuits go close to the center, then far away but always progress is made and then you arrive at the center – a good place to stop, breathe deeply, count blessings.
A labyrinth is a metaphor for life’s journey. We make so many turns inward and outward as we progress through the past, present and into the future.
Often a labyrinth walker will have thoughts spring up hours later, ideas set free by the calming effect of walking a labyrinth.
A safe calm harbor in the face of chaos. Something we all need in the COVID19 times.
And so, I found myself in Winter Park last week, walking a brand new seven-circuit labyrinth at Ward Memorial Park, a lovely large park full of shade trees and meandering wide walks, the kind of paved path favored by walkers, runners, wheelchairs, bicyclists and dog walkers.
Address: 2228 Lock Lomond Drive, Winter Park, Florida.
The labyrinth is in the trees near a statue of leaping dolphins. Parking is free on the street.
I parked right next to the dolphin statue.
Since the labyrinth is made of two-toned pavers sitting flat on the ground, seeing it from the road is a bit difficult. Look for a large round opening in the stand of oak trees behind the dolphins. The labyrinth is here, heavily shaded by those oak trees and so easy to walk.
This photo shows a small detail area of the labyrinth.
Parks are particularly suited to labyrinths. Wide open spaces, benches, walkways, perhaps other activities like playgrounds and picnic areas, all blend together beautifully in a family-friendly atmosphere.
Ward Park becomes the sixth public park in Florida to have a labyrinth. The other five are described in detail in my book Circle the Center Labyrinths in Florida and seen briefly here.
Central Park in Ormond Beach is actually four parks clustered together. The labyrinth location is in Central Park II on Hamock Lane. This is an outdoors labyrinth painted on concrete in a classical Chartres Cathedral design.
Shalom Park in Ocala has an outdoors, contemporary, meandering labyrinth featuring a large water hickory in the center called The Resting Tree.
Inset into the walkway are old bricks recovered from a demolished building, now repurposed to be part of the path.
Cofrin Nature Park in Gainesville has a section set aside as a memorial to suicide survivors. In addition to a butterfly garden and statues there is a five-circuit contemporary Medieval labyrinth made of bricks, many of which bear memorial inscriptions.
Barnett Family Park on Orange Avenue in Lakeland has a five-circuit square labyrinth, a concrete path with a wide brick outline.
Egans Creek Park on Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach has a lovely outdoors, three circuit, four quadrant labyrinth made of concrete, coquina and plants with a brick outline.
If not today, then pick a day in May to walk a labyrinth.
This is a plan!
©2021 Lucy Tobias
All rights reserved
All photos by Lucy Tobias