Walking the Carleton Place Labyrinth

We have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us - the labyrinth is thoroughly known. We have only to follow the thread of the hero path, and where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the centre of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world. 
~ Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949)

Bitterly cold it was when I ventured out to the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum between Christmas and New Year’s. A good day to be inside, I thought, somewhere warm and interesting. The museum, however, was closed. But the light was just so, and a delicate snowfall had brought the edges of everything into stark relief. I made my way around the building peering through the windows as best as I could, looky-loo that I am.

Tucked behind the museum I found the Carleton Place Community Labyrinth, an unexpected treasure bordered by blocks of heritage homes. Hundreds of pavers are set into the lawn, laid in the famous seven-circuit configuration found at Chartres Cathedral in France and contained by a circular walk. Dormant garden beds complete the landscape and a miniature table-top granite labyrinth invites observers to let their fingers do the walking. The space looked ethereal under the first snow, no less enchanting, I imagine, than it might under a full spring bloom.

Unlike mazes (multicursal), which are meant to confuse, labyrinths (unicursal) have one way in and one way out. They are used as a meditation and prayer tool and represent a spiritual journey to our center and back into the world again. ((http://walklabyrinth.blogspot.ca/2012/03/the-purpose-of-labyrinth-walk.html))  Labyrinths are a type of  “Mandalas” (sanskrit for “circle that contain the Essence”), symbols of wholeness which are cross-cultural and non-denominational. ((http://www.starwheels.com/infopage.php?pagename=sacredlabyrinths))   They “… can be seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself–a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds.” ((http://www.starwheels.com/infopage.php?pagename=sacredlabyrinths))

Although I’ve visited several mazes, this would be my first encounter with a labyrinth.  Beyond the obvious answer of ‘walking’, what would I do exactly? The simple answer is it can be approached in any manner one chooses, but here are a few suggestions: ((http://carletonplacecommunitylabyrinth.blogspot.ca/p/labyrinth-walking-tips-benefits.html))

1. As you prepare to walk, allow space between you and the person in front of you.
2. Pause, as this is a time to let go of tension and stress. Listen to your heart beat, be aware of your breathing and quiet your mind.
3. Pace yourself.
4. When walking with a group remember the labyrinth is a two way street. There is the possibility for meetings, greetings and possible confusion.
5. Don’t worry – there are no mistakes in the labyrinth. Pass one another when it seems comfortable. This may be easiest at the turns. Feel free to step around someone who is moving too slowly for your pace.
6. When you reach the centre, remain for as long as you wish. Standing in the center is a time of awakening, receiving and opening. This is a place for rest, prayer, reflection and meditation.
7. Walking out is a time of return. You may feel the opportunity to take what is gained at the center back out into the world with a renewed sense of understanding, strength, peace, or possibility.

Sadly, without my hat, gloves and heaviest coat, my walk would be over almost as soon as it had started. Pausing briefly at the beginning, I briskly followed the curves toward the centre, finding introspection difficult with my outer bits so woefully exposed. The brisk walk changed into a shivery gallop back to the van, the tips of my fingers very nearly frostbitten. Meditation aborted.

I’ll return to the museum for the vintage clothing sale on Saturday, January 31st and look forward to exploring at a more appropriate pace. This time, I will be more suitably attired.

The Carleton Place Community Labyrinth is located at 267 Edmund Street, on the property behind the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum.

The gardens and labyrinth remain open year round, with a number of planned walks that invite people into community. Upcoming events for 2015 include: weekly walks, an Earth Day Sunrise Walk, a celebration of World Labyrinth Day and the annual Light Up the Labyrinth festival.

Further reading:

Known Unknowns: Margalit Fox’s Riddle of the Labyrinth

Labyrinthos: The Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth – FAQ’s

Rebecca Solnit, Wanderlust: A History of Walking (2000)