By now you know that the First Annual Wellness Festival is happening this coming weekend, July 19-21, in downtown Ashcroft. There are many benefits to be gained and much entertainment to be experienced by attending this Festival showcasing the many ways of Wellness happening in our area.
One of the events happening over the weekend is the construction of a Labyrinth. The Labyrinth is open to all who want to take some time for stillness or to seek insight or centre themselves. It can be used as a form of spiritual exercise or as a new experience for enjoyment.
Information from the internet explains that: “The labyrinth is an ancient symbol for healing and a path to renewing the body-mind-spirit connection, which dates back more than 3,000 years. Labyrinths of pre-Christian Knossos and Egypt were followed by labyrinths in European cathedrals. The best-known labyrinth is an eleven-circuit design dating back to the 13th century, and is laid on the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France.
A labyrinth is an ancient, geometric pattern that has a single path that leads into the centre and out again. Not to be confused with a maze, a labyrinth was originally based on a circle, the ancient symbol for healing, unity and wholeness. A maze offers a choice of paths, dead ends and false starts; it is our cognitive mind (left brain) that loves to problem solve. Walking the labyrinth involves the creative and intuitive mind (right brain) and can be calming and balancing. The choice is whether to walk the labyrinth - a spiritual journey.” Quest Educational Foundation site
“People walk the labyrinth slowly, as an aid to contemplative prayer and reflection, as a spiritual exercise, or as a form of pilgrimage.
There are two underlying themes to the Labyrinth: journey and relationship. As well as this there are three themes that link specifically with the three sections of the Labyrinth:
The inward journey - ‘letting go’ or shedding; The middle of the labyrinth - ‘centering’; The outward journey - ‘incarnation’.” From labyrinth.org.uk
You may now be wondering how you can experience such an amazing thing as a Labyrinth walk in Ashcroft?
First, locate Friendship Auto at 603 Railway Ave. Between Friendship Auto and the Government building is a special place where people have prepared the outline of our Labyrinth. We offer many thanks to Cam and Debbie Tetford for allowing us the use of this empty lot until such time as it is sold.
Kathleen Kinasewich of Soul Circle Mandalas from Spences Bridge, brought the pattern and her husband, Alex, to help lay out the design. Other volunteers - Alice Watson, Joan Kane, Jean Burgess, Martina Baier, Jim Duncan and Jack Jeyes - constructed the design. Many thanks for the help and the lovely experience!!!
During the Wellness Festival you can paint a rock at the Kids’ Tent with host, Jo Petty at the Rock Painting Table. On Saturday afternoon, we will take our rocks down to the Labyrinth site and each person will be able to place their rock somewhere significant (for them) on the path. Then visit the Labyrinth as often as you like to walk the path, to enhance and deepen on your spiritual journey.
It is hoped that over the coming months the entire path will be outlined by those who walk the path and/or bring special rocks to be added to the Labyrinth. Information will be available at the site to explain the value of the embodied actions of walking the Labyrinth.
See you at the Festival !!!
Martina Baier