Summer Solstice at the Forest Labyrinth
As some of you are aware, for quite some time I have had the intention to offer a special gathering at the labyrinth on summer solstice, June 20th. At this point, just two weeks away, it looks like that may be neither permissible nor advisable due to COVID considerations and regulations.
Nevertheless, I do plan to make the labyrinth available between 5PM and sunset that day (solstice arrives, in this area, at 5:44PM). While there will not be ceremony or any formal gathering, I will light the fireball at 5:44 and turn on lanterns as dusk approaches… sort of a D-I-Y solstice, you can observe it in your own way.
I’ll email again several days in advance with a way to coordinate walkers so that we don’t have too many people in the same place at the same time. If you might like to walk the labyrinth on Solstice, let me know in advance and that will help the logistics of it.
Sharing the Labyrinth and Gratitude
I built the forest labyrinth on the strength of personal interests, and on the desire to share with community. It has been heartening to have people request to walk the labyrinth, almost every few weeks it seems. Sometimes they do it for a particular reason or intention or occasion, other times I sense it has simply been a welcome diversion of peace from all the crazyiness in the world.
In addition to adding the additional and varied energy to the labyrinth that each walker does, some also want to leave a donation in gratitude. Such gestures are quite optional but gratefully received… so far this year a total of $175 (thank you!!) At the end of June and December the entirety of accumulated donations are evenly split between Chapman House Hospice and M’Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre in Owen Sound, and I will update the web page with those amounts.
I chose Chapman House to reflect both the metaphor of labyrinths to the life journey, and the important role labyrinths can play in the grief process. I chose M’Wikwedong as one action in acknowledging that the labyrinth is situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabek Nation: The People of the Three Fires known as Ojibway, Odawa, and Pottawatomi Nations
Day-use Yurt Rental
There is a yurt nestled into the forest, just steps away from the labyrinth, and it makes a wonderful setting for some personal retreat time, a yoga marathon, playing/composing music, some self-indulgent pondering, or whatever personal activity might benefit from being surrounded by trees, in sight of the labyrinth, and connected to the forest by sight, sound and smell.
If you could make (personal/non-commercial) use of such a space, get in touch with me for more details.
Warm regards from here to there, Neil
The Forest Labyrinth 