By Joanie Veitch - The Weekly News
Looking for a place to think things through? Try walking the new labyrinth at Sullivan's Pond.
Using 250 survey stakes and a lot of yarn, Dartmouth resident Jane MacKay built a temporary, but traditional, seven-circuit labyrinth, measuring about 40 square-foot, near the cenotaph.
MacKay hopes this model labyrinth is just the first step in building a permanent labyrinth at the park. She said she has been in contact with local churches, HRM public art representatives and mental health agencies to garner support for her initiative.
"I've had a notion for a while now that it would be nice to have a permanent one. It's a good location. It's on the Shubie Trail and it's an attractive area. It's not peaceful in terms of the amount of traffic, but at least it would be visible. It would be a destination for people," MacKay said.
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OTHER LABYRINTHS IN NOVA SCOTIA * Tatamagouche Centre (Outdoor - made in grass) |
Although many people confuse labyrinths with mazes, they are different. Unlike a maze, which is a puzzle to be solved, a labyrinth leads the walker along an unending path in and out again.
"With a puzzle you have to make choices. It's not meant to be relaxing," MacKay explained. "A labyrinth is more of a meditative tool because it takes you into the centre and back out again."
According to the Labyrinth Society website, labyrinths have been found all over the world dating from the earliest antiquity, although no one knows for certain what these early labyrinths symbolized.
In Medieval Europe, labyrinths were a central feature of many churches, the most famous being at Chartres Cathedral near Paris, built around 1200.
In recent years, labyrinths have seen a resurgence in popularity and many have been built in community settings as a place for contemplation. There's even a labyrinth locator website (labyrinthlocator.com) that lists 11 labyrinths in Nova Scotia.
Finger labyrinths also exist for people who are unable to walk a larger one. With a finger labyrinth you use your finger to trace the same pattern to the centre, and out again.
joanie.veitch@gmail.com
