The first walk for peace and unity held in Williams Lake on World Labyrinth Day was a happy success, say event organizers.
“I am very happy with the turnout,” said Maureen Margetts who created the large Chartres-style labyrinth on the paved parking lot of St. Andrew’s United Church with co-founder Mary Trott.
Margetts said they expected only a few people to participate in the walk but were happy to see 27 adults and five children taking part.
Some people walked in slow quiet contemplation, while others walked more quickly. And some of the children ran.
“I just heard about the walk and wanted to check it out,” said Lisa Buhler, who walked the labyrinth with her son Jon, 3.
”I learned a lot about labyrinths from the minister just by coming here.”
Son Jon said simply the walk was “great.”
In her opening comments Rev. Linda McLaren talked about the history of labyrinths which are used in walking meditation, prayer and contemplation around the world. Unlike a maze, labyrinths are designed so that one doesn’t have to worry about getting lost on their walk.
“Anyone can come at any time and walk the labyrinth,” Rev. McLaren said.
On World Labyrinth Day, May 6 people around the world are walking labyrinths for peace and unity at 1 p.m. in their own time zones, Trott said.
She said this year was the first year they were able to organize a walk in Williams Lake to coincide with the world event.
“It is a world-wide wave over 24 hours with everyone in the world walking labyrinths in their own time zones,” Trott explained.
Margetts and Trott painted the labyrinth at St. Andrew’s United Church in the spring of 2014, after two years of research and planning. The labyrinth is in the design of the large labyrinth on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France.
It has 11 circles and is 57 feet across.
The paths are wide enough to easily accommodate wheelchairs, Margetts said.
Trott and Margetts drafted the pattern onto the pavement using chalk and painted it with blue paint using two-inch wide rollers. They plan to repaint it again this spring.
Trott said the classical labyrinth has seven rings and was started around 5,000 BC in Greece. Some labyrinths are smaller, some small enough for tracing with the fingers.
Margetts said her favourite labyrinth is one with just three rings in a small corner of a church in Dallas, Texas.
She explained that people make pilgrimages around the world to walk labyrinths and she would like more people to know there is a large labyrinth in Williams Lake.
This spring she said they had a sign mounted on the side of the church opposite the labyrinth called Journey to the Centre which offers helpful hints and an explanation about how to use the labyrinth in walking meditation, contemplation and prayer.
She said they are also talking about having signs posted at the entrances to the city about the lakecity’s labyrinth and would like to see the labyrinth mentioned in visitor guides.