Tales From The Labyrinth

The 2009 Labyrinth Society Gathering

11th Annual
International Labyrinth Society Gathering Retrospective
by Lea Goode-Harris, Ph.D.
Into the Labyrinth: Creating Space for Spirit
October 8-10, 2009
at McMenamins Edgefield Lodge Portland, Oregon

Stephen Shibley and the fantastic Labyrinth Network Northwest created a beautiful space at the legendary McMenamins Resort to host the 2009 TLS Gathering. Our opening ceremony was led by Judith Tripp as we made sound from water filled bottles from McMenamins’ home brewery and wove our way through the seven-circuit outdoor meander-spiral labyrinth.

The large Blackberry Hall held the vendors, silent auction, and space for our main speakers, workshops, and TLS annual meeting. We also viewed the soon to be released beautiful TLS Labyrinth DVD, member images, and pictures from the first World Labyrinth Day. The surrounding classrooms beckoned us to explore the labyrinth through a variety of mediums from a host of exceptional workshops which included: story; lecture; guided imagery; artistic expression; ceremony; sound; silence; and movement; as well as practical applications for creating space and building labyrinths. The outside meadow offered three different labyrinths to walk by day and illumination by night.

 

Other labyrinths were scattered over the beautiful bird and flowered filled grounds of Edgefield, surprising and beckoning you to enter, slowing down to drink deeply of that very moment. The music of Infinitia Art Ensemble and One Root brought us into dance and deep contemplation. And for those adventurous souls… there was even a scavenger hunt throughout the Edgefield halls and amazing murals.

   

I was honored to be one of the featured speakers this year (Spirit Sightings) along with Jim Buchanan (Connecting Spirit and Creativity) from Scotland and Ronald Esquivel (Geometries and Energies) from Costa Rica. Jim gave us the opportunity to go inside the labyrinth from our left and right brain in his pre-gathering workshop, entitled Drawing Down the Sky.

 

Ronald gave us a lesson where compasses and colored pencils twirled in the discovery of “Feeling the Energy of Sacred Geometry.

 

My pre-gathering workshop offered Co-creating a Poetree Labyrinth to Express the Spirit of the Seasons, which we donated to the TLS Silent Auction.

 

Post Gathering activities included the beloved workshop “Creating Your Own Personal Prayer Labyrinth" with Kimberly Saward and Lisa Moriarty. There was also a tour of the Columbia Gorge and waterfalls, with our last stop at a beautiful retreat center with two labyrinths, one of stone and the other mowed into a large expanse of grass.

 

 

On Sunday a group of us experienced five of the beautiful labyrinths in the Portland area at a school, hospital, spiritual center, church, and private garden.

You can read all about that tour and see pictures from the artfull OpEdNews article written by TLS Founding Member Meryl Ann Butler: 

Exploring Portland Labyrinths: An A-Mazing Journey

Throughout the entire gathering, there were many opportunities to be active, renewing friendships, making new ones, networking, learning, teaching, and to just relax and enjoy the company of other labyrinthers from all directions. In closing, Eve Hogan led us in song and farewells until next time, when we will gather once again to connect in wonder and discovery as we share the paths we walk in the labyrinth of life.

Please enjoy here a few more photos from the TLS Gathering!

   

 
 

 

Veils Thin...

Veils thin,
this day between days,
time between time...
Last days of Fall
clinging to that branch,
like the lone leaf
longing for sleep
beneath the rich soil
of life breathing deeply into Winter...
Turning,
reaching into dreamland
where memories
of love dance
with us today
breathe by
and kiss our brows,
caress our hearts,
and sigh into the wind
this song of living here on earth...
This veil thin...

Halloween 2009

Poetree Labyrinth ~ TLS ~ 2009

* Soft sun calms the longing...
* Jumping into Being,
* Sending juice back to my center of earthy groundedness...
* Live large and wild on a beach of dreams,
* Fading glories explode into brilliance in the last gasps
of the hot sun.
* Cool days, brisk nights, warm cuddles...
* Awakening... colors! Anticipation- Aromas,
* I accept what is and am thrilled at what is to come...
* Winter Hiver a drunkard we can't talk about,
*The Joy of precious discoveries,
* Summer calling, come and play,
dance the labyrinth day away...
* You, me, and Autumn.
Winter...
carving runes on an old oak tree
and making love to an angel...
* Through all seasons
our feet kiss the gentle earth honoring her.
*Spring as yellow birth, Summer as green and growth,
Fall as red~orange and maturity,
Winter as white and regeneration...
*Where good intentions,
good plans and goodness itself
meets the grandeur of growth that's summer...
*The shared passion of labyrinths
breathes possibilities into my heart...
* Celebrating life...
* In all seasons...
may the God of Green Hope...
walk with you always...
* Summer concrete sets too quickly
and sticky nights pass
too slowly...
* I breathe these seasons into my bones
and step more fully into life...
* Greens burst forth in a refreshing and delicious display
of life made new...

Poetry by: Judith, Sandra, Crystaldawn, Kay, Kathy, Mark,
Maryann, Ronald, Janett, Ansula, Aryana, Natalya,
Rae, Lilla, Ben, Betsy, Marioan, Leslie,
Robert, Lea, and Stephen.

Creating A Poetree Labyrinth
to Express the Spirit of the Seasons
Workshop with Lea Goode-Harris, Ph.D.
The Labyrinth Society Gathering

McMenamins Edgefield Resort ~ Portland, Oregon

October 8, 2009

The finished labyrinth was dontated to the TLS silent auction
and won by Lilla of Minnesota!

Falling...

Falling...
into the earth
of the precious body
you are...
into letting go...
becoming
this very moment
of spirit and matter
deep in the heart
of surrender...
Remembering
your path...
unknown turns
and twists
that bring you home,
this breath
that finds you
falling...
into the mystery of life....

From the heart-space of our Santa Rosa Labyrinth
September 11, 2009

Lemonade Break

Summer...
Life is so full and good...
These slow hot days are calling me...
sitting... dreaming... sipping lemonade...
work and projects waiting for my attention...
so... I'm listening...
That means that I'm taking a break from blogging for awhile...
Until I return... join me in a glass of lemonade...
and if visiting for the first time, enjoy some of the past posts
in categories of your pleasure!



Summer Lemonade
Made with Agave, Mint, & Edible Flowers

The ingredients below are an approximation... I tend to do these kind of recipes by taste...

Ingredients:
-8 to 10 lemons squeezed into juice.
- 1/4 to 1/3 Cup of Agave Nectar.
-1 Cup of water to add to Agave Nectar to make a sweet syrup.
-2 quarts of water for first pitcher, additional 2 quarts for second pitcher.
-1/4 Cup of pesticide free- mint leaves, nasturtiums, lavender buds, rose petals, honeysuckle, salvia, and other known edible flowers.
Edible Flower List
                      

Directions:
5.) Juice the lemons as thoroughly as you can.
2.) Stir agave and 1 Cup of water until diluted, add to lemon juice.
3.) Add HALF of this mixture to a quart pitcher
3.) Add 1 quart of water to pitcher and more to taste (I like my lemonade light on sweetness and lemons, allowing the flavor of the flowers to really come forward).
4.) Add 1/8 Cup of mint and flowers to each 2 quart pitcher.
5.) Refrigerate at least an hour (also refrigerate the extra lemon juice with agave syrup or make up another pitcher, as one pitcher doesn't last long!).
6.) Serve over ice and enjoy!!!

4th of July & 4 Directions

This 4th of July...
I feel the most connected I have ever felt
to having a sense of community with a group of people
who identify themselves as an entity...

For the first time in my life... I feel patriotic...
I feel a part of the whole...

 

From the South...

To the West...

To the North...

To the East...

May we come together and celebrate our differences...

and be partners with the rest of the world
in creating a future that is beautiful...

Happy Birth Day to US... May we embrace with all our heart the incredible joy of opportunity we have in living as a part of this beautiful world...

Photos: Finial on our flag made from apoxie clay and rainbow mirrored tiles; Four direction labyrinth alter in the heart space of our Santa Rosa Labyrinth created in honoring the passing of two dear people this past week.

aDRESSing The Situation~The Women of Juarez Mexico

Artist everywhere today... are sending the dresses they made off to Stampington and Company with the hope that our heARTs and voices will bring more attention to the plight of the women of Juarez, Mexico...

I find that there are usually at least two sides to every story... So my dress has two sides and my story comes in the words that follow...

Bring a light
to the darkness of night that veils
the tears, the loss, the fear…



Bring a light to the seven silver sisters
watching from the night sky
so they might point the way for us all to start again...

Bring a light
to the sacred hearts...



even when life seems lost and broken...

so that the tears shed might transform...
becoming seeds of hope scattered to the wind...
taking root in the fertile soil of the soul...

Bring the light of day to hearts made whole...
where women may grow and flourish
like the flowers of a garden

their beauty a radiant sun...
bringing life giving joy to all men, children,
and women everywhere…

Bring a light, a voice,
and the song of our hearts...
now and forever...

It's because of Stephanie from the Mango Studio and Rodrigvitz Style that I first heard about the women of Juarez, Mexico... Thank you Stephanie for BEing one of those links so that we don't forget what matters to the heart...

And I am forever grateful to Monica of a Girl Gone Thread Wild for inviting us to bring our heARTs together and give voice to these women who have touched us so... Every woman deserves a beautiful dress and the birth right to walk and dance in the world, free of fear, harm, and with respect and dignity...

Juarez Women~ADRESSing The Situation

When I don't know what to do...
When there is nothing I can do...

I turn to the creative flow...
and surrender to what emerges...

My dress and story is ready to travel on July 1st...

Please join in Monica's vision by visiting her blog, Girl Gone Thread Wild, for all the information you need to add the voice of your heart to this plight of missing women in Juarez, Mexico... to the women and girls, for our sisters, mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters, aunties, cousins, nieces, girlfriends, lovers, neighbors...

My Dad

Dad...
Seventy and five years ago
today
you came to be...
Your smile,
the twinkle in your blue eyes,
and your ease of moving through life
despite the obstacles that have challenged you,
bring inspiration
and admiration for all that you are...
To have you as my friend,
my champion,
my rock of wisdom,
to hear you say my name
is such a joy
that I cherish with every single memory
we make together...
I am
because of you,
and because of you
my heart is filled with love
in wishing you the happiest of birth days!!!

Slow Down...

What do these words really mean???

Slow Down...

Stopping??? Noticing??? Breathing???

This cup that is so full, is really empty... so empty that it is full of everything...
with friendships, with love, with the cool morning air,
with the soft light of the day after the longest day of the year
cascading across the threshold of my door...

Slow Down...

My prayer, my intention, my sip of emptiness
this beautiful day...

Photos: Antique, hand-painted strawberry cup and saucer.
Found and gifted to me from my dear Ulla.

Phone Call Dreams...

Life is indeed so full...
that I can't seem to get myself to the computer!

So many things to write about, show, some new learning curves to get to where I want, and that pull from outside... so I keep following the momentum and it isn't at the keyboard!!!!

I miss bloglandia...
so much so, that I'm dreaming of my blogging friends...

Last night I dreamed that I missed a phone call from eb!!!! The "can't reach you" message showed up on my (dream) computer screen... as I tried to call her back, I woke up...

I woke up, and instead of a complicated post...
here are a few lines and a picture of another of Lucille's amazing creations sitting in my sweet mom's kitchen window...

Oh how these little guys so delight me!!! Peeking out at me from here and there!

Is there anything surprising you???

Have a great week and I will see you soon!!!

So Full...

This life of mine...
is so full...



How can there be so much love...



 friendship, beauty, joy, depth,
tenacity, contrast, smiles and tears???



I turn 51 today...
and as Constance says...
I do feel terrific!
and I have never been so happy or so full of life...



I so love my sweet husband, family, and my friends~
tangible and in cyber-space...

 

I asked the other day...
what is blooming in your life???



Replies were... Love, Friendship,
This & That, Hydrangeas, Agapanthus,
SomePinkFlowers, Everything!, Rain, & An Open Heart...



You see... these are the treasures
to tuck away
and take out of your pocket or purse on a rainy day...


And in the mean time...
I just dance in delight at the beauty that graces my life
and the gift of getting older...
and so full of life with each passing year...

Photos of treasures that danced into my life over the last few days: A magical pink box, complete with party hat and special wishes from Constance at Rochambeau; Faerie Birth Day wishes from my "destiny neighbors", card and faerie made by Beatrix Scolari; sleeping mushroom baby beneath morel mushrooms by my dear Lucille, a market bag crocheted by my sweet Kathy and filled with lemons, tea, a posy, as well as a gift of copies of poems I wrote for her and her family sixteen years ago!!!;  Peony tree from Lynnette & Michelle; and a magical treasure bag made by my dear friend Elizabeth.
And little notes here and there and birth day wishes that mean the world to me!
Thank you dear friends for gracing my life!!!

Roses...

What is blooming in your life???

A Wee Woodland Elf

Do you ever wonder...
what would happen if you caught that
little movement,
right there at the corner of your vision???



If time stopped
and you could really see the world
as it is...
beautiful in every shape and color imaginable...

And... if what you thought about reality,
wasn't really real???

 

I do.
And, sometimes, my imagination takes a photo
and I get to enjoy endless possibilities...

This wee fellow was begun over two years ago... but while recently visiting my dear friend Mo'a, I was inspired by one of her incredible creations, entitled "The Awakening"... so much so, that my ears unclogged from the din of the fastness of life, and I could hear this little woodland elf whisper that he wanted to come fully into form and go and live with my dear friend Elizabeth... so ready was he, that he traveled all the way into the big city on the bay and presented himself to her on her birthday...

Tribute

To all our heroes and sheroes...
past, present, and future...
and all that we hold dear to our hearts...
may beauty grace this path we walk in life...