Ahhhhh, autumn is in the air! It was a perfect autumn day for our FSIM Labyrinth Tour, which took place on October 10th. In addition to the beautiful autumn day, we were treated to wonderful company, and two amazing labyrinths.
We started at Bethesda Hospital, which is located directly behind the Minnesota State Capitol building. Bethesda was a rehabilitation hospital, is currently being used to treat COVID patients, and will soon be leased to Ramsey County as a homeless shelter. No matter how it’s being used, the hope is for healing, so we sent out healing energy to Bethesda Hospital, along with its current and future residents and employees.
Our second stop was at the David Barton Community Labyrinth and Reflective Garden at Metropolitan State University Library. We experienced an unexpected gift in that one of our FSIM members, Ellen Schultz, who is an educator at Metropolitan State, was instrumental in the creation of this labyrinth! She gave us insights to the labyrinth that we otherwise wouldn’t have learned. She has also introduced her students to the benefits of walking the labyrinth. Thank you, Ellen!
As I reflect back on this experience, I realize that no two labyrinth experiences are alike. Bethesda is a petite, concrete, Tree of Life labyrinth, with options of an easy in/out center access or the longer circular route. It is located in a lovely, quiet park across the street from the hospital near the State Capitol.
In contrast, the David Barton Community Labyrinth is located on busy E. 7th Street; it is a larger, Circle of Peace design (designed by Lisa Gidlow Moriarty), with a grass walking path outlined with pavers. This labyrinth is large enough to truly allow you to enter into a meditative state. Its path takes you into the center and out again retracing the same route. Even though this labyrinth is located on a busy street, it offers “a place of calm, peace, reflection, and beauty”.
Both labyrinths offered the similar feeling of a respite to the day, a feeling I intend to cultivate more often!
A special thank you to Lisa Gidlow Moriarty for compiling this labyrinth tour for FSIM!
www.pathsofpeace.com
Ellen Johnson, FSIM Co-Vice President