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Labyrinth News 2005 September 2005There will be a Fall Equinox Labyrinth Walk at Live Oak on Friday, September 23 at 7:30 pm. This is the point on the wheel of the year when there is a balance between the energies of the rational and intuitive. There are equal hours of daylight and darkness. We are entering the time of inner creativity and growth. Our walk will focus on considering what is out of balance in our lives that we are ready to address in preparation for the still voice within. If you have never walked the labyrinth before, come 15 minutes early for a brief orientation. There will be a sharing circle following our walk. Come join us! August 2005The Labyrinth Committee is hosting a Full Moon Walk with a focus on Finding Our Way: Walking the Spiral Path on August 19 at 9:00 pm, to be led by Susan Steffes. This will not be a typical group walk, but rather a group “experiment” in walking together. There will be time to reflect and share following the walk. Feel free to bring a chair to sit in for the sharing circle, and perhaps a journal to write in. Labyrinth Committee members Linda Webster, Susan Steffes, and Joyce Phelps will be involved in organizing the International Labyrinth Society Gathering for 2006 to be held in the Hill Country. Average attendance for these events is over 300 and participants come from all over the world. The gathering will be an exciting event close to home, so consider attending November 2-5, 2006 at the T-Bar-M Conference Center in the Hill Country. The theme for the gathering is “Retreat: Many Paths to a Joyful Center” with keynote speaker Julia Butterfly Hill (you might remember her as the woman who lived for two years up in one of the great redwood trees in California). There will be world renowned presenters on topics ranging from sacred geometry to drum making and everything in between, numerous labyrinth designs to walk, performers to entertain you, and wonderful vendors to buy from. More details to follow as plans progress. For information on this year’s conference in Massachusetts, visit www.labyrinthsociety.org. Upcoming walks:
Walk in Peace, Susan Steffes June 2005On Monday evening, June 20, at 9:00 pm, join us for a Summer Solstice/Full Moon Walk. We’ll celebrate the fullness of both sun and moon, and the abundance and fullness of our lives. The walk will be facilitated by Linda Webster. May 2005Blessings From the Path May Labyrinth Events On Sunday, May 1, after church, we’ll celebrate Beltane by dancing the Maypole in the center of the labyrinth. Beltane is the Celtic holiday celebrating the fullness of spring, and the Maypole represents the tree of life. We dance and weave the colored ribbons to celebrate creativity, love, fertility, and the joy of being alive. During RE, the children will have the chance to learn about the Maypole and dance around it. At 12:00 noon, children can come directly to the center of the labyrinth to dance a second time. Teens and adults are invited to walk the labyrinth, and then dance the Maypole once they arrive at the center. The Maypole celebration is cosponsored by Live Oak CUUPs. Mike Schultz and Siboné Gardner are constructing the Maypole. On Sunday evening, May 22, at 8:30 pm, join us for a Full Moon Trust Walk, led by Susan Steffes. Focusing on letting go, trusting, and living in the moment, this walk is intended to stir your soul and shake your perceptions. A sharing circle will follow with light refreshments (bring some to share if you wish). We look forward to your joining us on the sacred path for these events. Spread the word and bring a friend. Walk in Peace Linda Webster April 2005All are welcome to a Full Moon Labyrinth Walk on Saturday, April 23, at 7:30 pm. In the Native American culture, this moon is called The Frogs Return Moon (April 20 to May 20). Come join us in a silent contemplative walk, working with the qualities of Beaver, the totem animal for this moon: stability, balance, tradition, true value, adaptability with the environment (frogs are famous for this), healing, affection, tenacity, hard work, and self reliance. There will be a sharing circle following the walk with light refreshments. Please join us for a time of renewal and mystery. If you are new to the labyrinth, come 15 minutes early for orientation. Joyce Phelps will be the facilitator for this walk. (733-0561 or joycephelps@austin.rr.com) The labyrinth, now officially one year old, has hosted full/new moon walks, equinox/solstice rituals, healing/ grieving rituals, holiday celebrations, religious education, the Water Ceremony, a creativity workshop, blessing rituals, coming of age rituals, drumming circles, chanting/singing, dancing, prayer/meditation, and more. We look forward to expanding these events in its second year, as well as a few physical additions. It is our hope to add an information kiosk near the entrance to house information on the labyrinth and a list of scheduled walks and celebrations. We also are looking to replace the benches that once sat near the entrance (which were stolen) with large sitting boulders like the ones in the center. Lastly, we hope to have signs made for to designate parking near Common Ground for the labyrinth. Of course, these things take money and as we are not funded by the church, we rely on donations. All the funds for the construction, maintenance, and additional improvements were donated. Initial construction was a gift, but improvements and additions have been costly. Our last workday and the birthday celebration had a combined cost of over $800, which we have now covered thanks to donations from the Labyrinth Committee and a few others. (THANK YOU!) The sitting boulders at the entrance will cost $200+. We hope the kiosk will be done as a Boy Scout project. Signs have not been priced yet. Donations for these projects will be gratefully received and should be designated specifically for the labyrinth fund. We also need physical assistance: the labyrinth is too much for just the three of us to maintain. We need assistance with weeding and fire ant control, so don’t be afraid to lend a spontaneous hand. Assistance in setting up for labyrinth walks is also needed. If you can help, please contact one of the Labyrinth Committee members: Joyce Phelps, Linda Webster, or Susan Steffes. February 2005Blessings from the Path Wednesday, February 9, there will be a New Moon Labyrinth Walk at 7:30 pm, led by Linda Webster. For more information you may contact her at lwebster@bga.com or 458-1852. The new moon is symbolic of the wisdom that comes with age and experience … come ponder what wisdom you have received thus far, perhaps receiving new insight for the continuation of your life’s journey. Newcomers are invited to arrive 10 minutes early for a brief introduction to the labyrinth. Mark your calendars for the Labyrinth Workday scheduled for February 26, beginning at 10:00 am. Our focus will be to repair and maintain the labyrinth and existing path, as well as add an additional path from the rear of the church between Common Ground and the main building, to improve wheelchair accessibility for members and community persons wishing to make use of the labyrinth. Come join in the fun and lend a helping hand! Upcoming Live Oak Labyrinth Walks:
Check the bulletin board in the narthex for additional labyrinth activities in the community. See you on the path! Walk in Peace ~ The Labyrinth Committee January 2005Blessings from the PathWhat do you wish for in the coming year? It is said that if you speak your
prayer, you pray once. If you sing your prayer, you pray twice, and if you dance
your prayer, you pray three times. We invite you to dance your prayer on the
labyrinth this year. Join us for one of our guided walks or enjoy it on your
own. Members of the labyrinth committee are available to speak to groups about
the history and use of the labyrinth. Contact Linda Webster, Joyce Phelps, or
Susan Steffes for more information. |
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Copyright
©2006, Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church.