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Labyrinth News 2006 Community Walks 2006 December 2006Labyrinth Conference On Thursday, November 2, Joyce Phelps, Linda Webster, and Mike Schultz journeyed to New Braunfels to attend The Labyrinth Society’s eighth annual conference. It was held in the T Bar M Conference Center, which has baseball and soccer fields, perfect for building outdoor labyrinths. When they arrived, Mike helped build a Cretan labyrinth for the Opening Ceremony. That included a ritual blessing performed by Flordemayo, one of the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. (See http://www.grandmotherscouncil.com/ .) The next morning, Joyce awoke early and walked that labyrinth again. It was a powerful one for her and allowed her to receive directions from the Grandmothers. She writes that “it was built with the best intentions and the power from the opening ritual I expect has helped many of us to begin our journey towards our truth.” The next day Mike helped Steve Bosbach build a Cretan labyrinth using an unusual material – electroluminescent (or EL) wire. When powered, this wire glows like a neon bulb and in the labyrinth it is attached to small poles. On a really dark night, the labyrinth appears to be suspended in the air. Besides Steve’s Electric Labyrinth, there were several other unusual labyrinths on the grounds, including one whose paths cross (called a Trirune Labyrinth), a shamrock labyrinth, and one made of Christmas tree lights. The evening’s keynote speaker was Julia Butterfly Hill, who, in 1997, saved a 1000-year-old redwood tree named Luna by climbing into it and remaining there for 738 days. Julia spoke about that experience and about her organization, Circle of Life. The conference had many wonderful workshops. Linda’s favorites were the workshop on chakra energy on the labyrinth and on neurolinguistic programming for personal change, using the labyrinth. Mike enjoyed a presentation about the week-long labyrinth festival held in Cork, Ireland, in 2005. Joyce attended a session with Lauren Artress, who began the labyrinth revival in the US and who spoke about Hildegard of Bingen, a spiritualist in the Middle Ages. Sadly, all things must end, but as they drove back to Austin, Linda and Joyce were already making plans to attend the conference next year. (See http://lonestar.texas.net/~dianes/TLS06/ for many, many pictures.) November 2006Come join us for an Intergenerational Labyrinth Gratitude Walk on Friday, November 24, at 7:30 pm. We will gather in the Fellowship Hall before the walk and meet after the walk to share in community. If you have not walked the labyrinth before, come 15 minutes early for a brief orientation. All are welcome to find a respite and community as we reflect on what we choose to be grateful for in our lives. Contact Joyce Phelps (733-0561, joycephelps@austin.rr.com) for additional information. A contingent of Live Oak Labyrinth Walkers will be attending The Labyrinth Society’s 8th Annual Gathering, being held at T-Bar-M Conference Center in New Braunfels from November 2-5. If you’re interested in joining us, direct your browser to www.labyrinthsociety.org for more details. Julia Butterfly Hill, author of The Legacy of Luna, a personal account of the Luna tree-sit action, will be the keynote speaker on Friday. There will be workshops, labyrinths on the grounds, a vendor room, and a silent auction. October 2006The Labyrinth Committee will hold a family friendly Halloween/Samhain labyrinth walk on Sunday, October 29 at 7:00 pm. Children and adults are encouraged to come in costume! Contact Linda Webster (458-1852) for more information. September 2006Join us at the Live Oak labyrinth on Friday, September 22, at 7:30 pm, for a Fall Equinox walk, facilitated by Mike Schultz. As the days get shorter, let us take a moment to consider the fun that we had last summer and to welcome the hopefully cooler weather due this fall! For more information, contact Mike Schultz (835-2377, mikes@texas.net). |
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Copyright
©2006, Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church.