PLANNING FOR LabyrinthS

PLANNING
FOR
LabyrinthS
Design Considerations and Guidelines
for Architects and Building Committees
Robert Ferré
Labyrinth Enterprises
$50
PLANNING
FOR
LabyrinthS
Design Considerations and Guidelines
for Architects and Building Committees
Copyright © 2003, Robert Ferré
Labyrinth Enterprises
128 Slocum Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63119
Tel: (800) 873-9873 or (314) 968-5557
Fax: (888) 873-9873 or (314) 968-5539
Email: robert@labyrinth-enterprises.com
Website: www.labyrinth-enterprises.com
INTRODUCTION
Labyrinth Revival
The labyrinth revival in the United States has been flourishing for more than a decade.
Thousandsof labyrinths grace churches, schools, hospitals, retreat centers, and private residences
across the country. My career with labyrinths spans most of that decade. The conversation has
now moved beyond “What is a labyrinth?” to more technical concerns, which are addressed in
this guide. Since 1995 I have lectured, written instruction manuals, conducted trainings, and
more importantly, made some 750 labyrinths. This guide does not contain information on how
to actually draw and construct labyrinths. Rather, it discusses the many decisions and concerns
that need to be addressed prior to the installation of the labyrinth – specifically, the design
process itself.
First, you must make the decision to actually include a labyrinth in your plansor design.
A few years ago, had you done so, you would have been considered a pioneer. Now, the
foundation has been laid. Dozens of hospitals, for example, have labyrinths (see the list in the
appendix). Most citiesof more than 200,000 inhabitants have a number of labyrinths. Alabyrinth
organization in Minneapolis identifies some 30 labyrinths in that area. In my hometown, St.
Louis,we have half a dozen, with more planned. An article on labyrinths in the Washington Post
included a sidebar describing a considerable number of labyrinths within an hour’s drive of the
nation’s capitol.
Dating back thousands of years, labyrinths have existed in many cultures around the
world, from Siberia to Sumatra to the American Southwest. Historically, they were most
prevalent in Scandinavia and the Mediterranean regions. The most in-depth study of labyrinth
history is Through the Labyrinth: Designs and Meanings over 5,000 Years by Hermann Kern
(Prestel,Munich, Germany, 2001, distributed worldwide, Robert Ferré and Jeff Saward, editors).
Another book of interest, showing many photos of contemporary labyrinths, is Magical Paths:
Labyrinths and Mazes of the 21st Century by Jeff Saward (Octopus Publishing, London, 2002).
Jeff Saward and I areamong the most identifiable full-time labyrinth professionals. Our websites
hold a wealth of further information, books, and articles: www.labyrinthos.net and
www.labyrinth-enterprises.com, respectively.
In the midst of growing familiarity with labyrinths, there remains considerable
speculation on how labyrinths “work.” What is the actual mechanism through which labyrinths
enhance our well-being? In some cases, we are asked for scientific proof, for carefully conducted
double-blind studies indicating that labyrinths engender healing, resolve conflict, reduce stress,
and enrich one’s life. While I believe that all of these results are truly benefits of labyrinth
walking, the world of scientific proof and the sphere in which labyrinths operate are so different
as to be almost mutually exclusive. Far from being problematic, however, I think that very
difference is one of the best arguments in favor of labyrinths.
Changing World
The modern western world as we know it was formed in the late Middle Ages.
Mathematics, science, and rational thought invigorated the 17th and 18 th centuries, at the expense
of all that went before. In ancient times, it was assumed that spiritual qualities and metaphysical
principles were as real as the observable aspects of nature, the solar system, time and space.
There were two worlds, one visible and one invisible. Rumi, the 12th-century mystical Sufi poet,
advised that we should spend at least as much time in the invisible world as in the visible one.
Other mystics go even further, proposing that the physical world is one of illusion, and only the
inner world is real.
When science and commerce became the foremost influences in modern culture, the
invisibleworld was pushed aside. Only that which was observable and verifiable was considered
worthwhile. This became true in the medical community as well, which adopted a scientific
approach. As a result, drugs and technologies are now the predominant modality used to treat
Author Robert Ferré founded the
St. Louis Labyrinth Project in
1995, which later grew to
become Labyrinth Enterprises,
the world’s foremost full-service
labyrinth resource. Besides
making portable fabric
labyrinths in its St. Louis studio,
Labyrinth Enterprises also offers
on-site permanent labyrinth
installation, specializing in a
proprietary concrete technology.
Author of six labyrinth books
and contributor to several
others, Robert Ferré is also in
demand as a trainer, speaker
and presenter. Additionally, as
founder and director of One
Heart Tours, Robert takes
groups to Chartres, France, to
walk the world’s most wellknown labyrinth in Chartres
Cathedral and to learn about
Gothic architecture.
Walking the labyrinth in
Chartres Cathedral.
“People have been creating
these paths for thousands of
years, but in recent times a
renewal of interest in ancient
and medieval forms of
meditation and healing, together
with innovative designs . . . have
resulted in labyrinths and mazes
becoming more popular than
ever before. . . . land artists and
garden designers have recreated
labyrinths, in both public and
private gardens, that reflect the
modern search for inner peace.”
Jeff Saward
Walking a private labyrinth in
Bad Kreuznach, Germany
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illness and disease. The pendulum went from the mystical to the mechanical, from one pole to
the other. Now, the mechanistic Newtonian viewpoint is being questioned not only in spiritual
and religious quarters, but also byquantum physicistswho assure us that there is no independent
objective reality – the quality and nature of the observer is always a factor. In recent decades,
it has become clear that our modern emphasis has been too exaggerated, too impersonal, too out
of balance. The labyrinth revival reflects the need for a more holistic paradigm.
It is now widely accepted that attitude and environment are important factors in the
healing process. Meditation and prayer have specific physiological benefits. Despite the strong
influence of the pharmaceutical industry, a growing number of voices are calling for a broader
approach to treatment, a more comprehensive understanding of both illness and wellness, a swing
of the pendulum back towards the center and away from the extremes. The inclusion of
labyrinths in hospital and healthcare facilities, therefore, represents a return to normalcy and
balance, not a diversion into the strange or radical. Indeed, the great public demand and
utilization of complementary and alternative forms of treatment has been an eye opener and a
direct challenge to the more conservative elements that continue to depend exclusively on the
scientific paradigm.
Churches, too, are experiencing the need to find effective ways to address a rapidly
changing world. In Labyrinths From the Outside In: Walking to Spiritual Insight, A Beginner’s
Guide co-author Donna Schaper suggests some reasons for the growing popularity of labyrinths
in churches: “Because people are lost. Because the chaos is too much without the order of form.
Because we enjoy the multifaith possibilities of the experience. Because it is an ancient ritual
form available for modern use. The labyrinth is an archetype, reminding us that many people
have felt lost and have searched for the Way. The revival of interest in walking the labyrinth as
a spiritual practice joins the current revival of interest in spirituality in general.” She goes on to
say that labyrinths are a non-dogmatic, postmodern, generic “user-friendly” form of spirituality.
They effectively meld the ancient and the modern, the old and the new.
Churches that install outdoor labyrinths offer a valuable service to the community.
Labyrinths can be a form of meditation, or even devotion, for those who feel disconnected from
institutional religion. When Shaper asked her daughter the difference between religion and
spirituality, the teenager replied that in religion you just have to sit there, but in spirituality, you
can move around. Indeed, this is a mobile society, so a hands-on – or should we say feet-on –
format allows for a proactive rather than passive approach to nourish one’s inner life.
Return to Balance
How do labyrinths work? I believe it is through their ability to return us to the center,
not just the center of the labyrinth itself, but to our own center, and to a balanced approach to
life. Some see it as a physical phenomenon, with the turns of the labyrinth helping to balance the
hemispheres of the brain. I see it more as a spiritual process, in which health and healing take on
a personal component, rather than being cold and aloof.
Healing, as well as the joyful conduct of one’s life, necessarily operates onboth levels,
the physical and the metaphysical, the outer world and the inner world. Neither, by itself, would
be as effective. For example, it is clear in both traditional and alternative medicine that the same
modality has different levels of success with different people. Sometimes a treatment succeeds,
but sometimes it fails. If healing were just a mechanical process, then each modality would
always have the same predictable result. The fact that treatments work in some instances and not
in others shows that there is another operational factor in play, namely, the spiritual dimension.
This aspect must be taken into account. Labyrinths do that.
For churches, labyrinths have just the opposite effect. To a discipline already steeped
in the unseen and intangible, the labyrinth brings a physical quality, embodying prayer, and
involving the whole person. Labyrinths are inclusive, generic, and not dogmatic. For example,
within a Christian context, the use of labyrinths can be a step towards joining together a
community splintered bytheological arguments and inundated bythe influences of a commercial
world whose values go no further than the condition of the bottom line.
Labyrinths are effective because they offer a sense of equilibrium. When our priorities
get lopsided, when we believe that health can come in a bottle of pills, when we feel isolated and
Books such as Healing Gardens:
Therapeutic Benefits and Design
Recommendations by Clare
Cooper and Marni Burns are
bridging the gap by
demonstrating practical ways
to include spiritual and
psychological benefits that go
beyond what drugs can
accomplish. To quote,
“Although the healing qualities
of nature have been recognized
and relied on for centuries as a
valuable part of convalescence,
recent history has seen nature’s
therapeutic role virtually
eclipsed by the technological
dominance of modern
medicine.”
The Center for Health Design
website (www.healthdesign.org)
states its mission as follows:
“Working together to create a
future where healthcare
environments enhance healing
and promote well-being for
patients, staff, and visitors
through research, design, and
architecture.”
A review of the book Restorative
Gardens: The Healing Landscape
by Nancy Gerlach-Spriggs,
Richard Enoch Kaufman, and
Sam Bass Warner (Yale Press,
1998) states, “This book is a
wake-up call for healthcare
administrators, physicians, and
their facility designers. Most of
America’s healthcare facilities
are working against the
emotional needs of those within
them: patients, staff, and
visitors. The environments are
hostile to healing . . . .” The
book then gives six case studies
of effective gardens placed in
healthcare facilities. We feel that
those gardens are even more
effective when they contain
labyrinths.
“Healing gardens give patients
an emotional boost.” UNMC
(Nebraska) Eppley Cancer
Center Newsletter.
A growing Internet resource is
the Therapeutic Landscapes
Database, found at
www.healinglandscapes.org,
maintained by Naomi Sachs
without fee or registration
required. There is an extensive
reference section as well as a list
of designers and consultants.
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separate from God or from each other, the labyrinth brings us back to center. It is by rectifying
imbalance and dis-ease that the labyrinth heals, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Having
seen what I have seen and knowing what I know, it is hard for me to imagine that any thoughtful
and progressive architect or planner would conceive of a new church or retreat center, spa or
healthcare facility, without including a labyrinth.
Getting Involved
Ihave included references in theright column to gardens because, most often, labyrinths
placed outdoors are included within garden settings. The benefits of strolling through a garden
or a natural setting are also realized by walking a labyrinth, often to a greater extent. Gardens and
meditation spaces by themselves are essentially passive, whereas the labyrinth is active. In the
case of meditation, for example, there are those who don’t sit still comfortably for long periods
of time. Walking the labyrinth engages the body while the mind relaxes.
In the absence of gardens, labyrinths still make a significant contribution. In situations
in which there is no room for a garden, where the labyrinth is part of a paved area or terrace, or
in which the labyrinth is indoors, in a classroom, atrium, or waiting room, labyrinths are still
effective. While beautiful settings certainly honor and enhance the labyrinth, it is perhaps in
facilities which lack beautiful settings that labyrinths can contribute the most.
The inadequacy of mechanistic, impersonal medicine falls upon the shoulders of
patients as well as the medical community. It is common for people to fail to take responsibility
for their lives, their health, or even in following their treatment program and taking their
medicine. Modern life is hectic. Processed foods save time. Health hazard notices for drinking
or smokingare ignored. And then when the bodybreaks down, when injury and illness intervene,
patients often want a quick fix. “Fix me and let me get back to work.” Change and balance are
just as necessary in the lives of the patients as in the medical staff and facility.
Walkingthe labyrinth is a mild form of exercise, but the benefits go beyond the aerobic.
Personal involvement is a major factor. In both the medical and the religious communities, there
aremany individuals who feel leftout, ineffective, helpless, out of control. Walking the labyrinth
can give a sense of engagement, enrollment, and participation. This was the experience at
California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, California. When first approached about
getting a labyrinth, hospital officials were skeptical. As private funding became available, they
agreed to be the first major hospital in the nation to install an outdoor labyrinth. Now, six years
later, they are strong advocates for labyrinths. Not only does it offer relief to patients and
visitors, staff members also walk it, surgeons walk the labyrinth before performing surgery to
calm themselves, and board of trustee members walk it before meetings.
Summary
There are many reasons for including a labyrinth in your design. I consider them works
of art. My wife Ruth uses them in her psychotherapy practice. Labyrinths take us back in time,
to a point before the Cartesian split into body, mind, and spirit. They are ancient, putting us in
touch with a part of ourselves that has been long forgotten, when people were more connected
to both earth and heaven. Archetype and architecture have the same root, referring to the
underlying structure of the universe, from atoms to galaxies. We identify with such patterns on
a deep level, as if they were blueprints of our very soul.
Am I saying that labyrinths can be good medicine and good spiritual practice? Am I
saying that the quality of the inner world is essential to the well-being of the outer world? Am
Isuggesting that labyrinths are cost-effective waysof returning to a more balanced lifestyle? Yes,
that’s exactly what I am saying. With the certainty born of eight years’ experience with
labyrinths, I readily and confidently make these claims. Now, with the assumption that a
labyrinth will be included in your design, let’s look at some of the relevant planning
considerations.
The labyrinth at California
Pacific Medical Center, located
adjacent to the waiting room
entrance. The large boulder
helps to ground the space.
“Having seen what I
have seen and knowing
what I know, it is hard
for me to imagine that
any thoughtful and
progressive architect
or planner would
conceive of a new
church or retreat
center, spa or
healthcare facility,
without including a
labyrinth.”
“In labyrinths, whether ancient
or modern, we walk in and we
walk out. We coil and uncoil. We
do so both physically and
spiritually. The body and the
spirit experience an intentional,
simultaneous outing. We walk a
path. It is both a spiritual path
and a physical path – not
either/or, but both/and. Our
spiritual journey and our
physical journey are united.”
Donna Schaper
“The labyrinth is a riddle
It is the cosmos and the world
The life of human kind, the
womb of the earth
The journey, the way
to the center
The way to ourselves . . . “
Ursa Krattiger Tinga
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CHOOSING A DESIGN
Many Considerations
Design, material, and cost are all interrelated. The site and space available certainly
influences whichdesign is chosen. Intended use, religious preference, and historical significance
can also be considerations. Most often, however, when perusing the possibilities, it becomes
clear to the designer exactly which labyrinth pattern would be most efficacious for the particular
client and situation.
Choosing an ancient, established, traditional design can foster an association with the
thousands, perhaps millions of people who have previously walked that labyrinth. For example,
the labyrinth found in Chartres Cathedral in France is often chosen by churches and religious
organizations, due to its Christian origins.
On the other hand, some prefer a new design, either a popular contemporary pattern or
one created especially for that client and that environment. This strikes me as being a different
mind set from, say, medieval times. In the 12th century, people wanted to associate themselves
with ancient traditions, to the point that medieval masons didn’t sign their work. Personality was
secondary to principle. In our modern age, however, identity and ownership of intellectual
property has commercial value. Hence, there is an inclination to create new and unique works
whichhave neverbeen done before, and to claimthat work through naming it,installing plaques,
and securing copyright, trademark, or other kinds of protection. When I make a labyrinth, it is
almost always a traditional one. I never sign it, or install a plaque identifying our company. If
anonymitywas good enough for the great master of Chartres Cathedral, it’s good enough for me.
In some cases designs are a mix of old and new. Traditional patterns can be changed
or modified in order to meet specific requirements. For example, we installed a labyrinth pattern
onthe wooden floor ofa small chapel at theCongregational Church in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
The size was limited to a diameter of 24 feet, which was too small for a full Chartres pattern of
11 circuits. So, we modified the pattern and made a 7-circuit variation which looked similar to
the full pattern. It fit into the space and the client was pleased with the result. In that particular
instance we drew and painted the pattern onto the wooden floor, which was then given several
protective coats of polyurethane.
I have learned much from the books of Titus Burckhardt and others who write about
sacred science as practiced from ancient times up to the Renaissance. He’s a bit blunt in his
conclusions, but in the end, I would have to agree that tradition and spiritual content are not the
strong point of our secular “individualist” society. In response to the proposition that traditional
art is too restrictive, he says,
In reality no work exists that is traditional and therefore “bound” by
changeless principles, which does not give sensible expression to a certain
creative joy of the soul; whereas modern individualism has produced, apart
from a few works of genius which are nevertheless spiritually barren, all the
ugliness – the endless and despairing ugliness – of the forms which permeate
the “ordinary life” of our times.
Some of the traditional patterns have lasted for many centuries because of the elegance of their
design. I have seen many contemporary designs which don’t have the balance, symbolism, and
power of traditional patterns. For that reason, with a couple of notable exceptions, most of our
work involves traditional patterns. It is the very association with earlier times which I think
draws us to the labyrinth, and which helps ensure a rewarding experience.
Classical 7-circuit labyrinth.
Expanding the center of the
classical 7-circuit labyrinth
creates horizontal straight lines
(dotted) in the pattern. The
center can be made large
enough to incorporate a tree,
bench, fireplace, fountain, or
other feature.
A popular variation of the
classical 7-circuit pattern is to
make it round, which facilitates
enlarging the center without
distorting the pattern. It also is
more symmetrical.
Classical Pattern
The classical 7-circuit labyrinth is one of the most popular patterns for do-it-yourselfers,
as it is both the oldest and one of the easiest to construct. It is thought to be at least 5,000 years
old, and probably more. “Circuit” refers to the concentric paths. Count the paths at the top of the
labyrinth, not including the center, and there will be seven. Some scholars prefer to enumerate
the walls or lines, rather than the number of paths, in which case this would be an 8-wall pattern.
This is the pattern that we usually make for public events, such as Earth Day. It comes
The classical 7-circuit lends
itself to shape-shifting.
4
with no specific religious connotation, except that some Christians may label it “pagan.” The
center is merely the end of the line, which allows no room for groups to gather. Thus, our
standard version of this traditional design often has an enlarged center. However, enlarging the
center distorts the mushroom-shaped pattern of the traditional design. It would be easier to
enlarge the center if the labyrinth were made round, instead. Indeed, we have made this pattern
circular for that exact reason.
The classical labyrinth may contain more than seven circuits. The increase is usually
in steps of four circuits. The next size up would be an 11-circuit, followed by a 15-circuit and
so forth. I only know of one 19-circuit in the world. All of the variations shown for the 7-circuit
pattern can also be done with the larger paths.
There are instances in which the classical pattern is desirable. It is the oldest and most
recognized labyrinth. A museum or a school might appreciate that. So might a setting desiring
a pattern without identifiable religious symbolism. The classical pattern is easier to walk for
senior citizens than are some of the more complex patterns. It is also possible to make the
labyrinth with wider paths without making it intolerably long. This is often beneficial with
respect to wheelchair access.
Classical 11-circuit labyrinth.
Chartres Cathedral Pattern
It was the Chartres Cathedral labyrinth that enticed me to become a labyrinth maker.
Chartres is in France, an hour’s drive southwest of Paris. During the past 37 years I have visited
Chartres Cathedral 47 times. The cathedral, built in the early 13th century, served as the prototype
for all other subsequent Gothic cathedrals. The labyrinth was no less influential. Due to its
complexity, it is the design most likely to call for an expert installer. That would be Labyrinth
Enterprises. And so 90% of our outdoor permanent labyrinth installations and 75% of our
portable fabric labyrinths portray this pattern or variations thereof.
Although not obvious at first, the pattern is closely related to the classical pattern –
changed to 11 circuits and rearranged slightly, with extra elements added, including the internal
turns (which give it a cruciform shape), the center petals, and the partial circles around the
perimeter (a symbolic lunar calendar). As with the cathedral itself, the labyrinth holds many
levels of meaning and symbolism.
When the pattern is made withoutthe center petals and the perimeter lunations, I prefer
to call it the medieval pattern. That pattern had already existed for 300 years by the time it was
installed in Chartres Cathedral. Several had been made in Italy, but they were either on the wall
(Lucca Cathedral) or were too small to actually walk. Only in France, starting in the late 12th
century during the great age when Gothic cathedrals began to emerge, were labyrinths made large
enough to walk. The medieval pattern was later used in England for a number of turf labyrinths.
There are no contemporary records describing common people walking the labyrinth
in the Middle Ages. One account, from the cathedral of Auxerre, described the canons (priests
assigned to a cathedral) and the dean (the head of the chapter of canons) engaged in a ritual
danceat Easter time. Perhaps the practice of walking thelabyrinth was so widespread that no one
felt it necessary to write a description. Modern books on labyrinths which say that labyrinths
were used as a form of substitute pilgrimage, when it was dangerous to go to Jerusalem, are
logical but still speculative. I think the meaning of the labyrinth can be derived, to some extent,
by extrapolating from the symbolism and meaning of the cathedral itself. All aspects of the
cathedral,both horizontally and vertically, the art and architecture, present thejourney from this
world to the next, from the mundane to the divine, from sin to salvation.
Clearly, this was also the intention of the labyrinth, to serve as a model of our path
through life. Extremely important is the fact that it is a labyrinth and not a maze. There is only
one path, with no dead ends or false passages. If we stay the course, despite the many turns and
tribulations, we will arrive at our goal, the center. Thus, the center represented heaven. This
journey, from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge, from conflict to forgiveness, is
the core of all religions and spiritual practices. And so, while the labyrinth was created with
distinctly Christian symbolism, it is in fact reflective of the universal condition and quest of
humanity.
Chartres Cathedral, interior.
Chartres labyrinth pattern.
This popular variation of the
Chartres pattern originated at
Grace Cathedral in San
Francisco, California.
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July 19-25, 2004, I will be leading a symposium in Chartres entitled: “Spirit, Light, and
Sacred Geometry: The Origins of Gothic Architecture.” My co-presenters will be John James,
the world’s leading authority on Gothic construction, and Kent Schuette, landscape architect
from Purdue University. Please contact me if you are interested in joining us.
The center of the Chartres labyrinth is quite large, relative to the pattern. In fact, it
accounts for 25% of the diameter. This lends itself toward the modern use of labyrinths for
meditation and group participation. In its original, the labyrinth is slightly more than 42 feet in
diameter. When we make replicas of the labyrinth on concrete, it is usually in full-scale, making
it a direct copy. We have made the labyrinth as large as 100 feet in diameter. It becomes
problematic, however, to attempt to make a small Chartres labyrinth. As previously mentioned,
we have created a Chartres-like pattern which has seven circuits and can be made as small as 20
to 24 feet. We call it the Petite Chartres.
.
Dedication ceremony for our
canvas labyrinth as St. Luke’s
Hospital in St. Louis.
Santa Rosa Labyrinth
One of the most popular contemporary patterns is the Santa Rosa labyrinth. Protected
by copyright, it was originated by Dr. Lea Goode-Harris, who lives in Santa Rosa. Having a
special license agreement with her, we have made more than 60 Santa Rosa labyrinths. The
design combines elements of both the classical and the Chartres patterns. It was not, however,
a deliberate amalgamation. The pattern became known through a series of intuitive, creative
sessions. I find it very elegant and geometrically balanced. I especially like the small circle
separating the entrance paths, which may be used an altar space or to hold something.
The Santa Rosa contains some excellent symbolism, in terms of sacred geometry.
Further, it comes with no previous associations. It looks traditional but it is new. It is not
specifically religious or generic. As a 7-circuit design, it can fit into smaller spaces. Because it
doesn’t have the intricate detail of the Petite Chartres, it costs less to make. Utilizing this pattern
entails paying a modest royalty to Dr. Goode-Harris.
Santa Rosa labyrinth.
Baltic Wheel
The vast majority of labyrinth designs in the United States are based on the classical or
Chartres patterns. In Europe, however, a third design has received a fair amount of attention.
Called the Baltic Wheel, it is based on a design located in Hanover, Germany. The pattern is
unique in that it has a tree in the center, and also because it has a path that leads directly out of
the labyrinth from the center. Thus, two-way traffic on the paths may be avoided.
We have designed a large Baltic Wheel labyrinth for St. Paul’s Theological School in
Kansas City, Missouri, which should be built in the spring or summer of 2004.
Baltic Wheel labyrinth.
Octagonal Labyrinths
Most labyrinths are circular, but theycan be made octagonal or even square. In Amiens
Cathedral in France is a labyrinth with the same path pattern as theChartres pattern, exceptmade
octagonal. That variation was more efficient as the floor is made of square tiles. Indeed, if
making a labyrinth indoors out of tile, or even outdoors in brick, straight lines and a few angles
are much easier in some ways than circles (although straight lines are less forgiving than circles,
and require more accuracy).
Small 5-circuit octagonal
labyrinth.
Contemporary Designs
The possibilities for contemporary designs are, of course, almost infinite in number. It
might be relevant to point out what is NOT a labyrinth. Labyrinths have a surroundingperimeter,
a single path to the center, and a number of turns to change direction. Therefore, meanders and
spirals are not labyrinths. Someone once send me a description of their labyrinth, which turned
out to be a path that wove its way through some woods. Perhaps in a literary sense the path was
“labyrinthine,” but it was not a true labyrinth. I have found that the most effective contemporary
designs still take into consideration the characteristics and qualities of traditional patterns.
A triangular design based on the
classical 7-circuit pattern.
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SITE AND ORIENTATION
Placing the Labyrinth
Labyrinths can be located just aboutanywhere, including slopingground. The pathscan
even be diverted to go around trees. The main consideration is compatibility between site and
design and intended use. If you want wheelchair access, for example, then a grass hillside
wouldn’t work very well. On level ground or in low areas, drainage is a necessary consideration.
Proximity to buildings or coordination with other features are also important. If the labyrinth is
part of a larger wellness garden, columbarium, or meditation area, then the placement becomes
an essential aspect of the overall design. In most cases, there is a specific area, courtyard, or
landscaping which clearly suits the inclusion of a labyrinth. Remember that labyrinths can be
indoors or out. The design and the medium will also affect siting.
Contemporary 6-circuit chalice
labyrinth design by Bob Peach
(www.georgialabyrinths.com).
Determining the Orientation Through Dowsing or Feng Shui
There are two distinct labyrinth traditions, each of which sites the labyrinth differently.
One is a non-religious, earth-based approach utilized largely by the dowsing community. The
preferred pattern usually the classical design. Dowsers do more than employ forked sticks as
diviningtools to locate water. When siting a labyrinth they use their tools to ask the earth directly
where and how it should be installed. They ask yes and no questions, receiving the answers
through the movement of their dowsing tools, such a “L” rods or a pendulum.
Since the labyrinth will be located on the earth, I like the idea of asking the earth
directly as to its placement. Such a possibility, however, is too esoteric for many architects or
planners. It would be unusual for the plans to indicate “final placement and orientation to be
determined by dowsing.” The modern world is out of touch with nature to the extent that even
the changing of the seasons or the turning of the heavens are rarely noticed. So, asking the earth
would seem pretty strange. However, I have seen this technique used over and over, to great
advantage.
At my former residence I was prepared to install a labyrinth in the back yard, with the
entrance close to the porch steps. A dowsing friend, however, determined that the entrance
should be on the far side of the yard. I was resistant, but finally complied and built it that way.
Through the years, I was glad. With the entrance by the porch I would have just fallen into the
labyrinth almost by accident, with no specific energy or intention. On the other hand, walking
to the other side of the yard was a clear expression of intent. In fact, I felt more relaxed even
before reaching the entrance, as my body had learned that this interval would be time out, with
no requirements other than walking.
Dowsers go even further, using their technique to determine the design, and to build the
design. Dowsing is an art, we should note, and so different dowsers do get different responses.
The types of questions that they would ask include:
1) Is it appropriate for a labyrinth to be located here?
2) Would this particular design be most efficacious?
3) Where should we place the center of the labyrinth?
4) Where should the perimeter be located?
5) What direction should the labyrinth face?
Besides dowsing, there are other systems for organizing space, including Feng Shui.
Generallyspeaking, theyconcern the flowof energy. The principles arefairly common sense and
logical once one’s attention is brought to that way of conceptualizing. In public spaces, the flow
of foot traffic may correspond in many ways to the energy flow. Suppose, for example, that the
site has a grade sloping downward to a property line, beyond which is an area unrelated to the
space being designed. It would not be desirable for the energy to “escape” by going down the
hill and being lost, so some kind of barrier would be placed to contain the energy. Feng Shui is
theChinese system for placement, for arranging landscape, buildings, and furniture, to create the
most favorable environment, thereby benefitting those occupying it. “Placement” certainly
applies to labyrinths.
I discuss dowsing and Feng Shui here to show there are many levels of consideration
Native American “Man in the
Maze” is actually a labyrinth.
Design for a labyrinth and
columbarium for a church near
Chicago (not yet built).
The orientation of my former
backyard labyrinth was
determined through dowsing.
7
when designing a labyrinth and its setting. Having covered the subject briefly, I will admit that
I personally donot incorporate dowsing while installing labyrinths. Virtually all of thelabyrinths
that I know that have been built with dowsing are soft-surface labyrinths, with paths made of
grass or mulch. Since I specialize in concrete labyrinths, I usually determine the site and
orientation using other means, as explained in the next section.
Orienting the Labyrinth Symbolically
The concept behind dowsing is that the power of the labyrinth comes from the earth.
Therefore, orientation becomes critical. That is not the only system for placing labyrinths,
however. The Christian tradition, for example, holds that the power of the labyrinth comes not
from the labyrinth, but from the person walking the labyrinth. Walking is a form of pilgrimage,
whichleads to important and relevant experiences for which the walking is a catalyst, but not the
source. Therefore, the siting and orientation of the labyrinth come not from contacting the earth,
but from symbolic geometry.
For examples, French Gothic cathedrals are oriented so that one enters from the west
and walks towards the east. The west represents this world, the setting sun, death and dying. By
walking towards the east, the pilgrim approaches the rising son (risen Son), hope, and salvation.
The labyrinths, located in the nave of the cathedrals, followed the same orientation, with the
entrance facing west and the walker facing towards the east. Therefore, in building a Chartres
labyrinth, this is one method of determining orientation.
Since labyrinths were placed in the nave, the person entering the cathedral would
encounter the labyrinth right away. For that reason, I see the labyrinth as a microcosm, a
summary, of the purpose of the entire cathedral. It represents the doorway through which one
enters into the world of spirit. This principle could be relevant in determining where to locate
a labyrinth within the context of a large building or complex of buildings. In other words, it
might be more relevant near the entrance rather than in a distant or obscure space, even though
the latter might be more quiet.
A good example of this approach is the labyrinth currently being planned for the new
Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, IL. The labyrinth has been placed in the center
of an arc formed by the driveway to one of the entrances, on a lower level. There are rooms
located beneath the drive, which have glass windows looking out at the landscaping and
labyrinth. The labyrinth is “up front” and at the same time, withdrawn, to a different level.
If one were to build a Chartres labyrinth and not orient it east and west, the power of
the labyrinth would not be affected, but the symbolism would be lost. Symbolism is important,
sincespiritual concepts cannot be adequatelyexpressed literally, in words. Symbols are required.
Sacred communication, therefore, incorporates symbols, metaphors, art, poetry, and other nonlinear languages..
Other Methods of Orientation
Sometimes the topography determines the labyrinth plan. Perhaps there is only one level
place, or only one courtyard or garden area. Topographical features are sometimes used for
orienting labyrinths. When entering the labyrinth, for example, the walker may look directly at
a large tree, a gap in a mountain range, or some landscape feature of importance. If there is
nothing of particular interest to see when facing that direction, perhaps that would indicate the
need for an additional feature or amenity.
In Scandinavia, there are hundreds of labyrinths built along the shores of the Baltic Sea
by fishermen. Apparently they walked the labyrinth for good luck, then ran to their ships and
sailed away while the trolls were still left behind in the labyrinth. Perhaps it was for that reason
that almost without exception, the entrances face the water. Perhaps that created the shortest
distance to the boats.
Labyrinths can also be aligned astronomically, so that the main axis faces the sunrise
on the summer solstice or a saint’s day or some other significant date. Ancient megaliths and
stone circles are known to be aligned with astrological significance. Sometimes, I just sit at the
site until I intuitively feel that the labyrinth should be installed a certain way.
Resources to learn about Feng
Shui are numerous on the
Internet. Some are oriented
mostly to commerce and sales,
reducing the complex nature of
traditional Feng Shui to a few
simple principles. Here are
several websites that will give a
start on investigating Feng Shui:
The American Feng Shui
Institute:
www.amfengshui.com
The Feng Shui Society (located
in England, covering a global
scope):
www.fengshuisociety.org.uk
Feng Shui for Modern Living
Magazine:
www.fengshui-magazine.com
International Feng Shui Guild:
www.fengshuiguild.com. From
the Feng Shui Guild comes this
succinct definition of Feng Shui:
Feng Shui, translated from the
Chinese, means Wind Water. It
is a system of philosophy,
science and art that has been
used for thousands of years as a
method of connecting people
with Heaven and Earth –
seeking a balance between
opposites in all aspects of our
environments.
Almost every culture of the
world reflects some awareness
of the power of placement in its
wisdom teachings. It is this
ancient legacy that Feng Shui
practitioners seek to enliven,
embrace, and uphold.
At the deepest level of
understanding, Feng Shui is the
interplay between the seen (our
surroundings) and the unseen
(energy and intention). Feng
Shui acknowledges the
interconnect- edness of all
creation.
Gothic cathedrals are
traditionally oriented along a
west/east axis.
8
SACRED GEOMETRY
Divine Creation
Sacred geometry sounds like an oxymoron. How could anything as cold and computerlike as geometry be associated with the sacred? The fact that sacred geometry is not known
widely may have been the case in ancient times, as well, when such knowledge was restricted to
the priestly class, philosophers, masons, and those with special training. Yet, it was the
underlying factor in the design of virtually all sacred structures. Chartres Cathedral and the
Chartres labyrinth are primary examples of the application of sacred geometry. It would be
fitting, therefore, when designing a labyrinth, to take into consideration and utilize some of the
principles of sacred geometry.
Sacred geometry is based on several assumptions. First, a Divine Hand was behind the
creation of the physical universe. It wasn’t just the fortuitous meeting of some molecules in a
primordial soup which subsequently climbed up on land and became human. If the universe was
a deliberate act of creation, then the lawsreflected in that creation originated in the Divine Mind.
They were the determining factor in the manifestation of diversity from the original One. By
studying the creation, through observing nature, the solar system, and ourselves, we can
determine these creative principles. Once we know them, we can use them, thereby creating in
the same proportion and number as God. We can use them for our sacred structures (so God can
“recognize” His home on earth), as well as our art and even our organization of society.
“Sacred geometry is the division
of physical space through the
manifestation of divine
principles. . . . Much more than
‘symbolic’ patterns of art and
philosophy, the true science of
Sacred Geometry allows direct,
practical access to the spiritual
and material forces of creation.”
Dr. Robert Gilbert
“And it was then that all these
kinds of things thus established
received their shapes from the
Ordering One, through the
action of Ideas and Numbers.”
Plato
“But perhaps there is a pattern
set up the heavens for one who
desires to see it, and having seen
it, to find one in himself.”
Plato
Number and Proportion
In our modern world, our organizing principle is science. We know that the universe
is manageable, perhaps even friendly, because it operates according to certain fixed laws.
(Science doesn’t generally attribute the origin of such laws to any source.) We gain confidence
in something when we say it is lawful, or scientific. The organizing element in the ancient world,
up through the Middle Ages, was not science but number. Many sources, from the Bible to
Pythagorus, Plato, St. Augustine and others pointed out that God created in number and
proportion. Number underlies everything. Proportions are numbersin relationship to each other,
of which geometry is a map or expression.
If you asked someone today what is the building block of the physical world, they
would likely say atoms. But how are atoms organized? By geometry! The orbits of the electrons,
thehexagons or other shapes of molecules, reflect geometry. Electron microscopes reveal atoms
to be beautiful geometric patterns. If geometry reflects numbers, and creation is based on
geometry, then the ancients are right. In one way we have recognized this by doing the same
thing with computers, in which a formula is created and then expressed visually as a fractal.
Sound vibrations have been studied by placing metal powder on a drumhead and then vibrating
the surface through the introduction of various sounds. Incredibly, the metal powder arranges
itself into geometric pattern. Indeed, it was through studying the actions of a single string on a
monochord that Pythagorus came to understand the importance of many proportions.
A progression of golden mean
rectangles produces a spiral
found throughout nature, from
weather formations to ram’s
horns and seashells.
Golden mean relationships in
the design of the Parthenon.
Quality of Numbers
My work with Chartres Cathedral and labyrinths brought me to sacred geometry. Once
I realized that numbers weren’t just used to quantifythings, but actually had individual qualities,
I saw the world differently. If you ask the person on the street to distinguish between numbers
three and four, for example, they would be puzzled. But in fact, numbers have distinctly different
meanings. Three represents the world of spirit, of the soul (and also of relationship), whereas
four signifies the physical world, the body, the mundane. There are geometrical reasons for these
values. It became a spiritual practice to combine three and four, thereby integrating our full
potential. The result, numerically, is seven (adding them) or twelve (multiplying them). These
are among the most mystical numbers. The Chartres labyrinth is based on the numbers 3, 4, 7,
and 12. There is not enough roomin this guide to do more than introduce the subject and suggest
further study so as to incorporate within the design some elements of sacred geometry.
The geometry of a platinum
atom.
The best introduction to sacred
geometry is, A Beginner’s Guide
to Constructing the Universe:
The Mathematical Archetypes of
Nature, Art, and Science by
Michael Schneider. Website:
www.constructingtheuniverse.com
9
MATERIALS – SOFT SURFACES
Soft vs. Hard Surfaces
Labyrinths can range from rustic and inexpensive to elegant and costly. The range is
quite vast. The break in cost and difficulty occurs at the distinction between soft and hard
surfaces.Soft surfaces can cost nextto nothing, and so are within the range of private homes and
people making their own. Hard surfaces require much more skill, sophisticated tools, andusually
professional assistance.
My production manager, Judy Hopen, made a labyrinth in her back yard by raking the
leaves into long piles that formed the lines of the classical 7-circuit pattern. The labyrinth lasted
almost six months, cost nothing, and took an hour to make. Similarly, it is possible to cut a
labyrinth into the lawn. As long as it is maintained, it will remain. I know of some mown
labyrinths that have been in place for years and have become quite well known.
There are many ways to make temporary labyrinths, such as painting the grass, putting
down masking tape on carpet, laying wooden blocks on a parking lot. I won’t elaborate on this
subject here, however, as this guide assumes that the planning is for a permanent labyrinth.
School children in Denmark
playing on a stone and grass
labyrinth. Many playgrounds in
Denmark include labyrinths for
the children.
Surface Preparation
Some potential labyrinth sites need no preparation. In Scandinavia, there are hundreds
of classical labyrinths whichwere made byplacing stones onthe ground. The surfaces are rocky,
with no vegetation, and so needed no preparation. This is also true when building out of sand in
a beach area, or making temporary labyrinths which can be removed later.
Grass is another story. If the paths are to remain grass, then there may be little to do.
But if the paths are to be mulch or sand, then the ground will need to be covered with
landscaping cloth in order to prevent the growth of the grass and/or weeds through the labyrinth.
I have made labyrinths with volunteers in which the ground cloth was the most expensive item.
For example, we designed a labyrinth for the Mercy Center in St. Louis which is some 80 feet
in diameter. The Chartres pattern included spaces for planting within the labyrinth itself. A tree
was planted in the center. The maintenance crew cut the grass very short, and then covered it
with ground cloth, cutting it into a circle of the appropriate size. The cloth cost $700. Then I
came and drew the pattern onto the cloth. Volunteers then put stones on the lines, and filled the
paths with mulch. Then entire labyrinth, including rock and my fee, cost around $1,500.
It was thought that the maintenance would be very low. However, the free mulch was
not cedar, and it soon decomposed, forming a rich soil on top of the ground cloth which then
supported the growth of weeds. So the mulch was removed and replaced with rubber mulch,
made from recycled tires. Now decomposition isn’t a problem. The rubber mulch cost more than
the original labyrinth. Once finished, however, it was then very low in maintenance. The
labyrinth has been lovingly used for years. Around the perimeter the Mercy Center is installing
plaques dedicated to deceased members of the convent. Log stump benches were placed in the
center of the labyrinth. Thousands of groups and individuals have walked the labyrinth.
Labyrinth at Mercy Center in St.
Louis, described in the text. I
especially like the optimism that
in 50 years that tree will shade
the labyrinth.
The Thompson Center labyrinth
with compacted base for paths,
grass for lines. Bench in center.
Grass Labyrinths
Stone and grass labyrinths require a considerable amount of upkeep, as the paths must
be trimmed with a Weedeater or similar tool. One way in which to reduce the maintenance is to
use bricks instead of stones, and to bury them so that they are flush with the surface. This will
allow for the cutting of the grass. We are proposing a labyrinth of this design for a park here in
St. Louis. During the growing season, however, the grass will attempt to grow over the bricks.
Trimmingis called for. We have suggestedtrimming once per month in spring and fall and twice
a month during the summer – approximately 10 to 12 hours, total, of maintenance.
Besides having paths of grass, it is also possible to have the lines be grass. We have
used sod cutters to remove the grass and install crushed base (mixed stone) to create weather
resistantpaths. This method is labor intensive but the materialsare inexpensive, making it a good
project for robust volunteers. Moving sod and stone requires considerable exertion.
The first load of mulch arrives to
the waiting labyrinth. This was
not a very “soft surface” as a
stone base was laid, covered by
the earth cloth seen in the photo.
Bricks were placed for lines and
mulch added. Located at Silver
Bay Association (YMCA), near
Lake George, NY.
10
Grass Paver Technology
Grass labyrinths are suitable for field conditions, but are rarely used in institutional
settings. The fact that the labyrinths may become soft or muddy during inclement weather, and
the inaccessibility for wheelchairs constitute serious drawbacks. This problem has been solved,
however, with the advent of grass paving. Grass paving produces a grass surface which is flat,
weather resistant, and handicapped accessible (passing ADA standards). This magic is achieved
through a technology similar to that used for other kinds of paving. A compacted crushed stone
base is installed, followed by a bed of sand onto which is installed a plastic grid of such strength
that it can withstand heavy traffic from fire trucks and other vehicles. The grid is filled with soil
and planted with grass. The roots of the grass are protected by the grid, so the grass isn’t
damaged by vehicles.
Grass paving is used for fire lanes, overflow parking, traffic medians, and “green”
driveways.We have devised a method for cutting the labyrinth pattern into the grid system, prior
to the addition of dirt. By removing the pattern lines from the grid, they can be replaced by
bricks or pavers. The end result looks very much like a standard brick and grass labyrinth.
However, it is quite different, given its strength and durability. Even as I write this we are
installing a prototype grass paver labyrinth in St. Louis. Next summer (2004) we will install a
much larger grass paver labyrinth at St. Paul’s Theological School in Kansas City. They want
to have a large labyrinth in an existing green area, without losing the green space. Grass paving
is the perfect solution.
Private residence in Florida:
installing the bricks first, then
adding the grass. In place of
grass we could have filled the
paths with sand, stone base, or
mulch, all of which we have
done a number of times.
Cut grass paver grids, awaiting
insertion of pavers for the lines.
Turf Labyrinths
When people ask the least expensive way to make a labyrinth, I ask if they have a
shovel and a lot of time. In England, there are turf labyrinths which have existed for hundreds
ofyears. Basically, turf labyrinths are a henge, whichis a berm made by digging out one area and
piling it in the adjacent area. Stonehenge has standing stones in the center, and also a circular
henge which surrounds the site. Protective trenches dug in World War I are extreme forms of
henges, with the piled dirt offering protection.
There are two types of turf labyrinths. In one case, the wall is the line and the valley is
the path. Because this could get soggy and muddy during wet weather, some paths have bricks
or stone in the bottom. In other cases, the valley is the line and the path is located on the top of
the mound. Since the lines are generally much narrower than the paths, digging out the lines
might be the easiest alternative.
Without question the greatest turf labyrinth (and maze) builder in the United States is
Alex Champion. I was involved in making a turf labyrinth with Alex in which he determined
through dowsing that the mounds would be more powerful if they had a core of granite. So, we
dug out the pattern, put granite gravel in the valley, and then moved thepile back onto the valley,
covering the stone, and creating a mound. The path was located in the new valley thus formed.
Itfelt very earthy and grounding to walk that particular labyrinth, as the mounds came up as high
as the knees.
To dress up a turf labyrinth one can put stone or brick along the sides of the mounds.
Sometimes this is done only at the turns, to strengthen them.The degree of maintenance depends
on what is planted. Given the valleys, I’m not sure how one would cut the grass. I would guess
that a turf labyrinth from Alex Champion would cost in the $6,000 to $30,000 range, depending
on the complexity and the amount of help in the form of workers.
A method to create a turf labyrinth without digging is to simply mound the dirt on top
of the existing ground. I was once sent a photo of a man in Michigan making a huge labyrinth
in this way, one wheelbarrow full at a time, consisting of many many tons of earth. Some other
material could be used for the mounds, such as bales of hay, logs, pine needles, shells, peat moss,
etc. We have seen photos of beautiful labyrinths lovingly created by individuals for their home
or retreat center or bed and breakfast establishment. Using natural materials at hand, they have
created masterpieces. We enjoy being hired to make labyrinths, but it also pleases us to see
labyrinths created byend users, in all kinds of circumstances and venues. For that reason, we sell
instruction books on our website (www.labyrinth-enterprises.com).
Stu Bartholomaus is the world’s
leading mown labyrinth maker.
The walls can be neatly trimmed,
as shown here, or left to grow
tall and wild. (Stu can be
reached by email:
stumaryb@aol.com.)
This modern turf labyrinth was
created by Alex Champion. His
website contains photos of his
work: www.earthsymbols.com
Below is a picture of a turf
labyrinth at Champion’s home in
Northern California.
11
MATERIALS – HARD SURFACES
Existing Surfaces
Hard surfaces range from wood to brick, stone, concrete, terrazzo and granite. All have
been used asmedia for making labyrinths. For many hard-surface labyrinths, the pattern is simply
drawn and painted on the surface, which is then protected by a sealer of some kind. We have
designed labyrinths for unused traffic circles, tennis courts, swimming pool bottoms, asphalt
driveways, and terraces. In one instance, in Carbondale, Illinois, a labyrinth was built on a
concrete slab which once held a geodesic dome built by Buckminster Fuller, who once taught
nearby. If an existing structure or surface is suitable for a labyrinth, some of the cost in providing
an adequate base can be avoided. In some cases, repairing and resurfacing an existing surface
may not be less costly per square foot than a new surface, but can avoid tearing out and removing
the old surface, which would be an added expense. At Unity Village in Missouri a huge Chartres
labyrinth,100 feet in diameter, was painted onthe existing asphalt pavement.In the vast majority
of cases, however, the labyrinth installation is part of a new building project.
We installed this Chartres
labyrinth on an existing terrace
at St. James Cathedral in
Chicago. The surface was
pebble aggregate, so we first
leveled the surface. Then we
used a special acrylic system by
AllDeck to install the labyrinth.
(For details on the acrylic
material see www.AllDeck.com.)
Wood
Wooden labyrinths can be outdoors, on decks constructed over irregular or sloping
terrain, or indoors, ongymnasium floors or other wooden floors. Wood is pretty straight forward,
other than determining the best materials to use. Many people ask us what kind of template we
use. The answer is none. We use simple instruments to drawand paint the labyrinth by hand. The
slight imperfections of hand work is much more pleasing to the eye and the soul than the harsh
perfection of a computerized drawing or template.
A labyrinth on a wooden deck
overlooking Canyon Lake,
Texas. For more photos see:
www.surrendertotheheart.com
Brick and Pavers
There are two methods of making a labyrinth with bricks or pavers. The first is to use
two different colors of pavers, cutting and fitting them together to make a labyrinth. Needless to
say, such a method is extremely labor intensive. Yes, pavers can be purchased in circle bundles,
whichinclude wedge-shaped pieces to facilitate the sharp turns.Generally, afterthe first 15rows,
normal pavers are used, as the wedge shapes become less and less necessary as the diameter
increases.
For a labyrinth as complicated as the Chartres labyrinth, a real master paver artist is
required. There is only one in the labyrinth world: Marty Kermeen of Plano, Illinois. His
Chartres labyrinth in Riverwalk Park, Naperville, IL, took four weeks of painstaking labor to
complete. Every shape requires double cutting and shaping, once for the positive space and once
for the negative space (line and path, respectively). A labyrinth of this kind costs $100,000 or
more. It will last for centuries, in the tradition of the builders of Chartres Cathedral.
Less complicated designs leave themselves open to be attempted by anyone familiar
with pavers, with mixed results. It would be difficult to conceive of a paver labyrinth with two
colors, all hand cut – even in a simple design – for much less than $30,000. Even then, rather
than taking the low bidder, consider the true value of calling Marty.
There is a second method of making a paver labyrinth which does not require such
extensive paver work. The entire labyrinth pad is laid in concentric circles (with some straight
lines at the entrances), all in one color. Then the details of the labyrinth are scored with diamond
saws into the surface of the labyrinth. The main circles are single rows of pavers, so the cutting
is only for the details. In the case of the Chartres labyrinth, those details include the labryses
(back-to-back turns that give the labyrinth its cruciform appearance), the lunations (the little
partial circles around the perimeter) and the central petals. The pattern is then stained onto the
pavers. Pavers are made of concrete, and so a special concrete stain is used. This is a technique
that we developed at Labyrinth Enterprises. I don’t know of anyone else doing it.
Whereas a two-color paver labyrinth will last indefinitely, the stain on the paver
labyrinth will last around 10 years or so. Re-staining it would be a matter of a few thousand
Rev. Kathy Musser celebrates
the completion of the new
painted labyrinth on the floor of
the chapel at Village Church in
Wellesley, MA.
Paver labyrinth installed by
Marty Kermeen in Riverwalk
Park, Naperville, IL. (See
Marty’s beautiful work on his
website www.artpaver.com.)
One of our cut and stained paver
labyrinths in New Vernon, NJ,
made jointly with Marty
Kermeen.
12
Left: These are photos of the
paver labyrinth at the Family
Life Center of Federated Church
in Chagrin Falls, OH. The cost
of the extensive landscaping was
several times that of the
labyrinth itself. That
demonstrates the relationship
between labyrinth and setting.
An expensive labyrinth in a stark
setting may be less effective than
a more basic labyrinth in a
beautiful setting.
Robert Ferré and Marty
Kermeen working on the base
for a paver labyrinth. The
labyrinth is never any better
than the quality of the base that
supports it.
Detail of a lunation cut into the
labyrinth. There are 113 of these
in a Chartres design.
Lunations after staining.
Details of the cut and stained
pattern in the Federated Church
labyrinth (see left). Although the
stain is warranted for 20 years,
we claim only half of that as its
probable lifetime before needing
to be re-stained.
13
dollars and a week of work. The cost of the second method is half of the first. A Chartres
labyrinth becomes $50,000 rather than $100,000. For smaller labyrinths of simple designs,
cutting and staining could allow a local contractor to install the pavers, followed by one of our
crewscoming to cut and stain the labyrinth. In such manner, even a $30,000 two-color labyrinth
may be able to be done for half the cost ($15,000). We can work with Marty Kermeen to install
a world-class labyrinth or we can be more modest in our aims and work with local paver
installers and craftsmen, instructing them and then cutting and staining the pattern.
Pattern lines cut into the sandstone in Danville, Kentucky,
prior to staining.
Stone
Given the difficulties involved in working with stone, I have seen few attempts to use
cut stone for a labyrinth. If you want a stone labyrinth, call Marty. Incidentally, he and I are
looking for someone with a budget of $250,000 so that we can make an exact copy of the
Chartres labyrinth, in stone, with each piece being the same size and shape as the original. I have
measured and photographed every stone of the Chartres labyrinth in preparation for such a
project.
Other than that, the only involvement I have had with stone was in Danville, Kentucky,
at the First Presbyterian Church. A local quarryman cut a layer of sandstone and made a flat
terrace for the labyrinth. We then cut the pattern into the surface, which was stained by
volunteers. The stone was “green” and chipped rather easily.
This concrete labyrinth was
stamped to look like stone. The
lines were stained by hand.
Terrazzo
In my opinion, smooth terrazzo is suitable only for indoor use. I know of outdoor
labyrinths made in that manner, but they have developed problems after only a few years.
Terrazzo is usually made of granite or marble chips in a resinous or cementitious base. Since the
stone comes in different colors, patterns are possible, divided by narrow strips of metal. The
terrazzo is poured into its designated area and, when dry, ground and sanded endlessly to turn
it into a smooth surface.
Needlessto say, making the metal strips necessary for a labyrinth is a big job. All of the
terrazzo labyrinths that I have seen have been of the Chartres pattern. At Church of the
Transfiguration in Dallas, they stylized the design features rather than going for an exact replica.
At St. George Episcopal Church in Germantown, near Memphis, TN, they apparently started at
the top, gluing down the metal arcs for the lunations. When they reached the entrance they
discovered they had a problem. The lunations didn’t come out as they were supposed to. And so
the entrance looks a bit bizarre. The rest of the work is beautiful – they simply didn’t know the
idiosyncracies of the pattern, and, unfortunately, didn’t hire our company or someone else to
assist. A few thousand dollars more wouldn’t have broken the budget and would have assured
a better result.
My suggestion for outdoor terrazzo would be to pour the mix, but not grind it down.
The rough surface would be non-skid, whereas a smooth terrazzo labyrinth is treacherous in the
rain. Normally, a terrazzo labyrinth costs in the range of $80,000 to $130,000. I think “raw”
terrazzo would be at the low end of that range, and perhaps even less.
Granite
I served as a consultant on what must be considered the most beautiful labyrinth in the
United States. Located in historic New Harmony, Indiana, it is called the Cathedral Labyrinth
and Sacred Garden. Kent Schuette was the lead architect (Purdue University department of
landscape architecture). It was my duty and pleasure to take the two architects and the stone
contractor to Chartres, to see and to measure the real thing.
In New Harmony, the surface is made of slabs of granite in such a way that the lines are
polished and the paths are matt finish. The effect is extraordinary. The paths and lines look like
completely different stone, even though they are part of the same slab. This exquisite labyrinth
was championed and financed through the resources of Mrs. Jane Owen and the Blaffer Trust.
She has done many marvelous things for New Harmony.
The terrazzo labyrinth at Grace
Cathedral in San Francisco.
Photo by Cindy Pavlinac (see
her exceptional work at
www.sacred-landphotography.com).
The Reverend Dr. Lauren
Artress, canon at Grace
Cathedral, has been the leading
figure in the rediscovery of the
labyrinth as a spiritual tool. Her
book, used widely by churches
as a source of instruction, is,
Walking a Sacred Path:
Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a
Spiritual Tool. Having also
founded Veriditas, the
Worldwide Labyrinth Project,
Dr. Artress continues to work
full time presenting the labyrinth
and training labyrinth
facilitators. The Grace
Cathedral website also includes
a labyrinth locator listing
hundreds of labyrinths in the
United States and abroad (see
www.gracecathedral.org).
The Cathedral Labyrinth and
Sacred Garden in historic New
Harmony, Indiana.
14
CONCRETE LABYRINTHS
Decorative Concrete
Concrete is no longer theboring gray substance used for sidewalks. The fastest growing
aspect of the concrete business in the past decade has been decorative concrete. Every year at
World of Concrete, a conventionand exposition attend by60,000 concrete enthusiasts, more and
more attention is given to decorative techniques and tools. Concrete is a big business, with
virtually every community of any size having at least one and often many concrete contractors.
Given its relatively low cost and high durability, concrete is generally a good value. Now,
concrete comes in all colors, can be stamped to look like wood or stone or brick, and is even
used for countertops. Over the years I have attended World of Concrete, taken classes, and gone
to trainings sponsored by product manufacturers.
In all cases, I found little available in the way of tools or training that applied to
anything as complex and intricate as making a labyrinth. There are dozens of companies that sell
diamond blades for cutting concrete, but none as small as I need for the kind of detail found in
a labyrinth. So, we have to adopt and modify and invent – an on-going process of continual
refinement. We feel that our concrete labyrinths meet in a superior way the need for institutional
projects, being modest in price compared to other hard surfaces, beautiful in appearance, low
maintenance, and long lasting.
For an Internet site that will
lead to many areas of decorative
concrete, including products,
tools, and techniques, see:
www.concretedecor.net.
We drew this labyrinth on
concrete at Peace Lutheran
Church in Danville, CA, in
Sharpie® indelible felt-tipped
pens. Can’t make any mistakes!
Drawing and Painting on Concrete
In the days before our all-concrete technology, we used to draw and paint the labyrinth
patterns on the surface of the concrete. Such an approach is much less involved than actually
scribingthe pattern with diamond saws. There are many kinds ofpaint whichcan be used. Traffic
paint is quite durable. Porch paint is another. We have used a special acrylic resin which dries
very thin and resists scuffing. It should last up to 10 years before needing to be repainted. In a
number of cases we have drawn the pattern and then volunteers have done the actual painting.
At St. Anne’s Episcopal Church
in Nashville, TN, to work around
the irregularities of the concrete
surface we painted 10,000 faux
pebbles. It was a big success.
Stamping and Staining
Concrete stain is used quite a bit in decorative concrete. Normally, it gives a rather
mottled and irregular appearance, meant to imitate natural stone. Stain is very thin, however, and
not well-suited to staying within drawn lines. When we use stain, it is still in an area defined by
saw cuts. If you try to paint with a brush, stain will show every stroke. It works best for larger
areas, rather than lines. For these reasons, we rarely use stain. The stain that we use on concrete
pavers (mentioned in the paver section) is both a stain and a sealer. However, it takes two coats,
which means painting the complex pattern twice.
If the surrounding buildings in your design are cut stone and you would like the
labyrinth to match, you could consider stamped concrete. Manytypes of stone can be reproduced
in concrete, with mortar joints or seamless. I don’t recommend stamping the concrete because
it traps water and inhibits drainage, as well as giving an uneven surface which could cause older
persons or people with physical challenges more difficulty. Stamping and staining are the core
of the decorative concrete world, yet we rarely use either. There is a technique that I would like
to try sometime, for staining flat concrete to look like an irregular stone surface, even though it
isn’t. Perhaps that would be the best solution for a faux stone look.
Judy Hopen, production
manager at Labyrinth
Enterprises, staining a labyrinth
without cut lines.
Using Volunteers
Making labyrinths requires patience. It is slow, meticulous work. Volunteers would
seemcost effective, but in my experience, their contribution is negligible. While I am instructing
and supervising the volunteers, I am not myself working. And I am both fasterand better, in most
instances, than they are. So, I tell people that by ourselves we can paint a labyrinth in three days;
with volunteers in three or four days. However, participating in the painting is a great way to
build community, and thus can be more worthwhile to the volunteers than to me.
Painting a concrete labyrinth
with acrylic resin. Volunteers
were supplied by the sisters at
Ursuline College, where the
labyrinth is located
(Pepper Pike, OH).
15
ALL-CONCRETE LABYRINTHS
The Concept
Using our proprietary technique, we score the labyrinth pattern onto concrete with
diamond-bladed saws. We don’t draw the pattern first and then cut the drawn lines. We actually
make the lines with the saws. The kerf is not more than 1/4 inch deep. To color the labyrinth, we
mix a type of polymer concrete that was developed for resurfacing concrete. We color it
according to the particular instructions for that installation. The most common color is charcoal
gray. Rather than resurfacing the entire labyrinth, we resurface the lines only, between our cut
marks, in such a way that the cuts are left open. We mix the polymer concrete in small batches
and brush it on by hand.
The end result is quite surprising. The cut gives the impression that the colored line has
been inset into the concrete. Further, the cut also forms a small shadow, a thin black line which
strongly articulates the color, almost in a three-dimensional way. When the coloring process is
finished, the entire labyrinth receives two coats of protective sealer. Re-sealing is advised every
three years (it is simply rolled on, like paint). Since everything is done by hand, there are some
irregularities. Since the polymer concrete is mixed in dozens of batches, there is inevitably some
variation in color. All of this is good. It gives the labyrinth a warm, hand-crafted feel. Indeed,
when I order concrete supplies I introduce myself as an artist who uses concrete as my medium.
Benefits
Stain and paint have limited durability. Our goal was to create a labyrinth in which the
lines are themselves made of concrete, with the same life of the concrete pad, as determined by
proper installation and maintenance. We have been successful in our quest. The response has
been very favorable.
Cost and maintenance are big considerations when it comes to labyrinths. Concrete
costs a fraction of terrazzo or granite or even pavers. Maintenance is no more than should be
done for any decorated concrete surface – keep it cleanand seal it every few years. The work can
be done after the other construction is complete. The concrete pad can be installed by the same
contractor as used for other work in the project. Or perhaps it is someone with ties to the project.
Procedures and Details
When we arrive on site, the concrete is already completed. It must have cured for a
minimum of 28 days. We supply a list of specifications well in advance, which can assist in the
placing of the concrete. For the most part it is normal concrete. If it is to have only foot traffic
(and not vehicles) it can be built fairly lightly. We make suggestions with regards to footings,
wire mesh and rebar, the pattern for the control joints, the surface finish, and more.
The concrete may be a color, achieved by adding pigment right into the mix truck
(integral color). We have made labyrinths in which the concrete was a light gray and the lines
maroon or dark green or charcoal. In other cases the concrete was buff, and in one case, a fairly
vibrant rose color. An alternate way to color a concrete pad is to color only the surface during
the finishing process, usually by broadcasting a dry color hardener over the wet concrete and
troweling it into the concrete. I find that much less desirable and durable than integral color.
Cost and Availability
In2002 we made ourprototype and one full-size Chartres labyrinth with the all-concrete
technology. In 2003 we made half a dozen, with that number expected to increase in 2004. It is
difficult to expand our small company, given the complexity ofthe knowledge required to do this
work. Our current price (fall, 2003) is $18,000 plus travel and lodging. That does not include the
cost of the concrete. It takes from 10 days to two weeks to complete the labyrinth.
Our prototype shows how the
lines fill in the texture of the
background concrete. This
bonds them securely, and also
gives them the appearance of a
completely different type of
material. Yet, it is all concrete.
Base for the labyrinth at Our
Lady of Victory Hospital in
Stanley, WI, before cutting the
labyrinth. Integral color is
throughout the concrete,
not just on the surface.
Detail of one of the lunations.
Note the dark line around the
perimeter created by the cut. The
line in the upper right corner is
not a mistake but a pencil line
marking where to stop the cut.
Here I am, scribing circles in
concrete. While I enjoy writing
and speaking about labyrinths, I
am most satisfied when I am on
site, actually making them. The
various stages of work are like a
choreographed dance.
16
Trinity Episcopal Church in
Santa Barbara, CA. The
labyrinth was a gift by the
Thornton family in memory of
Bethany Thornton’s mother.
There will be a walk attaching to
the apron in front of the
labyrinth entrance. All of the
concrete Chartres labyrinths
that we have made were exactsize replicas, including this one.
The dark green color fits the
surroundings.
Kanuga Conference and Retreat
Center in Hendersonville, NC.
Located in a woody area (hence
the fallen leaves) on a very
substantial pad made for the
labyrinth. This two-tone gray is
a popular combination because
it resembles the terrazzo
labyrinth at Grace Cathedral
(shown below) at one-fourth
of the cost.
17
AMENITIES
Sacred Space
The first labyrinths at Grace Cathedral in California were made with thehelp and advice
ofRichard Feather Anderson. Anderson has defined sacred space as having three characteristics.
First, it has a clear and observable perimeter, even if it is only a piece of yarn strung between
trees. Secondly, it has one or more entrances. And finally, in the center, it has a space for ritual,
an altar, meditation, or other activity. The labyrinth has these three criteria within its own design.
On a larger scale, however, the same principles can apply. The labyrinth should be enclosed in
some way. The walkway or entrance to the labyrinth should not also lead elsewhere. The
labyrinth itself, then, would serve as the central feature within the large sacred space. The
amenities can be arranged in such ways as to help make the labyrinth site both more functional,
and also more sacred.
Seating
Almost as relaxing as walking a labyrinth is sitting and watching others walk. Further,
it is good to have a place to sit prior to walking a labyrinth to gather your thoughts, take off your
shoes, or to rest after walking, write in your journal or reflect on the experience. I am currently
working on a plan for a labyrinth in Kansas City in which there is a seating wall that will go
around much of the labyrinth, enclosing the space and directing people to the two trellis-covered
entrances. Benches are also a practical amenity as an item that can be donated and dedicated to
someone. There are many possibilities with regard to placement of benches. Usually they look
across the labyrinth to the best view. Often we place benches only around one side, so that
people on opposite sides of the labyrinth aren’t looking at each other. I have always felt that it
would be a nice feature to have benches on either side of the walkway leading to the labyrinth,
where people could wait their turn to walk.
Lighting
This is our painted labyrinth at
Ursuline College in Pepper Pike,
OH. The 42-foot labyrinth is set
into a 50-foot square pad,
making plenty of room at the
corners for benches. The
concrete itself constitutes
another border around the
labyrinth, which here has been
enhanced by landscaping. The
plantings deter geese from going
onto the concrete.
We built this labyrinth during
the construction phase of the
new West Clinic in Memphis,
TN. Later they added the
benches and gazebo. Windows
on the rear of the building look
out at woods, a pond, and the
labyrinth.
The inclination to put low lighting around the perimeter of the labyrinth should be
avoided. Walking in low light, people depend onthe visual purple in their eyes adapting to night
vision, which makes them far more sensitive to light. Having lights down low, in the visual range
ofthe walkers, would thwart their night vision and make things more obscure and fuzzy. Instead,
the lights should be as high as possible and not too bright..
Landscaping
Mazessurround people with high walls or entrapping structures.The path is hidden and
the way unclear. Labyrinths are just the opposite. Since there is nothing to figure out, seeing the
entire labyrinth is part of the experience. In the same way, landscaping shouldn’t tower over the
labyrinth or intimidate. There is no need for a high wall or opaque barrier, unless sound
abatement is intended. Suitable for labyrinths are herbs and fragrant flowers, low bushes, or
something simple to balance the complexity of the labyrinth pattern.
It is possible to make a labyrinth garden with a paved walk. At any rate, the labyrinth
is about joining, not isolation. The landscaping should add to the naturalness and relaxation of
the setting, without causing a sense of being imprisoned or hidden.
We were pleased to see that our
stained paver labyrinth at
Federated Church’s Family Life
Center in Chagrin Falls, OH,
was landscaped so beautifully,
including a waterfall, twin
streams around the labyrinth
and reflecting pools beside the
bridge to the entrance.
Water Features
Water represents spirit. We have designed labyrinths with moats, reflecting pools, and
waterfalls. I almost always include such a feature in my plans and in a surprising number of
cases, my suggestions are accepted.
Labyrinth Enterprises
This public labyrinth garden in
Zurich, Switzerland, was built on
the site of a decommisioned
military base. The Zurich area
has some 50 public labyrinths.
18
History
InSeptember, 1995, I attended the first nationallabyrinth conference.There, Imet other
people who were interested in labyrinths. In conversation with the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress,
I learned that she was looking for someone who could produce canvas labyrinths for her to sell
through Grace Cathedral to other churches. I created such a labyrinth and sent it to her later that
fall. It was the beginning of a long association which continues to this day, supplying Grace
Cathedral with canvas labyrinths.
Quickly we expanded fromcanvas labyrinths to permanent ones. Our original name, the
St. Louis Labyrinth Project, was too long and confusing as a business name, so we became
LabyrinthEnterprises. Judy Hopen, my production manager, came on in 1998 and now operates
thestudio. In the meantime, I continued to do research and to make permanent on-site labyrinths.
Finally, we developed our concrete labyrinth which is putting us “on the map.” We have now
accumulated a trailer full of specially-designed tools, a truck to pull it, and orders to fill. Life is
good and we are grateful.
Services
•
•
•
•
•
Design and consulting
On-site labyrinth installation
Lectures and labyrinth docent training
Portable labyrinth sales and rental
Numerous self-published books available on our website
A completed canvas labyrinth in
our Art Deco gymnasium studio.
Setting up the guide marks
before cutting a concrete
labyrinth. Left to right,
Chuck Hunner, Judy
Hopen, Robert Ferré.
The fee for designing, consulting, and speaking is $90 per hour plus expenses. We are
happy to bid on specific projects. All consulting fees are credited towards the cost of installation
if we do the work.
Contact Information
Robert Ferré, Director
Labyrinth Enterprises
128 Slocum Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63119
Telephone:
Fax:
(314) 968-5557 or (800) 873-9873
(314) 968-5539 or (888) 873-9873
Email:
robert@labyrinth-enterprises.com
Website:
www.labyrinth-enterprises.com
Judy takes a rest on a pallet of
pavers. Later, she carried every
one of them into the labyrinth.
Robert cleaning up tools after
coloring the concrete.
19
Addendum
Since writing this planning book, Labyrinth Enterprises has continued to develop methods for installing
labyrinths, especially in the following two areas.
CONCRETE
We have produced superb tools for scoring and coloring concrete with polymer concrete. Our clients have
been very satisfied. For those who have a limited budget, we have added a second technique to achieve a
similar purpose. Rather than scoring
and hand coloring, we mask off the
labyrinth design and “shoot” it with
polymer concrete. The end result is
still an all-concrete, durable, lowmaintenance labyrinth. Without the
scoring, it looks a bit more like a
painting rather than looking inlaid.
Here is a photo of a project done in
this way at First United Methodist
Church in
Valparaiso,
IN (right).
To the left is a close-up of a line from the Global Harmony Labyrinth in Como Park,
St. Paul, MN (installed in August, 2005). The thickness of the “shot” line is about
one-eighth of an inch. The polymer concrete is the same as used for micro-toppings
of the same thickness when resurfacing concrete.
PAVERS
By using water jet technology to do some of the most intricate cutting, we have now lowered the cost of twocolor paver labyrinths to the cost previously associated with stained pavers (as described in this book).
Labyrinth Enterprises has joined together with the world’s greatest paver labyrinth artist, Marty Kermeen
(see www.labyrinthsinstone.com) to offer pre-cut Chartres designs in a price range of $50,000 to $65,000.
There is a similar “kit” available on the market by another company, but it wasn’t designed by someone with
paver experience. We feel that our product is superior, especially with regards to the center. Most installers
make the labyrinth out of concentric circles, as we ourselves have done in the past. To my taste, however,
it looks too much like a target. By using cutting technology, we now make the center a grid that lines up with
the entrance paths. Here are two photos of a recent installation.
The labyrinth at Zion
United Church of
Christ, Florrissant,
Missouri
The key to the value of our paver labyrinths is the expertise of the installation. Problems in pavers may not
show up for a few years, but eventually flaws and shortcuts in the base or retention devices will become
evident. Our labyrinths are built for the long term. An example is the labyrinth we built at Valparaiso
University in Indiana. To assure proper drainage we built a system of more than 400 feet of PVC pipe,
combined with two dozen outlet drains of our own design, whichis completely invisible, except for the grills
over the two collection basins.
This unique installation includes a lip along the side of the walking path, to allow the sight-challenged to
followthe path with a cane. The 40-inch paths allow for wheelchairs, or forcouples to walk side by side. The
design is a contemporary one, resulting from a collaboration with the client.
Notice the uniformity of the herringbone pattern for the paths, along with the bordering soldier course. The
limestone monuments contain scriptural verses. The project was competed in the fall, so gravel was placed
in areas that will be planted in the spring. Access is via twin ramps formed by three low retaining walls (not
pictured). The labyrinth is 72 feet in diameter, comprising some 4,000 square feet. Cost was just slightly into
six figures. The pattern is copyrighted and used uniquely for this project. It cannot be duplicated or copied.
After downloading this planning book, please note that there are other informative downloads available from
our website, including material on polymer concrete and concrete specifications.
APPENDIX
Health Care Facilities with Labyrinths
The following hospitals, clinics, hospices, and health care facilities have labyrinths, whether indoor or outdoor, portable
(fabric) or permanent. There are doubtless more labyrinths that should be on this list, of which we are unaware. We have not
included labyrinths currently in the planning and pre-construction stage. To list church or other public labyrinths would be far
beyond the scope of this appendix. The Labyrinth Society (www.labyrinthsociety.org) and Veriditas (www.gracecathedral.org)
have jointly organized a worldwide labyrinth locator which has an ever-growing database containing hundreds of labyrinths. It
can be consulted online.
ALASKA
Central Peninsula General Hospital, Soldotna
Providence Alaska Medical Center
ARIZONA
Desert Samaritan Medical Center, Mesa
CALIFORNIA
Arthur Ashe Health and Wellness Center, Los Angeles
California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance
Madrone Hospice Center, Yreka
Napa Valley Hospital, Napa
Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Northridge
Redwood Memorial Hospital, Fortuna
ScrippsMcDonald Center,Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla
Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego
Sierra Hospice, Chester
St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard
St. Joseph Hospital, Eureka
St. Mary’s Medical Center, Apple Valley
VA Medical Center, Sepulveda
COLORADO
Mercy Medical Center, Durango
Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, Colorado Springs
FLORIDA
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa
H. P. Hospice, Hudson
Integrated Health Solutions, Boynton Beach
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Orlando
Orlando Regional South Seminole Hospital, Longwood
GEORGIA
Gwinnett Medical Center, Lawrenceville
Medical Center of Central Georgia, Macon
Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah
St. Jude’s Recovery Center, Atlanta
HAWAII
North Hawaii Community Hospital, Kamuela
IDAHO
St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center. Boise
ILLINOIS
Carle Hospital, Urbana
Lake Forest Hospital, Lake Forest
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Elgin
INDIANA
Clarian Hospitals Chaplaincy, Indianapolis
St. Vinvent Jennings County Hospital, North Vernon
LOUISIANA
Hospice of Acadiana, Lafayette
MARYLAND
Hannah More School, Reisterstown
Hospice of the Chesapeake, Linthicum
Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Bayview Campus, Baltimore
Maria Health Care Center, School Sisters of Notre Dame,
Baltimore
Maryland Specialty Hospital, Inner Harbor, Baltimore
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda
Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents, Baltimore
Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital, Baltimore
Washington County Hospital, Hagerstown
MASSACHUSETTS
Providence Behavioral Health Hospital, Holyoke
MICHIGAN
Borgess Integrative Medicine, Kalamazoo
Dominican Life Center, Adrian
Mercy Hospital, Grayling (Munson Health Care),
Traverse City
Nokomis Challenge Center, Prudenville
Sparrow Healing Garden, Sparrow Hospital, Lansing
St. Mary’s Health Care, Grand Rapids
MINNESOTA
Abbott Northwest Hospital, Minneapolis
Mayo Building, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
North Memorial Health Care, Robbinsdale
Regions Hospital, St. Paul
Virginia Piper Cancer Center, Minneapolis
MISSOURI
Boone Hospital, Columbia
Howard County Health Ministries, Fayette
St. Luke’s Hospital, St. Louis
MONTANA
Deaconess Hospital, Bozeman,
Benefits Hospital Hospice, Great Falls
NEBRASKA
St. Francis Medical Center, Grand Island
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon
Seacoast Hospice, Exeter & Dover
NEW JERSEY
Hackensack University Medical Center, Contemporary
Medicine Program, Hackensack
Alliance to Combat Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Jersey City
Medical Center of Ocean County, Brick
Memorial Hospital of Salem County, Salem
Mind-Body Center for Complementary Medicine, Morristown
Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown
Newton Memorial Hospital, Newton
NEW MEXICO
Cancer Diagnosis Survivor’s Group, Corrales
Gila Regional Medical Center, Silver City
NEW YORK
Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic, Clifton Springs
Samuel S. Stratton Medical Center, Albany
St. John’s Hospital, New York City
St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center Storehouse, Ogdensburg
St. Mary’s Hospital, Amsterdam
University Hospice, Staten Island
V. A. Medical Center, Albany
V.A. Medical Center, Canandaigua
Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla
NORTH CAROLINA
Catawba Valley Medical Center, Hickory
High Point Regional Hospital, High Point
Hospice Center, Wilmington
Wesley Long Community Hospital Oncology Center,
Greensboro
OHIO
Akron General Medical Center, Akron
Children’s Hospital, College Hill Campus, Cincinnati
Holzer Center for Cancer Care, Gallipolis
Mercy Holistic Health and Wellness Center, Cincinnati
St. Rita’s Medical Center, Lima
OREGON
Legacy Medidian Park Hospital, Tualatin
Merle West Medical Center, Klamath Falls
Mid-Columbia Medical Center, The Dalles
Sacred Heart Medical Center, Eugene
Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital, Newport
Three Rivers Community Hospital, Grants Pass
PENNSYLVANIA
Charles Cole Memorial, Coudersport
Doylestown Hospital Health and Wellness Center,
Doylestown
Meadville Medical Center, Meadville
Reading Hospital and Medical Center, West Reading
Tyler Memorial Hospital, Tunkhannock
TENNESSEE
Alexian Village of Tennessee, Signal Mountain
St. Thomas Hospital, Nashville
V. A. Medical Center, Memphis
West Clinic, Wings Cancer Foundation, Memphis
TEXAS
Dominican House, Houston
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Place of Wellness, Houston
Seton Medical Center, Austin
Southwest Memorial Hermann Wellness Center, Houston
University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
Baylor Medical Center, Dallas
VIRGINIA
Eastern State Hospital, Williamsburg
Santara Virginia Beach General Hospital
Whitman-Walker Clinic, Arlington
WASHINGTON
Community Cancer Center, St. Joseph Hospital, Bellingham
V. A. Medical Center, Seattle
WISCONSIN
Franciscan Hospital, LaCrosse
Hudson Hospital, Hudson
Our Lady of Victory Hospital, Stanley
*************************************
CANADA
Foothills Hospital, Calgary, Alberta
Goodfish Lake Health Centre, Goodfish Lake, AB
Homewood Health Center, Guelph, ON
St. Joeseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, ON
St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver
Women’s College Ambulatory Care Center, Toronto
BRAZIL
Pirajussara General Hospital, Sao Paulo
GERMANY
Franz-Hospital, Dühmen
THE NETHERLANDS
Onze Lieuevrouwe Gesthuis, Amsterdam