Labyrinths and Reflexology Paths for Public Health by Kirsten Anderberg
Labyrinths and Reflexology Paths for Public Health
By Kirsten Anderberg (www.kirstenanderberg.com) - July 28. 2006
There is a public, outside labyrinth near my home in Seattle. I began walking it, and it is really interesting. I found out there are labyrinths all over the world, inside and outside, made out of all kinds of materials. Labyrinths are made of snow, sand, chalk, fragrant flowers, woodchips, tiles, stones, some are mowed into fields, some are planted from seeds, some are painted on canvas...the variety seems endless. In the NW where I live, there are over a dozen outdoor and several indoor labyrinths in Seattle, and Portland, Or. has many, as well. There are labyrinth societies all over the world. Another interesting public walking experience is the Reflexology Path. These paths, to be walked in socks or bare feet, are common in parks in many countries outside of the U.S. The Seattle area hosts one of the only Reflexology Paths in the U.S. due to our naturopathic college, and that has opened my eyes to ways you can fashion experiential landscaping in public places too. Labyrinths and Reflexology Paths are nice additions to any community, I would think.
The labyrinth is a maze-like walking path, a sacred space, to think, gather your thoughts, ask for courage, etc. It is a place to look inward but to also survey progress and movement. It is a symbolic ritual that involves walking, which is an interesting twist. Due to this walking as part of the ritual, Dr. Artress calls this a "body prayer." The labyrinth is not a maze, as mazes usually have more than one path, and the labyrinth is one path, winding around. You cannot get "lost" in the labyrinth. It has one path, that leads to the center, and back out. The general idea is to quiet your mind, and use the walking inwards toward the middle to think about releasing and letting go of things that are in the way of your health, progress, success, etc. Then when you reach the center, you meditate and pray and stay as long as you want, absorbing energy and gathering strength and peace. Some labyrinths have benches in the center. Then you take the path out, becoming empowered to make changes, yet this is also the path you took in, which is symbolic. You start to have a sense of growth as you come to the labyrinth with different issues, different things you walk in and out with, over time.
Seattle has an inside labyrinth at Saint Mark's Cathedral and there is a free to the public, outside labyrinth at Saint Paul's Church in lower Queen Anne too. Portland, Oregon has a free labyrinth that is open 24 hours to the public at Meridian Park Hospital (www.legacyhealth.org/body.cfm?id=910), and there is also a labyrinth near the Portland
Saturday Market (http://www.happydeathinc.com/roadside/Pages/labyrinth.htm). And here is a link to a story (with pictures) of folks in Portland making their own labyrinth out of chalk on pavement (http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2003/05/264498.shtml). You can see photos of some of Oregon's labyrinths at http://www.opusnet.com/mark/labyrinthphotos/.
You can learn more about how to make your own labyrinth at this link - http://www.geomancy.org/labyrinths/lab-18.html.
You can locate a labyrinth near you with the Welcome to the World-Wide Labyrinth Locator at http://wwll.veriditas.labyrinthsociety.org/.
There are labyrinths in California, Louisiana, Texas...Or take a walk online via this finger labyrinth (http://www.gracecathedral.org/labyrinth/interactions/index.shtml#)!
(You can learn more about labyrinths at this link - http://www.sacredsteps.com/links.html.) Labyrinths have supposedly
existed for at least 3500 years, and they come in both square and circular patterns. Most have one path in and out, which winds around towards the center.
Ancient/historical labyrinths have been found throughout North Africa, Europe, India and Indonesia, the American Southwest, and occasionally in South America. Historic Roman
relics of approximately sixty labyrinths show them using spiral and serpentine patterns in mosaic relief and ancient cave paintings have documented labyrinths too.
Reflexology paths exist all over Asia, among other places; in China, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, and in the U.S., as well. Apparently in China, people walk on the cobblestone streets in a similar way to the way reflexology paths are functioning. Current reflexology paths in China are made of thousands of stones, in patterns ranging an entire block, laid out to walk on for healing. Some say the stones drive toxins out of your system, improve circulation, and bring peace of mind. These paths are similar to a good foot massage and can feel like the bottom of a riverbed. A reflexology path in Singapore is set among a bamboo grove, and in Malaysia, a reflexology path has been added as an amenity to a swimming pool in a forest recreation area, and reflexology paths are being advertised as a condo amenity, much like an on-site gym, there too. Malaysia also hosts a reflexology path amidst a rock garden with waterfalls...you can see pictures of reflexology paths at
http://www.reflexology-research.com/virtualpathasia.html.
In 2004, Bastyr Naturopathic University (http://www.bastyr.edu/) in Seattle, installed the first public reflexology path in the U.S. The University says using the reflexology path is preventative medicine, and they label the path the "Walk of Health." You can make your own reflexology paths in your backyard, at a local park, or even by just using different textured mats in your house! Read more about how to make your own reflexology path at http://www.reflexology-research.com/howtoreflexpath.htm.
I like the idea of public interactive experiences such as labyrinths and reflexology paths in our parks. I think such things can only add health to our communities, and also to our homes. I encourage you to think of ways you can bring "body prayers" into your life more often, learning from our elders, and yet, using these ancient paths in modern ways.
Kirsten Anderberg. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint/publish, please contact Kirsten at kirstena@resist.ca.
Kirsten Anderberg. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint/publish, please contact Kirsten at kirstena@resist.ca.