Labyrinths in Places
Labyrinths are found in many places. Some are permanent and some are brought in temporarily for events. The challenge for labyrinth enthusiasts is often how to get permission to introduce a labyrinth into a specific environment. This section of the website examines some of the places where labyrinths may be found, the benefits of having them there, how they are used, and how people were able to install them there in the first place!
Labyrinths in Non-Profit Organizations
By Janice Lewis
I have the privilege of organizing a team of 8 adult meditators who offers Peace Club to more than 200 children, teens, and adults for those who are challenged by poverty in Chicago. Peace Club is an 8-week series of mindfulness, meditation, mandalas, labyrinths, peace circles and other contemplative practices. Peace Club is offered during the school year and at a summer day camp, at a social service center for the interns and the staff, and also by the urban farmers. The guests of the non-profit often report that mindfulness and meditation helps to relieve their stress. Labyrinths are simply walking meditations and the labyrinth is incorporated in all that is offered at Peace Club. A few examples are; mindful yoga poses are performed in the middle of the labyrinth, a small personal size labyrinth is in the middle of a circle of chairs as a visual centerpiece for the peace circles, and each group is offered a workshop where they design and create their own labyrinth to use at home.
Janice Lewis is on The Labyrinth Society Board, advanced certified labyrinth guide, holds four certificates in mindfulness and meditation, trained mandala teacher, and advanced peace circle leader. You can contact her at meditation@janicetime.com.