By Sue Anne Foster
For 15 years I created a temporary 75-90 foot labyrinth as part of the annual Earth Day celebration for California State University in Sacramento. Each year on that day, thousands of children encountered the labyrinth. In 2011, Earth Day was moved from the university, and I was invited to collaborate with local groups in Carmichael, CA, that started an annual Day of Peace event.
For their first event on May 14, 2011, I was honored to create a labyrinth made entirely of donated shoes. It was called the ‘Soles4Souls’ labyrinth. In perfect synchronicity, the event also happened to coincide with World Labyrinth Day. Hundreds of people, children included, enjoyed walking the labyrinth and sampling the many holistic services available that day.
View this short Soles4Souls labyrinth Video
I’ve also offered labyrinth walks within both the summer and after-school programs at The Learning Tree, a school in Carmichael, CA. In these programs, I use the labyrinth to open and close the day, with students bringing along their journals to record their reflections at the end of the day. Here are some images of those walks which incorporate a 26-foot canvas labyrinth.
When crafting a labyrinth event, I love to include sound, especially didgeridoo and flute music, to expand the walking and healing experience. The musician sets up a booth from which the healing sounds are offered before and after the labyrinth walk. Sometimes we even invite the musician to play the ‘pied piper,’ playing the instrument while leading the walk, and then once in the center, bathing each person in good vibrations.
I also include a table where labyrinth-centered experiential activities are available. In this area people of all ages can create labyrinth rubbings and see examples of different types and uses of labyrinths. I also have a ‘lap-top’ labyrinth which can be experienced sitting down. The users place the labyrinth on their laps with a marble to roll through the paths, with or without the help of hand holding.
I will be glad to share information on managing large numbers of walkers, exhibit and educational information, and experiential elements like music, ceremonial flags, and labyrinth rubbings.
For more info contact Sue Anne Foster.