Residents of Alma celebrated World Labyrinth Day on May 3 by “walking as one at 1.”
In conjunction with the global event, Alma unveiled its newly completed labyrinth constructed from concrete stones, along with a memory arboretum, both located behind the community hall in Wallace Cumming park.
The idea began in 2009 after Chris Grose, chair of the Alma labyrinth planning committee, saw one of the spiritual patterns in Paris.
Since then Grose has been working to bring the symbol of world peace to her small community.
The United Church of Canada, which partly funded the project, said having an accessible labyrinth in the community is a step “toward daring discipleship.”
They said the “creation of the 54 Chartres-style labyrinth, surrounded by a native species memory arboretum, will provide a multi-generational oasis for the mind, body and spirit. This project redirects focus from dwindling membership and aging buildings, to the opportunities and spiritual needs within our community.”
A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that represents wholeness. The path within the circle stands for the journey an individual takes to their own centre and back.
A labyrinth is not a maze; it is not a puzzle to be solved. In a labyrinth there is only one path leading to the centre and back again.
Labyrinths have been around for thousands of years but fell out of use during the 16th and 17th centuries, re-emerging in the last two decades as people became more interested in well-being and spiritual growth.
Grose says there are many physical, mental, spiritual, and social benefits associated with walking a labyrinth. These include, but are not limited to: reduced anxiety and stress, mental clarity, increased self-knowledge and a deepened spiritual awareness.
Though inclement weather prevented event participants from walking the outdoor labyrinth, the committee created various alternatives within the community hall, including canvas and mini finger labyrinths.
World Labyrinth Day is celebrated each year on the first Saturday in May, with events at over 100 locations world-wide, including the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.
There are over 4,000 documented labyrinths across the globe and 175 are within the Ontario Labyrinth Network. In addition to Alma, labyrinth sites in Wellington County include: Clifford, Ennotville, Hillsburgh and Mount Forest.
