PLANNINGFORLabyrinthSDesign Considerations and Guidelinesfor Architects and Building Committees

Robert Ferré

Labyrinth Enterprises

$50

PLANNINGFOR

LabyrinthS

Design Considerations and Guidelinesfor Architects and Building Committees

Copyright © 2003, Robert Ferré

Labyrinth Enterprises128 Slocum AvenueSt. Louis, MO 63119

Tel: (800) 873-9873 or (314) 968-5557Fax: (888) 873-9873 or (314) 968-5539

Email: robert@labyrinth-enterprises.comWebsite: www.labyrinth-enterprises.com

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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 residencesacross the country. My career with labyrinths spans most of that decade. The conversation hasnow moved beyond “What is a labyrinth?” to more technical concerns, which are addressed inthis guide. Since 1995 I have lectured, written instruction manuals, conducted trainings, andmore importantly, made some 750 labyrinths. This guide does not contain information on howto actually draw and construct labyrinths. Rather, it discusses the many decisions and concernsthat need to be addressed prior to the installation of the labyrinth – specifically, the designprocess itself.

First, youmust 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, thefoundation has been laid. Dozens of hospitals, for example, have labyrinths (see the list in theappendix). Most citiesof more than 200,000 inhabitants have a number of labyrinths. Alabyrinthorganization 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 Postincluded a sidebar describing a considerable number of labyrinths within an hour’s drive of thenation’s capitol.

Dating back thousands of years, labyrinths have existed in many cultures around theworld, from Siberia to Sumatra to the American Southwest. Historically, they were mostprevalent in Scandinavia and the Mediterranean regions. The most in-depth study of labyrinthhistory 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).JeffSaward and I areamong the most identifiable full-time labyrinthprofessionals. Our websiteshold a wealth of further information, books, and articles: www.labyrinthos.net andwww.labyrinth-enterprises.com, respectively.

In the midst of growing familiarity with labyrinths, there remains considerablespeculation on how labyrinths “work.” What is the actual mechanism through which labyrinthsenhance our well-being? In some cases, we are asked for scientific proof, for carefully conducteddouble-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 labyrinthwalking, the world of scientific proofand the sphere in which labyrinths operate are so differentas to be almost mutually exclusive. Far from being problematic, however, I think that verydifference 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 expenseof all that went before. In ancient times, it was assumed that spiritual qualities and metaphysicalprinciples 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 theinner world is real.

When science and commerce became the foremost influences in modern culture, theinvisibleworld was pushed aside. Only that which was observable and verifiable was consideredworthwhile. This became true in the medical community as well, which adopted a scientificapproach. As a result, drugs and technologies are now the predominant modality used to treat

Author Robert Ferré founded theSt. Louis Labyrinth Project in

1995, which later grew tobecome Labyrinth Enterprises,

the world’s foremost full-servicelabyrinth resource. Besides

making portable fabriclabyrinths in its St. Louis studio,Labyrinth Enterprises also offers

on-site permanent labyrinthinstallation, specializing in a

proprietary concrete technology.Author of six labyrinth books

and contributor to severalothers, Robert Ferré is also indemand as a trainer, speaker

and presenter. Additionally, asfounder and director of One

Heart Tours, Robert takesgroups to Chartres, France, to

walk the world’s most well-known labyrinth in Chartres

Cathedral and to learn aboutGothic architecture.

Walking the labyrinth inChartres Cathedral.

“People have been creatingthese paths for thousands ofyears, but in recent times a

renewal of interest in ancientand medieval forms of

meditation and healing, togetherwith innovative designs . . . haveresulted in labyrinths and mazes

becoming more popular thanever before. . . . land artists andgarden designers have recreated

labyrinths, in both public andprivate gardens, that reflect the

modern search for inner peace.”Jeff Saward

Walking a private labyrinth inBad Kreuznach, Germany

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illness and disease. The pendulum went from the mystical to the mechanical, from one pole tothe other. Now, the mechanistic Newtonian viewpoint is being questioned not only in spiritualand religious quarters, but also byquantum physicistswho assure us that there is no independentobjective 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 outof 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 thehealing process. Meditation and prayer have specific physiological benefits. Despite the stronginfluence of the pharmaceutical industry, a growing number of voices are calling for a broaderapproach to treatment,a more comprehensive understanding of both illness and wellness, a swingof the pendulum back towards the center and away from the extremes. The inclusion oflabyrinths in hospital and healthcare facilities, therefore, represents a return to normalcy andbalance, not a diversion into the strange or radical. Indeed, the great public demand andutilization of complementary and alternative forms of treatment has been an eye opener and adirect challenge to the more conservative elements that continue to depend exclusively on thescientific paradigm.

Churches, too, are experiencing the need to find effective ways to address a rapidlychanging world. In Labyrinths From the Outside In: Walking to Spiritual Insight, A Beginner’sGuide co-author Donna Schaper suggests some reasons for the growing popularity of labyrinthsin 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 ritualform available for modern use. The labyrinth is an archetype, reminding us that many peoplehave felt lost and have searched for the Way. The revival of interest in walking the labyrinth asa spiritual practice joins the current revival of interest in spirituality in general.” She goes on tosay 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.Labyrinthscan be a form of meditation, or even devotion, for those who feel disconnected frominstitutional religion. When Shaper asked her daughter the difference between religion andspirituality, the teenager replied that in religion you just have to sit there, but in spirituality, youcan 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 tolife. Some see it as a physical phenomenon, with the turns of the labyrinth helping to balance thehemispheres of the brain. I see it more as a spiritual process, in which health and healing take ona 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, wouldbe as effective. For example, it is clear in both traditional and alternative medicine that the samemodality 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 wouldalways have the same predictable result. The fact that treatments work in some instances and notin 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 steepedin the unseen and intangible, the labyrinth brings a physical quality, embodying prayer, andinvolving 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 acommunitysplintered bytheological arguments and inundated bythe influences of a commercialworld whose values go no further than the condition of the bottom line.

Labyrinthsare effective because they offer a sense of equilibrium. Whenour prioritiesget 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 ClareCooper and Marni Burns are

bridging the gap bydemonstrating practical ways

to include spiritual andpsychological benefits that go

beyond what drugs canaccomplish. To quote,

“Although the healing qualitiesof nature have been recognizedand relied on for centuries as avaluable part of convalescence,recent history has seen nature’s

therapeutic role virtuallyeclipsed by the technological

dominance of modernmedicine.”

The Center for Health Designwebsite (www.healthdesign.org)

states its mission as follows:“Working together to create a

future where healthcareenvironments enhance healing

and promote well-being forpatients, staff, and visitors

through research, design, andarchitecture.”

A review of the book RestorativeGardens: The Healing Landscape

by Nancy Gerlach-Spriggs,Richard Enoch Kaufman, andSam Bass Warner (Yale Press,

1998) states, “This book is awake-up call for healthcare

administrators, physicians, andtheir facility designers. Most ofAmerica’s healthcare facilities

are working against theemotional needs of those within

them: patients, staff, andvisitors. The environments are

hostile to healing . . . .” Thebook then gives six case studies

of effective gardens placed inhealthcare facilities. We feel that

those gardens are even moreeffective when they contain

labyrinths.

“Healing gardens give patientsan emotional boost.” UNMC

(Nebraska) Eppley CancerCenter Newsletter.

A growing Internet resource isthe Therapeutic Landscapes

Database, found atwww.healinglandscapes.org,maintained by Naomi Sachs

without fee or registrationrequired. There is an extensive

reference section as well as a listof designers and consultants.

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separate from God or from each other, the labyrinth brings us back to center. It is by rectifyingimbalanceand dis-ease that the labyrinth heals, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Havingseen what I have seen and knowing what I know, it is hard for me to imagine that any thoughtfuland progressive architect or planner would conceive of a new church or retreat center, spa orhealthcare facility, without including a labyrinth.

Getting Involved

Ihave included references in theright column to gardens because, most often, labyrinthsplaced outdoors are included within garden settings. The benefits of strolling through a gardenor a natural setting are also realized by walking a labyrinth, often to a greater extent. Gardens andmeditation spaces by themselves are essentially passive, whereas the labyrinth is active. In thecase of meditation, for example, there are those who don’t sit still comfortably for long periodsof time. Walking the labyrinth engages the body while the mind relaxes.

In the absence of gardens, labyrinths still make a significant contribution. In situationsin which there is no room for a garden, where the labyrinth is part of a paved area or terrace, orin which the labyrinth is indoors, in a classroom, atrium, or waiting room, labyrinths are stilleffective. While beautiful settings certainly honor and enhance the labyrinth, it is perhaps infacilities which lack beautiful settings that labyrinths can contribute the most.

The inadequacy of mechanistic, impersonal medicine falls upon the shoulders ofpatients as well as the medical community. It is common for people to fail to take responsibilityfor their lives, their health, or even in following their treatment program and taking theirmedicine. Modern life is hectic. Processed foods save time. Health hazard notices for drinkingor smokingare ignored.And then when the bodybreaks down, when injuryand illness intervene,patients often want a quick fix. “Fix me and let me get back to work.” Change and balance arejust 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 gobeyond the aerobic.Personal involvement is a major factor. In both the medical and the religious communities, therearemany individuals whofeel leftout, ineffective, helpless, out of control.Walking the labyrinthcan give a sense of engagement, enrollment, and participation. This was the experience atCalifornia Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, California. When first approached aboutgetting a labyrinth, hospital officials were skeptical. As private funding became available, theyagreed to be the first major hospital in the nation to install an outdoor labyrinth. Now, six yearslater, they are strong advocates for labyrinths. Not only does it offer relief to patients andvisitors, staff members also walk it, surgeons walk the labyrinth before performing surgery tocalm themselves, and board of trustee members walk it before meetings.

Summary

There are many reasonsfor including a labyrinth in your design. I consider them worksof 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 intouch with a part of ourselves that has been long forgotten, when people were more connectedto both earth and heaven. Archetype and architecture have the same root, referring to theunderlying structure of the universe, from atoms to galaxies. We identify with such patterns ona 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 Isaying that the quality of the inner world is essential to the well-being of the outer world? AmIsuggesting 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 withlabyrinths, I readily and confidently make these claims. Now, with the assumption that alabyrinth will be included in your design, let’s look at some of the relevant planningconsiderations.

The labyrinth at CaliforniaPacific Medical Center, located

adjacent to the waiting roomentrance. The large boulder

helps to ground the space.

“Having seen what Ihave seen and knowingwhat I know, it is hardfor me to imagine that

any thoughtful andprogressive architect

or planner wouldconceive of a newchurch or retreat

center, spa orhealthcare facility,

without including alabyrinth.”

“In labyrinths, whether ancientor modern, we walk in and we

walk out. We coil and uncoil. Wedo so both physically and

spiritually. The body and thespirit experience an intentional,simultaneous outing. We walk apath. It is both a spiritual path

and a physical path – noteither/or, but both/and. Our

spiritual journey and ourphysical journey are united.”

Donna Schaper

“The labyrinth is a riddleIt is the cosmos and the world

The life of human kind, thewomb of the earth

The journey, the wayto the center

The way to ourselves . . . “Ursa Krattiger Tinga

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Classical 7-circuit labyrinth.

CHOOSING A DESIGN

Many Considerations

Design, material, and cost are all interrelated. The site and space available certainlyinfluences whichdesign is chosen. Intended use, religiouspreference, and historical significancecan also be considerations. Most often, however, when perusing the possibilities, it becomesclear to the designer exactly which labyrinth patternwould be most efficacious for the particularclient and situation.

Choosing an ancient, established, traditional design can foster an association with thethousands, 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 religiousorganizations, due to its Christian origins.

On the other hand, some prefer a new design, either a popular contemporary pattern orone created especially for that client and that environment. This strikes me as being a differentmind set from, say, medieval times. In the 12th century, people wanted to associate themselveswith ancient traditions, to the point that medieval masons didn’t sign their work. Personality wassecondary to principle. In our modern age, however, identity and ownership of intellectualproperty has commercial value. Hence, there is an inclination to create new and unique workswhichhave neverbeen done before, and to claimthat work throughnaming it, installing plaques,and securing copyright, trademark, or other kinds of protection. When I make a labyrinth, it isalmost always a traditional one. I never sign it, or install a plaque identifying our company. Ifanonymitywas 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 changedor modified in order to meet specificrequirements. Forexample, we installed a labyrinthpatternonthe 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 of11 circuits. So, we modified the pattern and made a 7-circuit variation which looked similar tothe full pattern. It fit into the space and the client was pleased with the result. In that particularinstance we drew and painted the pattern onto the wooden floor, which was then given severalprotective coats of polyurethane.

I have learned much from the books of Titus Burckhardt and others who write aboutsacred science as practiced from ancient times up to the Renaissance. He’s a bit blunt in hisconclusions, but in the end, I would have to agree that tradition and spiritual content are not thestrongpoint of our secular “individualist” society. In response to the proposition that traditionalart is too restrictive, he says,

In reality no work exists that is traditional and therefore “bound” bychangeless principles, which does not give sensible expression to a certaincreative joy of the soul; whereas modern individualism has produced, apartfrom a few works of genius which are nevertheless spiritually barren, all theugliness– the endless and despairingugliness – of the forms which permeatethe “ordinary life” of our times.

Some of the traditional patterns have lasted for many centuries because of the elegance of theirdesign. I have seen many contemporary designs which don’t have the balance, symbolism, andpower of traditional patterns. For that reason, with a couple of notable exceptions, most of ourwork involves traditional patterns. It is the very association with earlier times which I thinkdraws us to the labyrinth, and which helps ensure a rewarding experience.

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 yearsold, and probably more. “Circuit” refers to the concentric paths. Count the paths at the top of thelabyrinth, not including the center, and there will be seven. Some scholars prefer to enumeratethe wallsor 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

Expanding the center of theclassical 7-circuit labyrinth

creates horizontal straight lines(dotted) in the pattern. The

center can be made largeenough to incorporate a tree,bench, fireplace, fountain, or

other feature.

A popular variation of theclassical 7-circuit pattern is to

make it round, which facilitatesenlarging the center without

distorting the pattern. It also ismore symmetrical.

The classical 7-circuit lendsitself to shape-shifting.

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with no specific religious connotation, except that some Christians may label it “pagan.” Thecenter is merely the end of the line, which allows no room for groups to gather. Thus, ourstandard version of this traditional design often has an enlarged center. However, enlarging thecenter distorts the mushroom-shaped pattern of the traditional design. It would be easier toenlarge the center if the labyrinth were made round, instead. Indeed, we have made this patterncircular for that exact reason.

The classical labyrinth may contain more than seven circuits. The increase is usuallyin steps of four circuits. The next size up would be an 11-circuit, followed by a 15-circuit andso forth. I only know of one 19-circuit in the world. All of the variations shown for the 7-circuitpattern can also be done with the larger paths.

There are instances in which the classical pattern is desirable. It is the oldest and mostrecognized labyrinth. A museum or a school might appreciate that. So might a setting desiringa pattern without identifiable religious symbolism. The classical pattern is easier to walk forsenior citizens than are some of the more complex patterns. It is also possible to make thelabyrinth with wider paths without making it intolerably long. This is often beneficial withrespect to wheelchair access.

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 visitedChartres Cathedral47 times.The cathedral, built in the early13th century, served as the prototypefor all other subsequent Gothic cathedrals. The labyrinth was no less influential. Due to itscomplexity, it is the design most likely to call for an expert installer. That would be LabyrinthEnterprises. And so 90% of our outdoor permanent labyrinth installations and 75% of ourportable 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 internalturns (which give it a cruciform shape), the center petals, and the partial circles around theperimeter (a symbolic lunar calendar). As with the cathedral itself, the labyrinth holds manylevels of meaning and symbolism.

When the pattern is made withoutthe center petals and the perimeter lunations, I preferto call it the medieval pattern. That pattern had already existed for 300 years by the time it wasinstalled 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

centuryduringthe greatagewhen Gothic cathedrals began to emerge, were labyrinths made largeenough 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 labyrinthin the Middle Ages. One account, from the cathedral of Auxerre, described the canons (priestsassigned to a cathedral) and the dean (the head of the chapter of canons) engaged in a ritualdanceat Easter time. Perhaps the practice of walking thelabyrinth was sowidespread that no onefelt it necessary to write a description. Modern books on labyrinths which say that labyrinthswere used as a form of substitute pilgrimage, when it was dangerous to go to Jerusalem, arelogical 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 thecathedral,both horizontally and vertically, the art and architecture, present thejourney from thisworld 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 paththrough life. Extremely important is the fact that it is a labyrinth and not a maze. There is onlyone path, with no dead ends or false passages. If we stay the course, despite the many turns andtribulations, we will arrive at our goal, the center. Thus, the center represented heaven. Thisjourney, from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge, from conflict to forgiveness, isthe core of all religions and spiritual practices. And so, while the labyrinth was created withdistinctly Christian symbolism, it is in fact reflective of the universal condition and quest ofhumanity.

Classical 11-circuit labyrinth.

Chartres Cathedral, interior.

Chartres labyrinth pattern.

This popular variation of theChartres pattern originated at

Grace Cathedral in SanFrancisco, California.

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July 19-25,2004, I will be leading a symposium in Chartres entitled: “Spirit, Light, andSacred 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 architectfrom 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, itaccounts for 25% of the diameter. This lends itself toward the modern use of labyrinths formeditation and group participation. In its original, the labyrinth is slightly more than 42 feet indiameter. Whenwe make replicas of the labyrinthon concrete, it is usually in full-scale, makingit a direct copy. We have made the labyrinth as large as 100 feet in diameter. It becomesproblematic, 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 20to 24 feet. We call it the Petite Chartres.

Santa Rosa Labyrinth

One of the most popular contemporary patterns is the Santa Rosa labyrinth. Protectedby copyright, it was originated by Dr. Lea Goode-Harris, who lives in Santa Rosa. Having aspecial license agreement with her, we have made more than 60 Santa Rosa labyrinths. Thedesign 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, creativesessions. I find it very elegant and geometrically balanced. I especially like the small circleseparating 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 notspecifically religious or generic. As a 7-circuit design, it can fit into smaller spaces. Because itdoesn’t have the intricate detail of the Petite Chartres, it costs less to make. Utilizing this patternentails paying a modest royalty to Dr. Goode-Harris.

Baltic Wheel

The vast majority of labyrinth designs in the United States are based on the classical orChartres 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 isunique in that it has a tree in the center, and also because it has a path that leads directly out ofthe 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 inKansas City, Missouri, which should be built in the spring or summer of 2004.

Octagonal Labyrinths

Most labyrinths are circular, but theycan be made octagonalor even square. In AmiensCathedral in France is a labyrinthwith the same path pattern as theChartres pattern, exceptmadeoctagonal. That variation was more efficient as the floor is made of square tiles. Indeed, ifmaking a labyrinth indoors out of tile, or even outdoors in brick, straight lines and a few anglesare mucheasier in some ways than circles (although straight lines are less forgiving than circles,and require more accuracy).

Contemporary Designs

The possibilities for contemporary designs are, of course, almost infinite in number. Itmightbe relevant to point out what is NOT a labyrinth. Labyrinthshave a surroundingperimeter,a single path to the center, and a number of turns to change direction. Therefore, meanders andspirals are not labyrinths. Someone once send me a description of their labyrinth, which turnedout 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 contemporarydesigns still take into consideration the characteristics and qualities of traditional patterns.

.Dedication ceremony for our

canvas labyrinth as St. Luke’sHospital in St. Louis.

Santa Rosa labyrinth.

Baltic Wheel labyrinth.

Small 5-circuit octagonallabyrinth.

A triangular design based on theclassical 7-circuit pattern.

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SITE AND ORIENTATION

Placing the Labyrinth

Labyrinthscanbe located just aboutanywhere, including slopingground. The pathscaneven be diverted to go around trees. The main consideration is compatibility between site anddesign and intended use. If you want wheelchair access, for example, then a grass hillsidewouldn’t work very well. On level ground or in lowareas, drainage is a necessary consideration.Proximity to buildings or coordination with other features are also important. If the labyrinth ispart of a larger wellness garden, columbarium, or meditation area, then the placement becomesan essential aspect of the overall design. In most cases, there is a specific area, courtyard, orlandscaping which clearly suits the inclusion of a labyrinth. Remember that labyrinths can beindoors or out. The design and the medium will also affect siting.

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. Thepreferred pattern usually the classical design. Dowsers do more than employ forked sticks asdiviningtools to locatewater. Whensiting a labyrinth they use their tools to ask the earth directlywhere and how it should be installed. They ask yes and no questions, receiving the answersthrough 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 earthdirectly as to its placement. Such a possibility, however, is too esoteric for many architects orplanners. It would be unusual for the plans to indicate “final placement and orientation to bedetermined by dowsing.” The modern world is out of touch with nature to the extent that eventhe changing of the seasons or the turning of the heavens are rarely noticed. So, asking the earthwould seem pretty strange. However, I have seen this technique used over and over, to greatadvantage.

At my former residence I was prepared to install a labyrinth in the back yard, with theentrance close to the porch steps. A dowsing friend, however, determined that the entranceshould 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 thelabyrinth almost by accident, with no specific energy or intention. On the other hand, walkingto the other side of the yard was a clear expression of intent. In fact, I felt more relaxed evenbefore reaching the entrance, as my body had learned that this interval would be time out, withno requirements other than walking.

Dowsers go evenfurther, using their technique to determine the design, and to build thedesign. 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 andlogical once one’s attention is brought to that way of conceptualizing. In public spaces, the flowof foot traffic may correspond in many ways to the energy flow. Suppose, for example, that thesite has a grade sloping downward to a property line, beyond which is an area unrelated to thespace being designed. It would not be desirable for the energy to “escape” by going down thehill and being lost, so some kind of barrier would be placed to contain the energy. Feng Shui istheChinese system for placement, for arranging landscape, buildings, and furniture, to create themost favorable environment, thereby benefitting those occupying it. “Placement” certainlyapplies to labyrinths.

I discuss dowsing and Feng Shui here to show there are many levels of consideration

Contemporary 6-circuit chalicelabyrinth design by Bob Peach(www.georgialabyrinths.com).

Native American “Man in theMaze” is actually a labyrinth.

Design for a labyrinth andcolumbarium for a church near

Chicago (not yet built).

The orientation of my formerbackyard labyrinth was

determined through dowsing.

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when designing a labyrinth and its setting. Having covered the subject briefly, I will admit thatI personally donot incorporate dowsing while installing labyrinths. Virtuallyall of thelabyrinthsthat I know that have been built with dowsing are soft-surface labyrinths, with paths made ofgrass or mulch. Since I specialize in concrete labyrinths, I usually determine the site andorientation 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 notfrom 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 thesource. 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 westand walks towards the east. The west represents this world, the setting sun, death and dying. Bywalking 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 theentrance facing west and the walker facing towards the east. Therefore, in building a Chartreslabyrinth, this is one method of determining orientation.

Since labyrinths were placed in the nave, the person entering the cathedral wouldencounter the labyrinth right away. For that reason, I see the labyrinth as a microcosm, asummary, of the purpose of the entire cathedral. It represents the doorway through which oneenters into the world of spirit. This principle could be relevant in determining where to locatea labyrinth within the context of a large building or complex of buildings. In other words, itmight be more relevant near the entrance rather than in a distant or obscure space, even thoughthe latter might be more quiet.

A good example of this approach is the labyrinth currently being planned for the newMarianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, IL. The labyrinth has been placed in the centerof an arc formed by the driveway to one of the entrances, on a lower level. There are roomslocated beneath the drive, which have glass windows looking out at the landscaping andlabyrinth. 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 ofthe 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 non-linear languages..

Other Methods of Orientation

Sometimes the topography determines the labyrinth plan. Perhaps there is only one levelplace, or only one courtyard or garden area. Topographical features are sometimes used fororienting labyrinths. When entering the labyrinth, for example, the walker may look directly ata large tree, a gap in a mountain range, or some landscape feature of importance. If there isnothing of particular interest to see when facing that direction, perhaps that would indicate theneed for an additional feature or amenity.

In Scandinavia, thereare hundreds of labyrinths built along the shores of the Baltic Seaby fishermen. Apparently they walked the labyrinth for good luck, then ran to their ships andsailed away while the trolls were still left behind in the labyrinth. Perhaps it was for that reasonthat almost without exception, the entrances face the water. Perhaps that created the shortestdistance to the boats.

Labyrinths can also be aligned astronomically, so that the main axis faces the sunriseon the summer solstice or a saint’s day or some other significant date. Ancient megaliths andstone circles are known to be aligned with astrological significance. Sometimes, I just sit at thesite until I intuitively feel that the labyrinth should be installed a certain way.

Resources to learn about FengShui are numerous on the

Internet. Some are orientedmostly to commerce and sales,reducing the complex nature oftraditional Feng Shui to a few

simple principles. Here areseveral websites that will give a

start on investigating Feng Shui:

The American Feng ShuiInstitute:

www.amfengshui.com

The Feng Shui Society (locatedin England, covering a global

scope):www.fengshuisociety.org.uk

Feng Shui for Modern LivingMagazine:

www.fengshui-magazine.com

International Feng Shui Guild:www.fengshuiguild.com. Fromthe Feng Shui Guild comes this

succinct definition of Feng Shui:

Feng Shui, translated from theChinese, means Wind Water. It

is a system of philosophy,science and art that has been

used for thousands of years as amethod of connecting people

with Heaven and Earth –seeking a balance between

opposites in all aspects of ourenvironments.

Almost every culture of theworld reflects some awareness

of the power of placement in itswisdom teachings. It is this

ancient legacy that Feng Shuipractitioners seek to enliven,

embrace, and uphold.

At the deepest level ofunderstanding, Feng Shui is theinterplay between the seen (our

surroundings) and the unseen(energy and intention). Feng

Shui acknowledges theinterconnect- edness of all

creation.

Gothic cathedrals aretraditionally oriented along a

west/east axis.

9

SACRED GEOMETRY

Divine Creation

Sacred geometry sounds like an oxymoron. How could anything as cold and computer-like as geometry be associated with the sacred? The fact that sacred geometry is not knownwidelymay have been the case in ancient times, as well, when such knowledge was restricted tothe priestly class, philosophers, masons, and those with special training. Yet, it was theunderlying factor in the design of virtually all sacred structures. Chartres Cathedral and theChartres labyrinth are primary examples of the application of sacred geometry. It would befitting, therefore, when designing a labyrinth, to take into consideration and utilize some of theprinciples of sacred geometry.

Sacred geometry is based on several assumptions. First, a Divine Hand was behind thecreation of the physical universe. It wasn’t just the fortuitous meeting of some molecules in aprimordial soupwhich subsequently climbed up on land and became human. If the universe wasa 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. Bystudying the creation, through observing nature, the solar system, and ourselves, we candetermine these creative principles. Once we know them, we can use them, thereby creating inthe 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.

Number and Proportion

In our modern world, our organizing principle is science. We know that the universeis 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 confidencein 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 toPythagorus, Plato, St. Augustine and others pointed out that God created in number andproportion.Number underlies everything. Proportions are numbersin relationshipto each other,of which geometry is a map or expression.

If you asked someone today what is the building block of the physical world, theywould likely say atoms. But how are atoms organized?By geometry! The orbitsof the electrons,thehexagons or other shapes of molecules, reflect geometry. Electron microscopes reveal atomsto be beautiful geometric patterns. If geometry reflects numbers, and creation is based ongeometry, then the ancients are right. In one way we have recognized this by doing the samething 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 vibratingthe surface through the introduction of various sounds. Incredibly, the metal powder arrangesitself into geometric pattern. Indeed, it was through studying the actions of a single string on amonochord that Pythagorus came to understand the importance of many proportions.

Quality of Numbers

Mywork with Chartres Cathedral and labyrinths brought me to sacred geometry. OnceI 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 numbersthreeand four, for example, they would be puzzled. But in fact, numbers have distinctly differentmeanings. Three represents the world of spirit, of the soul (and also of relationship), whereasfour signifies the physical world, the body, the mundane. There are geometrical reasonsfor thesevalues. It became a spiritual practice to combine three and four, thereby integrating our fullpotential. The result, numerically, is seven (adding them) or twelve (multiplying them). Theseare 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 suggestfurther study so as to incorporate within the design some elements of sacred geometry.

“Sacred geometry is the divisionof physical space through the

manifestation of divineprinciples. . . . Much more than

‘symbolic’ patterns of art andphilosophy, 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 thesekinds of things thus establishedreceived their shapes from the

Ordering One, through theaction of Ideas and Numbers.”

Plato

“But perhaps there is a patternset up the heavens for one who

desires to see it, and having seenit, to find one in himself.”

Plato

A progression of golden meanrectangles produces a spiral

found throughout nature, fromweather formations to ram’s

horns and seashells.

Golden mean relationships inthe design of the Parthenon.

The geometry of a platinumatom.

The best introduction to sacredgeometry is, A Beginner’s Guide

to Constructing the Universe:The Mathematical Archetypes of

Nature, Art, and Science byMichael Schneider. Website:

www.constructingtheuniverse.com

10

MATERIALS – SOFT SURFACES

Soft vs. Hard Surfaces

Labyrinths can range from rustic and inexpensive to elegant and costly. The range isquite vast. The break in cost and difficulty occurs at the distinction between soft and hardsurfaces.Soft surfaces can cost nextto nothing, and so are within the range of private homes andpeople making their own. Hard surfaces require muchmore skill, sophisticated tools, andusuallyprofessional assistance.

Myproduction manager, Judy Hopen, made a labyrinth in her back yard by raking theleaves into long piles that formed the lines of the classical 7-circuit pattern. The labyrinth lastedalmost six months, cost nothing, and took an hour to make. Similarly, it is possible to cut alabyrinth into the lawn. As long as it is maintained, it will remain. I know of some mownlabyrinths that have been in place for years and have become quite well known.

There are many ways to make temporarylabyrinths, such as painting the grass, puttingdown masking tape on carpet, laying wooden blocks on a parking lot. I won’t elaborate on thissubject here, however, as this guide assumes that the planning is for a permanent labyrinth.

Surface Preparation

Some potential labyrinth sites need no preparation. In Scandinavia, there are hundredsof 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 ina 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 withlandscaping 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 feetin diameter. The Chartres pattern included spaces for planting within the labyrinth itself. A treewas planted in the center. The maintenance crew cut the grass very short, and then covered itwith ground cloth, cutting it into a circle of the appropriate size. The cloth cost $700. Then Icame and drew the pattern onto the cloth. Volunteers then put stones on the lines, and filled thepaths 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 wasnot cedar, and it soon decomposed, forming a rich soil on top of the ground cloth which thensupported 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 thanthe original labyrinth. Once finished, however, it was then very low in maintenance. Thelabyrinth has been lovingly used for years. Around the perimeter the Mercy Center is installingplaques dedicated to deceased members of the convent. Log stump benches were placed in thecenter of the labyrinth. Thousands of groups and individuals have walked the labyrinth.

Grass Labyrinths

Stone and grass labyrinths require a considerable amount of upkeep, as the paths mustbe trimmed with a Weedeater or similar tool. One way in which to reduce the maintenance is touse bricks instead of stones, and to bury them so that they are flush with the surface. This willallow for the cutting of the grass. We are proposing a labyrinth of this design for a park here inSt. Louis. During the growing season, however, the grass will attempt to grow over the bricks.Trimmingis called for. We have suggestedtrimming onceper month in springand fall and twicea 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 haveused sod cutters to remove the grass and install crushed base (mixed stone) to create weatherresistantpaths. This method is labor intensive but the materialsare inexpensive, making it a goodproject for robust volunteers. Moving sod and stone requires considerable exertion.

School children in Denmarkplaying on a stone and grass

labyrinth. Many playgrounds inDenmark include labyrinths for

the children.

Labyrinth at Mercy Center in St.Louis, described in the text. I

especially like the optimism thatin 50 years that tree will shade

the labyrinth.

The Thompson Center labyrinthwith compacted base for paths,grass for lines. Bench in center.

The first load of mulch arrives tothe waiting labyrinth. This was

not a very “soft surface” as astone base was laid, covered by

the earth cloth seen in the photo.Bricks were placed for lines andmulch added. Located at SilverBay Association (YMCA), near

Lake George, NY.

11

Grass Paver Technology

Grass labyrinths are suitable for field conditions, but are rarely used in institutionalsettings. The fact that the labyrinths may become soft or muddy during inclement weather, andthe inaccessibilityfor 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). Thismagic is achievedthrough a technology similar to that used for other kinds of paving. A compacted crushed stonebase is installed, followed by a bed of sand onto which is installed a plastic grid of such strengththat it can withstand heavy traffic from fire trucks and other vehicles. The grid is filled with soiland planted with grass. The roots of the grass are protected by the grid, so the grass isn’tdamaged 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, priorto the addition of dirt. By removing the pattern lines from the grid, they can be replaced bybricks 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 areinstalling a prototype grass paver labyrinth in St. Louis. Next summer (2004) we will install amuch larger grass paver labyrinth at St. Paul’s Theological School in Kansas City. They wantto have a large labyrinth in an existing green area, without losing the green space. Grass pavingis the perfect solution.

Turf Labyrinths

When people ask the least expensive way to make a labyrinth, I ask if they have ashovel and a lot of time. In England, there are turf labyrinths which have existed for hundredsofyears. Basically, turf labyrinths are a henge, whichis a berm made by digging out one area andpiling it in the adjacent area. Stonehenge has standing stones in the center, and also a circularhenge which surrounds the site. Protective trenches dug in World War I are extreme forms ofhenges, with the piled dirt offering protection.

There are two types of turf labyrinths. In one case, the wall is the line and the valley isthe path. Because this could get soggy and muddy during wet weather, some paths have bricksor stone in the bottom. In other cases, the valley is the line and the path is located on the top ofthe mound. Since the lines are generally much narrower than the paths, digging out the linesmight be the easiest alternative.

Without question the greatest turf labyrinth (and maze) builder in the United States isAlex Champion. I was involved in making a turf labyrinth with Alex in which he determinedthrough dowsing that the mounds would be more powerful if they had a core of granite. So, wedugout 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 upas highas the knees.

To dress up a turf labyrinth one can put stone or brick along the sides of the mounds.Sometimesthis is done only at the turns, to strengthen them.The degree of maintenance dependson what is planted. Given the valleys, I’m not sure how one would cut the grass. I would guessthata turf labyrinth from Alex Champion would cost in the $6,000 to $30,000 range, dependingon 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 topof the existing ground. I was once sent a photo of a man in Michigan making a huge labyrinthin this way, one wheelbarrow full at a time, consisting of many many tons of earth. Some othermaterial 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 homeor retreat center or bed and breakfast establishment. Using natural materials at hand, they havecreated masterpieces. We enjoy being hired to make labyrinths, but it also pleases us to seelabyrinths created byend users, in allkinds of circumstances and venues.For that reason, we sellinstruction books on our website (www.labyrinth-enterprises.com).

Private residence in Florida:installing the bricks first, thenadding the grass. In place of

grass we could have filled thepaths with sand, stone base, or

mulch, all of which we havedone a number of times.

Cut grass paver grids, awaitinginsertion of pavers for the lines.

Stu Bartholomaus is the world’sleading mown labyrinth maker.

The walls can be neatly trimmed,as shown here, or left to grow

tall and wild. (Stu can bereached by email:

stumaryb@aol.com.)

This modern turf labyrinth wascreated by Alex Champion. Hiswebsite contains photos of hiswork: www.earthsymbols.com

Below is a picture of a turflabyrinth at Champion’s home in

Northern California.

12

MATERIALS – HARD SURFACES

Existing Surfaces

Hardsurfaces range from wood to brick, stone, concrete, terrazzo and granite. All havebeenused asmedia for making labyrinths. Formanyhard-surface labyrinths, the pattern is simplydrawn and painted on the surface, which is then protected by a sealer of some kind. We havedesigned labyrinths for unused traffic circles, tennis courts, swimming pool bottoms, asphaltdriveways, and terraces. In one instance, in Carbondale, Illinois, a labyrinth was built on aconcrete slab which once held a geodesic dome built by Buckminster Fuller, who once taughtnearby. If an existing structureor surface is suitable for a labyrinth, someof the cost in providingan adequate base can be avoided. In some cases, repairing and resurfacing an existing surfacemaynot be less costlyper square foot than a new surface, but can avoid tearing out and removingthe oldsurface, which would be an addedexpense. AtUnity Village in Missouri a huge Chartreslabyrinth,100 feet in diameter, was painted onthe existing asphalt pavement.In the vastmajorityof cases, however, the labyrinth installation is part of a new building project.

Wood

Wooden labyrinths can be outdoors, on decks constructed over irregular or slopingterrain, or indoors, ongymnasiumfloors 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 weuse. The answer is none.We use simple instruments to drawand paint the labyrinthby hand.Theslight imperfections of hand work is much more pleasing to the eye and the soul than the harshperfection of a computerized drawing or template.

Brick and Pavers

There are two methods of making a labyrinth with bricks or pavers. The first is to usetwo different colors of pavers, cutting and fitting them together to make a labyrinth. Needless tosay, such a method is extremely labor intensive. Yes, pavers canbe 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 diameterincreases.

For a labyrinth as complicated as the Chartres labyrinth, a real master paver artist isrequired. There is only one in the labyrinth world: Marty Kermeen of Plano, Illinois. HisChartres labyrinth in Riverwalk Park, Naperville, IL, took four weeks of painstaking labor tocomplete.Every shape requires double cutting and shaping, once for the positive space and oncefor the negative space (line and path, respectively). A labyrinth of this kind costs $100,000 ormore. 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 familiarwith pavers, with mixed results. It would be difficult to conceive of a paver labyrinth with twocolors, all hand cut – even in a simple design – for much less than $30,000. Even then, ratherthan 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 suchextensive paver work. The entire labyrinth pad is laid in concentric circles (with some straightlines at the entrances), all in one color. Then the details of the labyrinth are scored with diamondsaws into the surface of the labyrinth. The main circles are single rows of pavers, so the cuttingis 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 littlepartial circles around the perimeter) and the central petals. The pattern is then stained onto thepavers. Pavers are made of concrete, and so a special concrete stain is used. This is a techniquethat 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 paverlabyrinth will last around 10 years or so. Re-staining it would be a matter of a few thousand

We installed this Chartreslabyrinth on an existing terrace

at St. James Cathedral inChicago. The surface was

pebble aggregate, so we firstleveled the surface. Then we

used a special acrylic system byAllDeck to install the labyrinth.

(For details on the acrylicmaterial see www.AllDeck.com.)

A labyrinth on a wooden deckoverlooking Canyon Lake,

Texas. For more photos see:www.surrendertotheheart.com

Rev. Kathy Musser celebratesthe completion of the new

painted labyrinth on the floor ofthe chapel at Village Church in

Wellesley, MA.

Paver labyrinth installed byMarty Kermeen in Riverwalk

Park, Naperville, IL. (SeeMarty’s beautiful work on hiswebsite www.artpaver.com.)

One of our cut and stained paverlabyrinths in New Vernon, NJ,

made jointly with MartyKermeen.

13

Left: These are photos of thepaver labyrinth at the Family

Life Center of Federated Churchin Chagrin Falls, OH. The cost

of the extensive landscaping wasseveral times that of the

labyrinth itself. Thatdemonstrates the relationshipbetween labyrinth and setting.

An expensive labyrinth in a starksetting may be less effective than

a more basic labyrinth in abeautiful setting.

Robert Ferré and MartyKermeen working on the base

for a paver labyrinth. Thelabyrinth is never any better

than the quality of the base thatsupports it.

Detail of a lunation cut into thelabyrinth. There are 113 of these

in a Chartres design.

Lunations after staining.

Details of the cut and stainedpattern in the Federated Churchlabyrinth (see left). Although thestain is warranted for 20 years,we claim only half of that as its

probable lifetime before needingto be re-stained.

14

dollars and a week of work. The cost of the second method is half of the first. A Chartreslabyrinth 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 ourcrewscoming to cut and stain the labyrinth. In such manner, even a $30,000 two-color labyrinthmay be able to be done for half the cost ($15,000). We can work with Marty Kermeen to installa world-class labyrinth or we can be more modest in our aims and work with local paverinstallers and craftsmen, instructing them and then cutting and staining the pattern.

Stone

Given the difficulties involved in working with stone, I have seen few attempts to usecut stone for a labyrinth. If you want a stone labyrinth, call Marty. Incidentally, he and I arelooking for someone with a budget of $250,000 so that we can make an exact copy of theChartres labyrinth, in stone, with each piece being the same size and shape as the original. I havemeasured and photographed every stone of the Chartres labyrinth in preparation for such aproject.

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 flatterrace for the labyrinth. We then cut the pattern into the surface, which was stained byvolunteers. The stone was “green” and chipped rather easily.

Terrazzo

In my opinion, smooth terrazzo is suitable only for indoor use. I know of outdoorlabyrinths 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 thestone comes in different colors, patterns are possible, divided by narrow strips of metal. Theterrazzo is poured into its designated area and, when dry, ground and sanded endlessly to turnit into a smooth surface.

Needlessto say, making the metalstrips necessary for a labyrinth is a big job. All of theterrazzo labyrinths that I have seen have been of the Chartres pattern. At Church of theTransfigurationin Dallas, they stylized the designfeatures rather than going for an exact replica.At St.George Episcopal Church in Germantown, near Memphis, TN, they apparently started atthe top, gluing down the metal arcs for the lunations. When they reached the entrance theydiscovered they had a problem. The lunations didn’t come out as they were supposed to. And sothe entrance looks a bit bizarre. The rest of the work is beautiful – they simply didn’t know theidiosyncracies of the pattern, and, unfortunately, didn’t hire our company or someone else toassist. A few thousand dollars more wouldn’t have broken the budget and would have assureda 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 therain. 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 theUnited States. Located in historic New Harmony, Indiana, it is called the Cathedral Labyrinthand Sacred Garden. Kent Schuette was the lead architect (Purdue University department oflandscape architecture). It was my duty and pleasure to take the two architects and the stonecontractor to Chartres, to see and to measure the real thing.

In NewHarmony, the surface is made of slabs of granite in such a way that the lines arepolished and the paths are matt finish. The effect is extraordinary. The paths and lines look likecompletely different stone, even though they are part of the same slab. This exquisite labyrinthwas championed and financed through the resources of Mrs. Jane Owen and the Blaffer Trust.She has done many marvelous things for New Harmony.

Pattern lines cut into the sand-stone in Danville, Kentucky,

prior to staining.

This concrete labyrinth wasstamped to look like stone. The

lines were stained by hand.

The terrazzo labyrinth at GraceCathedral in San Francisco.

Photo by Cindy Pavlinac (seeher exceptional work at

www.sacred-land-photography.com).

The Reverend Dr. LaurenArtress, canon at Grace

Cathedral, has been the leadingfigure in the rediscovery of the

labyrinth as a spiritual tool. Herbook, used widely by churches

as a source of instruction, is,Walking a Sacred Path:

Rediscovering the Labyrinth as aSpiritual Tool. Having also

founded Veriditas, theWorldwide Labyrinth Project,Dr. Artress continues to work

full time presenting the labyrinthand training labyrinthfacilitators. The Grace

Cathedral website also includesa labyrinth locator listing

hundreds of labyrinths in theUnited States and abroad (see

www.gracecathedral.org).

The Cathedral Labyrinth andSacred Garden in historic New

Harmony, Indiana.

15

CONCRETE LABYRINTHS

Decorative Concrete

Concreteis no longer theboring gray substance used for sidewalks. The fastest growingaspect of the concrete business in the past decade has been decorative concrete. Every year atWorld of Concrete, a conventionand exposition attend by60,000 concreteenthusiasts, more andmore attention is given to decorative techniques and tools. Concrete is a big business, withvirtually 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 evenused for countertops. Over the years I have attended World of Concrete, taken classes, and goneto trainings sponsored by product manufacturers.

In all cases, I found little available in the way of tools or training that applied toanything as complex and intricate as making a labyrinth. There are dozens of companies that selldiamond blades for cutting concrete, but none as small as I need for the kind of detail found ina labyrinth. So, we have to adopt and modify and invent – an on-going process of continualrefinement. We feel that our concrete labyrinths meet in a superior way the need for institutionalprojects, being modest in price compared to other hard surfaces, beautiful in appearance, lowmaintenance, and long lasting.

Drawing and Painting on Concrete

In the days before our all-concrete technology, we used to draw and paint the labyrinthpatterns on the surface of the concrete. Such an approach is much less involved than actuallyscribingthe patternwith diamond saws. There are many kinds ofpaint whichcan be used. Trafficpaint is quite durable. Porch paint is another. We have used a special acrylic resin which driesvery thin and resists scuffing. It should last up to 10 years before needing to be repainted. In anumber of cases we have drawn the pattern and then volunteers have done the actual painting.

Stamping and Staining

Concrete stain is used quite a bit in decorative concrete. Normally, it gives a rathermottled and irregular appearance, meant to imitate natural stone. Stain is very thin,however, andnot well-suited to staying within drawn lines. When we use stain, it is still in an area defined bysaw cuts. If you try to paint with a brush, stain will show every stroke. It works best for largerareas, rather than lines. For these reasons, we rarely use stain. The stain that we use on concretepavers (mentioned in the paver section) is both a stainand 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 thelabyrinth to match, youcould consider stamped concrete. Manytypes of stonecan be reproducedin concrete, with mortar joints or seamless. I don’t recommend stamping the concrete becauseit traps water and inhibits drainage, as well as giving an uneven surface which could cause olderpersons or people with physical challenges more difficulty. Stamping and staining are the coreof the decorative concrete world, yet we rarely use either. There is a technique that I would liketo try sometime, for staining flat concrete to look like an irregular stone surface, even though itisn’t. Perhaps that would be the best solution for a faux stone look.

Using Volunteers

Making labyrinths requires patience. It is slow, meticulous work. Volunteers wouldseemcost effective, but in my experience, their contribution is negligible. While I am instructingand supervising the volunteers, I am not myself working. AndI am both fasterand better, in mostinstances, 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 tobuild community, and thus can be more worthwhile to the volunteers than to me.

For an Internet site that willlead to many areas of decorative

concrete, including products,tools, and techniques, see:

www.concretedecor.net.

We drew this labyrinth onconcrete at Peace LutheranChurch in Danville, CA, in

Sharpie® indelible felt-tippedpens. Can’t make any mistakes!

At St. Anne’s Episcopal Churchin Nashville, TN, to work aroundthe irregularities of the concretesurface we painted 10,000 faux

pebbles. It was a big success.

Judy Hopen, productionmanager at Labyrinth

Enterprises, staining a labyrinthwithout cut lines.

Painting a concrete labyrinthwith acrylic resin. Volunteerswere supplied by the sisters at

Ursuline College, where thelabyrinth is located(Pepper Pike, OH).

16

ALL-CONCRETE LABYRINTHS

The Concept

Using our proprietary technique, we score the labyrinth pattern onto concrete withdiamond-bladed saws. We don’t draw the pattern first and then cut the drawn lines. We actuallymake the lines with the saws. The kerf is not more than 1/4 inch deep. To color the labyrinth, wemix a type of polymer concrete that was developed for resurfacing concrete. We color itaccording to the particular instructions for that installation. The most common color is charcoalgray. Rather than resurfacing the entire labyrinth, we resurface the lines only, between our cutmarks, in such a way that the cuts are left open. We mix the polymer concrete in small batchesand brush it on by hand.

The end result is quite surprising. The cut gives the impression that the colored line hasbeen inset into the concrete. Further, the cut also forms a small shadow, a thin black line whichstrongly articulates the color, almost in a three-dimensional way. When the coloring process isfinished, the entire labyrinth receives two coats of protective sealer. Re-sealing is advised everythree years (it is simply rolled on, like paint). Since everything is done by hand, there are someirregularities. Since the polymer concrete is mixed in dozensof batches, there is inevitablysomevariation 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 thelines are themselves made of concrete, with the same life of the concrete pad, as determined byproper installation and maintenance. We have been successful in our quest. The response hasbeen very favorable.

Cost and maintenance are big considerations when it comes to labyrinths. Concretecosts a fraction of terrazzo or granite or even pavers. Maintenance is no more than should bedone for any decorated concretesurface – keep it cleanand seal it every fewyears. The work canbe done after the other construction is complete. The concrete pad can be installed by the samecontractor 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 aminimum of 28 days. We supply a list of specifications well in advance, which can assist in theplacing 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 linesmaroon or dark green or charcoal. In other cases the concrete was buff, and in one case, a fairlyvibrant rose color. An alternate way to color a concrete pad is to color only the surface duringthe finishing process, usually by broadcasting a dry color hardener over the wet concrete andtroweling 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-concretetechnology. In 2003 we made half a dozen, with that number expected to increase in 2004. It isdifficult to expand our small company, given the complexity ofthe knowledge required to do thiswork.Our current price (fall, 2003) is $18,000 plus travel and lodging. That does not include thecost of the concrete. It takes from 10 days to two weeks to complete the labyrinth.

Our prototype shows how thelines fill in the texture of the

background concrete. Thisbonds them securely, and also

gives them the appearance of acompletely different type of

material. Yet, it is all concrete.

Base for the labyrinth at OurLady of Victory Hospital in

Stanley, WI, before cutting thelabyrinth. 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. Theline in the upper right corner isnot a mistake but a pencil linemarking where to stop the cut.

Here I am, scribing circles inconcrete. While I enjoy writing

and speaking about labyrinths, Iam most satisfied when I am onsite, actually making them. The

various stages of work are like achoreographed dance.

17

Trinity Episcopal Church inSanta Barbara, CA. The

labyrinth was a gift by theThornton family in memory of

Bethany Thornton’s mother.There will be a walk attaching to

the apron in front of thelabyrinth entrance. All of theconcrete Chartres labyrinths

that we have made were exact-size replicas, including this one.

The dark green color fits thesurroundings.

Kanuga Conference and RetreatCenter in Hendersonville, NC.

Located in a woody area (hencethe fallen leaves) on a very

substantial pad made for thelabyrinth. This two-tone gray isa popular combination because

it resembles the terrazzolabyrinth at Grace Cathedral(shown below) at one-fourth

of the cost.

18

AMENITIES

Sacred Space

The first labyrinths at GraceCathedral in California were made with thehelp and adviceofRichard Feather Anderson. Anderson has definedsacred space as having threecharacteristics.First, it has a clear and observable perimeter, even if it is only a piece of yarn strung betweentrees. 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 labyrinthhas these three criteria within its owndesign.On a larger scale, however, the same principles can apply. The labyrinth should be enclosed insome way. The walkway or entrance to the labyrinth should not also lead elsewhere. Thelabyrinth itself, then, would serve as the central feature within the large sacred space. Theamenities 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 yourshoes, or to rest after walking, write in your journal or reflect on the experience. I am currentlyworking on a plan for a labyrinth in Kansas City in which there is a seating wall that will goaround much of the labyrinth, enclosing the space and directing people to the two trellis-coveredentrances. Benches are also a practical amenity as an item that can be donated and dedicated tosomeone. There are many possibilities with regard to placement of benches. Usually they lookacross the labyrinth to the best view. Often we place benches only around one side, so thatpeople on opposite sides of the labyrinth aren’t looking at each other. I have always felt that itwould 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

The inclination to put low lighting around the perimeter of the labyrinth should beavoided. Walking in low light, people depend onthe visual purple in their eyes adapting to nightvision, which makes themfar more sensitive to light. Having lights down low, in the visual rangeofthe 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 wallsor entrapping structures.The path is hidden andthe way unclear. Labyrinths are just the opposite. Since there is nothing to figure out, seeing theentire labyrinth is part of the experience. In the same way, landscaping shouldn’t tower over thelabyrinth or intimidate. There is no need for a high wall or opaque barrier, unless soundabatement is intended. Suitable for labyrinths are herbs and fragrant flowers, low bushes, orsomething 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 labyrinthis about joining, not isolation. The landscaping should add to the naturalness and relaxation ofthe setting, without causing a sense of being imprisoned or hidden.

Water Features

Water represents spirit. We have designed labyrinths with moats, reflecting pools, andwaterfalls. I almost always include such a feature in my plans and in a surprising number ofcases, my suggestions are accepted.

Labyrinth Enterprises

This is our painted labyrinth atUrsuline 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. Theconcrete itself constitutes

another border around thelabyrinth, which here has beenenhanced by landscaping. The

plantings deter geese from goingonto the concrete.

We built this labyrinth duringthe construction phase of thenew West Clinic in Memphis,

TN. Later they added thebenches and gazebo. Windowson the rear of the building look

out at woods, a pond, and thelabyrinth.

We were pleased to see that ourstained paver labyrinth at

Federated Church’s Family LifeCenter in Chagrin Falls, OH,

was landscaped so beautifully,including a waterfall, twin

streams around the labyrinthand reflecting pools beside the

bridge to the entrance.

This public labyrinth garden inZurich, Switzerland, was built on

the site of a decommisionedmilitary base. The Zurich areahas some 50 public labyrinths.

19

History

InSeptember, 1995, I attended the firstnationallabyrinth conference.There, Imet otherpeople 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 sellthroughGrace Cathedral to other churches. I created such a labyrinth and sent it to her later thatfall. It was the beginning of a long association which continues to this day, supplying GraceCathedral with canvas labyrinths.

Quicklywe expanded fromcanvas labyrinths to permanentones. Our originalname, theSt. Louis Labyrinth Project, was too long and confusing as a business name, so we becameLabyrinthEnterprises. JudyHopen, my production manager, came on in 1998 and now operatesthestudio. In the meantime, I continued to do research and to make permanenton-site labyrinths.Finally, we developed our concrete labyrinth which is putting us “on the map.” We have nowaccumulated a trailer full of specially-designed tools, a truck to pull it, and orders to fill. Life isgood 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

The fee for designing, consulting, and speaking is $90 per hour plus expenses. We arehappy to bid on specific projects. All consulting feesare credited towards the cost of installationif we do the work.

Contact Information

Robert Ferré, DirectorLabyrinth Enterprises128 Slocum AvenueSt. Louis, MO 63119

Telephone: (314) 968-5557 or (800) 873-9873Fax: (314) 968-5539 or (888) 873-9873

Email: robert@labyrinth-enterprises.com

Website: www.labyrinth-enterprises.com

A completed canvas labyrinth inour Art Deco gymnasium studio.

Setting up the guide marksbefore cutting a concrete

labyrinth. Left to right,Chuck Hunner, Judy

Hopen, Robert Ferré.

Judy takes a rest on a pallet ofpavers. Later, she carried every

one of them into the labyrinth.

Robert cleaning up tools aftercoloring the concrete.

Addendum

Since writing this planning book, Labyrinth Enterprises has continued to develop methods for installinglabyrinths, especially in the following two areas.

CONCRETE

We have produced superb tools for scoring and coloring concrete with polymer concrete. Our clients havebeen very satisfied. For those who have a limited budget, we have added a second technique to achieve asimilar purpose. Rather than scoringand hand coloring, we mask off thelabyrinth design and “shoot” it withpolymer concrete. The end result isstill an all-concrete, durable, low-maintenance labyrinth. Without thescoring, it looks a bit more like apainting rather than looking inlaid.Here is a photo of a project done inthis way at First United Methodist

Church inValparaiso,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 aboutone-eighth of an inch. The polymer concrete is the same as used for micro-toppingsof the same thickness when resurfacing concrete.

PAVERS

Byusing water jet technology to do some of the most intricate cutting, we have now lowered the cost of two-color 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.Thereis a similar “kit” available on the market by another company, but it wasn’t designed by someone withpaver experience. We feel that our product is superior, especially with regards to the center. Most installersmake 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 withthe entrance paths. Here are two photos of a recent installation.

The labyrinth at ZionUnited Church ofChrist, Florrissant,Missouri

The key to the value of our paver labyrinths is the expertise of the installation. Problems in pavers may notshow up for a few years, but eventually flaws and shortcuts in the base or retention devices will becomeevident. Our labyrinths are built for the long term. An example is the labyrinth we built at ValparaisoUniversity 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, exceptfor the grillsover the two collection basins.

This unique installation includes a lip along the side of the walking path, to allow the sight-challenged tofollowthe path witha cane. The 40-inch paths allow for wheelchairs, or forcouples to walk side by side.Thedesign 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. Thelimestone monuments contain scriptural verses. The project was competed in the fall, so gravel was placedinareas thatwill be planted in the spring. Access is via twin ramps formed by three low retaining walls (notpictured).The labyrinth is 72 feet in diameter, comprising some 4,000square feet. Cost was just slightly intosix figures. The pattern is copyrighted and used uniquely for this project. It cannot be duplicated or copied.

After downloading this planningbook, pleasenote that there are other informative downloadsavailable fromour 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 notincluded labyrinths currently in the planning and pre-construction stage. To list church or other public labyrinths would be farbeyond 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. Itcan be consulted online.

ALASKACentral Peninsula General Hospital, SoldotnaProvidence Alaska Medical Center

ARIZONADesert Samaritan Medical Center, Mesa

CALIFORNIAArthur Ashe Health and Wellness Center, Los AngelesCalifornia Pacific Medical Center, San FranciscoHarbor-UCLA Medical Center, TorranceMadrone Hospice Center, YrekaNapa Valley Hospital, NapaNorthridge Hospital Medical Center, NorthridgeRedwood Memorial Hospital, FortunaScrippsMcDonald Center,Scripps Memorial Hospital, La JollaSharp Memorial Hospital, San DiegoSierra Hospice, ChesterSt. John’s Regional Medical Center, OxnardSt. Joseph Hospital, EurekaSt. Mary’s Medical Center, Apple ValleyVA Medical Center, Sepulveda

COLORADOMercy Medical Center, DurangoPenrose-St. Francis Health Services, Colorado Springs

FLORIDAH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, TampaH. P. Hospice, HudsonIntegrated Health Solutions, Boynton BeachM. D. Anderson Cancer Center, OrlandoOrlando Regional South Seminole Hospital, Longwood

GEORGIAGwinnett Medical Center, LawrencevilleMedical Center of Central Georgia, MaconMemorial Health University Medical Center, SavannahSt. Jude’s Recovery Center, Atlanta

HAWAIINorth Hawaii Community Hospital, Kamuela

IDAHOSt. Luke’s Regional Medical Center. Boise

ILLINOISCarle Hospital, UrbanaLake Forest Hospital, Lake ForestSt. Joseph’s Hospital, Elgin

INDIANAClarian Hospitals Chaplaincy, IndianapolisSt. Vinvent Jennings County Hospital, North Vernon

LOUISIANAHospice of Acadiana, Lafayette

MARYLANDHannah More School, ReisterstownHospice of the Chesapeake, LinthicumJohns Hopkins Medical Center, Bayview Campus, BaltimoreMaria Health Care Center, School Sisters of Notre Dame,

BaltimoreMaryland Specialty Hospital, Inner Harbor, BaltimoreNational Institutes of Health, BethesdaRegional Institute for Children and Adolescents, BaltimoreSheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital, BaltimoreWashington County Hospital, Hagerstown

MASSACHUSETTSProvidence Behavioral Health Hospital, Holyoke

MICHIGANBorgess Integrative Medicine, KalamazooDominican Life Center, AdrianMercy Hospital, Grayling (Munson Health Care),

Traverse CityNokomis Challenge Center, PrudenvilleSparrow Healing Garden, Sparrow Hospital, LansingSt. Mary’s Health Care, Grand Rapids

MINNESOTAAbbott Northwest Hospital, MinneapolisMayo Building, University of Minnesota, MinneapolisNorth Memorial Health Care, RobbinsdaleRegions Hospital, St. PaulVirginia Piper Cancer Center, Minneapolis

MISSOURIBoone Hospital, ColumbiaHoward County Health Ministries, FayetteSt. Luke’s Hospital, St. Louis

MONTANADeaconess Hospital, Bozeman,Benefits Hospital Hospice, Great Falls

NEBRASKASt. Francis Medical Center, Grand Island

NEW HAMPSHIREDartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, LebanonSeacoast Hospice, Exeter & Dover

NEW JERSEYHackensack University Medical Center, Contemporary

Medicine Program, HackensackAlliance to Combat Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Jersey CityMedical Center of Ocean County, BrickMemorial Hospital of Salem County, SalemMind-Body Center for Complementary Medicine, MorristownMorristown Memorial Hospital, MorristownNewton Memorial Hospital, Newton

NEW MEXICOCancer Diagnosis Survivor’s Group, CorralesGila Regional Medical Center, Silver City

NEW YORKClifton Springs Hospital and Clinic, Clifton SpringsSamuel S. Stratton Medical Center, AlbanySt. John’s Hospital, New York CitySt. Lawrence Psychiatric Center Storehouse, OgdensburgSt. Mary’s Hospital, AmsterdamUniversity Hospice, Staten IslandV. A. Medical Center, AlbanyV.A. Medical Center, CanandaiguaWestchester Medical Center, Valhalla

NORTH CAROLINACatawba Valley Medical Center, HickoryHigh Point Regional Hospital, High PointHospice Center, WilmingtonWesley Long Community Hospital Oncology Center,

Greensboro

OHIOAkron General Medical Center, AkronChildren’s Hospital, College Hill Campus, CincinnatiHolzer Center for Cancer Care, GallipolisMercy Holistic Health and Wellness Center, CincinnatiSt. Rita’s Medical Center, Lima

OREGONLegacy Medidian Park Hospital, TualatinMerle West Medical Center, Klamath FallsMid-Columbia Medical Center, The DallesSacred Heart Medical Center, EugeneSamaritan Pacific Communities Hospital, NewportThree Rivers Community Hospital, Grants Pass

PENNSYLVANIACharles Cole Memorial, CoudersportDoylestown Hospital Health and Wellness Center,DoylestownMeadville Medical Center, MeadvilleReading Hospital and Medical Center, West ReadingTyler Memorial Hospital, Tunkhannock

TENNESSEEAlexian Village of Tennessee, Signal MountainSt. Thomas Hospital, NashvilleV. A. Medical Center, MemphisWest Clinic, Wings Cancer Foundation, Memphis

TEXASDominican House, HoustonM. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Place of Wellness, HoustonSeton Medical Center, AustinSouthwest Memorial Hermann Wellness Center, HoustonUniversity of Texas Medical Branch, GalvestonBaylor Medical Center, Dallas

VIRGINIAEastern State Hospital, WilliamsburgSantara Virginia Beach General HospitalWhitman-Walker Clinic, Arlington

WASHINGTONCommunity Cancer Center, St. Joseph Hospital, BellinghamV. A. Medical Center, Seattle

WISCONSINFranciscan Hospital, LaCrosseHudson Hospital, HudsonOur Lady of Victory Hospital, Stanley

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CANADAFoothills Hospital, Calgary, AlbertaGoodfish Lake Health Centre, Goodfish Lake, ABHomewood Health Center, Guelph, ONSt. Joeseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, ONSt. Paul’s Hospital, VancouverWomen’s College Ambulatory Care Center, Toronto

BRAZILPirajussara General Hospital, Sao Paulo

GERMANYFranz-Hospital, Dühmen

THE NETHERLANDSOnze Lieuevrouwe Gesthuis, Amsterdam