The World-Wide Labyrinth Locator.

June 17, 2007 6:53 AM

The World-Wide Labyrinth Locator What is a Labyrinth?A labyrinth is a single path or unicursal tool for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation. Labyrinths are thought to enhance right brain activity.
posted by phoque (22 comments total)

Yes, and 'uvula' means 'a large bedroom used by royalty', and 'giraffe' means 'a tool for calibrating micrometers'.
posted by Malor at 7:21 AM on June 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

The healing power of prayer is well documented and receiving the loving energy of 110-plus steadfast hearts and minds can have a powerful impact on any adverse situation.

Your favourite new-age voodoo sucks.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 7:22 AM on June 17, 2007

Neat find, I'm surprised by how many are located nearby. Not too sure why I'd want to walk one tho, seems like the strongest reason given is along the lines of "trust us, it does right-brain stuff and provides spiritual enlightenment!." Maybe that's why so many are located at churches...

I really want to go to Kansas and get lost in a giant corn maze.
posted by waxboy at 7:24 AM on June 17, 2007

I was reading about Solovki Monastery Largest monastary in Russia, subsequently turned into a gulag. Peter the Great built a church there and the islands are part of a micoclimate that allows (as rumour goes) the growing of watermelons.

Located on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea

I was intrigued by the suggestion that a 22 meter diameter labyrinth would be the world's largest (comment near bottom of page)

The Islands seem awash in labyrinths

The Swiss apparently have them beat athough I didn't know about all the categories so have more figuring to do.

The second link ... well it takes all kinds :)
posted by phoque at 7:30 AM on June 17, 2007

They didn't have what is claimed to be the largest hedge maze in the world, the Castlewellan "Peace Maze". It's pretty close to where I live when not at university.
posted by knapah at 7:38 AM on June 17, 2007

I was going to take a long look around one of these, but ended up with the minor tour instead.
posted by Abiezer at 7:47 AM on June 17, 2007

phoque: I lived nearby and never heard of watermelons growing there. But it's true that there are a lot of mazes and they're fairly famous in that area. If I remember right it wasn't well known, or at all, who built them..

Incidentally, I thought labyrinths enhance our ability to get lost.
posted by rainy at 7:54 AM on June 17, 2007

The healing power of prayer is well documented and receiving the loving energy of 110-plus steadfast hearts and minds can have a powerful impact on any adverse situation.

David and I are skeptical.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 7:54 AM on June 17, 2007

I located one in my back yard. I started with a seven-circuit design and modified it to include extra loops and paths around trees and other natural features in the yard.

It was just made by mowing, so it's a short grass path through the 'rough'. That way, if I want to change it, I just change where I mow. There is some uphill and downhill, and it's around 3/4 mile long (put in approx. 1/3 acre space), so it's good exercise.

I'm not looking for 'personal, psychological or spiritual transformation', but I do find it to be a calming meditative walk. The difference between a labyrinth and a [corn] maze is that a maze is a puzzle or a challenge- you have to make choices. In a labyrinth you can let your mind do its meditative thing while you walk. You can't get lost. (Unless you're looking for the minor tour)

Extra benefits- I don't have to mow as much, the yard can be much more of a mess without me feeling guilty, and I can let some amazing wildflowers come up in the yard.
posted by MtDewd at 8:08 AM on June 17, 2007

Ah, I guess that's why they didn't include the maze I mentioned above.

I wasn't aware of the distinction between the two.
posted by knapah at 8:24 AM on June 17, 2007

Yeah, I did this a few times in college.

Labyrinths themselves are calming, not to mention mathematically interesting. A lot of the talk that seems to accompany labyrinths, on the other hand, makes me a little uncomfortable.
posted by roll truck roll at 9:12 AM on June 17, 2007

The minotaur would weed out these new-agey types but quick.
posted by kid ichorous at 9:23 AM on June 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

(Also, David Bowie as the Goblin king would weed out these new-agey, meditative types but quick.)
posted by kid ichorous at 9:27 AM on June 17, 2007

Sure, but can you find cheese? And letters?
posted by John of Michigan at 10:01 AM on June 17, 2007

I'm surprised that cretans get their own labyrinth. Or does walking it make you a cretan?
posted by alms at 10:31 AM on June 17, 2007

Lofty definitions for words that require you to bite your tongue are thilly.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:52 AM on June 17, 2007

alms: only if you also take citizenship in Crete. :)
posted by Malor at 2:35 PM on June 17, 2007

I did a search on the site for all labyrinths in Canada and was surprised and delighted to find that there is a Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth in Manitoba--Carol Shields is one of my favourite authors! Apparently she was fascinated by labyrinths and mazes; in fact, the main character in her novel Larry's Party designs mazes for a living.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:52 PM on June 17, 2007

I'd play, but I'm likely to be eaten by a Grue.
posted by thanotopsis at 6:48 PM on June 17, 2007

kid ichorous: "The minotaur would weed out these new-agey types but quick."

Eponysterical.
posted by team lowkey at 10:32 PM on June 17, 2007

Labyrinth or no, solvitur ambulando: "it is solved by walking."
posted by ikahime at 7:10 AM on June 18, 2007

rainy: I can't find the link to the watermelon reference.

It was only refered to by one person and I think it was a short travel piece, of which there are many, as the Islands seems to hold quite an enchantment for all those who travel there.

I suspected it was more of a misunderstanding or a local pulling the tourists leg. Microclimate or not that would be spectacular thus fun rumour to perpetuate.

I also loved how 300 monks managed to become a threat to the entire russian empire.

Truely dungeons and dragons type monks with wild open hand damage, throw in the laberinth or mazes of mysterious origin ... a very cool and tantalizing region :)

Changing subject and bit more thought about second link.

When I happened upon this resource, I wondered;

"Who the hell would take the time to create such a data base? What on gods green earth would compel such a devotion of time and resources?"

The answer as always is a simple passion.

The people enjoyed something so much that they wanted to share it with the world.

This could explain porn somewhat too.

Biting into unicursal ... a splendid typo.

I think it means a universally understood curse ... like fuck.
posted by phoque at 1:05 PM on June 18, 2007