Comments on: The World-Wide Labyrinth Locator.

The World-Wide Labyrinth Locator.

phoque — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 06:53:24 -0800

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.

By: Malor

Malor — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:21:09 -0800

Yes, and 'uvula' means 'a large bedroom used by royalty', and 'giraffe' means 'a tool for calibrating micrometers'.

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:22:08 -0800

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.

By: waxboy

waxboy — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:24:56 -0800

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.

By: phoque

phoque — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:30:03 -0800

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 :)

By: knapah

knapah — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:38:48 -0800

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.

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:47:54 -0800

I was going to take a long look around one of these, but ended up with the minor tour instead.

By: rainy

rainy — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:54:14 -0800

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.

By: CitrusFreak12

CitrusFreak12 — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 07:54:19 -0800

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.

By: MtDewd

MtDewd — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 08:08:54 -0800

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.

By: knapah

knapah — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 08:24:22 -0800

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.

By: roll truck roll

roll truck roll — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:12:15 -0800

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.

By: kid ichorous

kid ichorous — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:23:44 -0800

The minotaur would weed out these new-agey types but quick.

By: kid ichorous

kid ichorous — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 09:27:11 -0800

(Also, David Bowie as the Goblin king would weed out these new-agey, meditative types but quick.)

By: John of Michigan

John of Michigan — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 10:01:55 -0800

Sure, but can you find cheese? And letters?

By: alms

alms — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 10:31:57 -0800

I'm surprised that cretans get their own labyrinth. Or does walking it make you a cretan?

By: weapons-grade pandemonium

weapons-grade pandemonium — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 10:52:32 -0800

Lofty definitions for words that require you to bite your tongue are thilly.

By: Malor

Malor — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 14:35:56 -0800

alms: only if you also take citizenship in Crete. :)

By: hurdy gurdy girl

hurdy gurdy girl — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 14:52:19 -0800

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.

By: thanotopsis

thanotopsis — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 18:48:15 -0800

I'd play, but I'm likely to be eaten by a Grue.

By: team lowkey

team lowkey — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 22:32:14 -0800

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

By: ikahime

ikahime — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:10:07 -0800

Labyrinth or no, solvitur ambulando: "it is solved by walking."

By: kalessin

kalessin — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 09:19:53 -0800

A commercial company, the Labyrinth Company, is based in Baltimore, MD, and is the reason we have a non-traditional labyrinth made out in 1" tiles in our foyer at my house (they were coo enough to provide us, free, a stencil we could use to do that scale of work, since they specialize in mostly quite a bit larger printouts, stencils and design templates. Anyway, if you use the labyrinth locator and input Baltimore, MD, you'll see quite a few possibilities in my town.

By: phoque

phoque — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:05:42 -0800

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.