World Labyrinth Day: Walk for Peace

Boxerwood will be hosting a free public event on Saturday, May 4 as part of World Labryinth Day, an international project coming for the first time to the Rockbridge area. Each year, thousands of people around the globe gather the first Saturday in May to participate in World Labyrinth Day, in what organizers describe as “a moving meditation for peace.” Gathering at locally-assembled labyrinths across the world, participants  “Walk as One at 1:00,” (local time), thus creating a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next.

Organized by The Rockbridge Labyrinth Guild, this event features a free, public labyrinth walk at Boxerwood on Saturday, May 4 at 1 pm, as well as an optional all-day workshop. According to Emily Kohl, Boxerwood executive director, “Boxerwood was delighted when organizers contacted us about this opportunity – Hosting a community Labyrinth walk at Boxerwood is a fitting culmination to a series of events we’re planning for this Earth Day season.”  An ancient practice, many contend that walking the winding pathways of a labyrinth can reduce stress, quiet the mind, and open the heart. “This event is in keeping with our interest in connecting people with the healing power of nature and community,” said Kohl.

Boxerwood’s 45-ft. circular labyrinth will be situated in the meadow adjacent to the field used for our summer concerts. Volunteers will assemble the pathways the day before from natural materials gathered from the woodland garden (to help build the labyrinth on May 3, RSVP here). After the meditative walk, which begins promptly at 1 pm, participants will rake up all the materials that form the Labyrinth’s seven concentric rings, then return those materials to the natural world. “This is a one-day only happening,” explained The Rockbridge Labyrinth Guild's founder, Heidi Schweizer. "The event is open to families and people of all ages, and hand-held finger style labyrinths will be available for those who desire a seated experience," she said.

As complement to the public event, The Rockbridge Labyrinth Guild is also offering an on-site workshop for those interested in learning about the tradition of labyrinth creation and meditation. The 10 am - 4 pm workshop will be led by Mary Ann Wamhoff of Crozet, a Veriditas Accredited Facilitator. Having trained with Lauren Artress in Chartres, France,  Wamhoff has been involved with labyrinth work for the past thirty years and delights in introducing others to the joys of exploring and walking the labyrinth.

“The workshop is not part of Boxerwood’s programming,” notes Kohl, “yet we were happy to offer the Lodge for its venue.” Fee for the workshop is $75 per slot, payable to Wamhoff. Enroll in the workshop on the Veriditas event page.

For more information about joining The Rockbridge Labyrinth Guild, email Heidi Schweizer at heidi.labyrinth@gmail.com