Just as Cool as it Sounds: Labyrinth

I've got a labyrinth by my house. David Bowie doesn't hang out there and it isn't filled with pans. It doesn't even have any walls. When I tell people about the labyrinth it's easy to assume one of the previous is true (and I really do wish David Bowie was in a field by my house). Since I was going to making some calls today (and I like to wander when I talk on the phone) I decided to check my local labyrinth out.

The modern sense of the word "labyrinth" differs from the mythological connotation. A labyrinth is understood to be a single (though circuitous) path while a maze is the multipathed branching affair, such as the one Daedalus explored. The specimen above is more specifically a Medieval labyrinth, similar to the one found at Chartres Cathedral.

This particular labyrinth was constructed in July 2006 by Carlos Smith and JoAnn Mast for HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties. It takes maybe ten minutes to travel what would be 25 feet if one dared step over the rocks. I didn't dare. I walked it twice with a Slurpee in one hand and my cell phone in the other. While I'm sure that meditation is impossible while talking on a cell phone, it was very soothing to follow the intricate path. People (like those in The Labyrinth Society) say that labyrinths encourage thought on the right side of the brain, as well as aiding personal and spiritual development. I'm inclined to seek out other labyrinths (as well as returning to this one in a more contemplative state).

There may be a labyrinth near you. Take a minor tour!
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