Map Making February 17, 2009

It is still very cold and snowy outside and there is not much construction work that can be done at the moment. So today I drew out a rough map of the retreat space. It is part of our overall strategic plan of the farm and the businesses that exist on this property.

So much of what exists here already evolved without much of a plan. Buildings have been placed where there was space, roads just came to be where staff drive. A plan is not always a bad thing! As much as I want the retreat and the farm to grow and expand in an organic manner we do need to be mindful of the use of the space and the sometimes conflicting needs of work areas and quiet zones.

The site plan will serve as a guide as we construct new dwellings and cottages on the retreat property and it will be useful to guests to have a map of the facilities. The space allocation of some future buildings is going to need readdressing according to the new site plan, but it looks like things will fit in nicely with some adjustments here and there.

I found out today that it is difficult to draw an arial view of a very complex site from memory alone, but with the help of Google Earth I was somewhat successful! I also found that there is much more space between the river bank and the walking trail than I thought. Good news for the yoga and meditation platforms. Also good news if we want to put a tipi near the yurt!

Walking the Labyrinth February 17, 2009

At the far reach of the retreat property is a grassy meadow, the site of the labyrinth. This stone, sand and pebble labyrinth is based on an ancient 6 circuit design which was found around the Baltic Sea. It is a double spiral labyrinth that can be used as an effective meditation tool and has multiple ways through which it can be walked so that each visit to the labyrinth may be unique.

When researching the labyrinth and looking for a design that suited our space and needs I came across so many beautiful types of labyrinths. It was difficult to decide on which one to build. I loved the rounded spiral form of this labyrinth. As opposed to the Roman or some Medieval labyrinths which have a more geometric angular form, the baltic labyrinth is round and curvy. It is sometimes called the “Baltic Wheel” and the exit from the centre is direct so that the walker does not have to retrace their steps out if they choose not to. Also, the entrance/exit looks a bit like a goddess!

go here to have a look at an example http://www.labyrinthos.net/typology_l.htm

Two books that I have found very useful are “The Complete Guide to Labyrinths” by Cassandra Eason and “The Way of the Labyrinth” by Helen Curry.

I will be posting photos of the Labyrinth soon.