The Labyrinth - History & Myth
The myth, the legend, the magic
Many of us as children heard the story of the Minotaur in the Labyrinth. The “Minotaur Labyrinth” is probably the most famous of existing labyrinth designs. This Greek legend evokes mysticism, magic, and wonder. The story of the monster locked in a dark, confusing prison is part of our deep subconscious experience. Timeless. We all wrestle with demons within. Even though Theseus slaying the Minotaur for Princess Ariadne in the labyrinth was meant to take place around 550 BCE, labyrinths have been dated to as early as 2500 BCE, over 4,500 years ago!
Although a complete labyrinth that old has not been found, there are numerous depictions of labyrinths in carvings, pottery, and petroglyphs dating that far back. It is believed that labyrinths of prehistoric times were used to trap malevolent spirits or used as defined paths for ritual dance. And really, isn’t that almost why we seek out labyrinths today? To walk the path and clear our thoughts, release our demons, and journey to our own center to find the higher aspects of ourselves, maybe even the Divine?
Labyrinth designs are found on ancient coins from Crete; they are found as the "Man in the Moon" in the Hopi culture and across continents that had no connection to one another. Labyrinths were prolific across the Roman Empire and spread. The most famous one in our world today is in Chartres Cathedral, a UNESCO world heritage site. Over. 1.5 million people travel to Chartres each year.
There are around 6,000 modern labyrinths that are registered in the Worldwide Labyrinth Locator, from libraries to gardens, from schools to museums, and from hospitals to backyards. Hundreds of thousands of people walk the labyrinth path every year as a gateway of meditation, centering, and contemplation.
What is a labyrinth?
A labyrinth is not a maze. It has one path in, and one path out, and you cannot get lost. It is a walking meditation that balances the brain's hemispheres, integrates, reduces stress, and lowers blood pressure. In short, it brings coherence to bodily systems. Walking a labyrinth has physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits.
We are excited to add our Adirondack Labyrinth to the roster of ancient and modern labyrinths this coming spring!
We wanted to build this incredible structure on our own land. We wanted you to walk the same paths that your ancestors did on labyrinths worldwide throughout different ages. A place that you, and they, came to for peace and healing.
We plan to completely open our labyrinth around June 2023. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy checking some incredible labyrinths worldwide that we hand-selected as part of the education section on our contribution site. Read on!
The ADIRONDACK LABYRINTH is a place where anyone can come and walk the path in reflection, contemplation, and quiet.
Here, seekers will have that safe haven to come to. An excellent canvas to bring balance, peace, and healing to our community, region, and beyond.
