With the rain and the cold closing in on the UK for the winter, it has felt a lot harder to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Yet there's rarely been a time when we've needed it more than in the midst of this global pandemic. Luckily, there are still plenty of fun and unusual things to be doing: getting us out there, clearing our minds and taking stock of things, all whilst building hope for the brighter times ahead. One such thing is the monthly building and walking of 'the beach labyrinth' in Norfolk, England.
Check out the video below to see this beautiful event in action
A Labyrinth is an ancient spiritual tool. Not to be confused with a maze, it is a circular winding pathway that people walk through to reflect on the deeper things in life. When you emerge from 'walking the labyrinth' you're free to write your own words and thoughts in the sand. At the end of the day, the tide comes in and washes it away; the words lost but never forgotten. The organisers were kind enough to let me capture some aerial footage so check out the short film below to see this beautiful event in action. If you want to find out more about the Norfolk beach labyrinth then read on after the video.
Inspired by the idea of a 'beach labyrinth'? Why not join in the next one or even make your own labyrinth in your part of the world......
The next one is on Sunday 15th November 2020 on the beach in Sidestrand, Norfolk. It will be there for about 2 hours either side of low tide which is at 12.57pm. To comply with the present government lock down, there will not be any group gathering around it, it will simply be available for people to walk around whilst they take their outdoor exercise. More info below:
Lawrence D'Silva
More info from the creators of The Norfolk Beach Labyrinth:
"We are creating a labyrinth on the beach once a month on the day of the new moon, embracing whatever the weather conditions present, starting in September 2020. We invite you to contribute your words to those already written on the sand beside the labyrinth; and before they are lapped up by the tide and taken away by the sea, we will collect them on photos and, with the guidance of Mary Benefiel, artistic director of the singing ensemble, Anam Cora, we hope to create folk songs or ballads from them, as an archive of these times.
Why a Labyrinth?
A labyrinth is an ancient spiritual tool which has been found carved into rocks from around 4000 BCE. The symbolism of a circular path which winds its way into the centre represents the spiritual journeying that we need to make in order to find our source of one-ness - the place within us that is at one with the complexity of ourselves and, thus, at one with the complexity of others. The place that is at one with Creation, and for some, with their Creator.
It beautifully represents the journey that we need to take in these present times. Individually we each walk to the centre. Together we share the path, linked in kind-ness and respect, amidst a creative and imaginative web of spirituality. To walk the path of the labyrinth is to walk with others whose footsteps have walked this path.
As custodians of the labyrinth that we create, we will bless it and offer it to the heavens as a sacred place of wisdom and hope, and then remain here until the tide carries the words into the great belly of the ocean and out into the universe.
A labyrinth is an ancient spiritual tool which has been found carved into rocks from around 4000 BCE.
We are living through a disaster at the moment Many people’s lives have been affected forever by loss: loss of family, friends, jobs, homes, a way of life. But for all the suffering, many believe it is a turning point towards creating a more humane world, inspired by a wisdom that puts our care, our responsibility and our connection with the earth right back at the centre of our lives.
Why at the New Moon?
Ancient people believed that when the Moon and the Sun were in conjunction (together) at the moment of the new moon, it created a clear channel to the heavens when Spirit and Soul were as one and our wishes, our intentions, our hopes, our fears, our dreams and our prayers would be heard.
How to use the Labyrinth
Simply walk to the entrance and follow the path. It will take you to the centre. At the centre stop, and know that you are an essential, unique and precious part of the unfolding story of the universe. Take that knowing with you and cherish it with tenderness, as you slowly walk out again along the same path.
Please follow all the government guidelines, particularly on social distancing, if you arrive at a time when there are others here."
To find out when the next Norfolk Beach Labyrinth event is, follow the 'Roots for Life' facebook page