Growng Lavender

1. Labyrinth Design
for a Sanctuary Garden
Lost in a maze? Find yourself in a labyrinth!
Susan Harrington of Labyrinth Hill presents a
short history lesson and a simple exercise
drawing a labyrinth. Resources provided and
techniques learned in this workbook can be
used to create your own personal garden
labyrinth, big or small.
The photo at the left is the 40-foot, seven-
circuit lavender labyrinth at Labyrinth Hill. In
this workbook you will begin with a seed
pattern exercise to experience the basic
construction of a labyrinth. Take this seed
pattern with you anywhere.
Copyright (c) 2009 Labyrinth Hill
PO Box 448 – Hansville WA 98340

2. What is a Labyrinth?
(from www.relax4life.com)
“A labyrinth is a path for assisting mental sit still and meditate or pray will find the
focus that has been used by many cultures perfect outlet in the moving meditation that is
and religions throughout history. The holistic the labyrinth experience. It is at once
function of labyrinths is to further those who kinesthetic and introspective, a complete mind-
are on the path to a more balanced spiritual, body integrative activity.
emotional, physical and psychological well
being. People have used labyrinths as oracles;
places to receive answers to life's troubling
A labyrinth has a single, winding, questions and an oasis for the spirit. In other
unobstructed path from the outside to the words, a place to receive wholesome
center, unlike a maze which has many dead "nourishment" for the spirit within by
ends and wrong choices designed to trick the connecting with a divine nature; a situation not
mind. Therefore, the labyrinth is often seen as readily available in our usual day to day
a metaphor for our spiritual "life" journey; existence. It is also a tool that seems to be
many twists and turns but no dead ends. In bridging the ever-widening gap between
other words, we always have the opportunity to traditional religious ritual and new age
make another choice in life or "turn" in the spiritual practices.
labyrinth.
In sum, a labyrinth is a playground for
The labyrinth is a powerful tool to help your allowing our intuitions to take wing. So follow
mind and body relax. The chance to release what comes into your head and your heart
both mental and physical tension by walking a while inside the "walls" of the labyrinth; what
labyrinth is there for each individual. In many consider to be 'Sacred Space'.”
addition, those people who find it difficult to

3. The Classical or Seven-Circuit Labyrinth
(from www.lessons4living.com)
“The term “seven circuits” refers the seven
paths that lead to the center or goal. This is an
ancient design and is found in most cultures.
It is sometimes dated back more than 4,000
years. Also known as the Cretan Labyrinth it is
associated with the myth of Theseus and the
Minotaur. This design was found on Cretan
coins.
Labyrinths have most likely always been
used in a spiritual manner. They can create a
heightened awareness of the human condition
and aid psychological and spiritual growth. To
build a labyrinth is to create a sacred space.
To walk a labyrinth is to imbue it with power
and meaning. The more a labyrinth is used,
the more powerful it becomes as a symbol of
transformation.
The classical labyrinth has an association
with Christianity. A cross is the starting point
used to construct this labyrinth. The cross at
the center can become the focus for meditation
and the experience of the labyrinth. The
classical labyrinth design is found in many
churches in Europe.”

4. The Seed Pattern
for a Three-Circuit Labyrinth
Here's where you get to be a kid again! Get out your crayons or color felt-tip
markers. Through the next series of pages you'll create a three-circuit labyrinth
just to show you how easy it would be to create a simple labyrinth anywhere.

5. If happiness held is the seed.
Happiness shared is the flower.

6. If happiness held is the seed.
Happiness shared is the flower.

7. If happiness held is the seed.
Happiness shared is the flower.

8. If happiness held is the seed.
Happiness shared is the flower.

10. If happiness held is the seed.
Happiness shared is the flower.

12. If happiness held is the seed.
Happiness shared is the flower.

13. Creating a Classical
Three-Circuit Labyrinth...Using a “Compass”
(instructions are based on information from www.labyrinth-enterprises.com)

14. Determining the Dimensions
Fasten a measuring rope in the
center of the space you plan to build
your labyrinth. Mark on it the width of
the paths — four marks for the four
circles that enclose the three circuits.
In the traditional design, the center is
small, just the size of the path, as if
the path just came to an end there.
Since the width is that of the path, the
first mark on the guide rope, being the
radius, is equal to half the width of the
path. All subsequent marks are one
path width apart.
In this reduced three-circuit
labyrinth you have three paths on
either side. The entire horizontal
diameter, therefore, consists of 6
paths plus the center. So the entire
horizontal diameter is 7 path widths.
Thus, if the paths were three feet
wide, the labyrinth would be 21 feet
wide (3 X 7). Two-foot-wide paths give
a diameter of 14 feet, whereas one-
foot-wide paths make a labyrinth just
7 feet across.

15. The birth of the 40-foot labyrinth
at Labyrinth Hill

17. Drawing the Top Circles
The classical labyrinth is not round;
it is sort of mushroom-shaped.
That's because there isn't a single
center for the circles, such as for
round labyrinths. The height to
width ratio is 6.5 to 7. You can work
backwards to determine your path-
widths. If your space is 14 feet wide,
then you divide by 7 and find that
the paths should be 2 feet wide.
The classical labyrinth has slightly
“distorted” shape because there are
four different centers for quarter or
half circles which comprise the
labyrinth. See the following
illustrations for the four different
center points from which the
labyrinth emerges.

18. 1 We begin by drawing half-circles, which become the
top of the labyrinth. Picture a horizontal line that
passes through the center of the labyrinth where your
measuring guide is attached (at #1). Start from a
horizontal position and swing the guide rope across
the top of the labyrinth until it again reaches
horizontal. On the guide rope are the marks for the
spacing of the paths, which determine the size of the
labyrinth.
As you swing the guide from horizontal back to
horizontal, stop every couple of feet to put down rocks
as markers at each of the line marks on the guide. If
you're setting up the labyrinth for planting, use flour
or cornmeal to mark the lines. It's quite amazing that
in front of you is nothing, and behind you are four
semi-circles, or arcs.

19. Here participants in a labyrinth-building workshop use pots to define the top
arcs of the labyrinth. One is holding a bamboo stake attached to the measuring
rope while pots were placed at the path markers on the rope.

20. 1
Begin with half-circle arcs. The center
of your labyrinth will be one path
width. When drawing this arc, divide
the path width in half.
EXAMPLE: If the paths are 3' wide
the center's radius is 1.5'.

21. Drawing the Lower Quadrants
The remainder of the pattern is
made of quarter circles, which
emanate from three different
points. (Those points are
numbered in the following
illustrations.) You need to move
your center post to each new
location in succession. First, go
to the upper marks, to the right
and left of center.
Move the device that holds your
measuring guide to each of
these points. As shown in the
illustrations.
Voila, you have made a
classical 3-circuit labyrinth.
With a little practice, you will
find that you can do this very
quickly. First, practice with a
small compass and graph
paper.

22. 1
2
The center of the next set of
arcs is the point where the
center arc touches the axis.
Each quarter arc is a path
width.

24. 1
3 2
The center of the third set of
arcs is the point where the
second top arc touches the
axis. Each quarter arc is a
path width. Note that there are
only two quarter arcs.

25. 1
3 2
4
Here is the center of
the last quarter arc.

26. 1
3 2
5
4
The final step is to connect two lines
for the intersection of the turning
points. You're now ready to walk
your labyrinth!

30. When setting up a site for a new labyrinth, I lay out the preliminary stakes
(points one, two and three on the previous pages) using white pvc pipe so I
don't lose my place.

31. Now try your hand at a 7-circuit labyrinth!

32. Calculate Midday for a Sundial
http://www.cmpsolv.com/los/sunset.html
Place a stake at least 3 feet tall in the ground on one side of your proposed labyrinth. At the time of
midday, quickly place a stake at the end of its shadow repeating for each stake until you have a length
that is about the size of the diameter of your labyrinth. This line represents the solar north-south axis.

33. In this photo the birdhouse in the lower right is in line with two Italian cypresses and another
birdhouse seen above the birdbath near the end of the fence. The shadows of these all line up at
midday to point solar north. As you enter the labyrinth on the left you face east.

34. Sunrise/Sunset Results ~ 2009
Bremerton National Airport ~ Bremerton, WA (Kitsap County)
N47deg 29' 34" W122deg 45' 45" ~ PST8PDT (GMT-7)
These are the results for my geographic location. Use the website on the previous page to find the
time of midday for your location. Look especially at the difference between my sunset and yours.
May SR SS MD LEN June SR SS MD LEN July SR SS MD LEN
1 5:54 20:23 13:08 14:28 1 5:18 21:00 13:09 15:42 1 05:18 21:12 13:14 15:54
2 5:53 20:24 13:08 14:31 2 5:17 21:01 13:09 15:44 2 05:18 21:12 13:14 15:53
3 5:51 20:25 13:08 14:34 3 5:17 21:02 13:09 15:45 3 05:19 21:11 13:15 15:52
4 5:50 20:27 13:08 14:37 4 5:16 21:03 13:09 15:47 4 05:20 21:11 13:15 15:51
5 5:48 20:28 13:08 14:40 5 5:16 21:04 13:09 15:48 5 05:20 21:11 13:15 15:50
6 5:47 20:29 13:08 14:43 6 5:15 21:04 13:09 15:49 6 05:21 21:10 13:15 15:49
7 5:45 20:31 13:07 14:46 7 5:15 21:05 13:10 15:50 7 05:22 21:10 13:15 15:48
8 5:44 20:32 13:07 14:49 8 5:14 21:06 13:10 15:51 8 05:23 21:09 13:15 15:46
9 5:42 20:34 13:07 14:51 9 5:14 21:07 13:10 15:52 9 05:24 21:09 13:16 15:45
10 5:41 20:35 13:07 14:54 10 5:14 21:07 13:10 15:53 10 05:24 21:08 13:16 15:44
11 5:39 20:36 13:07 14:57 11 5:14 21:08 13:10 15:54 11 05:25 21:07 13:16 15:42
12 5:38 20:37 13:07 14:59 12 5:13 21:08 13:10 15:55 12 05:26 21:07 13:16 15:40
13 5:37 20:39 13:07 15:02 13 5:13 21:09 13:11 15:56 13 05:27 21:06 13:16 15:39
14 5:35 20:40 13:07 15:05 14 5:13 21:10 13:11 15:56 14 05:28 21:05 13:16 15:37
15 5:34 20:41 13:07 15:07 15 5:13 21:10 13:11 15:57 15 05:29 21:04 13:16 15:35
16 5:33 20:43 13:07 15:10 16 5:13 21:10 13:11 15:57 16 05:30 21:04 13:16 15:33
17 5:32 20:44 13:07 15:12 17 5:13 21:11 13:11 15:58 17 05:31 21:03 13:16 15:32
18 5:31 20:45 13:07 15:15 18 5:13 21:11 13:12 15:58 18 05:32 21:02 13:17 15:30
19 5:29 20:46 13:07 15:17 19 5:13 21:11 13:12 15:58 19 05:33 21:01 13:17 15:28
20 5:28 20:47 13:07 15:19 20 5:13 21:12 13:12 15:58 20 05:34 21:00 13:17 15:25
21 5:27 20:49 13:07 15:21 21 5:14 21:12 13:12 15:58 21 05:36 20:59 13:17 15:23
22 5:26 20:50 13:07 15:24 22 5:14 21:12 13:13 15:58 22 05:37 20:58 13:17 15:21
23 5:25 20:51 13:08 15:26 23 5:14 21:12 13:13 15:58 23 05:38 20:57 13:17 15:19
24 5:24 20:52 13:08 15:28 24 5:14 21:12 13:13 15:58 24 05:39 20:56 13:17 15:17
25 5:23 20:53 13:08 15:30 25 5:15 21:12 13:13 15:58 25 05:40 20:54 13:17 15:14
26 5:22 20:54 13:08 15:32 26 5:15 21:12 13:13 15:57 26 05:41 20:53 13:17 15:12
27 5:22 20:55 13:08 15:34 27 5:16 21:12 13:14 15:57 27 05:43 20:52 13:17 15:09
28 5:21 20:56 13:08 15:36 28 5:16 21:12 13:14 15:56 28 05:44 20:51 13:17 15:07
29 5:20 20:57 13:08 15:37 29 5:17 21:12 13:14 15:56 29 05:45 20:49 13:17 15:04
30 5:19 20:58 13:08 15:39 30 5:17 21:12 13:14 15:55 30 05:46 20:48 13:17 15:02
31 5:19 20:59 13:08 15:41 31 05:47 20:47 13:17 14:59

35. Labyrinth Resources
Books Available Website Resources
Exploring the labyrinth: a guide for If you want to find a labyrinth in your area
healing and spiritual growth here is a great labyrinth locator:
West, Melissa Gayle
Labyrinths & mazes http://labyrinthlocator.com/
Hohmuth, Jurgen ; with contributions by
Simone Augustin [et al.]
Labyrinths & mazes: a complete guide to Though these sites are selling products, they
magical paths of the world also have a wealth of free information on the
Saward, Jeff history, use and construction of labyrinths.
Labyrinths from the outside in: walking to
spiritual insight: a beginner's guide www.geomancy.org
Schaper, Donna & Camp, Carole Ann
www.labyrinthcompany.com
Labyrinths: ancient myths & modern uses
Lonegren, Sig www.labyrinth-enterprises.com
The way of the Labyrinth: a powerful www.labyrinthsociety.org
meditation for everyday life
www.lessons4living.com/labyrinth.htm
Curry, Helen
Walking a sacred path : rediscovering the www.relax4life.com
labyrinth as a spiritual practice
Artress, Lauren www.veriditas.org