Walking the Labyrinth

Map of Labyrinth

The weather was beautiful so I decided to take a walk through King's Park (in Winnipeg).  My husband and I were enjoying the mild weather, the sun light, and the sights and sounds of nature.  There were birds singing, families out with their children, dogs running free in the "Off Leash Park". It was a perfect day for a stroll in the park.

Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth, Winnipeg

To my delight, I came across a "Labyrinth".  I had seen Shirley MacLaine on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and she had shared information about her meditative labyrinth with the audience.  I was very interested in this concept, and I was surprised to all of a sudden see one in front of me.  Shirley had had one made for her so that she could meditate, and she also said that her dog would go with her and "stand guard" and protect her while she walked her labyrinth.

Frog

Prairie Crocus

I took some pictures of the Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth, read the information that was available, and learned that it was created in the memory of Carol Shields, the Canadian author (1935-2003).  This is a place for people to meditate, pray, walk, gather and just be.  My husband and I walked the labyrinth, and we ended up sitting in the middle for a little while, enjoying the sun, listening to the birds, and practicing mindfulness.




We saw the budding Prairie Crocuses and we even saw a frog.  Sure signs that spring has sprung!  It was a nice experience, and I would like to go back again when the flowers are in full bloom. It is a perfect place of peace and tranquility, and I would recommend you try it. 

• "A labyrinth is a complex path. That's it. It's not necessarily something complicated or classical as you might think. . . A maze, though, is different from a labyrinth. . . A maze is more likely to baffle and mislead those who tread its paths. A maze is a puzzle. A maze is designed to deceive those travelers who seek a promised goal. It's possible that a labyrinth can be a maze, but strictly speaking the two words call up different ideas."  Carol Shields, Larry's Party

Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth website: http://www.carolshieldslabyrinth.ca/  (I have added the Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth page to the Carol Shields Wikipedia page).



Have a great day!


~ Angela Gentile