Labyrinth of Peace receives technological enhancements
The Labyrinth of Peace is journey in light, hope, and peace surrounded by nature, offering visitors the opportunity to experience meditations about the challenges of life and the wonders of God. Located at 324 MacDonald Street in front of Vanier Collegiate, this unique garden is celebrating its 10th year with the introduction of QR codes at each of the 11 sites. Debbie Burgher, a volunteer member of the Labyrinth Committee, is excited about this new way to experience the Labyrinth. “There are 11 sites within the Labyrinth. Each site has a post and a step to stand on which mark the site. We have just put QR codes on the posts for three different journeys that you can take. One is for kids, one is for youth, and one is for adults. They all contain music and meditation and you can access any site at any time for however long you want. Our new recordings for children are done in the Dr. Seuss style and they have activities throughout.” All you need to access these guided meditation recordings is a QR code reader app on a phone or other device and a pair of headphones.
The QR codes provide visitors with a variety of ways to experience the Labyrinth at their own pace. Burgher says, “You can do one site if you want, but I would rec- ommend doing all the sites because that’s how it was designed. You unwind to the middle and when you are in the middle you meditate and relax. Then when you are on your way out, it gets you thinking how you are going to be reintroduced to the world.” Burgher explains that this is what makes the Labyrinth different from a maze. “The labyrinth will lead you in and out again. It’s different from a maze in that a maze is designed to get you lost; a labyrinth is designed to take you on a journey that has twists and turns with no fear of getting lost.”
Joan Stumborg, another member of the Labyrinth Committee encourages everyone to come and try it out, especially if they haven’t before. “It’s not for any specific faith tradition; it welcomes people from all faith traditions. It talks about God and embracing God and peace and really, it’s kind of the ultimate in relaxation and definitely a meditation journey. We hope that people will find light and peace in the Labyrinth whenever they may need it.” Stumborg wants to thank the volunteers and sponsors who have all made the Labyrinth of Peace a successful endeavor. “The reality of this is even better than I could have imagined. It’s nice to see that whenever I come up here there is almost always people in the labyrinth.”
Looking forward, the Labyrinth Committee would like to pave the pathway that winds between the sites. Labyrinth Committee member Karen Gaucher says, “We are looking to add some paving so it can be a little bit more wheelchair accessible. It’s something that is in the works but we are still looking for sponsors.”
For more information about the Labyrinth of Peace, go to labyrinthofpeace.ca or head over to 324 MacDonald Street to experience it for yourself.