Friday 5 October 2012

EPLC Fellowship Labyrinth

Last month I attended Edmonton's Pagan Pride Day which was held this year in Gazebo Park in Old Strathcona (for those of you who know the city). Whenever there's an outdoor pagan get-together, the Edmonton Pagan Learning Circle Fellowship hosts a temporary labyrinth for people to walk. The labyrinths are created by EPLC Fellowship leader, Kaldra.


If the venue is paved, Kaldra will draw the labyrinth using chalk. If the venue is grass, she uses spikes and brightly coloured nylon rope to form the labyrinth walls. Sometimes her labyrinths are round, sometimes square, depending on the type of space available. This year's labyrinth was a crazy quilt / spiders web kind of a path. I absolutely loved it and thought it was Kaldra's best creation yet!


An existing stone pillar on the lawn formed the labyrinth's centre. That's a smudge bowl with a basket of incense and other smudging material at the base of it.


The labyrinth was well used during the festivities -- you can see how the park's grass has been trampled down on the unicursal path!


Like the sacred life journey it represents, an EPLC Fellowship labyrinth exists only for a short while and then is gone again, reappearing when needed in a new form.

Blessed be, everyone!

[All photos by Debra She Who Seeks]

24 comments:

sonia said...

So cool! Wish I could've been there!

jaz@octoberfarm said...

it is so good to see fellow pagans.a group which seems to be growing!

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

That is gorgeous! What a fun thing to do.

Unknown said...

I'm a Catholic and many of the traditions of my faith are derived from pagan practices. I know a couple of Wiccans and one of my daughters friends is a Native American. We have many things in common and often times arrive at the same place, only by a different path.

An open place to talk and share sounds like a good idea.

The Dancing Crone said...

I'm extrememly impressed, Debra. The first time I drove across Canada it seemed as if Edmonton rose up out of the ground like a prairie ice berg. A giant city sitting out in the middle of nowhere - and so new! I would not have guessed at the amazing spiritual and cultural changes that are happening there.

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

I always think of a labyrinth as a permanent structure....and now my mind has been tickled with this wonderful idea of impermanence and renewal for the labyrinth itself. Wow, this is terrific. Thanks for the spark this morning. Oma Linda

Robin Larkspur said...

A delightful post! This labyrinth looks amazing. Glad so many were able to walk it.

BugginWord said...

Now, I'd leave it up and trip up a few drunk frat dudes on their way home from the ars.but I'm kinda a bitch like that.

Jeanne said...

I love these temporary Labyrinths! There was one at a Celtic Festival I was at this summer. Am hoping there will be one at the local Pagan Pride Fest which will take place in 2 weeks.

Lois said...

You are the best collector of labyrinths I know!!! I like when the shape is odd, because it's like life. Life is odd, too.

Wendy S. said...

What a fantastically fun labyrinth! I love that it was done in the celebration of paganism. You need to tell her to come to Southern California now.

Francie said...

I love labyrinths! It's fun to see such a unique shape -but why shouldn't each one be unique, since life is, as well. After Kaldra's done in Southern California, she can come up here to Northern California!

laughingwolf said...

superb... thx deb :)

Plowing Through Life (Martha) said...

How lovely! You are a labyrinth guru now. I knew nothing about them before your posts.

Jim said...

Blessed be, Debra.
I am beginning to feel that I could be searching out these labyrinths in Nova Scotia. There must be some!

CraveCute said...

Thanks for sharing this, it sounds like a very uplifting and wonderful experience.

The Original Edmonton-Goddess said...

Hello everyone! This is Kaldra, thank you for the acknowledgement of the labyrinth, I love making them at any event. Recently I made a permanent one out at witches hollar the land EPLC Fellowship uses for our annual campout (anyone welcome insert blatent plug here. Heehee.) I also always have either a handout or sign that explains what the purpose is and some alternative ideas for when people walk the labyrinth. I especially love watching kids run through and interupt people not disrespectfully but randomly making others change their path, makes for interesting facial expressions and I always wonder what thoughts they are interupting at that specific moment. I will go anywhere I'm invited to create a labyrinth to educated and mediate the public. Lol. Happy thanksgiving weekend everyone and thanks a bunch for the kind words Debra.

Riot Kitty said...

Sorry, I would totally trip over that.

Magaly Guerrero said...

Gotta love the magic of things that appear only when their magic is needed.

Anonymous said...

This is so awesome! Thanks for sharing - I wish there was something similar in my area - boring here!
peace
xo

yellowdoggranny said...

I wish I was a canaderian, you'r all so smart and knowing.

Magic Love Crow said...

Debra, thanks for sharing this! I would love to walk this labyrinth. I think this is so special! You must have had a great day! Happy Thanksgiving my friend ;o) Many blessings to you and your loved ones ;o)

Holly said...

The fun bit is that, after the strings have been removed, for a short time, the path walked will still be seen...like a ghost image for some to stop and wonder upon.

Anonymous said...

And now I know why you love Larry's Party , Debra. It all just fell into place for me. Thank you so much!!!!!