Maze of the Week #247 - Moai Statue

Maze of the Week #247 features a Moai Statue from Easter Island, Chile. These monolithic statues were built by the Rapa Nui people in the years between 1250-1500. Read about them on Wikipedia, or go down a rabbit hole with YouTube and conspiracy theories about aliens making them. Here is a more normal video:

The maze: I went with full color with shadows. The maze is easy, so easy I might consider it a kids maze.

Download is available on the home page. Happy Maze-ing !

Other blog posts you may enjoy:

• What I've Learned Making Mazes

• 10 of the Most Frequently asked Questions about Labyrinths, with Answers

12 Labyrinths in the USA with Interesting Shapes

I did a large project where I looked into all of the 4,000 labyrinths in the USA to classify them for a research study. You can read about it in the blog post Questions about US Labyrinths Answered. I also wrote a series of blog posts recommending labyrinths to visit in the US by state. Well as I was doing these projects I noticed many unique and interesting labyrinth shapes along the way. 85% of the labyrinths in the US are Classical, Medieval or Chartres style (a subclass of Medieval important enough to break out statistically). This blog post will focus on the other 15% of labyrinths that have fun and interesting shapes which show up mostly as slivers in this chart:

12 LABYRINTHS IN THE USA WITH INTERESTING SHAPES

Heart Shaped Labyrinths

The most popular “other” shape for labyrinths in the USA is the heart shaped labyrinth. There are around 20 in the US spread out across the country. My favorite heart shaped labyrinth is the Heart in the Park Labyrinth, located in Tonkawa, OK. Beyond the quality of the materials used, notice the dual pathways that meet in the center heart. This particular labyrinth was the result of a collaboration between stone sculptor Marty Kermeen, some consulting/CAD work from Jeff Saward and the concept by Audrey Schmitz. The pavers the outline the outer portion record the history of the area and if you look closely you will find 5 hearts in total ! It is featured on the cover of the book Oklahoma Labyrinths - A Path too Inner Peace by Gail Peck. Linda Yeingst, and Phyllis Pennington if you are interested in Oklahoma labyrinths.

Heart in the Park (HIP) aerial photo by Ken Crowder, Tonkawa, OK (August 2007)

Address:

Heart in the Park Labyrinth

Grand Avenue and Sixth Street, Tonkawa, Oklahoma, 74653

Butterfly Shaped Labyrinths

There are a handful of butterfly shaped labyrinths in the US and I am featuring the Folly Farm Nature Preserve Butterfly Labyrinth located in Safety Harbor, Florida. This labyrinth is located in a public park that is open from dawn to dusk, and the labyrinth comes with instructions - just look in the mailbox ! The butterfly contains internal gardens planted with butterfly friendly plants ! The labyrinth was designed by Gary Sawtelle, who was one of many builders and George Weiss donated the land for Folly Farm Park.

Heather Richardson from the Safety Harbor Art and Music Center(SHAMC) places a  “How to Walk a meditative labyrinth” instruction note in the mailbox in the photo below.

Butterfly Labyrinth - Folly Farm Nature Preserve - Photo courtesy of the designer Gary Sawtelle

Address:

Folly Farm Nature Preserve Labyrinth

1562 Dr. MLK Street North, Safety Harbor, Florida 34695

Triquetra Labyrinth

This triquetra labyrinth, designed by Simon Watkins, is located at Ecclesia Houston in Texas. The design was originally used for a labyrinth in Kings Heath Village Square in Birmingham, UK, which inspired the construction of this labyrinth.

Triquetra Labyrinth - Ecclesia Houston - Photo courtesy of the church

Address:

Ecclesia Houston

1005 Edwards St., Houston, Texas 77007

Ethiopian Cross Labyrinth

The shape of this labyrinth at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church in Raleigh, NC in based off of the Ethiopian Cross. The design is full of symbolism that reflects everlasting life, a mandorla, with nods to Ethiopian and Celtic design.

Ethiopian Cross Labyrinth - St. Ambrose Episcopal Church - Photo courtesy St. Ambrose Church Raleigh.

Address:

St. Ambrose Episcopal Church

813 Darby Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27610

The Triple Spiral Labyrinths

Spiral Labyrinths make up 1.6% of the labyrinths in the US. The largest labyrinth in the US happens to be a spiral. Less common are triple labyrinths like the one you can find at The Hermitage Community in Three Rivers, Michigan. This labyrinth is available to walk with an appointment which you can do on the communities website. Oh, and there are more interesting spirals in the US. If you are in Helena, Montana you can find a Quad Spiral Labyrinth !

Both photos courtesy of the Hermitage(click to view larger versions):

View fullsize

View fullsize

Address:

The Hermitage Community

11321 Dutch Settlement Road, Three Rivers, Michigan 49093

Celtic Spiral Labyrinth

Photos used with permission from the Blue Frog Garden Nursery. Plan a visit to this family owned nursery located in Gig Harbor, WA on their website. This labyrinth was designed by Russ Smith and you can read about its design and construction on its dedicated page of the website. It was inspired by interlocking Celtic knots.

Address:

Blue Frog Garden Nursery

12510 110th St NW, Gig Harbor, Washington 98329

Common Ground Dual Entrance Labyrinth

St. Hilda’s Episcopal Church in Monmouth, Oregon features this unique labyrinth design, based off of the Vesica Piscis symbol. From the entrance you may go in either direction, each of which leads to the other, with an option to stop in the center of the labyrinth at the fish shape.

Photo courtesy of St. Hilda's Episcopal Church Common Ground Labyrinth - Monmouth, Oregon

Address:

St. Hilda’s Episcopal Church

245 Main St. W., Monmouth, Oregon 97361

Serpent Labyrinth

This beautiful serpent labyrinth was previously owned by Rev. Vera DeCicco, but now can be found in Park Slope, Brooklyn at the Old First Reformed Church with Pastor Cheri. The artwork is made from acrylic paint on canvas and was painted by Crow Mitchell based on a dream of the original owner, Rev. Vera DeCicco.

Serpent Labyrinth - courtesy of Rev. Vera DeCicco

Address:

Old First Reformed Church

729 Carroll St, Brooklyn, New York

Ear Shaped Labyrinth

The Here-ing Labyrinth in Lawrence, Kansas is in the shape of a very large human ear ! Designed by Janine Antoni, this labyrinth is cut into the grass and is located at the Suzanne Ecke McColl Nature Reserve. The best explanation of this labyrinth can be found on the artists website.

Address:

Roth Trail Head

E 1600 Road, Lawrence, Kansas, 66044

Triangle Labyrinths

The shape might not be surprising in this list of labyrinths, but the actual example I selected might be. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri has a triangle shaped labyrinth made with glass walls in their sculpture park. Plan a visit on their website. This labyrinth, designed by Robert Morris is the perfect type of labyrinth to check out a satellite view of.

Address:

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

4525 Oak Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 64111

Turtle Shaped Labyrinths

I am going to feature the Trinity Turtle Healing Labyrinth Park because it has such a nice story. Built over 20 years, this labyrinth park features a turtle made up of many labyrinths. The head of the turtle is a 7 circuit Chartres style labyrinth, the body of the turtle is made from a modified 11 circuit Reims style labyrinth and the tail of the turtle is made from a triple spiral labyrinth with 5-circuits per spiral. At a combined 266 x 174 feet this is one of the largest labyrinths in the US (The internal Reims style labyrinth is 174 x 174 ft on it’s own). Plan a trip on the parks website.

Address:

Trinity Turtle Healing Labyrinth Park

7440 US Hwy 54 N. Alamogordo, New Mexico, 88310

Even more Labyrinth shapes to explore:

I had even more unique labyrinths to choose from I found and I will highlight the most interesting here, just without the photos and info (click on the name to see it’s labyrinth locator page). I start with the most famous character featured, a Snoopy Labyrinth is at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, CA. Another animal labyrinth, this one at the University of Connecticut, Avery Point Campus features a crab!

For religious themed labyrinths we have labyrinths that feature a cross like this one at Saint Peter Lutheran Church, although there are more cross labyrinths around the country. The Blue Ridge Mountain Clan in Enola, PA has a Wiccan Pentacle Labyrinth– a star within a circle. The Sacred Circles Hilltop features 7 different labyrinths in Ramona, CA, including a Pentagram Labyrinth. The Atlanta Unity Church in Georgia features a labyrinth made of pavers that spells out GOD.

The La Puerta Natural Burial Ground in Belen, NM has a vortex labyrinth that features a spiral center and different entrance/exit. If you want to walk an Infinity Symbol Labyrinth, you can find one at Infinite Healing and Wellness in Middletown, NJ. The design features hearts instead of teardrops in the internal design…if that makes sense. Tree Labyrinths are popular (see these examples: GA, IL, MN).

Have you found another labyrinth with a great shape ? Let me know and send a picture !

Weekly Hard Maze #37

Each Saturday I post a new hard maze with all of them sitting in the Hard Maze Archive. I will try to post a variety of maze types to keep things interesting.

Weekly Hard Maze #37 - Grid Maze Connections Maze

This is a large gris maze with a twist. There are 6 dots are to solve this maze puzzle you must find which 2 dots are connected. Solution will be in the archive. Download is below.

If you solved that maze quickly and want to try some of my archival hard mazes, these posts should do the trick:

• 6 difficult maze puzzles to challenge adults

• The 5 Hardest Mazes on this Website - Part 1

8 More Labyrinths to visit in Canada (the other provinces)

Did you know there are almost 400 labyrinths in Canada ? If you want a full list of labyrinths in Canada check out the Worldwide Labyrinth Finder. I did some research and pulled together a bunch of charts and graphs on labyrinths in Canada that you can read about in this post:

Questions about Canadian Labyrinths Answered

Then I took the 3 provinces with the most labyrinths and researched the best publicly available labyrinths to visit there.

5 Labyrinths to Visit in Alberta

10 Labyrinths to Visit in Ontario

10 Labyrinths to Visit in British Columbia

I decided to lump every other province together for this post. This chart explains why, since 79% of all Canadian labyrinths are in the 3 provinces I separated above. That left me 83 labyrinths to choose from for this post.

I have selected 8 of the best to visit that are accessible to the public from around Canada, focusing on the best/largest I could find ! I will also note any labyrinths that have records associated with them along the way. I did my best to gather photos and videos of each, and if you would like to submit a photo to improve this post send me a note.

Why visit a Labyrinth ?

Labyrinths are ancient and mysterious symbols that have been used for centuries for meditation, contemplation, and spiritual renewal. They are also a lot of fun to explore! If you're looking for a unique and challenging experience, walk a labyrinth with intention - it often leads to self-discovery. Personally, I like to walk labyrinths between dawn and sunrise or at sunset until dusk, but any time of day works. You may not realize it, but there is probably a labyrinth near where you live. Today we explore…

8 more Labyrinths to Visit in canada

1. Carol Shields Memorial Labyrinth

 

This Classical Labyrinth is a tribute to the famous author and is located in the Southern section of Kings Park, which you can easily find on Google Maps (not where the pin is above, but at 5 o’clock from it). The labyrinth features quotes from her work. This is also the largest labyrinth in Manitoba.

Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Address:

King's Park, 198 Kings Drive
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 3G1

2. Able Crystals Labyrinth

Devic Center Labyrinth - photo by Arthur Despins

This Classical style Cretan 7 circuit labyrinth is made from rocks and features a plant in the center. It measures 85 feet in diameter. The Able Crystal website features a section dedicated to the labyrinth on their website that includes some nice pictures. On Google Maps this labyrinth can be found by searching for the Able Crystals and the Devic Centre.

Location: Vanscoy, Saskatchewan

Address:

Corner of Township Road 342 and Range Road 3075
Vanscoy No. 345, SK S0L 3J0

3. Fishers Loft Inn Labyrinth

Check this video out at the 1:00 mark !

This beautiful Baltic style Classical labyrinth in cut into the grass near the inn. As the video above shows, it has a wonderful location perfect for a nice meditative walk. You can plan a trip to the Inn on their website. With a diameter of 82 feet across this is the largest labyrinth in Newfoundland and Labrador and also the largest Baltic labyrinth in Canada !

Location: Port Rexton, Newfoundland and Labrador

Address:

Mill Road
Port Rexton, Newfoundland and Labrador, AOC 2HO

4. Yuen Kwok Buddhist Temple Labyrinth

 

This Chartres style 11 circuit labyrinth in located in front of the Buddhist Temple on Rue de Terrebonne. The temple has a Facebook page where you can read about everything they offer, although most things are written in traditional Chinese !

Location: Montreal, Quebec

Address:

6870 Terrebonne
Montreal, Quebec, H4B 2G7

5. Belfast Lavender Labyrinth

 

This 3 circuit Classical square labyrinth is made with walls of lavender ! In the satellite view above, zoom in and center at 7 o’clock to see the labyrinth. You should plan ahead when visiting this labyrinth on private land, with open dates and contact information available here. Here is a YouTube short to see it up close !

Location: Lower Newtown, Prince Edward Island

Address:

111 Irving Road
Lower Newtown, Prince Edward Island, C0A 2E0

6. Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Labyrinth

 

This church includes multiple labyrinths, including a 7 circuit petite Chartres (indoors). I recommend the Classical 7 circuit labyrinth that is located outdoors in the garden. This is the Easternmost labyrinth in Canada. Learn about both labyrinths on the church website.

Location: St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Address:

16 Church Hill
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 3Z9

7. IWK Health Centre Labyrinth

 

When I found out about this labyrinth I knew I had to include it on this list. I believe this is the only Triple Spiral Labyrinth in Canada. Located in the Newman Memorial Healing Garden, this labyrinth was built in memory of Norman Newman. You can see it above by zooming in on the triangle looking shape at 9 o’clock from the pin.

Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Address:

5980 University Ave.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B0J 1T0

8. Whitehorse Labyrinth

Image courtesy of the owner

This 7 circuit Classical labyrinth holds the distinction of being both the Northernmost labyrinth in Canada and the Westernmost ! Made from rocks, it is situated in a boreal forest on private property. You can set-up an appointment to visit it using the contact information found here.

Location: Whitehorse, Yukon

Address:

Lot 1134 Shallow Bay Road
Whitehorse. Yukon, Y1A 6P2

5 TIPS FOR VISITING A LABYRINTH

1. Set an intention for your walk so you can walk with purpose. It could be prayer, reflection, meditation, contemplation, or openness.

2. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as you will be doing a lot of walking.

3. Bring water with you, especially if you are visiting on a hot day.

4. Take your time and enjoy the experience. There is no need to rush through a labyrinth.

5. Be respectful of other visitors. This includes not making noise and being respectful if walking with other people.

5 BOOKS TO READ ABOUT LABYRINTH WALKING

I wrote a blog post reviewing the following 5 books, each that deals with walking labyrinths. You can check them out yourself at the Amazon links below or read this blog post: 5 Books about the Spiritual Aspect of Labyrinths to learn a little about what each book teaches.

1. Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool by Dr. Lauren Artress 201 pages. AMZN

2. Labyrinth : Your Path to Self-Discovery by Tony Christie 312 pages. AMZN

3. Exploring the Labyrinth: A Guide For Healing and Spiritual Growth by Melissa Gayle West 209 pages AMZN

4. Walking the Labyrinth: A Place to Pray and Seek God by Travis Scholl 240 pages AMZN

5. Labyrinths from the Outside In: Walking to Spiritual Insight by Rev Dr Donna Schaper and Rev Dr Carole Ann Camp 187 pages AMZN

If you are interested in more spiritual labyrinth aspects I suggest the following websites:

1. Lauren Artress website - For coaching, workshops and classes.

2. Veriditas - The nonprofit labyrinth group founded by Lauren Artress

3. Worldwide Labyrinth Finder - Find a labyrinth to walk near you, or while on vacation

I am a maze artist and here are a few of my mazes from Canada:

• CN Tower Maze, Toronto

• Peggy's Point Lighthouse Maze, Nova Scotia

• Old Stone Butter Church Maze, Duncan, Vancouver Island, BC