Book Review - The Magic Of Labyrinths by Liz Simpson 192 pages. AMZN.
The full title of the book is The Magic of Labyrinths: Following your Path, Finding Your Center, and really that is what the book is about. It starts with the history of the labyrinth and the various types of patterns you can find and transitions into the spiritual aspect of labyrinths.
What I learned in this book:
I learned about new labyrinths around the world that I had not heard of previously, like the square labyrinth from the Church of Reparatus in Nigeria and the Ely Cathedral in the UK.
I learned some background on the Man in the Maze labyrinth from the Hopi tribe of Arizona and how it is reminiscent of labyrinths in Scandinavia !
The Maekula Islanders in the South Pacific have a myth that in order to cross over to the Land of the Dead the soul must complete a labyrinth.
I never knew that churches in England were built on “ley lines'‘ as a way to convert non-Catholics by taking over their physical places of worship.
There is a section discussing the Hindu concept of Kundalini energy and it’s relation to the journey through the labyrinth.
Chapter 5 goes into the construction of physical labyrinths and how to creatively measure them out, the use of dowsers, and the choosing of an appropriate location. If you want to draw a labyrinth on paper, I’ve got you covered.
What this book does best: Speaking to how to create a labyrinth in your lawn, church, etc. Options and things to think about before actually doing it. I also think the book does a good job exploring the fringes of the history of labyrinths and some unique shapes.