Maze of the Week #113 - Polar Bear

Maze of the Week #113 of a Polar Bear is to celebrate International Polar Bear Day on February 27th.

Were you able to guess correctly based on my preview ?

Polar Bear Maze Preview

Here is the first version of the maze. Our bear does not look happy.

Polar Bear Maze

And now the alternative version with some minor color changes.

Polar Bear Maze  alternative color

Downloads are available in the comic book style maze section. Come back tomorrow to see what the comic book cover looks like !

Next weeks Maze Preview: What do you think the maze is ? I think you have a good idea.

Maze preview

11 Labyrinths to Visit in Florida

Did you know that Florida has over 150 labyrinths around the state ? Labyrinths make a great meditative experience, so I have selected 11 of the best labyrinths from around the state, focusing on large population areas. Hopefully one is near you and you can make a visit. If you want a full list of labyrinths in the state check out the Worldwide Labyrinth Finder.


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…


11 Labyrinths to Visit in florida



1. University of North Florida Healing Garden Labyrinth

This 8 circuit labyrinth is located within the building 39 Healing Garden courtyard and is made of brick/pavers. You can read about the dedication ceremony on the UNF site.

Location: Jacksonville, Florida

Address:

1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, Florida 32224

2. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami Labyrinth

A classical labyrinth made from rocks that is 75 feet in diameter.

Location: Miami, Florida

Address:

7701 SW 76th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33143


3. Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa Labyrinth

Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa Labyrinth

Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa Labyrinth; Photo courtesy of the church

I have a soft spot for any labyrinth that has a photo gallery showing it being constructed. This 7 circuit Cretan labyrinth is made of bricks/pavers.

Location: Tampa, Florida

Address:
11400 Morris Bridge Road
Tampa, Florida 33637

4. First Unitarian Church of Orlando Labyrinth

This brick labyrinth is in a Santa Rosa pattern.

Location: Orlando, Florida

Address:

1901 East Robinson Street
Orlando, Florida 32803

BONUS: Also in Orlando is the Colonialtown Square Park Labyrinth dedicated to the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting.


5. The Salvador Dali Museum Labyrinth

A museum dedicated to Salvador Dali ! This contemporary hedge labyrinth is available to walk during museum hours as long as there is not a private event. You can plan your visit to the museum on the museum website.

Location: St. Petersburg, Florida

Address:

One Dali Place
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

Lakewood is home to many interesting labyrinths, including public ones at Phillips United Methodist Church, St. Joseph Episcopal Church, and Mile Hi Church.

6. Hope Hospice House Labyrinth

Located directly behind the Hope Hospice House, this contemporary labyrinth is open to the public. Read a short description of the labyrinth on the Hope Hospice site.

Location: Cape Coral, Florida

Address:
2430 Diplomat Parkway E
Cape Coral, Florida 33909


7. Unity of Naples Labyrinth

This 7 circuit labyrinth is unique because the walls that create the pathways are made from seashells ! To see a photo of this labyrinth and other nearby labyrinths check out this blog post from the natural awakenings website.

Location: Naples, Florida

Address:

2000 Unity Way
Naples, Florida 34112

8. First Congregational UCC Labyrinth

While most labyrinths are in a Chartres style, this one is an 11 circuit octagonal labyrinth based off of the Amiens Cathedral design. The surface of the labyrinth is made from rubber. It has it’s own very detailed webpage where you can learn tips on walking the labyrinth. My favorite is the 5R Journey: Remember, Release, Receive, Return, Reflect.

Location: Sarasota, Florida

Address:

1031 South Euclid Ave
Sarasota, Florida 34237


9. Florida State University Labyrinth

I love a good time lapse video of things being built !

This large 4 circuit labyrinth is located between the College of Medicine and the Psychology building. You can read about the labyrinth on it’s own webpage which includes this important information; “Anyone is welcome to walk the labyrinth at any time; there is a plaque with suggestions for walking located at the labyrinth entrance. For groups that would like a more focused experience, the Spiritual Life Project at FSU can provide a facilitator who will give context, engage the group in walking the labyrinth, and facilitate a debrief.’

Location: Tallahassee, Florida

Address:

1111 West Call Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32304

10. Holy Spirit Old Catholic Church Labyrinth

A 5 circuit labyrinth made of bricks/pavers is located at the main entrance of the parish chapel. It has it’s own webpage that gives suggestions on how to walk the labyrinth. It also has a wonderful picture where the shadow of the chapel aligns so the cross is in the center of the labyrinth !

Location: Safety Harbor, Florida

Address:

3265 State Road 580
Safety Harbor, Florida 34698

11. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boca Raton Labyrinth

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boca Raton Labyrinth

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boca Raton Labyrinth; Photo courtesy of the Church

A classical 7 circuit labyrinth made of stones and gravel. It is open to public to walk at their own risk. Read about the labyrinth on it’s webpage including how to schedule a group walk !

Location: Boca Raton, Florida

Address:

2601 St. Andrews Blvd.
Boca Raton, Florida 33434-3607

BONUS: A video showing the Fregeau Labyrinth at the Duncan Center in Delray Beach, Florida. You can find additional information about this labyrinth on the Duncan Center website.

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 have made a few mazes of places in Florida:

Epcot Center Spaceship Earth Maze

Key West Southernmost Point Maze

Bok Tower Gardens Maze

Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Maze

The Orange Shop Sign Maze

Trying to Create New Labyrinth Shapes

Sometimes I sit down in front of my computer and try to make new labyrinth styles. Usually it does not work. The labyrinth has been around for thousands of years. It looks great and walking it makes sense. My first published stab at making new labyrinth designs was this post where I tried to create love and reconciliation labyrinth shapes (i.e. heart shaped, 2 center 1 exit).

Now, let’s look at a few more labyrinth shapes I workshopped and see what I came up with:

The Cross Labyrinth

Labyrinths are used for spiritual walking and meditation. If you are ever in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Chaparral Christian Church has a cross shaped labyrinth:

Chaparral Labyrinth illustration

Chaparral Labyrinth illustration

My version of a cross labyrinth is the best of the 5 different versions I created (in my opinion of course). It can still be improved, I’m sure, but for now here is my interpretation:

Cross Shaped Labyrinth.

Cross shaped labyrinth

I wanted to make sure the final walk ended in the center of the cross moving towards the top. You may also notice that the walk around the cross takes place 3 times purposefully to represent the Holy Trinity.

The Yin and Yang Labyrinth

My next labyrinth was the idea of Yin and Yang as a labyrinth. You already have a circular shape and obviously this would need two entrances. Below is what I came up with, which might actually be a good dual paisley labyrinth. I think if this was made it would need to be done with black brick on one side and white on the other. So I show you the 2 options:

The Figure 8 Labyrinth

And now a dual entrance/exit dual spiral figure 8 labyrinth, which sound like me trying to fit a lot of words into a name. Let’s just call it a Figure 8 Labyrinth. In my diagram the entrance/exit on the sides of the labyrinth (in red) is a pathway ramp that starts at ground level and goes under the labyrinth. You take a spiral staircase up the center, walk the figure 8, then go down the spiral staircase in the other center, underground and out the other side.

Figure 8 Labyrinth

So the question is - is the underground cheating ? This strategy could be adapted for any number of similar labyrinths, like the Buddhist endless knot, the Turk's head knot or any of the many Celtic Knots. I may come back to this one day.

The Double Spiral Inclined Labyrinth

This has certainly been done before somewhere. Just a spiral inside a spiral so there are two paths in and out. Either 2 people walk at once and meet in the middle or you walk one path in and the other out ?

My latest idea is that each step you take is on a slight incline up until you reach the top, which is a plateau, then the second pathway comes down at a similar incline. I would switch the inner spiral labyrinths start to be farther from the other spiral to accomplish this in real life. So viewing this from afar it has almost a pyramid shape.

Double Spiral Labyrinth

So those are few ideas I came up with. I tried to make a few others that did not go well or were too similar to other ideas.