Photos from Hagal: The Labyrinth

Took this picture of the living labyrinth the other day, just after it got a winter haircut.
This is a seven circuit classical hedge labyrinth with enlarged centre, designed and constructed by Fred Wieler a number of years ago.
Here is a link to the blog post about the living labyrinth at Hagal Farm if you are interested to know more about it. http://hagalfarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/labyrinth.html

The Labyrinth and its healing powers for Alzheimer's sufferers

 Last week I had a mini digger in the garden at Hagal farm. As it was so close by, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get a good shot of the labyrinth from high up. So with the arm of the digger high in the air, I propped a ladder up against it, climbed up and got this great shot.

 The seven circuit classical hedge labyrinth at Hagal Farm

I recently wrote a post over on my Stone Art Blog about the healing effects labyrinths have on Alzheimer's sufferers and thought I might post some of that story here.

More and more hospitals and wellness centres are using labyrinths in the treatment and care of Alzheimer's sufferers. The beauty of a labyrinth (often confused with a maze, which has many paths and dead ends) is that a labyrinth is a single winding path that leads from the entrance to the centre and back out again. All labyrinths are unicursal, meaning they only have one path, which makes them a perfect place for an Alzheimer sufferer to ‘get lost in’. (for more information about labyrinths, check out my previous post about them http://tinyurl.com/gardenlabyrinth)



Labyrinth at Marianjoy Rehabilitation
 Hospital in Wheaton, Illinois

With Alzheimer’s, the mind begins to short circuit. Performing tasks that once were as natural as breathing becomes a source of frustration. Confusion begins to crush hope. The caregivers for early- to mid-stage Alzheimer's residents know that these misfires aren't going to go away. Back at home in West Cork a dear friend of our family has been suffering from Alzheimer’s for a number of years now, so I can begin to understand the heart wrenching, problems and difficulties of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s and the family and carers who lovingly look after them. It also gives me huge respect for those who live with Alzheimer's, as well as for their family and carers.

While reading up about this subject I came across a very interesting blog by a man called Chuck Donofrio. Chuck’s blog is called ‘Early onset Alzheimer’s Adventure’

Chuck suffers from Alzheimer’s but as he states on his blog ‘Early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis doesn't stop this "sufferer" from blogging about his day to day observations and feelings.

In one of his posts he writes the following about wanting a labyrinth “One of the most profound meditative experiences available to the lay person, or any other soul desiring a respite from the banality and meaninglessness of our daily round, can be found as near as the closest Labyrinth. The ancient practice of walking the "maze" has captured many a soul, most probably because the physical action of its twists and turns, coinciding with the step and breath of the human in motion, excites, even as it calms.”

Photo sent to me by Deb Donofrio of the Labyrinth she made for Chuck

Above is a photo Chuck's wife Deb sent me of a labyrinth she made for Chuck last Spring on Sanibel Island. She said 'Every morning we would enjoy the sunrise, then I would meditate on the beach while he walked the labyrinth.'

The spiritual discipline of the labyrinth involves a "walking meditation" and is a metaphor for the soul's spiritual journey. It quiets the mind and opens the soul to a sense of wholeness and wellness. The tradition of labyrinth walks was recovered in the United States in the early '90s at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and, in recent years, the labyrinth has come to be recognized as an instrument of holistic healing. The Rev. Canon Lauren Artress of Grace Cathedral has used labyrinth walks with groups of children with ADD/ADHD (attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactive disorder) and has discovered that it helps focus and quiet them in a way that cognitive therapies fail to do.

Since many of the labyrinth projects are still new, they haven't completed any long-term studies. But many places have noticed that this ritual provides benefits such as short-term calming, relaxation, and relief from agitation and anxiety in otherwise fragmented lives. The restorative and calming value of the walk can last from two to three hours, or longer.

I also read of another touching story of a couple that walked, hand in hand, through the labyrinth almost daily.  He was suffering from Alzheimer’s, and she was struggling with the confinement, stress, and isolation of being a caregiver.  She noticed that after a few weeks of their routine, he began to regain small skills. 

Scorces   

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3830/is_10_50/ai_79355490/pg_2/

http://www.thecabinpath.com/labrynth.html

http://www.medicinenet.com/galantamine/article.htm

The Labyrinth

This is a seven circuit classical hedge labyrinth with enlarged centre, was designed and constructed by
Fred a number of years ago.

The gardens at Hagal Farm spared out over about four acres, making up a number of different gardens, each with its own character. (but this is another story for another post, sometime in the future) From the car park, little blue sign can be found with the symbol of the labyrinth, pointing down a winding path through some of the wilder gardens. As you wind your way through the gardens, more of the same signs keep you on the right path, to the entrance.

The Labyrinth’s hedges are Lonicera (Lonicera nitida) and was all planted from cuttings approximately five years ago. To walk the labyrinth is about a 360 meter round trip and takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

An ancient piece of local bog Oak makes up the sculptural centre piece.

Summer Shot

Lonicera makes a great hedge, it is easily planted from cuttings and is fast growing. However there is an obvious drawback with this too, it being that, it needs regular trimming. I made the mistake of offering to cut it once, with a hedge streamer, it’s quite a lot of maintenance.

Another big job is mowing the grass, there's no short cuts so when you get to the centre and your mowing is complete, you get to push the mower all the ways around back out again. But it's worth it, and for some people it’s even a pleasure!

The Labyrinth in its second year growing.

Winter Shot

The labyrinth's creator, inspecting the hedges

Video of a swift walk through the Labyrinth

What are labyrinths

'A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.

This labyrinth carving 'Hollywood Stone' found lying face down in a grassy lane near the village of Hollywood in County Wicklow, dates back to around the sixth century.

A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place and takes us out of our ego to "That Which Is Within." '

Labyrinths and mazes have often been confused. When most people hear of a labyrinth they think of a maze. A labyrinth is not a maze. A maze is like a puzzle to be solved. It has twists, turns, and blind alleys. It is a left brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity to find the correct path into the maze and out.
A labyrinth has only one path. It is universal. The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and out again.

For all those who wish to see more Irish labyrinths or fancy to walk one, this one and many more around the country can be found on Labyrinths Ireland http://www.labyrinthireland.com/irish.html


And for those of you who are reading this from abroad, you can find labyrinths from all over the world on the World-Wide Labyrinth Locator. http://labyrinthlocator.com/

 Below are a few other living labyrinths from around the world

This post is adapted from stone art blog's post 'Garden Labyrinth'