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The Episcopal pastor here in town approached us with a project that was interesting...paint a labyrinth on their concrete behind the church. A labyrinth, you say....and just HOW would we do that?!? Well after a few internet searches and conversations and measurements THIS is what we came up with.
Ben and I finished the Labyrinth yesterday. We started it Monday and then took a break. What a long day!! Crawling around on our hands and knees painting on hot forest green concrete. My body is too old for this!! Lou (the pastor's husband) helped us both days and brought us paint and water and told us stories. I am WHIPPED today though...but the Episcopal church has it's Labyrinth! I guess you walk on it and meditate? I didn't get it but they are thrilled!!
[ July 24, 2009, 05:48 PM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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You guys are blowing me away...don't you ever slow down?
The lab as I see it, it representative of life.
You enter at one point, and leave at another. So you spend most of your life trying to figure where exactly you are, in relation to the doors. It's all very cosmic.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Jane, One of the last projects that my father was involved in was painting labyrinths. Somewhere I still have pounce patterns for one.
I have some fantastic photos of the one in Grace Cathedral (one he didn't paint) in SF. Ask Cat, I took her there to see it. I'll find them and post some.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Heavy! That's far out, man! Hey, I'm an old hippy and I took a class in transcendental meditation when I was in college but walking around on this path thingy just makes me dizzy(ER)! I guess when the pain wears away from painting it, I should go and actually try to do what they profess it to be for. Who knows? I might be enlightened!
[ July 24, 2009, 06:13 PM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Labyrinths are VERY cool- several of them in the Pittsfield, MA area- terriffic meditation aids- great job, Jane!!!
-------------------- Catharine C. Kennedy CCK Graphics 1511 Route 28 Chatham Center, NY 12184 cck1620@taconic.net "Look at me, Look at me, Look at me now! I't's fun to have fun, But you have to know how!" Posts: 2173 | From: downtown Chatham Center, NY | Registered: Feb 2004
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I asked the pastor. Seriously, what are you supposed to do? I really don't get it.... I would love to enjoy what we did but right now it's the "site of the torture" as far as my knees are concerned. Maybe later I will go and try to enjoy it but I really don't get it at this point. Do you just walk around and think about different things at each curve or pray or what? I'm not Catholic but I taught at a Catholic school. I thought maybe it was like a rosary where you pray different prayers at different beads? Does anyone know what you are suppose to do or what it's for?
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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What a cool project. You guys did a great job. I completely understand about getting worn out tho. Whenever I do a "big" job now I am too sore to sleep that night and totally junk the next day. Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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I need to look through boxes - I have some pics my father took of that one that have the light streaming in the stained glass which left the COOLEST designs on the labyrinth.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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I believe it actually started from Buddhism, I think. I have to look it up for sure. It is a silent walking meditation. You concentrate on the path and release other thoughts. You do it in silence, watching every step. You repeat your mantra, or prayer over and over again as you step slowly. All the way in and all the way out. It's a going within process of meditation and release of the outside world and it's pressures.
How're your back and knees now? Ready to crawl through the labyrinth? Watch a fun movie made in the 80's by the same name. Very cute.
-------------------- Judy Grossman JG Signs & Designs 226 W. Jackson St. Sonora, CA 95370 Posts: 207 | From: Sonora, CA, USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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I'm curious. Some labyrinths I see have possibilities for wrong turns and dead ends, causing it to be somewhat of a puzzle that you have to figure out. However, these church labyrinths look like they are more of a just a twisty-turny path that you start on and the only option is to end up at the middle.
I guess that would be because the purpose of the path is different? I think what Judy posted may explain it...
Looks cool, though, Jane...
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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Yes Jon, these labyrinths are NOT supposed to be a maze, just a journey. They are meditative and are meant to be relaxing. California Pacific Medical Center in SF has one outside of the building for family members, etc of ill patients or patients themselves to be able to use to relieve stress.
You can also start at the middle and end up outside which is what I prefer.
My father created several on large canvas that were able to be folded up and taken to other locations and used at different events, etc. This way, they could be enjoyed be people not able to travel to one.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Very cool... Thanks for the explanation, Kimberly....
Curiosity aroused, I googled 'labyrinth vs. maze'... I see that most modern scholars consider a 'labyrinth' to have the one path from start to finish... and would refer to the puzzle type as a 'maze'.
I learned something.
[ July 25, 2009, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: Jon Jantz ]
-------------------- Jon Jantz Snappysign.com jjantz21@gmail.com http://www.allcw.com Posts: 3395 | From: Atmore, AL | Registered: Nov 2005
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FYI: I just saw that on Monday, the San Francisco Chronicle will be doing a piece on the Grace Cathedral labyrinth. Check out sfgate.com on Monday.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Thanks, Kimberly! That first site explained it very well. I think that I WILL go back and try to "Release, Receive and Return". I like the sentiment. I wish the pastor had explained it to me better. Sounds like a good relax and revive for me one day.
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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You guys did a super job, Jane, my knees hurt just thinking aobut this...
For balance in the discussion of the labyrith's use and meaning, I would like to offer a different view for your consideration: http://www.eternalpath.com/labyrinth.html
posted
Jane...I'm sure Bill knows this, but you can duct tape a fitch or a cutter to a broom handle, and not have to be on your hands and knees...just stand up and paint.
I learned that after suffering at the Gainesville Raceway a time or two. One time I spent a whole week on my knees and elbows, painting the 3 ft. high barrier wall up one side of the track, and down the other. Ouch !
The next year I had a roll around dolly with 6" wheels and padded carpet...it was mucho better.
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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On a similar note, around here in the fall we have several corn mazes. The good ones can actually get you turned around for a while. One trick I have been told is to maintain contact, at all times, with one wall (right or left doesn't matter) and you will inevitably find the exit, no matter how complex the maze might be.
-------------------- "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
Cam Bortz Finest Kind Signs Pondside Iron works 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988" Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I didn't think of that, Jeff. I used to do that to get up high with paint, but I must confess, I've done very few floor jobs and didn't think of that for Ben and Jane.
Jane is still suffering some, but I would have been out of commission totally. I've had that darned old sciatica pinched nerve in my back and that has scared me away from a lot of low stuff. Luckily I've had other work to keep me in work.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2107 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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