“The labyrinth is an archetype of wholeness, a sacred place that helps us rediscover the depths of our souls.”
Our Labryinth
The Fourbear Labyrinth is a left-handed, eleven-circuit medieval design inspired by the pavement labyrinth found in Chartres Cathedral, France. It is set in a private cathedral of pine trees on Wadmalaw Island. The space is energized by coastal winds, choruses of song birds and the distinct scent of pluff mud that rises from the shifting tides of the salt marsh. The space is also grounded by the local materials used to create it including Charleston brick, bluestone, and cobbles recovered from a courtyard on Catfish Row in Charleston. This sacred space is consecrated by every soul that walks within it. Souls ignite the path toward discovery.
The Journey
We are all travelers. Some may travel the globe, others may have only explored the limits of their hometown. All of us have, in some way, traveled the vastness of our imagination and dreams. There is so much to discover when we set an intention to follow the sign posts of our minds. I stepped onto the travertine labyrinth in front of Grace Cathedral San Francisco on Thanksgiving Day, 1996 and fell into the deepest sense of peace I have ever felt. An impression, a sign post or pin was dropped in my mind that day. I would travel down the pathways of my life for more that two decades before recognizing where that signpost would lead. Take a walk with me. Who knows what we will discover.
About Labyrinths
A labyrinth is a unicursal pathway that winds towards its center wherein the path out is the same as the path in. Unlike a maze, there are no tricks, dead ends or the need to double-back to reach the center. Walking a labyrinth provides a way to quiet the mind and become conscious of your breath and your body’s movement as you move towards its center and return the way you came. This purposeful, meandering path is often described as a metaphor for life’s journey with its twists and turns. On this path, one can experience moments of great clarity and life’s ebb and flow. Movement through the labyrinth at times brings you close to your goal, and at other times far away from it. The labyrinth is considered a walking meditative tool, akin to a full-body prayer, that helps walkers reduce stress, be mindful, and connect more deeply with their inner selves and their spirituality.
The labyrinth is considered by many to be an archetype - a prototype of a pattern that occurs throughout the natural world that also represents a pattern which is somehow part of the universal human consciousness. Look closely at certain sea shells, plants, and even our own fingertips and you will discover meandering labyrinth like patterns.
Types of Labyrinths
Humans have been creating the labyrinth pattern in some form for thousands of years. This pattern has appeared on coins, clay tablets, and as petroglyphs in rocks from Europe to the Americas. Medieval Christians walked labyrinths installed in cathedrals as a form of pilgrimage. The eleven-circuit labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral survived the demise that befell many of its kind in the late 18th century. It has emerged as a symbol of the modern day labyrinth movement. Hundreds of classic labyrinths still exist around the shores of the Baltic Sea built for spring festivals, courtship and as a way for fisherman to hope for success at sea. Contemporary labyrinths continue to be built across the globe. Click here to explore more about the history of labyrinths.
There are a multitude of different labyrinths. The most ancient design is the called the classic design. This design has appeared in petroglyphs dating over 4,000 years old, silver coins from Crete and etched in rocks in Northern Europe. Examples of early labyrinths can be found on the Labrinthos website which has been developed by Jeff and Kimberly Saward who are world renowned for their expertise regarding all types of labyrinths.
The eleven-circuit medieval labyrinth design such as the one that exists in Chartres Cathedral in France has become more recognizable in the U.S. as the symbol of the modern labyrinth movement due to the work of Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress. Medieval labyrinths are thought to be an allegory for Christ’s life. Pilgrims who could not make a trip to Jerusalem would journey to a cathedral and walk the labyrinth instead. Learn more about Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress and her organization Veriditas.
Numerous contemporary labyrinths can be found across the world. Professional labyrinth designer and builder Lars Howlett has created a wide variety of contemporary, classical and medieval labyrinths. See more examples of newly created labyrinths on his website Discover Labyrinths.
Explore Labyrinths Around World with the World-Wide Labyrinth Locator
The World-Wide Labyrinth Locator has been designed to be an easy-to-use database of labyrinths around the world. Information about labyrinths you can visit, including their locations, pictures, and contact details, are accessible here, along with information about the many types of labyrinths found worldwide. Labyrinths occur in many forms, shapes, and sizes, and the Locator contains both historic and modern examples. At the current time, the Worldwide Labyrinth Locator database contains more than 6,400 labyrinths (including a few mazes) in more than 90 different countries around the world.
A Place Called Fourbear
The Wadmalaw River, Live Oaks and Loblolly Pine trees lend flow, grace and spirited energy to our home named Fourbear. A name that represents luck and love.