Copyright 2000 - 2014 © Myra Bonhage Hale. All rights reserved.

Silver Labyrinth at La PaixSilver Labyrinth at La Paix

Silver Labyrinth at La Paix

The labyrinth at La Paix was created by members of theMountain State Dowsers in 1997. At first, as shown here, itwas made up of circles of bamboo with batik dyed silkfabric attached. The labyrinth was hard to maintain thisway, and in 1999 it became a high grass, low grasslabyrinth similar to those in England.For more informationon Dowsing, Click Here.

In the year 2000, I created a silverlabyrinth on the same site. With theinvaluable help of my wonderfulsummer apprentice, Judith Vojik, weredid the seven paths of thelabyrinth in silver herbs: artemesia,lavender, yarrow and lamb’s ear. Judith cleared each of the sevencircles, weeding and cultivating thesoil before transplanting the silverherbs. Each circle was dowsed todetermine which herb would beplanted in it.

Yarrow, long considered sacred, wasused by the Druids to divine seasonal

weather in Europe, while in Chinayarrow stems were used to foretell

the future with the assistance of the IChing. Lamb’s Ear is named for the

soft feel of the silver leaves. Artemesia is named for the famous

botanist and medical researcher. Lavender has been valued over thecenturies, not just for its beauty and

fragrance, but also for its culinary andmedicinal uses.

The Silver Labyrinth, An Herbal Journey for Those Who Seek Peace

“More and more people are walking labyrinths, in search of inner peace, healing or deeper spiritual awareness. Not to beconfused with a maze, which is intended to confuse and amuse those who enter, a labyrinth is an intricate, geometricpattern laid out on the floor or ground that provides an elaborate but unbroken path for contemplation. There is one wayin and one way out.” (John Rivera, Baltimore Sun, Sunday, March 7th, 1999)

In the year 2002, the silver labyrinth was completely weeded, replanted in places and crushed limestone mulchedbetween the plants – creating an easily seen seven circle labyrinth. My 2002 apprentice, Helen Caldwell, two otherhelpers and I labored over the labyrinth for two weeks. The benches were painted and new ones added and it was readyfor the Sustainable Fair 2002 at La Paix. Because lamb’s ear is still visual in the winter and the crushed limestoneremains, the labyrinth circles are easily seen in the winter months and may be walked on a pleasant snow-free day.

Andy Andryshak begins the multi-denominationalceremony in the newly renovated labyrinth. Theceremony opened the Sustainable Fair 2002 which washeld at La Paix Herb Farm. The group’s emphasis in 2003will be building with cob. The seventh circle or key of thelabyrinth is planted with lavender. Lamb’s ears and SilverArtemesia delineate other rings.

WALKING THE LABYRINTHOf course, people may walk the labyrinth any way theywould like, but I discovered Marty Cain’s way ofmeditation at the American Society of DowsersConvention and liked it. So I have coached walkers at LaPaix on this suggested meditation and many people whohave walked La Paix’s labyrinth have found answers thisway. Here is the suggested meditation:First, decide on an issue you would like to concentrate onand word it clearly.1) First Circle in: think about the issue.

Top Photo: Entrance to the Silver Labyrinth

2) Second Circle: Clarify and name the emotions for youaround this issue.3) Third Circle: How does this issue effect you physically,including your pocketbook?4) Fourth Circle: How does this issue effect youpersonally and spiitually?5) Fifth Circle: Ask whoever or whatever is your higherpower to guide you and help you.6) Sixth Circle: You get a manifestation – an answer. Itmay be what you had already worked out or it may besomething completely new and creative.7) Seventh Circle: You get the first step.Middle or Key: Just stand in the center and do nothing –admire the scenery – relax.When returning, reflect on what you learned in eachcircle.Exit: Bow and thank the Labyrinth.

Photo Above: Torma, like most pets and wildlife, loves towalk the labyrinth. I have seen flocks of migrating geeseoverhead who seeing the labyrinth make a complete 90

degree turn to fly over it.

The labyrinth in August 2004: Looking west towardPavilions in the Big Fragrant Garden. Again weeded andplants replaced (mostly Lamb’s Ear) the labyrinth wasreadied to star in a documentary film by WVPBS“Outlook” program to be displayed sometime inSeptember or October 2004. The rose quartz in theforeground was brought as a gift to the labyrinth threeyears ago by a fellow dowser visiting from New England. It sits on the moss covered stump of an old apple tree thatdied.

Chuck Kleine of West Virginia Public Broadcasting raisesthe camera high (about 20 feet high) in order to video theSilver Labyrinth from above. The video is being taken fora program on Dowsing and The Silver Labyrinth to bebroadcast this fall on West Virginia Public Television. ArtDigman (see Dowsing page) also stars in thisdocumentary. Chuck, his wife, Larry and Erin came to LaPaix in August to do the story.

Copy of Labyrinth Power Point presentation.htm (draft)

Those friends who came to the Silver Labyrinth Re-Dedication Day in May 2010 were from the left front row:Laura Yokochi, Anne Romance, Silvia Bresson, Ashley Wiley

from left back row: Denise Poole, Kathy Flewelling, Angela Eib-Kraus, Jan Myers, and I – Myra Bonhage-HaleIt was a beautiful day in May with beautiful people with beautiful souls.

My son, William NicollHale, III (Bill) helpedall us all day with thevarious tasks, big andsmall, that comprised

our tasks.

Ashley Wiley, friend of Rebekah CeronAshley is now living in San Francisco!

Laura Yokochi, friend for yearsbeginning with WV Herb Association,

professor at Fairmont State Univ.,part time apprentice 2009.

Silvia Bresson, my parttime apprentice from2009, came fromWooster Ohio on hermotorcycle toparticipate.

My long time friend on Crooked Run, descendent of theoriginal families who settled here, Angela Eib-Kraus.

My friend since the beginning of theWV

Herb Association in 1990,Anne Romance of Green Heron Farm.

My friend Jan Myers,ever since I moved toCrooked Run in 1981.Each friend either

brought a rock for thelabyrinth or selected

one gathered here at LaPaix.

My friend, Denise Poole, with whom I started theSustainable Living for WV group in gee whiz 1997? Denise is also very active in the WV Environmental

Coalition.

My friend, Kathy Flewelling, who Imet through the WV Herb

Association.She is now an officer of the

Association.

It was a most propitiousand awesome day – the

light just shone.One of the new plants placed in the labyrinth – this isdead nettle, also known as Archangel. It is variable

with pink flowers, and is a perennial. My good friend,Melissa Dennison, of Garden Treasures, supplied the

new plants for the re-dedication.

In the labyrinth almost from thestart, hearty but particular lamb’s

ears.

For eight days afterthe initial planting, my

helper, Mike, and Iworked in the labyrinthweeding and defining

the paths.

Blood Root or Sanquinaria was another new plant in there-dedicated labyrinth.

Violets are everywhere at La Paix – my wedding bouquetwas violets and my loving husband, Patrick, went huntingone day months after our wedding, and came back with

no animals, just plants and plants of violets. He hasbeen dead of cancer for 50 years now, but violets havesprung up all over La Paix. I think he watches over me.

Another view of the rocks placed todefine the grass paths in the

labyrinth. Many prefer to walk intheir bare feet. Many receive

answers – sometimes affirming whatthey already thought – sometimes

something completely new.

Hellebore, or ChristmasRose was another new

plant for the labyrinth. It is a perennial.

I found this bird fountain under the counter at Walmart(of all places). I selected it not knowing what the

symbol was. My friend, Denise (above) who was an ArtMajor in college, informed me it is a Celtic Knot The key in the Labyrinth – the end

and the beginning.

The completed labyrinth. A power point presentation (see link below) was given at theAmerican Society of Dowsers National Convention in Vermont in June 2010. My former

apprentice, Rebekah Ceron, accompanied me (driving!) and helped me present. I am trulyblessed to have so many wonderful deeply thinking friends.

Another view of the labyrinthlooking south west. You canfind finger labyrinths on theWeb and walk them with your

finger!

The completed labyrinth looking east toward the woods of La Paix.

The completed labyrinth lookingnorth. This path is the entranceto the labyrinth. Peace, Myra

For further information on maintenance, values and love in the labyrinth prepared for a presentation at theAmerican Society of Dowsers Convention in June 2010, click on title below. Joy, Myra

by Myra Bonhage-Hale, M.S.W.

Resources: Further study, exploration, examples of Labyrinths

http://www.gothicimage.co.uk/labyrinths.html Sig Lonegren, Labyrinths Ancient Myths and Modern Uses

Cain, Marty, DVD Building Labyrinths on the Earth Available at ASD bookstore

http://www.spiritofmaat.com/archive/nov2/mcain.htm and

http://www.martycain.com/ and she is here at the conference giving a talk on labyrinths. I urge you to attend.

http://www.labyrinthsociety.org/ comprehensive and beautiful website on resources, events, energy keepers.

http://www.lessons4living.com/labyrinth.htm comprehensive and inspirational website, includes finger labyrinth

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=%22+labyrinths%22&um=1&ie=UTF-

8&source=univ&ei=_4zyS4qFDJGOMpbJxO8N&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDQQsAQwAw

images of many different kinds of labyrinths

http://www.crystalinks.com/labyrinths.html history and meaning of labyrinths with illustrations of various kinds

of labyrinths. Building labyrinths.

http://labyrinthlocator.com/ Locations of labyrinths world wide includes La Paix Herb Farm’s labyrinth.

http://www.labyrinths.org/ announces it is the place to look for everything about labyrinths.

http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com/TheSilverLabyrinth.html La Paix Herb Farm’s website.

Joy Myra Bonhage-Hale Steward La Paix Herb Farm Lewis County WV

Handout #1

La Paix Herb Farm

3052 Crooked Run Road

Alum Bridge, West Virginia 26321

(304) 269-7681

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