Equinox Labyrinth & Creativity
October 1st, 2023
Equinox Labyrinth & Creativity
A new labyrinth within a woodland park was a magical setting for the Fall Equinox on Sept. 23rd.
Field Trip
The monthly Mandala & Creativity Circle, usually held in my home art space, went on a field trip to experience creativity and the centering energy of a labyrinth and nature. After reading about this new labyrinth and the surrounding woodland trails, it felt like a perfect place to set foot into nature, and a perfect place to be on the path of a mandala like journey to the center. I brought art materials for everyone so we could capture the spirit of this treasure filled park with our art. The park, 50 minutes from my home, is the Hillsboro City Park Discovery Trail* in Hillsboro, Missouri.
Four of us met in the parking lot and took the trail to the labyrinth. The weather was sunny and warm, but not too hot. The labyrinth sits in a glade opening at the edge of a woods, overlooking a distant woodland.
New Labyrinth, Large Wind Chimes & More
The newly designed redo of this park was, and continues to be, a several year project with new trails and features. The labyrinth was finished at the summer solstice this year. Other trails lead to special stopping places. On the way to the labyrinth is a quiet meditative area with very large wind chimes that sounded like crystal singing bowls as the wind carried the notes.
Beautiful wooden benches in a serene shaded circle area surrounded by smooth stones and trees that were cleared for redo of the trails invited us to pause here. On the right of the photo, there is a slight glimpse of the labyrinth further down the path.
Signs & QR Codes
In a glade clearing at the end of the trail, the labyrinth greeted us. A diagram shows the shape of the labyrinth. The large stone marks north’s direction. The three posts at the edge of the labyrinth are aligned with the solstices and equinoxes. The setting sun on each of those days shines through a large crystal at the top of each post.
The sign has a QR code giving more information. All the other trails and special areas in the park have QR codes with more information.
We visited the labyrinth in the morning. It would have been a wonderful experience to be there when the sun was setting and shining through the crystal of the middle post.
After settling into the beauty of the area, we each walked the smooth crushed stone path.
The meandering path leads to a comfortable wooden circular bench in the center.
Below the seats are embedded stones that suggest the colors of sky, sea, soil, leaves, tree bark and more. The stones spiral out from the round stone center.
Beauty in Details – Art for Remembering
After we finished walking the labyrinth we found spots that allowed us to sit and see beauty in the details of what surrounded us. We took out small sketch pads, pencils and colored pencils to record the treasures that presented themselves, helping us remember this special day.
Inspired by a British artist** whose work captures small essences of experiences with “viewfinders” and grids, we looked around and made sketches of small details through the viewfinders.
Kelly’s inspirations were an acorn, a leaf with dark spots and a stone with a happy face found on the ground. She used a square viewfinder.
Christine used a circle viewfinder to create.
The art work is of a yellow prairie plant flower, the top of the equinox/solstice post with large crystal, details of the north facing stone in the labyrinth, a yellow & black symbol of light/dark/balance/ equinox, the spiral stones below the labyrinth’s center bench, and a single flower. I was astonished when I saw Christine’s photo of the flower she drew. It was a single bright blue, yellow and white flower growing out in a remote spot in Missouri. I recognized the flower. It was a Royal Blue Ensign flower (Convolvulus tricolor). I had grown this short somewhat bushy plant years ago from seed. Native to southern Mediterranean countries, it’s a mystery to me how it ended up in a midwest native plant forest glade.
My sketches were taken home and colored later with watercolors and pen.
I love both the square and round viewfinders. The round ones create what I call Mandalas of the Moments. They capture the essence of place and experience.
As my mind’s eye remembers these special details in these art impressions and expressions, my heart gets an expanded warm feeling.
My Mandalas of the Moments, from Sept 23rd, 2023.
I look forward to more visits to this special place. There wasn’t time, the day we first visited, to explore the other trails and delight in the park’s magic. A large human sized bird type nest was just finished. One of the many delights for children and adults.
ENJOY & CREATE
* More information about the Hillsboro Park Discovery Trail and how it came about is in a newspaper article. Here is the link.
*There is also a facebook page with lots of info and more updates. Here’s the link.
** British artist Tansy Hargan inspires me with her beautiful grid art. She gets her inspiration from quick sketches made while focusing on details through her viewfinders. Here is her instagram link.
