Mirrored Baltic Ceremonial Labyrinth
Labyrinths, in their true, non-maze forms, have existed for thousands of years in numerous places around the world. They can serve as symbols and spaces for introspection, mindfulness, and ceremony.
Many labyrinth designs have a single opening and a single path that leads only to the center where you can pause for a moment, then turn around and retrace your steps out. Some designs, like the Baltic Wheel, have a continuous processional flow due to having a separate exit path from the center to a second opening in the outer edge.
Goronson Farm’s Ceremonial Labyrinth takes this idea a step further by combining two 4-circuit Baltic paths mirrored on either side of a shared center space. Each half meanders toward and then away from the center before coming together in the ceremonial space.
There are (at least) two ways to walk this design. You can walk it as a full processional labyrinth by going in either the right or left entrance, walking to the center, and then walking the other half. When used for a wedding or other types of ceremony, each person walks half and they meet in the ceremonial space and can exit together from there.
This labyrinth design was created by Yadina Clark, labyrinth artist, educator, facilitator, and researcher. The pattern choices, measurements, and placement were developed through a collaborative creative process and intuitive listening on the land. The design incorporates three-dimensional materials and nested torus energy flows around the central tree at golden ratio intervals.
The labyrinth build was dedicated to Alex Champion, whose mounded earth labyrinths inspired Yadina to become involved in labyrinth work. Alex passed away as installation of this labyrinth began. He studied and built labyrinths for over 30 years and was a founding member of The Labyrinth Society, an international nonprofit organization (labyrinthsociety.org).
Yadina earned a Master of Fine Arts in intermedia from the University of Maine where she specialized in labyrinth design and mapped over 250 labyrinths in New England (yadinaclark.wixsite.com/labyrinthsne). She has visited over 70 of those labyrinths so far and created temporary and permanent labyrinth installations in Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Her current research is focused on labyrinth classification and typology. Yadina also serves as Vice President of Communications of The Labyrinth Society.
