The labyrinth goes back to ancient times. They are structures mentioned in Greek mythology, they are seen on Cretan coins as early as 430BC and became popular as garden mazes during the Renaissance. They are found worldwide, in prehistoric petroglyphs in India, in Native American culture and as remote as on the Solovetsky Islands in Russia.
Most commonly associated with a maze the mythological labyrinth was unicursal, with only one path to reach the center. Garden mazes were multicursal, having more than one choice of direction to walk.
The labyrinth can be seen in art represented in the weave of baskets, on pottery, etchings on walls of churches and caves, and in tiles and mosaics set on floors.
Today’s labyrinth is more typically used as a spiritual tool in rituals, meditation and for therapeutic use. They are created from stones, turf, tiles or paint and some are temporary while others are permanent. They are even found in SLO County. This meditation labyrinth is in Baywood Park at the Back Bay Inn, a beautiful spot to meditate along the bay.
Photo by www.PhotoByVivian.com
