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The Cathedral Labyrinth at New Harmony
Today we will visit the Cathedral Labyrinth at New Harmony.
From the Book
Transcript:
The Cathedral Labyrinth at New Harmony
Greetings, today we will visit the Cathedral Labyrinth at New Harmony.
Before getting started, I would encourage you to subscribe to the Mossy Feet Books You Tube channel for more great content. If you like my videos, please hit the "Like," button. The more likes I get the more You Tube will show it to other people, allowing me to grow the channel. I also entreat you to visit my website, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. There you will find sample chapters, podcasts, a slew of content and links to where you can buy my books. While visiting the web site you can subscribe to it and receive email notifications of when I publish a new book or other content, like this video and podcast. This episode is based on my book, Southwest Indiana Road Trips.
The Cathedral Labyrinth at New Harmony, Indiana
Visitors will find both a labyrinth and a maze in New Harmony. Though many think they are the same thing, there is a difference in the two. A labyrinth has one winding path leading to the center of the structure while a maze has many paths, some of which are dead ends.
Today I will talk about labyrinths, next week it will be mazes.
Walking on a labyrinth symbolizes a spiritural journey or a quest for self-discovery. It is meant as a sort of walking meditation.
History of the Labyrinth
In Greek legend King Minos of Crete constructed a labyrinth to contain the Minotaur. This complex structure had single path leading to the center where the monster resided. The ancient Egyptians and Indians also constructed labyrinths as did the Crete, France, Hopi Native Americans, Norway, India, and the British civilizations Medevial labyrinths in Europe were usually constructed of stone and turf. Many cathedrals had labyrinths constructed. In the late 20th Century interest in labyrinths resurfaced with more than 6000 labyrinths registered with the Worldwide Labyrinth Locator.
The designers modeled the Cathedral Labyrinth at New Harmony after one at the Chartres Cathedral in France, thus they class this one as a Chartres labyrinth. The original, constructed in the Twelfth Century, is near Paris, France.
Chartres Labyrinth
A Chartres labyrinth usually consists of a polished stone surface. A geometric design in the stone leads the visitor to a design in the center of the labyrinth, in this case a rose. The rose identifies the labyrinth as a Chartres labyrinth that uses the one in France as an inspiration. The labyrinth offers the chance to walk and meditate as one approaches the center.
Linking the Past and the Future at New Harmony
Constructed 1939 - 1941, the Cathedral Labyrinth consists of carnelian granite. It replaced one constructed by the Harmonist Society. The original labyrinth consisted of bushes vines and flowers. After the town was sold, the forest gradually reclaimed it. This one has paths created by a matt finish in the otherwise polished granite surface. The technical name for this type of labyrinth is a unicursal maze. It offers one way into the center. The same path leads back out as opposed to a maze that offers choices. This symbolizes that the labyrinth links history and the future. A Sacred Garden with a bubbling fountain surrounds the labyrinth. This well manicured garden offers visitors a place to reflect after completing the labyrinth. The labyrinth was restored in 2001 and reconfigured in 2008 to mimic the original Harmonist design.
To lead to a fullfilling experience while walking the labyrinth, first cleanse your mind and relax. While walking the labyrinth maintain the relaxed state and comtemplate peaceful thoughts. Upon reaching the center, or rose as it is called, it is time for meditation or prayer. Return by the same path while reviewing the healing forces at work in the labyrinth and try to apply them to your own life.
The episode is based upon my book, South Central Indiana Road Trips, available on the web site, www.mossyfeetbooks.com. The book is the first book in the 9 volume Road Trip Indiana Series. The books include all the historical markers, as of 2022, in Indiana with the text and back story. The books also include a nearly complete listing of virtually every tourism destination in the state. The destinations include parks, museums, drive in theaters, bowling alleys, wineries and much, much more. I encourage you to visit the web site and subscribe to it.
You can find my books locally at the Walnut Street Variety Shop in Batesville, Indiana.
I hope you enjoyed this podcast and thank you for listening.
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