https://stlouislabyrinths.com/home daily 1.0 2022-12-12 https://stlouislabyrinths.com/about daily 0.75 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/fb29b45f-2b7f-46a2-a3c7-335c816cc550/58958402946__4A3CB0A3-51CE-410A-B9C9-8E21E40B1C2D.jpg About With a 50 year successful career in designing and painting outdoor murals, principal Robert Fishbone has shifted his focus to facilitating the design, construction and use of contemplative labyrinths. “My meditation teacher described it as the move from, ‘OOO!’, to “Ahhhh’, says Fishbone, “from excitement and surprise, to letting go and seeking serenity”. And unlike a maze which is made to purposely confuse with multiple paths and dead-ends, a labyrinth has a single path that will always guide you to the center. All it takes is giving yourself the gift of time, and taking that first step across the threshold to begin a journey within. While he has focused on faith communities and schools, he is expanding his client base to include private residences, municipal parks, health and fitness centers, senior centers and corporate campus’s. “Especially in this age of digital bombardment, of endless voices asking us to do and choose more and more, any opportunity to step away from this busyness in our lives is literally a more gentle step in the right direction.” https://stlouislabyrinths.com/labyrinth-designs daily 0.75 2023-01-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/69754579-97a3-4703-aee8-aa4442fcb5bd/Church+drone+close+up.jpg Labyrinth Designs - Chartres Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, St. Louis, MO Based on the 11 circuit, archetype labyrinth in the Cathedral at Chartres, France, this 44’ in diameter, seven circuit design has wider paths to allow for easier walking. It also has brick lunation’s projecting from the outside border, and a rosette in the center, the same Christian imagery as at Chartres. Church members, who also helped install the labyrinth, wrote the names of departed family members and friends on the underside of the lunations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/ce9f9957-bf2c-4c59-8953-b5e9b9323a99/Villa.jpeg Labyrinth Designs - Santa Rosa Villa Duschene -Oak Hill School, St. Louis. MO Similar to the Chartres design, the Santa Rosa, first created by Lea Goode-Harris in 1997, also has a circular spot, seen below the center, to put an ‘object of meditation’: a plant, a reflecting globe, a significant rock. It can be changed from time to time. With a retaining wall to compensate for the sloping ground, this labyrinth measures 46’ in diameter. This project was sponsored by a family as a memorial for a former student, and was installed with community members. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/b83755bb-96c7-46dc-b1da-8ef41a3321a2/CRC+Laby.jpg Labyrinth Designs - Jericho Central Reform Congregation, St. Louis, MO Created as part of a ‘Fitness Course for the Soul’, the Jericho design is based on an illustration from the Farhi Bible from 1366-1383 which shows the walled, biblical City of Jericho (see in Gallery). With a 44’ overall diameter and one less circuit than the Chartres and Santa Rosa designs pictured above, this allows for extra wide paths. Congregation members installed the bricks in ninety minutes of silence, a profound experience for all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/820dce74-2ed7-43cf-ab04-28246d6a289c/IMG_0271.jpeg https://stlouislabyrinths.com/faqs daily 0.75 2022-12-19 https://stlouislabyrinths.com/testimonials daily 0.75 2022-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/3eedb465-f96f-4007-a4c5-9c91478ee603/CRC+Laby.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/858ebab0-2409-43fb-938e-15c7a3073b5b/IMG_9384.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/48f16ea6-3e38-4d4c-b62f-013226b724ce/IMG_8737.jpeg https://stlouislabyrinths.com/rental-with-guidance daily 0.75 2024-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/ead19b77-c8d8-4e0c-bf2f-4599e5bd3522/Ferre.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/fb4d4c40-bf92-4e0e-adfa-5d0c77c5bdad/Howie+closer.jpg https://stlouislabyrinths.com/gallery daily 0.75 2022-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/3cc58bb9-33f8-4e95-acf9-7c694dceb8f7/Woodcut.png Gallery Labyrinth in a cathedral, woodcut. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/d49d7484-5dde-461f-afb8-85716172c4e7/IMG_3114.jpeg Gallery The grass is thick and welcoming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/87eed9c8-e31b-4cdb-b623-7654c8b10d20/IMG_8744.JPG Gallery All the bricks are installed. The bricks projecting from the edge are called lunations. Ours had the names of departed loved ones on the underside, suggested by the congregants of the church. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/6dde6232-0cca-47df-83f0-c34a4200c6a0/IMG_8269.jpeg Gallery At Villa Duschene Oak Hill School in St Louis, the site picked to construct the labyrinth was amidst a ring of mature oak trees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/a5123d8b-9b24-4d89-afe4-3fa3465bfcfa/IMG_8924.jpeg Gallery At Villa, the grass is starting to come in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/1670619872582-Z0W6JRXSTIQ7UBWF5SJA/IMG_9866.jpg Gallery The bricks took about 90 minutes to install, all in silence to maintain the sacredness of the labyrinth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/536ae489-c501-46d8-99a3-bed80e01ad31/Jericho_Walls.jpg Gallery The Jericho Labyrinth in the Farhi Bible from 1366-1383 that was used as the basis for this labyrinth at Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis, MO. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/4d0858c1-afc5-4331-9eea-9745c483a825/IMG_0180.jpeg Gallery For the Forsyth School in St. Louis we had enough space for a 16' diameter labyrinth in the area set aside for the youngest students. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/9029310c-42cc-447c-9942-0b951b3a9606/IMG_0242.jpeg Gallery We decided to have the fifth graders paint the bricks in an uplifting, yet calming spectrum. This would encourage the youngest kids to want to explore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/988346fa-8626-413c-bdf1-253bd9e2da35/IMG_2708.jpg Gallery Preparing the site for the 44' diameter, Jericho Labyrinth at Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/0f5f1274-4021-4e2d-acfa-825b912d4edc/IMG_2731.jpg Gallery After the installation, it was blessed with slow intentional breaths, and with the sacred movements of Tai Chi. People then walked it before it was seeded. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/ee0deb2a-b30c-4596-869f-3d2356c6d78c/IMG_3307.jpeg Gallery After the first cutting, lush even at a distance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/442d3ea4-0851-486b-a390-1651820da196/IMG_8745.JPG Gallery The central 6-petalled rose symbolizes love and union with God, as well as represents the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/995c3f12-d55a-4564-98f8-0142e1a2e53a/IMG_8658.jpeg Gallery The slope of the ground necessitated the addition of a retaining wall with dedicated drainage, built by Quiet Village Landscaping. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/ab1fb350-008c-4afa-93e4-7270caf60f59/++4+circuit.png Gallery We used a four circuit design. It placed the entrance more off-center than other designs, but has more moderate turns and longer rings to walk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/67c54df6-7007-41fd-b330-7de7661d4c37/IMG_0237.jpeg Gallery There were a total of 250 bricks that needed to be primed twice, and then double coated with the colors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/ed018ca8-dc48-41bc-8089-9882bc4389f0/Chartres+big+pic.jpg Gallery The Cathedral in Chartres, France, the archetype for many modern labyrinths. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/c798b51d-d462-4ff4-919d-ce6605dd014b/chartres.jpg Gallery People walking the Chartres labyrinth which is often covered with chairs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/1670619819639-D6E16ESI9YH1AEN1JJI8/IMG_9773.jpg Gallery The concentric rings are drawn with a surveyor's spray paint tool, really fun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/178828cb-420a-4bef-9bba-cae9840e9013/IMG_2745.jpg Gallery Calming and beautiful, even without grass. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/788fe1ff-b8a0-4880-90b9-3850e80490cf/IMG_7520.jpeg Gallery The Jericho Labyrinth, ready to walk on a beautiful day! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/82e10085-fb9d-4719-8aa6-734ceeb83519/IMG_8665.jpeg Gallery Once the area within the retaining wall was leveled with additional soil we could begin. The retaining wall also helped to make the entire labyrinth more like a permanent structure on their campus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/21920bda-6b0a-434a-9476-fa94a9fbfe3a/IMG_9488.jpeg Gallery From the rear, the retaining wall adds a lot of drama and solidity to the labyrinth on top. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/1fd7efb2-aeb1-495f-8a64-fc4e8b8b1d41/IMG_9486.jpeg Gallery The Villa labyrinth was made with a family's donation to honor their daughter who attended Villa, and passed away too soon after graduating. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/ea0ef5d2-1ba3-4c32-8356-486847bd7ec2/IMG_0188.jpeg Gallery The sod had to be removed as well as a large bush. We then added soil to take out some of the downhill slope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/78eabdf6-abec-4535-80b5-f115f5ac9da3/IMG_0251.jpeg Gallery A brick in each color on its respective ring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/3a454a57-e66a-4fdb-89bf-9e57463efa52/58958402946__4A3CB0A3-51CE-410A-B9C9-8E21E40B1C2D.jpg Gallery Determining the entrance path https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/cd4b7830-2e24-4196-95ca-b76dfbffd84f/IMG_2753.jpeg Gallery Adding top soil and then seeding. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/a62ba290-8862-412e-94ea-0f81777680d2/IMG_8726.jpeg Gallery Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, grading the site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/eaacdbf3-1a85-40b6-a5ef-5fc910626234/Drone+far.jpg Gallery A drone shot showing the dramatic addition of the labyrinth to the church grounds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/5e9a828e-0825-42b3-8be5-7cc7f37aa8f1/IMG_8700.jpeg Gallery After the center is located we use a plastic chain with marks on it to guide the drawing of the circles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/bbb8c927-cfc3-4420-8b22-5448f849986c/IMG_9390.jpeg Gallery At the dedication ceremony, the youngest students experienced their first time on a labyrinth. Some walked... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/77dfac9c-aa74-466f-ae7b-803943278d11/IMG_0230.jpeg Gallery Because everything would be above ground we built a 4 x 4 retaining wall, with 19 sides! A lot of measuring and cutting. Here they are placed along with the entranceway, but not yet attached to each other or the ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/a3265569-e164-46bb-a702-d747f200c218/IMG_0260.jpeg Gallery After almost half the bricks were placed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/49154cac-306d-4141-90cc-983a4c0bad41/CClabyrinth_3.jpg Gallery The Christian imagery embedded in the classic Chartres labyrinth. The central 6-petalled rose is symbolizing love and union with God, as well as representing the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/1d7f111f-34d5-4871-a003-d97eed424881/Woman+in+chartres.jpg Gallery Freedom in Chartres. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/1670619841691-1V6RWFVJOXO74YEWI32V/IMG_9845.jpg Gallery A happy installer carrying bricks to the site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/43833524-17d8-4bc8-a0bc-dcd626be1f77/IMG_2907.jpeg Gallery After seeding it was covered with straw for a couple months until the new grass began to be established. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/729b7dd3-ffa4-40ea-b25d-ce84cc04c9cf/IMG_8733.jpeg Gallery Installing the bricks, in silence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/38b63173-1e98-404c-88d8-54ef59ee4989/IMG_6483.jpeg Gallery There was an official dedication and blessing with their bishop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/8036ff54-ffc5-4a67-99f5-d022bd9ec373/IMG_9573.jpeg Gallery The way towards the labyrinth from the parking lot is marked with this sign, "Welcome to our Labyrinth, it's solved by walking." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/752ebc4d-aac7-49e8-8494-ec05186d439c/65663334719__20FC60AE-B9DB-4CCB-8166-6102B86D7A20.fullsizerender.jpeg Gallery The first bricks were added as both a test, and as a way to show the administration how great it was going to look! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/46c2009b-5e85-4afc-8855-f00841b0476c/Screen+Shot+2022-12-10+at+4.45.37+PM.png Gallery and some ran! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/7467942d-8c05-4b81-ac14-51a46853ddef/IMG_0236.jpeg Gallery The sides were pegged into the ground with rebar, and attached to each other on the inside with bent angle brackets that were screwed in. Now we could finish filling it with dirt to a couple inches below the height of the sides, allowing the bricks to be flush with the top. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/b93c970c-e633-4c46-8c7a-8cdb440046fb/IMG_0281.jpeg Gallery A sign welcoming walkers with some basic instructions that the teachers could explain to the youngest students. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/2fbdd499-eec8-47b9-b69c-0167f411615a/IMG_2729.jpg Gallery Installing the brick pavers on the lines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/f86716d5-1f28-4ee7-85d7-34e88aef3a9b/IMG_2953.jpeg Gallery The new grass is emerging https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/c747deb6-7ff9-4692-bb2f-cdb603cab8a5/IMG_8737.jpeg Gallery Blessing the work with gratitude for the peace and calm it can bring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/66328f91-67c0-44bf-a7eb-e9018af63cdb/IMG_9579.jpeg Gallery Ready to be walked, and it has been, many, many times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/1670711634265-HUDYRVTT4OR74VB5NFJQ/Screen%2BShot%2B2022-12-10%2Bat%2B4.29.52%2BPM.jpg Gallery Like our other projects, the placement of the bricks is done by community members, in silence. The Headmaster of the School was an integral part of the entire process, including moving and placing the bricks, thank you Michael Baber. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/2e33ae75-e489-4c0a-b61e-2d165eba3cd0/IMG_9483.jpeg Gallery In a secluded spot, amidst the oak trees, the benches beckon one to let go, and relax, and then walk the labyrinth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/74e6f2ee-b01a-4e8f-8fde-4d7dab87e5d1/IMG_0189.jpeg Gallery It was suggested we paint the bricks by Robert Ferre, a very experienced labyrinth builder, "Hey, anything that's wholesome and fun and gets kids outside is a good idea!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/7e96fec1-25ca-4e5c-9a48-bc5ffbe726e4/IMG_0271.jpeg Gallery Completed! We used cypress mulch for the paths so they would be instantly walkable, and it doesn't decompose to dirt like hardwood mulch. The finished labyrinth is luminous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6285834380eeb826581d8ffc/d39c55d5-76e5-47f3-81e0-ebae9eb7616c/Screen+Shot+2022-12-10+at+4.29.03+PM.png Gallery A maze for comparison: unlike the ground-level, single path of a labyrinth, this maze has tall walls, multiple paths and dead ends. A labyrinth is calming, a maze is maddening. https://stlouislabyrinths.com/new-page daily 0.75 2022-12-07 https://stlouislabyrinths.com/links daily 0.75 2023-01-11 https://stlouislabyrinths.com/book-a-class daily 0.75 2025-05-09