Walking the Labyrinth: A Heroine's Journey

Just as I found out I was pregnant at age 27 with our second child, I landed myself in a group of magical women (and several highly evolved men) at our church. We had joined the UU Church of Lancaster when I was pregnant with our first child for the sake of raising our kids within a faith tradition, but little did I know that I would be the one reaping the benefits. I was taking some courses and  doing some discovery work with the divine feminine-- which is a very empowering subject to undertake while pregnant. I should have guessed that I was incubating a girl child, the first in many generations on my husband's side. All of a sudden I had sacred chants and totems to guide me through. The women I met through my studies were real guides in that they modeled Goddess light for me. In a society that is still patriarchal in nature, it was truly eye-opening and a major point on my personal path. If you have studied the Heroine's Journey (the feminist response to Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey), this would be the part where I met my allies: both human and supernatural.

Image of a seven-circuit labyrinth at night

One of these allies is Sarah Preston. She, along with many of the others I met, got together for the purpose of making a labyrinth for the church. I had not experienced labyrinths before, and I did not join the efforts of this group even though it included many of my new friends. I was thirty minutes from our church home with two small children, a full-time job, and a husband who travelled with his job. I do remember being excited about what they were doing and couldn't wait until their big project was unveiled. In the meantime, I bought some books on labyrinths to understand more. Labyrinths are unicursal paths (one way in and one way out) that are used in many cultures and religions (independently of one another) as a walking meditation. Labyrinths can be found in French cathedrals, Native American cultures, Scandinavian countries etc. Many incorporate sacred geometry into their design. For instance, a classic labyrinth has 7 circuits which correspond to musical notes on a scale, major chakras in the body, colors of the rainbow. Finally, the canvas labyrinth, a painted replica of the 12-circuit one in Chartres Cathedral was finished and open for walks. I took my mom to one of the early open walks. She was hooked as well. It became a catalyst for many outings together.

From then on, I looked for more labyrinths to walk. If I had to guess, I'd say I've walked well over 50 different labyrinths in about a dozen different states. Sarah Preston had a herb labyrinth in her back yard. From that labyrinth, she started her business Herbs From the Labyrinth in which she used the herbs to make lotions, salves, and other products, most of which had healing properties. Sarah is a healer.  (You can read about her here.) Her knowledge of the body and natural cures is extensive, and I've consulted her on many issues. While I lived in Lancaster County, I taught monthly journal writing classes in her shop and even co-convened a couple all-day chakra workshops directly from her garden labyrinth in conjunction with a local kundalini yoga teacher. 

Fast forward fifteen years. When the time came that Mark and I knew we had to move out of Lancaster County, I went on a writing retreat to Omega Institute in October of 2012. We didn't know where we were going to move, and I was pretty apprehensive about the mystery of our future, but every day I was at Omega, I walked the labyrinth on the grounds. I got still with myself as I walked the circuits, and let them do their magic. I didn't force it, but in the calm stillness I had glimpses of what I wanted my new life to include. By early December 2012, Mark and I were ready to call our realtor friend Cynthia to let her know of our decision to move to Arden, DE.

Art Map Poster of the Ardens with watermark

The night we saw our house the first time (we had signed an agreement before actually seeing it) and met the previous owners, we sat around the dining room table toasting with champagne and eating chocolate chip cookies. We discovered that the del Tufos were UU's also and that Keri was also raised in Lancaster County. That night, I told the group that Arden needs a labyrinth. I truly believed that walking the Omega labyrinth had directed me to live in this place. Keri loved the idea and enthusiastically agreed to help bring it into being. From that cold spring day in 2013, we allowed the idea to percolate. In June of this year we brought our plans of an Arden Labyrinth to the village meeting (to be voted upon in September).

I write this blog today because of two very exciting things that will happen at the Arden Fair on September 5th. The first is that I will be selling art maps that I designed for $20. All proceeds from these maps will help to fund the labyrinth project. Keri and I will be selling them out of Linda Toman's ceramics booth overlooking the Moonlight Theater. But I am also really excited to announce that Sarah Preston is coming to the Arden Fair as a vendor in the Peddlers, Potions, and Practitioners Marketplace at the Buzz Ware Community Center. She will have her full line of herbal products including bug repellent, lotions, baskets, etc. If she brings a tenth of the selection she has in Radiance, her Lancaster Shop, Arden is in for a treat. I hope that people will stop and say hello and make her journey worthwhile so that she will come again and again. 

The labyrinth is a metaphor for our life's journey as it bends on itself and repeats themes, circling in on answers, asking more questions in the process. I am hopeful about the prospects of building a labyrinth here, especially since the energy seems to be bubbling in that direction. And while we have not reached our goal yet, I am thankful for my many mentors and guides and who have bought me to this place at this time in my life. 

The Mighty Women of the Lancaster Art Scene

Yesterday, I took three Arden (Wilmington) artist friends to Lancaster to check out the galleries. I love Lancaster and feel a connection to it. I would have moved there in a instant if it had been accessible to Mark's work. The downtown is thriving, and the art scene is a big reason for that. Whole sections of the city are devoted to art galleries and creative shops where artisans sell their wares. That was one of the first things that my friends noticed, that so many of the the galleries and shops were centrally located. I'll get to more of their impressions later.

Our first stop was to Radiance, my favorite shop in all of Lancaster. Sarah Preston, the proprietor and herbal healer, was on hand to welcome us. Lancaster was just named one of the top ten cities for female-owned businesses which is another reason I wanted to bring my friends to see it. The female vibe is powerful, and Radiance is a good place to start. How to describe this store? It is more of a center that offers holistic products from clothing to personal care, from books to spiritual objects. And herbs. Sarah is a gifted herbalist. The store also boasts a classroom, treatment rooms for massage and reiki, and a library of books on spirit, holistic healing, female health etc. While our first stop had little to do with art, it seemed to ready us for the powerful female forces we were going to encounter that day.

After Radiance, we decided on taking an early lunch. Lancaster has a great restaurant scene. I could have picked any number of places, but I went old school, taking my friends to Isaac's Deli for lunch. They were impressed with the vegetarian options and the unique offerings. I had been jonesing for a Bird-of-Paradise sandwich for some time.

Then it was off to check out the galleries. I didn't choose the agenda exclusively for this purpose, but each gallery we went to that afternoon was female-owned (at least in part). Our stops included Julia Swartz, Christiane David,  Red Raven, Liz Hess, Mio Studio, Annex 24, Mommalicious,  and Building Character. In most cases we talked to the artist/owners themselves. Only Liz Hess was staffed by someone other than the artist or owner. (One note: I would have gone to Frieman Stotzfus's gallery. He is one of my favorite Lancaster artists. We didn't skip over him because we were on a woman-centric outing, but because his gallery was closed.) We lingered at Christiane David's. In addition to getting a tour of her workspace, she was excited to share with us her latest series of painting on the subject of  Beguinage in Bruges, Belgium. Beguinage is a a semi-monastic and somewhat mystical community of women dating from the 12th century until the 1960's. They weren't nuns, but they wore habits and delved into study of the Divine. Basically, Beguinage was where women went if they were trying to educate themselves and attempt other feats of wonder and self-improvement that might otherwise get them burned at the stake if they did them out in the open. Little things. Stuff like levitation. Inside the walls of their compound, they could do as they pleased; people left them alone. It is another kind of intentional community, I realized. I'm really big into intentional communities right now. (In case you hadn't noticed.) I took a picture of Christiane's artist statement so I could learn more about these women. I couldn't believe that I had never heard of them before.

My Arden friends noted how beautiful and well-cared for the gallery spaces were. They found the art to be priced well, with options for different income levels. I reminded them that we were encountering savvy business women as well as capable artists. I admire women who can be both, because I have such difficulty myself with the business end of things. Two of my friends who were on this trip are the ones who are launching the Highlands Art Garage in Wilmington. I could see them both taking mental notes.

She Hopes by Loryn Spangler-Jones

One of the last galleries we went to, Annex 24, is where my friend Loryn Spangler-Jones shows her work. I was so happy she was going to be there. Loryn is a self-taught artist, and I think Loryn would agree that the biggest thing she had to teach herself was the confidence to be the amazing artist she is today. The actual art skills were secondary. Loryn has the best energy and gives the best hugs. I love her. And I love her work. It is ever evolving, as Loryn is herself. She has been through several evolutions in the few short years I have known her. I think we were catching Loryn at her fiercest Loryn self--the day after she turned 40, as she was getting ready for a big show and a trip down south to meet with a group of collectors.

I'll be interested to talk more with my Arden crew about their impressions of the day after they have had time to process it all. For me, I thought it was going to be more about the art. I really enjoyed the visual experience, but after having great conversations with with Sarah, Julia, Christiane, Lee, Mai, and Loryn, I see that the day was more about connecting with the women who are making a very intentional mark on their world. I want to be one of them.

Art at the Buzz

We have somewhere to be. Dinner plans. But first we decide we must pop into Art of the Town Exhibition at the Buzz Ware Village Center--referred to simply as The Buzz. The art exhibition is part of a larger Wilmington initiative: First Friday Art Loop. Back when I was in college at the University of Delaware, my friends and I would drive into Wilmington to do the Art Loop, which was an actual loop, complete with bus ride between gallery stops. I was a Fine Arts major. Sure, I was there to see art, but also to get giggles on free and illicit (because we weren't of age) wine. For some reason, it never occurred to me to go to a frat party while in college. Mark and I have been to the Art Loop in downtown Wilmington twice since we moved to Delaware. The first time was a dud. Summer. In a month when Lancaster's First Friday would be so crazy you had trouble finding a spot on the sidewalk, let alone a table at a restaurant. But we are in Delaware now, and Delaware has a beach culture. Even in Wilmington, things slow down from June through September due to migration south to Delaware's beaches.

The second time we went on the Art Loop was just last month.  Our main stop of the evening was to friends Linda Celestian and Susan Benerarcik's new venture The Highlands Art Garage where they display art and give lessons. We stopped into a few galleries on the way because we were encouraged to give the loop another try and also because my college classmate Sara Teixido was showcasing new jewelry at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts (DCCA) gift shop.  The atmosphere this time was more like I expected with young hip crowds and the free wine I remember so well. The quality of art, like most art on First Friday, ran the gamut between questionable and professional. I really fell for Sara's and Susie's work. Both women are exploring nature and spiritual object in ways that seems to mirror my way of seeing the world.

Back to the Buzz. We are going there to see art, yes, but also to support Bernadette who recently took over curating duties for this event. The Buzz has been the center of controversy lately. It is owned and operated by the village of Arden, but is used by all three Arden villages. In an attempt to make the Buzz self-sufficient and not be a drain on Arden residents, the board made some decisions which were unpopular with citizens of Ardentown and Ardencroft. People took sides. Feelings got hurt. Under this reign, the previous curator quit, and the future of the monthly art exhibitions was in question.

In the parking lot, we run into Bill, who is trying to get into his frozen car. Being on the board, he was at the center of the Buzz controversies. The scoop I heard is that Bill made himself into a human blockade at a certain high pressure board meeting to keep out those who were merely advisors from the other villages. He cares about the Buzz, wants to see it succeed, but not every one sees it that way. I ask after Bill, because his wife posted on the Facebook page of our walking group that she wouldn't be walking because Bill had slipped and had fallen on ice earlier. Bill is embarrassed that I asked about his fall.

"It was nothing," he tells us and then adds that because of his wife's post, he has had to turn down so many offers of meals and help from concerned neighbors.

We go inside and see Bernadette manning the hors d'oeuvre table. Bernadette and her husband Jerry moved into Ardentown a few months before we moved to Arden. We met her at one of our friend Cynthia's barn shows. I have gotten to know Jerry better through Poetry Gild. On the table in front of Bernadette are the most wonderful array of focaccia breads, and I can't resist a piece of goat cheese, caramelized onion, and walnut even though we are on our way to dinner. I find out that they are from Black Lab bakery in Wilmington. I always appreciate scoop on the food scene in Wilmington. I make mental note.

art by Joseph Patrick Crouse

In the middle of the room, we encounter Phil who is a month removed from a heart attack and a well-timed ambulance ride. We met Phil the first weekend we spent in Arden. Our friend Cynthia arranged for us to tour artists' studios. Last summer, we bought one of Phil's metal sculptures. It sits outside our kitchen window, and I see it every time I wash a dish. We remark that he looks good to which he replies that he will live to pester Arden another day.

Next we talk to Anita. Anita and I were in the middle of some melee last month that centered on a missing dog. The state police were involved because of the possibility that the dog may have been stolen. (I do not personally believe this was the case.) Anita and I were links in the chain between the owner and the person who had the missing dog in his care on a cold night. Anita and I greet each other warmly and review the previous night's concert. We came to a lot of the same conclusions, but Anita has offered to lend me some SunVolt and Uncle Tupelo CDs so that I might have a better understanding of Jay Farrar's catalog of work.

Time is getting short, and we are trying to leave when our friends Jan and Alex enter. I am on the Arden Community Recreation board with both of them. I missed the yoga class I attend with Jan earlier that morning because I was sleeping in after the concert. She tells me I missed a really good class. Alex and I discuss the Fun Jar we are passing around all of Arden. It started when I gave them a jar of homemade salsa and it has taken on a life of its own. Alec put homemade chocolates in the jar and passed it on to Cecelia, a former Shakespeare production costumer. Alex gave Cecelia instructions to keep the jar moving. Tonight, we speculate where the jar might be. Alex also talks to Mark about what kind of card games interest him. The newly started Bridge Gild is looking for members, but Bridge isn't really Alex's or Mark's game.

Finally, after thirty minutes inside, I manage to pull Mark out of the Buzz so we can continue with our evening's plans. As we leave, we see the featured artist sitting on a bench smoking a cigarette. In an accent  (British?) he thanks us for coming. I realize then, that I didn't really give his work more than a cursory look.  I mentally chastise myself and try to figure when I might see the paintings again. I have a G-Ardeners meeting on the 17th. Will the artist (I don't even know his name) let his work hang all month?

We have only lived in this community a short while and already the relationships we have formed  have eclipsed my love of art. Or maybe they are the art. Maybe the dance that we are doing, the web we are weaving is the thing. It turns out that I went to the gallery tonight to see my own part of a work in progress. It's a beautiful chaotic tumble of connections that reminds me that we are all really alive. Isn't that the purpose of art?