BEAD LABYRINTH
Most of us do not live near a permanent labyrinth.
Some of us may be treated to a temporary labyrinth,
drawn on cloth, created with camellia flowers or knitted breasts.
Others of us are simply not mobile enough to walk a labyrinth.
Here is a wonderful, blessing-filled alternative, designed by a woman only known as Sue.
Her friend, Karen Robinson, designed the Flaming Chalice labyrinth,
and Sue created the bead version.
Using a small variety of beads to indicate steps and turns (right or left),
we can now 'walk a labyrinth' without leaving home.
I use the sets I have made, following her instructions,
to 'walk a labyrinth' seated in my chair,
eyes closed,
consciously, mindfully, meditatively,
making each step and turn.
I have stepped it out in my back yard.
Once again, eyes closed ... trusting the process and the beads.
I carry them in my bag and use them in those long 'waiting' times,
at soccer parks and doctors' waiting rooms.
Some of us may be treated to a temporary labyrinth,
drawn on cloth, created with camellia flowers or knitted breasts.
Others of us are simply not mobile enough to walk a labyrinth.
Here is a wonderful, blessing-filled alternative, designed by a woman only known as Sue.
Her friend, Karen Robinson, designed the Flaming Chalice labyrinth,
and Sue created the bead version.
Using a small variety of beads to indicate steps and turns (right or left),
we can now 'walk a labyrinth' without leaving home.
I use the sets I have made, following her instructions,
to 'walk a labyrinth' seated in my chair,
eyes closed,
consciously, mindfully, meditatively,
making each step and turn.
I have stepped it out in my back yard.
Once again, eyes closed ... trusting the process and the beads.
I carry them in my bag and use them in those long 'waiting' times,
at soccer parks and doctors' waiting rooms.
BEAD LABYRINTH PATTERN: SUE'S LABYRINTH BEADS
http://www.angelfire.com/my/zelime/labyrinthsanywhere.html#sue
(If the link does not work, here are the instructions from the website I visited
Once when I went to the site, I was taken to a pornography site.)
Here is a way to use beads to replicate a labyrinth,
using a design now called the "Flaming Chalice Labyrinth".
Sue wanted a way for her blind friend to participate in a labyrinth walk.
Her idea was to use small beads to represent steps, and large beads to represent turns.
In her own words, here is an explanation:
The beads are designed to be followed by touch.
If you're not sight-impaired, close your eyes.
Start at the bauble and its surrounding beads;
locate the beads which are incised, instead of smooth,
and follow three of those in a row to the first small round bead.
Each small round bead represents one step;
each large spherical bead means turn 90-degrees left;
each large flat round bead means turn 90-degrees right.
When you reach the three smooth flat oval beads in a row, you're at the centre!
(And back at the bauble.)
You can then retrace your steps to go "out".
To string a set of beads like this, you can use this pattern:
Bauble, Incised bead, 6L1L6R3R9R5R1R4L7L1L6R8R5R1R4L1L5L3L7L4R1R5R9R6R5, Smooth bead
where the number represents the number of small step beads,
R means a right-turn bead, and
L means a left-turn bead.
She used three each of the incised and smooth beads for aesthetic reasons,
but they aren't necessary for the actual walk.
I replicated her design using beads of differing materials that were readily distinguished by touch.
Once when I went to the site, I was taken to a pornography site.)
Here is a way to use beads to replicate a labyrinth,
using a design now called the "Flaming Chalice Labyrinth".
Sue wanted a way for her blind friend to participate in a labyrinth walk.
Her idea was to use small beads to represent steps, and large beads to represent turns.
In her own words, here is an explanation:
The beads are designed to be followed by touch.
If you're not sight-impaired, close your eyes.
Start at the bauble and its surrounding beads;
locate the beads which are incised, instead of smooth,
and follow three of those in a row to the first small round bead.
Each small round bead represents one step;
each large spherical bead means turn 90-degrees left;
each large flat round bead means turn 90-degrees right.
When you reach the three smooth flat oval beads in a row, you're at the centre!
(And back at the bauble.)
You can then retrace your steps to go "out".
To string a set of beads like this, you can use this pattern:
Bauble, Incised bead, 6L1L6R3R9R5R1R4L7L1L6R8R5R1R4L1L5L3L7L4R1R5R9R6R5, Smooth bead
where the number represents the number of small step beads,
R means a right-turn bead, and
L means a left-turn bead.
She used three each of the incised and smooth beads for aesthetic reasons,
but they aren't necessary for the actual walk.
I replicated her design using beads of differing materials that were readily distinguished by touch.
FLAMING CHALICE LABYRINTH: the path walked using the labyrinth beads
