labyrinth

When I get stressed out I head directly to our Lavender Labyrinth. We planted our labyrinth in the middle of our 2800 tree organic and biodynamic olive orchard and 8-acre vineyard. From its gorgeous vantage 800 feet above the Hopland Valley, it is comprised of 700 “Provence” variety lavender plants that have grown up exceedingly fast since they were planted in 2006. The labyrinth is modeled after a French cathedral in San Quentin, France. It is a 11 course labyrinth meaning you have to walk in a half circle 11 times before you get to the middle, each row bordered on either side with gorgeous and redolent lavender plants.
 
The idea of the labyrinth is to center your mind. By swinging your arms back and forth you balance your left and right brain and get them synchronized to gather back the strength that may have dissipated in your hectic life. Sometimes I really get into our labyrinth and treat it like an uber walking meditation. One day, on July 7, 2007, strictly by coincidence, I decided to count the time and the steps it took me to walk through the labyrinth into the center. Lo and behold it was almost exactly 700 steps and 7 minutes to go into the middle. And this I found on 7.7.07. And on top of that there are 700 lavender plants. Cosmic enough for you?
 
For each of the past two New Year’s Eve’s, we’ve invited friends out for a New Year’s Eve party – away from the bright lights and the horns. Invariably we end up in the lavender labyrinth before midnight walking through with  candles to light our way celebrating the year gone by and setting our intentions for the year to come. It feels great and so much better than a countdown in Las Vegas in the midst of 50,000 screaming weirdos! 
 
So when the going gets tough, take a trip to a labyrinth – you’ll find them in churches in most big cities and there are a few out in the country that welcome visitors. Check out the labyrinth registry:  http://wwll.veriditas.labyrinthsociety.org/