Since 2009, enthusiasts around the globe have been invited to Walk as One at 1 by walking a labyrinth at 1:00 pm in local time zones on World Labyrinth Day, creating an unbroken wave of wellbeing flowing around the globe. World Labyrinth Day is celebrated on the first Saturday in May. Here are some tips on how to celebrate.

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Since 2009, enthusiasts around the globe have been invited to Walk as One at 1 by walking a labyrinth at 1:00 pm in local time zones on World Labyrinth Day, creating an unbroken wave of wellbeing flowing around the globe. World Labyrinth Day is celebrated on the first Saturday in May.

Unlike a maze, a labyrinth offers only one path, and requires no decision-making, allowing the walker to enter a state of meditation or reverie.

Shirley MacLaine had a full size labyrinth installed on her property in New Mexico, and Jeff Bridges creates pottery decorated with labyrinth designs.

Studies at Johns Hopkins have shown that walking a labyrinth can lower blood pressure and reduce incidents of chronic pain and insomnia. New studies show that walking a finger labyrinth with the non-dominant hand can create new neural pathways in the brain.

Today we are visiting with Cintia Cabib, the producer of the half-hour documentary Labyrinth Journeys .

Cintia is an independent film producer, videographer and editor who lives in Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Her documentaries have aired on public television stations nationwide and have been screened at numerous venues throughout the U.S. and abroad. Her films include Kindred Spirits, a portrait of two accomplished but unsung Black women artists and A Community of Gardeners, a tour of seven Washington, D.C. community gardens and the diverse group of individuals who tend their plots. Labyrinth Journeys is an exploration of an ancient symbol and structure and its significance to the people who use it as a tool for meditation and rehabilitation.

Meryl Ann Butler: Thanks for visiting with OpEdNews, Cintia! Just in time for World Labyrinth Day, on May 7! Can you share with our readers how you got interested in labyrinths, and what inspired you to create your documentary, "Labyrinth Journeys"?

Cintia Cabib: I am a member of Women in Film and Video, a membership organization in the Washington, D.C. area. Several years ago, on the organization's listserv, a member asked for advice on how to best get an aerial shot of a labyrinth in Wheaton, Maryland. That piqued my interest and I started researching labyrinths. I visited the Worldwide Labyrinth Locator to find labyrinths in the Washington, D.C. area. I found a few there: one on the green roof of the American Psychological Association office building and another one at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

And then I eventually found five more labyrinths I wanted to feature in my documentary.

I had recently completed my documentary A Community of Gardeners, which explores the vital role of seven Washington, D.C. community gardens. One of the themes in that film is how gardens can be healing spaces for people experiencing difficulties in their lives. Labyrinth Journeys reflects my interest in bringing to light spaces that provide individuals with healing, respite, renewal and a connection to nature.

MAB: That's great! What is your favorite story (or two) that emerged from meeting the people you connected with while creating your documentary?

CC: I was very moved by the story of an Iraq war veteran who suffered a traumatic brain injury. He participated in a mind-body therapy program at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence located at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. They have a beautiful indoor labyrinth. In the film, he shared his story and recounted how walking the labyrinth helped him heal. I also loved the story of Vickie Baily's labyrinth, which was constructed on her lawn. The neighborhood kids enjoy walking the labyrinth and it is a popular destination during Halloween when costumed children run around the labyrinth.

MAB: That sounds like fun! How can people watch your documentary, and what to you hope they will get out of it?

CC: I would like people to use the documentary as an educational and inspirational tool to show others the powerful effect walking the labyrinth can have on people's lives. I hope that those who watch the film will be inspired to create their own labyrinths, hold their own labyrinth walks, and get ideas on how they can use the labyrinth to help the individuals they serve. The film's website has all the information on streaming or purchasing the film.

MAB: Thanks for visiting with us today, Cintia, and I hope you have a great World Labyrinth Day!

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Natalie Burton is a birth doula, a wardrobe designer for stage and film, and a labyrinth facilitator. Not not long after walking a full size labyrinth for the first time she started embroidering finger labyrinths.

Meryl Ann Butler: Thanks for visiting with us, Natalie. I'm also a fiber artist as well as labyrinth builder, and I love your book One Step At a Time. What inspired you to write it?

Natalie Burton: I've known for a long time that I wanted to create something that would help introduce children to the labyrinth. What I didn't know was how I wanted to go about it! As time went on I found myself using my embroidered finger labyrinths with my own kids and talking them through the little life lessons that applied to them at that time. We often talked about the chaos of tangled up yarn relaxing, and relaxing into the complex, but very simple path of the labyrinth as you took one step at a time. Sometimes adults who had never heard of labyrinths heard me mention this and asked for more information, and over time the development of a concise explanation connected with those embroidered visuals in a poem that can resonate with kids of any age.

MAB: Well, it's lovely, Natalie! Thanks for visiting with us. Before we finish, where can readers get your book?

NB: Please find it at my website!

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How to participate in World Labyrinth Day this year:

• Walk a full size labyrinth at 1:00 p.m. local time on Sat. May 7, alone or with others. You can find one online at the Labyrinth Locator.
• Or create labyrinth-inspired art during that time.
• "Walk" a finger labyrinth. You can print one of these or make your own finger labyrinth in this online workshop on May 1, Create a Finger Labyrinth for Stress Relief and Wellbeing with author, Meryl Ann Butler, then use it on World Labyrinth Day or any other time. OpEdNews readers can use this half price discount code on the sliding scale fee: WLD22HP

World Labyrinth Day is sponsored by The Labyrinth Society (TLS), Veriditas, the Legacy Labyrinth Project, and the Australian Labyrinth Network providing a variety of World Labyrinth Day activities.

More info about labyrinths can be found in the other articles in this series, listed below.

Authors Website: http://www.OceanViewArts.com

Authors Bio:

Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author, educator and OpedNews Managing Editor who has been actively engaged in utilizing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled wellbeing since she was a hippie. She began writing for OpEdNews in Feb, 2004. She became a Senior Editor in August 2012 and Managing Editor in January, 2013. In June, 2015, the combined views on her articles, diaries and quick link contributions topped one million. She was particularly happy that her article about Bree Newsome removing the Confederate flag was the one that put her past the million mark.

Her art in a wide variety of media can be seen on her YouTube video, "Visionary Artist Meryl Ann Butler on Creativity and Joy" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGs2r_66QE

A NYC native, her response to 9-11 was to pen an invitation to healing through creativity, entitled, "90-Minute Quilts: 15+ Projects You Can Stitch in an Afternoon" (Krause 2006), which is a bestseller in the craft field. The sequel, MORE 90-Minute Quilts: 20+ Quick and Easy Projects With Triangles and Squares was released in April, 2011. Her popular video, How to Stitch a Quilt in 90 Minutes with Meryl Ann Butler can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrShGOQaJQ8

She has been active in a number of international, arts-related projects as a citizen diplomat, and was arts advisor to Baltimore's CIUSSR (Center for Improving US-Soviet Relations), 1987-89. She made two trips to the former USSR in 1987 and 1988 to speak to artists, craftpeople and fashion designers on the topic of utilizing the arts as a tool for global wellbeing. She created the historical "First US-Soviet Children's Peace Quilt Exchange Project" in 1987-88, which was the first time a reciprocal quilt was given to the US from the former USSR.

Her artwork is in collections across the globe.

Meryl Ann is a founding member of The Labyrinth Society and has been building labyrinths since 1992. She publishes an annual article about the topic on OpEdNews on World Labyrinth Day, the first Saturday in May.

OpEdNews Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in "Beyond Surviving: How to Thrive in Challenging Times" at https://www.opednews.com/articles/Beyond-Surviving--How-to-by-Joan-Brunwasser-Anxiety_Appreciation_Coronavirus_Creativity-200318-988.html

Find out more about Meryl Ann's artistic life in "OEN Managing Ed, Meryl Ann Butler, Featured on the Other Side of the Byline" at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/OEN-Managing-Ed-Meryl-Ann-in-Life_Arts-Artistic_Artists_Quilt-170917-615.html

On Feb 11, 2017, Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in Pink Power: Sister March, Norfolk, VA at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Pink-Power-Sister-March--by-Joan-Brunwasser-Pussy-Hats-170212-681.html

"Creativity and Healing: The Work of Meryl Ann Butler" by Burl Hall is at
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Creativity-and-Healing--T-by-Burl-Hall-130414-18.html

Burl and Merry Hall interviewed Meryl Ann on their BlogTalk radio show, "Envision This," at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/envision-this/2013/04/11/meryl-ann-butler-art-as-a-medicine-for-the-soul

Archived articles www.opednews.com/author/author1820.html
Older archived articles, from before May 2005 are here.