Toronto has become a City of Labyrinths.

Presently, we may have the greatest physical number of labyrinths of any City in The World. This Jane’s Walk will help us understand why.

Since 2002, the Toronto City of Labyrinths Project has been aiming to place a semi-permanent labyrinth within walking distance of every Torontonian.

This Jane’s Walk will follow a path into and around Christie Pits Park, where a number of the Project’s examples exist.

All four of the most popular labyrinth design patterns will be shown:

• 1. The Thousands of years old ancient classic seven-circuit Cretan design
• 2. The 800-year-old Chartes Cathedral 11-circuit pattern
• 3. The Contemporary Santa Rosa Labyrinth design
• 4. The inner-Chartes seven-circuit pattern

Background in-depth history of each of the four major designs will be provided:

• • The story of how High Park got the first official City of Toronto Labyrinth
• • The efforts of the Labyrinth Community Network in creating The Toronto Public Labyrinth in Trinity Square Park
• • Why labyrinth walking is a critical period in the development of decision making abilities in children growing up, which they then carry into adulthood.
• • The Connection between bodies of water and labyrinths. (Garrison Creek)

Using chalk on paved open space, people will be instructed in how to make their own labyrinths, which we will then enjoy walking in to and out of.

Before returning to our starting point where this Jane’s Walk will end, we will see one bonus example of Giant Outstallation Art:

• Toronto’s Giant Outdoor Subway Map and the story of why it’s there

A limited number of printed materials will be available on a first come first served basis as keepsakes of this Jane’s Walk.

Saturday May 7, 2011 6 p.m.

Meeting Place: Traffic Island in Front of Christie Subway Station Main Entrance

End Location: Like all Labyrinth journeys, we will return to our starting point to end the walk (Traffic Island in Front of Christie Subway Station Main Entrance).

Public Transit Directions: Christie Subway Station Main Entrance, Christie Street, North of Bloor Street West, Koreatown/Christie Pits Park

Accessible: Partially accessible – curbs, uneven terrain, busy sidewalks

Parking Available: Green P Parking behind Christie Subway Station

JanesWalk.net/walks/view/toronto_city_of_labyrinths_project_janes_walk/

Friends of the Labyrinth Community Network invite you to

“celebrate the vernal equinox, the spring equinox – the day exactly halfway between the solstices, the day that the sun shines directly on the equator and night and day are of equal length.  It is the earth’s day of balance…Stand completely still for a moment and feel that balance.” – The Way of the Labyrinth, Helen Curry

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Noon – 1 pm

Toronto Public Labyrinth, Trinity Square Park

(West of the Eaton Centre, south of the Church of Holy Trinity)

Fully accessible

Michael Franklin will accompany us on hurdy-gurdy and flute

All are Welcome!

Winter Solstice Labyrinth Walk with Music – Tuesday December 21 2010
Toronto Public Labyrinth
12 noon – 1 p.m.

This was Second Last Pedestrian Sunday of the year and the last one before Election Day.

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After the Rain,

And Through the Leaves,

Blue and White lines of the Grange Park Labyrinth as seen from the Art Gallery of Ontario.

This walk took place in the early evening on the Summer Solstice, at the High Park Labyrinth on June 21, 2010.

This Drum is travelling The World bringing attention to Mother Earth by being part of numerous ceremonies.

Filmed and edited by Irma Haggith of Amaze Your Mind Labyrinths.
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Labyrinth, is a one page Oglaf story.

It features the king from A Very Deep Chasm and his advisor.

Synopsis

The king receives a tribute of a large cheese, and his advisor suggests housing it in a Labyrinth.

The king asks about the advisor’s obsession with labyrinths, to which the advisor replies, “Labyrinths are awesome!”.

A doctor arrives and informs the king that the queen has given birth to a monster, to the king’s horror and the advisor’s delight.

“this week after gymnastics we met the kids’ cousin at Christie Pits park for some playground action. it was a fine spring day.

“a highlight: walking the labyrinth.”

“bears like it, too.”

Re-blogged from Sarah Rosen’s blog Sweet Things.

Spent last night and this morning touring 3 of the Favelas in Rio…

The movie ‘City of God‘ is right on the money.

Scaringly so.

There are no police here,

Only a Country within a Country with its own rules and self-government.

My ‘Ward Council‘ with neighbourhood Councillors is a reality here.

Gleaning fascinating insights on how Regent Park and Lawrence Heights redevelopment was completely out of touch with those most affected by big money development.

Will blog my thoughts before the Weekend’s out.

HiMY in Rio.

We had heard rumors.

Walking outside of Christie station on the TTC, we look down… suddenly we see it… artfully laid out on the ground…  The labyrinth.

No, this has absolutely nothing to do with David Bowie.

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It is the halfway point between the twin holidays of Christmas and Family Day in Toronto.

The Friends of Christie Pits Park have organized Winter Fun Day, an afternoon of skating, storytelling, pizza, and hot chocolate.
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The Labyrinth I painted in Grange Park in Downtown Toronto is recognizable enough that it can be seen from the CN Tower !

Many thanks to David Jones for this Birds Eye Photograph.

“Art Gallery of Ontario and Ontario College of Art and Design

The Frank Gehry enhanced Art Gallery of Ontario and the Will Alsop designed Sharp Centre for Design of the Ontario College of Art and Design surround Grange Park, Toronto, as viewed from the CN Tower.”

– David Jones

middle

Toronto, Canada, October 14, 2009.

Bismillah

Bismillah — In the Name of God Alone — is spoken aloud and whispered upon the lips millions of Muslims — and some Arabic speaking Christians — before they began any endeavour, simple and ordinary or complex and involved.

I found myself catching the Fajr — Dawn — prayers at the Dawah Centre in Bloordale Village this morning.

With the shortest of the five daily prayers completed, worshipers dissipated elsewhere into the prayer hall, allowing me to eye the prayer mat of the Imam. I notice as if for the first time, the pattern framing the prayer rug had a labyrinth-like motif.

Could the answer to my elusive quest in search of Labyrinths within Islam have been right in front of me my entire life? More Photos