Labyrinths open Before Peace Week Activities

Rev. Cannon Susan Joplin introduced labyrinths to UD, MD and LD chapels on 9/3/2015.  After learning what labyrinths were, students and faculty from various divisions experienced labyrinth walks facilitated by Mother Susan and members of Saint Paul's Episcopal Labyrinth Steering Committee.  There were two labyrinths to choose; an indoor one at the Chapel Transept and an outdoor one, painted on grass in front of the Butterfly Garden.

On August 31st, Mother Susan with labyrinth drawing expert, Dr. Diane Rudebock and Mr. Mark Coate produced in a few hours the royal blue Butterfly Garden Labyrinth, which will welcome Peace Week 2015 walkers and pinwheels for peace during the 11 Days of Global Unity from 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance to 9/21 United Nations International Day of Peace.

The Labyrinths @ Casady Day began at 7:15 am when YAC Planning and Peace Week teams helped Mother Susan unfold the indoor labyrinth and placed carefully drafted labyrinth guides at chapel pews.

The YAC members were the first to experience the Butterfly Garden Labyrinth

 Saint Paul's Episcopal Labyrinth's Steering Committee joined Mother Susan during the UD Chapel at 8:00 am.  Labyrinth walks went on from 10:00 to 4:00 PM.

 Middle Division @ Outdoor Labyrinth

 Middle Division students stated,
"It was really calming and peaceful and quiet.  I got to think about stuff. It was just cool.  I liked a lot!"
 "I loved it a lot."
"I got to walk around .  "I thought about my life and the Lord."
"I prayed for two people I know to get better"
"It really gave me time to relax during the school day, to think about my life, things that you love, things in the past"

"I really enjoyed it.  It allowed me to think about things around me, to think about the future, about the good times I had in the past and how to improve the future.  Make myself better.  I realized how much I love my family and friends."

 Middle Division @ Indoor Labyrinth

Lower Division, After School Care, had hands on activities to discover the differences between labyrinth and maze before walking the outdoor labyrinth.  Ms. Maryam Sontag facilitated the After School care labyrinth experience.  Before sending children on walks, Ms. Sontag stated, "On the way in, think about your special gifts.  On the way out think about the ways that you can help someone else with your special gifts."

After the walk, Ms. Sontag stated, "We opened the labyrinth and we have to close it now.  You will skip the outside of the labyrinth in a counter clock wise manner."  After the skip, the closing prayer was: "Thank you God for making me, One of a Kind.  Help me remember to use my gifts to help others."

Students reflected their experience at the Gazebo.  One student stated, "It was like in chapel.  It was just outside."

Through the day, faculty and UD students experienced the labyrinth on their own.

Thank you to the Primary Division Faculty who stated last May that the one new thing the would love to see for Peace Week 2015 was a labyrinth on campus! 

The Primary Division follows Maria Montessori's mission that "World Peace Begins in the Classroom."  

A Primary Division Pinwheel for Peace welcomed walkers to the labyrinth!