MARK HEALY LABYRINTHS

Mark has made hundreds of Labyrinths and expresses himself fully‭  ‬as a Horticulturalist‭ ‬,Landscaper,‭ ‬Builder,‭ ‬Group Facilitator and Artist in the labyrinth.‭ ‬His passion for designing and creating Labyrinths started‭ over  ‬20‭ ‬years ago. He has trained with two world leaders in‭ ‬Labyrinth‭ ‬facilitation and‭ ‬building :Dr Lauren Artress and Robert Ferre‭ ‬.He‭ ‬has led many retreats where the labyrinth is the centre of the ceremonial and ritual space.‭ ‬His love of the sacred is expressed fully in these times.‭ ‬He expertly guides his groups to find for themselves their true nature and purpose.‭ ‬He has designed a unique system to build labyrinths using a metal‭ ‬landscape‭ ‬edging‭ ‬product (link to pic) to make‭ ‬Labyrinths‭ ‬with strength,‭ ‬durability,‭ ‬ease of maintenance and beauty.‭(‬link to pic‭) ‬He‭ ‬has shared his love of Labyrinths with‭ ‬many community groups including Schools,‭ ‬Mens Gatherings,‭ ‬The Joining Gathering,‭  ‬Community Garden Projects,‭ ‬Art Exhibitions,‭ ‬Botanical Gardens‭ ‬,and last three years at Woodford Folk Festival‭. The artist in‭ ‬Mark has created‭ ‬Mosaic labyrinths‭  ‬in tiles,‭ ‬glass‭ ‬ and stamps,‭ ‬he’s‭ ‬made leadlight and glass fused labyrinths and carved them into wood. Mark makes traditional‭ ‬Labyrinth‭ ‬designs as well as‭ ‬nine of his own that he‭ ‬has‭ ‬designed for‭ ‬specific situations and purposes.‭ ‬His Angel Wing‭ ‬3‭ ‬circuit design for example‭ ‬ is ideal for an edible or‭ ‬sensory garden or where wheel chair access is needed, also‭ ‬his‭ ‬Labyrinth of Choice is a‭ ‬5‭ ‬circuit design, ideal for ceremonies and‭ ‬allows the labyrinth walker a choice of where to start their journey.

A labyrinth is not a maze.‭  ‬Mazes conjure up images of high hedges,‭ ‬hiding a pathway that has all sorts of choices leading a person into endless tangles or dead-ends.‭  ‬We expect to get lost in a maze.‭  ‬Labyrinths are the complete opposite.‭  ‬The pathway begins at the outside and meanders back and forth in a seemingly random pattern and leads you to the centre.‭  ‬There are no choices,‭ ‬so the traveler can let go of concern about where the path leads and simply enjoy the journey to the centre and then back out again.‭  ‬This process seems to encourage heightened intuition,‭ ‬balance,‭ ‬and a sense of wellbeing.

Medical research has shown that walking or tracing a labyrinth balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain,‭ ‬and people have experienced improved mental clarity and memory,‭ ‬calmness in dealing with grief and trauma,‭ ‬a release of pain,‭ ‬and a deeper connection with their own inner resources.‭  ‬Children say they just feel better after walking a labyrinth and use it when they are sad.‭ ‬In all cultures,‭ ‬the labyrinth represents the three-fold path of nature,‭ ‬that of Life,‭ ‬Death and Rebirth.‭ ‬Following such a pattern is a dance that engages us on a cellular level,‭ ‬returning us to a felt sense of the body walking the path of life.‭ ‬It is a pattern to be experienced and encountered as we seek wholeness in an increasingly fragmented world.

Labyrinths have been built out of a variety of materials and have been found in almost all cultures in the world for thousands of years.‭  ‬We may still access labyrinths that were built in the‭ ‬14th century.‭  ‬In the past‭ ‬30‭ ‬years there has been a worldwide renewed interest in them that is attributed to the desire for a personal spiritual practice as well as a tool for self-awareness and growth.‭  ‬Today,‭ ‬labyrinths are found in hospitals,‭ ‬schools,‭ ‬churches,‭ ‬community gardens,‭ ‬prisons,‭ ‬cemeteries‭ ‬,‭ ‬retreat‭ ‬centre’s,‭ ‬and in back yards.

Mark Healy is committed to creating Labyrinths in the public and private sectors as a way of helping people to connect with themselves and providing a meeting space where the community can come together to share‭ ‬life’s journey.‭ ‬Mark envisions creating labyrinth trails within city‭ ‬parks and gardens taking visitors and residents on a exploration of the local environment and connecting them with the peace and calmness that a nature space provides in a built up environment.
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We are entering a time when the treasures of this precious tool are being rediscovered and passionately pursued.‭ ‬A Labyrinth readily surrenders its secrets up to the sincere seeker.‭ ‬I invite you to walk its Path of Grace.