New meditation labyrinth in Asheville’s River Arts District dedicated Saturday

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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From Barbara Blake of the Asheville Citizen-Times:

The new meditation labyrinth on Riverside Drive near the old Cotton Mill site, a project spearheaded by RiverLink, will be dedicated with a blessing ceremony at 2 p.m. today. People of all faiths will be urged to use the winding paths for meditation, conflict resolution and celebration. “In building this labyrinth, we hope that people from all over Western North Carolina and from all faith traditions will bring their meditations and prayers to the Cotton Mill for a walk,” said Dave Russell, director of volunteer services with RiverLink.

The labyrinth came about when representatives of the Outdoor Industry Association, a trade group representing outdoor gear manufacturers and retailers such as The North Face and REI, approached RiverLink seeking a service project for an estimated 120 people. The OIA members hold an annual “rendezvous,” which includes a workday, and chose Riverlink as its beneficiary, Russell said.

“This labyrinth was created on Oct. 7, essentially in one afternoon,” Russell said. “With the help of the OIA’s Lisa Winston, we decided on a ‘Medieval, seven-circuit Petite Chartres’ design, modeled after the 11-circuit labyrinth at the cathedral in Chartes, France, one of the most famous labyrinths in the world, which dates to the year 1200.”