“To exist in our society, we tend to get stuck in our thinking,” says medium Brenda Lacasse. “We need to move to our feelings. People need to learn to trust themselves and listen to themselves. We are all powerful beings and know much more than we think.”

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

When Brenda Lacasse was 14, she had a strange experience: she woke up to find her grandmother at the foot of her bed.  What made it strange was that her grandmother, in fact, was not in the building, or even the vicinity.  Apparently, Lacasse was having a vision of some kind.

She found out later that day that her grandmother had passed away during the night.

Quite a number of us have a “strange” story like that in our past, but for Lacasse, this was neither the first time nor the last that she experienced psychic phenomena.  At the time, she didn’t quite know what to do with her abilities.  In fact, it took half a lifetime, including 10 years of intensive study and practice under the guidance of teachers and mentors, for her to get to where she is today.  Lacasse is a professional medium, providing readings for a roster of clients, giving talks, and teaching courses to others wanting to develop their intuitive abilities.

Lacasse will be one of 14 presenters at the third Comox Valley Spirit Fair, taking place Sunday, October 16, from 10am to 4pm, at the K’omoks Band Hall.  The Spirit Fair welcomes the public to a gathering of psychics, clairvoyants, mediums and others connected to that field.  Visitors can browse the booths, sign up for ten-minute mini-readings, attend lectures, receive Reiki treatments, and snack on vegan nibbles throughout the day.

The Fair is organized by Genevieve Stainton, Lacasse’s daughter, who has inherited her mother’s gift and her passion for using it to help others.

“I created the Fair for two reasons mainly,” says Stainton.  “The first was to give clairvoyant/mediums a bit more respect and visibility than they get as a sideshow in a mall.  This important work has lived in the shadows for too long and it deserves to be showcased.

“The second reason was I felt there was a real need in the Valley for an event where people who are interested in mediumship/clairvoyance can find other like-minded people.”

The event, which takes place each April and October, has been eagerly embraced by people with an established interest in the psychic arts, but it is also proving to be a great introduction for curious but cautious newcomers.

“For some people, this is their first introduction to mediumship/psychics,” says Stainton.  She takes great care to screen the presenters to ensure consistent high quality and professionalism.  “I believe that not all who identify as clairvoyant are skilled enough to be giving readings for people.  The ones I invite know their stuff.”

Stainton and Lacasse both say the Comox Valley is a wonderful location to pursue the psychic arts.

“So many people are moving here for a reason,” says Lacasse.  “It’s a marvelous place; a great place for spiritual development.”  With forests, mountains and the ocean all around us, and the hustle and bustle of the city significantly toned down, the Valley is a place where people can slow down, take time for eye contact, and appreciate nature’s healing qualities.

While there is a lot of enthusiasm for what the two women offer, there is also plenty of resistance, which is fed by a number of common misconceptions about psychic work.

Many people picture a psychic as someone exotic or occult.

“People have these ideas,” begins Lacasse with a gentle laugh.  “I can tell you, though, that what we do is not ‘Woo woo’ at all.  It’s as real as your heart is beating.

“My room is not weird and creepy.  It’s not dark; it’s not full of candles.”

Another common attitude is that getting a reading is a form of entertainment.   “It’s not a fun thing to do with your girlfriends,” says Lacasse.  “This is serious.“

Another common misconception is that a psychic reading will provide clear and simple answers.  It’s a bit more complicated than that, Lacasse explains.

“If anyone tells you they are going to predict your future, run, because they are controlling some aspect of your life,” she says.  “Free will is the number one law in the universe.  Your future is up to you.  I can see a situation coming up for you, and you can change your mind and move in another direction.”

A psychic reading provides a great deal of guidance and insight, says Lacasse, but it will not tell you what to do.  “Some clients come in with a specific question or wanting to contact a specific ancestor, but it doesn’t always work that way.  That may not be what comes through.  This isn’t dial-a-psychic!”

Stainton explains that someone getting a psychic reading is tapping into their own wisdom, and through that to an archetypal wisdom that underlies reality, with the medium or clairvoyant acting as a skilled guide.

“We are all connected to a sacred place not only within us, but all around us and within every living entity.  A vital and virtual spiritual web,” says Stainton.

“Our ancestors knew about this sacred place and stayed connected to it throughout their daily life, letting the messages they received guide their decisions.  The more we listen to the hints whispered in dreams, recurring themes in our lives, and the little daily messages we get, the more we allow spirit to take part and help.

“As an industrialized civilization we have become disconnected from this spiritual web.  Psychics and mediums are people we can turn to to get reconnected.”

She believes everyone can access their intuitive or even clairvoyant abilities to some degree.

“Just like playing an instrument, it takes time and practice and an awareness of our own egos to not let them influence the message being given,” she says.  “Great composers and songwriters know their instrument in a technical sense, but also remove their egos to let the music and art come from the same spiritual place where clairvoyants receive their messages.”

Both Stainton and Lacasse have worked hard, and continue to work hard, to develop their art.  Stainton also gives courses and workshops to other aspiring mediums and clairvoyants.  It is one thing to have a natural gift, as Lacasse realized back when she was a child, but quite another to know how to use it, or even how to live with it.

“There can be real alienation for those who have this gift.  We don’t do well in school.  We often have learning disabilities and mental health issues.  It can be very lonely.”

Growing up, she knew she was different.  “Originally, I just thought I was weird,” she says.  She used to provide readings for friends but didn’t fully understand the full context of what she was doing.  She pursued a career as an aesthetician, which brought its own challenges.

“Every time I touched someone, which was all the time, I’d be getting all this information.  It was difficult,” she says.

About 10 years ago she went to see a psychic on Salt Spring Island who told her, “It’s time.  You need to get to work.”  This woman became a mentor, explaining to her what she needed to learn and referring her to the right books.  And for the past five years, Lacasse has been studying with a Spiritualist Minister from England.

Lacasse’s specialty is psychometry, psychic readings based on objects, using photographs (psychometrists are sometimes used by police to help solve crimes).  She can work with just a photograph, even one sent over the internet as a digital file, and also likes clients to bring some photos to their sessions.  Not only do the photos help her connect more quickly and deeply to her field of information, they help the client relax, which aids the whole process.

“The rational mind puts up defenses that say this is not possible,” explains Lacasse.  Psychic knowledge comes most easily when those defenses are down, for instance in the transitional zone between sleep and waking.

A typical reading lasts an hour.  “The first thing I do is get you to close your eyes and breathe.  I can feel your energy and connect with your spirit.  I’ve already prepared before you came, done a meditation and connected to you,” she says.

Clients often have specific questions and Lacasse will answer them if possible, but above all she is open to whatever messages come to her.

“It’s a conversation with spirit.  You plug me in and I am the voice of the universe… or whatever,” she says, laughing.   “I’m a conduit.”

When she is giving a reading, Lacasse says she literally hears voices coming through.  “It’s unmistakable,” she says, noting that the voices may come from the client’s ancestors or other loved ones who have passed on, or they may be from other ‘spirit guides’—entities such as angels, animal guides or woodland creatures.

“They are very clear and direct, and very honest.”

While some clients particularly want to contact the spirit of someone they loved who has died, most people come because they are confused about their lives.  “They are asking, ‘What am I supposed to be doing?’  ‘What is my path in life?’  I like to bring my clients clarity about this and get to the root of what is stopping them from reaching their own potential.  When you’re doing what you’ve signed on to do with your life, you have peace and clarity.  There’s no more struggle,” she says.

Lacasse will only see clients once a year; she doesn’t want to support over-reliance on her services.  She has seen people become addicted to psychic readings and the last thing she wants is to support this type of dependence.  On the contrary, she hopes the experience she provides connects people to their own knowledge and power.

“To exist in our society, we tend to get stuck in our thinking.  We need to move to our feelings.  People need to learn to trust themselves and listen to themselves.  We are all powerful beings and know much more than we think,” says Lacasse.

Stainton works with the same goals, but in a different way.  She offers what she calls Soul Based Astrology readings.

“I cast a client’s chart, and as I’m providing the interpretation, specific examples and cues come in from spirit.  Messages are relayed in a way that the person really gets it,” Stainton says.

You can try out both Stainton’s and Lacasse’s offerings at the Spirit Fair.  You can also get your tea leaves read, receive a tarot card reading, learn about Feng Shui and Kiniseonics, and soak up the atmosphere created by a group of like-minded people gathering around a common goal.

“The shared energy at the Fair is very open and receptive—it’s palpable,” says Stainton.  “It makes for some very dynamic readings.”

For more information about Brenda Lacasse visit: www.brendalacasse.com.

For more information about the upcoming Spirit Fair visit: www.mysticvancouverisland.com.

InFocus Magazine

Last summer, one of our regular feature writers, Terri Perrin, was asked to write about Helena Hartwood, Hartwood Garden Designs. (InFocus, Backyard Bounty, August/September 2009.)  In learning about the work that Hartwood does with what she calls “edible landscaping”, Perrin also was told of and wrote about a local non-profit group called LUSH Valley Food Action Society.  LUSH—an acronym for Let Us Share the Harvest—works with Island property owners to plant and harvest vegetables and fruit crops, then share the bounty with local food banks.

Perrin was so inspired by LUSH Valley’s role in our community that she spent much of the past winter thinking about how she could do something special for this organization.  In addition to being a freelance writer, Perrin is a certified Feng Shui Practitioner.  As she began thinking about planning a Feng Shui gardening workshop, LUSH Valley came to mind.

“I booked Ocean Resort for May 15 for a day-long Zen in Your Garden workshop,” explains Perrin.  “I planned to address Feng Shui for the garden but, since I have only been living on Vancouver Island for about a year, needed an expert to talk about plants.  I asked Helena Hartwood to give a lecture on edible landscaping. After all, if your garden is going to look and feel good, it may as well taste good, too!”

Perrin, whose company is called Fine Art of Intention, decided she needed another speaker to talk about ponds and water features but she was going to have to do some research to find someone.  Talk about the power of intention!  Within an hour, InFocus sent her an email and asked her to write about David Bossom of Island Waterscape & Design.  He was thrilled to be featured in this issue of InFocus and to be asked to speak at this event.

“My next call was to LUSH Valley,” adds Perrin.  “I told them that I would like their blessing in running the Zen in Your Garden workshop as a fundraiser.  No strings attached!  Just let me organize and run the event and I will donate back as much as possible to LUSH.  Needless to say, they were thrilled with the prospect!”

With two other speakers donating their time, Perrin called Ocean Resort to ask if they would donate the meeting space. (They did.)  She asked their chef, Carol Kopp, if she would be willing to prepare a lunch for a crowd of 70 and do a 30-minute talk of the benefits of raw food.  (She will.)

Now, she’s asking you to support LUSH Valley by purchasing a ticket to the Zen in Your Garden workshop.  Tickets are $74.99 each (GST included).  This includes the full workshop, a delicious lunch and an optional labyrinth and/or ocean walk at the end of the day.  Pre-registration is required and seating is limited to 70 people.

If you operate a business and would like to be an event sponsor, your support is also welcome. You could, for example, help with the cost of the lunch or printed materials. Or you can donate $50 to LUSH and supply product samples or advertising flyers to be put in the participants’ “loot bags”. (Tax receipts will be issued.)

“The motto of Fine Art of Intention Feng Shui is: ‘If you do not open your hands and heart to help yourself… you cannot give, nor can you receive’,” says Perrin.  “Organizing this event for LUSH is my way of giving back.”

For more information or to register call 250.218.4952 or visit:

fengshuikits.ca

For information about the Lush Valley Food Action Society, go to:

lushvalley.org

“Part of the attraction of green burial for Denman Islanders is having the option to reclaim that part of things,” says Dr. Doreen Tetz. “We tend to be a very self-reliant group of people here.” The Denman Conservancy Association has donated one hectare of the protected Central Park for the cemetery site (above).

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

These days, it seems, we are all trying to live a greener life—but few of us have considered what it could mean to die a greener death.

A group of Denman Islanders have been doing just that.  With the appropriate acronym DIMS (Denman Island Memorial Society), they are spearheading a community initiative to create what will probably be Canada’s first entirely green cemetery.

DIMS is, in fact, joining a modest but growing green burial movement.  The first natural burial ground was created in 1993 in the United Kingdom, where there are now more than 200 such sites.

In Canada, two cemeteries (one in Victoria and one in Ontario) have created natural burial areas within the larger, conventional cemetery.  Closer to home, DIMS members have been in touch with groups from Salt Spring and Pender Islands wanting to include a green area as part of their cemeteries.

BC painter and writer Emily Carr eloquently summed up the emotional attraction of green burial in a poetic, heartfelt plea:

“Dear Mother Earth, I have always specifically belonged to you.  I have loved from babyhood to roll upon you, to lie with my face pressed right down onto you in my sorrows.  I love the look of you and the smell of you and the feel of you.  When I die, I should like to be in you, uncoffined, unshrouded, the petals of flowers against my flesh and you covering me up.”

For many people, the attraction of green burial is less to do with poetry and more to do with science—environmental science, to be specific.

Conventional burial violates the environment in quite a number of ways.  The building of big concrete vaults for families hugely disturbs the earth.  Heavy caskets take decades to biodegrade and usually include toxic materials.  Embalming fluid renders the human remains toxic, as well.

Also, the standard design of a cemetery is distinctly unfriendly to the environment.  Typically, the site is extensively cleared.  New species, often non-native, are planted, and large swaths of lawn are maintained with chemicals and copious watering, both poisoning and depleting the groundwater.  Huge gravemarkers, often placed on concrete foundations, further disturb the natural order.

The goal of green burial, sometimes called ecological burial, is to return human remains to the earth in their natural state, with little or no impact on the environment.  No embalming fluid is used and the body is placed in the ground in a biodegradable shroud or coffin.  Concrete vaults are not used.  Burials may include cremains (ashes) as long as the container is biodegradable.  However, many green burial advocates discourage cremation because of the greenhouse gas emissions and toxins caused by the burning process.  (The Denman cemetery will welcome cremains.)

Green cemeteries are considered to be nature preserves; flower gardens and lawns, and the related use of fertilizers and pesticides, are not part of the picture.  The sites are marked with simple indigenous flat stones, other small structures, or plants, rather than big heavy markers.

While natural burial is currently a new trend, driven by environmental concerns, it is also a very old practice.  Historically, North America’s settlers very likely practiced green burial, and today, some remote Northern communities, isolated from government-certified undertakers, morticians, hearse drivers, and all the other paraphernalia surrounding the business of death, simply put their bodies in the ground.  On the other hand, practices to preserve the body in an undeathlike perfection are as old as ancient Egyptian mummies.

Although natural burial sites meet all the required health and bureaucratic standards, the whole idea can be simply too “out there” for many North Americans.  After all, death is hard enough to deal with, and people may feel more comfortable when things remain sanitized and conventional and a little less… earthy.

“Society in general is adverse to the whole microbiological world,” says Dr. Doreen Tetz, a general practitioner on Denman who, along with Local Islands Trust representative Louise Bell, met with me to talk about the green cemetery project.  Both are members of the DIMS Cemetery Project Committee.

“Modern burial practices evolved as part of a general movement in the early part of the last century for everything to become more sanitized, after antibiotics were discovered,” explains Tetz.

“And yet,” continues Bell, “what actually happens to a body as it is being prepared for conventional burial is actually really gross!  People just don’t know it.”  Bodies are stripped, shaved, washed with disinfecting chemicals, massaged and manipulated; formaldehyde is injected into the circulatory system and into the body cavities.  The mouth may be sewn shut and devices are used to set the face in a proper expression.  So much indignity and mess for a process meant to preserve our dignity!

Thus far, Bell, Tetz, and their colleagues on the DIMS Cemetery Project Committee have found Denman Islanders very supportive toward the project, speaking in favor of it at public meetings, and participating enthusiastically in a recent table-tennis tournament fundraiser.  In fact, say Bell and Tetz, there has been no opposition—perhaps, says Tetz, because this community of avid gardeners, composters and farmers tends to be somewhat more comfortable with the “whole microbiological world” than others.

But mainly, says Bell, Denman Island has needed a new cemetery for years.  With the old cemetery full, locals have had to send their loved ones to other communities to be buried.

“This project resonates with what I’ve seen in my 20 years of medical practice on Denman,” says Tetz.  “In that time there have been two very tragic situations where young children died, and the cemetery was full.  It makes a very strong impression when a family needs a place to lay their child’s body to rest.  Plots were eventually found, but it was very difficult; we had to ask permission from other families and it was quite a process.”

Bell says the reason she got involved with DIMS was simple:  “I made an election promise.  In the lead up to the last Islands Trust election, two people asked me if, were I elected, I’d be willing to give some time to creating new cemetery.  I said yes.”

Bell’s extensive experience dealing with the intricacies of government agencies has proven to be very helpful.  As is typical when someone wants to do something new with land use, there is a daunting amount of bureaucracy involved.  In fact, more than two thirds of the budget for the cemetery goes toward bureaucratic costs such as rezoning and subdivision fees, land appraisal fees, applications to the Agricultural Land Reserve and the BC Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority, which oversees all things burial-related, as well as the legal work, surveys and consulting needed to accompany all this.

DIMS’ very first challenge was perhaps the largest—they needed to find someone to donate an appropriate piece of land.  Luckily, they soon found a willing donor: the Denman Conservancy Association (DCA), a well-established non-profit conservation society that owns a number of properties on Denman, stepped on board.

One of DCA’s flagship properties, the 60-acre Central Park, has one corner that is adjacent to the old cemetery.  After some deliberation—including discussion about how to legally ensure that the new cemetery honoured the conservation values that are intrinsic to DCA’s mission—the DCA board agreed to donate a hectare of Central Park to DIMS.

This meant DIMS could celebrate, but not rest.  Founding a cemetery is not a simple project.  Fundraising is particularly challenging, since “cemeteries” are completely off the radar of funding agencies, says Tetz.

Also complicating things is the fact that burial is a highly regulated field, with legislation covering not just cemeteries, but also who can deal with human remains.

“For instance, you aren’t allowed to touch or to transport a body without special certification,” says Bell.  The DIMS group is looking at ways to work within the regulations while keeping the burial process at home on Denman.

This is part of a larger movement in the way families handle death and dying, says Tetz.

“Over the course of my career I’ve seen a really large shift.  It used to be death happened mostly in hospital, often alone.  As a doctor, I’d be called in to pronounce someone dead.  I wouldn’t know them; I wouldn’t know their family.  So I’d end up making a call to someone I didn’t know, on the other side of the country, to tell them that a family member had died.

“Now, more and more people die at home, with their families around them—while still receiving the best medical care,” Tetz adds.  “Families have been reclaiming that event in their lives.  But all that stops when someone dies.  The body goes off the island into the hands of strangers.

“Part of the attraction of green burial for Denman Islanders is having the option to reclaim that part of things.  We tend to be a very self-reliant group of people here.”

Bell is keeping meticulous notes of all the steps DIMS is going through to achieve its goal, with the intention of being able to offer help to other communities who are interested in creating a green cemetery.

“We are breaking new ground—no pun intended,” says Tetz with a twinkle in her eye.  “Down the road we’ll certainly be willing to educate others.  And I anticipate that there will be interest.”

Death, after all, is a part of life, and it makes sense for people to want their death to mirror the values they live by.  The new Denman cemetery will offer this possibility to all those who value environmental sustainability and connection to the local in their lives, by providing a place where they can comfortably return to the earth, in their own communities, after their death.

The Salvation Army’s philosophy in terms of giving is that they strive to give a “hand up” rather than a “hand out,” says Darryl Burry, lead pastor of the Comox Valley Missions. The Sally Ann kettles can be found at eight locations throughout the Valley this holiday season, including SuperStore.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

Arguably of all the symbols that mark the advent of the Christmas season, few are more ubiquitous than the Salvation Army kettle. And why not?  Christmas, in its true meaning, is about ‘giving’ and blessedly the people of the Comox Valley are mighty generous in caring for the wants and needs of the less fortunate among us.

Since its beginning in London’s East End, two years before Canadian Confederation, the Salvation Army has become a worldwide non-government provider of social services. The Canadian Salvation Army began in 1882, and the pastoral mission came to the Comox Valley in 1964.

“Christmas is our main fundraiser,” says Pastor Darryl Burry, lead pastor of the Comox Valley Missions.  “Funds raised during the Christmas season are utilized throughout the entire year.  Our goal is to meet human needs, and our challenge is how we practically put it all in place.”

That is in itself a tall order in that the ‘Sally Ann’, as it is popularly referred to and not impolitely, has many irons in the fire of giving to the public.  The homeless shelter on Pidcock Avenue (Salvation Army supported and operated, with assistance from BC Housing) is in huge demand in these economically perilous days, and the Family Services Centre is also meeting major challenges in caring for the wants and needs of the dispossessed.

“Our goal at Christmas is to see that there is nobody falling through the cracks,” Burry says. “Right now registrations are ongoing for our hamper program.  Last year we distributed 650 hampers, and this year it will be a matter of greater demand as the need for social assistance is up 25 per cent over last year.  Our caseworker in Family Services says that the stories are heartbreaking in which highly skilled people are jobless, homeless and subsisting on a pittance.”

The challenge always, Burry says, is to treat people in need with dignity and respect, regardless of how they ended up in a position of want.  Some end up in homeless poverty due to job loss, family illness or other misfortune.  Others lose it all due to abuse of drugs or alcohol.  None of those circumstances matter to the Salvation Army in terms of giving assistance, Burry stresses.

“A lot of us, when we haven’t been exposed to the other side of the tracks, don’t realize that the majority of people currently living in our community are one mere paycheque away from solvency,” he says.  “So, if the job is lost—and many have been—people are left in a desperate situation.”

The Salvation Army’s philosophy in terms of giving is that they strive to give a “hand up” rather than a “hand out,” Burry says.  That philosophy goes back to Salvation Army founder William Booth, who believed that despite the fact the organization is a Christian mission, the first thing a person needs in getting that hand up is his or her physical health.

“That is our mission,” Burry says.  “We act as the hands and feet of Jesus for those who are temporarily unable to act as they would wish due to their deprivation.”

Back to the kettle campaign. This year’s goal for the Comox Valley is to raise $70,000, Burry says.  He adds that all funds raised in this community stay within this community.

Does the $70,000 get the job done?  Not really, Burry says.  Last year the shelter cost more than $100,000 just in food products, so there is obviously a gap in revenue.

“On the other hand, this is a very generous community,” he says.  “We’ve been blessed over the years by the generosity of the community. Last year, for example, we were 45 per cent behind in our kettle campaign.  We ran a media release stating that fact, and after that ran we ended up surpassing our goal.  People should understand that even if they only have a few pennies to spare, those pennies can have a big impact.”

This year the kettles will be in eight locations in the community.  The campaign itself began on November 20, and beginning in the first week of December, the drive runs six days a week.  Local kettle sites are Wal-Mart, Superstore, Safeway, Canadian Tire, Quality Foods and the three government liquor stores.  The liquor store locations are especially fruitful, Burry adds.

Although the majority of the kettle minders are volunteers, Burry says it is necessary for the Salvation Army to hire some paid staff to cover all the hours demanded, which works out to 1,600 hours.  The work is all in the capable hands of staff member Dawn, he says, who coordinates the kettles, the teams and the schedule of shifts, and so forth.  A demanding chore.

While the kettle campaign is a vital fundraiser for the Salvation Army, much of the essential revenue emanates from the familiar thrift stores in Courtenay and Comox.

“The thrift stores enable us to carry on,” Burry says. “But, even with them, like with any other business these days, the overhead continues to rise.  But, people should remember that when one donates items to the stores, or makes a purchase, that enables us to feed somebody in need.”

“Walking a labyrinth is a unique and truly memorable way to honor and celebrate various milestones in your life,” says Linda Magnusen.

Photo by Boomer Jerritt

A labyrinth is, however, none of the above. Simply put, a labyrinth is an ancient symbol representing life’s journey. People walk through the uni-circular pattern of the labyrinth, pause to relax and meditate at its centre, then walk out feeling better. It is a non-denominational, centuries-old spiritual practice.

A labyrinth can be laid out on the ground in a variety of ways. It can be painted on a concrete or other solid surface, identified with colored bricks or paving stones, or be a simple arrangement of stones on any natural surface, such as grass, gravel or sand. Sometimes, a series of candles are placed on the labyrinth pattern and people walk its path at night. This provides an even more mystical and spiritual experience.

Labyrinths can be very large—or small enough to, quite literally, let your fingers do the walking. You can still feel the benefits of a labyrinth by using your finger to trace its path when printed on a piece of paper or displayed on a computer screen.

Although they may look similar, a labyrinth is not to be confused with a maze—it is not a puzzle to be solved, with dead ends and blind alleys. Walking through a maze is a “left brain” task that requires logical, sequential, and analytical activity to find the correct path into and out of it. A labyrinth, on the other hand, has only one uni-circular path to the centre and then out again. It is a “right brain” task, involving intuition, creativity and imagery. The only decision you need to make is whether to enter the path or not.

In short, a maze is designed to make you lose your way. A labyrinth is designed to help you find it. Once most people understand the concept of the labyrinth, they are often still confused about how to pronounce it. The ‘y’ is silent, so you simply say “lab-rinth.”

Although labyrinths are relatively new to modern-day society—and to the Comox Valley—it is a holistic meditative tool that has been used by many cultures and religions throughout history. Evidence of its use dates back to 500 A.D.

Dr. Herbert Benson of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital has written that the fundamental element of mind/body medicine —the elicitation of the relaxation response—can be traced back to the earliest civilizations. It appears that one of our most basic bodily avenues to better health is the simple following of the breath, in and out, and the avoidance of distracting thoughts.

Dr. Benson’s research (some of it dating back to the 1960s) has revealed that focused walking meditations, such as the labyrinth, are highly effective at reducing anxiety and eliciting what he refers to as “the relaxation response.”

When eliciting the relaxation response your metabolism decreases, your heart beats slower, your muscles relax, your breathing becomes slower, your blood pressure decreases and your levels of nitric oxide increase. (This helps boost blood flow and enhances sex.)

Perhaps, as a result of research like this, the concept of building and using labyrinths to improve personal well-being is currently enjoying a renaissance. You can now find them throughout the world, at hospitals, prisons, churches, universities, public parks and even individuals’ yards. While researching this article, I looked at three labyrinths in the Comox Valley region. Two were in the development stage and preparing to celebrate their grand openings at the end of May. There are however, rumors of a few others in undisclosed locations. A fourth labyrinth will be built at Innisfree Farms in June.

It is generally believed that the resurgence of labyrinths is due, in part, to the fact that we live in a society with changing views and attitudes. In this fast-paced world, many have lost touch with their inner voice and with nature. The labyrinth is a powerful tool to help relax our frenetic minds, bodies and spirits. It is also a tool that is bridging the ever-widening gap between traditional religious rituals and new spiritual practices.

We, as a society, are being drawn to the labyrinth and exploring it as a healing tool because it provides a safe place to clear the mind and to receive answers to life’s troubling questions. It is a place to feel grounded in the present and to help guide you in the future.

The Labyrinth at Kairos

Linda Magnuson, owner of Kairos Guest Suite in Comox, is proud to have built one of the first labyrinths in the Comox Valley. Magnuson, who moved here from Alberta in 2003, says the project was inspired by a casual conversation with her daughter, Kari Magnuson, in 2004. At the time, Kari had recently been involved with a community labyrinth-building project in Nelson, BC. The idea of building a labyrinth in celebration of Linda’s upcoming 65th birthday was born one afternoon, as the two women stood on Linda’s deck and contemplated her massive backyard—at the time, a “blank slate” of green grass.

“We spent the winter researching labyrinths and working on the design for the one we would build the following summer [2004],” explains Linda Magnusen. “My yard would allow the construction of a 40-foot diameter, classic seven-circuit Cretan pattern. [Some labyrinths are larger and have an 11-circuit pattern.] My family and friends came together one hot August weekend to build my labyrinth. I really appreciated their collective efforts. It was the best birthday present ever!

“We built it using soft cedar mulch to walk on. To form the pattern, we handpicked smooth stones from a supplier in Cumberland and sun-bleached oyster shells from a local oyster plant. A hand-made log bench in the centre of the labyrinth provides a welcome place to sit and meditate.”

The Labyrinth at Kairos’ grand unveiling and dedication took place in June 2005. Since then, dozens of people —including guests of Kairos Guest Suite, friends, neighbors and perfect strangers—have chosen to walk its path of prayer and contemplation. With respect for both Magnusen’s and her guests’ privacy, visits to the Labyrinth at Kairos are by appointment only.

Magnuson has also welcomed hospice staff, volunteers and terminally ill patients to take a walk on the “mild” side in her backyard. Their reactions, she says, are varied. Some people want to talk about their experience. Others do not. It is a deeply personal and spiritual encounter. She is also open to hosting weddings, engagements, memorials and other life transition celebrations at Kairos. “Walking a labyrinth is a unique, informal and truly memorable way to honor and celebrate various milestones in your life,” she adds.

This past May, about 40 people gathered in Magnuson’s backyard to celebrate World Labyrinth Day. “The event was wonderful,” she says. “We were delighted to have the Mystic Valley Voices lead us in chanting and then, at 1 pm, they chanted with us as we all walked the labyrinth together.”