Guide to Washington DC Labyrinths & Sacred Spaces

Two Santa Rosa labyrinths in Maryland

Sue Mosher — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:09:04 +0000

Walking two labyrinths of the same pattern, in similar settings near Washington, DC, provided a great opportunity to compare the little design details that give a labyrinth its individual character. Both the private Hallowood Retreat Center and the public Brookside Gardens sited their labyrinths next to small lakes. Both follow the Santa Rosa design by Dr. Lea Goode-Harris and use similar materials, rough gravel for the path and stone blocks to mark the path's boundaries.

Labyrinth at Hallowood Retreat Center near Sugarloaf, MD

Click to view larger image.

The two main points of difference are the sense of enclosure and the contrast between the path and its boundaries.

Enclosure

The Hallowood labyrinth slopes a little more than the Brookside site, toward the water, and is enclosed on the uphill side by a line of shrubs, trees, and large rocks. The waterside vista is toward the retreat center buildings on the other side of the lake. At a labyrinth event that I facilitated at Hallowood, one participant said she felt more enclosed than she expected, given how much of the site is open.

At Brookside, things are roughly reversed. The lakeside view is toward a large cypress tree and the island that shelters the Japanese tea house and garden. Away from the lake, the view is up a long hill.

Contrast

The second major point of difference is the contrast between line and path. The Hallowood labyrinth uses larger blocks to mark the path than the one at Brookside. The roughly 2-to-1 ratio between lines and path gives it a very solid feel, accentuated by the stronger contrast between the dark gravel and lighter blocks. The Brookside labyrinth feels like it's drawn with a pencil, rather than a wide-tip marker, and the path is wider.

Labyrinth at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
Click to view larger image.I rather like the scattering of leftover blocks near the entrance of the Brookside labyrinth. It gives it the suggestion that it's an ancient monument that has seen just a slight bit of decay.

I'm not saying that one is better than the other, only that these little differences -- and the effect they have on your walk -- are part of what makes it fun to visit outdoor labyrinths.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church labyrinth

Sue Mosher — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:00:00 +0000

[UPDATE BELOW] The outdoor labyrinth at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 6030 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD, is always available. This is one of many labyrinths in the DC and Baltimore areas supported by grants from the TKF Foundation.

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Franciscan Monastery catacombs and garden

Sue Mosher — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:14:39 +0000

You don't need to leave Washington to visit the Holy Land. The Franciscan Monastery near Catholic University has been a pilgrimage destination since the early 20th century. You can tour the church (with catacombs) and also visit the replicas of sites from the Holy Land in the monastery garden.

When you come onto the Monastery grounds, take the left-hand walkway look for the sign for "Visitors Entrance." Enter there, and follow the hallway to the left. You will end up in the Tour Lobby. To visit the catacombs, you must join a tour, which will last about an hour. The last tour of the day is at 3 p.m. The monastery requests a donation of $2, which you can place in a box at the end of the tour.

You do not need to join a tour if you just want to look around the church and enjoy the gardens, which include replicas of several Holy Land sites and the Grotto of Lourdes.

The monastery is located at 1400 Quincy Street, NE, Washington, DC, a ten-minute walk from Brookland/CUA Metro Station. There is a parking lot, as well as on-street parking in the neighborhood.

A map of the monastery church and grounds is available in PDF format by clicking here.

Click to view larger images

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National Museum of the American Indian grounds

Sue Mosher — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:55:49 +0000

The grounds of the National Museum of the American Indian abound with special places created with sacred intention, including four boulders transported from the four cardinal points of the Western Hemisphere and placed in corresponding positions around the museum. The quiet space pictured below, on the north side of the museum, is adjacent to a pond that has developed its own ecosystem, just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol. At dusk, you may be lucky enough to see the family of ducklings making their way toward dinner.

Click to view larger image

Also worth seeing (besides the museum artifacts themselves), the Potomac Rotunda on the ground floor of the museum is frequently used as ceremonial space.

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National Japanese American Memorial

Sue Mosher — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:12:31 +0000

One of Washington's least known monuments is the National Japanese American Memorial near Union Station. It includes a water feature in zen garden style and a magnificent monument to all those who struggle against injustice, in the form of two cranes trying to free themselves from barbed wire (photo from http://www.njamf.com).

Closest Metro is Union Station (Red line). The memorial itself is at D Street & New Jersey Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20001.

Crane photo from http://www.njamf.com

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St. Thomas Parish (Episcopal) labyrinth

Sue Mosher — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:59:43 +0000

[UPDATE BELOW] The outdoor labyrinth in the St. Thomas Parish (Episcopal) garden is barely visible from the street at 18th and Church NW, because it's elevated. (Thevideo below shows you how to find it.) It's a surprisingly peaceful place, given the vast amount of foot and car traffic passing by. The entrance is on 18th Street.

This is the only labyrinth in Washington, DC, that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Enjoy it while you can. The parish hopes to build a new sanctuary to replace the one that was destroyed by arson in 1970, an act of violence to which the congregation responded by building the peaceful garden that today houses the labyrinth and a fragment of the original sanctuary.

Click to view larger image

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Georgetown Waterfront Park labyrinth

Sue Mosher — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:51:00 +0000

There's a labyrinth in Georgetown? Overlooking the river? With fabulous views? Yes! Yes! Yes! Few people seem to know that the section of Georgetown Waterfront Park at the foot of 33rd Street has a beautiful labyrinth, funded in part by the TKF Foundation. This labyrinth is open sunrise to sunset. Its wide paths invite strollers, wheelchairs, and walkers (as well as skateboards and bicycles).

Some have called the spirit of this labyrinth exuberant, in contrast to the meditative mood of most other labyrinths.

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Pentagon Memorial

Sue Mosher — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:29:03 +0000

One of the Washington area's newest memorials honors those killed on 9/11/2001 at the Pentagon. Visiting the Pentagon Memorial is a good opportunity to consider how history and design, sound and light, all contribute to the making of sacred space. In its attention to geometry, it feels very much like a labyrinth as it carries through a theme of order emerging from violence and chaos.

This video will give you a taste of what it's like. You can visit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's an easy walk from the Pentagon Metro station, or you can park at the Pentagon City or Pentagon Row shopping area or, in the evenings, at the Hayes Street lot. As the video shows, sunset is a particularly impressive moment, but I've also enjoyed visiting at night, when the pools under the benches are lighted.

More resources:

Map of key locations, including handicapped parking and the Pentagon Metro station
Frequently asked questions about visiting the Pentagon Memorial

Washington National Cathedral

Sue Mosher — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:14:10 +0000

While the cathedral does not have an outdoor labyrinth, its Cathedral Crossroads labyrinth program on the last Tuesday evening of each month is always well attended. Two 11-circuit Chartres-style labyrinths are available for walking in the transept to the accompaniment of harp and Native American flute, while a smaller labyrinth is often laid out in the Joseph of Arimathea chapel downstairs for silent walking. These evenings also include Centering Prayer (a Christian form of meditation) and a program that highlights some variety of spiritual experience. The meditation garden walks in the summer are particularly refreshing.

The cathedral itself, of course, is worth visiting, but best during the day when light streams through the stained glass windows and you can take the elevator to the tower gallery for some of the best views in Washington. Finding a silent spot for private prayer or reflection can be tough, though, with the tour groups wandering about. The quietest place is the Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage on the crypt level, and if it's not open, then try the tiny Good Shepherd chapel.

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American Psychological Association labyrinth

Sue Mosher — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:32:38 +0000

Washington's only rooftop labyrinth rests at the top of a building occupied by the American Psychological Association and World Resources Institute, near Union Station. This is one of many outdoor labyrinths in the DC and Baltimore areas supported by grants from the TKF Foundation. This labyrinth is accessible during regular weekday business hours, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Use the middle elevator that goes to the penthouse, or ask the security guard to direct you.

10 G Street Northeast
Washington, DC 20002