One of the special features of Albion Millennium Green is our 7-circuit classical labyrinth. Unlike a maze, such as the one in nearby Crystal Palace Park, labyrinths have just one winding path that eventually brings you to the labyrinth’s centre. Therefore, labyrinth walking tends to a peaceful, meditative, and centering experience although there can be some surprises and unexpected insights en route.

This year, on Saturday 3 May, we decided to make the most of this great resource and do our first public labyrinth walking event. So we celebrated World Labyrinth Day, a global labyrinth-walking initiative! The event included “Walk as One at 1.” Here, people from across the world walked for world peace when it was 1 pm in their time zone.

It was indeed a peaceful and relaxed event, and my first opportunity as a newly trained labyrinth facilitator to lead an outdoor public event of this kind. We walked the labyrinth individually and collectively – there is something very moving, I think, about people walking the labyrinth in their own way while also being sensitive to other walkers and making space for them. I also gave a short talk about the history of labyrinths, about some of the different archetypal labyrinth forms, and introduced some labyrinth walking techniques. We were also joined by local artist Walter Hayn who recorded the event in the form of the beautiful drawing above.

The labyrinth was originally created in 2013 by local artist Maria Strutz on the concrete foundations of a club house (see below) that belonged to the tennis club that used to be in this site.

The artist used sticks and stones found on-site to create the structure. It was meant to be temporary. But despite its less-than-hospitable foundations, moss and grass gradually took root as the artist continued to tend it. Slowly, it began to establish itself. Nonetheless, it remains fragile and in dry weather, much of the structure seemingly disappears. It is harder to see and follow the path. A good deal of attention is needed. As the rain returns, the labyrinth recovers, the path is clearly visible, leaving our thoughts and feelings free to roam elsewhere. There are advantages to both experiences.