Though labyrinths and mazes have been around for centuries, only recently have they picked up in popularity in the U.S., and just in the last few decades in Oklahoma. Oklahoma Labyrinths: A Path to Inner Peace (7 Hawks Publishing, 2007) takes the reader on a tour of the labyrinths that the state has to offer.
According to the authors Gail Peck, Linda Yeingst, and Phyllis Pennington, the state’s first labyrinth was built at Sparrow Hawk Village in the Sancta Sophia Seminary in Tahlequah in 1992. The book has a short section on that labyrinth, along with sections on each of the 70 labyrinths the authors found in the state.
Labyrinth Details & Symbolism
This book provides a colorful and comprehensive tour of indoor and outdoor labyrinths to be found in the state. The beginning of the book, however, contains more general information about labyrinths, such as their meaning, rise in popularity, uses, and types. This information is useful for people unfamiliar with why labyrinths have been a part of spiritual practices across the world.
Included in the general information are sections on the symbolism of numbers, colors, and trees, which is basic Internet-search stuff. The original poems included in this section are also not very good or particularly related to labyrinths, so they seem like filler, rather than good reading material on the subject. Some people might be turned off by the new-age feel to some of these discussions, and unfortunately, there are no new insights about the spiritual symbolism of labyrinths.
A Tour of OK Labyrinths
The heart of the book is the second half where the authors give the reader a tour of the 70 labyrinths in Oklahoma. In fact, a heart-shaped labyrinth in Tonkawa is featured on the book’s cover. The Tonkawa labyrinth is “the only dual-path, heart-shaped labyrinth in the world,” and it “honors the visionary soul of artistic creation in Tonkawa, the Wheatheart of Oklahoma.”
The sections on the specific labyrinths are written in a clear, easy-to-read style that combines descriptions of the labyrinths with interviews from the makers or people who maintain the sites. Along with the unique heart labyrinth, one specially designed for the blind can be found in Sapulpa at Camp Okiwanee. This labyrinth is on a walking path that has a rope guide to follow. It is also wheelchair accessible.
A special labyrinth is the one created as a public space and a memorial for the victims of the Oklahoma City Murrah Building bombing. This labyrinth is located in Reaves Park in Norman and was built in 2002. It is a granite gravel walking path that is also wheelchair accessible.
Information about Visiting Labyrinths
For people who live in Oklahoma, a labyrinth to visit is not far away. Green Country boasts several in Tahlequah, Chouteau (the only place that has both an indoor and outdoor one—at Camp Christian), Muskogee (Moon Shadow Herb Farm), Fort Gibson (First United Methodist Church), Hulbert (Clear Creek Wellness Center), Stilwell (private residence), and many locations in Tulsa. The book includes helpful addresses and contact information for all of the sites. Some of the private residences do allow people access to walk their labyrinths.
The authors do a fine job of not equating the labyrinth with one specific religious tradition, which makes sense because labyrinths are popular with and have been used by people of many religious and spiritual persuasions. The list of labyrinths in the state show that while most are at Christian churches, many are in people’s private yards or businesses.
This book is the first in a 3-part series. The other books Sacred Circles of Creation Encircling the Oklahoma Landscape and A Mystical Journey Exploring Oklahoma’s Sacred Sites are forthcoming. The authors note that this book was written in 2007, in honor of Oklahoma’s centennial and also “to recognize the sacredness the Sooner State offers residents and visitors.”
References
Peck, Gail, Linda Yeingst, and Phyllis Pennington. Oklahoma Labyrinths: A Path to Inner Peace, 7 Hawks Publishing, 2007.
Shaun Perkins - Shaun Perkins, teacher, poet, storyteller, porch-sitter, beekeeper, gardener, writer, has been a high school and university teacher for ...
Join the Conversation