Labyrinth Society gathering, November 8-11
I attended my first labyrinth conference in 1995. The Labyrinth Society began its annual gatherings in 1999. I have not missed one of these gatherings for 12 years (although I was late arriving last year). This year's gathering will be at Unity Village, near Kansas City, MO. If you love labyrinths, you should make the gathering an annual pilgrimage. There is nothing that compares to interacting with other labyrinth people, seeing their work, getting new ideas, attending lectures and workshops, making labyrinths, and having lots of fun together. To register, see the Labyrinth Society website at www.labyrinthsociety.org. If you have a mailing list, please send out a notice regarding this event. The co-chairs, Randy and Pamela Bowles Fillmore, have planned a wonderful event. Help us get the word out.

Facilitator Training in Oregon Full
Another scheduled for April 25-27, 2008
The facilitator training scheduled for me to give in Portland, OR, was filled within weeks back in June when it was first announced. Yes, on the West Coast I am getting into Lauren Artress territory. I support Veriditas and the wonderful work Lauren does. Our trainings are completely different. For details, see: training. Kay Kinneavy, the organizer, scheduled another one for April to handle the overflow. If you are interested in this training, don't delay in signing up. you can reach Kay at kay@kinneavy.com.

Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC, expanding
In the last newsletter we announced that Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC, would go non-profit. Subsequently, we have looked into other possibilities. My purpose is to get some help so that I can reduce my workload and go into partial retirement. I am considering selling a majority interest in the company to someone who will become the chief administrator. I have also contemplated hiring an administrator. In either case, the additional help and energy shuld help Labyrinth Enterprises,LLC, to grow. Accordingly, we also need people to help us install labyrinths at various places around the country. If you are interested in being on a Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC, crew, contact Robert (robert@labyrinth-enterprises.com). No experience is necessary but you must have good knees, be able to work in the hot sun, and be meticulous in your craftsmanship.

Paver Labyrinth at University of Southern Indiana
Despite the hot weather, and thanks to a super-human effort by Marty Kermeen and Jorge, we installed a unique customized Chartres design, 56 feet in diameter, on a pervious concrete base for the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, IN. Not far away is New Harmony, IN, a very interesting place. The university has a web cam on the top of the building adjacent to the labyrinth, for security purposes. I'm not sure if this will work, but here's the link: http://199.8.170.122:81/ImageViewer?Mode=Motion&Resolution=640x480

Old Mailing List
Because of the timeliness of some of the events in this newsletter (the trainings, the gathering), I rushed this newsletter out without revising my mailing list. So, those of you who sent corrections last newsletter, please excuse me for not making those changes yet. I will do it before the next newsletter, in January. I promise.

Labyrinth Master Class Scheduled for West Coast, Oct. 13-14.
My favorite training is the master class, in which I teach people many ways to make labyrinths. When they leave, they understand the geometry, the materials, the tools, and are prepared to go out into the world and make labyrinths. Any labyrinth professional or facilitator should know how to make a labyrinth.Or, if you want to make your own labyrinth, this training would give you many good ideas. It will take place at Christ the King Retreat Center near Sacramento, CA, sponsored by Healing Arts Festival. For registration information, contact marcie@healingartsfestival.com.

Midwest Labyrinth Gathering, June 15-17, a Success
I take public speaking very seriously. Every talk is different and well-researched. At this event I gave a talk about why Chartres Cathedral is so special. I also talked about the two different paradigms interacting with the labyrinth, science and spirituality. This talk touched upon such major issues that it has now grown into a project for my next book, called: Labyrinths: Spiritual Tools in the Age of Science and Commerce. I will be expanding on this theme in talks given in San Antonio (August) and Portland (September). One of my reasons for partial retirement is to have time to write some of the books that dwell inside me. This is one. another is the ultimate labyrinth making manual. Another is Chartres Cathedral. Another . . . . well, you get the idea.

New Granitite Distributor
In August I attended a training (along with one of our labyrinth artists, Pamela Bowles Fillmore) in Mountain Home, AR, to become an official distributor for a material called Granitite. It is comprised of powdered granite in an acrylic resin. There is no pigment, only the color of the natural granite, so it will never fade.Nor is it likely to wear out. I bought the necessary equipment and look forward to offering labyrinths made of this attractive material.

A Real Vacation
For one week, August 15-22, I visited my brother in northern Washington state for a true vacation. We spent time in Metaline Falls, Colville, and Chewelah (as well as Nelson, BC, in Canada). What a lovely place in the world -- peaceful, beautiful. We played a lot of Sudoku, and sat on the bench out in front of the house at 6:30 am every morning, drinking our coffee. People from the town out for a walk would go by, as the street was right along the Pend Oreille River. They would stop and talk.