This Santa Rosa Labyrinth was made by a couple who live on Lopez Island, near Seattle Washington. It was part of the wife’s journey of healing from breast cancer and the fulfillment of a dream she had while in treatment. The lines are thick Mariner's rope and the paths and extra space are of tumbled sea glass. The heart space is the portal from an old ship and had belonged to her father. She saved it for many years, not knowing if she would ever have a use for it. She says that the labyrinth glows in the sunlight and in the moonlight…
©photo J. Bryant

Marney Armitage of Calgary, Alberta, Canada works with the Santa Rosa Labyrinth in a variety of ways. Marney came up independently with the idea to paint their Santa Rosa Labyrinth with Ivy. This was done on a parachute, which is very light, easy to transport, and easy to layout. Marney says, "Our parachute labyrinths are held down with gallon milk jugs, empty and strung together on a long shoe lace, for ease of carrying, then filled with water at the site and covered with an Ivy patterned material that matches the centre quilted cover (this covers the parachute air vent hole)." "Soaring Ivy," as they call her, has had many "flights." A second parachute Santa Rosa Labyrinth is called "Trailing Ivy."

A simple, grass Santa Rosa Labyrinth outside the Good Shepherd Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada by Marney Armitage and friends.

The same labyrinth in winter.

Photos Marney Armitage

And, in the summer of 2005, this Santa Rosa Labyrinth was permanently installed by Marney Armitage and many voleenteers, using recycled bricks from the old entry way into the church.

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Signal Mountain, Tenn, placed a Santa Rosa in the narthex of their newly renovated church:
They say, “It seems to have a nice power to it; it is on the spot where the original church had its altar and choir stalls, and in the most recent renovation the choir stayed and sang there for 15 years or so. As at Chartres, people walk across and children spin around it on Sundays, with no problem. The carpet is a soft green and a laverindish gray, very nice with the stone walls, and it is a really wonderful spot for walks, with the chapel which is cozy, has a lighted altar, and stained glass, adjacent for meditation and debriefing.”

This Santa Rosa Labyrinth was built of indigenous stone in the Mother Lode of the California Sierras for residents and staff of a recovery and safe home for women and children.

Oh… for
safe places
where my soul can be,
just be,
with the wind, the rain,
and the sun…
Guiding me
to be free…

Brescia University's Santa Rosa Stone Labyrinth in London, Ontario, Canada created by a group of women from "the Circle" at the Brescia University College campus.

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This Serra Retreat Center Santa Rosa Labyrinth in Malibu, CA was built of stone on the bluffs overlooking the ocean. A rose garden is planned for around the labyrinth where people take time to reflect as they walk.

This Santa Rosa Labyrinth shown nearing the end of construction at Minitab Statistical Software Headquarters in State College, Pennsylvania. A statue for touching will be placed at the heart-space and the tree at the center with surrounding benches was planted in mid-October of 2002. To view the making of the sculpture for the heart space, "Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall," visit the website of the artist, Mark Pilato.

The McBrides built their Santa Rosa Labyrinth over a period of weekends. This beautiful labyrinth was made with carefully placed stones and quartz in the grove of trees next to the lake of their home in Virginia. Family, friends, and even a covey of ducks joined them in the creation. When completed, a dedication and grand celebration was shared by all.

First United Methodist Church in Corvallis, Oregon paints their Santa Rosa Labyrinth.

"It's not
what you know
about the path,
it's how you walk it..."

-from the Matrix-

Glenkirk's Santa Rosa Labyrinth in Gainesville, VA. The Labyrinth is located behind the main lodge, towards the lake on the left (in the location of the old campfire circle.) It was built in the spring/summer of 2002 by volunteers from Burke Presbyterian Church, the Fairfax Presbyterian Seekers, The Glenkirk Camp Committee and the 2002 Glenkirk Summer Staff.

Santa Rosa Labyrinth
in the sand on the beach in Cartagena, Columbia, by Jose Cuesta.

This beach in the Colombian Caribbean town of Covenas on the Gulf of Morrosquillo was the site for the Santa Rosa Labyrinth by Jose Cuesta for the week of Easter, 2003. The lines were defined by coral pebbles.

Jose said, "although shy at the beginning, two different groups of girls walked the labyrinth in different days. They were of all ages and some needed to be guided to finish it. Others were very happy doing it again and again as if they were in a merry go around."

The same labyrinth being walked by one of the many groups of boys. Jose said, " a lonely boy saw the others walking and asked if he too could walk." Jose directed him to enter the labyrinth.

Many adults walked the path as well;
some of the walkers were yoga students who did specific positions when the center was reached.

This 45 ft. Santa Rosa Labyrinth at Berkana was created by Jolene Miller, Caren Goldman, and 11 others from OH, NC & MI on private property in Canaan Valley, West Virginia. It is 45' in diameter, with a woodchip path and lined with locally-farmed stone, all centered around a cherry tree. With the extra stones, they created cairns around the space. Jolene says that this labyrinth construction "was less about control and precision and more about working with the land - with its hills, stones, and patches of spongy moss (which are people's favorite part of the labyrinth!)."

You can view the making of this beautiful labyrinth at the Berkana website.

Rose-Heart-Space
of the Santa Rosa Labyrinth
in our backyard,
Good Friday, 2003.

This temporary
Santa Rosa Labyrinth
was made by Shane Odom
in a parking lot in Crownville, MD.
Shane describes the
8" of snow as "a big white pallet."
This labyrinth was only there
for a day as the lot
needed to be plowed out that afternoon
so that the cars could return.
(photo Shane Odom)