Musings on Dance, Food, Geek Stuff
Yesterday I completed a side quest to walk every public labyrinth in San Francisco. It was surprisingly revelatory and joyful, and I recommend the practice for all spiritual seekers. For those unfamiliar, the labyrinth is an ancient design element found across civilizations dating back thousands of years. Sometimes used interchangeably with the word “maze,” labyrinths…
I think I’ve finished touring all of the public labyrinths in San Francisco! The last one I could find is in beautiful Bernal Heights Park. It’s right near the road so it’s easy to spot. And it’s one of the most original designs that I’ve seen, weaving its way around three spirals. It might be…
Today I visited the most “rustic” of all the labyrinths I’ve experienced in SF, the McLaren Park labyrinth. Basically it’s just a dirt path barely delineated with some rocks, with weeds and detritus all around it. Random toys and objects are strewn about. The center is an altar of sorts, with a couple of buddha…
I’ve been a bit obsessed with labyrinths lately. Labyrinths were last month’s topic of a spiritual discussion group I’ve been attending. Since then, I’ve been visiting all the labyrinths in San Francisco. People have asked me what my meditation process is when I visit one. I’ve adapted a process I found printed near a labyrinth…
Caretake this moment.Immerse yourself in its particulars.Respond to this person, this challenge, this deed. Quit the evasions.Stop giving yourself needless trouble.It is time to really live; to fully inhabit the situation you happen to be in now.You are not some disinterested bystander.Exert yourself. When your doors are shut and your room is dark you are…
Returning to Japan this April was such a special experience, even though I’ve been there a few times in my life. This was the first big trip with my partner Satise, who had never been to Japan but has always dreamed of visiting. And it was the most luxurious version of travel I’ve done in…
Somewhat hidden past the entrance to the California Pacific Medical Center lives a lovely outdoor labyrinth. Set back from the street and away from the entrance, the labyrinth is well situated for an undisturbed meditative walk. The pattern is similar, possibly identical, to the one used at the Grace Cathedral. I guess it’s a popular…
Grace Cathedral is one of the finest houses of worship in San Francisco. It’s also home to, not one, but two beautiful labyrinths. I had the opportunity to walk both this week, and can highly recommend the experience. The most obvious labyrinth is right as you enter the cathedral. It takes up the large open…
The Lake Street labyrinth is hard to find unless you are looking for it. Tucked in a garden beside Saint John’s Presbyterian Church at Lake and Arguello, you might think it’s just four row of small bushes. But it’s actually a tiny labyrinth! Here’s a timelapse of me walking it.
Today I visited the Scott Street Labyrinth… two actually. They are on Scott Street near the corner of Waller in the Haight District of San Francisco. The labyrinths were created in 2007, sponsored by the California Pacific Medical Center, with the support of many other groups and individuals. The larger of the two labyrinths is…