Welcome Writers -- Check out the Labyrinth

From the beginning, I wanted Pennsyl Pointe to be a place where friends, family, writers and other artists could relax and cultivate their creative talents. The natural beauty of the place has always inspired me, but I thought we could make it even more interesting by tossing in a few creative amenities. Summer brought the introduction of a wonderful new landscape feature. I persuaded my long time friend Indigo Raffel, a Pittsburgh-based artist, to visit the retreat. Indigo’s work has been a creative force for many groups including the Norris Square Neighborhood Project in Philadelphia, the Mattress Factory and Friends of the Urban Forest in Pittsburgh. During her visit, she helped me create a labyrinth on the grass up the hill from the retreat house.

The use of labyrinths can be traced back to medieval Catholic cathedrals. Originally, they were used as a site of pilgrimage. The most famous of these is the labyrinth in the cathedral at Chartres. Because international travel was extremely dangerous during the Middle Ages, visits to labyrinths were used as a substitute for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Geometrical designs were created in cathedral floors using pieces of marble in various colors. The labyrinth at Pennsyl Pointe was made with sand and granite rocks that outline each circuit of the labyrinth. Now, don’t confuse a labyrinth with a maze. This is not a walkway meant to puzzle you and there is no danger of getting lost. The rule is: one way in, one way out. Your walk in the labyrinth is intended to help you relax your mind and discover new solutions for old creative problems. I’m very happy that this weekend, Indigo will be visiting again along with several members of my family. With this gang of innovators, our holiday weekend at Pennsyl Pointe is sure to be an experience out of the ordinary.