Unity Peace Labyrinth

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day

     On this special day, we honour all mother's past and present! I unfortunately lost my Mom last week to a sudden heart-attack.  She was happy, healthy and vibrant up until the very moment she left us.  So, on this day we also honour our Mom's, Grandmothers, Greatgrandmothers, Sisters, and Aunts,  who are not here with us but here in spirit and mind. A special poem to remember them by this day.....

She is Gone

You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back or you can open your eyes and see all she's left. Your heart can be empty because you can't see her or you can be full of the love you shared.  You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember her and only that she's gone or  you can cherish her memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what she'd want; smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

Ontario Trillium Foundation

Ontario Trillium Foundation Helps Fund The Unity Peace Labyrinth!

   Happy New Year to All !!!

    After writing my first "Grant Proposal" to the OTF in 2007 the reward came back as "Grant Approved"!  With the grant approval from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and partnering with the St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre, we will finally have a sprinkler system installed at the labyrinth this coming spring!!! This is welcoming news to all of the volunteers over the last 3 years who have helped make the labyrinth the success that it is today.  We were loosing many perennials over the years due to bad drainage system and poor watering.  Now, we can look forward to seeing all those perennials come back to life and finally having a labyrinth with many vibrant colours and plants to enjoy over the seasons!  Many heartfelt thanks go out to the volunteers (planters & weeders), St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre, Environmental Services of St. Thomas, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation for realizing that this project is truely a community based labour of love!

    In the coming months you will see the new drainage and sprinkler system installed, a new granite sign with a beautiful labyrinth poem inscribed - this will be by the entrance of the labyrinth, and a white stone dust entrance leading up to the labyrinth from the paved road.  I am currently meeting with the contractors and the City of St. Thomas to coordinate these efforts.  I will keep this website updated as the new improvements are installed.

    On another exciting note, in June, The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress will be at Five Oaks Retreat Centre in Paris Ontario holding a 4-day Labyrinth Workshop!  This is truely a great opportunity to meet Lauren - she is an Episcopal priest, spiritual director, therapist, and author of several books, including Walking A Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice. She is Canon at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and founder of Veriditas.  www.veriditas.net  Some of the hightlights of the retreat will be  -Rediscovering the Divine from Within,  - Solstice Walk: The 4 Directions,  - Labyrinth Retreat for Spiritual Guides & Directors.  For more info on this retreat please visit www.fiveoaks.on.ca  or call 519-442-3212. The dates for this retreat are June 20 - 24, 2008.  I plan on attending the retreat and look forward to all the teachings!

   

      

WEEK WITHOUT VIOLENCE

GATHERING FOR PEACE

October 14, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Unity Peace Labyrinth, Waterworks Park

Hosted by: YWCA - St.Thomas Elgin                                            Smudge & Blessing Ceremony: Led by Pat Chapman of Angels & Avalon       Yoga Session: Led by Rita Withenshaw of Goodlife for Women

This annual event hosted by the YWCA is a gathering for all mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends to spend time together in a relaxing environment that embraces tranquility, togetherness and peace. The week of the 14th to 20th October is the YWCA's 11th annual Week Without Violence. A week dedicated to identifying realistic and sustainable alternatives to violence.

Please come and join us!

Imagine a week without violence!                                                                                                       Imagine a lifetime!                                                                                                               Lets make it real!

                                                                

Quantum Leap Celebration

Quantum Leap Celebration
September 18th, 2007
Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
at the Unity Peace Labyrinth
Waterworks Park, St. Thomas

This gathering is to celebrate the "Quantum Leap" a name given to this 18th (9) day of this 9th month, in the year 2007 (9).  9+9+9=27=9  is the number of completion.  Completion of an "old" energy and the beginning of a "new" energy.
For those aware and those unaware, this will be so.
We will come together, to celebrate this transition, in peace, love, fellowship, friendship and JOY!

Namaste,

Pat Chapman (Facilitator for Quantum Leap Celebration)
Angels and Avalon Gift Boutique
St. Thomas, Ontario

FULL MOON RITUAL

FULL MOON RITUAL
Tuesday, August 28, 2007

7:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Join us in celebration of August's ripening Moon!
"The moon rides high and sets sail for the night sky, with her we ride until our heart's content."

Location: Waterworks Park - Unity Peace Labyrinth.

This is a rain or shine event - so please dress appropriately.

Thunder Hearts Drum Circle - August 12

Thunder Hearts Drum Circle Sunday, August 12 - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Join us at the Unity Peace Labyrinth for an evening of  drumming.  Drummer Rick Borecki will be guiding us on how to play and find the rhythms of our heartbeats!  Bring your own drum or if you don't have one - we can supply you with one.  No experience necessary and all ages are welcome to this fun circle! Bring your lawn chair along....hope to see you there!

1st Drum Circle of 2007

Thunder Hearts Drum Circle
Our first drum circle was well attended on July 8 at the Unity Peace Labyrinth, Waterworks Park.  Our drumming circle consisted of about 20 or so participants - adults and children!  We sounded great thanks to the guidance of drummer Rick Borecki!!! We are looking forward to our next drum circle on August 12 at 7:00 p.m.  Please note that it would normally be the first Sunday of the month (August 5) but it happens to fall on the Civic Holiday weekend.  So August 12 it is and we look forward to seeing you there!

Stay tuned for more events at the Unity Peace Labyrinth.  In October Charlotte Smith from YWCA - St. Thomas  will be holding a mother/daughter event during the  "Week Without Violence"  . Some of the activities will include a drum circle, yoga, meditation, etc.  Keep checking this website for more updates on the event as it draws closer.

Walk in Beauty,
Deb Underwood

Thunder Hearts Drum Circle

Thunder Hearts Drum Circle
Sunday, July  8th - 7:00 p.m.

Join us at the labyrinth for an evening of drumming! Featuring drummer Rick Borecki.  Learn how to play different rhythms of the drum or play to the sound of your own heartbeat.   Bring your own drum or we can supply you with one!  All ages are welcome to this rhythmic gathering!
Hope to see you at the labyrinth with your drums!


 

Planting and Weeding Results

Planting and Weeding Weekend...
Since the weather did not cooperate with the planting scheduled weekend we ended up doing this over 2 weekends in June.  My personal thanks goes out to all who came out again this year to give their time and hard working hands/backs their all in the spirit of community work!  This would not be possible without your generous time and help!!!  We managed to plant most of the rows in the labyrinth, keeping in mind that the labyrinth is not watered by the park and solely by volunteers.  We are trying our very best to water this huge space by bringing in our own water jugs and pouring what we can on the flowers.  It's a daunting task but we are trying to maintain this until we have a sprinkler and drainage system installed.  I have sent in a grant proposal to the Ontario Trillium Foundation in hopes of them granting us some money to have a sprinkler and irrigation system installed by the spring of 2008!  We are holding our breath in anticipation....it will cost  about $4,700.00  to have this much needed feature added to the labyrinth.  I will keep everyone posted on the news as it comes in from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.  I would also like to graciously thank the Elgin St.Thomas Public Art Centre and Parks and Environmental Services for coming on board as part of the Collaborative Agreement partners for the Ontario Trillium Foundation grant proposal! 
And so,  we pray for rain not only for the labyrinth,  but also for the farmers who are so in need of water for a good crop(s) this summer!!!

Walk in Beauty,
Deb Underwood