Traffic, work, bosses, finances, family…there are lots of things in life that you need an escape from every now and then. Everyone has their own ingredient for recovery: yoga, a vacation, a tall glass of wine, several shots of vodka, a walk on the beach… we are all very familiar with our options here, but have you ever considered walking a labyrinth as a form of rejuvenation?
Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens is a spiritual oasis within the city limits of Los Angeles that offers a daytime retreat for people that are looking to get away from all those things you’d love to get away from. I popped in for a tour of the gardens, which are tucked behind the gates of a historic mansion dating back to the 1900’s, acting currently as a church of the movement of spiritual awareness. In a nutshell, the grounds are dedicated to meditation and when you walk outside, you’ll understand why.
Picture a spa: waterfalls, babbling brooks, refreshing smells, lots and lots of flowers, and now blow that up to a three-level garden with benches along the way specifically designated as meditation spots, wind chimes, and beautiful green ferns. Koi fish are swimming in ponds, fountains tucked into every corner, bamboo walls accenting shaded gravel walkways…how can that not make you want to relax and let that recent argument go? I even saw a turtle floating in the pond, which I swear was in a state of Zen.
We walked past the tranquility pools where multi-colored stones echo the still water to the surface and then we got a glimpse of the meat and potatoes of the gardens, the hand-carved stone labyrinth. Glancing at the labyrinth, I quickly found out that what resembled a simple maze was actually an intricate walkway of meditation, tension relief, and a means of opening up one’s mind. There is a start and an ending point to the labyrinth and curious minds are encouraged to take a reflective walk thru to the end and then back to the beginning, the whole experience taking about 20 minutes round trip at a distance of about a quarter of a mile. Apparently the way you want thru the labyrinth is a reflection of how you live your life. If you miss a spot, you might be too impatient in your daily endeavors, etc…
On our way out, I saw about 10 people attempting the labyrinth, walking very slowly and stopping at specific spots along their journey to put their arms up in the air and chant. I took one glance at the maze and figured it would take me 5 minutes flat to circle thru it. Out of fear of my official diagnosis of how I live my life from the labyrinth crawlers, I opted out of the experience, for that day anyway. Catch me on a day when I’ve spent hours on the 405 and maybe I’ll reconsider an afternoon at an ants pace navigating thru the labyrinth.
Words by Nicole Pajer. Photos by Sidney Bensimon
Peace Awareness
Labyrinth & Gardens
3500 West Adams Blvd.
Los Angeles
(323) 737-4055
