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I have been making and learning about labyrinths since 2022. They say the best way to get good at something is to practice and so that's what I did and do! I'm still learning but I can teach you something of what I have learned.
Some ancient Chinese people believed that evil spirits could only move in straight lines, and that curved lines could help keep them away. To prevent evil spirits from entering homes or villages, visitors would often make a 90 degree turn before entering. This feature is also found in Japanese post-towns and castle towns, where roads often take a right-angled bend or a combination of bends. This is called masugata, which literally means "in the form of a square measuring box (masu)".
Spirit lore also suggests that spirits move along special routes through the physical landscape, and that these routes are often straight. These paths are sometimes called corpse roads or ways, and are believed to originate or end at a cemetery.
To find the number of loops:
Multiply the seed number by 2.
Add 1.
This formula accurately predicts the number of loops for the given data points on the seed.
There are 27 loops in this low tide Labyrinth which will shake the devil off your shoulders by the time you reach the centre.
It's not a maze and so just keep going to reach the middle.
Evil spirits travel in straight lines, so there's a good chance any on you will fall off as you walk round and round to reach the middle.
Less than half an hour's walk and you can't get lost if you follow the path in and out!
Peace to all Nations by Sax Berlin. Topped by two inward looking medieval labyrinths drawn as part of my Beach Art session for guests at the Esplanade Hotel in August 2024.
You might not have heard of Sax Berlin, but he's a name that’s been echoing through the art world for decades. Born in Manchester in 1953, this self-taught artist is a true nomad, drawing inspiration from cultures across the globe and although he is currently in Nepal he's coming back just in time for the Beach Art Fesival in Polzeath!
love often involves finding your way around a labyrinth (part designed by the kids who came to help) and finding infinity. This photo is dedicated to my wife Samantha Bartlett who doesn't come on social media much but understands Zen.
Mazes in Nov 2022
Finally some clear skies and a perfect early morning beach. Zen has something to say about keeping a beginners mind and here’s mine working with the Hampton Court maze design and a heart filled walking meditation labyrinth! I’d even forgotten that I’d worked on hearts in the summer! Some lovely people as is often the case were drawn in to them and came to try them out and chat! #billysbeachart
There seems to be a face in the Hampton Court maze design.
Hampton is derived from Saxon words meaning farm or homestead by the bend in a river. Thus in the UK we have Southampton and Northampton. You’ll find Hampton Court is on a bend in the river Thames 12 miles upstream from central London. The maze has been famous for 300 years and not as easy to find your way through as many assume. I like the story from Three Men In A Boat (1889) in which one of the characters pops off the row boat on the Thames saying he is quickly going in and out of the maze and ends up taking much of the day in it lost (following his theory of just turning right at every junction).
Slightly pleased to hear today that some people trying the maze out yesterday thought that it wasn’t possible to get into the middle. They thought it might have been drawn wrong. I do like the face that appears from viewing it from above. Unintentional.
Today, I practiced an unusual labyrinth four times in the sands at Polzeath. It was based on the one at Troy Town in Somerton, Oxfordshire. It’s the only fifteen-coil labyrinth in the whole of the British Isles, which makes it kind of special.
I watched old timers like Anne and Norman being joined by others and wasn’t surprised when the synchronicity began. Jung would have been pleased!
The whole thing about labyrinths is that they’re supposed to be meditative. You start at the entrance and make your way to the center, and it’s supposed to be this journey of self-discovery. But honestly, it just felt good to see people of all ages taking a moment to pause and reflect instead of rushing around like they usually do on holiday.
The way the coils twist and turn reminds one of those ancient stone circles scattered around Britain. There’s something about geometry that just clicks, like it’s all connected to the cosmos. You walk and a few hundred years ago you’d think about the sun, the moon, and all those planets up there.
Then there are the fifteen circuits—each one representing something from medieval cosmology, which is kind of mind-boggling when you think about it. Eleven was the total number of heavenly spheres in that medieval cosmos, with the seven planetary spheres surrounded by four outer spheres: the sphere of the fixed stars, the sphere of the sky without stars, the sphere of the Divine Pedestal, and the sphere of the Divine Throne. Sometimes, those outer spheres were balanced by the four elemental spheres—Fire (or Ether), Air, Water, and Earth—making a total of fifteen. Perhaps someone felt that little universe right there in the pattern ofn the beach today?
But the best part? Watching people come together, sharing laughs or quiet moments as they walked or ran. For that little while, they were all connected, just walking and leaving the chaos behind.
So there I was, standing by the labyrinth, feeling a little out of place but also right where I needed to be. It was just one of those days that reminded me there’s beauty in simplicity, and sometimes, you just need to take a step back, and let it all become synchronised.
You get a 35 loop labyrinth like this from a seed that has 17 data points in each corner. Once you know how it’s just a matter of having the space to practice. Always a surprise when the last lines in the seed connect!
Finding the heart in the Labyrinth with Gary and Jennie. Not sure what happened to Jason and Shelley but hopefully they weren’t put off by the rain as actually between the squalls it was fine drawing conditions!
Finding the heart in the Labyrinth
Beginners' minds have a lot going for them especially if they remain open
You can ask AI all sorts of questions eg: Do babies have an inboard navigation system that can guide them around a labyrinth?
No, babies do not have an inboard navigation system. The story is likely a playful exaggeration to highlight the idea that sometimes children can surprise us with their intuition or ability to find their way around unfamiliar places. It's a charming way to emphasize the child's sense of adventure and curiosity.
Just Connect!
Seen from a distance lines on a beach bring us together... from the simple birthday message via an out of this world astronaut and a inward facing medieval Labyrinths to a messenger for world peace.
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