Susie and Nick Teague’s seven circle labyrinth on Lopez Island.

When Nick and Susie Teague founded their business, Whispers of Nature, part of the scope of this venture included creating and sharing a seven circle labyrinth with their friends and community. They want to invite everyone to come on July 3 to visit and walk their labyrinth.

“Labyrinths are ancient,” Susie Teague commented. “They are over 4500 years old and they’ve been walked by many cultures…Mayan, Greeks, Hopi Indian, Australian aborigines, to name a few…throughout the world. When I say walk, I mean that labyrinths have been designed with a pathway in and a pathway out, and the circles inside represent turns and passages throughout our lives. Many cultures view labyrinths as sacred gateways, and as symbols related to wholeness.”

Many peoples and cultures believe that a labyrinth will help form and answer questions that a soul might have. One way to approach using a labyrinth is to form a question in one’s mind, and to meditate on that question while one walks the labyrinth. Or it could be celebratory, or quiet and prayerful. There is no wrong way to walk a labyrinth; the experience is unique for everyone.

Linda and David Hudson own the property upon which the labyrinth has been built. “They approached us about three years ago to ask if we would like to use some of their land to garden. We presented our plan to them, which included a labyrinth, and they were very excited about that and embraced the idea whole-heartedly,” Teague said. Nick and Susie spent the next three years designing and creating the labyrinth. Nick drew it out on graph paper, and using a tape measure and string and the cardinal points, they used four foot pathways and to get the circle, they set up an interior circle and marked the arc of the circle with flags.

Historically, some of the intentions of a labyrinth have been used for healing, spiritual transformation, regeneration, as well as for fertility, prosperity, and for seekers divining humility or solitude. Labyrinths are non-denominational.

Nick and Susie Teague would like to invite the community to come to the labyrinth on July 3 for its opening. After three years of planning, building, and development, the labyrinth will be open regularly on Fridays and Saturdays through the summer, 10 – 3 p.m. through Labor Day. There will be a notice board out verifying that the labyrinth is open. Any donations go to the direct support of the labyrinth. The labyrinth is located at 220 Fisherman Bay Road. For information and questions, call 468-0550.