Winter 2023 and onward into 2024

Classical 7 Level Labyrinth

The last few years have seen a lot of footfall in the woods and we have let some of the inner paths regenerate to give it ‘time’. Mirroring the seasons, and life in general, the structures are in the process of returning to the earth. The impermanence of things is part of life and everything is a process and flow. For us as humans, we have some choice in how we choose to flow; and each choice we make is like adjusting the rudder of the vessel of life.

The labyrinth can be used as a tool and there are many ways to approach it. One simple way is to use it to help make wise choices by concentrating on a question as one walks the labyrinth. This helps prime the subconscious to generate creative answers. Of course, it should be remembered that ‘simple’ does not necessarily mean ‘easy’; a method is simple (e.g. hold the question in your mind as you walk the labyrinth), actually managing to do that is something else again. In these days of constant interfacing with devices, the way media interfaces have been designed to be addictive - think dopamine hits as one swipes down like on a one arm bandit - people’s attention and focus is often attenuated.
To walk 300 metres or so with one thing in mind is a skill that is worth exploring, but in a world of instant gratification, do many have the patience for that?
The effects of this attenuation can be seen in the paths - consider the paths as you walk the labyrinth.

For the winter of 2023 and into 2024, the intent is to use any available materials to refresh the labyrinth - it has been amazing to see it change over time. Many of the newly planted trees in the labyrinth are showing promise and the path is showing signs of use and it has been very gratifying that people seem to appreciate it.
We would also like to thank everyone who has been in touch with messages of support and appreciation - the entire project developed organically with no formal plan and it has been really nice to hear how things have resonated with people.

If the refresh of the labyrinth works as hoped, we have considered the idea of running some workshops since quite a number of people have asked about this over the last few years; however, there is much to do before deciding about that. Now that we are into November, it is time for work on the labyrinth to begin with sections of fallen trees used to mark the paths.

For those who might be interested, a simple (but not as easy as it sounds) method of using the labyrinth is as follows:

1. Hold your question or query in mind as you walk to the centre

2. Pause at the centre and ask for answer(s)

3. Walk back out of the labyrinth holding a feeling of gratitude to the earth and cosmos for giving us the chance to be here.
   

Walking the Paths - Neolithic Echoes

It is always tricky trying to get video in the woods, but once the central cascade of the labyrinth was refurbished along with some of the wave structure around the unicursal path, it was time to give it a go.

Here is some footage from late summer 2020:

Refurbishing the Labyrinth

The structures are all ephemeral and quickly begin to change; and of course, the cascade in the labyrinth is subject to that as well, perhaps more so because of its nature.

Here is what it looked like very early in construction and on completion of the first stage:

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Early days of the labyrinth.

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The waves incorporate elements of the Fibonacci sequence.

The Sufis talk about ‘right time, right circumstances, right people’ and this reflects on things as well and was useful to remind me that care also needs to be taken in how factors like these come together in different ways.

In a similar vein, I had considered several things regarding the labyrinth - the circumstances meant that an area became available, the time was right because I was there to do it, and the trees being felled provided the ‘right people’ for the job… What I hadn’t considered was how much interest would be shown in the labyrinth by humans!

So, weathering and other factors called for an ‘adaptive’ approach - the question was, as Claire put it, is this a Sisyphean task? Hopefully more than that… is it the journey, the destination or something else? Anyway, I decided to go for something a little more robust with the labyrinth refurbishment. The general growth and regeneration in the wood this year has been phenomenal!

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The central cascade of the labyrinth looking a little tired…

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The labyrinth cascade refurbished.

Neolithic Echoes - Access to the Woods

We’ve been asked a few times about access to the woods so it seemed sensible to put something online.

Permissive access is currently granted to respectful visitors

What does that mean?

It means the woods are private but permission to walk on the paths is currently granted to people who treat the land with respect

Please respect the woods, the wildlife and the structures.

Leave wildlife, trees, brash and structures alone so that other people can enjoy the woodland

Please take litter home with you

Dogs should be on leads and children closely supervised at all times

This is a working wood and there are hazards - the structures are not climbing-frames

Neolithic Echoes Labyrinth Sign

Across from the Whispering Knights Dolmen there is an entrance to Brighthill Wood and the Neolithc Echoes project. Within the woodland at the entrance to the labyrinth there is a section of tree trunk supported by stakes in the ground:

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There are three things on this section of trunk:

• the design of the labyrinth

• a theme for meditation while walking the labyrinth

• a representation of the Golden Spiral

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Photo Exhibition at John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford

From December 1st 2019 to February 29th 2020 there is an exhibition of photos from the Whispering Knights Neolithic Echoes project in The Link Gallery at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington, Oxford.

The Link Gallery is a 60 meter light corridor at the John Radcliffe Hospital and is situated between car park 1 (Trauma Center) and the main building.

The organisers have selected 20 photos that will be printed approx 60cm x 40cm and displayed along the Link Gallery corridor.

See selected photos that will be on display at The Link Gallery

Goat's beard in the labyrinth

Miranda found this growing at the entrance to the labyrinth yesterday… Tragopogon pratensis - aka goat's beard or meadow salsify.

Apparently it is a short-lived perennial, with yellow star-like flowers in summer, found in grassland. After flowering, it produces a showy globe of seeds which are also known, as with dandelions, as 'clocks'. Pratensis means ‘of the meadows’.

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Goat’s beard (Tragopogon pratensis) at the entrance to the labyrinth.

Immanence - Neolithic Echoes

A short video exploring the enchanted woodland. The labyrinth looks spectacular from the air.

Between Earth and Sky

Here is the longer of the two videos – there's a delightful bit (well to me anyway) of a bee building a nest just outside the labyrinth (at about 2min 20sec).

A View of the Whispering Knights

Working on two videos for the woods. One using two sections from some of Claire's commissioned music, and a shorter video using two sections of music we've licensed that remind me for some reason of Erik Satie.

Not sure if the view of the Whispering Knights will be included in the latest videos.

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A view to the east across the Whispering Knights dolmen.

Orchid in the labyrinth

A lovely discovery within the labyrinth – a pyramidal orchid: Anacamptis pyramidalis

Apparently it needs a specific fungus in the soil to flower, so perhaps the plan to encourage mycelium in the woods is working.

As Miranda put it: Like many orchids it is myco-heterotrophic and requires a specific fungus to be present in the soil in order to bloom.

Summer growth is going mad this year – granted 2018 we had a summer drought, but still...

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Pyramidal orchid: Anacamptis pyramidalis - flowering in the labyrinth.

Editing footage

Going through video footage – here is an aerial view of one of the structures. Work in the wood is slowing now as summer growth fills in and birds, insects and other creatures get on with important business.

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Looking down on the six-armed structure just up from the large triskellion (triskele).

Filming in the woods

Using various cameras and drones to film in the wood – hoping we'll get some good shots. Tricky timing it right,,, a goldilocks issue as we need enough leaves for colour but not too much to obscure the structures.

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Looking north through the spiral gateway.