Join us for a restorative weekend retreat at Seven Springs in the Tennessee foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Explore how the meandering labyrinth reflects the River of Life with contemplative walks, nature bathing, creative process, and optional yoga sessions. ​

Discover Labyrinths with master designer, builder and facilitator Lars Howlett, as he shares his personal journey using sacred geometry to center himself and labyrinths to find his way in the world. Learn to draw labyrinths using simple techniques and craft a handheld labyrinth to take home. Immerse yourself in nature and create a life map in the form of a river. Return to your source and find your center, honoring the labyrinthine journey of life. ​

Hosts and Seven Springs stewards Mary and Jessi will share their practices of nature therapy, labyrinth walks, and yoga to complement the retreat. Wholesome meals plus shared or private lodging is included in the retreat packages. Click for more information and to view the tentative schedule:

https://www.sevenspringsretreats.com/labyrinth-journey.html

​Highlights of this Retreat:

• Discover Labyrinths: Learn their basic history, design, and use for contemplation and connection.
• Find Peace & Healing: Create sacred space and time to cultivate inner calm and transformation.
• Nature Immersion: Commune with the natural world through forest bathing and labyrinth walks.
• Sacred Geometry: Explore the deeper meaning and symbolism of universal patterns in the context of life’s journey.
• Creative Expression: Engage in creative processes drawing labyrinths and crafting a handheld labyrinth.
• Personal Growth: Reflect on your path and center yourself through guided practices of life mapping and circle drawing.
• Restorative Practices: Practice mindful walking, yoga, and nature therapy to support healing and renewal.
• Community & Support: Share meals and stories in a group retreat setting, fostering fellowship and cohesion.​​

*Will be taught in Cantonese*
By invitation only.

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way. The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered. 

Educational Objectives:

Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to enhance knowledge about labyrinth in general and specifically, design the labyrinth events, present the labyrinth to and hold labyrinth walks for the attendee’s community.

Dates and Locations:

Day 1: 30-May-2025 (Friday)

Time: 9:30 to 17:00

Venue Conference Hall, Tao Fung Shan Christian Centre, Tai Wai, Hong Kong SAR,

China新界沙田道風山會議廳

Please click here for map.

Day 2: 9-June-2025 (Monday)

Time: 9:30 to 17:30

Venue: TBC

Enrolment: By invitation

Facilitator Trainer: Dr LAM, Chi-Shan

Number of participants: 12

Enrolment: By invitation (Prior attendance of a Veriditas Qualifying Workshop is a pre-request)

Workshop Fee: HK$3,300 (Please contact the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society for payment method)

Teaching language: Cantonese (Supplement with English training manual)

Enquiry: Hong Kong Labyrinth Society

Mobile: (852)59897374

Email contact: info@hongkonglabyrinthsociety.org

Remark: Administrative and application process will be handled by the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society. Personal information and course evaluation will be shared with the Veriditas after the workshop.

Facilitator Trainer: Dr LAM, Chi-Shan

Dr. Chi-Shan Lam is a specialist Anaesthesiologist serving in public hospital in Hong Kong. He is a candidate of the Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology. His ongoing thesis “Theologically orientated action research on labyrinth, spirituality and pain medicine”  is based on his research “A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of labyrinth walking on chronic pain patient” which is kindly supported by the Hong Kong Pain Society research grant (2015).

Dr. Lam is a Veriditas facilitator trainer/faculty who has been offering qualifying workshop for the local communities since 2019, and facilitator training workshop since 2021.  He is one of the founders and currently the chairperson of the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society.

(A variation of the January 2021 workshop ‘Walking the Seasons of the Pandemic’ led by Lars and Maggie in Cantonese) 

Most of the world found itself facing uncertainty in 2020 as Covid-19 spread. 5 years on, how are you? According to the Veriditas website, labyrinth is a walking meditation. It is a spiritual tool that help you to quiet your mind, open your heart and find your way.

The first part of the workshop is the reflection of Year of Uncertainty by walking a handheld labyrinth. Every participant shall bring home a D.I.Y handheld labyrinth.
The second part of the workshop is the reflection of YOU by walking an indoor labyrinth.

By Invitation

Language: Cantonese 

Contact: Chi-Shan Lam

WhatsApp: (852)59897374
Email contact: info@hongkonglabyrinthsociety.org

(Gratitude to the retired course director of the Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology, Dr. Zoë Bennett, for her kind supervision and permission to use the photo.)

Dr. Chi-Shan Lam is a specialist Anaesthesiologist serving in public hospital in Hong Kong SAR, China. He is a graduate of the Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology. His thesis “Theologically-orientated action research on Labyrinth, Spirituality and Pain Medicine” (https://doi.org/10.25411/aru.27951762.v1) is based on his research “A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of labyrinth walking on chronic pain patient” which is kindly supported by the Hong Kong Pain Society research grant (2015).

Dr. Lam is a Veriditas facilitator trainer/faculty who has been offering qualifying workshop for the local communities since 2019, and facilitator training workshop since 2021. He is one of the founders and currently the chairperson of the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society.

Our stories are part of a large inheritance, leading to what comes next. Reflecting on history is a spiritual practice. It gives us a capacity to see more deeply into the reality of our lives and the world around us, to understand who we are and where we are going. Learning our history is not just analysis, but a call to live more intentionally, uncovering how we steward the flow of storylines that guide our future.

“It's healing to realize that our lives are just one thread in the grand mystery we are participating in.” – Lauren Artress

Our lives compose a legend much larger than ourselves. In retracing the footsteps of the past, we write stories that forge paths for those who follow. In life’s labyrinth, we meander the mysteries of time, encircling each other and co-creating a beauty of connectedness. How can we find ourselves in the stories of the past? What do we do with difficult histories that we would rather forget? Can we uncover the wisdom of lost folktales needed for today?

“Historians are like mystics. As we live our lives in conversation with the past, we write the histories that the people who come after us will build upon.” - Diana Butler Bass

Join Dr. Diana Butler Bass on Veriditas' Walking a Sacred Path Pilgrimage to Chartres Cathedral as explore the spiritual practice of an honest history. Coinciding with the jubilee celebration of 1,000 Years of Pilgrimage, immerse yourself in the Chartres Medieval Labyrinth with Lauren Artress as your guide. Follow in the footsteps of millions who have walked this sacred path in a timeless tradition of healing, renewal and transformation.

Come. Join us in an ancient place of refuge and renewal.

The Chartres Experience

From June 2-6, 2025, the Veriditas pilgrimage to Chartres, France, offers a blend of spiritual practice, historical exploration, and personal reflection. Program registration begins at the Hotelliere St. Yves in Chartres, France at 4:00 pm on Monday, followed by an orientation and opening reception. Each day begins with a seminar led by Dr. Diana Butler Bass, followed by a large group conversation with Diana and Lauren Artress, and leader led small group discussions. Participants will experience the sacred space of Chartres through a tour of the cathedral, as well as an unforgettable private candlelit labyrinth walk with medieval music. Participants will also have an opportunity to walk with the public, allowing time for reflection, connection, and community. The program concludes with a celebratory dinner on Friday evening that ends by 10 pm. You may want to plan to arrive a day prior to the start of the program to give yourself time to recover from jet lag, and we recommend planning to depart on the Saturday after the program concludes.

“Tradition is history remembered in ritual, ideas, architectures and creeds.” - Diana Butler Bass

Diana Butler Bass

Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality.

Diana’s passion is sharing great ideas to change lives and the world – a passion that ranges from informing the public about spiritual trends, challenging conventional narratives about religious practice, entering the fray of social media with spiritual wisdom and smart theology, and writing books to help readers see themselves, their place in history, and God differently. She does this with

intelligence, joy, and a good dose of humor, leading well-known comedian John Fugelsang to dub her “iconic,” the late Marcus Borg to call her “spontaneous and always surprising,” and Glennon Doyle to praise her “razor-sharp mind” and “mystical heart.”

She holds a doctorate in religious studies from Duke University and is the author of eleven books. Her bylines include The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN.com, Atlantic.com, USA Today, Huffington Post, Spirituality and Health, Reader's Digest, Christian Century, and Sojourners. She has commented on religion, politics, and culture in the media widely including on CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, CBC, FOX, Sirius XM, TIME, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and in multiple global news outlets. In the 1990s, she wrote a weekly column on religion and culture for the Santa Barbara News-Press, which was distributed nationally by the New York Times Syndicate.

Her work has received two Wilbur Awards for best nonfiction book of the year, awards from Religion News Association for individual commentary and for Book of the Year, Nautilus Awards Silver and Gold medals, the Illumination Book Award Silver medal, Books for a Better Life Award, Book of the Year of the Academy of Parish Clergy, the Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize for Church History, Substack Fellowship for Independent Writers, multiple nominations for the Library of Virginia Literary Awards, and Publishers Weekly’s Best Religion Book of the Year.

She and her husband live in Alexandria, Virginia, with their dog and their sometimes-successful backyard garden.

You can follow her online at www.dianabutlerbass.com, her public author page on Facebook, and Twitter @dianabutlerbass, or her newsletter, ”The Cottage” at

https://dianabutlerbass.substack.com/.

The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress

The Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress is Canon Emerita of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and author of Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice; The Sacred Path Companion: How to Use the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform; and The Path of the Holy Fool: How the Labyrinth Ignites our Visionary Powers. Her first book Walking a Sacred Path was instrumental in launching what the New York Times named The Labyrinth Movement in May, 1998. She founded the non-profit, Veriditas, the World-Wide Labyrinth Project, in 1996 to “pepper the planet with labyrinths.” With over 6,000 labyrinth sites in the U.S. alone, her nonprofit work embraces the vision to activate and transform the human spirit through the labyrinth experience. Lauren received the Gandhi, King, and Ikeda Peace Award for her work in bringing people together in creative, peace-giving ways. In 2021 she received the Extraordinary Visionary Leader award from Women Creating our Futures. She is on the Editorial Board of Presence Magazine, a publication of Spiritual Directors International. Lauren is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California.

Logistical Information

Travel to and from Chartres: We look forward to welcoming you in Chartres!  Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from Chartres. Most airline flights will arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France.  You have a variety of options on getting to Chartres from CDG Airport.

• • Consider taking an UBER to Chartres. It has proven to be a convenient and cost effective option.
  • The most economical way is to take a taxi to the Montparnasse Train Station and take a train to Chartres.  Chartres is about an hour outside of Paris by train.  For train information, please see the SNCF website.
  • You can make a reservation online for a car or small van to meet you at the airport and drive you to Chartres. 
• • You can also consider the option of taking a taxi all the way to Chartres, though the cost will be in the range of 150 – 200 Euro or more.  If several participants arrive at the same time, sharing a taxi will bring the price down.

We will be creating an online Circle group for participants to be able to connect with each other prior to the start of the Pilgrimage in case you want to plan to share accommodations or transportation to Chartres. An invitation to join the group will be included in your confirmation email when you register.

Accommodation: Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Hotellerie St. Yves for each week that we will be in Chartres in 2025. You will receive a link to book your room after you register for a Pilgrimage.  Most participants find the rooms comfortable and convenient. Each has a small bathroom with a shower. Bedding and towels are provided, but you will need to bring a hairdryer.

Meals: Chartres is a charming, medieval village with many options for eating out from casual fare such as omelettes and soup to fancier formal restaurants. There is also a grocery store in walking distance that sells sandwiches and snacks. Breakfast is included in the cost of your accommodation if you book through our block of rooms at the Hotellerie St. Yves. You are responsible for your own lunches and dinners throughout the week.

Spouse packages (partner/family/friends) are available if they want to come but not participate in the full program. Includes opening reception, closing dinner and cathedral tour. Simply select spouse package when you register.

Cancellation Policy: We understand that life happens! When things don’t go as you planned, Veriditas has policies in place so that you always know what to expect should you have to cancel an event. Please read our updated cancellation policy here.

Travel Insurance: Veriditas strongly recommends purchasing travel insurance to cover your expenses in the event of an unforeseen circumstance that may hinder your ability to attend the program. . Click here for a link to Travel Guard, specializing in insurance for our Chartres programs. 

For additional information on our Walking a Sacred Path Pilgrimages, please click here.

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way.The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered. 

How to know if Facilitator Training is right for you?

• Want to deepen your own labyrinth practice?
• Want the tools and guidance that will enable you to bring the labyrinth to your community?
• Want to connect with a supportive community of Labyrinth Facilitators around the world?
• Find yourself heading up a labyrinth program at your church, school, hospital, college etc. and need broad training and/or specific answers?
• Considering offering labyrinth walking as part of your healing, counseling, yoga or  coaching business and are curious about the business considerations involved?
• Love the labyrinth and want to offer workshops of your own? Consider completing Facilitator Training on the path to becoming Certified, Advance Trained and Accredited. Our Veriditas Accredited Presenters are now offering some of our qualifying workshops.

We encourage you to join us! 

Please note: prior attendance at a Veriditas qualifying workshop is required. The Pilgrimage prior to this training in Chartres is considered a qualifying workshop.

Learn more about becoming a Veriditas Trained Facilitator.

Accommodation:

You will receive a link to book your accommodation at the Hotellerie St. Yves once your registration has been completed.

Step into a day of discovery at Coventry Falls Alpaca Farm, where the wisdom of the labyrinth meets the wonder of the natural world. Guided by Veriditas Faculty members Christine and Nathan Wiles and Scientist Suzanne Dodge, this workshop invites you to explore the labyrinth as a mirror of nature’s quiet wisdom and a pathway to deeper connection.

This workshop offers a chance to slow down, connect, and reflect in a beautiful natural setting. Through nature immersion, guided labyrinth walks, and creative activities, you’ll explore new perspectives, deepen your connection to yourself and others, and leave with a sense of clarity, inspiration, and a personal keepsake you create. Whether you’re new to labyrinths or have walked them many times, this experience invites you to see with fresh eyes and walk with renewed purpose.

Reserve your place now by emailing Christine and Nathan at labyrinthsinvt@gmail.com.

This in-person event is a Veriditas Approved Qualifying Workshop for attending a Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training.

Workshop Price: $50

Bring Your Own Lunch

Christine Favreau, Faculty

Christine, a retired HR professional with 25+ years of experience across different industries, now manages a wellness spa located in northern Vermont. She received training from Lauren Artress and is a Veriditas Advanced Accredited Labyrinth Facilitator. In addition, she is also certified as a Nature Therapy Guide by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). Christine enjoys leading wellness workshops, participating in community events, and connecting with people through shared experiences. Her passion for HR and wellness practices has inspired her to assist others in advancing their lives and careers. She has volunteered for many non-profit organizations, served on the Veriditas Council, and is currently studying Reflexology while also developing and expanding the family businesses. Christine possesses a curious and creative mind, which drives her to explore the world and everything it has to offer. 

Nathan Wiles, Veriditas Faculty

Canvas Labyrinth Workshops

Innatecreations@outlook.com

Nathan Wiles founded Innate Creations, a company that specializes in    labyrinth education, building and design. Drawing on his previous career as an   Interior Designer and Project Manager, Nathan uses his extensive skills and   experience to develop his labyrinth builds and workshops.

With over 30 years of building and designing experience, Nathan has also received training from an established Feng Shui consultant and has practiced various meditation techniques. With over 15 years of experience in labyrinth designing and building, Nathan has developed the ability to tap into the collective consciousness of individuals or groups to help bring their ideas to life.

Nathan is passionate about bringing a secular understanding to the mysteries that surround us in today's diverse world. Additionally, he seeks to increase the Labyrinth community by collaborating with public schools, corporations, and wellness facilities to promote education and awareness. Overall, Nathan and Innate Creations are making a significant impact in the field of labyrinth building and design.

Led by Judith Tripp, MA, MFT, a member of the Veriditas Faculty, a transpersonal psychotherapist, leader of Women's Dream Quest, and teacher.  She leads pilgrimages and retreats in the US, Europe and Australia.  She is also an author, a musician and singer.

Anyone who comes to Chartres whether it be to visit the labyrinth, to explore the magnificent medieval architecture or to meditate in the glory of this always sacred site, soon realizes that this holy place is an homage to Mary. The Sacred Feminine is alive and well in Chartres and has been throughout history.

We will create a sacred circle to explore how Mary has been honored in Chartres throughout history. We will meet her spirit through lecture, meditation, art, music and ritual. We will share insights, creations and stories. Includes one special evening labyrinth walk in Chartres Cathedral. 

This can be a stand-alone workshop or a perfect pairing with to Cycle One of Walking A Sacred Path.  

*Will be taught in Cantonese*
By invitation only.

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way. The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered. 

Educational Objectives:

Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to enhance knowledge about labyrinth in general and specifically, design the labyrinth events, present the labyrinth to and hold labyrinth walks for the attendee’s community.

Dates and Locations:

Day 1   16-June-2025 (Monday)

Time    9:30 to 17:30

Venue  TBC

Day 2   20-June-2025 (Friday)

Time    9:30 to 17:30

Venue  HKSKH The Church of St John the Baptist, 103 Po Lam Rd N, Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong SAR, China新界將軍澳寶琳北路103號聖公會施洗聖約翰堂一樓良善室 (Entrance located at King Yin Lane, 入口位於敬賢里)

Enrolment: By invitation (Prior attendance of a Veriditas Qualifying Workshop is a pre-request)

Facilitator Trainer: Dr LAM, Chi-Shan

Number of participants: 10

Enrolment: By invitation (Prior attendance of a Veriditas Qualifying Workshop is a pre-request)

Workshop Fee: HK$3,300 (Please contact the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society for payment method)

Teaching language: Cantonese (Supplement with English training manual)

Enquiry: Hong Kong Labyrinth Society

Mobile: (852)59897374

Email contact: info@hongkonglabyrinthsociety.org

Remark: Administrative and application process will be handled by the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society. Personal information and course evaluation will be shared with the Veriditas after the workshop.

Facilitator Trainer: Dr LAM, Chi-Shan

Dr. Chi-Shan Lam is a specialist Anaesthesiologist serving in public hospital in Hong Kong SAR, China. He is a graduate of the Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology. His thesis “Theologically-orientated action research on Labyrinth, Spirituality and Pain Medicine” (https://doi.org/10.25411/aru.27951762.v1) is based on his research “A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of labyrinth walking on chronic pain patient” which is kindly supported by the Hong Kong Pain Society research grant (2015).

Dr. Lam is a Veriditas facilitator trainer/faculty who has been offering qualifying workshop for the local communities since 2019, and facilitator training workshop since 2021. He is one of the founders and currently the chairperson of the Hong Kong Labyrinth Society.

Dr. Robin B. Dilley brings over 35 years of experience to the table as an Arizona Licensed psychologist, author, and workshop facilitator. She has been an Advanced Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator since 2015 and recently became a Veriditas Faculty member. 

Since learning about the Labyrinth in 1992, Robin has drawn on her background in Experiential Family Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Jungian Theory to develop an active Labyrinth practice. She incorporates the Labyrinth into her work with clients in several ways. She explores its use as an ancient archetypal symbol for guidance and personal insight. Additionally, she teaches clients to use the Labyrinth as a tool for mindfulness and anxiety management, empowering them to use it for relaxation and stress reduction.

Now, through her newest endeavor, Arizona Labyrinth Connections, an extension of her psychotherapy and spiritual consulting practice, Dr. Dilley leads well-designed transformative workshops which include storytelling, journal writing, and a labyrinth experience.  She creates workshops regularly and has two signature workshops, “Lessons from The Yellow Brick Road” and “Lessons from The Miller’s Daughter.”

Robin is available to create a workshop for your group or individual consulting to enhance your life’s journey. She also publishes a regular newsletter, Continue Your Journey.

Robin lives happily with her spouse of 28 years, Pam Smead. They enjoy cruising, walking, reading, and exploring life together.  Don't hesitate to get in touch with Robin at drrobinbdilley@gmail.com to learn more.

When practitioners enter the labyrinth, they cross physical and temporal thresholds.

Ullyat explains, ”As we step onto the path, we find ourselves at the limen of past and future; we are in the immediate present. What, if anything, are we leaving behind or separating from?”

~ Alain Pierre Louët & Jill Geoffrion “Labyrinth Doorways: Crossing the Threshold” Caerdroia 45: 2016

If you are new to labyrinths, or if you have had experience with walking labyrinths, this quiet day offers spacious time to be in Circle conversation exploring how the labyrinth can be a spiritual practice for journeying liminal space in threshold times.

There will be offerings to walk the Santa Teresa Labyrinth communally and in our own time, to breathe in Creation, and time for creativity and reflective practices.

"The labyrinth serves as a sacred container. The physical boundaries of the pattern, which contain both circle and spiral, offer a feeling of safety. This container is even more powerful when we add community.” Lauren Artress.

Participants may attend this day as a Qualifying Workshop towards Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training. Contact Sue for more information.

Cost: AU$170. Includes catered morning tea and lunch, resources.

Please contact Sue Thomas sue@suethomas.net.au for more information and how to register.

Presenter: Sue Thomas, Spiritual Director, Veriditas Faculty and Trainer. 

“The labyrinth belongs to no one and everyone” has been a grounding mantra in my work, as I walk labyrinths, draw labyrinths on beaches, work with peers in creating large portable calico labyrinths, and use the hand labyrinth for journaling and reflection in many facets of my life and life’s work.

I live on the land of the Yugambeh language peoples, the traditional custodians of the Gold Coast region in South-East Queensland. My long association with using the labyrinth as a tool for contemplative, meditative and spiritual practices began many years ago when the labyrinth ‘found’ me in Year 11 at high school through an “Art and Architecture in History” subject. Using the labyrinth as a tool for contemplation and reflection in my previous role as Lay Pastoral Minister for Brisbane Catholic Archdiocese, my current work as Spiritual Director and retreat facilitator, and my personal spiritual practice has been grounded and enriched by connecting with Veriditas. I am a certified Veriditas Advanced Facilitator and Trainer, a member of Veriditas Faculty, and a member of the Australian Labyrinth Network.

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way. The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered.

HOW TO KNOW IF FACILITATOR TRAINING IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Want to deepen your own labyrinth practice?
  
• Want the tools and guidance that will enable you to bring the labyrinth to your community?
  
• Want to connect with a supportive community of Labyrinth Facilitators around the world?
  
• Find yourself heading up a labyrinth program at your church, school, hospital, college etc. and need broad training and/or specific answers?
  
• Considering offering labyrinth walking as part of your healing, counseling, yoga or coaching business and are curious about the business considerations involved?
  
• Love the labyrinth and want to offer workshops of your own? Consider completing Facilitator Training on the path to becoming Certified, Advance Trained and Accredited. Our Veriditas Accredited Presenters are now offering some of our qualifying workshops.
  

We encourage you to join us! Email Sue Thomas to register.

Please note: prior attendance at a Veriditas Qualifying Workshop is required. You will need to say when and where you did your workshop during registration for the Facilitator training.

If you haven't done a Veriditas Qualifying Workshop, please book in for the one preceding this workshop, or you won't be able to register for Facilitator Training this time. We will contact you about upcoming opportunities.

Presenter: Sue Thomas, Spiritual Director, Veriditas Advanced Facilitator, Faculty and Trainer

“The labyrinth belongs to no one and everyone” has been a grounding mantra in my work, as I walk labyrinths, draw labyrinths on beaches, work with peers in creating large portable calico labyrinths, and use the hand labyrinth for journaling and reflection in many facets of my life and life’s work.

I live on Kombummerri Country of the Yugambeh language peoples, the traditional custodians of the Gold Coast region in South-East Queensland. My long association with using the labyrinth as a tool for contemplative, meditative and spiritual practices began many years ago when the labyrinth ‘found’ me in Year 11 at high school through an “Art and Architecture in History” subject. Using the labyrinth as a tool for contemplation and reflection in my previous role as Lay Pastoral Minister for Brisbane Catholic Archdiocese, my current work as Spiritual Director and retreat facilitator, and my personal spiritual practice has been grounded and enriched by connecting with Veriditas. I am a certified Veriditas Advanced Facilitator and Trainer, a member of Veriditas Faculty, and a member of the Australian Labyrinth Network.

Step into the world of labyrinths! Learn the ins and outs of designing, creating, walking, and facilitating labyrinths all in one week. Stay for a single class or enroll in the full program at a discount and form lifelong connections with others on the path. Whether you want to deepen a personal practice, create a walkable labyrinth, and/or host a walk or workshop in your community, we look forward to studying and sharing with you.

Led by Veriditas Faculty and Master Builder Lars Howlett and assisted by Veriditas Faculty Brighid FitzGibbon.

July 24: For the Love of Sacred Geometry

with Lars Howlett 

Deepen your connection with and appreciation for sacred geometry and learn how it creates space for the labyrinth experience. 

Sacred Geometry is reflected in the patterns and proportions of the universe, our bodies and the labyrinth itself. Discover how stepping into a circle instills sacred space and tracing a meandering pathway evokes sacred time. Channel your inner wisdom by working with intention and intuition in creating sacred spaces that reflect and resonate with nature. Connect with the shapes and patterns found in Sacred Geometry including the Golden Spiral and Flower of Life. Consider the meaning and symbolism of numbers and reawaken to the beauty and profundity of simple geometric forms in our environment. Learn the best practices for using a compass and how to create a precise labyrinth.

July 25: Honoring Thresholds Qualifying Workshop

with Brighid FitzGibbon

Thresholds mark transitions, bridging exterior and interior realms. Whether they are literal stepping stones or metaphorical crossings, these "in-between" spaces invite us to pause, reflect, and deepen our awareness. In this contemplative workshop, we will explore thresholds within the sacred space of the labyrinth. Through ritual, facilitated labyrinth walks, and creative collage, we will attune ourselves to the transformative potential of honoring these moments of crossing—both within the labyrinth and in the greater journey of life. Together, we will uncover how threshold moments can serve as gateways to personal insight, growth, and courage in stepping forward.

This is a Veriditas Approved Qualifying Workshop for those seeking to attend Facilitator Training that weekend or sometime further down the path.

July 26 - 27:  Labyrinth Facilitator Training

with Lars Howlett

"The labyrinth is a spiritual tool that has many applications in various settings. It reduces stress, quiets the mind and opens the heart. It is a walking meditation, a path of prayer, and a blue-print where psyche meets Spirit." 

- The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way. The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered. 

July 28: For the Love of Classical Labyrinths

with Lars Howlett

Deepen your connection and appreciation for the Classical Labyrinth—the great grandmother of all labyrinths!

The Classical pattern is the oldest and simplest form of a labyrinth, treasured by a wide variety of cultures and traditions over the past four to six-thousand years. A survey of its design gets us in touch with the archetypal roots of all labyrinths and a better understanding of the basic ingredients that evoke ‘the labyrinth experience’. Led by Veriditas Faculty member Lars Howlett, we will delight in the history, evolution, and application of the Classical Labyrinth. Learn the ins and outs of its sacred geometry and symbolism including how it reflects the basic patterns of life, a journey through the chakras, and the four directions. We’ll contemplate the many Classical variations such as the Chakra-vyuha, Baltic Wheel, and Man in the Maze with photographs of stunning examples from around the world.

July 29: For the Love of the Chartres Labyrinth

with Lars Howlett 

Immerse yourself in the transcendent archetype of the Chartres Labyrinth as we trace its saga and secrets through stories and studies by modern day disciples.

The most widely recreated and beloved labyrinth today, the Chartres Labyrinth is an exquisite design that has turned around the lives of countless people from all over the world. Inlaid in the Chartres Cathedral in 1200, the labyrinth has been wedded to this beloved pilgrimage site, soaking in that holy space and reflecting its sacred geometry for over 800 years. Join Veriditas Faculty Member Lars Howlett for a deep dive into the history and mystery of the Chartres Labyrinth. We’ll consider its design and variations, as well as how the center rosette and perimeter lunations took labyrinths to a whole new level. Photographs from Chartres and stunning replicas from around the globe will showcase some awe-inspiring renditions of this medieval pattern. 

Accommodation

Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Mercy Center.  A link to book your room will be emailed to you in your confirmation email when you register.

Meals

Mercy Center cannot cater to specific dietary restrictions for individuals other than Vegan/Vegetarian options. If you have a food allergy or intolerance, you are welcome to supplement your meals by bringing some of your own food items. There is a refrigerator and microwave on each bedroom floor available for guest use. Please label food items with your name and the dates of your retreat.

Directions

Here is a link for directions to the Mercy Center, located at 2300 Adeline drive, Burlingame.

Deepen your connection with and appreciation for sacred geometry and learn how it creates space for the labyrinth experience. 

Sacred Geometry is reflected in the patterns and proportions of the universe, our bodies and the labyrinth itself. Discover how stepping into a circle instills sacred space and tracing a meandering pathway evokes sacred time. Channel your inner wisdom by working with intention and intuition in creating sacred spaces that reflect and resonate with nature. Connect with the shapes and patterns found in Sacred Geometry including the Golden Spiral and Flower of Life. Consider the meaning and symbolism of numbers and reawaken to the beauty and profundity of simple geometric forms in our environment. Learn the best practices for using a compass and how to create a precise labyrinth.

Lars Howlett is a leading expert in the design and creation of sacred space for walking meditation, centering prayer, personal healing, conflict resolution and community building. Lars is a practitioner of mindfulness and student of sacred geometry since 2003, experimenting with a wide variety of designs, materials, intentions and settings in his personal and professional projects. Lars was a three year apprentice to Robert Ferré, inheriting the tools, techniques, and teaching curriculum of a master builder. Lars is a Veriditas Faculty Member and Certified Advanced Facilitator trained by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress at Grace and Chartres Cathedrals. Visit http://www.DiscoverLabyrinths.com

Accommodation

Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Mercy Center. A link to book your room will be emailed to you in your confirmation email when you register.

Meals

While Mercy Center cannot cater to specific dietary restrictions for individuals other than Vegan/Vegetarian options, If you have a food allergy or intolerance, you are welcome to supplement your meals by bringing some of your own food items. There is a refrigerator and microwave on each bedroom floor available for guest use. Please label food items with your name and the dates of your retreat.

Directions

Here is a link for directions to the Mercy Center, located at 2300 Adeline drive, Burlingame.

Thresholds mark transitions, bridging exterior and interior realms. Whether they are literal stepping stones or metaphorical crossings, these "in-between" spaces invite us to pause, reflect, and deepen our awareness. In this contemplative workshop, we will explore thresholds within the sacred space of the labyrinth. Through ritual, facilitated labyrinth walks, and creative collage, we will attune ourselves to the transformative potential of honoring these moments of crossing—both within the labyrinth and in the greater journey of life. Together, we will uncover how threshold moments can serve as gateways to personal insight, growth, and courage in stepping forward.

This is a Veriditas Approved Qualifying Workshop for those seeking to attend Facilitator Training that weekend or sometime further down the path.

Brighid Fitzgibbon

Brighid has been a teacher for over 20 years working with students of all ages in a wide variety of instructional settings.  She currently teaches English and History at Credo High, a public Waldorf high school in Sonoma County, where she lives with her family.    She has shared her knowledge of and appreciation for the labyrinth as a tool for contemplation and connection with high school and university students, as well as helping to develop a community labyrinth initiative in Sonoma County.

During the summer of 2018, Brighid worked in the Veriditas office as an intern as part of her graduate studies in Humanities at Dominican University of California. She has served as a small-group leader in Chartres and at the Women’s Dream Quest.  She recently completed Advanced Facilitator Training.

Accommodation

Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Mercy Center. A link to book your room will be emailed to you in your confirmation email when you register.

Meals

While Mercy Center cannot cater to specific dietary restrictions for individuals other than Vegan/Vegetarian options, If you have a food allergy or intolerance, you are welcome to supplement your meals by bringing some of your own food items. There is a refrigerator and microwave on each bedroom floor available for guest use. Please label food items with your name and the dates of your retreat.

Directions

Here is a link for directions to the Mercy Center, located at 2300 Adeline drive, Burlingame.

"The labyrinth is a spiritual tool that has many applications in various settings. It reduces stress, quiets the mind and opens the heart. It is a walking meditation, a path of prayer, and a blue-print where psyche meets Spirit." 

-- The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way.The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered. 

How to know if Facilitator Training is right for you?

• Want to deepen your own labyrinth practice?
• Want the tools and guidance that will enable you to bring the labyrinth to your community?
• Want to connect with a supportive community of Labyrinth Facilitators around the world?
• Find yourself heading up a labyrinth program at your church, school, hospital, college etc. and need broad training and/or specific answers?
• Considering offering labyrinth walking as part of your healing, counseling, yoga or  coaching business and are curious about the business considerations involved?
• Love the labyrinth and want to offer workshops of your own? Consider completing Facilitator Training on the path to becoming Certified, Advance Trained and Accredited. Our Veriditas Accredited Presenters are now offering some of our qualifying workshops.

We encourage you to join us!

To read more about Facilitator Training, what topics are covered, our Facilitator Network and more, please click here

Lars Howlett is a leading expert in the design and creation of sacred space for walking meditation, centering prayer, personal healing, conflict resolution and community building. Lars is a practitioner of mindfulness and student of sacred geometry since 2003, experimenting with a wide variety of designs, materials, intentions and settings in his personal and professional projects. Lars was a three year apprentice to Robert Ferré, inheriting the tools, techniques, and teaching curriculum of a master builder. Lars is a Veriditas Faculty Member and Certified Advanced Facilitator trained by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress at Grace and Chartres Cathedrals. Visit http://www.DiscoverLabyrinths.com

Accommodation

Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Mercy Center. A link to book your room will be emailed to you in your confirmation email when you register.

Meals

While Mercy Center cannot cater to specific dietary restrictions for individuals other than Vegan/Vegetarian options, If you have a food allergy or intolerance, you are welcome to supplement your meals by bringing some of your own food items. There is a refrigerator and microwave on each bedroom floor available for guest use. Please label food items with your name and the dates of your retreat.

Directions

Here is a link for directions to the Mercy Center, located at 2300 Adeline drive, Burlingame.

Explore the storied history and evolution of the Classical Labyrinth—the great grandmother of all labyrinths!

The Classical pattern is the oldest and simplest form of a labyrinth, treasured by a wide variety of cultures and traditions over the past four to six-thousand years. A survey of its design gets us in touch with the archetypal roots of all labyrinths and a better understanding of the basic ingredients that evoke ‘the labyrinth experience’. Led by Veriditas Faculty member Lars Howlett, we will delight in the history, evolution, and application of the Classical Labyrinth. Learn the ins and outs of its sacred geometry and symbolism including how it reflects the basic patterns of life, a journey through the chakras, and the four directions. We’ll contemplate the many Classical variations such as the Chakra-vyuha, Baltic Wheel, and Man in the Maze with photographs of stunning examples from around the world.

Lars Howlett is a leading expert in the design and creation of sacred space for walking meditation, centering prayer, personal healing, conflict resolution and community building. Lars is a practitioner of mindfulness and student of sacred geometry since 2003, experimenting with a wide variety of designs, materials, intentions and settings in his personal and professional projects. Lars was a three year apprentice to Robert Ferré, inheriting the tools, techniques, and teaching curriculum of a master builder. Lars is a Veriditas Faculty Member and Certified Advanced Facilitator trained by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress at Grace and Chartres Cathedrals. Visit http://www.DiscoverLabyrinths.com

Accommodation

Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Mercy Center. A link to book your room will be emailed to you in your confirmation email when you register.

Meals

While Mercy Center cannot cater to specific dietary restrictions for individuals other than Vegan/Vegetarian options, If you have a food allergy or intolerance, you are welcome to supplement your meals by bringing some of your own food items. There is a refrigerator and microwave on each bedroom floor available for guest use. Please label food items with your name and the dates of your retreat.

Directions

Here is a link for directions to the Mercy Center, located at 2300 Adeline drive, Burlingame.

Immerse yourself in the transcendent archetype of the Chartres Labyrinth as we trace its saga and secrets through stories and studies by modern day disciples.

The most widely recreated and beloved labyrinth today, the Chartres Labyrinth is an exquisite design that has turned around the lives of countless people from all over the world. Inlaid in the Chartres Cathedral in 1200, the labyrinth has been wedded to this beloved pilgrimage site, soaking in that holy space and reflecting its sacred geometry for over 800 years. Join Veriditas Faculty Member Lars Howlett for a deep dive into the history and mystery of the Chartres Labyrinth. We’ll consider its design and variations, as well as how the center rosette and perimeter lunations took labyrinths to a whole new level. Photographs from Chartres and stunning replicas from around the globe will showcase some awe-inspiring renditions of this medieval pattern. 

Lars Howlett is a leading expert in the design and creation of sacred space for walking meditation, centering prayer, personal healing, conflict resolution and community building. Lars is a practitioner of mindfulness and student of sacred geometry since 2003, experimenting with a wide variety of designs, materials, intentions and settings in his personal and professional projects. Lars was a three year apprentice to Robert Ferré, inheriting the tools, techniques, and teaching curriculum of a master builder. Lars is a Veriditas Faculty Member and Certified Advanced Facilitator trained by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress at Grace and Chartres Cathedrals. Visit http://www.DiscoverLabyrinths.com

Accommodation

Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Mercy Center. A link to book your room will be emailed to you in your confirmation email when you register.

Meals

While Mercy Center cannot cater to specific dietary restrictions for individuals other than Vegan/Vegetarian options, If you have a food allergy or intolerance, you are welcome to supplement your meals by bringing some of your own food items. There is a refrigerator and microwave on each bedroom floor available for guest use. Please label food items with your name and the dates of your retreat.

Directions

Here is a link for directions to the Mercy Center, located at 2300 Adeline drive, Burlingame.

Join us for our final Dream Quest in the beautiful space of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco,  August 8-9, 2025.

We will attune to all aspects of the Center-- the center of our souls, the center of our circles, the center of our planetary community.  Help us celebrate 38 years in Grace and send the radiance of the Sacred Feminine far and wide for the healing of us all.  

Judith Tripp

Judith Tripp, MA MFT,  is a transpersonal psychotherapist, pilgrimage leader and musician.  She is on the Veriditas faculty and teaches at Chartres Cathedral.  She has led the Women’s Dream Quest at Grace Cathedral for 37 years as well as other venues all over the world.    She also  leads pilgrimages to Iona, Portugal and Avalon.  Judith has created the  musical offerings Homage, Return Again, and To Bless the Walk and authored the Book: Circleway, The Story of the Women’s Dream Quest.  More information on Circleway.com.  

An online retreat of reflection, creativity, and connection, with Laura Esculcas

Whether you’re walking a labyrinth, traveling on pilgrimage, or navigating the inner terrain of soul-work, every journey brings with it unexpected gifts. In this creative, contemplative workshop, you’ll craft your own set of Pilgrimage Wisdom Cards—small, meaningful reflections made by hand and heart.

Through the art of collage and guided reflection, you’ll create 3–4 (or more) cards to inspire your personal practice. These cards can accompany you on pilgrimage, serve as daily meditations, be used before or after labyrinth walks, or become blessings to offer fellow travelers.

Together, we’ll explore the themes and rhythms of pilgrimage—including the three R’s of the labyrinth path: Release, Receive, and Return. The workshop includes:

• A handheld labyrinth meditation
• Group and small-group reflection
• Inspiration and prompts for card creation
• Instruction and time for hands-on collage
• A curated packet of collage materials (mailed in advance*)
• You'll leave with a set of one-of-a-kind cards to carry forward—reminders of your own wisdom, creativity, and unfolding journey.

✨ Come with open hands and a curious heart. Let the path reveal its gifts. ✨

*Please register early to receive your art packet before the workshop. Serves as a qualifying workshop for those going on to attend Facilitator Training.

Laura Esculcas, Faculty

With passion for myth and metaphor, Laura curates wisdom journeys and immersion experiences in Portugal’s mystical landscape. Laura is co-founder of EarthShamans, a SoulCollage® facilitator, and teaches Energetics of Art with Ubiquity University Wisdom School. She is trained in Sacred Landscapes, Intuitive Feng Shui, and the Personessence™ System of Understanding People. Laura holds both an M.A. in Wisdom Studies and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.

Originally from the US and having worked in Silicon Valley for over ten years in high tech operations and management, Laura moved to Portugal to pursue her dream of an integrated life lived as a sacred journey shared with others. Now informed by more than ten years of immersion in the Portugal ecofield, Laura uniquely blends depth of experience, keen curiosity, and genuine open-heartedness as she facilitates wisdom journeys and pilgrimage experiences into Portugal's place-based myths.

Laura first met the labyrinth in 2001, on an Advent Quiet Day in Santa Cruz, California. Since that day, Laura has been a Labyrinth Enthusiast. She has served with Veriditas as a small group facilitator in Chartres, and teaches qualifying workshops and Labyrinth Facilitator Training in Europe.

Laura speaks English and Portuguese and lives near Lisbon with her husband and son, and their two dogs.

Would you like to introduce the labyrinth to others, facilitate group walks and lead transformative workshops? Join Veriditas Faculty Members Laura Esculcas and Lars Howlett (see bios below) for our next Virtual Labyrinth Facilitator Training. Go deeper with your personal practice in the labyrinth, meet others on a similar path, and receive a hard copy of our updated 160-page facilitator's manual with a wealth of labyrinth resources! Past participants can also enroll in the course again for half-price as a refresher.

Take the training from the comfort of your home in five consecutive 4 hour Zoom sessions (with breaks totaling one hour). Laura and Lars will share their insights, experiences, and inspiration from their personal and professional work with the labyrinth. Attendance in a Qualifying Workshop within the past two years is required for participants to experience a shared labyrinth journey led by a Veriditas Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator. (Check our calendar for in-person or online qualifying workshops).  To become trained, you must actively participate in the entire 16-hour training. For more information about scholarship opportunities and the program see: Veriditas.org/ft  

So, what is a labyrinth facilitator? First, it's someone who understands what a labyrinth is and can speak about it to a variety of audiences. This is actually a bit tricky, since the definition is quite slippery, and the origins are mysterious. Also, the terminology and applications of labyrinths vary a lot depending on if you’re talking to a group of high school students, a church congregation, patients at a cancer treatment center, or employees in a corporate office. Likewise, there are an infinite number of applications for the labyrinth. You could walk for prayer, healing, transformation, creativity, problem solving, community building, or stress reduction, among other things. 
 The second main aspect is organizing events and optimizing the labyrinth experience. There are many aspects to leading a group walk from framing the labyrinth with music, light, and thematic elements to incorporating a ritual or interactive element. There's also the pace and flow of the walk-- conducting the symphony of different people entering and exiting into sacred time and space. Lastly, there is the practice of holding space for a variety of experiences and providing opportunities for processing the walk through small group sharing, journaling, or other creative reflective exercises. Finally, becoming a labyrinth facilitator creates a pathway to working professionally in the realm of labyrinths. 

This training runs from Monday, December 9th through Friday December 13th, from 9 AM to 1:00 PM Pacific time each day.

Laura Esculcas, Faculty

http://www.mysticalportugal.com

With passion for myth and metaphor, Laura curates wisdom journeys and immersion experiences in Portugal’s mystical landscape. Laura is co-founder of EarthShamans, a SoulCollage® facilitator, and teaches Energetics of Art with Ubiquity University Wisdom School. She is trained in Sacred Landscapes, 

Intuitive Feng Shui, and the Personessence™ System of Understanding People. Laura holds both an M.A. in Wisdom Studies and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. 

Originally from the US and having worked in Silicon Valley for over ten years in high tech operations and management, Laura moved to Portugal to pursue her dream of an integrated life lived as a sacred journey shared with others. Now informed by more than ten years of immersion in the Portugal ecofield, Laura uniquely blends depth of experience, keen curiosity, and genuine open-heartedness as she facilitates wisdom journeys and pilgrimage experiences into Portugal's place-based myths.

Laura first met the labyrinth in 2001, on an Advent Quiet Day in Santa Cruz, California. Since that day, Laura has been a Labyrinth Enthusiast. She has served with Veriditas as a small group facilitator in Chartres, and teaches qualifying workshops and Labyrinth Facilitator Training in Europe.

Laura speaks English and Portuguese and lives near Lisbon with her husband and son, and their two dogs.

Lars Howlett, Faculty

www.DiscoverLabyrinths.com

Lars Howlett is a leading expert in the design and creation of sacred space for walking meditation, centering prayer, personal healing, conflict resolution and community building. Lars is a practitioner of mindfulness and student of sacred geometry since 2003, experimenting with a wide variety of designs, materials, intentions and settings in his personal and professional projects. Universities, churches, health centers, retirement communities, mental health centers, retreats, and individuals find Lars for inspiration and insight in creating exact replicas of historical patterns or one-of-a-kind artistic installations. 

Lars was a three year apprentice to Robert Ferré, inheriting the tools, techniques, and teaching curriculum of a master builder. Lars is a Veriditas Faculty Member and Certified Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator trained by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress at Grace and Chartres Cathedrals. He was the Chairperson of World Labyrinth Day from 2013-18.

Lars is an inspiring teacher and passionate speaker on the history, spirituality, and practice of walking labyrinths, leading workshops to cultivate inner wisdom for personal transformation with slideshows of personal projects and visits to sacred sites on four continents. 

Come join us for a nurturing and creative weekend retreat in the beautiful English countryside. Together we will have time making and creating, in movement and reflection, time on an outdoor labyrinth and time exploring SoulCollage®, a creative and simple way of connecting with your deep wisdom voices. 

We will be weaving BodySoul Rhythms®, time in nature out in the woods, storytelling around the fire and time together in the circle. We will have a rich and creative time together, held by the labyrinth and the gorgeous Somerset landscape.

Our gathering will be at The Ammerdown Retreat Centre in Radstock. Lovely food and ensuite single rooms, all set within glorious grounds.

The weekend cost of £545 includes full board, beginning with a delicious afternoon tea on arrival, accommodation in a single ensuite room, all art materials and tuition. 

Places are limited.

For more information, please email: jay@jayedge.com.
To register, please click here

Please bring your cup of tea or coffee to the Zoom screen and MeetUp! with others interested in sharing labyrinth facilitation ideas and experiences. The Veriditas Council invites you to connect, chat informally and to learn from one another.

Explore with colleagues across the globe as Council members Donna Hawkins, Rob Hodges, and Julia Van Fleet host our next MeetUp! on Saturday August 30th beginning at 1 pm PDT.

We look forward to seeing you. The MeetUP! is free but remember to register. 

This will be the second of three meetups in 2025. More information is coming soon.

We are an evolutionary species with an unfolding story of some seven million years. World religions, including Christianity, are only beginning to come to terms with our long sacred story, in which the Holy One has been co-creating over these several eons. As Earthlings, who belong deeply to the natural world, we have developed capacities for wisdom and faith from our long evolutionary experience that witness powerfully to the divine at work within and around us.

The implications of this enlarged horizon are substantial. They challenge the inherited understandings of God, Jesus, creation, human meaning, and open new evolutionary thresholds for a more dynamic, creative, and peaceful way of relating to our world. These new understandings support evolutionary growth to the benefit of all the creative beings with whom we share the web of life.

Come. Join us in an ancient place of refuge and renewal.

The Chartres Experience

Program registration for this Walking a Sacred Path Pilgrimage begins at the Hotelliere St. Yves in Chartres, France at 4:00 pm on Monday, followed by an orientation and opening reception. Each day begins with a seminar led by Diarmuid O'Murchu, followed by a large group conversation with Diarmuid and Lauren Artress, and leader led small group discussions. Participants will experience the sacred space of Chartres through a tour of the cathedral, as well as an unforgettable private candlelit labyrinth walk with medieval music. Participants will also have an opportunity to walk with the public, allowing time for reflection, connection, and community. The program concludes with a celebratory dinner on Friday evening that ends by 10 pm. You may want to plan to arrive a day prior to the start of the program to give yourself time to recover from jet lag, and we recommend planning to depart on the Saturday after the program concludes.

Diarmuid O'Murchu

Diarmuid O'Murchu, a member of the Sacred Heart Missionary Order, and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin Ireland, is a social psychologist whose early working life had been in social ministry, predominantly in London, UK. In more recent years he has worked as a workshop leader and group facilitator, conducting programmes on Adult Faith Development across several countries. He is a widely read author, with many of his books listed on this webpage. Now as a retired missionary, he lives in Dublin, Ireland.

The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress

The Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress is Canon Emerita of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and author of Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice; The Sacred Path Companion: How to Use the Labyrinth to Heal and Transform; and The Path of the Holy Fool: How the Labyrinth Ignites our Visionary Powers. Her first book Walking a Sacred Path was instrumental in launching what the New York Times named The Labyrinth Movement in May, 1998. She founded the non-profit, Veriditas, the World-Wide Labyrinth Project, in 1996 to “pepper the planet with labyrinths.” With over 6,000 labyrinth sites in the U.S. alone, her nonprofit work embraces the vision to activate and transform the human spirit through the labyrinth experience. Lauren received the Gandhi, King, and Ikeda Peace Award for her work in bringing people together in creative, peace-giving ways. In 2021 she received the Extraordinary Visionary Leader award from Women Creating our Futures. She is on the Editorial Board of Presence Magazine, a publication of Spiritual Directors International. Lauren is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California.

Logistical Information

Travel to and from Chartres: We look forward to welcoming you in Chartres!  Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from Chartres. Most airline flights will arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France.  You have a variety of options on getting to Chartres from CDG Airport.

• • Consider taking an UBER to Chartres. It has proven to be a convenient and cost effective option.
  • The most economical way is to take a taxi to the Montparnasse Train Station and take a train to Chartres.  Chartres is about an hour outside of Paris by train.  For train information, please see the SNCF website.
  • You can make a reservation online for a car or small van to meet you at the airport and drive you to Chartres. 
• • You can also consider the option of taking a taxi all the way to Chartres, though the cost will be in the range of 150 – 200 Euro or more.  If several participants arrive at the same time, sharing a taxi will bring the price down.

We will be creating an online Circle group for participants to be able to connect with each other prior to the start of the Pilgrimage in case you want to plan to share accommodations or transportation to Chartres. An invitation to join the group will be included in your confirmation email when you register.

Accommodation: Veriditas has a block of rooms reserved at the Hotellerie St. Yves for each week that we will be in Chartres in 2025. You will receive a link to book your room after you register for a Pilgrimage.  Most participants find the rooms comfortable and convenient. Each has a small bathroom with a shower. Bedding and towels are provided, but you will need to bring a hairdryer.

Meals: Chartres is a charming, medieval village with many options for eating out from casual fare such as omelettes and soup to fancier formal restaurants. There is also a grocery store in walking distance that sells sandwiches and snacks. Breakfast is included in the cost of your accommodation if you book through our block of rooms at the Hotellerie St. Yves. You are responsible for your own lunches and dinners throughout the week.

Spouse packages (partner/family/friends) are available if they want to come but not participate in the full program. Includes opening reception, closing dinner and cathedral tour. Simply select spouse package when you register.

Cancellation Policy: We understand that life happens! When things don’t go as you planned, Veriditas has policies in place so that you always know what to expect should you have to cancel an event. Please read our updated cancellation policy here.

Travel Insurance: Veriditas strongly recommends purchasing travel insurance to cover your expenses in the event of an unforeseen circumstance that may hinder your ability to attend the program. . Click here for a link to Travel Guard, specializing in insurance for our Chartres programs. 

For additional information on our Walking a Sacred Path Pilgrimages, please click here.

The goal of Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator Training is to prepare people to introduce others to the labyrinth in an articulate, professional and effective way.The training addresses meditative walking in a variety of settings, with a variety of different populations. It is focused primarily on the Eleven Circuit Medieval Labyrinth but is inclusive of all forms.

Walking the labyrinth is being embraced as a spiritual practice throughout the Western world mostly because of Veriditas trained facilitators. The Veriditas Facilitator Training -- which began in 1997 -- remains the most rigorous and comprehensive training offered. 

How to know if Facilitator Training is right for you?

• Want to deepen your own labyrinth practice?
• Want the tools and guidance that will enable you to bring the labyrinth to your community?
• Want to connect with a supportive community of Labyrinth Facilitators around the world?
• Find yourself heading up a labyrinth program at your church, school, hospital, college etc. and need broad training and/or specific answers?
• Considering offering labyrinth walking as part of your healing, counseling, yoga or  coaching business and are curious about the business considerations involved?
• Love the labyrinth and want to offer workshops of your own? Consider completing Facilitator Training on the path to becoming Certified, Advance Trained and Accredited. Our Veriditas Accredited Presenters are now offering some of our qualifying workshops.

We encourage you to join us! 

Please note: prior attendance at a Veriditas qualifying workshop is required. The Pilgrimage prior to this training in Chartres is considered a qualifying workshop.

Learn more about becoming a Veriditas Trained Facilitator.

Accommodation:

You will receive a link to book your accommodation at the Hotellerie St. Yves once your registration has been completed.