“The space between two branches may become more promising than the branches themselves”
~ Barbara Brown Taylor
“The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between”
~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Embarking on a journey of discovering thresholds in our lives is what we do in walking a labyrinth. Leaving the familiar world behind to be filled with moments of transition is like life itself. We exist within liminal spaces and move through ever-changing cycles of time. We depart, cross over, step through, arrive, and return using several thresholds in the experience of liminality.
Together, let us delve into myth, ritual, the arts, journaling, and the immersive experience of sound therapy. Be open to discovering new pathways to our innermost selves, new portals to mystery, and the lingering tones of singing bowls as they drift toward the edges of our consciousness.
Sound and silence can be thresholds of one another. Jonathan Goldman says, “Silence is the yin to the yang of sound. It is often in the silence that the greatest transformation and shift in change can occur.” Utilizing singing bowls, chimes, shruti box, and more, we will explore how sound and silence serve not only to accompany but to assist in navigating thresholds and experiences of liminality in our labyrinth work.
Folklore gives us a myriad of threshold-themed stories. In Celtic tradition, the Swan is seen as the Gatekeeper to the Otherworld, while the river serves as a moving boundary between solid lands. The Celtic goddess Bridgit was born right on a threshold, her parentage both mortal and immortal, allowing her to exist in two worlds at once. The ancient Tuatha De Dannan people, facing threats from hostile tribes, were largely forgotten over time. To endure, they slipped between realms— “turned sideways and disappeared,” as David Whyte describes—and now, they live as faeries beneath the trees by water, where the edges of the worlds are the thinnest.
Enhancing the frame of threshold definitions, let us explore the significance of the number three – a sacred symbol often found in fairytales and religious writings, embodying duality with a central point—past, present, and future. Together, we will examine various three-circuit labyrinth patterns and the “three R’s” of labyrinth walk vocabulary, as well as any interpretations you would like to share.
What defines threshold in your life? What images do you see when you reflect on these in-between places? How can we embody uncertainty, express anticipation, and facilitate our transitions from past circumstances to those yet to emerge?
Join Barrie Carter Gibby and Rob Meyer-Kuken to discover the many realms of threshold places that ignite to the creative imagination. Engage as a collective group with the many wonders of the in-between world, liminal time and the distinctive features they offer.
This is a Veriditas Qualifying Workshop for those who wish to take the Facilitator Training.
Barrie Carter Gibby:
Barrie Carter Gibby works on that creative edge between the branches of words and movement expression. A long-time educator, community builder, avid traveler and labyrinth facilitator, Barrie entwines her background in design, music, theater production and ritual-making to facilitate workshops and pilgrimages across the nation on a variety of themes. She is especially fascinated by the parallels of Celtic and Native American cultures and their loving embrace of nature centered whole life. Her annual pilgrimage to the 13th c. Chartres Cathedral labyrinth, in Chartres, France, provokes inspired passion for her ongoing labyrinth work. As a Veriditas Advanced Certified Labyrinth facilitator, Barrie finds sacred spaces everywhere.
Rob Meyer-Kukan:
Rob is the owner of 7 Notes Natural Health, a holistic health practice incorporating naturopathy, massage, reiki, sound therapy, mindfulness and other modalities, based in Lewisburg, West Virginia. He previously worked for more than two decades as a church and school Music Director. Rob recently completed a doctorate in Naturopathy at Kingdom College of Natural Health. He is a Licensed Massage Therapist, a Sound Therapist, Reflexologist, Reiki practitioner and teacher, a Veriditas-Certified Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator, and he sits on the Veriditas Council. He holds additional certificates in aromatherapy, color therapy, craniosacral therapy, therapeutic cupping, and cacao ceremony facilitation.
Rob’s love of the labyrinth was born out of his personal opportunities to walk in the “times when I needed it the most.” Following those times, a daily labyrinth practice became the center of Rob’s personal meditation and devotional life. He is passionate about incorporating sound into the labyrinth experience for self and others and often incorporates singing bowls, chimes, gongs, and more into the labyrinth experiences he leads. Rob’s walks engage a curious mind and open heart wrapped into an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere, as DEI is, for Rob, a passion and focus.
