An Odyssey vs. The Labyrinth~
When I gazed upon the syllabus for the English course, many thoughts raced through my mind. All these journal entries made me so excited. I laugh when I remember my instructor Anne, reminding the class that we ARE in an English writing course, and that yes, there will be a lot of writing. This travel writing course had me excited before I even knew it would become available in any semester that I would attend NIC, and even more excited once I knew I would be taking it. But when I looked at the last assignment- the conversion assignment, I was completely stumped. What exactly should I do my conversion project on? And how do I go about finding the resources for such an assignment? Do I even have the time to research, and then to read what I find? The answer to the last question was obvious, I probably would not have much time to research and read something entirely new to me. Then, it hit me. None of this was exactly new to me at all! My interest in labyrinths is what brought me to this trip in the first place, my workplace stuffed full of resources in which to find the answer to my questions. And, to top it all off, I had already started a year ago. While my interest in labyrinths began before employment with Ocean Resort, it wasn't until I was employed that I began to actually commence formal research into the history and development of labyrinths. Having the love of writing that I do, I decided that one of my first tasks at Ocean Resort would be to research the labyrinth and write a brand new pamphlet in which others could read and learn about the labyrinths, too. I learned the basics from a coworker who also had an interest in labyrinths and the knowledge to follow it, and he pointed me towards a very special book titled, "Walking a Sacred Path," by Lauren Artress. The book was even in our library, and I was able to borrow it and read it at no cost to me. I dove into the book, eager to learn the secret of the labyrinth. What I found instead, was a very complicated history with very little answers. Almost too technical at parts, the book failed to give me what I had been looking for, and I put it down only about one half to two thirds finished. My research then took me to the internet, where I simply "googled" the word labyrinth, and followed as many links as I could. I found links with information, I found links to blogs of fellow labyrinth walkers, and I even found some amazing pictures of churches and cathedrals, boasting large labyrinths on their sacred floors. By this point, I did have enough information to write a silly little pamphlet on. But I wanted more. I could not find the answer to what I had been searching. What IS a labyrinth?
As the days grew nearer, our Greece courses finally began. The first English class we had was centered on the descriptions of certain themes that would emerge within the topic of "Entering the Labyrinth." The difference between a maze and a labyrinth came up, of course, and I loved already knowing the answer. What would follow next is a slightly more complicated comparison of a journey, pilgrimage, and an odyssey. As I wrote in one of my previous journal entries, I do believe each and every one of us Greece trip students are on a journey. How could we not be? We are all packing our suitcases, stuffing as much information into our already overloaded student brains, boarding a plane and touring (what I assume to be) a very beautiful country. And we are all going to be coming back. For some of us, this is where it all stops. A pilgrimage however, is slightly more complicated. It implies some sort of spiritual or moral significance. My feeling is that even though many of us may not have begun this trip with a pilgrimage in mind, it may have found us on it's own. This trip has both spiritual and moral significance for me, and I intend to open my mind to every discovery. The final term was odyssey, which I can see myself in as well. An odyssey is described as a long journey or experience, and is usually circular. The individual leaves home, has their experience, and journeys back to their original starting place, probably with a different view of themselves and home. For many, this Greece trip represents the end. After enrollment, payment of deposits, attending courses, reading books and writing assignments and quizzes, the Greece trip is a sweet reward at the end of a long journey. For myself, I feel as though it is only the beginning of what will hopefully be a fantastic study abroad experience, which will lend itself to many more of its kind. I hope to find a renewed sense of home, and learn a lot about myself and of other cultures. It is learning about other cultures that I will find out where exactly I stand for myself.
While I have yet to pinpoint exactly what a labyrinth is, I believe I am much closer to describing it. If you were to draw a picture of an odyssey, you would actually be drawing a picture of a labyrinth; a single path into the centre, a chance to reflect, and an exit by the same single path, leading back to the starting point. The labyrinth, like the odyssey, allows the wanderer to discover some aspect of themselves that they may previously have been unaware of. It may allow one to solidify a belief they already held. The labyrinth is a safe vessel into the centre of the mind and soul, where there may or may not be a Minotaur hiding, guarding its secrets.
The conversion project is of personal significance to me for the reasons I have just explained. When creating my project, I had to make a few decisions. First off, what sort of materials will I be using? I knew I wanted to make a finger labyrinth and I knew that I would use the seven circuit pattern. This pattern is circular shaped, and so I decided that I would use an old vinyl record from the thrift store to use as a base for my labyrinth. I was happy to be reusing old materials, as I am quite environmentally conscious. As I approached the selection of records at the thrift store, I realized I would have to make a decision. What record would I choose? Most of the artists were unknown to me, but I still felt as though the record I chose should have some sort of meaning. That is when I saw it, an old children's storytelling record of Alice in Wonderland. Immediately, I grabbed the record and walked to the register with a big grin on my face. Alice in Wonderland has been a favourite of mine for as long as I can remember. It didn’t have the usual 'boy/girl meets girl/boy and they fall in love' type of storyline. While I don't have any issues with those stories such as the Little Mermaid or Aladdin, I like the originality that Alice in Wonderland brings. At first thought, I just thought that I liked Alice in Wonderland and that would be all of its relation to my labyrinth project. After reflecting upon it, I realized that the idea of the rabbit hole is quite similar to the idea of the labyrinth and the Minotaur myth. The term "down the rabbit hole" is usually implied to mean entering a realm of chaos or confusion, of something unknown and foreign to the individual. It is a journey within oneself and back out again. While the rabbit hole might be more chaotic then a simple labyrinth on its own, I believe that the myth of the labyrinth and the Minotaur relates well to it. The Minotaur was a symbol of chaos and confusion, of being misrepresented. Alice, on her decent down the rabbit hole, found a world of chaos and confusion, and herself misrepresented in her real life. Upon leaving the rabbit hole, Alice had a renewed sense of self and who she really was.
Next, came time for the design of the labyrinth itself. The record itself came in a hardboard slip, in which I turned inside out and cut to fit the specifications of the record. I used acrylic paint on the background, brown and black mostly with a rich, forest green dabbed in. The paint dried quickly, and so I traced the pattern of the labyrinth onto the background with a pencil. I cannot even come close to guessing how many labyrinths I had to draw on scrap paper to learn how to draw one properly! It was not an easy task at first. I knew my labyrinth had to have an enlarged centre to hold the face of the Minotaur. This was equally hard, but eventually I was able to get it right. I chose the bull depicted in Picasso's "Guernica" to represent the Minotaur on my project. I knew that most depictions of the Minotaur were evil and brutish, and I did not want that at the centre of my labyrinth. I feel like the Minotaur is largely misunderstood, and that I wanted it to symbolize a sort of confusion and/or demon within oneself, and not a horrible, flesh-eating monster. I glued green split peas and brown rice onto my project to build the walls of the labyrinth. I thought having the 3D effect would be fun, and peas and rice were the best materials to use. Not only am I a vegetarian who survives mainly on rice dishes, but the colours were right, and they were organic materials. Once I was finished, I realized my project was missing something. Where was I in this labyrinth? I noticed a large space at the bottom of the piece where the entrance to the labyrinth is and decided I needed to find a cartoon of an airplane to glue there. My finished product made me feel very good about everything that I had done. I had included some thoughtful responses to the myth of the labyrinth, as well as keeping true to myself.
Through the creation of this project, I learned and reaffirmed a few things about myself and the life I possess. I remembered Anne's discussion of being an "ultracrepidarian," which is someone who gives advice, opinions, or lectures about a subject beyond their knowledge. I have realized I am guilty of this sometimes, as I am sure many people are. Reaffirmed also, was my belief in a sort of fate. While I do not believe that everything is fate, I do believe that there are reasons behind why we do some of the things that we do. I believe that things I have learned in the past will serve me in the future. My interest in labyrinths lead me to gain a knowledge in them, and because of that knowledge and interest, I have been lead to this trip. And now that I have almost finished my first year of college/university, I could not think of a better program for me to attend than a study abroad trip to Greece. I hope to continue studies in philosophy and even history, and a trip to Greece will only strengthen this.
In closing, I would just like to add... only two days left until I board that plane. Only this time, it won't be a little cartoon picture on glued onto a painted vinyl record!
