Campus Labyrinth
Welcome to the UCO Labyrinths – our labyrinths are places for interdisciplinary reflection and creativity on Central’s campus.
Outdoor Labyrinth
The outdoor paver 11-circuit medieval labyrinth is located in Heartland Plaza near the Y Chapel and Mitchell Hall and is available to all students, staff, faculty and community members at any time. The UCO outdoor labyrinth is the same design as the stone labyrinth laid in 1200 CE in Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France.
Marty Kermeen of Labyrinths in Stone created this labyrinth which was dedicated on September 6, 2013. A walk into the center of the labyrinth and back out is 1/3 mile. It is approximately 42 feet in diameter.
Indoor Labyrinth
The indoor painted 7-circuit classical labyrinth is located on the gym floor in Wantland Hall south of the Y Chapel. The indoor labyrinth is available to all students, faculty, and staff members whenever the gym is not being used for classes or otherwise reserved for a special activity. The Wantland Hall labyrinth design is one of the oldest known labyrinth designs dating from as earlier as 2,000 BCE.
Experiencing the Labyrinth
Our labyrinth provide spaces for students, staff and faculty to have a pause in their day and spend moments in reflection or simply being outdoors while walking the path of the labyrinth. There are many ways to experience the labyrinth:
- Walking meditations: starting at the opening of the path, walking along and following the path to the center and using the same path to return.
- Some people like to take a moment to pause at the opening before starting the walk; others may want to move immediately on the path.
- Some people enjoy walking the path alone, and others may enjoy walking with a friend.
- There are no rules when one walks the labyrinth, so you can walk as quickly or slowly as you like, passing others or allowing others to pass; one may stop at any time.
- After walking, some people like to journal or share their experiences with others, reflecting on what they thought about/heard/saw/experienced.
Transformative Learning
The UCO labyrinths facilitate teaching and learning based on the Central Six tenets of Transformative Learning: Discipline Knowledge, Leadership, Research, Creative, and Scholarly Activities, Service Learning and Civic Engagement, Global and Cultural Competencies, and Health and Wellness.
- The labyrinth is used in almost all cultures in the world, providing a place that is inclusive of all faiths and cultures. Because the labyrinth is not tied to a specific religion or denomination, its adaptability for use is unique (Global and Cultural Competencies).
- The labyrinth is utilized in interdisciplinary research projects on stress reduction, increased productivity, academic success, student retention and creativity just to identify a few (Research, Creative, and Scholarly Activities).
- Many disciplines on campus utilize the labyrinth as a space for creativity including outdoor dance performances, creative writing, team building, professional development and group problem solving (Discipline Knowledge and Leadership).
- The community is welcome to come to the campus to experience the labyrinths (Service Learning and Civic Engagement).
- The outdoor labyrinth is always available for a pause from a hectic day, to reduce stress, and to provide calm. It is also a nice walk; 1/3 mile from the entrance to the center and back (Health and Wellness).
Mindful Movement Mondays
The UCO Labyrinth Community along with the Healthy Campus Initiative are sponsoring Mindful Movement Mondays in which we will alternate weekly labyrinth walks and Tai Chi. Join us on the second and fourth Monday of each month for a guided labyrinth walk.
Time: Noon
Location: UCO Outdoor Labyrinth
Labyrinth Facilitators
For more information about the labyrinth, including ideas for how to use the labyrinth in your classes or department, you can contact any of the following trained labyrinth facilitators.
Kristi Archuleta
Jerel Cowan
Darla Fent-Kelly
James Powers
Melissa Powers
Diane Rudebock
Labyrinth Rentals
Canvas and wooden labyrinths are available for rental by students and faculty through the Department of Kinesiology & Health Studies. For information on rentals, contact Melissa Powers.
Online Resources
